Marysville Message
Friday April 23, 2021
Dear Marysville Families
It was wonderful to celebrate Earth Day this week surrounded by the all the beautiful blooming plants on the Marysville Campus. I especially love the cherry blossoms from the tree in front of the school.
Unfortunately, plants are not the only thing blooming in the area, COVID case rates are also increasing in the county. It is as important as ever to maintain safety guidelines.
In order to stay open please err on the side of caution and have your student remain home if your student has any symptoms.
In the building we will continue to be vigilant in following all safety protocols.
Safe and healthy schools expectations during in person instruction:
Per ODE’s Ready Schools Safe Learners March 22 guidance, and agreements with our labor partners, certain health and safety parameters must be followed by all students and staff in our buildings.
Masks are to be worn at all times (over nose and under chin, with two layers of cloth material)
6 feet of social distancing is to be maintained at all times; there may be some exceptions, especially for staff working with students on IEPs or 504 plans.
Students should stay in designated areas and follow all posted instructions.
Students and staff should wash hands frequently and/or use hand sanitizer.
All of the news this week has reinforced for me the importance of our mindfulness practices that develop awareness, compassion and perseverance.
At Marysville we remain committed to the important work we are doing that will prepare Marysville students to fulfil the PPS vision to be prepared to lead a more socially just world. We are building towards a world where everyone has the space and freedom to thrive and bloom.
Warmly,
Cathy Murray
Families with Incoming Kindergarten Students
We hope you can join us at one of our upcoming Connect to Kindergarten Virtual Events!
You'll have an opportunity to meet our principal, kindergarten teachers, and school staff.
Our Lion will take you on a tour of the school and you'll learn what makes Marysville special.
April 27, 2021, 4-5 pm
April 30, 2021, 8:30-9:30 am
Nutrition Services
While meals are served at no cost to children ages 1-18 at several Portland Public School sites this year, there are several benefits for eligible families to submit a meal application this school year.
Families approved for free and reduced-price meals may be eligible to receive future potential government assistance such as Pandemic EBT benefits (*please note that Oregon has not been approved yet for expanded Pandemic EBT benefits; we will alert families when we learn more and if it is approved).
Families may be eligible for other benefits such as school related fee reduction or waivers, low cost internet and health coverage.
Families do not need to submit a meal application if any of the following apply:
All students in the household attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school (list located online: https://www.pps.net/Page/2088) where students eat meals at no cost.
A meal application has already been submitted and approved for the 2020-21 school year.
The household received a 2020-21 Direct Certification Approval letter.
The household does not meet the 2020-21 Federal Income Guidelines
Eligible families who would like to submit a meal application have the following options:
Online at www.schoolcafe.com/pps.
Print, complete and mail back a paper meal application (https://www.pps.net/Page/2464) to PPS Nutrition Services, 501 N. Dixon St., Portland, OR 97227.
Request a paper meal application be mailed home from mealbenefits@pps.net or call 503.916.3402.
For meal benefits related questions, please email mealbenefits@pps.net or call 503.916.3402.
Message from Oregon Department of Education
To our Oregon education community,
Today, we continue to mourn the death of George Floyd.
We are standing with the people who are most affected by the Chauvin trial and the verdict. As this has been unfolding in recent weeks, we know there are many who are reliving deep trauma while also attempting to work, teach, learn in school, parent, and make it through day-to-day life. No matter what we think a person's reaction should be to the guilty verdict, the harm and hurt isn't going away overnight. So, let’s take care of each other with grace, patience, and empathy.
In Oregon, people have varying understandings of the meaning behind this particular verdict, but it is a historic moment of high visibility that holds lessons for us all because the ripple effects will affect us all—and generations of our children to come.
Even with a guilty verdict, there is still a hard truth we all need to face: In this situation, one man had access to a trial and another did not. One man was protected by our public safety system and the other was not. Confronting this reality comes with a moral and ethical imperative that basic, fundamental human rights must surpass politics and shape our way of being in the world where hate is far too prevalent.
When we hear from our school communities about the extreme pain and fear caused when hate surfaces, we know that silence and inaction only allow racism to remain prevalent. Instead, proactively moving forward policy, curriculum, and classroom conversations will help ensure that Oregon schools can have a future free from hate and violence. We consistently hear from our students that we need to be ready to talk skillfully and thoughtfully about difficult topics and events when they come up. Without that, silence and racism continues and damages the culture of our schools as well as our students' mental health and ability to access education and learning.
In our schools, children learn about ethnic studies, civic engagement, the criminal justice system, our government, and explore and choose paths that will shape who they become. Some students’ paths are limited or impacted by racism and inequity, and that’s what we’re battling at a systemic level. At a personal and institutional level, it’s possible every day to open up doors of mutual understanding, accurate and culturally relevant histories, and new ways of thinking about how to better care for this world and each other.
ODE has hope in the future of public education, overcoming systemic racism built-in to our systems, and in our collective ability to demonstrate that each and every student can be free from hate, fear and violence. As we search for hope in trying times, we can see it firsthand in the young people who are leading the way towards a brighter shared future—so that each and every child can grow up and reach their full potential.
In our schools, EVERY student belongs. Black Lives Matter.
With care for all those we serve,
Colt Gill
Director of the Oregon Department of Education
Resources for students, families, and staff experiencing trauma: