Skyline K-8 News
January 24, 2020
From the Principal
Happy Friday!
There is no school on Monday, January 27th for Teacher Planning Day. I hope you all enjoy the long weekend.
On Tuesday, Miss Allie and I attended the PPS “Hatching Results School Counseling Training” at Red Lion-Jantzen Beach. It was a very valuable training to understand the district's vision and direction for comprehensive school counseling programs. Miss Allie attended the counselor only training on Wednesday and we look forward to going back for two days of training in April.
Thank you to everyone who came to our IB/Golden Awards Assembly and Pastries with the Principal event. It was so much fun celebrating our students who were recognized for the IB Learner Trait "Principled" and classes who won the golden awards. The assembly was awesome. Thank you to Mrs. Dunn, Mrs. Barten and our student council members for running the assembly/marimba concert.
Our Marimba Concert on Wednesday night was AWESOME. Thank you so much to our amazing music teacher, Mrs. Barten, for putting on a fabulous event. Thank you to our specialist teachers and Mrs. Tilt who supervised students in the cafeteria when they were not on stage performing.
Thank you to the counselors from Lincoln and Roosevelt for coming to Skyline and meeting with our 8th graders to forecast for classes in the upcoming 2020-21 school year.
All the best,
Mrs. Aguirre
If you are not following us on Twitter @BGAGUIRRE1 and @skyline_ib, you are missing out! It has been so much fun watching all of our students engaged in learning while also being safe, respectful, responsible and IB ready. You can also follow Portland Public School at @PPSConnect!
NEXT WEEK AT A GLANCE
Monday: No School - Teacher Planning Day!
Tuesday:
OUT - Building Capacity for Core Elements of K-5 Literacy Training with Ms. Arias, Mrs. Melton and Mrs. Dunn - Pam Joyner will be in the building
Staff Meeting in the library 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday:
ILT Meeting 7:50 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. in Mrs. Dunn’s room
PBIS/Climate Meeting 7:50 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. in Miss Allie’s room
PBIS Expectations Round Robin - all students
Specialist Professional Learning Committee 1:40 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. in Mrs. Dunn’s room
Thursday:
Middle School PLC Meeting 7:50 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. in Mrs. Dunn’s room
3-5 Professional Learning Committees 1:40 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. in Mrs. Dunn’s room
Friday:
K-2 Professional Learning Committee 1:40 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. in Mrs. Dunn’s room
Upcoming Events
January
27- Teacher Planning Day- No Students
29 - School PBIS/Climate Meeting
7:45-8:30 AM
30- Skyline Green Team Meeting
3:15-4:15 PM
31- Elementary Report Cards sent home
February
6- Connect to Kinder for 2020-21
6:00 PM
17- President's Day, No School
19- IB Assembly- Communicator
8:45-9:15 AM
Pastries with the Principal
9:15-10:00 AM
20- * PTA Meeting, Foundation Meeting
6:00 PM, 7:00 PM
21- * Skyline School Emergency Team Meeting
2-3 pm
25- Middle School Progress Reports
26- School PBIS/Climate Meeting 7:45-8:30 AM
*PTA Sponsored Event
Year at a Glance
Report Cards
Successful School Surveys
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the phrase “successful schools?” We believe that successful schools are safe, healthy and welcoming learning spaces that are inclusive for all students. But we want to hear your thoughts.
In 2019-20, Portland Public Schools is again partnering with Panorama Education to gather information students and families that will help us improve student experiences across the district. We will survey students in grades 4, 5, 7-10 on their experiences in their classrooms and schools, and families about their perception of the school their child attends.
The survey will cover topics on the sense of belonging, school safety, school climate, barriers to family engagement, as well as how students are thinking and feeling about diversity, equity, and inclusion in school.
The current launch date is set for January 27th. The student window is scheduled to be open until February 14th, and the family survey until February 28th. Stay tuned for further information!
Please be honest and thoughtful, we value your feedback!
Lunch Volunteers
We would love to continue to have lunch volunteers daily from 11:00 a.m. - 11:40 a.m. for our K-2 lunch and recess after winter break until spring break. Please email or call Debbi in the main office if you are interested in volunteering. Thank you in advance.
Lost and Found
Please take a moment to check the Lost & Found outside the main office when you are in the building!
Counselor's Corner
Happy Winter 2020, Skyline community! For the month of January counseling guidance lessons in K - 5 classrooms centered around the definition of empathy, which means: "to feel or understand what someone else is feeling”. Students and I role-played various scenarios in which they were asked to reflect on how they would feel and want to be treated in certain situations, and how they feel they should treat others in those same situations. Some students literally wore the shoes of someone else - ask them about it!
