February is BLACK HISTORY Month!
This week is KINDNESS WEEK!
Monday February 10
OMSI Planetarium at MLC!
Tuesday February 11
OMSI Planetarium at MLC!
BSU lunch club in Alberti's room
PTSA Hotlips Fundraiser 3:00-9:00 pm
Wednesday February 12
OMSI Planetarium at MLC!
Kx5 Winter Electives
PTSA Meeting @ 6:30 pm
Thursday February 13
6x8 SAGA lunch club in Erewyn's room
3rd Field Trip to OMSI 9:20am-2:00 pm
10x12 College and Career Field Trip to Zoo Job Fair 12:-3:30 pm
Tour with Benner
Friday February 14
Coming Soon:
2/17 Presidents Day - No School (unless it is a snow make up day!)
2/18 Blue Moon Fundraiser for KCLC
2/19 Vaccine Exclusion Deadline, 1x2 NW Library Field Trip 9:30-12:30
2/21 Kx5 Kellar Ballet Field Trip 10:30-2:00, PTSA Movie nIght 6:00-8:30 pm
2/25 K&3 OMSI Weather Workshop
2/26 4x5, 6x8 OBOB Battles
2/26 Early Release @ 12:45!
2/27 Q3 Midterm, Open House Kx5 2025-26 Lottery 5:30-6:30 pm
2/28 Black History Month Assembly
3/3 No School/Planning Day
3/11 Virtual Open House Kx5 Lottery 6:00-7:00 pm
3/12 Winter Electives End, PTSA Meeting
3/13 Choir Recital 6:00 pm, Tour with Benner
3/17 K & 3 Camp Read-a-lot!
3/19 Spring Elective Sign Ups, Early Release @12:45!
3/24-28 SPRING BREAK!
Lift Literacy Campaign
Instilling a love of reading is one of our main missions at PPS and MLC. So many adventures, achievements, and acts of positive change begin with books, and that is why I am thrilled to introduce you to a fun new literacy initiative spearheaded by our superintendent, Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong.
On Saturday, February 15, Portland Public Schools will be launching its first-ever Golden Key Quest, a citywide literacy scavenger hunt.
Here’s how it works
PPS has partnered with the following literacy hubs to make the Golden Key Quest a reality.
Caldera Arts – 224 NW 13th Ave, Suite 304, Portland, OR 97209
Third Eye Books – 2518 SE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR 97202
Literary Arts – 716 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97214
Students are invited to visit the hubs and look for golden keys hidden inside books. The lucky ones who find a Golden Key should scan the QR code on the key, which will take them to a webpage where they can claim their prize: free family tickets to OMSI!
Reading is the spark that lights the fire of life-long learning. I hope that our students and families will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.
Re-affirming our Support of Inclusive Spaces
Dear PPS community,
At Portland Public Schools, we respect every student's rights to a safe school experience, and we are concerned and alarmed by the increasingly divisive and often threatening rhetoric aimed at LGBTQ2SIA+ youth in our communities. We want to unequivocally affirm that Portland Public Schools remains steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for transgender and LGBTQ2SIA+ staff, students, and their families.
Transgender students bring unique talents, perspectives, and aspirations to their school communities. The Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Expansive Administrative Directive reflects PPS’s promise to honor and respect these identities, including the right to use asserted names and pronouns, participate in GSA groups, and access restrooms and locker rooms aligned with their identities.
PPS partners with community organizations to equip educators with tools to create welcoming classrooms, address microaggressions, and advocate for LGBTQ2SIA+ students. Additionally, the district’s LGBTQ2SIA+ Supports team works closely with staff to ensure guidance is implemented with care and understanding.
Confidentiality is essential to ensuring transgender students' safety. In compliance with the Family Education Rights Protection Act (FERPA), PPS will redact personally identifiable information when responding to records requests. Additionally, staff must keep gender identity confidential unless explicit permission is granted by the student and/or caregivers. Sharing such information with other staff without a legitimate educational interest violates students' rights under FERPA.
