MLC Weekly News and Notes 2024-25

Dear MLC Community,

We are thrilled to share that our inaugural MLC 6-12 Choir Concert, "Night of Wonders," was a resounding success! A heartfelt thank you to Teacher Alberti, Ez, and all our talented choir students for their dedication and hard work in bringing this event to life. You can view the livestream recording HERE.

Looking ahead, next week is Spirit Week! Each day will feature a unique theme, and we encourage everyone to participate. A special shout-out to 8th grader Frankie for their advocacy and meticulous planning in organizing this fun-filled week. Please refer to the calendar below for daily themes and details.

Special thank you to the PTSA for the sweet staff treat in honor of Pi Day!

As many of you are aware, Portland Public Schools is facing a significant budget deficit of $40 million for the 2025-26 school year. This shortfall, coupled with declining enrollment, has necessitated some challenging staffing decisions at MLC. More detailed information regarding these changes are located in the section below.

Lastly, Spring Break is just around the corner—only one more week to go! Let's make the most of the days ahead.

Warmly,

Suezann & Darren

Dear MLC Community,

I wanted to take a moment to share some important staffing updates for the 2025-26 school year. As you may know, our district is facing a $40 million budget deficit, and unfortunately, MLC has been impacted by these reductions, along with declining enrollment. As a result, we are experiencing some difficult staffing changes and structural adjustments.

Staff Departures

We are deeply saddened to say goodbye to the following valued team members:

• Elena Overvold – Language Arts 11x12 and Spanish 3/4

• Karey Menagh – Grades 1x2

• David Reigel – 7x8 Math, Marimba

• Tanya Leib – 9x12 Career Coordinator

We are incredibly grateful for their dedication, passion, and impact on our school community. They will be greatly missed.

Staffing Changes & Transitions

• Clement Wilson – School Social Worker will be half-time

• Gina Biehl – Moving to 6th grade

• Dana Lipson – Teaching full-time Language Arts 7x8 and 6x8 classroom electives

• Ethan Risom & Beriah Empie – Continuing in their roles and co-running the 1x5 electives program

• Kathleen Gutierrez – Moving to 1st grade*

• Kiana Christian – Teaching a blended 2x3 class*

New K-5 Structure for 2025-26

With the loss of one of our Kx5 teachers, we have restructured grade levels as follows:

• Kindergarten – One class (Sarah)

• 1st Grade – One class (Kathleen)

• 2nd & 3rd Grade – One blended class (Kiana)

• 4th & 5th Grade – Two blended classes (Anna and Betsy)

While these changes are significant, we are focused on ensuring a smooth transition and embracing the opportunities they bring. We are already planning and preparing to maximize the benefits of our new structure.

Thank you for your support as we navigate this transition together. We appreciate our incredible staff, families, and students who make MLC such a special place.

Suezann Kitchens

MLC Principal

SPIRIT WEEK!

Monday March 17 *INSIDE OUT DAY* (inside out/mismatched clothing)

Tuesday March 18 *TWIN DAY* (Match a friend(s) )

BSU lunch club in Alberti's room

Wednesday March 19 *MUSTACHE DAY*

EARLY RELEASE @12:45!

Spring Elective Sign Ups,

HS Career Expo Trip 9-11:30 am

PTSA Restaurant Night at Mike's Drive-In on Lombard, 4:00-8:00 pm

Thursday March 20 *2000's DAY* (dress like the early 2000's)

6x8 SAGA lunch club in Erewyn's room

Friday March 21 *POP ICON/DISNEY OR BOOK CHARACTER DAY*

SPRING BREAK!!!!

March 24-28!

Coming Soon:

4/2 Spring Electives Start

4/3 Q3 Ends, 1x2 OMSI Field Trip

4/4 No Students - Grading Day

4/7 No Students - Teacher Planning

4/4-4/13 PTSA Online Auction

4/9 PTSA Meeting

4/10 Verslandia Poetry Slam Contest (lunch), Tour with Benner

4/11 PTSA Auction & Social 6:00-10:00 pm

4/14 -4/15 - NO Kx5 STUDENTS/Conferences!, Gear Swap for 4x5 Trip

4/22 3rd grade OMSI Field Trip

4/23 Talent Show, Early Release

4/24-25 Camp Read-A-Lot Kx5

4/24 9x12 Oregon Historical Society Field Trip

4/25 Rice Museum 1x2 Field Trip

4/28-30 4x5 Overnight trip to Camp Hancock

4/30 3rd grade Bridge Walk Field Trip

KCLC will be open all day for MLC conferences on Monday, April 14th and Tuesday, April 15th from 9am to 6pm.

A nutritious snack will be provided at 9:30am, 2:30pm and 5:15pm and our excellent staff will have engaging activities for students throughout the day.

We will stay on campus so your child can attend their conference and return to KCLC afterward.

