From the Abernethy Office

Happy Monday Abernethy Community

I hope you all had an amazing weekend and for those of you who have the day of today, I hope you are enjoying it! We are loving having our building full of our students today!

At last week's PTA meeting I shared what our staffing for next year will look like. As I share our projected staffing here, I want to remind everyone that this is what we are being allocated now and there are a lot of moving parts in this process. Our current allocation does not necessarily mean it will be our final allocation.

As many of you have heard, in last week's Superintendent's email, PPS is facing a revenue and expense gap of over $40 million this year (2023-24) and over $60 million next (2024-25). Our state dollars continue to fall short of the costs to operate our schools, we have higher costs of goods and services, our new labor contracts exceed our current revenues and our student needs continue to grow. Unfortunately, with this budget gap, it will mean that we will experience a reduction in staff, programs, and services in schools and in the central office. Our 2024-25 staffing projections will reflect those reductions.

At this time last year when we received our staffing, we were originally staffed to have only two 4th grade classes with 32 students in each. However, we were able to use foundation funds as well as a percentile of our Covid Relief funds to help balance our classes, retain a teacher, and keep our 4th grade classes in 3 sections of 21- 22 students in each. With our foundation, this year we were able to have a total of 14 classrooms, Kindergarten through 5th grade Two classrooms each in grades Kinder - 3rd and 3 classrooms each in 4th and 5th grade. With our staffing for next year we are projected to have only 12 classrooms, which would have us at 2 classes per grade level, Kindergarten through 5th grade.

Having 2 classrooms per grade level would equal a loss of two classroom teachers. Our current class projections for next year would have us with our largest class sizes in 4th and 5th grade.

This year we were allocated:

Last week we kicked off the 2023-2024 Annual Appeal, Abernethy’s most critical fundraiser. The Appeal is a direct-giving campaign that will run for the next four weeks, through Friday, March 15th. We are asking you to show your children and the Abernethy Community your support. As fellow parents, we are confident that you will agree that supporting our children's education is crucial.

As you have most likely seen last weeks email from our outgoing superintendent, Guadalupe Guerrero, our schools are facing budget cuts across the board. Abernethy is looking at not only larger class sizes, but less instructional resources, academic support and enrichments around the building. Our students deserve more and advocacy at the state level is a must. However, the reality is, that any change coming from the state is going to take time, and our students are experiencing it now. Community fundraising ensures many valuable resources and programs for our students and teachers, both at Abernethy and other schools around the district via the PPS Fund. Reaching the Annual Appeal’s fundraising goal of $60,000 will help ensure enrichment programs, social/ emotional support as well as instructional support for our students.

All donations to the Appeal will go towards the Fund for PPS.

This fundraising helps support teacher positions. For example, this year we were able to use some funds from our Fund for PPS account, along with district provided Covid Relief funds to lower the class size in 4th grade from a minimum of 2 classes of 32 in each to 3 classes of 21/22 in each.

PLEASE GIVE AS GENEROUSLY AS YOU CAN.

Every donation – small and large – helps to ensure support for many of the school resources our students and teachers depend on. At the end of each week of the Appeal, there will be a prize drawing for a gift card to a local business or a pair of tickets to the Abernethy Alley Auction. So make your donation today to increase your chances of winning!

HOW TO MAKE A DONATION.

Participation in the Annual Appeal has never been easier! Simply scan the QR code provided here. Donating online is secure and easy, provides an immediate receipt for your tax records, and allows you to set up a recurring donation.

If cash or check is preferred, you can return it to the school in the green envelope brought home by your student, or mail it to the Abernethy office (2421 SE Orange Ave, Portland, OR 97214). Please make checks out to “The Fund for Portland Public Schools" with "Abernethy Foundation" in the memo line and your student name and grade are clearly marked on the envelope or check.

CONSIDER WAYS TO MAKE YOUR DONATION GO FARTHER.

