Irvington Weekly Newsletter

A big thank you to the parents who attended the Parent Lobby Day for School Funding! We are grateful for your advocacy and hopeful for change at the state-level. I hope everyone has a restful weekend, and we'll see you next week for Staff Appreciation Week!

Irvington's annual Arts Night is this Thursday from 5:30-7:00pm! There will be art displayed throughout the school, musical performances (see the times below), artsy activities, and more! Please come see all the creative skills Irvington's artists have been building all year long and celebrate their hard work :) And if you're interested in being a last-minute volunteer on the night of the event, please reach out to nreed@pps.net.

• Kindergarten: 5:35-5:45
• 1st: 5:50-6:00
• 2nd: 6:05-6:15
• 3rd: 6:20-6:30
• 4th: 6:35-6:45
• 5th: 6:50-7:00

We can’t make next week a success without you! Help us show the amazing Irvington staff how much they mean to us by volunteering next week and helping kids with their compliment cards (check the Friday folder!).

We still need some volunteers to pitch in with the following:

• 1 more person - Monday breakfast - organize, set up, and clean up

• 2 more people - Friday snack bar - organize, set up, and clean up
  

Thanks to those who've already signed up! Questions? Read our guide for details on what's needed or reach out to tshakesp@gmail.com or nicolelkgalloway@gmail.com.

Despite cuts in other areas, Portland Public Schools is expanding its partnership with Reading Results, a local literacy non-profit organization that provides high-impact tutoring, and I am excited to share that Irvington is on the list of schools they will serve! They are currently hiring tutors to work at Irvington and other school sites; I would love for members of our school community to apply! No experience necessary, positions begin mid-September. They have openings for community members to work as part-time, paid tutors three days each week. For priority consideration, apply online at https://readingresultspdx.org/hiring.

The Green Team invites all Irvington students to try walking, biking, or rolling to school on Wednesday, May 7!

Join a walking group:

• 7:40am - NE 7th & Stanton
• 7:40am - NE 7th & Thompson
• 7:35am - NE 24th & Brazee

If you live too far to walk or bike, consider parking a few blocks away and walk in from there. There will be some small prize giveaways and snacks at school for all!

Mark your calendars: our annual talent show is Friday, May 30! The show begins at 8:15am, starting with kindergarteners and ending with fifth graders. In order to ensure that families have seats and can watch their children's performances, we encourage families to come during performance times. K-2 families should come on time at 8:15am and leave after the performance, and 3-5 families can start arriving around 8:45am. We will share more exact times after we know how many performers there are.

In the meantime, you can sign your child up for the talent show by completing this form. Please reach out to Mr. Lofquist or Mr. G. with questions.

Wow, what an auction! Thank you so much to everyone who donated, attended, volunteered, bid on items and helped us spread the word (among many other tasks!). We’re happy to share that the Rainbow Connection auction exceeded our fundraising goal! Because of your generosity, the PTA will be able to provide more support and enrichment for Irvington students and staff next year than we expected. You all made it happen! THANK YOU!

Another HUGE thank you to the families who remade the ball wall! Ms. Reed is spearheading part two of this project: painting a mural. She needs your help! She's looking for input on the design, and you can click here to vote.

May: Counselor Corner Monthly Update

April showers bring May FLOWERS!!! During May we can learn about and celebrate our Asian-Pacific American and Jewish American community members. It's also Mental Health Awareness Month and a great chance to incorporate more healthy habits into our lives, like spending time in the sun.

The next PTA general meeting will be Monday, May 12, from 5:30-7:30pm. We will celebrate a successful auction and discuss the preliminary 2025-2026 PTA budget. All are welcome and we hope to see you there!

Interested in joining a small group of volunteers who help plan next year’s PTA event calendar in collaboration with Mr. G.? Email rebecca.rencova@gmail.com, and we’ll loop you in!

Want to learn more about Harriet Tubman Middle School? Check out their annual parent night on Tuesday, May 13!

The lunch helper sign up calendar for May is live! If you’ve wanted to serve lunch but haven’t signed up yet, now’s a great time as we approach the end of the year. Click here to sign up. It’s a great way to see how the cafeteria works and learn about all the amazing food options our kids enjoy! If you've never served lunch before, you'll have to be a PPS-approved volunteer first. Please contact Betsy at bihuigens@gmail.com with any questions.

Help us show the amazing teachers and staff, who show up every day for our kids, how much they mean to us. We're asking for volunteers from each grade to plan and coordinate the following:

• Kindergarten and 1st: Thursday luncheon (catering pick up, set up, desserts/drinks, and clean up)

• 2nd grade: Monday breakfast (organize, set up, and clean up)

• 3rd grade: Focus on the auction, volunteer where you can!

• 4th grade: Tuesday breakfast (organize, set up, and clean up)

• 5th grade: Friday snack bar (organize, set up, and clean up)
  
  

Showing Irvington staff how much they mean to us is a big job! That's why we need your help showering our teachers and staff with love. Click here to sign up! Questions? Read our guide for details on what's needed or reach out to Tiffanie Shakespeare (tshakesp@gmail.com) or Nicole Galloway (nicolelkgalloway@gmail.com) with questions!

Monday, May 5: First day of staff appreciation week!

Monday, May 5: Popcorn Monday, 2:30pm

Wednesday, May 7: Walk + Roll to School Day

Thursday, May 8: Green team meeting, 2:40pm

Thursday, May 8: Arts Night, 5:30-7:00pm

Monday, May 12: PTA meeting, 5:30-7:30pm

Tuesday, May 13: HTMS family night, 6-7pm

Wednesday, May 14: Families of students of color dinner, 5:30-7:00pm

Thursday, May 15: Restaurant night at the Paladins League, 12-9pm

Thursday, May 15: Connect to Kindergarten, 6-7pm

Friday, May 16: Spirit day (sports)

See it all at a glance here: https://www.irvingtonschool.com/