If you are already registered in KCLC, watch for the sign up form in your email the week after Spring Break.

If you are new to KCLC, please fill out the registration form here.

Any questions can be sent to Michael at michael@kidscommunitypdx.org.

KCLC Summer Camp Registration is open!

Camp will run from June 23th through August 8th. Weeks are themed with two field trips per week with special guests, activities lead by a highly qualified staff and lots of fun! For more information and to register, visit their website at kidscommunity.org.

Elective Sign-Ups will take place on Wednesday, March 19th, in the auditorium.

Students will participate in an arena-style registration process that provides opportunities to read descriptions carefully, make choices based on their interests, strategically plan the order to sign up, wait responsibly for their turn, and learn what to do when a class becomes full. We will have an abundance of support staff and older students available to help children navigate this experience to make it a safe and positive one.

1x3 Spring 2025 Catalog.pdf

4x5 Spring 2025 Catalog.pdf

Families Can Help By:

• Discussing class selections prior to sign-ups and having students choose their favorites.

• Expressing excitement over the variety of choices, the mixed ages, the small size of classes, and the opportunity to meet new friends and teachers.

• Realizing that students may not get all of their top choices, and talking through possible responses ahead of time, including the value of trying new things.

• Knowing they can reach out to Dana (dlipson@pps.net), the electives coordinator, to help resolve issues or answer questions.

To minimize crowding in line, the students will be grouped by FIRST NAME; a different group will be first to line up each trimester. DOG GROUP GOES FIRST THIS TIME (followed by Cat then Rabbit)

Cat Group: A - F Rabbit Group: G - N Dog Group: O - Z

Dear PPS community,

At Portland Public Schools, we respect every student's rights to a safe school experience, and we are concerned and alarmed by the increasingly divisive and often threatening rhetoric aimed at LGBTQ2SIA+ youth in our communities. We want to unequivocally affirm that Portland Public Schools remains steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for transgender and LGBTQ2SIA+ staff, students, and their families.

Transgender students bring unique talents, perspectives, and aspirations to their school communities. The Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Expansive Administrative Directive reflects PPS’s promise to honor and respect these identities, including the right to use asserted names and pronouns, participate in GSA groups, and access restrooms and locker rooms aligned with their identities.

PPS partners with community organizations to equip educators with tools to create welcoming classrooms, address microaggressions, and advocate for LGBTQ2SIA+ students. Additionally, the district’s LGBTQ2SIA+ Supports team works closely with staff to ensure guidance is implemented with care and understanding.

Confidentiality is essential to ensuring transgender students' safety. In compliance with the Family Education Rights Protection Act (FERPA), PPS will redact personally identifiable information when responding to records requests. Additionally, staff must keep gender identity confidential unless explicit permission is granted by the student and/or caregivers. Sharing such information with other staff without a legitimate educational interest violates students' rights under FERPA.

PPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook outlines the district’s expectations for everyone to maintain a safe learning environment. The discipline matrix guides the school responses to transphobic behavior, including hate-based incident investigations and school exclusions. Any staff member who violates a student’s right to confidentiality or engages in transphobic behavior (e.g. refusing to use the correct name and pronouns) may be subject to disciplinary action. Caregivers and community members who engage in transphobic behavior will be reminded of our community expectation to treat everyone with dignity and respect, and the district reserves the right to trespass repeat violators from school property.

We are deeply grateful to our community — students, families, educators, and allies — for their continued dedication and support in making our schools safer, more inclusive, and affirming spaces for all.

Sincerely,

Dr. Renard Adams, Chief Accountability and Equity Officer

Dr. Bobby Cruz, Director, Office for Civil Rights

Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong, Superintendent

AdditionalResources:

ODE Guidance: Supporting Gender Expansive Students: Guidance for schools

PPS Transgender, Nonbinary, Gender Expansive Administrative Directive

PPS District Wide LGBTQ2SIA Supports

ImI. A Self-guided tool for LGBTQ+ teens, by LGBTQ+ teens and their allies to help explore identity and support mental health.

Trans Life Line. Trans Lifeline’s Hotline is a peer support phone service run by trans people for our trans and questioning peers. Staffed 10a-6p

Youth Line has phone, text, email, and chat options YouthLine is a free teen-to-teen crisis support and help line that is staffed 4-10 p.m. by trained youth

National Healthcare Access, Relocation, and Emergency Fund Resources

MLC Community,

It is important to PPS that immigrant families feel safe and supported. Some families have expressed to me and other members of our staff that they are concerned about possible immigration actions under the new presidential administration.

I want to reassure you that our top priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of all students and staff. We continue to work closely with PPS leadership and our community partners to uphold Oregon law prohibiting state and local law enforcement from arresting or detaining people based solely on immigration status. Additionally, Oregon law protects student educational records from use for immigration actions.

