2/7/24

• 02/07 and 02/08 CANCELED Student Led Conferences, new dates TBD

• 02/13 Wells Planning Meeting, 3:30-5pm, In Person

• 3/2 Gather for Gray - Auction

• 4/13 Gather for Gray 7-9pm

• Click here for the full RGMS calendar
  

Dear RGMS Community,

It's National School Counseling Week and time we recognize and celebrate our two fabulous School Counselors, Laureen Held and Lisa Hyde. RGMS students thrive because we have two amazing humans on staff who are the touchstones for successful outcomes. Given the variety of day to day operations, check ins, support, family connections, attendance issues, mental health and social emotional learning our students need, life at RGMS wouldn't be the same with Hyde and Held in the mix. Let's give them some love this week!

Life @The Grax/JayGray/Grackson is settling into routines as we iron out logistical issues. I see students happy and adjusting well to new routines and physical spaces. Q3 started without a hitch. Kids got to their classes easily, even if they needed some help and support.

I want to give you all a big thank you for your kind words of support and offers to volunteer and help out over these past two weeks. It's been a whirlwind. Our success is a testament to the strength of our school community. Thank you for your engagement all along the way.

We will get an update from Portland Public School leaders on our unique situation. Please make sure you read that update. If you aren't getting newsletters or texts, please give Peggy a call: (503) 916-5676.

In Community,

Lisa Newlyn ~ Principal

RGMS Affinity Spaces are BACK! Today ADPI (Asian Desi Pacific Islander Affinity Space) started back up today and just for Lunar New Year, which starts on Friday.

Check out our Affinity Space and Lunch Club schedule.

Our Ida B Wells High School Makerspace club with the support of staff member Caitlin Toohey and the College and Career Center has completed a beautiful illuminated display for the Portland Winter Light Festival! This is our inaugural participation in the citywide event celebrating winter and togetherness. We will be linking with the Hillsdale Food Carts on Friday February 9th from 6:00-7:30 PM to host a free celebration for our community! We will have music, some activities, and viewing of the display from our main patio. Below is a map of where we welcome all to experience the Portland Winter Light Festival in our little Southwest corner! The green shows the pathway between our displays.

Community members can feel free to park in our main lot. The food carts will offer refreshments for sale and host performers, while our IBW space will host music and activities for families and youth.

This year’s theme is “What Glows Under Pressure”. This past school year has applied much pressure to our school communities and beyond. We could all use an opportunity to come together and bring a light to a darker year! Our Food Cart Family thrives with our dedicated support, and our students thrive with the recognition of their neighbors and friends.

The displays at the Food Carts and at Ida B. Wells will be on display February 9th, and 10th. Please enjoy browsing the following link to see what other Portland Light Festival attractions will be available to visit!

Please continue to use the Robert Gray MS phone number, 503 916 5676 to get ahold of RGMS secretaries. Calls are being forwarded to RGMS secretaries at Jackson MS.

Markham Elementary, Jackson MS & Robert Gray MS all have school buses arriving at different times, beginning at 3pm, at Jackson. If you need to pick up your student early from school, please, if at all possible, plan on doing so before 3pm when buses begin arriving. It is a very busy place after 3pm. Please park in the upper lot and walk to the main door, ring the bell and come to the office to sign out your student.

We are all so proud of our middle schools for their resilience and all that they have been able to accomplish thus far, this year. This is definitely going to be a year we'll remember! If you'd like to help in making this happen, I am looking for assistance with the 2023-24 School yearbook. Do you have experience in making yearbooks? Are you someone who has an eye for detail? or Are you just looking for a fun way to volunteer? I need you!

If you are interested in being a yearbook editor, managing/organizing submitted photos or helping promote yearbook sales please reach out. I hope to identify 2-3 volunteers who have 10ish free hours to spare over the next 3 months. Once I identify we can divide and conquer based on interest. No prior yearbook experience needed! Reach out to Jen Zwartverwer via email at woodruff.jenn@gmail.com to volunteer or with any questions.

Table of Contents

• What is a high school modernization?

• Who’s working on Ida B. Wells’ modernization?

• How can I be involved?

• Where can I learn more?

What is a high school modernization?

• A modernization, or transformation, is an opportunity to extensively renovate or rebuild a school in order to accomplish the following:

• Create a building that meets current building and energy codes

• Create a modern learning environment

• Reflect the unique needs of the school, site, and neighborhood

• Align with Portland Public School’s guiding documents

• All modernization projects include:

• Updated heating & cooling systems

• Seismic upgrades and code required seismic design

• Technology updates

• Improved safety considerations

• New furniture and equipment throughout

• Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems upgrades

• Lighting improvements for energy efficiency and longevity

• Upgraded athletic facilities

Who’s working on Ida B. Wells’s modernization?

• Portland Public Schools’ Office of School Modernization: The Office of School Modernization (OSM) is the department charged with administering PPS capital improvement projects. On average, Portland Public Schools’ (PPS) buildings are over 80 years old, and some were built more than 100 years ago. Many of these schools need upgrades to provide students with modern learning environments. PPS started a 30 year capital improvement program in 2012 to modernize school buildings.

• Program Coordinator: Derek Henderson, dhenderson@pps.net

• Senior Project Manager: Donna Bezio, dbezio@pps.net

• Bora Architecture & Interiors: With their office in SE Portland, Bora feels deeply rooted to the ways of the Pacific Northwest. Their role on the project will be to lead the modernization process and architectural design of the new school.

• After Bruce is a communications agency that delivers strategic, creative solutions to improve communities and build movements nationwide. They will lead the community engagement efforts for this project to make sure that the voices of the surrounding communities are heard.

• Various other design/construction people

How can I be involved?

• After Bruce would love for you to be a part of this process! In our work, we center the communities most impacted to achieve long-term, transformative and sustainable outcomes, and we’re guided by strategies and processes that honor community context, history, lived experience, and immediate and long-term needs. For this project, we are creating opportunities to engage historically-marginalized communities, those under-served, and folks who have been traditionally left out of the decision-making process.

• Listening Sessions are facilitated conversations of ~90 minutes, held virtually or in-person, wherein we explore areas of the high school updates that would be most beneficial to emphasize in the design process. Sign-Up for a Listening Session here

• The Survey will be available to anyone invested in the school’s success. It will be an at-home opportunity for folks to give feedback and thoughts on the updates to the high school. When available, we will add the link to the survey here!

• The Survey may be available in non-English languages. Please contact After Bruce by emailing rhonda@afterbruce.com to find out what’s available.

Where can I learn more?

• Ida B. Wells Modernization Planning & Design

• Jan 27, 2020 - Conceptual Master Plan

The RGMS Foundation raises money to augment our elective options. The money raised is used at the principals discretion.

First Gather for Gray Music Night was a Success!

Thank you to CJ Mead and his band Norwester Sky for a great night at the Cider Mill on 2/2. The place was packed and thanks to a generous donation from Cider Mill plus the donations for everyone who came we raised $1,767 for the foundation!

We are working on getting more dates in March & May. Below is the next one:

March-TDB

April-Rivkah Ross Quartet-7-9 PM

May-TBD

Robert Gray Foundation Auction-New date coming soon!
Gather for Gray
In light of the recent events at Gray the auction committee has decided to move the auction to either April or May. We will be announcing our new date soon!

Want to help with the auction?

We are looking for someone who would be interested in coordinating some house/slot parties. Interested contact Melissa @grayschoolfoundation@gmail.com.

Interested in donating wine for the wine wall?
Bottle must be worth at least $15
Drop off at-2200 SW Sunset Drive
Questions-Contact Jennifer Podichetty-jenmullins@hotmail.com

Silent Auction items help?
Do you have one of the following to donate:
House stay
Unused Gift cards
Other items
Contact Kathleen Healy (kathleenohealy@yahoo.com),or Shannon Daley (shannon.Daley@acfwest.com)

BottleDrop Drive

1. Get Blue bags from the following locations: RGMS office; Rieke area-1656 SW Sunset Blvd.; Hayhurst area: 5252 SW Idaho St.; Bridlemile area-4031 SW Jerald Way

2 Fill Your Bags!

3. Return Full Bags to any BottleDrop location or Burlingame Fred Meyer.

Questions: Melissa Light, grayschoolfoundation@gmail.com

Next PTA Meeting Wednesday, February 21 – Over Zoom!!!!

It’s been a while, and we can’t wait to meet as a PTA again! The PTA meeting for February will

take place at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, February 21 and will be exclusively over Zoom.

Information is as follows:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86339523318?pwd=TmZubFFFWWRFWlBaYzZLQnJ2V0lqZz09

Meeting ID: 863 3952 3318

Passcode: 080505

Haven’t joined the PTA yet? Do so now using this link.

You will have to select “ROBERT GRAY MS PTA (PORTLAND)” as your “Local Unit”. The rest

is straightforward and takes less than 5 minutes to complete. Membership is $20 for the year.

Do you wish to make a one-time or recurring donation to PTA? You can do so here. Click “Donate” then enter your amount and indicate your intent to donate monthly if desired!

Robert Gray PTA Volunteer Opportunities

Looking for ways to get involved this year? Use the following form to sign up for the events you are interested in and you will receive a follow up email with additional information. The time and support of our volunteers is greatly appreciated. Without it we couldn't make special Gray events happen! Some of these events include Run for Gray, Teacher Appreciation Week, Bottle Drop Fundraiser, Sustainability and extra supervision during lunch time, and more. Please consider volunteering or donating as you are able.

RGMS Volunteer Sign-up

Thank you for your time and support! Looking forward to a great year!

RGMS PTA

Get text alerts about school closures, delays, emergencies and school events:

Text YES to 68453

Email: lnewlyn@pps.net
Website: https://www.pps.net/gray
Location: 5505 Southwest 23rd Avenue, Portland, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 916-5676
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertgraymiddleschool
Attendance Reporting: grayattend@pps.net