4/3/24

• 4/5 Teacher Planning Day - NO SCHOOL

• 4/5 Locker/Art Pickup @ RGMS, 11am-1pm

• 4/8 4th Q Classes Begin

• 4/12 RGMS School Dance, 6-8:30pm - SAVE THE DATE

• 4/13 Gather for Gray - Rivkah Ross Quartet, 7pm, @ the Cider Mill

• 4/26 8th Gr Spring Pictures, 9:45am-4:00pm ***DATE CHANGE***

• 5/11 Gather for Gray - Hard Maybes, 7pm, @ the Cider Mill

• Click here for the full RGMS calendar
  

Dear RGMS Community,

There was a lot of excitement on campus today as more portable units arrived on-site.

The wide load pilot pick-up sped up to the school, yellow lights flashing, blocked traffic, and within minutes the portable units appeared over the hill, and - badabing badaboom - the big rig driver backed them up the grassy knoll, over the plywood and into the parking lot. It’s always fun to watch experts work, and knowing that these units will improve our community’s learning experience during our displacement made their arrival joyous. Principal Ferraro literally sang as he watched.

We now have several portables on site and are expecting a few more in the next week. Like Dr. Jon Franco and Dan Jung shared in yesterday’s community message, we look forward to welcoming Gray students into those learning spaces as soon as possible. With Oregon state testing on the horizon and 4th quarter just around the corner, there is a real sense of urgency to complete this project. We’re almost there. Thank you to the City of Portland, Portland Public Schools, and to our parent and teacher community for pushing this project toward the finish line.

Stay tuned for more information about the timeline for our portables to come online in our weekly newsletter and Dr. Franco’s weekly update.

In the Service of Students and Families,

Jeff Waters

Assistant Principal

RGMS SPRING GLOW UP DANCE

April 12 6-8:30pm @Jackson

Parents: Please sign up to volunteer at the school dance HERE

to help us make this night a safe and fun event for all!

Be on the lookout for more information and details

coming this week via direct email!

Permission Slips REQUIRED and coming home this week!

8th grade spring pictures will be taken on April 26. THIS IS A DATE CHANGE!

Order info will be coming soon.

We are looking forward to celebrating the Class of 2028 as they promote from RGMS in June! Some important dates to hold onto:

• 06/06 @ 9:30am - 2:30pm Celebration Day @ Oaks Park
• 06/13 @ 6:30pm Promotion in the Ida B. Wells Auditorium with PTA Family Reception to follow

Currently all students in grades 6 and 7 are forecasting for next year.

We are encouraging students to share this information with their guardians/ parents.

Presentations were shared with your students this week. Included in each presentation are the course guide links and forecasting links.

We are asking students to forecast on their Chromebook, so their email is entered.

Deadline for submission was the first day after Spring Vacation: April 1, 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact Laureen Held. lheld@pps.net or call/text on her business cell phone: 971-231-4621.

https://bit.ly/7thGradeForecastInfo24

https://bit.ly/8thGradeForecastInfo24

The Locker Clean Out was a success! We were able to clean out and bag all of the locker contents in the upper hallway. We now have the contents of the lockers in the upper hallway and lower hallway ready to return to students. Unfortunately, the lockers in the crossover aka gym hallway are not accessible at this time.

Locker contents from the upper and lower hallways can be retrieved outside the RGMS Cafeteria on Friday, April 5th from 11:00AM-1PM Locker partners do not both need to be present, as the contents are bagged together. Locker partners DO have the responsibility of dividing their stuff up after their bag is picked up, making sure items make it back to their rightful owners.

We will need a couple of parents to help facilitate retrieving and passing out bags. Please sign up if you are available.

Returning Locker Contents to Students

Click here to see the Daily Student Announcements

Please remind your student to charge their Chromebook overnight so they are ready to use the next day at school.

