Astor Connection

Principal's Message

Important Dates

Info, Reminders and Resources for Families

Resources

Volunteering opportunities at Astor

PPS District Fliers

Dear Astor Community,

It was wonderful seeing families visiting the school last week for fall conferences. I hope that you were able to connect about your student's progress thus far this year and lay out a plan for continued success through June. However, if you weren't able to see your student's educator, or if other questions/concerns arise, then please reach out to them right away. Thank you for your continued partnership!

This month, we have only a few week prior to our next break for winter. But, it's still a very important time to be at school each day. Currently, our school wide daily attendance rate is 92% with about 25% of our students at chronic or below attendance rate. Chronic is missing more that 10% of school. So, that would be more than once every 10 school days (two-weeks). We are also noticing a trend of absences higher on Fridays this school year. In short, attendance is really important to student learning and achievement. Please reach out to our office team if there are any barriers to getting your student to school each day.

Below, you'll see the flier for our successful school survey. You can access it at www.pps.net/sss2024. We only have about 40 families that have completed it thus far. Please take a moment to complete one for each of your students today. Your feedback informs our school wide goals and progress towards them. Thank you for the input!

Finally, did you know that Astor has a school social worker? We are lucky to have Ms. Theresa on campus with us Mon-Wed each week. She has a variety of roles, but her most critical one is to connect our families to essential services. Whether it's housing or heating, Ms. Theresa is an invaluable support person at Astor. Reach out to the office, and we can link you with her. And, our Astor PTSO also has an important message below regarding Giving Tuesday. Thanks for all they do to support our entire community.

Hope your month and holidays are full of joy and peace. Again, please don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything.

Warmly,

Blake Robertson

Principal @ Astor

The Astor PTSO plays an important role in providing resources for our classroom & staff, but the most important role we can play is in supporting the families of the students in our community.

As we all know, the holiday season can be a challenging time for families weighing if they can pay the heating bill and also meet the expectations of gift giving and providing their families with a special holiday meal. Additionally, during holiday breaks, the absence of breakfast and lunch that is normally provided by the school adds to the financial strain.

To support these families, the Astor PTSO works with Astor’s social worker to help pay for groceries and utility bills for those who need assistance. If you would like to contribute, please click HERE and donate before December 20th. All donations go directly to provide groceries or utility bill assistance. The holiday season continues to look different for everyone this year -- the Astor PTSO understands that and will generously match your donations, up to a total of $500.

Contributions are tax-deductible and will make the holiday season brighter for some of our neighbors.

Thank you,

Astor School PTSO

**If you or a family you know needs assistance, please contact Theresa Merrion Scott (tscottmerrion@pps.net)**

Astor Food Drive

Please consider donating to Astor's food drive. We are organizing donations by classroom in order to build robust boxes for members of our community. See the flyer for items your students' class is collecting. Donations will be gathered up through Dec 13th. If you'd like to request to receive a food box, let your students teacher know directly or reach out to Ms Theresa tscottmerrion@pps.net

Join us at Roosevelt High School on December 12th from 5:30-7pm for an evening starting with a welcome from your Administration. See the flyer here. Meet teachers, counselors, social workers, and community partners. Then families and students will disperse into breakout rooms allowing attendees to receive more in-depth information and to have an opportunity for Q&A.

You can find information about PPS HR here. The positions below would directly serve our community. Reach out to Principal Robertson (brobertson@pps.net) if you have any questions about these opportunities.

Paraeducator Substitute - (Position Number 26085) This position supports our students throughout Astor and is important for our continuum of services. We are looking for substitute paraeductors whenever our team members are absent for the day. It's a great way to get involved with a wonderful group of educators! Apply at PPS HR or reach out to Principal Robertson for more information at brobertson@pps.net.

Astor students are involved in so many incredible activities beyond the classroom walls! If you'd like to share your student's achievements, then please sent a picture and short blurb for our monthly Astor Connect to Principal Robertson at brobertson@pps.net.

Student and Family Calendar and Handbook

December - Calendar

3rd - All K-8 students dismiss at 3:15pm

5th - Leaf Pick Up Day at Astor Neighborhood (Please park away from leaf piles where possible)

6th - Astor Drama Performance 6pm in cafe

11th - 8th Graders visit University of Oregon

11th - MS band concert 6pm in Astor Cafetorium

12th - Mid-Term for Middle School

12th - 5:30-7pm - 8th grade Information Session at RHS

16th - 20th - Spirit Week! (More info coming soon)

18th - Early Release at 12:45pm for all K-8 students

17th - Site Council (Moved to in-school time- contact Blake at brobertson@pps.net for more info)

Our Indian Ed Monthly Newsletter is here

Vaccines play a crucial role in protecting our students from serious illnesses and help keep our community safe. Parents/ Guardians of students who are due to receive vaccines should receive a letter in the mail. Please check if your child’s vaccinations are current, including their recommended flu shot, and contact your medical provider or any of the resources listed below.

