MLC Weekly News and Notes 2024-25
March 10th-14th
Monday March 10
Tuesday March 11
BSU lunch club in Alberti's room
Virtual Open House Kx5 Lottery 6:00-7:00 pm
Wednesday March 12
Winter Electives End
PTSA Meeting 6:00 pm
Thursday March 13
6x8 SAGA lunch club in Erewyn's room
Tour with Benner
MLC Choir Recital! 6:00 pm
Friday March 14
CTE Field Trip to Zoo 12:00-3:30 pm
PTSA Family Movie Night featuring "Wicked" 5:00-9:00 pm
Coming Soon:
3/17 Kx5 Camp Read-a-lot!
3/19 Spring Elective Sign Ups, Early Release @12:45!, HS Career Expo Trip 9-11:30 am, PTSA Restaurant Night at Mike's Drive-In on Lombard, 4:00-8:00 pm
3/24-28 SPRING BREAK!
4/2 Spring Electives
4/3 Q3 Ends
4/4 No Students - Grading Day
4/7 No Students - Teacher Planning
4/4-4/13 PTSA Online Auction
4/9 PTSA Meeting
4/10 Tour with Benner
4/11 PTSA Auction & Social 6:00-10:00 pm
4/15 -4/16 - NO kx5 STUDENTS/Conferences!
30-Day Notice for Statewide Tests and Opt-out Form for 2024-25
Parent Request for Opting Out of Oregon Summative Assessments (ELA and Math)
If a form is submitted after a student has begun testing, the student will stop testing and the District Test Coordinator will work with ODE assessment staff to invalidate the test.
30-Day Notice and ELA/Math Opt-out Form (grades 3-8 & 11)
English | Español | Tiếng Việt | 中文 | Русский | Soomaali
Science Exemption Request Form (grades 5, 8 & 11)
English | Español | Tiếng Việt | 中文 | Русский | Soomaali
If you have questions about ELPA Summative testing, please talk with your school administrator.
Re-affirming our Support of Inclusive Spaces
Dear PPS community,
At Portland Public Schools, we respect every student's rights to a safe school experience, and we are concerned and alarmed by the increasingly divisive and often threatening rhetoric aimed at LGBTQ2SIA+ youth in our communities. We want to unequivocally affirm that Portland Public Schools remains steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for transgender and LGBTQ2SIA+ staff, students, and their families.
Transgender students bring unique talents, perspectives, and aspirations to their school communities. The Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Expansive Administrative Directive reflects PPS’s promise to honor and respect these identities, including the right to use asserted names and pronouns, participate in GSA groups, and access restrooms and locker rooms aligned with their identities.
PPS partners with community organizations to equip educators with tools to create welcoming classrooms, address microaggressions, and advocate for LGBTQ2SIA+ students. Additionally, the district’s LGBTQ2SIA+ Supports team works closely with staff to ensure guidance is implemented with care and understanding.
Confidentiality is essential to ensuring transgender students' safety. In compliance with the Family Education Rights Protection Act (FERPA), PPS will redact personally identifiable information when responding to records requests. Additionally, staff must keep gender identity confidential unless explicit permission is granted by the student and/or caregivers. Sharing such information with other staff without a legitimate educational interest violates students' rights under FERPA.
PPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook outlines the district’s expectations for everyone to maintain a safe learning environment. The discipline matrix guides the school responses to transphobic behavior, including hate-based incident investigations and school exclusions. Any staff member who violates a student’s right to confidentiality or engages in transphobic behavior (e.g. refusing to use the correct name and pronouns) may be subject to disciplinary action. Caregivers and community members who engage in transphobic behavior will be reminded of our community expectation to treat everyone with dignity and respect, and the district reserves the right to trespass repeat violators from school property.
We are deeply grateful to our community — students, families, educators, and allies — for their continued dedication and support in making our schools safer, more inclusive, and affirming spaces for all.
Sincerely,
Dr. Renard Adams, Chief Accountability and Equity Officer
Dr. Bobby Cruz, Director, Office for Civil Rights
Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong, Superintendent
AdditionalResources:
ODE Guidance: Supporting Gender Expansive Students: Guidance for schools
PPS Transgender, Nonbinary, Gender Expansive Administrative Directive
PPS District Wide LGBTQ2SIA Supports
ImI. A Self-guided tool for LGBTQ+ teens, by LGBTQ+ teens and their allies to help explore identity and support mental health.
Trans Life Line. Trans Lifeline’s Hotline is a peer support phone service run by trans people for our trans and questioning peers. Staffed 10a-6p
Youth Line has phone, text, email, and chat options YouthLine is a free teen-to-teen crisis support and help line that is staffed 4-10 p.m. by trained youth
National Healthcare Access, Relocation, and Emergency Fund Resources
MLC Community,
It is important to PPS that immigrant families feel safe and supported. Some families have expressed to me and other members of our staff that they are concerned about possible immigration actions under the new presidential administration.