PPS’ Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook outlines the district’s expectations for everyone to maintain a safe learning environment. The discipline matrix guides the school responses to transphobic behavior, including hate-based incident investigations and school exclusions. Any staff member who violates a student’s right to confidentiality or engages in transphobic behavior (e.g. refusing to use the correct name and pronouns) may be subject to disciplinary action. Caregivers and community members who engage in transphobic behavior will be reminded of our community expectation to treat everyone with dignity and respect, and the district reserves the right to trespass repeat violators from school property.
We are deeply grateful to our community — students, families, educators, and allies — for their continued dedication and support in making our schools safer, more inclusive, and affirming spaces for all.
Sincerely,
Dr. Renard Adams, Chief Accountability and Equity Officer
Dr. Bobby Cruz, Director, Office for Civil Rights
Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong, Superintendent
AdditionalResources:
ODE Guidance: Supporting Gender Expansive Students: Guidance for schools
PPS Transgender, Nonbinary, Gender Expansive Administrative Directive
PPS District Wide LGBTQ2SIA Supports
ImI. A Self-guided tool for LGBTQ+ teens, by LGBTQ+ teens and their allies to help explore identity and support mental health.
Trans Life Line. Trans Lifeline’s Hotline is a peer support phone service run by trans people for our trans and questioning peers. Staffed 10a-6p
Youth Line has phone, text, email, and chat options YouthLine is a free teen-to-teen crisis support and help line that is staffed 4-10 p.m. by trained youth
National Healthcare Access, Relocation, and Emergency Fund Resources
Understanding the College Admissions Process for Students & Families of 9th, 10th, & 11th Graders
This event is open to all members of the Portland community and is an excellent opportunity for students and families to learn how to navigate the college admissions process. Attendees will have a chance to meet with deans and directors of admissions from prestigious liberal arts colleges, including Bates, Davidson, Oberlin, Occidental, and Smith Colleges.
Here is a link to the info- https://admission.oxy.edu/portal/partnerships- and I’ve also attached a flyer you can use to promote the event within your community. Please help us spread the word!
Event: Understanding the College Admissions Process for Students & Families of 9th, 10th, & 11th Graders
When: Wednesday, February 12th @ 7:00 PM
Where: Benson High School Auditorium
MLC Community,
It is important to PPS that immigrant families feel safe and supported. Some families have expressed to me and other members of our staff that they are concerned about possible immigration actions under the new presidential administration.
I want to reassure you that our top priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of all students and staff. We continue to work closely with PPS leadership and our community partners to uphold Oregon law prohibiting state and local law enforcement from arresting or detaining people based solely on immigration status. Additionally, Oregon law protects student educational records from use for immigration actions.
In times of uncertainty, it is always beneficial to be proactive and prepared, and it’s crucial that we have up-to-date contact information for you and your student. If you have not done so already, please complete the yearly student verification form to ensure we’re reaching you via the right information and in the right language.
I also wanted to provide the following resources:
This FAQ and this webpage answer many questions about the steps Portland Public Schools will be taking to safeguard staff and students going forward.
This page from the Multnomah Education Service District (MESD) includes a family resource hub and culturally specific information for families in the Portland area.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center Little Red Card is meant to help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations. The cards can be printed out in your preferred language and carried on your person.
Know Your Rights for Families/Students (Oregon ACLU)
PPS’s Office for Civil Rights offers support addressing discrimination, harassment, and bias-related concerns.
Please contact me at skitchens1@pps.net if you have any questions or concerns. I am here for you and your students, and you have my word that, at MLC, we will always stand together to champion our diversity and support the most vulnerable among us.
Sincerely,
Suezann Kitchens
MLC Principal
30-Day Notice for Statewide Tests and Opt-out Form for 2024-25
Parent Request for Opting Out of Oregon Summative Assessments (ELA and Math)
If a form is submitted after a student has begun testing, the student will stop testing and the District Test Coordinator will work with ODE assessment staff to invalidate the test.
30-Day Notice and ELA/Math Opt-out Form (grades 3-8 & 11)
English | Español | Tiếng Việt | 中文 | Русский | Soomaali
Science Exemption Request Form (grades 5, 8 & 11)
English | Español | Tiếng Việt | 中文 | Русский | Soomaali
If you have questions about ELPA Summative testing, please talk with your school administrator.
Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy
Cell Phones are not allowed in MLC classrooms or anywhere else during class time. They will be locked in a safe zone during each class by the classroom teacher. We will be very vigilant in keeping our classrooms phone free at MLC in order to keep learning distraction free. Please make sure you are discussing with your student prior to the first day. We will have students and parent/guardian sign a no cell phone agreement at conferences for grades 6x12.
Blue Moon Fundraiser for KCLC!
McMenamins Blue Moon will be hosting a fundraising event for KCLC on February 18th from 5:00pm to close. Proceeds will go directly to the aftercare program at MLC. We are asking families and friends in our community to show up, have dinner and half of the sales will go towards our fundraising goals for the year. Please join us!
Requests for Support
MPG Athletics
MPG (Multiple Pathways to Graduation) athletics will soon be transitioning from winter to spring sports. We'll offer a variety of spring sports that include: Esports, Soccer, Track & Field, and Flag Football. Stay tuned for more details!
Spring Soccer registration is now open. If you have any students interested, please contact me as soon as possible. We will provide the jerseys and all necessary equipment needed. Our goal is to form our own teams; If we're unable to, students will be placed on teams regardless. Most games will be held at Delta Park. Please connect with me if you have any questions or need more information.
Thanks,
--
Demarcus Richard
Student Success Progams Supervisor
Portland Public Schools
C: 971-425-5503
RESTAURANT NIGHT: HOTLIPS Pizza
Tuesday, February 11, 3:00-9:00pm
HOTLIPS, 2211 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Let’s raise some dough with a HOTLIPS “Pizza for Pencils” event! Enjoy fresh handcrafted pizza, salads, breadsticks, drinks and more when you dine in, grab takeout, or order delivery by phone or directly on their website HERE from the SE Hawthorne location. 15% of ALL evening sales will be donated to our PTSA and they will also donate 15% of ALL gift cards purchased online HERE on 2/11 that include “MLC” in the notes. Tell all your friends and spread the word!
FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT: The Wild Robot
Friday, February 21, 6:00-8:30pm
MLC Auditorium
The votes are in, and it was too close to call—so we’re doing both! The Wild Robot kicks off our first Family Movie Night, and Wicked will fly onto the big screen in March or April. Bring your blanket or a camping chair and settle in for a cozy evening of family fun and community connection! Pizza and concessions will be available for purchase, with proceeds supporting the 4x5 spring field trip fund.
Reserve your spot! While the event is free, we encourage families to pre-register at MLCPTSA.org (opening this weekend). Pre-registration helps us plan and gives you the option to order food and treats in advance. Decide to join us at the last minute? No problem! Walk-ins are welcome, and we’ll have food available while supplies last.
PARKING CREW: Sign Up for the Timbers Home Opener 2/23
The MLC PTSA hosts parking in our school lots for Timbers and Thorns weekend matches and we need volunteers to take money and direct people to spots. This is an easy and fun way to raise money for our school. Shifts are short and we will be there to teach you everything you need to know. Bring a friend or come make new ones!
See available dates and sign up for a shift HERE. Questions? Contact our coordinators, Nate or Chenney.
EQUAL EXCHANGE: Need Valentine’s Day treats?
Check out our expanded selection of delicious Fair Trade organic chocolate bars and more at MLCPTSA.org. Best of all, your purchase supports the 4x5 overnight field trip fund!
MLC ANNUAL AUCTION & SOCIAL: Ways you can support
The MLC PTSA is excited to host our annual auction & social, North Star: Party at Polaris!, on April 11 at Polaris Hall in North Portland. Read all about it at ourschool.support/MLC2025NorthStar.
We’re seeking sponsors and collecting donations for our auction. Do you own a business or know someone who does? We would be thrilled to have your support as an event sponsor! Your tax-deductible contribution goes directly toward underwriting the cost of the event and this opportunity provides excellent exposure for your business to our school families, neighbors, and broader community. We offer several levels of sponsorships with various perks so check out the Sponsorship Opportunities tab for details.
You can also help by donating goods, gift cards, and/or services, or by asking businesses you frequent if they would be willing to do so. We’d be happy to send you a request letter that you can share with them. See the Donation Form tab on our event website for details. Email Development@MLCPTSA.org with any questions or if you’d prefer to coordinate your donation with a human being.