News From The Abernethy Office

Welcome to another Monday! Wasn't it just a week ago that I was talking about all the beautiful 80 degree days? Well, that seems to be a thing in the past. Rain has arrived and it brought with it the cold. I think it not only caught me off guard, but also caught many of the students as well, for there were a lot of students saying they needed to bring warmer jackets to school today! We really feel that students need a break outside during their recess to around, run and be social, so please encourage your students to dress for the weather which could sometimes be cold and rainy.

This week starts with rain and last week we were stuck inside due to the smoke! We really saw the need for that outside movement by the end of our 3 days of inside recess! The students did have some fun though. A lot of something new for some of our students, as many have never had an inside recess before. Here are some of the inside recess activities for the 2nd and 3rd grade students.

Once we were able to go outside we saw just how much the students missed that outside recess! Here are some pictures from the Kinder and 1st grade recess as well as the 4th and 5th grade recess.

With the cold weather upon us and the school year in full swing, we are seeing an uptick in our students with colds, runny noses, fevers, stomach aches and much more. Given the past couple of years wearing masks and distancing from others it is not surprising that we all need to build back our immunity to these viruses. We are also seeing a few more Covid cases pop up. The guidance from the district as well as MESD does not have us contact trace or notify of exposure as we did last year. What is suggested is that everyone uses the self screening tool and when not feeling good or showing signs of any symptoms to stay home or test for Covid if possible.

Here are some helpful tips to how we can all help each other stay healthy!

• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often, rubbing for at least 20 seconds.

• Do not share food, drinks, or personal items.

• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or by completely covering your nose and mouth with the inside of your elbow.

Here are some ways to protect your family and community:

• Stay up-to-date on all vaccines, including COVID-19 boosters and influenza.

• Limit close contact with anyone who is sick or has a new rash.

• Disinfect high-touch surfaces daily.

• Wear a well-fitting, multi-layered mask indoors and on public transit if local COVID-19 cases are high or you were around someone with a respiratory illness.

• Check for symptoms of illness before leaving your home each day:
  

• Fever or chills

• Cough

• Shortness of breath

• New loss of taste or smell

• New rash or sores

• Sore throat

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Red eyes with drainage
  

• Anyone who has symptoms of illness OR tests positive for COVID-19 should:

• Stay home and notify their school or direct supervisor.

• Wear a well-fitting, multi-layered mask around other people.

• If symptoms last longer than 24 hours, consider testing for COVID-19 or visit a healthcare provider. Students may get care at a Student Health Center.

The ramp up for our dance party is in full swing right now! The staff and I are excited to have a little fun with the students and hopefully raise a little money for the school so we will be able to bring in some art supplies, assemblies and Artists in Residence to our classrooms and your students! At last weeks PTA meeting, in my principal report, I shared a little about our school budget and how we have budgeted for the year. I also shared how the funds raised in the dance party will be used. As we are not pushing the fundraiser portion in the dance party, and instead focusing only on the participation, we are still hoping that we can raise some funds to support our art abilities within the school. Here is the link to the PTA meeting if you would like to hear more details. If prompted, use the passcode 6ESpsN.v to be able to watch on Zoom.

Oregon Battle of the Books season has officially started!

In the Library classes, 3rd-5th graders are learning about the fundamentals of our Abernethy OBOB program and being introduced to the books.

All parent and coach information can be found on the Abernethy Library OBOB website ,including registration, rules, FAQs and this year's titles.

For questions please email abernethybobinfo@gmail.com

Diwali is a five-day festival, starting on Saturday, Oct. 22. This year, the most important day of Diwali falls on Monday, Oct. 24. Diwali is an Indian festival that is celebrated across multiple religions, including Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. Diwali “generally symbolizes the victory of light over darkness.” Similar to celebrating a New Year, Diwali also represents a fresh start for many. During the days of Diwali, observers will renovate, clean, and buy new decorations for their homes or new garments to wear. It is also recognized as a time to forgive, make peace, drop grudges, and settle outstanding debts. Family reunions are also common during this time to get back in touch with loved ones who may have lost contact.

Diwali is celebrated over a span of 5 days, with each day consisting of a different observed activity. Here is the breakdown of the activities:

• Day 1: Observers will clean their homes and shop for kitchen utensils or gold to bring good fortune.

• Day 2: Homes are decorated with clay lamps, or diyas, and patterns are created on the floor called rangoli using colored sand or powders.

• Day 3: This is often regarded as the main day of the festival where families will gather for Lakshmi puja, which is a prayer for the Goddess Lakshmi. This is followed by fireworks, celebrations, and feasting.

• Day 4: This is considered the first day of the new fiscal year, and is when friends and family will visit each other and exchange gifts.

• Day 5: On this day, brothers will visit their married sisters to spend time and present a lavish meal.

This is a yearly process that verifies your home address and contact information, including emergency contacts. Please log into ParentVue to complete your child’s yearly verification as soon as possible. You may click here to be taken to the webpage.

November 21st and 22nd are this year's Parent-Teacher Conferences. Here are the conference links for each teacher. If you click on the picture of the teacher that you would like to conference with, you will be able to sign up. If you have any questions about conference times please email your students teacher. Our goal is to have 100% of our families attend conferences. This is a great opportunity to have a conversation with your students teacher about what is happening in the classroom and how you can support your student.

TAG REFERRAL WINDOW OPENS OCTOBER 17

The TAG referral process is live and accepting applications.

Family Guidance

Parent Office Hours with the TAG Department

The October focus will be the TAG referral process

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, October 26 6:00-7:00 PM

Zoom link for Parent Office Hours with the TAG Department

A list of questions and answers from past meetings are in this FAQ document.

We look forward to seeing you!

Dana Nerenberg, Senior Director, Academic Programs dnerenberg@pps.net

Lisa Draper, Data Clerk ldraper@pps.net

Kim Bertelsen, TOSA: Cleveland, Lincoln, Wells-Barnett clusters kbertelsen@pps.net

Kasey Bond, TOSA: Grant, Jefferson, Roosevelt clusters kbond@pps.net

Michelle York, TOSA: Franklin & McDaniel clusters, and Special Programs myork@pps.net

We had a great General Meeting last week, with lots of valuable conversations. Perhaps the biggest highlight is that the PTA voted to endorse Oregon Measure 114 in support of gun safety. A recording of the meeting is available to watch on Zoom. If prompted, use passcode 6ESpsN.v

That’s a wrap on Abernethy’s booth at PDX Flea! Beautiful weather and lots of foot traffic—plus unique donations from the Abernethy community—meant we were able to raise an amazing $1,700. A huge thank you to all the volunteers who moved items, set up and staffed the booth; to the families who donated items; and to the shoppers. It truly connected Abernethy with the larger Portland community.

Stay tuned for more information about the Abernethy Basketball program! The beloved program for K-2 students will be returning in the next few weeks. Recruiting coaches now and students soon. Email basketball@supportabernethy.org for more information.

We still have two more weeks before the Mini-Grant submission deadline, but don’t wait until the last minute. If you have a dream for the Abernethy community you would like to turn into a reality, please share that dream.

Submit your amazing ideas to: https://www.supportabernethy.org/committees/minigrants

or email: minigrants@supportabernethy.org

Thank you for helping to make Abernethy Elementary a great place to learn and grow!!

Submission Deadline: November 4, 2022