November Newsletter

Happy November! As we enter this busy month, we have a variety of important dates and activities happening that we’d love for you to be a part of. Here’s what’s coming up:

• No School - Grade Report Preparation Day: On Monday, November 4, there will be no school for students as our staff prepares grade reports.

• Holiday - No School: There will be no school on Monday, November 11, in observance of the holiday.

• Peter & the Starcatcher: Our students bring this magical play to life, giving a backstory to the beloved characters of Peter Pan and Captain Hook. Join us for performances on November 7-9 and again on November 14-16 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Don’t miss it!

• Padres/Madres Meeting: On Monday, November 18 at 6:00 pm in the Commons, we welcome all parents and guardians to join us for our monthly meeting. It’s a wonderful chance to connect with other families and discuss important topics.

• MHS/MAA Family Conferences: We look forward to connecting with you at our family conferences on

• Monday, November 25 from 12:00 pm – 7:30 pm

• Tuesday, November 26 from 8:00 am – 3:30 pm.

• This is a valuable time for us to discuss your student’s progress and goals for the year.

• No School: There will be no school from November 27-29. We hope you enjoy a restful break with family and friends.

MHS/MAA Parent Conference - More Detailed Information - We are excited to welcome families to our annual parent conferences which are taking place on Monday 11/25 - Tuesday 11/26. In order to make sure that we have plenty of opportunities for all families to meet with teachers we are staggering the days to meet the schedule availability.

The schedule for the our two days will look like this:

How Do Conference Work?

This year, family conferences will be held in person in an "Arena Style" setup, with teachers stationed at tables organized by department for easy access. Upon arrival, we will have copies of student schedules available if needed.

Translation Support

Translation services will be provided through in-person support, or the Language Line to ensure clear communication. On Monday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. we will have dedicated Spanish, as well as Russian/Ukrainian interpreters available to serve families.

Monday: Language Line

Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian 5pm-7pm

Tuesday: Language Line

Additionally, we want to let you know that the evening of Monday, November 25th, is expected to be our busiest time for conferences. To ensure that all families have the opportunity to connect with teachers, we kindly ask that conversations be kept to about 5 minutes. If you feel you’ll need more time, we encourage you to attend one of the morning sessions or reach out to individual teachers to arrange a follow-up appointment, ensuring you have the time you need for more in-depth discussions.

As we approach conferences, we’ll be entering the second quarter, and we want to ensure you have all the information you need about your student’s progress. Our goal is to help them stay on track to earn full credits by the end of the first semester, which concludes on January 31.

In the meantime, should you have any questions please never hesitate to reach out and we will be happy to help you as we prepare for our yearly conferences.

Conference BROCHURE - English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese

Thank you very much and we hope to see you then.

To help you prepare for conferences and make the most of our time together, here are a few suggestions:

1. Review your student’s progress:

• Take a moment to look at the recent progress report, attendance, and any communications from teachers. This can give you a good sense of their academic performance and areas where they’re excelling or may need support. (You can find this information in ParentVue

• We will have someone at conferences that can help you navigate ParentVue if you are not signed up or need support.

2. Talk to your student:

• Ask your student how they feel about school, their favorite subjects, any challenges they may be facing, and areas where they feel they are doing well. This will give you valuable insight before our meeting. Feel free to bring your student to the conference.

3. Prepare questions and topics to discuss:

• Think of any questions or concerns you may have regarding your student’s academic performance, social interactions, or overall well-being. Some good questions to consider:

• What are my student’s strengths and areas for improvement?

• How can I best support my student’s learning at home?

• Are there specific skills my student needs to focus on?

• How is my student interacting with peers and teachers?

4. Have Fun:

• Conferences are a great opportunity to celebrate successes and collaborate on strategies to ensure continued growth and success. I look forward to working together in partnership to support your student(s).

