DOLPHIN DIGEST 11/26/2025
An Short, Fall Break Newsletter by Arleta School and PTA
WELCOME TO ARLETA'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!
We’re so glad to have you as part of our school community!
This weekly newsletter is developed and sent in partnership between school administration and the PTA. If you have information you'd like shared in the newsletter, please email it to ArletaSchoolPTA@gmail.com. Keep scrolling for the latest.
INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We acknowledge Portland rests on traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla and many other Tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River. #HonorNativeLand https://youtu.be/ETOhNzBsiKA
NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING - DEC 2
The next school board meeting is Tuesday, Dec 2, from 6pm-9pm at the Dr. Matthew Prophet Education Center (Prophet Center), 501 N Dixon St. Portland, OR 97227.
This meeting is open for the public to attend in person up to the capacity of the Boardroom and will be streamed live under the provision of ORS 192.670 at: https://www.youtube.com/@ppsboardofeducation/live
Links to Board of Education Information:
- Board of Education Website
- Past Board Meeting Recordings
- Board Meeting Agendas and Materials
- Public Meeting Notices
Send requests for public comment to publiccomment@pps.net.
LANE MIDDLE SCHOOL INFORMATIONAL MEETING - DEC 3
The Lane Middle School PTA would like to invite incoming 6th graders and their families to an early, informal informational meeting to learn more about Lane Middle School. We will have a panel of current students and parents available to share about their experiences at Lane and to answer your questions. Please join us on Wednesday, December 3rd at 6:00pm in the Lane Middle School Library! Please fill out this form to RSVP for the event and send in any questions you may already have.
NEURODIVERGENT FAMILY GATHERING - DEC 4
Please join us for our next Neurodivergent Family Gathering, welcoming students, parents, and guardians on December 4th from 5:30-7pm in the Arleta cafeteria. The group offers a safe space to talk, connect, and play. Come join us the cafeteria. Pizza dinner and kid activities will be provided. Please let us know if you would like a translator by emailing the Arleta PTA at arletaschoolpta@gmail.com.
ARLETA WINTER BAZAAR - DEC 6
Light up the winter darkness with crafts and community at the Arleta Winter Bazaar! You can peruse the offerings of the creative minds and hands of Arleta students, nibble treats from the greatest of Arleta family kitchens, try your luck at the PTA raffle, and enjoy the start of the winter season!
Arleta's Winter Bazaar is Saturday, December 6th from 11am-2pm in the cafeteria.
FAST TIMES PIZZA AND SOFT-SERVE DINE OUT FUNDRAISER - DEC 7
SLOW DOWN AT FAST TIMES
Sunday 12/7 • 11 AM–2 AM
624 East Burnside
Slices • Salads • Soft Serve • Pizza • Patio • Pinball
From lunch to late night, 10% of all sales go to Arleta!
ARLETA SCHOOL BOOKFAIR DEC 15-19
Arleta's Winter Bookfair is coming up soon! It will run from Monday, December 15th to Friday, December 19th. The book fair will be open to the public before school at 7:30am until school starts, then after school until 3:30pm in the library. Students will visit with their class two times during the week when they can shop or make wish lists to bring home. Online orders can be delivered to Arleta for free and 20% of sales benefit the school library.
There won't be any toy-like items, but there will be a beautiful selection of journals, pens, and bookmarks to inspire our young authors. After the Thanksgiving holiday, keep an eye out for volunteer opportunities and a donation link to help us ensure that all of our students are able to take home a new book. And THANK YOU for your continued support for Arleta's library program."
To shop the Arleta Booksale online, click here. Make sure Arleta Elementary receives credit for your purchase by ‘buying’ one of our school’s book fair items from the Book Fair drop down menu. It is free! If you have any questions can be directed to Jennifer Butler-Brown, bookseller, by calling 541-619-3960 or emailing her at Jennifer.butlerbrown@gmail.com.
THE SEASON OF GIVING IS UPON US!
Season of Giving is an annual holiday drive created by the Arleta Inclusion Committee and the Arleta Counseling staff to ensure that all Arleta families can make their winter holidays special for their children. We are looking for toys as well as giftcards/financial donations (drop-off at the office) to achieve that goal from now until December 12th!
Toy Drive: We are seeking donations of new or excellent condition toys to include in the toy drive. Check your kid's room for those forgotten or unused toys, or purchase something from one of our local shops.
Gift cards/financial donations: Drop off donations (check, cash, or gift cards to places such as grocery stores) at the office, or donate by Venmo to @TiffanyBlackmonPDX. These donations will be used to provide gift cards to families that they can use for food and necessities over winter break.
You can donate toys and gift cards/funds through December 12. You can find the Season of Giving flyer, translated in other languages as well, here: Season of Giving Flyer.
Families are invited to shop the Share-a-Toy Drive collection the week before winter break, to select toys as holiday gifts. The PTA will have a few shopping hours, and Raina will have time available by appointment only. Please email Raina, rbilbrew@pps.net, to set up a time to shop the toy selection.
GIRLS ON THE RUN SEASON ENDS
Girls on the Run ends their season on a high note this month! We wrapped up our Girls on the Run season and their final 5K is the Turkey Trot on Wednesday night at the International Raceway.
Every year, we get to choose a local organization/business/community member to try to help in a small way. This year, for their community project, our runners chose to make dog toys to donate to the Humane Society, which were delivered (and very happily received) last week. We’re so proud of the girls and what they’ve accomplished!
PORTLAND ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS PARENT SURVEY AND MAILING LIST SIGN-UP
We know that contract negotations impact everyone in a school community. We want to shape that impact for the betterment of our students & whole school community. That starts with listening to you! Our students & their families. If you had a magic wand and could transform your school - What would you change & what would you keep?
Answer those two open ended questions to share your vision for the future of our schools. We don't have a magic wand - but we do have each other and we will fight for great public schools for all Portlanders.
RAISE FUNDS FOR ARLETA THROUGH BOTTLEDROP GIVE THIS SEASON
Earn 20% extra on every bag returned from November 15 - December 2.
Drop your filled blue bags at any bag drop location OR bring them to Arleta on Friday morning 11/21 or Monday morning 12/1 and we'll take care of it for you.
** Blue bags with Arleta stickers available in the office **
THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO BE PART OF THE WINTER BAZAAR!
The Arleta Winter Bazaar is a beloved tradition, because of the parents and families who make it happen!
Help transform the cafeteria into a winter wonderland, sell delicious baked goods to raise money for the PTA, or help put everything away at the end of the bazaar.
If you can't be there the day of (or even if you can) consider baking a holiday treat to sell at the PTA bakesale at the bazaar!
Or, find a donation for our PTA holiday raffle at the bazaar and help raise money for our classrooms!
VOLUNTEER WITH THE TOY DRIVE
Every year the Arleta PTA hosts a toy drive! Arleta families donate gently used or new toys and families in need of a little help this season contact Raina to browse the donations for just the right gifts for the kiddos. You can really help make the season bright by donating a little time to help set up the free toy shop, help photograph toys, and help parents and guardians browse the toys!
The shifts are anywhere from one hour to one-and-a-half hours, and makes a big difference in someone's holiday season! We still need volunteers on December 15th and 16th to help families shop the toys!
BE A LUNCHTIME VOLUNTEER!
We are looking for volunteers each day to help monitor recess and lunch. This is a fun way to get to know the students and staff! It's not a long time commitment as you can volunteer for just your kiddos recess or lunch or at any that your schedule allows. See the lunch and recess breakdown below.
Can you commit to one day a week, or an occasional lunch time?
K-1 recess 10:50-11:00 lunch 11:05-11:20
2-3 recess 11:05-11:20 lunch 11:25-11:40
4-5 lunch 12:05-12:20 recess 12:20-12:35
Please check in with the office when you arrive for a badge and further instructions.
Volunteers need to have passed a PPS background check and be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Visit the PPS website to start your application and screening process. (Once approved, your application is good for three years).
CELEBRATE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH BY LEARNING NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY
Each week the Dolphin Digest highlights different topics of interest and provide different resources for you to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. The week before November, we learned about some local resources and events. For the first week of November, we shared resources for oral storytelling and picture books. For the second week, we learned about important Native Americans in history. Last week, we learned about Native arts and crafts. This week, we're looking at historical records and events!
New archeological finds and better technologies change and deepen our view of ancient history so that revisions happen from time to time, but the depth and breadth of the history of our land cannot be doubted. Helping your children understand this history can give us all a better sense of connection to the past and a deeper understanding of the present. Consider sharing the timeline with your kids, or choosing events or parts of the timeline to explore together as a family.
