OGMS Newsletter

11.08.2024

Principal's Message

Hello Ockley Families,

As we enter into November, we are reminded of the rich traditions, languages and contributions of Native Americans. Here at Ockley, we are continuing to reflect on and improve our practices to ensure that are Native American students and families are seen and heard. We currently are working with our Indian Education office to provide monthly Affinity activities for our students and hope to see that up and going soon.

November also brings the beginning of Quarter 2, providing an opportunity for students to take steps towards improving their academic outcomes and their continued social-emotional growth. During Advisory, students will be spending time reflecting on their progress so far this school year and set a goal for this coming quarter. Check in with your child and ask them about their goal and the steps they will take to reach it.

Our counselors, teachers and staff are always available to partner with you in supporting your child's success here at Ockley. Please reach out and let us know how we can support.

In Partnership

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal, Ockley Green Middle School

Quarter 1 Report Cards on ParentVue

See this document for a step by step guide on how to access your child's grades through ParentVue.

Successful School Survey

We truly value your input and would love to hear from you. Starting Monday, November 1, we will be asking you to participate in a brief survey about your experience with Ockley Green. Your feedback is essential in helping us continue to provide high-quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet the needs of our students and prepare them for success in college and beyond. We want to know what YOU think.

The Successful School Survey will be open from November 1 to December 6. You can complete it online at your convenience, or you are welcome to fill it out in person at the school office during school hours or at Conferences in late November. The QR Code to the right will take you directly to the Survey.

Your participation is greatly appreciated and will help guide us in making thoughtful, informed decisions about our school community and its culture. Our goal is to have at least 40% of families respond. If we reach this goal, we will hold a Ice Cream Float party for our students in December.

If you have any questions or need assistance with the survey, please feel free to reach out to Ms. JJB in the office at jjardeeborquist@pps.net.

Thank you in advance for your support!

Conferences

One way that we are elevating student voice and supporting our students to grow as reflective engaged learners is to have them prepare for Student-Led Conferences this year. These will occur during the Conferences scheduled for November 25th & 26th. These will happen during 20-minute time slots and you will meet with a teacher and your student.

During this time, your child will present a portfolio of their work completed thus far in the school year. This portfolio will provide an overview of their academic achievements, creative projects, and personal development. In addition, your child will share their academic, social, and behavioral goals for the remainder of the year. We believe that this self-assessment process empowers our students, encouraging them to take ownership of their learning and growth.

Our staff have prioritized their scheduling slots and teachers are beginning to reach out through next week directly to families to confirm a time. Once priority scheduling is complete, teachers will send out an email with information on self-scheduling. See below for the overall schedule.

In addition to the 20-minute time slot that you schedule, you will be able to informally connect with other staff available during these days.

Ballmer Institute Partnership

Your child’s school was selected to participate in a strategic partnership between the Portland Public Schools (PPS) District and The Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health at the University of Oregon. This partnership is designed to expand programming to promote wellness and foster strengths in our students. Our collective goal is to strengthen our efforts in early identification and prevention of child behavioral health concerns.

Potential services may include the following:

Targeted Screening for Social-Emotional-Behavioral Health
Skills Groups & Drop-in Visits
Progress Monitoring Activities

See the linked letters below to learn more about these specific supports and let us know if you do not want these services provided to your child.

8th Grade Information for High School Transition

See below for a message from our 8th Grade Counselor.

High School Transition NEWS!

Hello 8th grade students and families! While it may be hard to believe, high school will be here before we know it. As the 8th grade school counselor for Ockley Green Middle School, one of my responsibilities is to help 8th graders get ready for high school, and answer any questions students and families may have. One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is, “Can I go to any high school I want to?” Just to clarify, a student is assigned to a neighborhood high school based on their primary address in Synergy, regardless of what middle school the student attends or which high school that middle school feeds into.

If a student wants to look into attending a high school other than their neighborhood high school, students/families can apply online during the open enrollment timeframe. This year open enrollment is from November 15 – December 16, 2024.

Many students who attend Ockley Green as their neighborhood school* are tagged "dual-assignment." This means that students get to choose which high school they want to attend: Jefferson High School or Roosevelt HS, or Jefferson/Grant/McDaniel (depending on the primary address). Very soon, you will receive a letter in the mail from PPS regarding dual-assignment and families will be asked to choose one of these two high schools. If families do not choose by the requested date, the district will choose for families. It is your right to choose which of the two high schools is the right fit. Please be sure to fill out the form with your choice!

On Thursday October 24th I presented information to all 8th graders regarding transitioning to high school. We talked about high school class requirements, grade point averages, tips for organizing oneself, and much more. We also talked through dual-assignment (what it is, why we have it, etc.).

Please feel free to reach out anytime with questions, especially regarding transitioning to high school. I can be reached via email at gdickstein@pps.net or you can call or text me at 971-231-4976

*If you attend our school through a transfer, you will be required to attend your neighborhood high school, unless you apply for a transfer for a different high school and that transfer is accepted.

Thank you,

Ms Galen, 8th grade school counselor

Specific Information available on the PPS Website, Heading to High School page.

Information Night Dates