I want to take a moment to share how excited we were to celebrate one of our exceptional students, Helen Beecher, as our Student of the Month at the City Council Meeting on Tuesday, October 15.

With an impressive 3.9 GPA and working toward an Honors Diploma, Helen’s dedication to academics is clear. She’s a proud member of the National Honor Society and has embraced a challenging course load, including Animal Science 1-3 and Advanced Agricultural Research at Sabin Schellenberg, as well as multiple AP classes like at MHS.

Outside of academics, Helen is engaged in FFA, Student Government, and the Swim Team, all while balancing a part-time job.

Congratulations, Helen—we’re proud of you!

Mustang families I want to thank you for your continued support and involvement. We look forward to seeing you at events and working together to make this month a meaningful one for our whole community.

Kim Kellogg

Dear Milwaukie Arts Academy Families,

Here’s what’s coming up at MAA:

• No School - Grade Report Preparation Day: Monday, November 4 will be a no-school day for students as our staff prepares grade reports.

• Peter & the Starcatcher: Our talented students are excited to present Peter & the Starcatcher, a play that explores the backstory of the beloved characters from Peter Pan. Performances will run on November 7-9 and November 14-16 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Join us for a magical evening and support our incredible student actors and crew!

• Holiday - No School: There will be no school on Monday, November 11, in observance of the holiday.

• MAA Bi-Monthly Board Meeting: The Milwaukie Arts Academy Board will meet on Monday, November 18 at 6:00 pm. Families are welcome to join us to hear updates on MAA initiatives and learn more about our vision for the future.

• MHS/MAA Family Conferences: We look forward to connecting with you at our family conferences on

• Monday, November 25 from 12:00 pm – 7:30 pm

• Tuesday, November 26 from 8:00 am – 3:30 pm.

• This is a valuable time for us to discuss your student’s progress and goals for the year.

• No School: A reminder that there will be no school from November 27-29. We hope you enjoy a relaxing break with your family.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We’re grateful for the chance to work together to create an engaging, creative, and inspiring learning environment for your students. Wishing you a wonderful November filled with opportunities to connect and celebrate learning!

Kim Kellogg

Interested in becoming a MAA Board Member?

We are excited to announce that Milwaukie Academy of the Arts (MAA) is currently seeking dedicated and passionate individuals to join our MAA Board. Serving on the board is a unique opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of our school, support arts integration into the core classes and help shape the future of our students.

We are looking for individuals who are committed to fostering a positive learning environment, have a passion for the arts, and are eager to collaborate with other board members and our school community. Whether you are a parent, educator, or artist, your perspective and involvement are invaluable.

If you’re interested in becoming a part of our MAA Board, please reach out Cynthia Wilson at Cynperezwilson@gmail.com for more information or to express your interest. We look forward to working with enthusiastic new members who share our vision for a thriving, creative, and inclusive school community.

Thank you for your continued support of Milwaukie Academy of the Arts!

Sincerely,
The MAA Board

We are rapidly coming to the close of our first semester and we hope all of you are able to join us for family conferences which are explained in more detail above. As you may know, as we transition into the second half of our semester things begin to move at a very quick pace and we want to make sure that we are starting off November on a positive note as there are many starts and stops throughout this month for various reasons.

Please make sure you are checking in with your students with regard to staying caught up with everything, as when we return from Thanksgiving break there are only a short few weeks left before we reach the end of our semester when grades will be transcripted for the first time this year.

For all of our families of the class of 2025, this is also the time to make sure you are doing a deep dive into where your student is with regard to their credits and paying close attention to communication that is coming from senior counselor Freeland Church. I would encourage all of you to open up your ParentVue and StudentVue and review credit progress, as well as current grades and classes. We do not want any families to feel like they were not aware if there are any concerns with regard to graduation status, and there is still time to do some credit repair if needed to ensure that all of our students are crossing that stage in June. if you have any concerns or have any questions with regard to your senior status, please reach out to senior counselor Freeland Church churchf@nclack.k12.or.us or myself neumang@nclack.k12.or.us and we will be more than happy to help!