The topic also came up of sympathy and apathy vs. empathy, as some students have heard of sympathy before and wondered about the difference. I explained that sympathy is to feel compassion or sorrow for someone else, and apathy is to have a lack of concern or care. Empathy goes the step beyond sympathy because it means that you are actually imagining someone else’s perspective.
In K-5 classrooms right before Winter Break we also learned about Bucketfilling, where we read the book “Have You Filled A Bucket Today?” and did some kindness activities. This month we made the connection between empathy and Bucketfilling by discussing how taking other’s perspectives and treating others with kindness and compassion is an amazing way to be a Bucketfiller. I will continue my theme of kindness into next month’s Family Group lesson, and you can learn more about Bucketfilling here: https://bucketfillers101.com/have-you-filled-a-bucket-today/
I hope everyone enjoys the end of our first month in our new year!
- Ms. Allie
Student Council
Last week the student council team and I met during lunch and recess. In our meeting students broke into committees where tasks were divided up and students identified who was going to take the lead on some important issues and events within our school. The top three committees that have developed are:
Bathroom improvement Committee
Middle School Dance Committee
Principled Assembly (Jan 22) Committee
It was very exciting to see the energy from the students when they started talking about what they could do and what they wanted to see. Next week we will have individual committee meetings as well as our bi-weekly Student council meeting. Here are the meeting dates:
Tuesday - Jan 21 - Principled Assembly Committee
Wednesday - Jan 22 - Bathroom Committee Meeting
Thursday - Jan 23 - Whole Student Council Meeting
Friday - Jan 24 - Middle School Dance Committee
All meetings are in Mrs. Dunn’s room during Lunch and Recess 11:40 - 12:20
If you have any questions or comments, always feel free to contact me!
Mrs. Dunn
TAG Corner
I have been in contact with the TAG proctor who will be coming to Skyline to administer the TAG test to students who have submitted a TAG Nomination form back in November. Students who are taking this TAG test are ONLY students who were nominated to take the Intellectual TAG test. All other testing and nominations are done using the MAP Assessment or State Assessment from the end of last year. If you submitted a nomination from back in November based off of the scores on either assessment, your student will NOT be taking the TAG test UNLESS you also nominated them to be tested on the Intellectual test. The testing will take place on February 18th and 19th.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at mdunn2@pps.net or call at 503-916-5212.
Melissa Dunn
State Testing
As we all look at our year ahead, I wanted to share some testing information. Our State Testing window opens for Science on January 7th, 2020. However, we do not begin testing our students in Science until later in the school year, April or May. The testing window opens for Math and English Language Arts on March 9th, 2020. Last year the staff and I looked at and reflected on best practices for testing. Testing should not be stressful, punitive or in any way cause a student to feel any amount of anxiety. Testing also should not cause teachers to lose excessive amounts of instruction. With the reflections from last year, and previous years, the staff and I are creating schedules, support and systems to ensure all students are feeling successful. Please know that all assessments provide teachers and schools with information to celebrate successes, student growth as well as improve on practices and instruction. If you ever have any questions or concerns always feel free to reach out to me. I will always share information that I receive from the district to best communicate with the Skyline Community.
Library/ Technology
This week in library, students traveled to Southeast Asia, visiting Thailand. We read the story Titan and the Wild Boars, which recounts the amazing rescue of the Thai boys' soccer team.
Immunizations
If your child is still incomplete in their immunizations, please make arrangements to obtain vaccinations and to provide this information to the school. Exclusion day for state-required vaccinations is Wednesday, February 19, 2020. Students who are not current will not be able to attend school until current immunization records are provided to school staff.
--M.Ross, School Health Assistant
(503)916-5212
2019-20 Eighth Grade Information Nights
Benson Polytechnic High School
Tech Show, April 16 & 17, 2020 6-9 p.m.
Timeline
Lottery/Transfer Application Timelines for the 2020-21 School Year:
- Middle & High School applications available November 5-December 3
- K-5 applications available February 5-March 6
PTA Connection
Let's Prepare!
Skyline School Emergency Team (“SSET”) Meeting
February 21, 2019
2-3 p.m.
Teachers’ Lounge
Earthquakes can strike at any time and without warning. How well are you and your family prepared for an emergency such as an earthquake? Skyline School's Emergency Team (SSET) is working with Principal Aguirre, PPS and Skyline Ridge Neighborhood Association (SRN) to help ensure our school and our community are prepared for emergencies such as a Cascadia Subduction Zone event.
Our next meeting is on February 21 from 2-3 p.m. in the Teachers' Lounge. Please come to the meeting to learn how you can help us to put into place a shipping container filled with an emergency cache and to plan and execute a Reunification Drill on May 22. Send an email to: skylineschoolpta@gmail.com, and let us know that you are interested in emergency preparedness.
