Duniway Dispatch
May 10, 2024
Calendar
- May 6-31: Successful Schools Survey Open
- May 13: Second Grade Spring Music Performance
- May 14: First Grade Spring Music Performance
- May 15: Fourth Grade Spring Music Performance
- May 16: Third Grade Spring Music Performance
- May 17: Kindergarten Spring Music Performance
- May 17: Duniway Fund Run
- May 24: Principal's Coffee and Volunteer Appreciation
- May 27: Schools Closed - No School for Students
- May 30: Duniway Spring Showcase
- June 7: Duniway Parade, 2:15 pm
- June 7: Duniway Carnival
- June 14: Last Day of School
Principal's Message
Dear Duniway School Community,
The fantastic weather is here; the birds are singing, and the sun is shining. The only thing to say is, "Wow." Aren't we lucky to live in Oregon?
Thank you all for the wonderful celebrations of our teachers and staff this week. We definitely have a staff worthy of all the fuss; from smoothies, to snacks, to food, to flowers, each day has really made our teachers feel the love and it means a ton.
As you may have heard, I will be departing from Duniway at the end of this school year. These past two years have been a wonderful journey, and this decision was not an easy one. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has shown their support and well wishes, whether in person or through email. The process of finding the next principal at Duniway is currently underway, and I am hopeful that we will hear who it is by the end of the month or early in June. I am dedicated to working with them to ensure a smooth transition.
The big day has arrived today. After school, Portland Public Schools will start installing our new playground. Fencing will go up surrounding the old playground, and they will begin construction. The project manager tells me that the project should take 3-4 weeks. Please cross your fingers that it is finished before school is out.
Next week, on Friday, May 17th, we will have our annual Fund Run. If it hasn't already, information about how to sponsor runners should be coming home with your student. This PTA event is critical to raising funds for all of the fantastic things our PTA sponsors, from classroom supplies to field trips to our Reading Results program.
I want to wish a happy Mother's Day to all of the amazing moms in our community. It is going to be a beautiful day on Sunday; I hope you all have a terrific day celebrating.
Have a great weekend, and I look forward to the fun weeks ahead as we start to wrap up the school year.
Best.
Principal Rafferty
971-284-6708
Duniway Spring Music Performances
We are excited to share that we will have our Duniway Spring Music Performances this month.
Performances for grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 will take place in the Auditorium from 2:15-2:45 pm.
The Main Entrance doors on SE Reed College Place will open at 2:10 pm.
- Second Grade: Monday, May 13
- First Grade: Tuesday, May 14
- Fourth Grade: Wednesday, May 15
- Third Grade: Thursday, May 16
The kindergarten performance will take place in the Cafeteria from 2:00-2:30 pm.
The Cafeteria doors by the blacktop by SE Rex will open at 1:55 pm.
- Kindergarten: Friday, May 17
Duniway Fund Run May 17th
The Fund Run is one of our PTA’s largest annual fundraisers! During the school day, students run, walk, or stroll around the field as many times as they can for a designated time period. 1st-5th grade students participate for 30 minutes and travel around the entire field (about a 0.25 mile loop) while Kindergarten and Pre-K students participate for 20 minutes and cover about half that distance. Most students complete between 6-11 laps, with some students in older grades completing up to 18 laps. Kindergarten students often complete more laps because it’s a shorter loop!
We encourage all students to participate in fundraising if they can. Donations can be made as flat fee donations or as per lap pledges. To donate:
Go to our Rally Up website: https://duniwayelementary.rallyup.com/2024fundrun
Click on "Contribute"
Click on "Make a per-lap pledge" or "Make a flat fee donation"
Search for your student by first or last name or by class. You may add additional students or donations before you check out. If you choose “per lap pledges” your amount will be “to be determined” until after the event.
Note: You will be asked to leave an optional tip at checkout. These tips go directly to RallyUp to cover operating costs, but they do not affect our fundraising. Note that all payments are still subject to processing fees, which are charged by credit cards or other services like PayPal. You can also write a check to the “Duniway PTA” and deliver or mail it to the office.
The class in each grade who completes the most laps (averaged according to the number of students participating in each class) will earn an ice cream party after the event. In addition, all students will be entered into weekly drawings for prizes and will receive a popsicle after the event.
We are looking forward to this fun event that supports our goal of offering our children a rich and diverse public school education.
Duniway Volunteer Appreciation and Principal's Coffee
We'd like to honor our incredible Duniway Volunteers our last Principal's Coffee on Friday, May 24th at 8:50 a.m. in the Cafeteria. Please join us for a little celebration!
Successful Schools Survey
The Successful Schools Survey is an opportunity for students, staff, and families to provide important feedback on our school environment, learning experiences, and sense of well-being and safety at Duniway.
The survey is conducted once every school year to provide timely information to schools, district leadership, and the community, allowing us to make informed decisions about school climate and culture. We use the data to help improve our schools, providing targeted feedback and training on how to create healthy school environments that are welcoming for all.
You can complete the Successful Schools Survey online using the link provided below. Please complete one survey per household. If you have more than one student at PPS, we ask that you complete the survey considering the experiences of your eldest child.
The survey will take approximately 15-30 minutes to complete and is available in English, Spanish, Russian, Somali, Vietnamese and Chinese. This year, the survey window is open May 6-31.
https://surveys.panoramaed.com/portlandor/familyspring24/surveys
For more information about the Successful Schools Survey, please go to pps.net/sss2024.