Thank you.

Greg Neuman

October was a fantastic month, filled with achievements and Mustang pride!

Here’s a recap of the successes and a look ahead at what’s coming up:

Academic Success in Athletics

Our Mustang athletes have shown incredible dedication both on the field and in the classroom. Here are some standout achievements in team academics:

• Girls Cross Country: With hard work and focus, the girls earned a remarkable 2nd place in the state for team GPA, demonstrating their commitment to both athletic and academic excellence.

• Volleyball: Our volleyball team secured an impressive 10th place in the state for team GPA, balancing their competitive season with strong academic performance.

• Boys Cross Country: Not to be outdone, our boys cross country team also ranked 10th in the state for GPA, showing that they strive for greatness in every area.

Fall Sports Highlights

• Boys Cross Country: Heading to compete for a state championship on November 9th! Let’s rally behind them as they represent Mustang spirit on the big stage.

• Football: Came close to playoffs, missing by just one game after a determined season.

• Boys Soccer: Only one win or tie away from playoffs, showcasing great teamwork and resilience.

• Girls Soccer: Ranked in the top 10 for multiple weeks, proving they’re a force to be reckoned with!

Winter Sports are Around the Corner!

As we wrap up an exciting fall season, we’re looking forward to winter sports, which include Basketball, Wrestling, Swimming, Dance, and Cheer. Our athletes are gearing up, and we’re excited to see what they accomplish this season.

Looking Ahead

With the cross country postseason just ahead, we’re also preparing for end-of-season banquets, team bonding activities, and all the hard work that goes into a successful winter sports season. Go Mustangs!

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm. Let’s keep up the momentum as we move into November!

Warm regards,

Tommy Moore

Attendance:

As we head into the second half of our first semester, we wanted to review our attendance codes for your reference when looking through your student(s) profile:

• Synergy Attendance Codes:

• ABV- Verified Absences (guardian has excused the absence)

• AB- Unverified Absence (student did not attend class: skipping, no guardian excusal)

• ABS- Absent Sick

• T- Tardy (student was less than 20 minutes late to class)

• TXL- Tardy Extra Late (student was over 20 minutes late to class, missing a large chunk of instructional time).

Postcards will be sent out this week for any students who fell below 85% in attendance rate, as this is in the range of chronic absenteeism.

If you would like support in helping your student improve their attendance at school, please reach out to us at any time: 503-353-5839

Conferences:

With parent/guardian-teacher conferences coming up, we would love to remind you all that the Student Support Team is available to meet regarding any attendance concerns you might have. Please reach out to our Administrative Assistant, Britney Rebluud (ext. 35839) to schedule a time slot.

Mustangs of the Month:

Our school value that was honored for the month of October was courage. Congratulations to the following students for their nominations by MHS/MAA staff-

• Alejandro Altamirano-Gonzalez

• Clara Rudolph

• Kayla Storey

• Jo Jagger

• Ace Closson

• Emma Galicia

• Estefany Nolasco

• Leila Graham

• Rylan Cotton

• Miles Conlon

• Isabelle Andrade

• Alexandra Winklebleck-Brown

• Angel Zamora Solis

• Isabel Retana

• Juniper Cushing

• Alex Lugo Felix

• Kenadi Hammond

• Brangel Chavez Romero

Have a wonderful November everyone, and Go Mustangs!

Parent Teacher Student Association Meeting

Our next meeting is November 4th, at 6pm in the community room.

We hope to see you there!

Student Centered/Relationships/Equity, Diversity & Inclusion/Future Ready

We are located one block east of the orange max line. Please consider using public transportation or carpooling as often as possible.

Website: www.nclack.k12.or.us/mhs
Location: 2301 Southeast Willard Street, Milwaukie, OR, USA
Phone: 503-353-5842