Wildcat Word
February 19, 2021
Principal Message
I want to acknowledge that the survey process to families about hybrid for 4th quarter has not gone well. Emails were sent out by our research department and many went to people's spam or junk mail folders. We need 100% completion of surveys so that we can use this information to create a hybrid plan that will work for our Bridger community. Please take the weekend to review information located on PPS Hybrid website, then find and answer the survey for each of your children. The survey is very short and takes only a few minutes to complete. If you can not find the email, let us know and we can help you. Starting Monday, we will be calling all families that have not completed survey. Below is pictures of what the two emails look like that have been sent to you.
Our district sent a message this week that was confusing about what is happening with SE Enrollment and Balancing process due to Kellogg Middle School opening. I want to restate what changes are happening at Bridger for next year:
- Bridger will be a K-5 school with 2 Spanish Immersion classes and 1 Neighborhood class per grade level.
- Kindergarten will move back to Bridger.
- Spanish Immersion Middle School Students will be going to Kellogg.
- Neighborhood Middle School Students will be going to Harrison Park unless transfer application was submitted to attend Kellogg and approved.
I am so excited to be able to greet our students at Bridger starting Monday with our Limited In Person Instruction.
Melissa Schachner, Principal
Safety
Plan two ways out of the home in case of an emergency.
Make sure you house number can be seen from the street so emergency responders can find you.
Generators should be used outdoors. Do not run a generator inside of a garage even if the door is open.
Turn portable heaters off when you leave a room or go to bed.
Important Dates
February 24th Platica para Padres 4-5pm
February 25th Black History Month Auction 6:30-8:30pm
February 26th Rainbow Colors Spirit Day
11th Annual Bridger Post Office- Update!
Due to inclement weather, we have extended the length of the post office. You can order postcards through next week (if supplies last and/or we have continued interest, we may extend the order date beyond next week). Bridger Post Office Order Form. [Click on this link Postcard Winners for a larger view of the designs. Note: you cannot order from this padlet.]
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
Order postcards via the Google Form: Bridger Post Office Order Form
PTA fills your order. PICK UP your order at the following THURSDAY SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION.
WRITE postcards (or letters) to friends, family and staff at Bridger (or to anyone else you would like to). WRITE your ADDRESSEE’S NAME, GRADE LEVEL and TEACHER’S NAME (if you know it) on the postcard or letter.
DROP OFF your mail at one of the 📫BRIDGER MAILBOXES 📫 LOCATED AT THE FOOD & SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION door or the LIBRARY DISTRIBUTION door. [MAIL can be DROPPED OFF anytime during DISTRIBUTION hours - MWF Food, TH Supply & Library.]
PTA will preps orders & sorts mail and has them ready for PICKUP the following THURSDAY. [If you are unable to pick up your mail, we will get it to you.]
AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S POSTCARD DESIGN CONTEST WINNERS!
Anna Gabriela A., Rayden C., Tomás C., Isabelle D., Kinsley D., Felicia G-K, Thia G, Ingrid H., Amiyah L-S, Eleanor M., Piper G, Liam M., Lyvia M., Chelsea N-C, Rhys P., Rafael Q, Isabela R-S, Harrison S., Story S., Samantha S-V, Dulce U-A, Aanika W, Lucy W, and Raisa Z-C.
Sincerely,
2nd Grade Teacher
SUN
Hi Bridger!!
Here is a big update that I wanted to share:
Currently, I am accepting requests for support for families that at COVID-affected via this GoogleForm: https://forms.gle/4c3Lwc932LjjTd688.
I want to be very transparent that right now our Wait List is so full that I cannot put a request for support in at this time, but I am still collecting this information so that I can put referrals in as soon as our system is open.
In Winter 2020, there were a lot of funds from the CARES Act and we were able to offer quite a bit of support for our families- including wage relief, rental support, and gift cards when possible. Unfortunately we are not in that same place at this time, and the financial support we can offer is a lot less at this time and is NOT guaranteed.
Our goal is to continue to support families as best we can, and I will continue to do my best to continue to offer support to our Bridger community as much as I can.
That being said, if you are in need of rent assistance, PLEASE complete the Eviction Moratorium paperwork provided by the state. I will also have forms printed out and available at the Free Food Market on February 19th (next week). This gives you eviction protection until July 1st.
All languages for this form can be found here: https://multco.us/chair-kafoury/covid-19-eviction-moratorium-information.
February Bridger Free Food Market:
Please note: the time of the market is slightly earlier to accommodate the sunset with the outdoor market and to prioritize the safety of visitors and volunteers.
When: Friday, February 19th, from 2:30-4pm
Where: in the Bridger Elementary School parking lot (next to the field) - 7910 SE Market St.
The food is available to everyone in the community; you can take food for your neighbors as well. Please see the details and safety requirements below:
- The market is walk-up
- Market will include a walk through shopping model this month- DON'T FORGET YOUR BAGS!
- Face coverings/Masks required
- Maintain at least 6 feet between yourself and others
- Please send someone to shop for you/stay home if you are experiencing any symptom of COVID-19 (cough, fever, chills, sore throat, muscle or body aches, nausea, etc.)
Contact Melany if you would like to volunteer or have any questions: melany@latnet.org or 503-502-1485.
As always, please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns! I am here for you and I miss y'all.
Need Help? How to Contact Office Team
The best way to contact office team is to email them and they will quickly email you back or give you a call using Remind, if requested. They can also meet you in Google Meet Room.
