Mavs Families,

We have had an excellent start to the 2023-2024 school year. On Monday, August 28th, our MHS Link crew and staff were excited to greet over 400 9th-grade students to the building. On Tuesday, August 29th, we welcomed everyone back in the building, and wow, it felt good to see our students again. The theme for the 23-24 school year is Strengthening our Foundation, and during our class meetings on Wednesday and Friday, we came together to share our hopes with students for the school year and review student expectations.

Staff have been provided cell phone holders in all of their classrooms for students to store phones during the duration of the period. This idea came from the teachers themselves who were overwhelmed last year with consistent disruptions due to cell phone use in class.The cell phone holders are located close to the teachers and always within sight vision of students. We are also supporting teachers when they ask that students do not take their cell phones when they use the restroom pass. This is to prevent the prevalent "meeting up" by students in the restrooms during class. Additionally, as we know students lose valuable learning time when they are late or out of class, administrators and teachers are in the hallways encouraging students to arrive to class on time. When students are excessively tardy, consequences will be assigned. While some of these student expectations are new and may cause angst, we are committed to providing the best educational experience at Mountainside High School.

Below, we have provided a bulleted summary of our class meetings. Please review it at your earliest convenience.

September is a busy month as we get back into a routine. Back to School Night is on Tuesday, September 26th, and I look forward to seeing everyone! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call our office at 503-356-3500.

Go MAVS!

Natalie Labossiere,

Principal

Each month I will host a Principal's Coffee. This meeting will typically occur on the third Friday of each month through May. The Principal's Coffee is an opportunity to hear school updates and to ask general questions regarding the Mountainside community.

The first Principal's Coffee of this school year will be Friday, September 15th at 9:00 am.

Dorian Studios will be at Mountainside High School on Wednesday, September 6th. Students who did not take a school photo during MAV Up Day can have their school picture taken that day.

Strengthening Our Foundation

• CONNECT-EXPLORE-PURSUE

1. Welcoming of all

2. Clear expectations + accountability = successful year

3. Build relationships

4. Keeping Safe

5. We will always show up for you.

MAV UP

• “M”indful of Surroundings

• Treating the building

• Parking Permits Required for Seniors & Juniors!

• Halls & FLEX Spaces

• “A”ccepting of Others

• Academic Behaviors (Academic Integrity)

• Social Media

• “V”alue our Education

• Attendance & Tardies

• Closed Campus

• Cell Phones – off and away. Cell phone holders!

What it means to be a MAV!

• Treat each other with respect

• Embrace our diversity and we determine the culture of our building

• Don’t harm one another

We are very excited to welcome our MAV families into our building for Back-to-School Night 2023. The purpose of this night is to meet your student's teachers and hear an overview of their courses. Below is a brief overview of the night. We look forward to seeing you there!

5:45 - 6:25 Mountainside High School Family Resource Fair

5:45 - 6:25 Optional Health Curriculum Overview (Community Room)

6:30 - 8:30 BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT

Class Presentation Schedule* (5-minute passing time)

6:15 - 6:25 Zero (0) Period

6:30 - 6:45 Period 4/Advisory

6:50 - 7:00 Per 1

7:05 - 7:15 Per 3

7:20 - 7:30 Per 5

7:35 - 7:45 Per 7

7:50 - 8:00 Per 2

8:05 - 8:15 Per 6

8:20 - 8:30 Per 8

Please be sure to access PARENTVUE. This will help you see your student's schedule, including room information and teacher name. Feel free to use this attached link to help navigate around the building.

Importance of Attendance: Attendance is an essential component to a student’s academic success. At Mountainside High School, we are committed to student achievement. We are concerned when a student misses school for any reason. We teach our students that good attendance is of utmost importance to their success in learning. We hope you will help us in stressing the importance of education and school attendance to your child.

Reporting All Day Absences:

Here are two ways to report an all day absences:

1. Call Attendance at 503-356-3501

2. You can excuse ALL DAY ABSENCES via ParentVue

• Please note that when using ParentVue, it is for ALL DAY ABSENCES ONLY. You may not use ParentVue for tardies or early release, or for excusing past absences. See below for more instructions

PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

• Student’s full name (please spell uncommon names)

• Student’s six-digit ID number

• Your name and relationship to the student (parent, guardian, etc)

• Reason for the absence (from the list below)

• Illness

• Medical appointment

• Family emergency

• Death in the family

• Religious observance

• Pre-arranged absence

• Other administrative approved reason
  

Parents/Guardians need to excuse an absence within 48 hours of absence, otherwise, the absence will remain an Unexcused absence for the year.

