North Star News

September 2023 - We Reach! We Rise! We Shine!

Mark Your Calendar

Mark Your Calendar

9/13 PTC Meeting in Room 100 4-5 p.m.

9/29 C&I Day - No School

9/30 Teddy Bear Parade in Downtown Gresham 10-12 p.m.

10/2 SUN Fall Session Begins

Mark Your Calendar
Principal's Message

Principal's Message

Dear North Gresham Families,


I am so excited to see our students showing up everyday, smiles on their faces and ready to learn. Our students are quickly adjusting to and learning our school routines. They're doing a great job!


With that being said, I want to encourage all families to address with their student(s) our school expectations for appropriate language. Regardless of whether they're in the presence of an adult or not, students shouldn't ever use foul language. We also do not tolerate racial slurs. One of our school values is integrity, and this undermines that value, breaks down our community, and causes real harm. We take this very seriously will follow board policy to address this when it occurs. My hope is that our families will have a conversation with their children and take a firm stance that they too won't tolerate it. Together, we can partner to ensure that all students feel safe and part of our community at North Gresham.


I also want to thank you for your patience in dropping off and picking your students up from school. Students are getting our system down and it will get faster and faster. Remind your student(s) to sit quietly and listen for their names to be called. This will help get students out to families in a timely manner. We appreciate your support helping ensure a safe and smooth dismissal by following the guidelines and reminders below:


  • Pick-Up by Car: Please follow all staff directions, signs, and arrows. Pull forward with the flow of traffic. Do not park in the drive-up line and get out of your car to walk up. Also, make sure your number is visible in your windshield.
  • Pick-Up by Walking Up: Please only go to the pick-up line. Be ready to show your pick-up number to the staff at that area, and then wait for your student(s) to be sent out to you.
  • Buses: Our buses are arriving more on time and are leaving the school on time or close to on time. At times, buses can run late. Late buses can be due to a variety of issues such as traffic, running late from previous routes (high school students are released and dropped off before elementary schools), etc., and these factors are outside of our control. Please be patient during the first few weeks of school.
  • Walkers: If you have students who are walkers, please remind them to walk straight home after they've been crossed by staff at our designated crosswalks. Some walkers are hanging out chatting, and this causes concern when they don't arrive home on time as expected. Please make sure they know where to meet you and to follow all staff directions.
  • Early Pick-Up: If you need to pick up your student early from school, please do so before 2:45 p.m. After that time, you will be asked to wait outside until dismissal and you will need to go to the parent pick-up line. We will make exceptions for unforeseen emergencies, and ask that you call the school to let us know. We dismiss close to 600 students a day, and last-minute changes can create a safety issue.


Thank you for partnering with us to educate your children. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me at sewell2@gresham.k12.or.us or call the front office.


Sincerely,


Shawnda Sewell

Principal

Principal's Message
Big picture

ParentSquare

ParentSquare is our communication tool district-wide. The app is free for download for all Android and iOS devices. Download it today to stay updated with school information, events, alerts, and to communicate with your student's teacher!


For more information and helpful tips, click here.

From Our PTC

Join us for our first PTC meeting of the year on Wednesday, September 13th from 4:00-5:00 p.m.! Our meetings are in-person at North Gresham in room 100. Meetings will usually be held on the 2nd Wednesday of every month from 4:00-5:00 p.m. PTC meeting information will be shared each month via the school newsletter, website, ParentSquare, and Facebook page to confirm the date, time, and location.


Join the PTC for the annual Gresham Teddy Bear Parade! This year the parade will be on Saturday, September 30th in downtown Gresham. Anyone can go watch the parade downtown. Spectators can watch the parade from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. If you would like to participate in the parade and join the PTC, please meet us in the East Hill Church parking to line up by 9:30 a.m. and get ready for the parade. We ask that you wear our school colors - blue, white, and yellow - or dress up as you choose. Bring a teddy bear, if you have one! If you plan to ride a scooter or bike in the parade, you must wear a helmet. If you have any questions about the Teddy Bear parade, please email the PTC at northgreshamptc@gmail.com.