Make it monthly! We love recurring donations - and you may too! If it helps you donate more over the course of the year, set up a recurring contribution through the ‘Make this a recurring donation’ check box on the website and contribute monthly.

Ask if your employer offers donation matching. Many employers match employee charitable donations.

Ask your community to support. Grandparents and other extended family members of Abernethy students are often happy to give.

With all donations through the Fund For PPS, Abernethy can look at different ways we can support our students through these cuts. Possible ways would be to fund our .5 counselor position that we lost, ensure that we keep a full time PE teacher or even hire an EA to help with the large class sizes in 4th and 5th grade.

As all donations to The Fund for PPS go directly to help support the loss of FTE within our school, advocy at our state level is definately needed. We would like everyone to please consider contacting our elected officials and PPS Board to let them know that we support their work to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students. If you'd like more information about advocacy opportunities for education funding, please reach out to advocacy@supportabernethy.org.

Thank you for helping to ensure Abernethy continues to be a great school for our kids!

Sincerely, 2023 Annual Appeal Chair

Beth Schuenemann (Owen - 4th, Day)

Our biggest fundraiser of the year is coming up and we need your help! There’s three ways you can get involved:

1) Volunteer leading up, day of, or post-event (email auction@supportabernethy.org to join the committee!)

2) Get your tickets HERE (Early bird pricing now! Prices will go up as we get closer to the date)

3) Are you a small business or know someone who would be interested in donating to the auction? (Email auction@supportabernethy.org with suggestions!)

Reading Results PDX has been tutoring at Abernethy this past year, and are looking to hire additional tutors for the next school year. They are primarily looking for any parents, caregivers, or school community members who are looking for paid, part-time work. We know this work is so much more impactful when our tutors come from within our students' communities, and are able to connect with students in this way. Would you be willing to post the attached flier to this group's social media account or Google group, with a link to our website (readingresultspdx.org/hiring)? No prior experience is required, and all training and materials are provided! We are excited to continue to partner with Abernethy, and hoping to meet some wonderful folks from your amazing community, soon!

Each grade will get the chance to sponsor a movie night and choose the movie! Room leads will be in touch with be leading the charge. Each movie is from 6-8, includes free popcorn, and is free and open to all.

• Friday, February 23: First Graders’ Choice
• Friday, March 15: Second Graders’ Choice
• Friday, April 12: Third Graders’ Choice
• Friday, April 26: Fourth Graders’ Choice
• Friday, June 7: Fifth Graders’ Choice

This is just a reminder to help know when to keep your students home as well as for how long. We all want our students to stay healthy!

1. FEVER: a measured temperature equal to or greater than 100.4°F orally. • MAY RETURN AFTER fever-free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medicine.

2. COUGH: persistent cough that is not yet diagnosed and cleared by a licensed healthcare provider OR any acute (non-chronic) cough illness that is frequent or severe enough to interfere with participation in usual school activities. • MAY RETURN AFTER symptoms improving for 24 hours (no cough or cough well-controlled.)

3. DIFFICULTY BREATHING OR SHORTNESS OF BREATH not explained by situation such as exercise: feeling unable to catch their breath, gasping for air, breathing too fast or too shallowly, breathing with extra effort such as using muscles of the stomach, chest, or neck. • MAY RETURN AFTER symptoms improving for 24 hours. • This symptom is likely to require immediate medical attention

4. HEADACHE WITH STIFF NECK AND FEVER. • MAY RETURN AFTER fever-free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medicine AND symptoms resolve. • This combination of symptoms may indicate a serious condition. Advise student’s guardian to seek medical attention.

5. DIARRHEA: three or more watery or loose stools in 24 hours OR sudden onset of loose stools OR student unable to control bowel function when previously able. • MAY RETURN AFTER 48 hours after diarrhea resolves OR after seen and cleared by a licensed healthcare provider or LPHA for specific diarrheal diagnoses.

6. VOMITING: at least 1 episode that is unexplained. • MAY RETURN AFTER 48 hours after last episode of vomiting OR after seen and cleared by a licensed healthcare provider.