1. Message from Principal Galloway

2. Save the Date

3. School News

4. Foundation

5. PTA

PTA Meetings & Info

6. Nutrition Services

information // January menu

7. Reading Friends

8. News from Staff

Counseling // Library & Technology // PE // Art

9. Flyers

Yearbooks // Brinner // After School Classes // Sports

Greeting Maplewood Families,

We are back in the swing of things after winter break and things are going really well! Students are settling back into the routine of things and are working hard. We are getting the first round of testing results back and our students are making great gains. We are excited to see the results of our MAP testing; coming soon! The results will guide how we will support and extend students’ learning this spring.

Next Friday will be our first indoor community gathering that I think we have had at Maplewood since before COVID, other than our brief indoor back to school night this past fall. Please join us for a free breakfast for dinner (Brinner) and some fun events! I will be getting a pie thrown in my face by Ms. Bokoske and her class since they raised the most money at our read-a-thon. Also, Coach Alex from Playworks will be running some fun playworks games for all. Additionally, there will be the opportunity to vote for the name of our new mascot, the Maplewood Bear! These are just a few of the fun things you will be a part of when you join us at Brinner.

Another fun event we haven’t had since before COVID is the Maplewood auction! It is back this year and will be another great opportunity to connect with other Maplewood families while also raising some money to continue to support our Maplewood Foundation. The money will go towards hiring Educational Assistants for next year. So, please plan to join us at the auction in April. More details will follow soon.

Many of the parents of the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade families recall the strong community spirit Maplewood had before COVID hit. I look forward to continuing to build that Maplewood community connection back again. Brinner and the auction are two major events to help us connect and create the community we want for our little local school. Please try to make it a priority to join these events. YOU and your family matter to us and are an important part of what makes us who we are.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

Warmly,

Kit

Every Tuesday
OHSU Covid Test Returned - Optional

January 27

No School

January 27

Pancake Brinner 5:30 to 7:30 pm (open house style) in the cafeteria.

TAG

Parent Office Hours with the TAG (Talented and Gifted) Department

Ask questions and receive information related to TAG identification, services, processes, etc.

We will meet on Zoom, 6:00-7:00 PM on 1/25/23, 2/22/23, 3/22/23, 4/26/23, and 5/31/23.

TAG OFFICE HOURS

NEW! Parent Office Hours with the TAG Department

The October focus will be the TAG referral process

Our next meeting will be January 25, 6:00-7:00 PM

Zoom link for Parent Office Hours with the TAG Department

A list of questions and answers from past meetings are in this FAQ document.

We look forward to seeing you!

Every Day Labs Attendance Communication Program for the 22-23 School Year

Attending school every day possible helps students learn and stay on track.

● This year, you may receive mailed letters and/or text messages from your school about your student’s attendance.

● To ensure you receive these updates, please contact your school to make sure your contact

information is up to date.

If you need attendance support or have questions about these communications, we’re here to help: call 503-868-6970 to connect to our Family Support Team..

Between 2 Maples Podcast:
I am sure you are aware that I have started a podcast with the help of Robin Roemer, the father of Coralie and Thea. The first two episodes are about homework. I would love your feedback! You can listen to is here: https://sites.libsyn.com/449460

(and hopefully soon on iTunes, google or wherever you get your podcasts).

In these two episodes we talk about homework at Maplewood. Why did Maplewood move away from its “no homework policy”, why and how homework can be an important part of children’s learning process, how do homework and equity interact, I also answer questions under pressure in a lightning round and we discuss how families can support their children in their homework.

Our next episode(s) we will talk about "Reading" - how do kids learn to read and how can we help them?

We welcome any feedback and questions at Between2MaplesPodcast@gmail.com

January Mindfulness Technique - Mindful Movement

Mindful moving, walking or running: When moving, try focusing on the feeling of your body moving. If you go for a mindful walk, you might notice the breeze against your skin, the feeling of your feet or hands against different textures on the ground or nearby surfaces, and the different smells around you.

Maplewood Reads - Is There Something Wrong With Me?

Is There Something Wrong With Me? provides concrete examples of micro-aggressions and discrimination--rooted in race, ethnicity, and gender--that children face. Designed to elicit empathy and conversation about identity and belonging, the book further suggests at-home and classroom activities to dismantle social bias.

Happy New Year, Maplewood School Community! Your Maplewood Foundation Team has been busy working to plan this year's auction which will take place in April. This is our biggest fundraising event of the year and we have a goal to raise $60,000 to fund two Educational Assistant positions for next school year. This will also be our first time doing an in-person auction since 2019, so it will be a new experience for many!

Seeking Donations for the 2023 Spring Auction

Do you have a vacation home? We are looking for vacation rentals for the auction. Do you have a service or an item to donate? Can you help us connect with local businesses and vendors to gather donations for the auction? If so, or if you have any questions, please email us at maplewoodfoundation@gmail.com or call or text Jeannette Taylor at 503.901.9813.

