Alameda Friday Newsletter

Back to School Night - Thursday, 9/26 from 5:30-7:00 PM: This year’s BTSN will be a new format. Students and parents/guardians will be participating in a self-guided tour throughout the building. Unlike our Spring Open House, next week’s event is a bit more structured and the expectation is that adults and children stick together, moving throughout the building, much like we do during a normal school day.

• The first stop for students will be their classroom. Once there, students will pick up their Alameda Passport. This booklet will highlight all the different locations where students and families can visit. At each location, students can get a stamp/sticker before moving on to the next spot. There is no designated order, folks are free to travel to the different locations as they see fit.

• One stop, and likely your final one, will be the PLAYGROUND, where families can enjoy food (food trucks), and connect with the PTA and friends. .

• When students have finished completing their passport, they can turn it in and it will be entered into a drawing for some fun prizes. We will have several containers in the building and a couple outside.

• The inside of the school will CLOSE at 7:00 PM, with the exception of bathroom use, but families are invited to stay longer outside.

This is an open house format, allowing for maximum flexibility for families, so arrive when you can and stay as long as you are able. We would love to see all families, even if it is just for a quick visit. We are excited to see you on the 26th!

Early Release: The first early release of the year is next week. On Wednesday, 9/25, students will be dismissed at 11:50 AM. Thanks for your flexibility and support.

School Photographs: School photos will take place on 9/26 and 9/27. Your child’s teacher will communicate the date and time and ordering details will be coming from the photographer after the pictures have been taken.

Reading Tutors Needed: We are excited to offer High Impact Tutoring (30 minutes per session, 3x week) in literacy to select students in K-3 grade starting later in the fall. This program is made possible by PPS and an Oregon Department of Education. In order to make this program run, we need to hire three tutors to support our students. The commitment is 3 days/week, for 4 hours a day. You would be trained and supported by PPS staff. This is a paid, Educational Assistant position. If you are interested, please email Matt Goldstein.

Site Council, 2024-2025: One opportunity for community members to learn more about our school and school community and to participate in conversations about a wide range of topics is to participate in our Site Council Meetings. Meetings are virtual, and take place from 5:30 - 7:00 PM. This year’s meeting dates are: 10/9/24, 1/15/25, 3/12/25, and 5/14/25. While we have a core group of folks that are able to hopefully commit to attending all four meetings, all are invited to attend these meetings. If you are interested in joining the Site Council or have general questions, please contact Matt Goldstein.

Back to School Night: After this week's dreary weather, the Back to School Picnic is joining forces with Back to School Night on Thursday 9/26! Come meet your teachers, tour the school, learn about all things Alameda and then join the PTA on the playground for Food Trucks, face painting and fun! Trucks will be available until 7:30pm. We look forward to seeing you Thursday!

Call for PTA Volunteer Team:

At Alameda, we aim to foster community spirit, support our students, and enhance their school experience. Your participation can play a key role in making these events truly memorable for our children.

Volunteering with the PTA is a fantastic way to connect with fellow parents, support our students, and contribute to creating an engaging and vibrant school environment. Your involvement directly benefits our children and strengthens our school community.

If you’re interested in joining our PTA volunteer team and making a difference, we’d love to add you to our volunteer contact list. Please sign up here:

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/2a5e2d7939ad4d5caf531164605df8e4

For any questions or further information, don’t hesitate to contact audreyg@gnicharch.com

Call for Room Parents:

Room Parents play a vital role each year by serving as a representative for teachers at Alameda. The role as Room Parents is to communicate what is happening in the classroom / grade to other parents and assist the teacher with various tasks so that she/he/they may focus on teaching our students.

As a Room Parent, you might work with your teacher to coordinate holiday parties, classroom volunteers for various tasks such as field trips, and classroom fundraising projects. You will also coordinate gifts/support for your teachers for holidays, birthdays, and teacher appreciation time.

Please fill out this form if you are interested in volunteering for the Room Parent Roll.

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/f6ebb1fbbd5b4aa6990267ccad0f9937

PPS has Early Release Wednesdays each month
Trackers camps have you covered!

Portland Public Schools (PPS) has announced Early Release Wednesdays for the 2024-25 school year. These will occur almost every month. We understand this might disrupt your plans, but don’t worry—Trackers has got you covered. Our new PPS Early Release Day Camps are now open for registration.

To support working parents, we have made these camps as cost-effective as possible. Kids can spend their afternoons connecting with friends and learning awesome Trackers skills. They can craft in our pottery studio, build in our woodworking shop, hone their archery skills, create characters for epic role-playing games, or explore the great outdoors while connecting to nature.

Our PPS Early Release Day Camps are available at our SE and NE Portland site, with easy parent pick-up from 5 PM to 6 PM. Remember, students of our After School Program already get early release camp as part of their Wednesday membership. While you tackle your workday, your kids can have a blast learning new things—all in a safe and fun environment!