DOLPHIN DIGEST 7/28/20
Community Newsletter for Arleta School
Traducción disponible Vaya al final del boletín y haga clic en el botón de traducción.
可用翻译到新闻通讯的底部,然后单击翻译按钮。
Dịch có sẵn Chuyển xuống cuối bản tin và nhấp vào nút dịch.
ការបកប្រែដែលអាចរកបានចុះទៅខាងក្រោមនៃព្រឹត្តិប័ត្រព័ត៌មានហើយចុចលើប៊ូតុងបកប្រែ។
ການແປພາສາທີ່ມີຢູ່ລົງໄປທາງລຸ່ມຂອງຈົດຫມາຍຂ່າວແລະຄລິກໃສ່ປຸ່ມແປພາສາ.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
- Aug. 10: Secretaries & Administrators return to work
- Sept. 2: First Day of school
- Sept. 7: Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL HORN
Dear Arleta Families,
This is a little earlier than I typically write parents as the summer winds down but this is not a typical year. Every letter I read of this type mentions the unprecedented and almost unreal feeling hanging over us these days and I suppose I will as well. So much is uncertain and unsettled yet one thing is the same as it has been for the almost 40 years of my career: students will be returning to school as the summer winds down. But in what fashion is on everybody’s mind!
I’m writing today to give some information but also to begin a weekly effort to keep you informed about what we know as it becomes known to us. Many things are still up in the air but many things have been settled, especially at the school level. I hope you will find these messages useful as we go through the next couple of weeks.
What will school look like this year?
This is the most urgent question I am asked. I anticipate more information soon from the PPS communications office but we have been told there will be an option for full online learning this year as well as a hybrid online/in-school cohort model. The cohort model will have a class split into two groups. One group would meet Monday and Tuesday and the other group would meet Thursday and Friday. Wednesday would be spent cleaning the classroom between cohorts. When students are not in class they would be engaged online. More details will be forthcoming soon from our communications office.
What will the online learning look like?
Unexpectedly moving to an online format last March was a challenge for parents, students and teachers. I think it would be easy to underestimate what was involved. I am very proud of the Arleta teachers and the enthusiasm they showed on such short notice. They did an excellent job in my opinion. That said, we know there are things we can do better this year. A team of teachers has been meeting with central office staff to develop lessons, evaluate platforms and plan professional development. The opportunity to enter online teaching with forethought will result in a much more satisfying experience for everyone. Teachers will receive extensive professional development this August and September.
What will the first two weeks of school look like?
Beginning September 2nd and lasting for the first two weeks of school teachers will be reaching out to students individually to begin relationship building with individual students and families. This will also be a time for parents and students to receive training with the tools and platforms we will be using this year. Again, expect more details soon from our PPS communications department.
Staff Changes for 2020-21
Ms. Kuether and I, with the help of many teachers, have been hiring for the last several weeks. There are a lot of changes and some have been announced previously so I’ll only announce changes since our June Dolphin Digest. A full staff list will come out shortly.
Haylee McBride will be joining our kindergarten team. She has previously been teaching at Beverly Cleary in PPS. Martha Horner will be joining us in third grade replacing Dar Rosteck who has transferred to Faubion. Martha was our literacy coach last year. Jessica Doyle and Noah Johnson-Greenough will be joining our 4/5 team. Jessica taught in our 3-5 Social Emotional Skills classroom last year and Noah taught at Lent School. Laura Bullard has transferred to Creative Science. Elise Bradley will be our K-5 Learning Center teacher this year replacing Allan Trinidad who is leaving to finish graduate school. Elise was previously at Rose City Park. Our counselor, Samantha Lannom, has transferred to Beverly Cleary and our other counselor, Allison List, has resigned to take a position as an assistant professor at OSU. Both openings have yet to be filled. Willow Mayorga has transferred to Benson High School and her position is open. Our art teacher, Amy Gretencort, has transferred to Sellwood Middle School and her position is open. We have added a half-time 7/8 math teacher position and it is open. We added a half-time PE position and it has been filled by Phillip Pennington, who also teaches at Kelly. He student taught with our other PE teacher, Kianne Noakes, 2 years ago.
Please join me in thanking Dar Rosteck, Laura Bullard, Allan Trinidad, Samantha Lannom, Allison List and Willow Mayorga for their years of dedication to our Arleta community. I wish you well in your new roles and am thankful to have had the opportunity to work together.
This message has gotten too long so I will save some other items for next week. Despite some uncertainty I am very excited about this year. I’ll tell you more about why next week too!
John Horn
Arleta School Principal
MESSAGE FROM THE PTA BOARD
We hope this finds you healthy and safe. Like you, we are anxious to hear about back to school plans. Distance learning will either be a large part or 100% of the plan, so we want to encourage you to stay enrolled at Arleta, rather than seeking another online school option. Here are some impacts of unenrolling that you may not be aware of:
1. Inequities will occur - families with the means to do 100% online learning or home-schooling will widen the achievement gap between students of color and white students
2. Public schools will be financially hit hard - funding is directly tied to enrollment, so pulling your kids out now will take money away from Arleta, and public school in general
3. Loss of funding means loss of FTEs/teachers
4. Students & families benefit from the relationships built in their neighborhood school
5. We need Arleta to have the resources (teachers and funding) available to welcome students back when in-person school is safe again.
We know that everyone's situation is different and ultimately you know what is best for your child. Some day in the near future (we hope!) in-person school will return, and we want to ensure that our neighborhood school stays strong and is ready to welcome students back, and that means we need to keep students enrolled during this pandemic. The Arleta community is stronger with you in it!
