Astor Connection
April 2024 Issue
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In This Issue
Principal's Message
Important Dates
After School Opportunities
Info, Reminders and Resources for Families
Resources
Health Services
Volunteering opportunities at Astor
PPS District Fliers
Principal's Message
Hello Astor Community,
Spring break is next week (March 25-29), and we return to school on Monday, April 1st. It's clear that our classrooms have hit a stride this week. We've had seven straight five-day weeks of school, and it's allowed for our students to get into the routines without any disruptions. However, we have had a long lasting cold going around, so there have been some days out. Thank you Astor families for your work to get students here each and everyday possible. Attendance is one of our school goals, so please reach out to our office if there is anything we can do to support with attendance for the last quarter of school.
As the last quarter of school arrives, so do many of the end of year traditions. We'll share more out about those as May nears. We'll also be sharing news about next year's changes as we have them, too. One of the biggest changes is our school day start and end time changing. You can find that note below. And, you can find a note from Champions about before school care below, as well. If you are interested in before school care, then please reach out to Champions at Lanita.Nail@discoverchampions.com.
Next year’s bell schedules will change for many students.
Beginning next school year, we added 15 instructional minutes for elementary and middle school students and provided all middle school students with a seven-period day. Accommodating these changes while supporting 410 minutes per week of teacher planning time and aligning our transportation systems requires us to adopt common start and stop times:
At K-8 schools, all students will start at 8:45 AM.
K-5 students will end at 3:15 PM.
6-8 students will end at 3:30 PM
I hope you all have a safe, restorative, and restful spring break. We'll see you in April!
Warmly,
Blake Robertson
Principal @ Astor
Important Dates
Student and Family Calendar and Handbook
March -
22nd - Drama production - Astor Cafe at 6:15
25th-29th - Spring Break
April -
3rd - spring picture retakes - 8th grade photos
4th - K-5 Character Trait Awards
5th - No School - Teacher grading and planning day
9th - Site Council
22nd - OSAS - State Testing Begins - Contact tbrown@pps.net with quesitons
26th - Principal Coffee Chat
Champions Morning Care Interest?
In light of the recent PPS announcement of next year’s school schedule, Champions is receiving questions about adding a before-school program at Astor. They want to check in with Astor families to evaluate the need for before-school care for the 24-25 school year.
Please email the Champions Area Manager, Lanita Nail at
Lanita.Nail@discoverchampions.com If your family is confident that you would use this before-school care if offered.
Based on the family response rate, Champions will evaluate the possibility of adding a morning program for Astor students.
A Benefit Message from the Astor PTSO
Hello Astor community! Our Astor Benefit is coming up on May 4, 2024 and we could use your help! Please check out these two forms if you can donate items/services for the auction or if you'd like to volunteer to help us. Help us make this Astor community event memorable! Thank you! (Also: save the date so that you can join our Benefit, too!)
Donation of Items/Services- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1aIFPypHFuJP80V9_RkJPT0-aXKW_mUqnTUV5T_JPuKs/edit
Volunteer Interest - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1h7ClDFbRsAziVtwQNRdWgwMx6Wb7_5frIfP0InHunTw/edit
Summer Acceleration Acacdemy
Students will again be invited to participate in the PPS summer acceleration centrally based on winter MAPS assessment data. More information will be coming soon for those families invited. If you have any questions, then that email will provide contact information. Otherwise, your child's teacher can answer questions that you might have about the MAPS assessment and how your student is being supported academically during the current school year.
Information for Families
English Classes
the Multnomah library has a new English Class at the St Johns branch!
Portland Parks and Rec Early Registration
Early Registration Opening Day for you and your community: Thursday, April 4 at 9:30 am. Please note that the Early Registration closing deadline is Monday, April 8 at 12:00 pm, three days before the general registration begins. This is for activities that begin between May 6 and June 9, 2024.
See the attached flyers below...
Right to Return
You can learn more about the right to return program here. Please share with any families that you know might be interested.
Talking Circle Newsletter
Spring Picture Day Info (Optional with permission slip)
Print to return to school or stop by the office to complete one
Positions at Astor!
You can find information about PPS HR here. The positions below would directly serve our community. Reach out to Principal Robertson (brobertson@pps.net) if you have any questions about these opportunities.
Summer EBT
Please see the link here for information regarding Summer EBT, which out families get access to this summer!
Supporting Families and Children with Grieving
The loss of loved ones or any loss can be challenign for our children. See the link for resources at TIP NW (Trauma Intervention Program Northwest): https://www.tipnw.org/
And, additional resources below...
PPS - School Year Calendar and Start Times
next year’s bell schedules will change for many students.
Beginning next school year, we added 15 instructional minutes for elementary and middle school students and provided all middle school students with a seven-period day. Accommodating these changes while supporting 410 minutes per week of teacher planning time and aligning our transportation systems requires us to adopt common start and stop times:
At K-8 schools, all students will start at 8:45 AM.
K-5 students will end at 3:15 PM.
6-8 students will end at 3:30 PM
The 24/25 Calendars are below...
