Duniway Dispatch

August 24: Welcome Back Meet and Greet, 8-9 a.m. on the Grassy Median at SE Reed College Place by the Main Entrance

August 26: Grades 1 through 5 - First day of school

August 31: Kindergarten - First day of school

September 4: First Duniway Bike Bus of the School Year!

September 16: Early Release Day - all students dismissed at 11:50 a.m.

September 17-18: Picture Days

September 24: Duniway Back to School Night, 6-7:30 p.m.

September 25: The Duniway Open Golf Tournament

PPS District Calendar 2026-27

Hello Families,

Happy Friday and I am excited to be sharing this message with you as we are nearly at the start of this 2026-27 school year. We are all looking forward to seeing you next Monday morning from 8-9am for our annual Meet and Greet event on the Reed College Place Median in front of the school. This will be a great opportunity to meet your child's new teacher and all of our staff that will be supporting your child this year and connect with the greater Duniway community. We have had a busy week at school this week as our teachers and support staff had their first day of the school year yesterday and engaged in learning about our new reading assessments and health curriculum. Today we met at school getting to know our new staff members and planning and discussing our instructional goals and focus areas for this year. We have many successes and accomplishments to build on from last year (more information on this to come) and we are looking forward to another great year of learning this year. I hope you all have a great weekend and we hope to see you next Monday morning for the Meet and Greet, and then for the first day of school for grades 1-5 next Wednesday, August 26.

Sincerely,

John Melvin

Duniway's Bike Bus is a climate forward PTA committee supporting building rider confidence, strong bodies and minds, resilience and community connections. We also just love to cycle! To feel the power of Bike Bus, check out Portland's Bike Bus World Founder, Sam Balto's TEDx talk - I'm Helping Kids Bike to School - Here's Why.

Bike Bus is tuning up for another great year of riding and we need your support to keep the bus moving and the kids pedaling. While our tires, chains and gears are getting a full tune-up, Bike Bus is still looking for volunteers to support these awesome rides. The success and sustainability of Bike Bus depends on volunteer support. It takes a village to run this weekly PTA program.

We are currently short on our route's Corkers and a Corking Team Lead. Corkers help manage safety traffic flow along the route to keep our kids safe. These positions are critical for rider safety. Without enough route corkers, Bike Bus cannot safely ride. Please head to Konstella to sign up for open positions.

Want to see last year's amazing riders and stay on top of Duniway's Bike Bus, follow us on IG @duniwaybikebus. Thank you for helping to build our children's skills for life.

Your Duniway Bike Bus Team

Hi Duniway Community!

I’m so excited to be back with the Duniway crew as your PE teacher! I have so many wonderful memories from my time at Duniway and feel incredibly lucky to be returning to a community I love.

I’ve been teaching and working with kids for many years, and I’m especially passionate about helping students build confidence, connection, and a lifelong love of movement.

Outside of school, I love gardening, cooking, climbing, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with my son, Jaxon.

I can’t wait to get moving, playing, and learning together this year!!

Ms. Meghan

Hello, families!

I’m Mr. Lawrence, and I am thrilled to be entering my 4th year of teaching music. I earned my Bachelor’s in Music from Loyola University New Orleans and my Master’s in Teaching from George Fox University. I am a singer by trade, but I love being a student myself. I spend a lot of my free time learning to play the guitar, piano, and ukulele! Outside the classroom, I’m a huge fan of video games, movies, and TV. I especially love hearing how they use music to tell a compelling story. I can't wait to help our students find their own musical stories this fall!

Mr. Lawrence

The school day begins at 8:00 a.m.

The school day ends at 2:30 p.m.

Breakfast at 7:45 a.m.

• Students who opt for breakfast at school enter through the cafeteria.

Doors Open at 7:55 a.m.

• Designated entrances indicated on the map below will be open from 7:55 to 8:00 a.m.

• When the bell rings at 8:00 a.m., all doors will closed except for the main entrance on SE Reed College Place.

• Students arriving after the bell rings at 8:00 a.m. will need to enter through the main entrance on SE Reed College Place and sign in with staff in the main office.

Recess and Lunch

• Grades K and 1 - 10:50-11:30

• Grades 2 and 3 - 11:20-12:00

• Grades 4 and 5 - 11:50-12:30

Dismissal at 2:30 p.m.

• Students will be dismissed at their designated entrance, to their after school program, or head to the bus.

We are continuing the Duniway tradition of having families donate funds to the school to allow for our staff to purchase the required supplies for the entire school year, rather than students bringing their own supplies. We are recommending a $50 per student school supply donation. If you are able, there is also an option to sponsor another student.

Please click SCHOOL SUPPLY FEE to pay your 2026-27 school supply donation(s).

If you would rather pay with cash or check (made payable to Duniway PTA), you can bring it to the office by ringing the buzzer by the main entrance on SE Reed College Place on school days between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

If you haven't done so already, please join our community on Konstella. Konstella is a platform provided to us by the PTA to help connect parents, volunteer for school activities, and keep up to date on community events and activities. Link to Join Konstella.

Exciting news! We have two open positions for part-time "Temporary Duty Support" here at Duniway. The job starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 12:35 p.m. each school day.

The Temporary Duty Support position provides student supervision and safety support during non-instructional periods of the school day. This role supports smooth school operations by monitoring recess and lunch activities and reinforcing positive behavior expectations.

For more information on the position and how to apply, please click the link to the job description.

Oregon's schools have to do a lot with too little, and our kids pay the price. The Duniway PTA Advocacy Committee works on that from both ends, making sure every family can take part in school life here and that the people funding our schools hear what's actually happening in them. This year we've broken the work into roles so nobody has to do it alone, most just a few hours a week, and nobody here started out knowing how any of this works. Roles and sign-ups are on Konstella, or email Margaret at lilbigstuff@gmail.com or Tracy at tlgluckman@gmail.com and tell us what sounds fun and how much time you have.