Other Ways to Donate

• Monthly recurring donation. A monthly donation is the most convenient and effective way to give to Maplewood. Even small monthly donations make a big impact over time. Set up your monthly recurring donation here.
• One-time contribution. This is a great option for grandparents, extended family, and loving neighbors to support your Maplewood student. Make a one-time contribution here.
• By check. We are happy to receive donations by check made out to Maplewood Foundation and dropped off at the school or mailed to the school at 7452 SW 52nd Ave, Portland, OR 97219.
• Fred Meyer Rewards Program Contribution. If you shop at Fred Meyer and are part of their rewards program, you may designate those reward savings to the Maplewood Foundation. It’s super easy and you can learn more here (sign in and search for Maplewood Foundation or IF500): https://www.fredmeyer.com/i/community/community-rewards.
• BottleDrop Donations. Individuals can donate funds from their BottleDrop account balance to your Give account by logging into their account and using this link or connecting with the Foundation for bag tags.
• Matching employer contribution. Ask your employer if they have a matching program for donations to non-profits. Click here for a list of already participating employers.

Read-A-Thon Update

Wow, the Maplewood Community has once again risen to the challenge and exceeded our expectations. You have gone above and beyond our Read-a-Thon goal of $12,000!!! The grand total raised was $13,518. There were some credit card fees & taking account for the bookmarks, gift card and prizes...the total profit for the PTA was $12,973!! Way to Go Maplewood!!

Thank you to everyone for the participation! We hope you had fun reading; and now for the prizes . Awards for each student should come home this week (via their teacher).

Total amount raised by each class:

Grade

Total Raised

Riscol

KG

$430

Thomas

KG

$560

Tait

KG

$750

Chou

1

$878

Harmon

1

$677

Bokoske

2

$2,574

Bennett

2

$2,162

Manian

3

$1,770

Wagner

3

$441

Caton

4

$75

Looney

4

$876

Kaplan

5

$1,966

Anderson

5

$55

Congratulations to:

Ms. Bokoske’s class, who collected the most donations and earned a donut party…and has the privilege of throwing a pie in Kit’s face at the upcoming Brinner on Friday, 1/27. They raised $2,574!!

Congratulations to:

Thea Tiradon, 5th grade, Ms. Anderson’s class, 1,483 minutes!! Thea has also earned the $25 gift card to Thinker Toys.

Congratulations to the following students who read the most minutes for each class – These students will get a $12 gift certificate to Annie Bloom’s.

Grade

Name

Minutes Read

Riscol

KG

Jude Hoffman

246

Thomas

KG

Nolan Bennett

690

Tait

KG

Emma Burkee

575

Chou

1

Lucia Yocum

287

Harmon

1

Xeeana Shafi

259

Bokoske

2

Coralie Tiradon

990

Bennett

2

Andrew Patterson

360

Manian

3

Xavier Roman

390

Wagner

3

Adelaide Hunt

562

Caton

4

Quinton Dunham

355

Looney

4

Lila Hoffman

689

Kaplan

5

Mimi Gorsegner

1,045

Anderson

5

Thea Tiradon

1,483

Thank you again everyone for helping support such a successful fundraiser! And please thank your friends and family for donating!

Amy & Janina

PTA Meetings

Join us at the PTA meeting every month to learn about upcoming projects, events, priorities, and to share your thoughts! PTA Meetings occur the third Tuesday of every month from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Become an Oregon PTA Member; this supports our school and allows you to vote during meetings. (You don't have to be a member to attend meetings, just to vote.) https://www.oregonpta.org/membership

February PTA Meeting

February 21, 6:30pm

Full details and recaps of past meetings at maplewoodpta.com/meetings/

Maplewood PTA
The Maplewood PTA strives to serve our school’s community of teachers, staff, parents, and students. We have lots of amazing things planned this year to support our school!

Stay up to date on events and more

• Sign up for the Maplewood PTA email list

  • http://maplewoodpta.com/subscribe/

• Follow Maplewood PTA on Instagram

• https://www.instagram.com/maplewoodptaevents

Fundraising to Support Maplewood

Take this brief survey to let us know your preferences about which fundraisers you love (or don't) to help us plan out the 2022-2023 school year!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5XKDL66

Amazon Smile

Make sure you've selected "Maplewood Elem PTA" as your Amazon Smile donation recipient. Link: https://smile.amazon.com/charity/select/search?orig=&category=all&query=maplewood+elem+pta

Once selected, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Maplewood at no cost to you! Make sure you shop using smile.amazon.com. More information here: http://maplewoodpta.com/donate

Yearbooks

The 2022-23 yearbooks are now available for purchase! You can order yours online at: https://buytheyearbook.com/ (school ID #709537), for the early bird price of $22 through January 31, 2023 ($25 thereafter).

