Irvington Weekly Newsletter

What a week! Thank you again for your flexibility today with our early dismissal. I look forward to a cooler week next week! Enjoy the weekend, and we'll see you at the Ice Cream Social on Thursday!

Please mark your calendars and save the date for the first PTA general meeting of the year: Monday, September 16, 5:30-7:30pm. Everyone is welcome, whether this is your very first one or you’ve been to them all. So even if you’re just a little bit curious about what this PTA stuff is all about, we encourage you to come!

Free dinner and childcare are provided. Dinner (for children and adults) runs from 5:30-6:00 with the meeting beginning at 6pm. Childcare runs the whole time, so feel free to bring your kiddos!

Popcorn Mondays provide a chance to meet someone new while enjoying a bag of popcorn after school! Our children observe our actions; when we take the initiative to introduce ourselves to a new parent, it can inspire them to do the same with a new student. This simple act of stepping out of our comfort zone is a fundamental aspect of fostering belonging. Please join us this Monday, September 9, right after school for the first Popcorn Monday of the year!

There’s still time! Please fill out and return the Volunteer Interest Forms found in your welcome packet to your student’s classroom teacher or to the front office as soon as possible, or fill it out online here. Returning families, please submit a new copy, as there are new opportunities and/or your preferences may have changed.

Health room info: My scheduled day at Irvington this year will be Wednesdays, but if you ever have any questions, I’m reachable via email and phone/text. Our hero of a health assistant, Mr. Peter, who helps our students with day to day injuries, illnesses, medications, etc, is scheduled to be at Irvington Monday - Fridays from 8:00-2:30.

My student is sick what do I do?: The exclusion criteria has been updated. The biggest change is reverting back to pre-COVID times of a 24 hour exclusion criteria from the last episode for vomiting and diarrhea. If your student is ill, please reference the updated exclusion guidelines before sending your student to school. If they will be staying home, please also call the office to report their absence.

Immunizations: Oregon’s immunization exclusion date this year is February 19 (2025). If your student’s immunizations are not up to date in our system, you will be receiving a letter in the next month or so. Immunization requirements: (Spanish).

School Health Centers: Student Health Centers are like having a doctor’s office at school. They offer comprehensive primary and mental health care services to all Multnomah County youth ages 5-18. There are no out-of-pocket costs. They take all types of insurance and will see you if you're uninsured. There are multiple sites. Visit the website to learn more! Benson Wellness Center, is similar to the Student Health Centers but is run by OHSU vs Multnomah County and is located at Benson High School. PS) you can get immunizations at both places!

Medications: All medications must be kept in the health room. Only emergency medications can be self-carried by the student but needs permission from Nurse Cam and Mr. G. If your student requires medication to be given while at school, please complete a Medication Authorization form and bring the medication to the health room. This form is also available in the health room.

Chronic health conditions: If your student has a health condition that requires a plan for your student to stay safe while at school, I will be reaching out to you shortly to create or update that plan. If you do not hear from me in the next few weeks, please feel free to reach out!

COVID testing: We will continue to offer COVID testing to students if they present with symptoms. If you would like your student to be able to be tested, a new consent form needs to be completed for this school year. Please turn these in to Mr. Peter in the health room.

September: Counselor Corner Monthly Update

Want to know more about our school lunch? Check out Nutrition Services' Facebook page for pictures of lunch options and the menu. Please note: students have the option of the main dish OR a peanut butter and jelly sandwich OR yogurt/granola, in addition to fruits, vegetables, and milk.

Are you interested in getting involved with our school grounds and garden? Come to our kickoff meeting on Tuesday, September 10, at 4pm at the school playground to learn about what we've been up to and what is planned this school year. We organize everything from GROW Portland, cleanup days, fall raking parties, field maintenance, and much more. Interested but can't make it? Contact parent Laura Westwood at grounds@irvingtonschool.com.

The Irvington Elementary Green Team works to raise awareness about the environment and promote sustainable practices in our school. We encourage recycling, saving energy, and reducing waste. Our team leads projects to lower the school's carbon footprint and teaches others about the importance of protecting the environment. Through our efforts, we aim to inspire students to care for the planet and make eco-friendly choices both at school and at home. Please join us on Thursday, September 12, after school on the small playground to kick off our first Green Team meeting of the year!

Located at the Marshall High School campus, the PTA/PPS Clothing Center is a volunteer-run closet of donated clothing. Irvington students and all students enrolled in PPS who are in need of clothing can visit the closet once before winter break and once after winter break. It’s all free.

Twice per year, each participating school is responsible for staffing the clothing closet. Our day is coming up: Thursday, September 26, from 9:30am-1:30pm. We need 6 volunteers to help with setting out inventory and accompanying families while they shop. Click here to learn more and sign up. For questions, please contact Jessica Farley at ptavp@irvingtonschool.com.

Fall, winter and spring terms: an exciting array of after-school classes are offered right at the school! Find the schedule of class offerings at https://www.irvingtonschool.com/afterschool/.

Classes begin right after school, which means you don't have to be at the regular 2:30pm pick up! Most of these classes are provided by outside vendors, are fee-based (scholarships available!), and are optional. They are organized by the PTA, though provided as a resource and not endorsed by the school or by the PTA. Registration opens Monday, September 9, at 6pm! An email will be sent at that time with links to registration pages. Many classes fill very quickly, so start planning now!

Scholarships are available and provided by the PTA! All students who qualify for free/reduced lunch also qualify for PTA scholarships. Because breakfast and lunch are free for ALL students this year, scholarships will be given to those who qualify according to the prior PPS criteria. Please see the application for details, which can be found here, on our website, or in the school office. We encourage you to fill out an application as soon as possible for better likelihood of getting your first choice. Each qualified student is eligible for a scholarship for ONE after school activity per term (one activity each: fall, winter and spring terms) for a total of 3 activities per year. Please email scholarship@irvingtonschool.com with any questions.

Monday, September 9: Popcorn Monday, 2:30pm

Monday, September 9: Fall after-school classes registration opens, 6pm

Tuesday, September 10: Ground and Gardens committee meeting, 4pm

Thursday, September 12: Green Team meeting, 2:40pm

Thursday, September 12: Ice cream social, 5:30-6:30pm <RESCHEDULED>

Monday, September 16: PTA meeting, 5:30-7:30pm (meeting starts at 6pm)

Friday, September 20: Spirit day: Mismatch outfit!

See it all at a glance here: https://www.irvingtonschool.com/