The Talbot Sunday Update

Pumpkin Fest 10/26/24

Volunteers Needed! Sign Up to Help at Pumpkin Festival:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A054BA9AA2AA2FB6-51742328-pumpkin

• Early Release on Wednesdays - Students Dismissed at 1:10

• Picture Day - Tuesday, October 22nd

• Student Conferences-November 21st and 22nd

Dear Talbot Families and Community,

As Halloween approaches, I wanted to take a moment to address the district’s stance on this holiday and provide some context behind our decision not to celebrate Halloween during school hours.

At Talbot, we pride ourselves on being a diverse and inclusive community where every student and family feels respected, valued, and safe. While Halloween is a popular tradition for many, we also recognize that it is not celebrated by everyone. Some families may not observe the holiday for personal, cultural, or religious reasons, and we want to ensure that our school remains a welcoming environment for all. We also believe that our primary focus should remain on learning and growth, and as such, we strive to maintain a classroom environment that is focused on education.

This decision was made thoughtfully with input from staff, families, and community members. It aligns with our commitment to fostering an inclusive atmosphere where every student feels they belong. We want to ensure that no student feels left out or uncomfortable, and that our schools continue to be spaces where all students can thrive.

While we won’t be celebrating Halloween during the school day, we encourage students and families who wish to participate in Halloween festivities to do so in ways that align with their traditions outside of school. We will, of course, continue to celebrate the many other school-wide events and activities that bring our community together throughout the year.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to create an environment where all of our students can feel safe, respected, and included.

It's really important that we have updated information about four family! If you have not already done so, please complete the annual parent/guardian portal update on Infinite Campus as soon as possible.

Online updates include changes to phone numbers, email addresses, emergency contacts, addresses, media release forms, walking permission slips and much more. To access the portal update, please go to:

https://ic.portlandschools.org/campus/portal/parents/portland.jsp

Dear Families:

As a school receiving federal Title I funds, we must meet federal rules related to teacher

qualifications as defined in the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). We work hard to

assure that every class has a teacher with the appropriate experience and credentials for his or her

current teaching assignment. All of our teachers have college degrees, and many have advanced

degrees. Every teacher continues his or her own learning through professional development

activities. Our teachers are evaluated each year to make sure that their teaching skills remain at

the highest possible level.

ESSA rules allow you to learn more about your child’s teachers’ training and credentials. We are

happy to provide this information to you. At any time, you may ask:

• Whether the teacher met state qualifications and certification requirements for the grade level

and subject he/she is teaching,

• Whether the teacher received an emergency or conditional certificate through which state

qualifications were waived, and

• What undergraduate or graduate degrees the teacher holds, including graduate certificates and

additional degrees, and major(s) or area(s) of concentration.

You may also ask whether your child receives help from an ed tech. If your child receives this

assistance, we can provide you with information about the ed tech’s qualifications.

Additional information on the ESSA, as well as on the qualifications of your child's teacher, is

available on request.

Please contact our school if you have questions or would like further information. Working with parents is an important aspect of our efforts to help students learn and we welcome your interest.

Avoid keeping children at home unless they are too sick to participate in regular activities. If your child has a compromised immune system or is at high risk for complications from common illnesses, please talk to your school (school nurse if available) about developing a plan with you and your child's health-care provider to keep your child healthy and safe while attending school.

Some of the normal conditions children may experience, but don't usually require them to stay home from school might include:

• a mild cold with runny nose or occasional cough
• a mild upset stomach with no other complications
• a mild rash with no other symptoms
• treated head lice
• mild eye irritation without fever
• pain or eyelid redness
• menstrual cramps and/or other symptoms
• mild anxiety or sadness
• fever has gone away and they are not taking fever reducing medicine

If you are worried that your child may be suffering from anxiety, talk with your teacher, the school nurse, social worker or other school staff and/or the child's health care provider to discuss the challenge and identify what support or intervention might help your child stay in school.

This document is not meant to take the place of CDC/DOE/School Department guidance about illnesses such as Covid-19 and flu.

(Document Attached Below)