Next year will definitely be different than we are used to, but we will adapt, learn and grow together! If you'd like to talk with another parent, ask questions or share ideas, please email us at ArletaSchoolPTA@gmail.com or message us on Facebook @ArletaK8
COMING SOON: AN INCLUSIVITY SURVEY FOR FAMILIES
Please look for a survey to be sent out in the next few weeks seeking your input and ideas. Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey!
ARLETA FAMILY-FRIENDLY BLM PROTEST
Continue to fight racism by joining together this Wednesday, July 29th, for a kid-friendly protest. We will meet at SE 67th and Foster (by Dutch Bros) at 7PM.
Please bring signs, positive energy, wear masks, and maintain social distancing!
This is a visual effort to draw attention to and show our continued support for this ongoing effort. See you there!
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2020, 07:00 PM
SE Foster & 67th, Portland
MASKS REQUIRED AGE 5 AND UP
ARLETA ONLINE SPIRIT WEAR STORE IS OPEN!
BIG NEWS!!
Arleta School now has an online spirit wear store! Shop for your Arleta logo wear 24/7 and have your items shipped to your home. We have t-shirts, hoodies, tanks, mugs and more, with other options coming soon! Check out the new store here: https://arletaschool.threadless.com/
KINDER REGISTRATION IS OPEN
Click here to access this information translated into the 5 supported languages
Paper registration packets are available in multiple languages at meal sites
RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AVAILABLE
The PPS website has a TON information and resources to support families during the covid-19 pandemic and beyond - visit this website https://www.pps.net/Page/15080
FREE BREAKFAST & LUNCH FOR STUDENTS THROUGH SUMMER
The Nutrition Services department is serving meals through August 21st. Breakfast and lunch will be provided to any PPS student and any children in the community ages 1-18, Monday through Thursday. Meals for Friday, Saturday and Sunday are provided on Thursdays. Children do not need to be present to pickup the meals. Meals will be available for pickup from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at these locations: https://www.pps.net/Page/15080
Urban Gleaners is also distributing food from 12-2pm on Tuesdays at Mt. Scott and Thursdays at Lent through August 27th. http://urbangleaners.org/need-food/
STUDENT HEALTH
The Parkrose Student Health Center is open during school closures and summer break for health care needs. Phone, video, and in-person appointments are available to all Multnomah County youth ages 5-18. Call 503-988-3392 for an appointment. Translation services are also available. For more information, visit us at https://multco.us/health/student-health-centers. Stay connected via Facebook and Instagram.
STOCK UP FOR SUMMER READING - ONLINE BOOK FAIR THROUGH SEPT 4
In order to bring affordable books to our community during this time, Arleta has partnered with Scholastic Books to hold an online book fair now through Sept. 4.
Orders are delivered right to your doorstep. You can take advantage of FREE SHIPPING with at least $25 or more of books in your order. There are tons of books, games, toys and more! Check out the online store, share this link with friends and family! - https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/homepage.do?method=homepage&url=arletaelementaryschool
If you wish to make a donation to buy books for students, please click this link -
https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/Arleta-School-Book-Fair-Spring-2020/SdOhaaA
MS. MAGGIE HAS A DONORS CHOOSE PROJECT TO FUND
Let's help Ms. Maggie get her classroom set up with flexible seating options for her students. Check out her Donor's Choose project and consider making a donation. All donations made through May 29th will be matched by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
BOTTLE DROP IS STILL OPEN
AMAZON WISH LIST FOR TEACHERS & STAFF
Throughout the school year, supplies are consumed and new needs arise. That’s why Arleta now has an Amazon Wish List of items added by teachers and staff. Please consider adding an item or two when you do your regular Amazon shopping. And when you use Amazon Smile and link your Amazon account to Arleta School PTA, Amazon will also donate 0.5% of your total purchase (at no additional cost to you)! Questions – email ArletaSchoolPTA@gmail.com
Link to Wish List is: https://smile.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3S713LRBVHEI6
And instructions can be found here: http://www.arletapta.org/ways-to-help---join.html
NO COST WAYS TO SUPPORT ARLETA
The Arleta PTA participates in THREE no-cost shopping rewards programs - Fred Meyer Community Rewards, AmazonSmile and Bottle Drop.
1. By linking your Fred Meyer Rewards card to the Arleta PTA and scanning your rewards card when you shop, a percentage of your purchase goes to the PTA. Sign up here. (And you'll still get your cash back rewards!)
2. Amazon has a similar program, called AmazonSmile. Select "Arleta School PTA" as your charitable organization to receive donations when you shop Amazon. Once you sign up, just go to smile.amazon.com to do your usual Amazon shopping. While there is no app, you can create a shortcut on your phone by going to smile.amazon.com in your browser, tap the Share button, then tap Add to Homescreen.
3. Donate your redeemable cans and bottles to Arleta through Bottle Drop. Grab a blue bag from the school office and FILL it up then take it to a Bottle Drop site, OR email arletabottledrop@gmail.com and someone will come pick it up. (Arleta pays a fee for the bags, so let's fill them to the top!)
STAY CONNECTED!
Like and follow the Arleta School and Families United Facebook page, check out the arletapta.org website for news and updates or email us anytime arletaschoolpta@gmail.com
CONTACT US!
Email: ArletaSchoolPTA@gmail.com
Website: arletapta.org
Location: 5109 SE 66th Avenue
Phone: 503-916-6330
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArletaK8/