If your student has been marked absent in a class by mistake, they should contact their teacher and have the teacher email the attendance secretary.

Extended Absences:

Students who will be absent more than three consecutive days should pick up a pre-arranged absence form at the attendance desk to excuse the absences.

Leaving School Early:

If your student needs to leave school early, please call Attendance at 503-356-3501, or send a note with your student. Have your student come to the office before the class they will be leaving and pick up a MAV pass. Students should show this pass to their teacher at the beginning of class. Once they have a MAV pass they can leave the building at the excused time. They do not need to check out in the office before leaving.

Not Feeling Well in Class:

If your student is not feeling well in class, they should ask the teacher if they can go to the health room. Students should not text their parents from class asking them to call the school to excuse them. Students should come to the health room and call home from the office.

Leaving after 2:15:

Unless there is an emergency, we will not call a classroom after 2:15 p.m. to excuse a student early. Students will need to remain in class until 2:30. We appreciate your help following these guidelines so we can reduce the number of times we interrupt the classrooms.

Students are considered late to class if they are not in their period 1 and 2 classes by 7:45AM. A parent/guardian must call Attendance at 503-356-3508 before the student arrives at school, or provide the student with a signed note from the parent/guardian the day of the late arrival. Parents/guardians do not need to accompany the student if they have called or provided a note beforehand.

Students are expected to manage their needs during the allotted five minute passing time. Students are considered late to class if they arrive after the bell rings and up until the end of class. Students who arrive late to midday classes without an excused note will be marked “unexcused late”. Excessive tardies to classes will lead to consequences beginning with Lunch Detention.

This month we are excited to once again host our annual College Fair. This event is designed to provide current Mountainside students with the opportunity to explore a wide range of college options and this year we are honored to welcome 24 colleges from Oregon, Washington, California, Montana, Idaho, and Utah. There will also be both 2-year and 4-year college options represented. This year's College Fair will be held during Advisory on Friday, 9/22/23 and all 10th-12th grade students will participate in this event.

Your counselor and administrator are divided by alpha based on your last name.

COUNSELING ALPHA ASSIGNMENTS:

A - Br & AVID students: Andrew Witt

Bu - Go: Mary Monahan

Gr - K: Kimberly Ito

L- N: Anne Bafaro

O - SL: Jacy Jukkala

Sm - Z: David Nelson

College & Career: Emily O'Quinn

IB Coordinator: Juveria Khan

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ASSIGNMENTS:

A - Go & AVID students: Colby Neal

Gr - N: Greg Therrien

O - Z: Rebecca Bair

Applications for Meal Benefits are now available for the 2023-24 school year. Please log-in to SchoolCafe.com to apply or add funds to your students accounts

MHS is an International Baccalaureate World School which offers two different IB programs. All Grade 9 and 10 students take MYP (Middle Years Program) courses and students in Grade 11 and 12 take DP (Diploma Program) courses. The IBDP is a rigorous and highly valued qualification recognized by universities around the world. For students, success in the IB often results in advanced standing, course credit, scholarships, and other admissions-related benefits at many universities. Students seeking this qualification must complete standardized examinations scored by the IB.

At MHS, all juniors and many seniors are engaged in “IB For All” by taking, at a minimum, IB Language & Literature and IB Individuals & Societies. We believe that all students can and should access advanced curriculum, whether a full diploma candidate, a course candidate, or a curious learner.

In the May 2023 exam session, MHS students scored above the global average (average global grade was 4.84 and average points earned by full diploma candidates was 30.24)! Bravo to alumni Jack Jordan and Winston Liang who earned 41 (out of 45) points - a stellar achievement! We are proud of all our students who challenge themselves by taking and/or testing in IB classes.