Emergencies such as earthquakes may seem daunting, but preparing for them should not be. Help us to prepare, and to make awareness and preparedness a year-long staple at Skyline.
Your first homework assignment? If you live or work across a river or bridge from Skyline, you may or may not be able to get up to school in a timely manner in the event of an earthquake. List several school-area people on your child’s current emergency contacts' list. Please provide Debbi in the office with your updated school-area emergency contacts' list by December 1, 2019. Thank you!
SAVE THE DATE
Skyline Reunification Drill
May 22, 2020
WHAT: A Reunification Drill practices reconnecting families and students in the event of an emergency such as an earthquake. Every month during school hours, Skyline practices emergency response drills, i.e. fire drill, lockdown, lockout, earthquake. A Reunification Drill builds on in-school drills by involving families.
WHEN: Friday, May 22, 2020, time TBD.
HOW: For the Reunification Drill, parents, guardians, and/or individuals designated by you to pick up your child/ren will go to the Parent Check-In Station. Those picking up students MUST present a photo ID and be on the student's Reunification Drill Form pick-up list (to be distributed by Skyline PTA via email and in backpacks at a later date - keep an eye out!) to pick up a student.
OPTING OUT: This is an important drill that will inform us all on how best to reunite families and students in case of an emergency. We hope that everyone will participate so we can all learn and improve. That said, we understand that taking time off work is not an option for many people. If this is the case, please consider designating someone to pick up your child/ren so that they can participate. On the Reunification Drill Form, you'll select "OPT-OUT" and indicate how your student will get home at the 3:00 p.m. or 3:20 p.m. dismissal (bus, Kids Place, normal parent pickup).
With Kindness,
Clarissa Kearns
Skyline PTA President
Skyline Green Team
You're Invited!
Please Join PTA's Green Team After School Club!
As a premier-level certified Green School, Skyline has many initiatives that promote environmental awareness and sustainability: the 4th and 5th graders lead the recycling program, food waste is composted in the kitchen and lunchroom, and our classrooms all have party packs that reduce single-use materials, to name a few. But we can do more!
The Green Team Club is an after-school, weekly opportunity for students to get involved and make an impact! Starting on January 30, the club will meet every Thursday from 3:15-4:45. Students in 4-8th grades are invited to participate. Participation will be initially limited to the first 20 students to apply. The application involves a statement of interest and commitment to participate, as well as parental permission. The forms will be available on Tuesday, January 21 to take home, and there will be an info session for students and parents on Thursday, January 30 in the Library at 3:20.
The vision for the club is to promote awareness of global and local environmental issues, encourage responsible research, engage in discussions, and take action on a local level. These are the themes and questions we’ll start with...where the kids take them and what actions they create are up to them!
JANUARY
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Understand how we can have less impact and where our goods go when we’re done with them. How long does that stuff stick around?!
FEBRUARY
Energy Sources - Where does the energy we use come from? What sources of energy are available? What is sustainable? What about that wind turbine on our playground?!
MARCH
The Threads We Wear: Repurposing, Repairing, and Sharing. What’s the deal with “fast fashion”? How can we upcycle?
APRIL
Earth Day! Where does all that pollution and litter come from? Who does it affect? What can we do about it?
MAY
Grow Your Own - from garden boxes to seed bombs! Where does our food come from? What does it take to get from farm to fork?
Join us in the Library Thursday, Jan. 30 from 3:20-4:00 for an information session and FAQ. Parents and students welcome. Students must have parent permission on file at the office to attend without a parent. Please feel free to get in touch with any questions!
Leslie Boyd lesliekboyd@gmail.com and Laura Baggett lauramaybaggett@yahoo.com
Skyline Auction
Hey Parents!
It’s time to think about your donation to the Rock'n'Roll themed Skyline School Auction. Our school's largest fundraiser is coming up on March 14, 2020 and will be held at NW Events & Environments.
Remember that not only are all of you invited but so are your friends, families and the Community! You can even buy a table and ask people to join you, we are embracing the ‘more the merrier' BUY TICKETS NOW!
We get ONE chance to educate our kids, so let's make it count!
We ask each family to donate at least one item to the auction!
Our goal this year is to raise at least $130,000 to support our Equity fund and PTA, and we are asking the entire Skyline Community to help make this happen! As you know, the equity fund raises money to support teacher and staff salaries at Skyline, whenever there is a special need or there is a budget shortfall at the District level. The PTA sponsors our community events, provides teachers with classroom funds, and supports academic intervention, music enrichment, technology in the classroom, field trips, and more!
The success of the auction will have a direct impact on our children's education. Your donations and participation matters!!!
SUPPORT MY CHILD'S EDUCATION NOW
For inspiration, here is a list of popular donations (New Items only):
- Be A Sponsor: Own a business or work for one? We have many Sponsorship opportunities for you which include your tickets to the event!
