Wildcat Newsletter

It’s Kindness Week at school and each day has a theme:

Monday- High-5, wave, handshake, fistbump greetings

Tuesday- Be kind to your friends

Wednesday- Be kind to your teacher and other adults at school

Thursday- Be kind to your family

Friday- Be kind to your classmates

Many families are helping their child count out valentines and add their name to the “from” section. Not all of our classrooms will host a party but anyone can bring in valentines. We ask that if you plan to send valentines that you include enough for everyone in class, even at our older grades. Valentine’s Day at the elementary school level is inclusive; there’s plenty of time later in life to be exclusive. Be sure to coordinate any treats with your classroom teacher, don’t assume that the teacher will welcome treats. Many classrooms will hold food-free parties that may include music, dancing, or an art project.

Do you have a child who will join the Woodlawn Community as a Kindergartener in September? We are looking for a few families to host the summer “Playdates in the Park”. These playdates help families new to Woodlawn to meet each other and learn about our school in an informal environment. We ask that the “host” pick a date in July or August that works for them and that they be onsite for the two hour play time. We provide snacks and someone from the office will also attend to answer enrollment or specific questions about school. Please let Paige know if you’d like to host or if you have questions about hosting. pbyquist@pps.net

I’m sure you’ve heard about the upcoming budget release information for all of Portland Public Schools. At this time, the District is looking at a $40 million reduction. This will impact central office staff, programs, activities and schools. We are also planning to receive up to a 25% reduction in our Title 1 allocation. The Title 1 dollars pay for additional staff, materials and support for programs at Woodlawn. We do not yet have the budget for Woodlawn to know the actual impact. We will receive our budget later this month, including the staffing allotted for next year. As we learn more, we will provide an update.

Thank you for giving us feedback through the Successful Schools Survey; we heard from 87 parents and caregivers. The Woodlawn Site Council has had a chance to review the Family survey results and to begin asking questions about some of the data. The Site Council has identified three areas to focus more attention and has suggested some ways to start making changes at Woodlawn. Overall, our scores went up. The one area that stayed the same at 98% favorability is School Perception. This area asks families about the instructional content and if the teacher believes your child can succeed in school.

Focus one: In Family-School Communication- The question was, “How much do you feel the school values your opinions?” (70% of respondents were favorable) In the Site Council discussions, we wondered about when we ask for feedback, do we close the communication loop and give the results and explain the changes that were made based on the feedback. We will work to make sure we give that information after we ask for feedback.

Focus two: In Barriers to Engagement- The question was, “How big of a problem is child care needs for you in becoming involved in your child's class or school?” (67% of respondents were favorable) In the Site Council we discussed making sure we stated when it was OK to bring your smaller children to a volunteer opportunity or class opportunity. There are many times when it’s perfectly acceptable to have younger children at school when you are visiting. We want as many families involved as want to be involved.

Focus three: In School Fit- The question was, “How comfortable is your child in asking for help from school adults?” (64% of respondents were favorable) We looked at the student survey because it asks a similar question. Students had a 94% favorability score, representing 131 of the 140 students who were surveyed. The Site Council is continuing its discussion about this question. We have more questions that we may ask to get more information. Perhaps parents of younger students have a stronger belief that their child doesn’t know many adults in school?

We plan to keep you informed about how we are working to make changes in these areas to better provide support to our students and families. We appreciate your questions, ideas and suggestions.

Have an amazing week!

Mrs. Porter-Lopez and Mrs. Tyner

If there is a snow day, PPS will let everyone know through Remind. You can also check your favorite social media platform or news channel. If there is a snow day this week, the School Board will vote on whether Monday 2/17 (President’s Day) will be used as a make-up day or if a future day will be used or added to the end of the school year.

Join us for MESA Demo Day, a FREE event at OMSI on March 1st! Come see Woodlawn Wildcats who are participating in this year's Winter Challenge, a competition in which students use engineered devices of their own creation to launch things in the air! Middle and high school MESA students (including proud Woodlawn alums now at Ockley Green and Roosevelt) will be participating in this invention showcase too!

Demo Day is the perfect chance to see the amazing ingenuity and creativity skills of our young inventors and engineers, AND it's the only competition event we have that is open to the public.

When: Saturday, March 1st from 11:00am-12:30pm at

Where: OMSI, parking fees will be covered and all attendees will get wristbands that cover museum admission for the rest of the day!

Cost: FREE!

How: To join us you can register here, and find more info here.

Instilling a lifelong love of reading is one of our main missions at Woodlawn. There are so many adventures, achievements, and acts of positive change that begin with books, and that is why we are thrilled to introduce you to a fun new literacy initiative spearheaded by our superintendent, Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong.

On Saturday, February 15, Portland Public Schools will be launching its first-ever Golden Key Quest, a citywide literacy scavenger hunt.

Here’s how it works

PPS has partnered with the following literacy hubs to make the Golden Key Quest a reality.

• Caldera Arts – 224 NW 13th Ave, Suite 304, Portland, OR 97209

• Third Eye Books – 2518 SE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR 97202

• Literary Arts – 716 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97214

Students are invited to visit the hubs and look for golden keys hidden inside books. The lucky ones who find a Golden Key should scan the QR code on the key, which will take them to a webpage where they can claim their prize: free family tickets to OMSI! (No purchase necessary to participate.)

Reading is the spark that lights the fire of life-long learning. We hope that our students and families will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

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

Come join the Portland (OR) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated at The Tony Hopson Center for Self Enhancement for a day dedicated to promoting health and wellness within the Black community. This in-person event will feature interactive workshops, panel discussions, health screenings, fitness demonstrations, financial health and more!

Whether you're looking to learn about physical health, mental health, fitness, nutrition, or simply want to connect with like-minded individuals, this expo has something for everyone. Don't miss out on this opportunity to prioritize your well-being and empower your family to live their best lives.

When: Saturday, March 15 · 10am - 1pm PDT. Doors at 9:45am

Where: The Tony Hopson Center for Self Enhancement, 3920 North Kerby Avenue Portland, OR 97227

Cost: FREE!

RSVP Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-family-wellness-expo-tickets-1141695986429?aff=oddtdtcreator

Jazz Night is on 2/28: RSVP, Register for Childcare & Sign Up to Volunteer Now!

Woodlawn PTA's signature event, Jazz Night, is right around the corner! We hope you'll join us at the Village Ballroom on Friday, February 28 from 5:30-9pm for live music, neighborhood history, a soul food dinner, silent auction, raffle & more.

RSVP now at woodlawnwildcats.org/jazznight to reserve your spot, buy meal tickets, and learn more about the event. Once you RSVP, you'll receive a link to register your children for free childcare at Woodlawn School during the event. The childcare registration deadline is this Friday, 2/14, so RSVP now!

We’re also looking for volunteers to help make this year’s Jazz Night a smooth and successful event! Sign up for a shift and be part of this special evening celebrating music, culture, and community. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49AFA828A4FEC43-55065826-jazz

We hope to see you at the Village Ballroom on Friday, February 28!

Join us for our first Connect to Kindergarten event as we start to welcome families who will begin at Woodlawn for the 2025-26 school year. Even if you’ve been a Wildcat for years, we’d love to see you if you have an incoming Kindergartener. This evening event is for families to learn about Woodlawn and about Kindergarten. We look forward to

meeting new Wildcats on Thursday, February 20th from 6-7:30PM. You’ll hear about the kindergarten program, meet some of the staff who will work with your child and be able to ask questions about the kindergarten day at Woodlawn. Feel free to invite a neighbor or pass along the flyer if you know someone who will be 5 years old by Sept 1st!