Traffic during the beginning of a school year can be very busy as new parents and new student drivers learn our system. PLEASE BE PATIENT with one another. You can help by leaving the house early and following the directions below:

Adults who wish to drop off students in the morning, or pick students up in the afternoon, are asked to do so using the student parking lot entrance off of 175th Ave. Please stay in the outside lane as your car comes toward the school and continue to pull forward until you reach the drop-off area located by the exit doors of the auditorium. Pulling all the way forward is critical as those who stop and drop off short of the zone end up causing backups behind their car. This creates a safety hazard, as other cars will be coming in from the light and won't have a place to go. Within the first 100 yards of the entrance to the lot, there is a red curb fire lane. There is no stopping or parking in this zone. If cars are backed up to that area, please pull around and circle back through the parking lot. Reminder, this is the STUDENT PARKING lot. PLEASE DRIVE SLOW AND BE CAUTIOUS.

PLEASE DO NOT USE THE STAFF LOT for pick-up or drop-off. The Staff Lot is reserved for Staff and for school buses.

We appreciate your assistance in keeping our parking lot safe for our students and community.

The 2023-2024 parking permits will only be available to SENIORS FIRST AND JUNIORS only if space allows through lottery. The process for obtaining a parking permit for the 2023-2024 school year will be completed in 2 (two) stages. The first stage began for the Senior Class of 2024 ONLY on August 17th during our summer MavUP day. The second stage will be for our students in the 11th grade and will occur during the second week of the school year.

Please remember parking on campus is a privilege! To park on campus:

* Student must have a valid driver's license.

* Student/Parent must have valid Insurance

* Student is responsible for reading and obeying all Student/Parent Handbook parking regulations.

* One (1) parking pass will be issued per student ID# for $15.00.

* Parking permits must be displayed at all times.

* Replacement permits will be issued for $15.00 with administrative approval only.

* Failure to comply with parking regulations will result in loss of parking privileges and/or towing at the owner's expense.

A completed parking permit application is required to park on the Mountainside High School Campus. All fines and fees must be cleared; please check the ONLINE PAYMENT PORTAL (https://or-beaverton.intouchreceipting.com/) for any outstanding fines or fees.

Class of 2024

To obtain a parking permit, please bring a copy of your driver’s license, the completed attached application (with parent/guardian signature), and $15 to Mountainside. A valid parking permit is required to park on campus.

Class of 2025

To obtain a parking permit, please bring a copy of your driver’s license and the completed attached application (with parent/guardian signature) to the main office. At this point, we will have a limited number of parking spots and may need to conduct a lottery. A Mountainside staff member will notify students who received a parking permit. At that time, the student will need to pay the $15 fee through the bookkeeper before picking up the parking pass in the front office. A valid parking permit is required to park on campus.

If you have questions regarding this form or parking policies, please email Assistant Principal Colby Neal.

MOUNTAINSIDE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE AND/OR THEFT IN SCHOOL PARKING LOTS.

Auditions for the Fall Play: Puffs are September 5th, with callbacks on the 6th. The amazing story of a normal boy who finds out that he is actually a wizard, goes to a special magic school, makes friends, and has amazing adventures. That wizard boy is Wayne Hopkins! Sorted as a Puff, Wayne believes he is destined for greatness as he makes his way through seven amazingly eventful years with his friends. Audition materials and requirements can be found at www.mountainsidedrama.com/auditions. Email Mr. Goff with any questions you might have, kevin_p_goff@beaverton.k12.or.us.

Congratulations to Mountainside High School Computer Science students, Cole Saldanha and Yuxuan Liu for participating and successfully completing the highly competitive and prestigious paid research internship offered by the Institute for Computing in Research during the summer of 2023. The institute is a consortium of scientists and students who develop advanced computing methods, deeply rooted in free/open-source software, applied to physical science, life science, social science, arts, and humanities.

Cole worked on Data-Efficient Processor Algorithms for Single-Photon 3D Cameras with his mentors and he continued with his research past his internship time length. Yuxuan worked on Crucivirus Evolution under the mentorship of Ignacio de la Higuera, Research Associate at Portland State University. Kudos to her and her mentor as well.

