Abernethy News

For those of you who like data like I do, here is our Year To Date Attendance Data.

• We have had 132 students make up 304 days of absenses due to illnesses (we know things have been going around)
• We have had 55 students make up 132 days of absences due to vacations.

Our lowest attendance days have been:

• Friday - September 6th
• Monday - September 16th
• Monday - September 23rd
• Thursday - October 10th (no school Friday October 11th)
• Monday October 14th

That leaves us at a current standing of 81% of our students in a "good" or "acceptable" status regrding attendance. Please see the image below. Blue is "good" and green is "acceptable".

We miss your students when they are not with us.

I share this only as attendance is one of our focuses this year as a whole staff. We find that when students are absent, it is harder for them to feel caught up, and many times that can lead to some nervousness in and out of the classroom. We also find that when students miss a lot of school, they can often find themselves to not be engaged in what is happening in the classroom. We want to build a community of learners in all our classrooms, share our learning with others, build friendships with our classmates, see our own growth and celebrate in all successes.

Some things to note:

• School will have the same start time

• First Bell: 7:52 am

• Late Bell: 8:00 am

• All students will have a 20 - 25 minute lunch period.

• School lunch will still be served.

• All students need to have lunch period as well as at least 15 minutes from finishing lunch to being dismissed to go home.

• Lunches will be:

• Kindergarten and 1st Grade: 10:10 am - 10:35 am

• 2nd and 3rd Grades: 10:40 am - 11:05 am

• 4th and 5th Grades: 11:10 am - 11:35 am

• Buses will leave Abernethy at 11:56 am and begin their route as usual.

November 1st is a non-student day as our teachers are working on your student's report cards. Our teachers put a lot of time and attention into your student's report card and make sure that it accurately reflects what your student is doing in class. These report cards will also be used to help guide any conference conversations.

Portland Public is giving parents the option to not have a paper copy of your student's report card sent home, but instead only be able to see it by looking into ParentVue. We want to make sure that all familes know and understand that unless you go into ParentVue and UNCHECK the box to only receive your student's report card on-line, you will NOT receive a paper report card for your student. We are not trying to sway families into either decision, paper or paperless, we just want to make sure all familes are aware of this new change.

If you have any questions please call the office. We are happy to explain anything and help walk you through the needed steps to do what ever it is you want to receive.

Your students will be bringing their report cards home on Tuesday, November 12th. They will also be able to be viewed in ParentVue on that same date.

If you have last-minute instructions or messages for your student, please call the office at (503) 916-6190. Do not email the office, as emails may be missed when staff are out. Calling ensures that your message reaches your student promptly. The office will ensure that your student gets a "yellow" note with their end of day change of plans. All notes get passed out to students at 2:00pm. Please try not to call th eoffice after 2:00pm with change of plans unless it is an emergency.

Thank you for your cooperation!

With school in full swing, field trips starting, and Tour de Ladd on the horizon, there are plenty of ways to get involved! Volunteering is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about Abernethy, build community, and enhance your student’s school experience.

Please note that all volunteers are required to complete a PPS background check. If you’re interested in volunteering, please complete the PPS Volunteer Background Check. Background checks are quick and easy, and they’re valid for three years!

Please do not wait until it is too late. Currently background checks are taking 3 - 4 weeks. If you are unsure if your's has expired, please call the office and we can check for you.

Abernethy is excited for our third through fifth graders to participate in the Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) again this year!

OBOB is a statewide program designed to motivate and enhance reading comprehension among students in grades 3-12, regardless of ability. Sponsored by the Oregon Association of School Libraries and supported by a Library Services and Technology Act grant, OBOB introduces students to quality literature that showcases diverse styles and perspectives.

OBOB’s mission is to inspire a love of reading, broaden literary interests, improve comprehension, and foster teamwork among students. Run primarily by volunteers, OBOB is dedicated to promoting equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism in all its practices. Join us in celebrating the joy of reading through this exciting program!

