Dear Portland Public Schools community,
Over the last several days, we have seen a horrific attack in Israel provoke a large-scale response, and hundreds of innocent people have lost their lives.
These events evoke sadness, anger, and fear in our community and remind us of the profound work happening in our learning spaces to engage children and young adults in thoughtful learning, including about this current conflict. It underlines the importance of providing a school experience that, as our Vision states, prepares “our students to lead change and improve the world.” You have charged us with graduating compassionate critical thinkers, able to collaborate to solve problems. Collaboration requires engaging with each other, recognizing our shared humanity, and committing to the hard work of finding common ground.
We understand that our community members, students and adults, are processing these violent acts and seeking to make sense of what is occurring in the Middle East right now. We recognize that some members of our own community are impacted by this war. Others may have close relationships to people who have been directly affected by these events. Please check in with each other. Seek support as you or your family needs. Remind the students in your life that you care for them and believe in their potential.
We live in a dynamic world, and the events of the last few days, in particular, provide an important moment for us to reflect on, learn from, and engage our students in important dialogue.
Sincerely,
Guadalupe Guerrero
Superintendent