Please continue to use the Robert Gray MS phone number, 503 916 5676 to get ahold of RGMS secretaries. Calls are being forwarded to RGMS secretaries at Jackson MS.

Markham Elementary, Jackson MS & Robert Gray MS all have school buses arriving at different times, beginning at 3pm, at Jackson. If you need to pick up your student early from school, please, if at all possible, plan on doing so before 3pm when buses begin arriving. It is a very busy place after 3pm. Please park in the upper lot and walk to the main door, ring the bell and come to the office to sign out your student.

LifeTouch Link To Purchase

Robert Gray Middle School

Yearbook ID: 14931524

The yearbook committee is hoping to gather a few more photos from the strike and during virtual learning / the snowstorm. Submit photos of your middle schooler being stealer, funny, helpful. . .Photos can be emailed to woodruff.jenn@gmail.com.

We're also looking for help promoting yearbook sales and helping sort/handout yearbooks on the last day of school. I hope to identify 2-3 volunteers. Reach out to Jen Zwartverwer via email at woodruff.jenn@gmail.com to volunteer or with any questions.

RGMS Affinity Spaces are BACK!

Check out our Affinity Space and Lunch Club schedule.

ADPI pictures below.

The RGMS Foundation raises money to augment our elective options. The money raised is used at the principals discretion.

More Gather for Gray Music Nights

We are excited to be hosting more Music Nights at the Cider Mill. All events are from 7-9 PM, with minors allowed until 9 PM. Below are the dates for the upcoming events.

Saturday April 13-Rivkah Ross Quartet

Rivak Ross Quartet (Mr. Goldstein's Wife's Band!)

Saturday April 13, 7-9 PM

Minors allowed until 9 PM

Suggested donation $15

Raffle items also available for $10 a ticket

Saturday May 11-The Hard Maybes

BottleDrop Drive

1. Get Blue bags from the following locations: Rieke area-1656 SW Sunset Blvd.; Hayhurst area: 5252 SW Idaho St.; Bridlemile area-4031 SW Jerald Way

2 Fill Your Bags!

3. Return Full Bags to any BottleDrop location or Burlingame Fred Meyer.

4 Scan the Barcode on the bag to unlock the self-service bag drop.

Questions: Melissa Light, grayschoolfoundation@gmail.com

Save The Date!

Presented by the PTA ~ RGMS School Dance @ Grackson!

April 12th 6-8:30pm

Professional DJ!

Photo Booth!

Free Admission!

Free Pizza & Snacks!

Prizes & More....!

Volunteers Needed!!

We need 4-5 volunteers to help on the Planning Committee &

Message Jennifer HERE for more on how you can help make this a

fun, safe and successful night of connection for the kids!

Haven’t joined the PTA yet? Do so now using this link.

You will have to select “ROBERT GRAY MS PTA (PORTLAND)” as your “Local Unit”. The rest

is straightforward and takes less than 5 minutes to complete. Membership is $20 for the year.

Do you wish to make a one-time or recurring donation to PTA? You can do so here. Click “Donate” then enter your amount and indicate your intent to donate monthly if desired!

Robert Gray PTA Volunteer Opportunities

Looking for ways to get involved this year? Use the following form to sign up for the events you are interested in and you will receive a follow up email with additional information. The time and support of our volunteers is greatly appreciated. Without it we couldn't make special Gray events happen! Some of these events include Run for Gray, Teacher Appreciation Week, Bottle Drop Fundraiser, Sustainability and extra supervision during lunch time, and more. Please consider volunteering or donating as you are able.

RGMS Volunteer Sign-up

Thank you for your time and support! Looking forward to a great year!

RGMS PTA

Get text alerts about school closures, delays, emergencies and school events:

Text YES to 68453

Email: lnewlyn@pps.net
Website: https://www.pps.net/gray
Location: 5505 Southwest 23rd Avenue, Portland, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 916-5676
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertgraymiddleschool
Attendance Reporting: grayattend@pps.net