Learn more at our OBOB parent meeting on October 22 from 5 pm to 6:30 pm in the Abernethy library.

Abernethy’s annual winter coat, boot, and gear drive is underway now through Friday, October 25. We are collecting items in kid sizes, focusing on elementary sizes or smaller. Please bring new or gently used coats, boots, hats, gloves, and other winter gear to the Abernethy gazebo in the morning any school day between 7:45 am and 8:15 am. All donated items will go to Grout Elementary School for distribution to children in need throughout PPS, and we will ensure that anything in need of cleaning is washed first.

If you can’t make it to school in the mornings, please text our parent coordinator, Stephanie Englesman, at (503) 860-6596. Thank you for helping us continue this wonderful annual tradition!

If you are an Abernethy family in need of a new winter coat, please reach out to our school counselor, Jenny Morgan, at jmorgan1@pps.net or (503) 916-6190 as soon as possible.

Thank you to everyone who came out to our recent Dine for Dollars event at HotLips Pizza, which raised $367 to support the Abernethy PTA!

Join us again on Tuesday, November 12 for our next Dine for Dollars event at Tight Tacos on Division. Tight Tacos has graciously agreed to donate 10% of all in-store sales – including food, drinks, and merch – all day.

Tell your family, friends, and neighbors. This is a great event for our community to come together to support a local business and benefit our wonderful school!

Join Abernethy’s Grounds Committee on Sunday, November 17 from 10 am to noon to help plant flower bulbs for Abernethy’s 100th birthday in the spring! We welcome all green thumbs, hard workers, and kid helpers!

Also, please stay tuned for more garden volunteer opportunities in 2025, and in the meantime, email grounds@supportabernethy.org with questions or programming and improvement ideas!

Abernethy has plenty of ways to get involved! Volunteering is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about Abernethy, build community, and enhance your student’s school experience.

We especially need volunteers to help organize our after school program, PTA clothing center, and community business outreach. Learn more about available volunteer roles and sign up here. [NEED LINK]

In addition, after talking to our dedicated teachers and staff about their favorite ways to be appreciated, we are asking parent volunteers to support their kid’s teacher by helping to cover lunch and recess duties once a month. This is a wonderful way to get involved in your child’s school day, interact with students, and foster a positive environment during lunch and play time. Your presence makes a significant difference, allowing teachers to have a well-deserved break while ensuring that our students are safe and engaged. Our first chance for volunteers to sign up for lunch/recess duty will be on Thursday, October 31, for Halloween. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to Liz Dome at appreciation@supportabernethy.org Sign up here. [NEED LINK]- (Link will hopefully be ready by newsletter time. Waiting on Dunn to give me the new schedule monday and then will get the konstella post up immediately. Might delete the email contact info since it will be on the konstella post too)

Please note that all volunteers are required to complete a PPS background check. If you’re interested in volunteering, please complete the PPS Volunteer Background Check. Background checks are quick and easy, and they’re valid for three years!

Join us for our first movie night of the year on Friday, November 22 in the Abernethy Auditorium! Doors open at 6 pm and the movie (title TBA) starts at 6:15 pm. This event is free for everyone! Bring your friends and your own dinner (no alcohol, please), and enjoy complimentary popcorn provided by the PTA.

Would you like to help with setup or cleanup after the event? Volunteer sign up to come!

A friendly reminder: Parents should stay with their students; this is not a drop-off event.

One of the easiest ways to support our kids’ physical education – and the environment – is by recycling redeemable cans and bottles through BottleDrop. Blue redemption bags are always available in the front office, and the PTA also delivers bags to your home! Simply email our BottleDrop coordinator with your address and the number of bags you'd like. To date, we have raised more than $4,500 to purchase PE equipment through BottleDrop. Thank you, Abernethy community! Please see the PTA website for more information.

We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

Questions you can ask your students: