Dragon Tales

How is it already May 17th? As each week flies by I am reminded how far we've come this school year and how proud I am of our students for the perseverance they have demonstrated. Through all the disruptions and adjustments, our students have done a tremendous job of staying focused on their academics, performances, projects, capstones, and behaviors that create the culture for a successful school. Praise should be given to parents and families as well. This hasn't been an easy year for you either, and I want to thank everyone for their efforts and support of da Vinci this year.

As the year winds down, I cannot emphasize enough how important self care will be. As of today, there are only 19 school days left. During that time students will have many end of year assignments and projects to complete. Many will be in performances which will occupy their attention. Our 8th graders will be working hard to complete their capstone projects. Many students will have big emotions about leaving middle school and preparing for high school. Along the way, we appreciate your support in helping your students maintain regular bedtime routines and healthy habits. There are many things in Spring that we cannot control, but if we can keep student energy levels up that will help them tremendously.

Lastly, I hope to see many of you at da Vinci tonight or tomorrow for the Spring Dance Showcase. Friday night's show starts at 7pm and Saturday's matinee starts at 2pm.

As always, if you have any question, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Mr. Roosevelt

On Monday, we met with all 8th graders to go over essential end of the year information. We sent them home with a packet of information, including a number of forms that need to be returned to the office OR their math teacher.

Please make sure to fill these out and have your student return them. If you can no longer find the forms, please visit our website and find the forms under the Quicklinks tab.

We are asking families to make a $20 donation to help us offset the publication costs of our school yearbook. Families might not be aware, but the district is closing the PPS Printshop and as a result we have had to find a private vendor. Donations help offset the cost of printing this amazing student-designed yearbook. Our goal is to ensure all students and staff receive a yearbook. We recognize we may have some families that cannot make a donation, so any additional donations will be greatly appreciated.

As a reminder, we are expecting all students to maintain less than 18 tardies between May 6th and June 7th in order to participate in Oaks Park and/or field day. We're pleased to share that we have seen a decrease in the number of tardies since the implementation of this plan. Next week, we will be meeting with the students next week who are at risk as measured by having 9 tardies or more. Thankfully, this is only 13 of our 400+ students.

When we look at our tardy data, the highest number of tardies comes during 1st period. Please help us decrease this number by getting your student here by 8:40am.

Below is an important message about student chromebooks. PLEASE READ.

If you need to make a payment regarding this PPS policy, please use this SchoolPay link.

Dear daVinci Families,

Please read below and take the appropriate action(s) based on your student's grade level.

During the school year, your student has had access to a PPS owned, personally assigned Chromebook for use during the school day and at home.

As we approach the end of the school year, we need to account for all devices and take appropriate actions, as directed by the district.

Students who will no longer attend daVinci:

(this includes all 8th graders and anyone transferring to a different school for the 2024-25 school year)

• Students will need to turn in their chromebook and charger. Collection of devices will begin on Friday, June 7th.

• Chromebooks need to be cleaned of all writing and sticker residue.

• If any repairs are needed (non working keys, missing keys, cracked screen, etc), this information needs to be noted at the time of check in.

6th and 7th grade students who will attend daVinci next year:

Students/families have the option to keep their assigned chromebook over the summer or turn it in to daVinci. If your computer is being turned in for the summer, it needs to be cleaned of all writing and sticker residue. *You will not be given the same computer back in the fall.

• If the student chromebook will be kept over the summer, a permission slip will need to be filled out and you will accept responsibility for the device.

• If no permission slip is filled out, the student chromebook and charger will need to be collected. Collection will start on Friday, June 7th.

• Here is a google form for the summer permission slip. If you prefer a paper copy, please reach out to the office or Ms. Bayne. *NOTE: The student chromebook will need to be present when filling out the form.

Please check in with your student(s) and ensure you are all on the same page about the plan for their PPS issued device over the summer. Permission slips need to be filled out and submitted no later than Wednesday, June 5th.

Please note, if your student's account lists any "lost" devices and/or has had a device damaged beyond repair, they will not be eligible for keeping a device over the summer.

If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to reach out to Kerry Bayne, daVinci's technology coordinator (kbayne@pps.net).

Can you believe 8th grade graduation is fast approaching?

To help families commemorate, we're excited to offer daVinci graduation signs. The signs are a great way to show off your kid's accomplishment, let the neighborhood join the celebration, & help them feel special as they transition to high school. Signs are $20 ($25 to customize with their name) & available for pick up after school on 5/30 and 5/31.

If paying for one is a hardship, PTSA can sponsor them. Let Abigail.Isles@Intel.com know if you have any questions! https://spirithero.com/collections/da

The Norse Hall will donate 20% of their gross profits from their Viking Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, June 9 from 8:30-12:00pm

Enjoy our delicious all-you-can-eat Viking pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage links, fresh fruit, strawberry compote, lingonberries, orange juice and coffee or tea—served in our charming Bergen Dining Room. Adults $10, Children ages 3-10 $6, Children under age 3 are free. Parking is free.

Norse Hall

111 N.E. 11th Avenue and Couch Street, Portland, OR 97232