Dragon Tales

We had a great set of advisory lessons at da Vinci this past week. Our advisory lessons focus on a combination of executive functioning skills and social emotional learning. For the past few weeks, each advisory class has been working on building class identity by creating a class "advisory flag." It has been fun to watch our creative student body come up with various templates and themes to honor the spirit and identities of their class.

On Wednesday, each class took a schoolwide gallery walk to check out the flags other advisory classes created. It was a great culminating activity that really captured the creative spirit of our students and teachers. I've included a few photos of that gallery walk below.

As a reminder, this Tuesday is a 15-minute late start for all middle school students in PPS. Doors for breakfast will open at 9:15am. The main door will open at 9:23am and first period starts at 9:30am.

If your student is wanting to have their photo retaken, or was absent the day they were taken last month, please let the main office know so they can add your name to the list. Retake forms are in the main office as well.

At the end of this quarter, we will be collecting all student chromebooks that have, at this point, been individually assigned to students. We will be moving to a new model where chromebooks will be housed in classrooms and will not go home with students.

This shift is largely due to the fact that we do not have enough computers to continue replacing computers when lost or broken. The district is no longer replacing computers and we struggle collecting the fees for replacing computers when lost or broken by students. The cost to do so is roughly $500. As of right now, we have 435 computers for 424 students. On a daily basis we have computers brought in that are damaged or are informed that a student has lost one. If we do not make a shift now, we will not have enough computers to support student learning within a few weeks.

Although most other middle schools have already moved to a similar model, we recognize this will be a major shift for our teachers and students. This week, we dedicating staff meeting time for teachers to start thinking through what this shift will mean for their instruction, homework and grading practices, and how they will communicate to families what this shift means for the students in their class. Stay tuned for more information.

It has been exciting to see our Student Affinity Groups begin to meet for this first times this year. Affinity groups are a group of people linked by a common purpose, ideology, identity, or interest.

Last week our BSU met for the first time. This week, our Native American, LatinX and Jewish Student Union met for the first times. Meeting times are publicized to students in our daily bulletin. Groups are identifying times to meet. Some are meeting during lunches, other are meeting before school.

Our October Talent Show is coming up on Thursday, October 31st! If your student has an act/performance they must turn in an audition form to Sara, Ms. Gerolami, Heidi or Ms. Accuardi by Friday the 18th at 4:05 pm.

Forms are available outside the dance office and via request from the other performing arts teachers. Acts doen't have to be scary or Halloween themed, but they DO need to be performance ready!

Auditions will happen during lunch or right after school the week of the 21st. We look forward to seeing our students' talents on display!

This week I want to highlight Mr. Gershuny’s 6th Grade Social Studies class for their Journey Maps. The maps capture the experiences and goals of student lives. Furthermore, they help build class community and tie directly into their first Geography Unit.

This message went out to students in our morning announcements this week. If your student is interested in OBOB, please read the announcement.

If OBOB (Oregon Battle of the Books) is in your future this year, please find a team and sign yourself up on the sign up sheet outside of the Library door. Signs ups are due by Wednesday, October 23.

The first team meeting will be after school on Tuesday, November 5th. Teams need to include a minimum of 4 teammates and one alternative. Teams can be blended grade levels.

Book genres this year include: historical, science, realistic fiction, two novels in verse, two graphic novels, a thriller, one fantasy and a memoir. If you have any questions, please come and ask in the Library.

Heidi, our fabulous Drama Tech teacher wanted this message to go out to families:

Did you know that da Vinci teachers Heidi (Drama Tech) and Ms. Blair (Social Studies) lead awesome international trips for students during the summers?

This summer, we're super excited to be going to Europe - more specifically, to Munich, Vienna, Slovakia, and Budapest. This trip will take place over nine days and will happen in late July - early August. We are having an info session about the trip Next Wednesday, the 16th on Zoom.

If you are interested in learning more about this amazing trip, which focuses on the vibrant history of these different areas, with a special highlight on Music History, please come to our info session. Click here to RSVP for the info session.

Even if you can't make it, if you RSVP you will get the recording of the meeting sent to you to watch on your own time. You can also email HSprecher@pps.net to ask Heidi for more info.

Please note: This trip is through a private company and is not affiliated with PPS. This means that students from any school anywhere can sign up for the trip!"

Heidi Sprecher

Tech Director

During our Advisory time, we will do weekly planner checks to see that student are filling them out properly with dates, class assignments and or objectives written in the weekly section. Students will be encouraged to get these completed each day and their planners will be checked on Mondays as teacher explicitly review each week with their example on the overhead.

If your child has lost their planner please donate $2 dollars to SchoolPay to get them another one. In the notes put your child's name so we can give them a replacement.