Scott Family Newsletter

Hola Scotties!

Our first day of school with our 1st-5th graders could not have gone better! Our Scotties absolutely rocked the first day! I visited every classroom by 9:30am and was so impressed with our students. They were demonstrating our Scott school values of dedication to excellence, inclusion, integrity and perseverance. We have some awesome role models for our incoming kindergarteners! We can't wait to officially welcome all of our kinders on Monday, August 31st.

The first few weeks are dedicated to establishing classroom community. Teachers and students will work together to co-create classroom agreements. We also teach consistent routines and expectations while beginning to introduce grade level instruction. Our climate team and support staff teach common area expectations for recess, the cafeteria and restrooms. We are looking forward to sharing more details during Back to School Night on September 10. We encourage all families to attend and learn more about what to expect from this school year!

Finally, I want to thank our volunteers who participated in our Community Care Day event earlier this month. We really appreciate the care and dedication of our volunteers. Together, with the support of our community, we will have a great year!

Warmly,

Tiana Ahmann

Ms. Ahmann, Maestra Alvarez and Mr. Nicholas are so excited to welcome all of our Scotties on the first day!

Ms. Martinez sharing a read aloud with her very attentive first graders!

Mr. Condron-Lee's second graders showing off a very straight line after recess!

Lunch!!!

• August 27, Kinder Ramp Up, Full Day for Kindergarten Students with Last Names A-L
• August 28, Kinder Ramp Up, Full Day for Kindergarten Students with Last Names M-Z
• August 31, First Official Day for ALL Kindergarten Students and Kindergarten Kick Off Cafe 8:00-9:00am
• September 7, No School, Labor Day
• September 8, Fire Drill
• September 9, Vision to Learn vision screening for all students
• September 10, Back to School Night, 5-7pm
• September 16, Early Release, 11:50am
• September 18, Lock Down Drill
• September 18, PTA Fall Concert
• September 22, Cafecito 8:15-9:45
• October 1, Picture Day

Kyle has a lifelong passion for music that started in elementary school with a hand-me-down clarinet. In the decades since, he has made it his goal to learn as much as possible about every instrument, style, and genre that he can manage. As an educator, he is particularly enthusiastic about teaching music literacy with a multicultural repertoire, and encourages his students to not just perform music, but to think and to live in a musical way. Kyle has a BA in Music Composition from Humboldt State University, and a Master's in Teaching from Western Oregon University.

My name is DeAnthony Maza, and I'm excited to be a part of the Scott Scott Community as one of the new PE Teachers. I have five years of experience in education and have spent the last several years teaching middle school. Coming to Scott is incredibly special to me because I grew up in this neighborhood, and it feels wonderful to have the opportunity to serve and give back to the community that shaped me. I'm passionate about creating a positive and welcoming environment where every student can stay active, build confidence, and have fun. Outside of school, I enjoy sports, coaching, and spending time with my family. I'm looking forward to getting to know our students and having a great school year together

My name is Sophie Russenberger and I am so excited to be teaching PE at Scott this year! I have a background in fitness, I was on the cycling team in college and bike raced at a professional level after college. I am passionate about women’s sports and am still involved with Team S&M Cyclocross, a women’s cycling team based in Sellwood. I have been unlearning the athletic mindset and strive to create an athletic space where students feel welcomed, included and safe to move their bodies in PE. Outside of school, my favorite hobby is mountain biking, and I also love hiking and board games.

PPS works hard to ensure that all staff and students are trained to respond effectively and efficiently during an emergency at or near school. One of the many ways we accomplish this is through our mandatory drill requirements for schools. The following drills are conducted throughout each school year:

• Monthly Fire Drills
• Two Earthquake Drills
• Two Lockdown Drills
• One Secure The Perimeter Drill
• One Team Response Drill

These drills are essential in ensuring our school community is as prepared as possible for emergency situations. Teacher teach and practice procedures with students prior to drills. We maintain a calm and supportive environment during drills to reduce any stress and fear associated with the drills.

Dear Scott Families,

As your school counselor, keeping our students safe, calm, and confident is always my top priority. Over the coming days, I will be visiting all Kindergarten and First Grade classrooms to help prepare our youngest learners for our upcoming schoolwide lockdown drill, which will take place on Friday, September 18.

Safety drills are a normal part of building healthy, responsible habits at school. We explain to students that practicing a drill is just like wearing a seatbelt in the car or looking both ways before crossing the street—it’s something we take seriously so that doing the safe thing becomes second nature, without causing unnecessary fear.

Our goal is to ensure students understand what to do and who is keeping them safe, so they feel calm and prepared. For more context on how experts recommend framing these conversations with young children, feel free to watch this helpful news clip: Lockdown Drill Safety News Clip.

If your child mentions our lesson, you can reassure them that Scott is a safe place with trusted adults who care for them every day. You can remind them that just like practicing fire drills, lockdown drills are simply how we make sure everyone knows how to stay safe together.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our school community safe and supportive!