After School and Summer Opportunities
Parkour at Astor
Check out the link here for another session of Parkour at Astor this spring.
Art with Ms. Germaneri and Mr. Clarkson
Art with Ms. Keira
360 Arts Camp
Info, Reminders, and Family/Community Resources
Smart Reading Opportunity in Hebrew
We have the SMART reading program at Astor where volunteers (see below for how to participate) read to our youngest students. We have a new volunteer who is interested in reading in the Hebrew language with a student. Please contact Principal Robertson at brobertson@pps.net if you're interested.
Traffic Pattern Reminder
We ask again that community members avoid Yale whenever possible in order to reduce traffic. It will be a Safe School Street again this year. You can learn more info about our traffic flow below and here. Thanks for support with this!
Questions? Contact Shane Nevius, PPS Safe Routes to School Coordinator, at snevius@pps.net or visit pps.net/saferoutes
Student Health Services
(Translations are linked here):
******
Dear Families and Students,
We are so glad to have you back at school! We also wanted to remind you about actions you can take to stay healthy so you can stay in class and be ready to learn:
Illness: Please keep your child home when they have symptoms that may exclude them from school.
Student health conditions: Please update the school and nurse if there has been any change in your student's health condition during the time of the strike.
Student medications: Please replenish medications that your student may need to receive during the school day. Also, remember to pick up your student’s expired medications from the school.
State-required vaccines/immunizations: Ensure your student is up-to-date on all school-required immunizations. Students who do not provide proper immunization documentation by February 21, 2024 will be excluded from school. Primary care providers - including Student Health Centers and Multnomah County Health Department - provide no- to low-cost vaccinations to students.
Access to health care: Multnomah County Student Health Centers and the Benson Wellness Center remain open during regular hours. Student Health Centers are a great place for students to receive sports physicals, well-child visits, school immunizations (shots), COVID-19 testing, vaccines & boosters, mental/behavioral health, age-appropriate reproductive services, routine lab tests, and prescription refills.
Health Coverage Open Enrollment
Translations of this letter are located at this link.
Enroll your Family for 2024 Health Coverage by January 15, 2024
Individuals and families will have the opportunity to enroll in, renew, or change their health insurance plan for 2024 during the upcoming Marketplace health insurance open enrollment period, which is Nov. 1, 2023 through Jan. 15, 2024. Open enrollment is the only time when anyone who is not offered coverage from a job or a public program like the Oregon Health Plan or Medicare can enroll in health coverage through OregonHealthCare.gov, often with financial help.
Health insurance covers essential health benefits critical to maintaining individual health and treating illness and accidents. Health insurance helps to reduce medical and prescription drug costs, making health care more affordable and thus more accessible.
Health coverage also is important for students because:
Having health insurance is linked to better health (study here).
Health insurance coverage helps boost test scores among children from low-income households (study here).
Expanded health insurance coverage has led to historic reductions in racial disparities in access to health care (study here).
Trained community groups, Tribal health organizations and insurance agents are available to help Oregonians enroll in coverage through the Marketplace during open enrollment. There is no cost for their services. Many of them offer services in multiple languages. These “Enrollment Assisters” also can help people transition to private health coverage if they have experienced a qualifying life event. This includes people who are losing Oregon Health Plan benefits as the state works to renew each of its current members. Click this link to find an Enrollment Assister near you and who speaks your preferred language.
Interested in Volunteering at Astor?
SMART Reading
Do you have 1 hour a week to make a difference in children’s literacy lives? Volunteer for SMART Reading at Astor School. Tuesdays, 1:15-2:15 PM. Learn more here: https://smartreading.org. Or contact Greg Dilkes: astor.mu@smartreading.org
Volunteering at Astor - Astor Shine!
Additional PPS Approved Fliers
Camps, Classes, & After School Programs:
Rec Tennis Maplewood Tennis Afterschool Zone (Apr. 9 - May 28)
Portland Metro Fire Camp for Women (Portland Jun. 21-23, Sherwood Jul. 12-14)
City of Portland / Rose City Self-Defense Workshop Series:
Foster / Powell neighborhood, April 10 & 17
Lower Albina neighborhood, Saturdays, March 16, 23, & 30
VIBE of Portland Spring Break Camp (Mar 25-29)
VIBE of Portland East Winds Band Camp (July 22-26)
(Spanish) (Russian)VIBE of Portland Music & Digital Art Classes for Kids
Cognizart 360 Arts Camp (July 8-12, 15-19, & 22-26)
Preschool Programs:
Portland Parks Preschool 2024-25
“Portland Parks & Recreation is holding a registration lottery for our Educational Preschool program for the 2024-25 school year. Interested families can apply now through February 21 to be included in the lottery.”Multnomah Early Childhood Program Free Preschool Classes
(Spanish) (Vietnamese)
Community Events & Information:
Oregon State University Summer Dog-training Research Program for Children with Developmental Differences
City of Portland 311 Non-Emergency Hotline
(Spanish) (Vietnamese) (Chinese) (Russian) (Somali)
Vaccinations, Health & Wellness: