Maplewood Memo
March 1, 2023
What's in the memo
1. Message from Principal Galloway
2. Save the Date
3. School News
Lockdown // Maplewood Reads // Champions // OBOB
4. Carnival
5. Maplewood Auction
6. Foundation
7. PTA
PTA Meetings // Info // Fundraising // Yearbooks // 5th Grade Tributes // Volunteering // T-shirt Sales
8. Nutrition Services
Information // March menus
9. Tag
10. News from Staff
Art // Counseling // Library & Technology // PE
11. Flyers
Yearbooks // Sports //After school programs
Principal's Message
Hello Maplewood families,
I hope this memo finds you well. I cannot believe we are already in March. This year is flying by so fast! It has been a successful year so far academically in many ways. After taking our mid year assessments I have planned to give another State of the School Address soon. Stay tuned for that date coming soon. I am looking forward to sharing our great progress and also how we are going to continue to improve the education your child(ren) are receiving at Maplewood.
Last week, to celebrate Black History Month, the PTA DEI coordinator, Uzma Toosy, set up a Blues concert for grades 2-5 and their parents. This was a tremendous success and we will definitely work to make this an annual event. (See pics below) Thank you to Uzma for your hard work as our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion coordinator!
This week parents have been invited to join Playworks with their child. I have seen lots of parents joining in the fun. If you are interested, please don’t hesitate to come and learn about the great games your child is playing at school. Click HERE for the information about when you can join us.
I am also excited to share that Dr. Jon Franco, the PPS Chief of Schools, will be visiting Maplewood next Friday. I look forward to sharing our school with him and I am so proud to be the principal here.
Thank you to all the parents who helped with our incoming kindergarten presentation this week. If you know of a neighbor or friend who has a child that will be turning 5 on or before September 1st. Please share that they can enroll online or contact Shanon Riley (sriley@pps.net) for more information.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Kit
*"Please click view entire message to read the entire news memo"
Save the Date
Every Tuesday
OHSU Covid Test Returned - Optional
March 20-24
Spirit Week - Event details in next memo
Mar. 21
PTA Meeting 6:30
March 27-31
Spring Break
April 15
Maplewood Foundation Auction at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center
(this is an adult-only event)
May 19
Carnival
School News
Lock Down Drill at Maplewood on March 8th:
Lockdown actions are triggered whenever there is an active threat against the safety of our school. This action includes “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” and works to create a time barrier until our first responders can arrive at the scene. Lockdown emergency actions save lives, and conducting such drills helps to better prepare our staff and students if a threatening situation were ever to occur at our school.
We understand that these types of active threat drills can cause some anxiety for students and staff. Please know that our staff are working to connect with students in advance of the drill in an age appropriate way to help ease any anxiety and better support students who may be negatively impacted.
As a parent/caregiver, we wanted to share some additional resources that could help in connecting with your child(ren) in advance of this drill:
15 Ways to Help Your Child Through Crisis: Parent resource from KidsPeace
Helping Children Cope: Offered by ready.gov, this resource provides advice for helping children cope through disasters and emergencies.
Talking with children about terrorist attacks and school and community shootings in the news: from the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement
Talking with children about violence: tips for parents and teachers: from the National Association of School Psychologists
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: this website offers guidance for trauma-informed care for children following a disaster or traumatic event and offers many resources including a Psychological First Aid training.
We do not expect this drill to disrupt the school day, and your child(ren) should be dismissed at the regular time. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my office. You may also reach out to our district’s Emergency Management program through Security Services at 503-916-3000 to discuss any issues of emergency preparedness, drills, or security measures taken at PPS.
Maplewood Reads for March
I Walk with Vanessa is inspired by real events, I Walk with Vanessa explores the feelings of helplessness and anger that arise in the wake of seeing a classmate treated badly, and shows how a single act of kindness can lead to an entire community joining in to help.
CHAMPIONS BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL CARE
Hello Maplewood Parents!
Many of you may have heard about our exciting after school program. We are pleased to announce that Champions is working hard to open up our afternoon waitlist as soon as possible!