Remember, to scan your grocery receipts using the Box Top App (After you scan the receipt, click on the STAR “Credit”, and put in your child’s teacher’s last name to give Credit to that teacher. Yes! We will have competitions.) You can also give back with Smile.Amazon.com (North Gresham Grade School Parent Teacher Club) and Fred Meyers Community Rewards (North Gresham Parent Teacher Club). All funds go back to the school and support our students!

When Should I Keep My Student Home?

Please keep students home when sick and report any absences to the school.


If your student has any of the symptoms below, please keep them home:

  • New Cough - May return after symptoms improve for 24 hours (no cough or well-controlled cough)
  • Difficulty Breathing - May return after symptoms improve for 24 hours (breathing comfortably)
  • Sore Throat - May return when symptoms improve for 24 hours
  • Vomiting or Diarrhea - May return when symptom-free for 48 hours
  • Fever of 100.4 or greater - May return when fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication
  • Rash - May return when the rash is gone or with orders from a doctor or school nurse
  • General Illness - If your student is feeling unwell in general and you feel it will interfere with their learning, please keep them home until they're feeling better


Please report any student injuries, such as a broken limb, recent surgery, etc., and provide the school with a doctor's note stating that the student is clear to be at school and that it outlines any limitations such as not participating in P.E., recess, etc.


All medications must be checked in at the office by a parent or legal guardian. Medications are kept locked in our health room, and are not to be sent to school with students and/or kept in the classroom. This includes over-the-counter medications such as cough drops and Tylenol. Medications need to be in their original packaging with dosage instructions.


If your student has an underlying health condition, such as diabetes, seizure disorder, asthma, severe allergy, etc., please call the school. We want to make sure we are able to support and treat your student's health in accordance with their doctor's orders.

SUN News

Applications have been sent home and shared on ParentSquare for our SUN fall session. They are due by Friday, September 15th. Space is limited!


SUN is an after school program available to 1st-5th graders. If your student selected to attend the SUN fall session, you will be contacted. SUN starts on Monday, October 2nd and the last day is Thursday, November 30th. If you have any questions about the SUN program, please contact Thanya Rios by phone: 503-560-2855, or be email: thanyar@mfs.email.

Reminders from the Office

Contacting the Office

You can reach the office staff by calling our school at 503-661-6415, Monday-Friday 8:15 a.m. (9:15 a.m. on Wednesdays) to 4:00 p.m. You can also email our office team at any time. Nina Davis at thomas82@gresham.k12.or.us, and Yuli Nolasco at nolasco8@gresham.k12.or.us


Absences

Please call in your student's absence before 8:35 a.m. (9:35 a.m. on Wednesdays). Leave a message by selecting option 1 if you call outside of school hours. Please let us know your student's first and last name, teacher/grade, and the reason for the absence. Students not present by 8:35 a.m. (9:35 a.m. on Wednesdays) will be marked absent. Students that arrive late will receive a tardy slip, and their absence will be adjusted in the system to a tardy. Automated attendance calls go out and you may receive a call if your student arrives after the calls are made.


Changes of Transportation

If your student will go home differently than normal, please contact the office to make the change. Dismissal is a very busy time, so we appreciate you calling no later than 2:00 p.m. to make any changes.


Early Pick-Up

If you need to pick your student up early from school, please do so before 2:45 p.m. Dismissal is very busy, so if you arrive after 2:45 p.m. you will be asked to wait until dismissal time to get your student.


ParentVue

Register for ParentVue to view your student’s attendance, grades, and make changes to your contact information. If you need assistance with setting up ParentVue, please call the school at 503-661-6415. You can also email our secretaries at thomas82@gresham.k12.or.us or nolasco8@gresham.k12.or.us. Visit the ParentVue web page to login or sign up: https://www.gresham.k12.or.us/domain/2446.
North Gresham Elementary School

North Gresham Elementary School

North Gresham Elementary School

1001 Southeast 217th Avenue, Gresham, OR, USA 503-661-6415 gresham.k12.or.us/nges