“Personal Electronic Device” is a device that is capable of electronically communicating, sending, receiving, storing, recording, reproducing and/or displaying information, depictions, and/or data. This includes cell phones, smart watches, tablets, etc.

Personal Electronic Devices must be “off and away” throughout the school day so that the device cannot disrupt students or the learning environment.

For more information: Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Discipline Handbook

Join the greater Duniway community on Friday, September 25th at 9am for a round of golf raising funds for the Duniway PTA. You don't want to miss out on this epic event full of prizes, competition, drinks from local sponsors, and memories in the making!

• Your registration includes 18 holes of golf, range balls, golf cart, lunch, drink ticket, and a commemorative hat
  
  
• Prizes for contests (KPs, Long Drive, Straight Drive, Long Putt, Best Dressed Team) and division winners (gross, net, ladies, co-ed, alumni, senior)
  
  
• Parents, grandparents, neighbors, alumni, and supporters of Duniway are welcome!
  
  
• More information and FAQs at www.duniwayopen.com
  

Thank you to the generous sponsors of The 2026 Duniway Open for supporting the Duniway Elementary PTA:

GoSports, Oregon City Subaru, Sebastiano's, PDX Sliders, Ate-Oh-Ate, Green Drop Garage, Trico General Contractors, Unitus Community Credit Union, EC Electric, Heiberg Garbage & Recycling, Portland Family Dentistry, Martin Haugh Financial, Westmoreland Ace Hardware, Country Financial-Scott Bennett, Moreland Neighborhood Dental, Zenbu Lounge, Proper Pint, Headwaters Automation, Scott Brennan-State Farm, CertaPro Painters of Portland, Moving Forward Staying Present, Prema Yoga, Smitty's Taphouse, NW Golf Guys, Pure Green Juice Bar, AllRight Beer, Brew Dr. Kombucha

We are right around the corner from back-to-school! While it’s always a little bittersweet to see summer come to an end, we’re excited to be back together with our teachers, friends, and new classrooms. We hope you’re enjoying these last few weeks of summer!

The Duniway Foundation is looking for new board members, including a new President, to help steward these projects and help shape the future of our school. As a Foundation we look forward to partnering with the PTA in many ways as we did last year. Board meetings are every 3rd Tuesday at the Duniway Library.

Whether you have a passion for education, finance, the arts, sports, fundraising, community building, or simply making Duniway an amazing place for our kids, there is a place for you.

Since 1997, our volunteer board has dedicated countless hours, large and small, to helping Duniway Elementary bridge gaps in education and enrichment. We are excited about what’s ahead, but we can’t do it without our community.

Interested in getting involved? Please fill out THIS FORM to tell us a little about your interests and how you might like to help.

Last year, the Duniway Foundation closed out the year with a big bang at Live from the ’90s, our community auction featuring so many of our amazing teachers and staff. We filled the Duniway Green with food carts, sign-up parties, music, and energy, then brought the excitement into the Duniway Auditorium for an evening filled with generosity and fun. Let’s do it again!!

Because our community showed up in so many ways, we’re able to continue investing in our students and school:

• OMSI Outdoor School: Funding is secured for the 2026–27 (funded in 2025), 2027–28, and 2028–29 fifth-grade classes. Last year’s fifth graders had an incredible experience thanks to our community’s generosity!

• Educational Assistant: We continue to fund a part-time Educational Assistant to support students and teachers.

• Reading Results: We’re helping support the continuation of Reading Results at Duniway in partnership with the PTA, this would not be at Duniway without your contributions.

• Instructional Support: Our volunteer program connects trained volunteers with classrooms to provide consistent support in reading and math.Last year with our community's help we brought in over 700 hours of support in 22 weeks with 31 volunteers! Learn more and SIGN UP HERE.

• Reading & Math Enrichment: We’re excited to fund a teacher-led program providing additional reading and math support for our students.

• Capital Improvements: We’re beginning some exciting long-term projects, including planning for a covered basketball court, reducing the heat index by removing asphalt, and improvements to our auditorium so we can better showcase student performances, including our new Spring Play!

• Classroom Art: Continuing our collaborative classroom art experience, bringing parents into classrooms, celebrating student artwork with a pop up museum day in our south gym, and hosting an art opening where families can purchase original pieces and prints. The proceeds help fund enrichment, education, and beauty at Duniway.

We are so excited about the possibilities for the year ahead and can’t wait to share what’s next with you. Let’s go, Dragons! 🐉

With gratitude,

Andrea Angell
The Duniway Foundation

This year, Duniway’s Annual Fund Run will take place in early October, giving our students the chance to kick off the school year by running, jogging, and walking to support Duniway. We’ll also be bringing back the Duniway Parent Classic for its third year, inviting parents and caregivers to join us for a run/jog at the end of the day. Stay tuned for more details on how to donate, rally friends and family to make pledges, and volunteer. We're looking forward to cheering our Dragons on for this yearly tradition that plays a critical role in fundraising for Duniway.

This special edition includes information on:

• Key Dates
• School Supplies
• Daily Schedule
• Arrival and Dismissal Map
• School Bus Action Item
• Early Release Dates
• Reporting Absences, Late Arrivals, Early Pickups, and Changes to Dismissal Plans
• Communication Methods at Duniway
• Tips on Clothing and Belongings
• ParentVue and Yearly Verification
• Volunteering at Duniway
• Personal Electronic Device Policy
• Nutrition Services at Duniway
• Handy Links