I want to reassure you that our top priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of all students and staff. We continue to work closely with PPS leadership and our community partners to uphold Oregon law prohibiting state and local law enforcement from arresting or detaining people based solely on immigration status. Additionally, Oregon law protects student educational records from use for immigration actions.
In times of uncertainty, it is always beneficial to be proactive and prepared, and it’s crucial that we have up-to-date contact information for you and your student. If you have not done so already, please complete the yearly student verification form to ensure we’re reaching you via the right information and in the right language.
I also wanted to provide the following resources:
This FAQ and this webpage answer many questions about the steps Portland Public Schools will be taking to safeguard staff and students going forward.
This page from the Multnomah Education Service District (MESD) includes a family resource hub and culturally specific information for families in the Portland area.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center Little Red Card is meant to help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations. The cards can be printed out in your preferred language and carried on your person.
Know Your Rights for Families/Students (Oregon ACLU)
PPS’s Office for Civil Rights offers support addressing discrimination, harassment, and bias-related concerns.
Please contact me at skitchens1@pps.net if you have any questions or concerns. I am here for you and your students, and you have my word that, at MLC, we will always stand together to champion our diversity and support the most vulnerable among us.
Sincerely,
Suezann Kitchens
MLC Principal
Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy
Cell Phones are not allowed in MLC classrooms or anywhere else during class time. They will be locked in a safe zone during each class by the classroom teacher. We will be very vigilant in keeping our classrooms phone free at MLC in order to keep learning distraction free. Please make sure you are discussing with your student prior to the first day. We will have students and parent/guardian sign a no cell phone agreement at conferences for grades 6x12.
Requests for Support
MPG Athletics
MPG (Multiple Pathways to Graduation) athletics will soon be transitioning from winter to spring sports. We'll offer a variety of spring sports that include: Esports, Soccer, Track & Field, and Flag Football. Stay tuned for more details!
Spring Soccer registration is now open. If you have any students interested, please contact me as soon as possible. We will provide the jerseys and all necessary equipment needed. Our goal is to form our own teams; If we're unable to, students will be placed on teams regardless. Most games will be held at Delta Park. Please connect with me if you have any questions or need more information.
Thanks,
--
Demarcus Richard
Student Success Progams Supervisor
Portland Public Schools
C: 971-425-5503
MLC PTSA MARCH NEWSLETTER
There is so much going on at MLC in the next couple of months! See all the ways you can support and connect with our community in the MLC PTSA March Newsletter.
PTSA MEETING: Join us the second Wednesday of each month!
Wednesday, March 12, 6:00-7:30p.m.
MLC Library and Zoom (see MLCPTSA.org for Zoom link and agenda).
Dinner and childcare are provided for all meetings (email Sierra if you have dietary restrictions).
FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT: Wicked
Friday, March 14 | Doors 5:00 | Movie 6:00-9:00pm
MLC Auditorium | Parking lots open to MLC families
Bring a blanket or camping chair and enjoy a cozy evening of free family fun and community connection. This event is for the whole family—students should be accompanied by an adult. Watch the film or mingle with other MLC parents in the foyer. Pizza and concessions will be available for purchase, with proceeds supporting the High School Prom.
Reserve your spot! While the event is free, we encourage families to pre-register at MLCPTSA.org. Pre-registration helps us plan and gives you the option to order food and treats in advance. Decide to join us at the last minute? No problem! Walk-ins are welcome, and we’ll have food available while supplies last.
PARKING CREW: Sign up for a Timbers or Thorns match
The MLC PTSA hosts parking in our school lots for Timbers and Thorns weekend matches and we need volunteers to take money and direct people to spots. This is an easy and fun way to raise money for our school. Shifts are short and we will be there to teach you everything you need to know. Bring a friend or come make new ones!
See available dates and sign up for a shift HERE. And spread the word about our parking fundraiser to anyone you know who might want to park with us! Questions? Contact our coordinators, Nate or Chenney.
NORTH STAR: PARTY AT POLARIS!
MLC Auction & Social
April 11, 6:00-10:00pm, Polaris Hall
Online Auction
April 4-13
North Star: Party at Polaris! is just around the corner. We invite you all to join us to celebrate our shared commitment to guiding MLC students toward bright futures. With dinner, drinks, music, and merriment, it’s going to be a rocking good time!
Tickets Now On Sale: Tickets are available with tiered pricing starting at $0. It is important to us that cost not be a barrier to attendance and that all feel welcome at this community event!
Buy-In Parties: Host an event and help our community connect! For more information, see the Buy-In Party FAQ and fill out the Buy-In Party Interest Form if you are interested in hosting
Donations: We are on the lookout for hotels, vacation rentals, ADUs, cabins, cool camper vans, and personal homes that can be used for fun staycations or getaways. Reach out to Sierra if you have any leads, or see the Donation Form for other ways to contribute.
Volunteers: Don’t plan to attend the auction but want to show your support? We are looking for volunteers to help staff the Student Social & Movie Night / Childcare that we are hosting across the street at Jefferson High School. If you are interested in learning more, please email Sierra. We will also need volunteers at our event so stay tuned for details and signups!