Warmly,

Mr. H

School Counselor, Scott Elementary

Welcome to a new school year! We’re excited to partner with you to ensure every student has a safe, calm, and successful start and end to each day. Please take a moment to review our updated arrival and dismissal procedures carefully:

Morning Arrival (Supervision begins at 7:45 AM)

• Staff supervision for all grades begins at 7:45 AM. Please do not drop students off earlier, as there is no supervision available before that time.

• Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Students will enter on the back side of the building under the lower covered area and go directly to the cafeteria for breakfast, where their teachers will meet them.
  🔹 We kindly ask families to say goodbye at the door to help promote independence and ensure school wide safety.

• 2nd & 3rd Grade: Students will line up by class under the large covered area along 66th Ave, where staff will supervise and guide them to class.

• 4th & 5th Grade: Students will enter through the exterior gym doors under the lower covered area and line up by class in the gym.

• All students have access to free breakfast on their way to class!

🛑 IMPORTANT TRAFFIC REMINDER:
There is absolutely NO drop-off or parking on 68th Ave.
This area is reserved for school bus access only. Vehicles in this zone during arrival or dismissal create serious safety hazards and disrupt bus flow. Please help us keep students safe by using only the designated drop-off areas.

🕗 NEW this year: The exterior back doors will close promptly at 8:00 AM when the bell rings.
Students arriving after 8:00 AM must enter through the front office and will be marked tardy.

• For the safety and focus of our learning environment, the front lobby door (at the top of the ramp) will remain locked until 8:00 AM.

🎒 Our school day starts at 8:00 AM sharp with important community-building activities that set a positive tone for learning. Arriving on time ensures students feel connected and ready to learn.

Dismissal – Begins at 2:30 PM

• Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Dismissed by teachers from the lower covered area.
  🔹 Teachers will not release students until they have visually confirmed the designated adult and verified with the student.

• 2nd & 3rd Grade: Dismissed by teachers in the upper covered area.

• 4th & 5th Grade: Dismissed to the blacktop area.

🚨 IMPORTANT:

• No pick-up or parking is allowed on 68th Ave at any time. This area is strictly reserved for school bus access.
  Vehicles parked or waiting in this zone create serious safety risks.

• 🔹 Families may not wait on campus during dismissal.

• 🔹 You are welcome to wait on the public sidewalk until the dismissal bell rings. This helps us maintain a secure and orderly campus.

🕐 Dismissal Changes:
If your child’s dismissal plan is changing, you must notify the teacher and office by 1:30 PM.
This ensures we can communicate the change safely and clearly with staff and students.

⛔ No early pickups after 2:15 PM.
This policy helps us maintain a calm and secure end-of-day routine for all students.

⏳ Late Pick-Ups:
Students who are not picked up by 2:37 PM will be brought to the front office.
They will need to be signed out by an adult. Please be on time so that staff can transition safely to after-school responsibilities.

Thank you for your attention to these procedures and for helping us create a safe, predictable start and end to each school day. Your support means so much!

This year, ParentSquare will be our primary communication tool. We'll use it to send school newsletters (like this one), share important updates, and keep everyone informed. Teachers will also use ParentSquare to text parents and email students, making communication faster, easier, and more efficient. Regisiter today so you don't miss a beat.

ParentVUE is different from ParentSquare.

ParentVUE is used to verify student information and receive report cards.

ParentSquare is the platform used for communication from our school and the District.

To Do:

1. Download the ParentVUE app (all purple) from Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

2. Once in the app swipe left and enter 97227- Do not turn your location on.

FULL INSTRUCTIONS IN THE PDF BELOW.

Thank you for taking a few minutes to update your app and staying connected with us!

Yearly Student Verification

Each year parents and/or guardians are asked to review and update the information on file for their students.

Information can be reviewed, edited and submitted online via PPS ParentVUE.

Verify Online

Benefits of verifying online via ParentVUE:

• Complete yearly verification of your student's information

• Update your communication and language preferences

• Ensure your school has the most up-to-date information

Hello Families,

I am Rosi Sanchez, the School Social Worker. I am taking this opportunity to welcome you all to a new school year. I am excited and looking forward to working & collaborating with you in supporting your students' academic growth. In addition to assisting in allocating resources, I will continue conducting one-on-one & student group support this year with the focus on attendance. I am happy to make myself available for any support and information I can provide to you and/or your students. I can be reached by call/text 971.501.8962. Once again, welcome and I look forward to a great school year.

A member of our Scott School community has a citrus allergy. We ask that all citrus foods, drinks and products (for example cleaning supplies and lotions) are kept at home at all times. We appreciate your cooperation and support in maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all.

Popcorn Friday - September 4

Vision to Learn - September 9 from 8am to 2pm

Coffee Cart - September 18

• Come kick off the school year with us at our first PTA meeting! Meet other Scott families, discover fun ways to get involved, and have your say by voting on this year's PTA budget (open to dues-paying members). Kids are always welcome, and we'll have Spanish interpretation plus light refreshments on hand