This internship program is looking for Middle as well as High schoolers for Summer 2024

MHS Water Polo

Come join the Mountainside Water Polo team! Play one of the most challenging and rewarding sports there is. If you are preparing to get in shape for a winter or fall sport, it's GREAT cross training for sports like Basketball, Lacrosse, Baseball, Wrestling etc. We are a no-cut sport and all are welcome to join us! Register HERE today! Our pre-season starts Aug 14th - registration is open until Sept 15th. Feel free to email mountainsidewaterpolo@thillswaterpolo.org with any questions!

MHS Wrestling - Boys & Girls

Anyone interested in wrestling and is not out for a fall sport, our pre-season workouts will be starting on Tuesday October 3rd. Workouts will be Tuesdays & Thursdays from 3:00-4:30 PM until the start of the season on November 13th. There will also be a girls only practice on Wednesday October 4th from 3:00-4:00 PM. You must have all forms turned in prior to participating (Online Registration Directions). Please email Coach Phillips or Coach Matthews (Girls Head Coach) for more information. All preseason dates can be found on mountainsidewrestling.com GO MAVS!\

Beginning of the Year Message From Your Student Council Executive Board

Hey Mavs, we hope your first days of classes were awesome!

As classes begin to progress and the school year picks up, we encourage you to remember this year’s theme of U.N.I.T.Y. Uplift and support each other to benefit yourselves as individuals, and our school community as a whole. Attend a fall sports match, nominate a peer for Homecoming court, share a compliment from the Compliment Wall, and demonstrate unconditional kindness so we can grow and maintain our MHS culture.

Here's to a great September and a great start to the school year!🍂📚🎉

Warm regards,

Your Student Council Executive Board

Homecoming Dance

Hey Mavs, on Saturday, September 30th, we will hold our annual Homecoming Dance. This year's theme is Light Up the Night: A Glowing Lantern Homecoming, inspired by the movie Tangled. Guest passes will be available Wednesday, August 30th through Wednesday, September 27th at 3:00 PM and are located by the SHUBOX. Court Nomination forms with this year's Court Categories will also be available Wednesday, August 30th so check your email to vote on students in your class that exhibit certain character traits! Tickets will be sold Monday, September 18th through Friday, September 22nd for $15, Monday, September 25th through Friday, September 29th for $20, and $25 at the door. Hope to see you there!

Frosh and Link Crew Free Barbecue - September 8

Attention frosh, wear your new white spirit shirt on September 8th for the assembly and game! Your class is invited to a free BBQ on September 8th. Come anytime between 6pm-7pm to our first home football game of the season where you can enjoy a free barbecue with your Link Crew groups and leaders! Show up for games, music, raffles, and fun! Again, you must be in your new spirit shirt for the BBQ.

After Game Dance - September 8

Following the first football game of the season on September 8th against Barlow High School, there will be an After-Game Dance! This informal dance will start after the football game and go to 10:30 PM. Admission will be $5 (please bring exact change) and enter MHS at the gym entrance. Outside guests will NOT be allowed, only current Mountainside High School students at this dance. Please bring your school ID. It is highly recommended that you dress up to the theme of the football game and come straight to the dance after. Administration will be randomly breathalyzing at the entrance of the dance.

Club Applications and Club Fair

Are you interested in bringing positive change to the community, finding like minded individuals, or offering your knowledge to others? Consider starting a club! All clubs must fill out a form each year, even if you were approved last year. Club applications will be located outside Mr. Reinholt’s office, (room 163) across from the Leadership room. The Club Fair will occur on Friday, October 6th. More information about Club Fair will be sent out once you're approved.

National Honor Society (NHS) Applications

Attention Juniors and Seniors, applications for the National Honor Society are back open! NHS is a club focused on providing service opportunities and promoting educational growth and excellence. It is open for the class of 2024 and 2025, for those with a 3.5 unweighted GPA or above. The NHS Member Application will be open from September 1st to the 15th.

Wednesday Service Hour - Cards For the Elderly - Septembere 13th

Welcome back, Mavs! On September 13th, from 2:35-3:30 p.m., we’ll be hosting our first service hour event in the commons: Cards for the Elderly. We’ll be making cards for the elderly in our community. Attending this event will earn you a service hour along with a snack. Bring your friends!

Senior Photos and Quote

Class of 2024, in sticking with tradition, the seniors are invited to submit a senior photo and a quote to be featured in this year's yearbook. The photo does not have to be professionally taken and two quotes can be submitted for approval.