- Gift Certificates: Restaurant, Theater, Coffee Shops, Salon, Spa, Massage, Mani/Pedi. (If you are a regular customer anywhere- ask your contact to donate.)
- Vacation Stays/Family Outings: Does your family have a weekend getaway or timeshare? Can you get tickets or create a package out of a favorite family activity?
- Game & Event tickets: Sports, music, any tickets you have or can get are great donations!
- Gift baskets: Think of a Theme- Golf, Movies, Camping, etc and fill a basket with everything you’d want! There are many ideas on Pinterest!
- Community Party: Throw a party and people will pay to come! Ideas are Bunco, choose your favorite theme, a golf outing, Barn party
- CASH Donations are always welcome too!
- MAKE A DONATION NOW!
✨Donation deadline is February 14, 2020!✨
Other important things to know:
-
Donation Forms may be found in the office or online: skylineauction.com
-
Please leave large donations in the Copy room at school with a copy of the form attached. Gift Certificates and paper donations can be left in the office.
Please feel free to contact me with your auction questions.
Morgan Bors
Skyline Auction Chair
Ph# 503-888-5133
March 14th, 2020
Buy Tickets & Donate: SkylineAuction.com
Skyline PTA Used Book Sale
April 13th-16th
SAVE YOUR BOOKS! Don’t forget to set aside you lightly used books, games, DVDs, and puzzles for the Used Book Sale. We will begin collecting donations at school on April 7th.
SAVE YOUR BOXES! If you plan on visiting Costco in the coming months, please hang on to those sturdy fruit flat boxes. We use these to display the thousands of books we receive as donations for the sale. If you cannot store the boxes until April, Sam Freeman or Heather Murbach will be glad to take them off your hands.
Questions? Contact: Sam Freeman (sdashiell@gmail.com) and/or Heather Murbach (hrivermurb@gmail.com)
PTA Family STEAM Night
6-8 p.m.
Skyline Gymnasium – hands-on activities
Skyline Cafeteria – potluck dinner
In April, Skyline PTA is hosting a schoolwide STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Night! Everyone is invited! Our gym will be filled with different hands-on activities and stations for you and your kids to experience together. There will be a potluck dinner in the cafeteria, too. No need to worry about making dinner ahead of time! Just come! It’s going to be a fun-filled CELEBRATION of all things STEAM.
BUT, we need your help! We’re looking for adult volunteers to run the interactive activities (one volunteer per activity). We've got a list of suggested activities, but welcome your own. Each activity should last about 10 minutes. All activities need to be conducted in the gym itself. No experience in STEAM required! But certainly, if you work in STEAM on a daily basis, PLEASE HELP! Contact me! Email: skylineschoolpta@gmail.com
We hope STEAM Night will spark enthusiasm for STEAM in our children and engage families, foster connections, and encourage lifelong learning!
STAFF APPRECIATION
We try to provide snacks for staff meetings every Tuesday Afternoon.
Please sign up for a day!
Contact Susan Heffernan is you have questions.
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/30e0c44a9a92aa2f85-teacher1
Skyline Community Partnership Fundraising Events 2019-2020
Skyline Community Partnership Fundraising Events 2019-2020
Please support these businesses who are donating a portion of their profits back to our school. Enjoy the best of local food, shopping & entertainment and raise funds for our PTA! Questions? Contact Nicole - nicoleoanderson@gmail.com
Skyline + Sit Still Hair Salon (Bethany Village)
20% of haircut sales to Skyline families back to our PTA during the month of January! See attached flyer for details
Skyline + Garnish Apparel
Thursday, February 20 - Sunday, February 23
20% of your purchase from this Skyline mom-owned women's boutique back to our PTA. Your perfect outfit for the Rock & Roll auction is here! The weekend will culminate in a Private Shopping Party for the Skyline community at 4pm on Sunday, February 23. Details to come.
Rock Dojo
Calling all Skyline Guitarists! Now is your chance to become a Black Belt in Rock Dojo!
Wednesdays starting January 15th through March 18th
10 Sessions- from 3:15 pm – 4:15 pm -$265- Grades 1-6
Minimum Participants per class: 7 students – Maximum: 20 students
Hello Lincoln Youth Baseball Families!
We are excited to announce that Registration for Spring Baseball is officially OPEN! Coaches can register now too.
Please regsiter your player at: www.LincolnYouthBaseball.com
T-ball- Prek and Kindergarten
A-ball- 1st grade
AA-ball- 2nd grade
AAA/Minor's- 3/4th grade
Major's- 5/6th grade
Seniors- 7/8th grade
Please email us with questions: lincolnyouthbaseballsoftball@gmail.com
GO CARDS!