In times of uncertainty, it is always beneficial to be proactive and prepared, and it’s crucial that we have up-to-date contact information for you and your student. If you have not done so already, please complete the yearly student verification form to ensure we’re reaching you via the right information and in the right language.

I also wanted to provide the following resources:

• This FAQ and this webpage answer many questions about the steps Portland Public Schools will be taking to safeguard staff and students going forward.

• This page from the Multnomah Education Service District (MESD) includes a family resource hub and culturally specific information for families in the Portland area.

• The Immigrant Legal Resource Center Little Red Card is meant to help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations. The cards can be printed out in your preferred language and carried on your person.

• Know Your Rights for Families/Students (Oregon ACLU)

• Immigrant Rights Resources One Pager

• PPS’s Office for Civil Rights offers support addressing discrimination, harassment, and bias-related concerns.

Please contact me at skitchens1@pps.net if you have any questions or concerns. I am here for you and your students, and you have my word that, at MLC, we will always stand together to champion our diversity and support the most vulnerable among us.

Sincerely,

Suezann Kitchens

MLC Principal

Cell Phones are not allowed in MLC classrooms or anywhere else during class time. They will be locked in a safe zone during each class by the classroom teacher. We will be very vigilant in keeping our classrooms phone free at MLC in order to keep learning distraction free. Please make sure you are discussing with your student prior to the first day. We will have students and parent/guardian sign a no cell phone agreement at conferences for grades 6x12.

7x12 Cell Phone Policy

Kx6 Cell Phone Policy

HERE is the monthly resource newsletter from our social worker Clement. It is a great place to find school and community resources that could benefit you and your family. It includes announcements about relevant events and opportunities, basic needs support, mental health support, and much more.

Social Work Wish list

Staff Wish List

Parent Vue

School Pay - Set up your account today!

Attendance Line 503-916-3656

NAMI Basics is a free, peer-led educational course for parents and caregivers of youth up to age 21 experiencing mental health barriers and/or behavioral challenges.

Dates: April 2nd-May 7th, 2025

Schedule: Wednesdays, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM

Format: Online via Zoom

Registration Link: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/AP_afEeemZYXxX35W33CMA

Find more information about the class on our website: https://www.namimultnomah.org/basics

MLC PTSA MARCH NEWSLETTER

There is so much going on at MLC in the next couple of months! See all the ways you can support and connect with our community in the MLC PTSA March Newsletter.

FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT: Wicked

Friday, March 14 | Doors 5:00 | Movie 6:00-9:00pm

MLC Auditorium | Parking lots open to MLC families

Bring a blanket or camping chair and enjoy a cozy evening of free family fun and community connection. This event is for the whole family—students should be accompanied by an adult. Watch the film or mingle with other MLC parents in the foyer. Pizza and concessions will be available for purchase, with proceeds supporting the High School Prom.

Reserve your spot! While the event is free, we encourage families to pre-register at MLCPTSA.org. Pre-registration helps us plan and gives you the option to order food and treats in advance. Decide to join us at the last minute? No problem! Walk-ins are welcome, and we’ll have food available while supplies last.

PARKING CREW: Sign up for a Timbers or Thorns match
The MLC PTSA hosts parking in our school lots for Timbers and Thorns weekend matches and we need volunteers to take money and direct people to spots. This is an easy and fun way to raise money for our school. Shifts are short and we will be there to teach you everything you need to know. Bring a friend or come make new ones!

See available dates and sign up for a shift HERE. And spread the word about our parking fundraiser to anyone you know who might want to park with us! Questions? Contact our coordinators, Nate or Chenney.

NORTH STAR: PARTY AT POLARIS!

MLC Auction & Social

April 11, 6:00-10:00pm, Polaris Hall

Online Auction

April 4-13

North Star: Party at Polaris! is just around the corner. We invite you all to join us to celebrate our shared commitment to guiding MLC students toward bright futures. With dinner, drinks, music, and merriment, it’s going to be a rocking good time!

• Tickets Now On Sale: Tickets are available with tiered pricing starting at $0. It is important to us that cost not be a barrier to attendance and that all feel welcome at this community event!

• Buy-In Parties: Host an event and help our community connect! For more information, see the Buy-In Party FAQ and fill out the Buy-In Party Interest Form if you are interested in hosting

• Donations: We are on the lookout for hotels, vacation rentals, ADUs, cabins, cool camper vans, and personal homes that can be used for fun staycations or getaways. Reach out to Sierra if you have any leads, or see the Donation Form for other ways to contribute.
  

• Volunteers: Don’t plan to attend the auction but want to show your support? We are looking for volunteers to help staff the Student Social & Movie Night / Childcare that we are hosting across the street at Jefferson High School. If you are interested in learning more, please email Sierra. We will also need volunteers at our event so stay tuned for details and signups!