Submit your senior photo and quotes here: https://tinyurl.com/PhotosQuotes2024

Please follow these photo and quote requirements:

Senior Photo Requirements:

-Vertical portrait. No angled photos.

-Head and shoulders only. No horizontal poses.

-Front-facing photos only.

-Color only.

-No selfies or photos pulled from social media accounts with obvious filters. We will not use these if they are submitted.

-Indoor or outdoor background is okay.

-Props are okay as long as the face is visible.

-It is not required that a professional takes the photo, but the resolution of the photo needs to be at least 300 dpi (8000x8000 pixels MAX).

-Make sure the photo is not blurry.

-Make sure the photo is bright enough to clearly see your face.

Senior Quote Requirements:

- No inappropriate language or references.

- No emojis.

- No social media handles.

- Please submit two quotes just in case the first one doesn't fit our requirements.

Senior photos and quotes are due on Friday, December 15th, 2023.

Senior Ads

Senior ads are a great way to recognize your Class of 2023 senior! Ads usually feature a variety of photos and a congratulatory message. Starting NOW, these can be purchased at www.jostensyearbooks.com

Senior ads prices:

• ⅛ page: $35
• ¼ page: $45
• ½ page: $60
• 1 full-page: $85

Senior ads sales will close on Friday, December 15th, 2023 at midnight. No exceptions.

Yearbook Sales

The 2024 yearbook is available for purchase through the bookkeeper and/or the BSD online payment system accessed through ParentVue.

To personalize your yearbook, please fill out this form and return it to the bookkeeper, Karyn Brock, in person or over email,

The Back-to-School special will run starting on Thursday, August 17th and end on Friday, September 15. Yearbooks can be purchased for $45 during this time, the lowest price of the year.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Mountainside’s Yearbook Advisor: kathryn_noah@beaverton.k12.or.us

Or, contact us on our Instagram or email:

Email: mhsmavsyearbook@gmail.com

Instagram: @mountainsideyearbook

Hello parents of Class of 2024 Seniors!

As our kids begin their last year of high school at Mountainside, we are a group of parents planning their last big hurrah, their Grad Night party.

This event takes place on the night of graduation, from 11pm-4am. It is at a secret location; kids will meet at the school and be bussed to and from the venue. This is a safe and sober event that is planned for seniors ONLY; no other guests will be allowed to attend. Seniors will have the chance to buy tickets soon; we are finalizing details and once we are ready for online registration, we will let you know.

We need your help! Here are some ways you can help us.

• Volunteer to lead or be on a committee!

• Help with fundraising!

• Do you own a business, or have friends/family that own a business? We would love to talk about a donation. Please reach out so we can put you in contact with our fundraising coordinator.

We have two media platforms set up. We encourage you to sign up for both.

• Facebook: Parents, join the Mountainside ‘24 Grad Night Parent Group. We will use this space frequently to share general information, details about upcoming meetings, and fundraising opportunities.

• Instagram: Parents AND seniors, follow our Instagram account @MHSgradnight2024. We will share information regarding registration, event information, and general info for parents and seniors.

Please reach out for further information. Cynthia Neely and Kristen Yoerger Co-Chairs of MHS Grad Night 2024 Reach us at: MPACT.gradnight@gmail.com

More Ways to Support Grad Night 2024

Bottle Drop and More – For Grad Night 24 – To help raise money for Grad Night ‘24 we are accepting recyclable cans and bottles as well as your extra coins or loose change! Every penny will go towards a safe and sober Grad Night ’24. Just drive through the Mountainside Student Parking lot and drop it off on Sunday, September 10th from 11am to 1pm. Then keep saving your cans and coins for the next Bottle Drop in October!

Did you know if you have a Green Bag account with BottleDrop Oregon that you can donate directly to Mountainside PACT from your account? E-mail any questions on how to do so to fundraising@mountainsidepact.org.

We are also accepting gift card donations that can be used for Grad Night raffle prizes.

Dining for Dollars @Joes Burgers OR Choza – On September 6th, visit Joes Burgers Murrayhill or Choza Murrayhill (or both!) and 15% will be donated back in support of Grad Night! Mention Mountainside Grad Night when you visit either location!

What is MPACT?