Suzy Hernandez shernandez@pps.net
Cheryl Robert crobert@pps.net
Counselor Corner
Ms LeAnne K-4: The first week of February was the national Black Lives Matter in Schools Week of Action. This is so important that we are actually taking several weeks to talk and learn about it! Last week students learned about the movement and four of its guiding principles: Loving Engagement, Empathy, Globalism and Diversity.
Here is what Bridger will be focusing on during Week 2 of the Bridger Black Lives Matter Weeks of Action:
Day 5: Guiding Principle of: Unapologetically Black
Day 6: Guiding Principle of: Restorative Justice
Day 7: Guiding Principle of: Black Women
Day 8: Guiding Principles of: Queer and Trans-Affirming
Day 10: Guiding Principle of: Collective Value
We are excited to grow and learn alongside your students as we celebrate Bridger’s Black Lives Matter Weeks of Action!
Does your child have a specific behavior problem that you are encountering and struggling with? This free online course might help you:
Primary P Triple Care Positive Parenting Program Free Online Course from Oregon Family Support Network for parents of children from birth to age 12. We offer the course in both languages English and Spanish, based on 8 interactive modules, including: Intervention 1-1 with parents, Individual consultation with parents, coaching with parents, peer support provided. See flyer in English and Spanish.Bridger Library
We enjoy seeing families on Thursday afternoons and will continue to offer book bag checkout each Thursday from 12-4:30! In addition, students can place books on Hold and pick them up during the same timeframe. Please remember to bring back books when you come to pick up a new bag. If you have questions, email library staff: Dawn Jardine (djardine@pps.net) or Brenda Jamsgard (bjamsgard@pps.net).
Please check in with your students to make sure they are logging into the library classroom and completing the weekly activities; lessons are posted by Monday morning and can be completed during the suggested library time for their class or at any point throughout the week.
If your student is looking for resources for online reading, they can access many different options - including TumbleBooks, Storytime from Space, and our online catalog - by visiting the Bridger Library web page here.
Reading Tips
It’s always a good time to take the 40 book challenge in English or Spanish if you haven’t started yet! February is a great time to read biographies such as Rosa Parks or Malcom X to get their story straight from them. Lunar new year is an exciting time to read about new year celebrations around the world. Just put in keywords to do a search at Multnomah County Library and arrange for a pick up.
If you are taking the 40 Book Challenge, please drop me a note to tell me how it is going! And let me know if you need books, or book suggestions: Michelle Schardt, bilingual reading specialist mschardt@pps.net
Student Leaders
Friday, February 26th is our next Spirit Day: Class Color Day! Each grade level will have its own color to wear to show school spirit! Keep it school appropriate but fun with your most creative outfit in class!
Wear your grade’s color:
Kinder - red
1st - orange
2nd - yellow
3rd - green
4th - blue
5th - purple
Middle school - black
Don’t have your grade’s color? Wear white, gray, or black!
Our next Middle School Student Council meeting is Friday, Feb 19th at 1:00-1:55. Google Meet code: Bridgerstudentcouncil.
Our next Elementary Student Council meeting is Friday, March 5th 11:05-11:40am. Google Meet code: BSC.
Distance Learning Tips and Tricks
Hello Bridger community,
Today, as the world seems to get a little more wild every week, I want to share with you an article about how to combat anxiety during distance learning. You can find the article here:
https://www.weareteachers.com/help-students-with-anxiety/
This article highlights 10 things that you can do at home with students (or even if yourselves) are feeling anxiety.
I want to highlight number 3 in this article, if you don’t have time to read the whole thing. It recommends that you “Talk about anxiety openly.” It’s important to remember that we all feel anxieties every day and it’s important to remember and embrace that.
As always, whatever you can do is enough, and have a fantastic weekend.
Take care
PTA
SEE YOU MARCH 10th to talk more about Bridger’s future in the South East Guiding Coalition process! Please mark your calendars.
Key takeaways from our workshop this week about emotions and the adolescent brain:
WE ALL FLIP OUR LID SOMETIMES! - Use your hand to show your child what a brain looks like when emotions take over. The emotional parts of kids’ brains (amygdala) develop much sooner than the rational parts of their brain (prefrontal cortex) which causes them to “flip” their lids more often. Talk them through it!Missed one of our recent workshops/meetings? Watch it back on video (up to 2x as fast!)
Raise your hand if you are ready for a Covid-friendly dine-out! Altas Pizza has graciously agreed to donate 20% of ALL sales on the night of Tuesday, February 23 to Bridger PTA. This includes all pick-up, delivery, and gift card purchases from 4-10pm at their location on SE 65th & Foster. Please note that this does not include orders made through third parties like Postmates, UberEats, GrubHub, etc. You can order delivery from Atlas directly for a $2 delivery fee, or order to pick up from the Foster location where they are following social distancing and masking to keep customers and themselves safe.
While we will miss being able to see the Bridger community together in person, we’d love to see your faces so feel free to post a pic of your and/or your pizza and tag @bridgerpta and @atlaspizzapdx
Atlas Pizza Contact Info:
503-232-3004
6529 SE Foster
https://www.atlaspizzapdx.com
Distance Learning Resources
Technology Assistance
Web: pps.net/student
Email: support@pps.net
Call: 503-916-3375
English: 503-916-3375
Español: 503-916-3582
中文:503-916-3585
Tiếng Việt: 503-916-3584
Soomaali: 503-916-3586
Русский: 503-916-3583