If you have any questions, please reach out to the PTA's Yearbook Committee at maplewoodpdxyearbook@gmail.com

Volunteer info

We are excited to welcome volunteers into the building and classrooms this year. All volunteers must show proof of vaccination, clear a background check (https://www.pps.net/volunteer), and sign-into the Raptor system located at the main office on arrival and sign-out when leaving campus.

We can’t wait to have you in school with us!

PK - 12 SCHOOL MEAL PAYMENTS AND ACCOUNT BALANCES

STUDENT MEAL ACCOUNT BALANCES AND PAYMENTS

The Nutrition Services team is so thankful to see and serve so many students this year. To help communicate meal account balances to families, the Nutrition Services department will start sending notifications and friendly reminders to families whose student’s meal account no longer has funds on it to purchase school meals. Remember, families may apply for free or reduced price meals at any time throughout the school year and must apply every year to maintain eligibility. We recommend that families continuously check their student account balances. All families can check their account balances online with SchoolCafe at any time (and there is no charge to view your accounts). The school kitchen teams and the NS central office is also happy to assist with checking account balances and status.

Families have the following options to pay for school meals:

1. Pay as you go: Bring cash or check (payable to Portland Public Schools) directly to the cafeteria or school office.

2. Prepay for meals with cash or check (payable to Portland Public Schools) in the cafeteria*. Funds will be deposited into the student meal account. Purchases will be deducted from the account balance.

3. Pay with a debit/credit card using SchoolCafe, a secure online meal payment system. NOTE: There is a minimum payment of $15 and a 5% fee per online transaction.

Whitney Ellersick, Senior Director, wellersick@pps.net

The PTA Reading Friends program is still looking for volunteers!

This is a once a week, 30 minute time commitment - starting the week of November 28th until the end of the school year.

You get to pick the time that works best for you out of many time slots. Help foster the love of reading by being a Reading Friend!

We welcome grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors...they just need to have filled out the PPS volunteer information: https://www.pps.net/volunteer.

If you are interested, please fill out this survey and the coordinators will be in touch with you: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3FR52BM

Any questions? Reach out to Kari Martin and Clémence Tiradon, our Reading Friends Coordinators, at maplewoodrf@gmail.com.

Counseling:

Thanks to partnerships with Neighborhood House, St. Luke Lutheran Church, and Maplewood families, we were able to deliver food boxes along with grocery gift cards to Maplewood families over break. We plan to continue to do this over every major break where students are without free school meals. Thank you for your generosity in supporting our Maplewood families. This kind of partnership makes me very proud to be part of this community. As always, I am available to you and your students. Feel free to reach out.

Thanks,

Kendall Cunningham

Library & Technology:

New Year Thanks

Hearty thanks go out to the twenty-seven parent volunteers who keep the library running smoothly: checking books in and out, repairing books, placing holds, covering books, running OBOB, and shelving books (and sometimes shifting entire library collections twenty feet!). Without your support, student questions (and there are MANY) would go unanswered, students could not check out as many books, and it would not be the calm environment it is. Thank you!

Library Catalog

Interested in viewing what is in our collection? Visit: https://www.pps.net/maplewood, visit the Library and click on OPAC. Do you want to give recommendations after seeing what we have or don't have? Please email: kordahl@pps.net

Book Awards

Need some fresh titles?

Consider annual book awards (and past winners):

-ALA (American Library Association): https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia

-Non-ALA: https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/childrens-book-awards-other-organizations

Ms. Kordahl, Teacher-Librarian, kordahl@pps.net

PE News:

Here is a free opportunity for boys to participate in a lacrosse orientation for kids in grades 1-8. For information regarding opportunities for girls, see flyer in flyer section - click here:

Ms. Weatherill

Art

Art can be messy! Usually everything we use in the art room is washable, with the exception of Sharpies. Washable, however, sometimes is just mostly washable. With that, you may want to have your student dress for messy art on their art days!? Here is your students’ art day:

Monday Art Special with: Wagner, Looney, Kaplan, Bokoske, Riscol, Harmon.

Tuesday Art Special with: Manian, Caton, Anderson, Bennett, Thomas, Chou.

Wednesday Art Special with: Tait

I have been mostly keeping students' art until the end of each quarter. On the back of their art you should find their name and their class code. With over 330 art students it becomes pretty important pretty quickly! Their class code consists of their first name, grade, and first letter of their teacher's name (with 3 exceptions). See below:

Example:

Name

4C

Codes are as follows:

Riscol = KR Tait = KT Thomas = KJJ

Chou = 1C Harmon = 1H

Bennett = 2Be Bokoske = 2Bo

Manian = 3M Wagner = 3W

Caton = 4C Looney = 4L

Anderson = 5A Kaplan = 5K

With Lunar New Year fast approaching, this week we made some art about it! It’s the Year of the Rabbit and here are some examples:

♥ Ms. Smith