MPACT is Mountainside's Parent Teacher Organization, serving to enhance the Mountainside student learning experience, support school staff and build community connections. MPACT's work extends beyond the school budget to fulfill grant requests, award senior scholarships, promote staff appreciation, support student-centered programming, coordinate volunteerism and much more!

MPACT General Meetings 2023-24

MPACT holds bi-monthly general meetings that offer a great opportunity to hear from the principal, ask questions, and get involved with the school community. Mark your calendar to attend MPACT's general meetings from 7:00PM to 8:30PM on the following dates:

• Wednesday, September 13 (budget approval)
• Wednesday, November 8
• Wednesday, January 10
• Wednesday, March 20
• Wednesday, May 15 (officer elections)

Make Your iMPACT!

Volunteer - Make sure you've added Mountainside High School to your BSD volunteer profile in order to learn about volunteer opportunities throughout the year. New to the Mountainside community? Email update_volunteer_locations@beaverton.k12.or.us to add MHS to your volunteer profile. Volunteer locations do not automatically update with your student's BSD progression. Please feel free to email us with any questions.

Donate - Your generous support helps to fund scholarships, activities, educational resources, enrichment opportunities and more! MPACT is a registered charitable organization; donation tax receipts are available.

• PayPal and Square links, visit: https://www.mountainsidepact.org/write-a-check
• In Person or By Mail: Write a check payable to “MPACT” and drop off at the office or mail to: MPACT, 12500 SW 175th Ave, Beaverton, OR 97007
• Through your Employer: Be sure to check if your company offers donations through payroll or offers matching funds for donations or volunteer hours. For questions, contact: treasurer@mountainsidepact.org

Shop - Make a purchase with purpose that gives back to MPACT! Show your Mountainside pride with Mountainside Mavericks spirit year, available through our Spirit Store. A portion of the proceeds supports the MHS school community. Visit our online store.

Dining out - Throughout the year, MPACT partners with local restaurants for a delicious way to fundraise. Watch for announcements in the Maverick Express or visit our website for details.

Upcoming Events

Mavs vs. South Medford Watch Party - Join us on Friday, September 1st from 6:30pm – 9pm at the Progress Ridge Big Al’s. We will be taking over their upstairs Caddyshack to cheer on the Mavs as they take on South Medford! The game will be streaming live and there is plenty of space for everyone. Kids are welcome and receive a $5 game card with kid’s meal purchase. Suggested $5 donation to support MPACT fundraising efforts. Kickoff is at 7pm!

Dining for Dollars @Mod Pizza - Here is a delicious way to support the Mountainside community! On September 14th, visit Mod Pizza on Scholls Ferry or order online with code MODGIVES25 and 25% of the bill will be donated back to MPACT and the Mountainside community!

2023 MHS Winter Market: Save the Date! - We are excited to announce Mountainside’s first annual Winter Market will be here at Mountainside High School on Saturday, December 2nd from 10am – 4pm. Enjoy a collection of artisans and pop-up vendors from your local community.

Interested in being a vendor? Use the link below to learn more and fill out an application.

MHS Winter Market Application (google.com)

Ways to Conntect

Website: https://www.Mountainsidepact.org

Facebook: Mountainside PACT

Instagram: mountainside_mpact

Email: mpactboard@mountainsidepact.org

Mail: 12500 SW 175th Ave, Beaverton, 97007

THANK YOU FOR AKING AN IMPACT WITH MPACT!! HAVE A GREAT YEAR MAVS!

TUE., 9/26 - BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT

SAT., 9/30 - HOMECOMING DANCE

FRI., 10/13 - IN-SERVICE DAY - NO SCHOOL

FRI., 10/27 - GRADING DAY - NO SCHOOL

FRI., 11/10 - VETERAN'S DAY - NO SCHOOL

WED., 11/20-11/24 - THANKSGIVING BREAK

FRI., 12/8 - IN-SERVICE DAY - NO SCHOOL

MON., 12/18-1/2 - WINTER BREAK

Website: beaverton.k12.or.us/schools/mountainside
Location: 12500 SW 175th Ave, Beaverton, OR, United States
Phone: 503-356-3500
Facebook: facebook.com/mountainsidehs
Twitter: @mountainsidehs