Champions wanted to remind parents that we also provide care in the morning from 6:30am until the start of school. Our details about the morning program are as follows:
Before-School:
Hours - 6:30am until breakfast or bell rings
1-2 days: $41 per week
3-5 days: $51 per week
Champions hosts our morning program in a classroom off of the cafeteria and provides engaging materials to help your students wake up and socialize in the morning! We dismiss students that would like breakfast into the Cafeteria at 7:45am. Our teachers walk the kindergarteners to line up with the rest of classes outside at 7:50am. Champions strives to provide care for working families and hope to ease morning drop off for parents. Let Champions help out and play with your students in the mornings. Feel free to contact Champions with any questions you have!
Sincerly,
Megan Swader and Mark Trolan
Email: CH002542@discoverchampions.com
mobile: (971)-230-8431 (ok to text)
OBOB Final Battles have been rescheduled!
We will hold the final battles for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade on Tuesday March 7th at 10:15am in the Maplewood Gym!
Family members are still welcome to come watch, we understand this time is more difficult for most but it's the best time for our students and staff. If you do come to watch please enter through the side gym door and sign in there. Thanks to all the kids for being flexible, we know they are eager to compete in their final battles! Good luck to all our teams!
3rd Grade: Fiery Piglets vs Dragon Fire
4th Grade: Cookie Worms vs Elephant Ears
5th Grade: Painted Pandas vs Ancient Egyptian Patriotic McNuggets with a Side of Ketchup; Don't Forget the Mustard
Any questions please contact your Maplewood Parent OBOB team; maplewoodobob@gmail.com.
Andrea B, Dana R, Manda B and Heather J
CARNIVAL
Calling for volunteers! We can't make this event come to life without help from our amazing parent volunteers! We have great documentation and resources from our previous 2019 committee members to help with planning for this year. If you can help, please email maplewoodptavicepresident@gmail.com.
Maplewood Auction
It's finally here! Time to buy your tickets for the School Fundraising Auction sponsored by the Maplewood Foundation.
To purchase tickets please go to: https://maplewoodfoundation.schoolauction.net/maplewoodauction/.
For more information about the auction please go to http://www.maplewoodfoundation.com/2023-school-auction/.
For questions please email us at maplewoodfoundation@gmail.com.
Foundation
Greetings, Maplewood 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!
The auction will take place on the evening of Saturday, April 15th, at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. This will be an adult-only event (yay!!) and is open to folks outside the community. That means you are welcome to invite your family and friends too! And while we are trying to explore options for childcare that may not happen so please begin making plans for someone else to watch your kids that evening (yay!!). We are really excited to come together as a community for a night of drinks, dinner, hopefully dancing, lots of fun and of course, giving!
Seeking Donations for the 2023 Spring Auction
We still need donations for the 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.
PTA
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
March PTA Meeting
March 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
Follow Maplewood PTA on Instagram
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
Yearbooks
Order your 2022-23 Maplewood Yearbook online at: https://buytheyearbook.com/ (school ID #709537) for $25.00 through April 28, 2023!
Paper order forms are available in the school office for cash and check orders. If you have any questions, please reach out to the PTA's Yearbook Committee at maplewoodpdxyearbook@gmail.com
If you have any questions, please reach out to the PTA's Yearbook Committee at maplewoodpdxyearbook@gmail.com
Fifth Grade Tributes - DUE MARCH 10th
Dear 5th Grade Families,
Just a friendly reminder for your yearbook tribute messages for your graduating 5th graders!
Each year, there is a dedicated section in the yearbook where families can include a short message to their elementary school graduate, along with a baby or childhood photo. It’s a Maplewood tradition!
To participate, please submit your child's name, your message, and your child's baby/childhood photo here: https://forms.gle/aa85LJXU7yeTYR12A or email your child's name, your message, and the picture to us at maplewoodpdxyearbook@gmail.com.
The deadline is March 10, 2023.
Please reach out if you have any questions.
Thank you!
Mindy Hantke and Nicole Palmer
Maplewood PTA Yearbook Committee
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!
T-Shirt Sales
Maplewood T-shirt sale is happening now!
Purchase adult and youth Maplewood T-shirts from now until Friday, March 17th. Show your school spirit and help support Maplewood! Items will be available for pickup in early April. Great gift ideas for your children, grandparents, partners, neighbors, and friends!