Multnomah County Student Health Centers

OHSU Wellness Center

Multnomah County Vaccination Clinic (English)

Clínica Comunitaria de Vacunación Gratuita (Spanish)

Please see this information here regarding student illnesses.

Astor is excited to partner with Portland Backpack in the fall to increase our capacity to support the whole student. Portland Backpack is a nonprofit aimed at reducing hunger in student populations; they provide food sacks for weekend days. Read more about their mission here.

This fall, we'll have an opportunity for families to sign up. Reach out to Theresa with any questions you have at tscottmerrion@pps.net

You can learn more about the right to return program here. Please share with any families that you know might be interested.

The loss of loved ones or any loss can be challenign for our children. See the link for resources at TIP NW (Trauma Intervention Program Northwest): https://www.tipnw.org/

And, additional resources below...

We ask again that community members avoid Yale whenever possible in order to reduce traffic. It will be a Safe School Street again this year. You can learn more info about our traffic flow below and here. Thanks for support with this!

Questions? Contact Shane Nevius, PPS Safe Routes to School Coordinator, at snevius@pps.net or visit pps.net/saferoutes

(Translations are linked here):

******

Dear Families and Students,

We are so glad to have you back at school! We also wanted to remind you about actions you can take to stay healthy so you can stay in class and be ready to learn:

• Illness: Please keep your child home when they have symptoms that may exclude them from school.

• Student health conditions: Please update the school and nurse if there has been any change in your student's health condition during the time of the strike.

• Student medications: Please replenish medications that your student may need to receive during the school day. Also, remember to pick up your student’s expired medications from the school.

• State-required vaccines/immunizations: Ensure your student is up-to-date on all school-required immunizations. Students who do not provide proper immunization documentation by February 21, 2024 will be excluded from school. Primary care providers - including Student Health Centers and Multnomah County Health Department - provide no- to low-cost vaccinations to students.

• Access to health care: Multnomah County Student Health Centers and the Benson Wellness Center remain open during regular hours. Student Health Centers are a great place for students to receive sports physicals, well-child visits, school immunizations (shots), COVID-19 testing, vaccines & boosters, mental/behavioral health, age-appropriate reproductive services, routine lab tests, and prescription refills.

Health care coverage/insurance: People of any age or immigration status may be eligible for full Oregon Health Plan (OHP) benefits. OHP is Oregon's Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program. Click here to learn more about eligibility, and to apply or report changes online. Families who do not qualify for OHP can sign up for health coverage during the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment period, occurring now through January 15, 2024. Financial help for Marketplace plans also may be available. Find out what coverage and savings you can get - and find free, local help - at OregonHealthCare.gov.

Do you have 1 hour a week to make a difference in children’s literacy lives? Volunteer for SMART Reading at Astor School. Tuesdays, 1:15-2:15 PM. Learn more here: https://smartreading.org. Or contact Greg Dilkes: astor.mu@smartreading.org

Interested in volunteering at Astor! Your child's teacher may have opportunities, but we also have a great volunteering program. Astor Shine is back for it's second year. You can learn more about the program and sign up here. Thanks for your partnership in supporting our programs at Astor!

Camps, Classes, & After School Programs:

• Portland Parks & Rec: Teen Force at SW Community Center

• VIBE of Portland: No-School Day Camps (Nov. 4, 11, & 25-27 & Dec. 23)

• VIBE of Portland: Music & Digital Art Classes for Kids

• OSU: Summer Reading Program (Jun. 14 - Aug. 16 2025)

• Maplewood Tennis After School Zone (Oct. 8 - Nov. 19)

• Portland Parks & Rec: Environmental Education Nature Field Trips (flyer for teachers)

Preschool Programs:

• Multnomah Early Childhood Program Peer Preschool Classes
  (Spanish) (Vietnamese) (Chinese) (Russian) (Somali) (Korean) (Arabic) (Persian)

• Portland Parks Preschool 2024-25

Community Events & Information:

• Multnomah County: Common Application

• City of Portland: 311 Non-Emergency Hotline
  (Spanish) (Vietnamese) (Chinese) (Russian) (Somali)

Vaccinations, Health & Wellness:

• Oregon Health Plan & Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace

• Multnomah County: Free Community Vaccination Clinic (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays)
  (English) (Spanish) (Vietnamese) (Chinese) (Russian) (Somali)

• Multnomah County: Student Health Centers (fliers in English, Russian, Chinese, and Vietnamese):

• Cleveland HS

• Franklin HS

• Jefferson HS

• McDaniel HS

• Roosevelt HS