Shop online anytime! Maplewood T-shirt Sale
Nutrition Services
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:
Pay as you go: Bring cash or check (payable to Portland Public Schools) directly to the cafeteria or school office.
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.
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
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 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 March 22, 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!
News From Staff
Art News
Coloring Is Not Just a Pastime, It’s a Tool for Learning!
I recently read an article online in the Running Press titled: Coloring Is Not Just a Pastime, It’s a Tool for Learning! And this is what it said…
“In recent years, coloring has been praised for its meditative qualities. In fact, we even wrote about how it can help relieve anxiety and stress. But coloring also plays a different role in every kid’s life: it’s an impressively good teacher!
When kids color and draw, they are using different senses to experience the world. They are touching crayon to paper, and this sensory connection can help kids accept and process information. While it might seem like kids are tuning out and relaxing when they color, they are also deeply present. And that’s a great place to learn from!”
I can’t tell you how often I hear, “Teacher - I’m done!” only to find what they really want to do is lay on the rug and color. One more reason to turn off the electronic devices at home and incorporate coloring as more than just a pastime.
Here are more photos of Jacob Lawrence inspired cityscape
Grade 1 added people to this cityscape bulletin board - come take a look!
And kindergarten also made a collaborative cityscape in a box.
Grades 3, 4 and 5 cityscapes are in progress!
Coming up in March: Women's History Month! This is a recognition and celebration of women’s achievements in history, culture and society. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared March 8 through 14 as National Women’s History Week.
A few years later, in 1987, Congress passed a resolution establishing March as Women’s History Month.
Ms. Smith
Counselor News
Hello Maplewood families! Welcome to March! It is so encouraging to see student progress and growth so far this school year. With the snow behind us (hopefully) and spring just around the corner, we are quickly moving toward the end of the year and into a very hopeful season.
I am often asked about ways in which the community can help out. Here are a few ways:
* I coordinate supplying teachers with items for cozy corners where students can work on regulating and taking good care of their feelings. HERE is a list of some items we could use at Maplewood.
* Maplewood has a relationship with Neighborhood House where we provide food for their food pantry and they assemble food boxes for our families over breaks from school where students are not able to access their free meals. You can send students to school with food items (this is a list of most-needed items) to drop in the 2 large white bins at the front of the school. Neighborhood House has a major fundraising campaign that has just started called SW Hope. Our Maplewood food drive (happening March 13th-17th) will be part of this. Other events include a Fun Run and 5K. Learn more at https://nhpdx.org/sw-hope/
* I give out prizes each day to students working on specific goals. If you have little items around the house that could live a second life as a small prize for a kid (think matchbox cars, little fidgets, action figures, fancy pencils, etc.) please send those my way! If you'd like to buy something off Amazon, HERE is a wishlist.
There is a lot of financial strain on families at this time of year. If your family is struggling financially, feel free to reach out to me at kcunninghamparm@pps.net and get on a confidential list where we connect your student with resources, free items, and vouchers for things like reduced-price internet service or devices. Also, if there is a need for clothing items, please reach out and we can work on getting needed clothing items for your student.
As always, feel free to reach out with any concerns or needs.
Take care,
Kendall
I was so excited to hear how many kids were playing in the snow last week! Sunny skies and frozen snow is a magical combination. This week we're playing on scooters and strengthening some new muscles. We're also playing games on scooters to practice our skills and strategies.
Ms. Weatherill
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
GIRLS ON THE RUN
Hello Maplewood!
When: starts March 7 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 2:15-3:45
For Whom: girls in 3rd - 5th grade.
Program Fee: $230 (financial assistance available)
To Register: www.gotroregon.org
Watercolor After School
Watercolor For Kids
Are you looking for an enriching after school art activity for your child? Watercolor For Kids is just that. Art promotes confidence, creativity, and communication. Students will learn sketching and painting skills that they can develop into a lifelong hobby. We’ll explore varying styles and subject matter; and there will be something compelling for everyone. Come join us for the after school watercolor fun.
Spring Session:
Tuesdays, 2:20-3:20
February 28-April 25 (no class spring break week)
8 Weeks, $200
More information and registration at www.watercolorforkids.com