An Abbreviated Timeline of Indigenous North American History
21,000 BCE Paleolithic humans live in New Mexico
12,250 BCE Humans settle Oregon (Rimrock Draw)
13,000-14,000 BCE Humans settle Idaho (Known as Nipéhe in Nez Perce, Cooper’s Ferry in English)
12,400-10,800 BCE Clovis tribes settle widely in North America
9,000-7,000 BCE Mastadon, giant sloth, giant beavers, North American camels, and mammoth begin to go extinct. Humans start to live in larger groups, building seasonal residences around waterways, hunting smaller animals like elk and increasing reliance on foraging. Folsom tribes settle North America.
9,000-5,000 BCE Old Cordilleron Cultures, possibly ancestors of the Chinook, Klamath, and Cayuse tribes, settle Oregon and Washington.
8,500 BCE Paleolithic Period ends and Archaic Period begins. Food source diversification increases.
6,000 BCE Squash domesticated in North America.
2,500 BCE Arctic tribes develop bow and arrow technology (possibly earlier).
2,100 BCE Domesticated maize reaches North America.
2,000 BCE Early Agricultural Period begins in the American Southwest.
1800 BCE Massive settlement at Poverty Point in Louisiana begins.
1000 BCE Woodland Culture begins, involving massive funeral mounds and pottery.
750 BCE č̕ ixʷícən or Tse- WHIT-zen (pronounced chWHEET-son) is founded in Washington, at present day Port Angeles and flourishes for 2,700 years.
700 BCE Mississippi Culture forms. Large villages are built around central plazas, surrounded by satellite smaller villages. There is a heavy reliance on agriculture. Artisans use copper, shell, stone, wood, and clay.
500 BCE Adena culture forms in Ohio. Stone hoes, axes and pipes are used. Copper, mica, and seashells are used for long-range trade with other cultures. Southwestern Culture begins growing beans.
200 BCE Work begins on the Great Serpent Mound. Anasazi tradition emerges in SW
0 Common Era Begins
100 Adena culture disappears and Hopewell Culture begins in Ohio and spreads through Midwest.
300 Hohokam Culture emerges, using irrigation, building ball courts and other public works.
400 Work ends on the Great Serpent Mound. Hopewell Culture declines.
700 Southwestern tribes begin building in adobe.
800 The city of Cahokia founded by Mississippi Culture.
900 Chaco Phenomenon begins in the San Juan Basin. Large buildings constructed and roads built.
1000 Norse begin trading with Indigenous Americans. Etowah Village founded by Mississippi Culture.
1100-1200 Anasazi begin construction of the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde.
1400 Hiawatha and the Peacemaker found the Iroquois Confederacy.
1450 Hohokam Culture disappears.
1450 The Navajo (Diné) and Apache arrive in the Southwest.
1492 Columbus lands in Guanahani (probablu present day San Salvador)
1776 American Revolutionary War begins.
1783 American Revolutionary War officially ends.
1786 The United States establishes the first Native American Reservation
1788 US Constitution Ratified.
1819 Indian Civilization Act Fund starts to create boarding schools for Native American children.
1830 President Andrew Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act.
1831 First wave of Trail of Tears removes 2,000 Cherokee over the next few years.
1832 Cherokee Land Lottery redistributes Cherokee land to colonists. In Worcester v. Georgia, the Supreme Court holds that the Cherokee Nation is a sovereign nation.
1835 Cherokee nation signs Treaty of Echota which became the legal basis for the Trail of Tears.
1838 Main Trail of Tears event in which 1,700 soldiers forcibly remove Cherokee from their land in Georgia to Oklahoma.
1848 Mexican-American War results in more indigenous tribes coming under US federal law.
1863 Kit Carson leads Union Army to attack the Navajos.
1864 Navajo surrender to Union Army. Resulting Long Walk places Navajo Nation in Fort Sumner prison camp for four years.
1870s Ghost Dance, a spiritual protest lead by Paiute medicine men, sweeps the Plains.
1874 Oregon opens its first government-funded Native American boarding school on the Klamath Reservation.
1876 Battle of Little Big Horn results in victory for Sitting Bull.
1890 US. Government bans Ghost Dance ceremonies. Battle at Wounded Knee results in massacre of at least 300 men, women and children.
1918 Nineteen Choctaw infantry members of the US Army use their language as code during WWI, becoming the first Native American code talkers.
1926 Nearly 83% of all Native American Children live in residential boarding schools.
1927 Klamath Agency Boarding School is set on fire by students and closes.
1940 US Army recruits Navajo and other Native Americans to create unbreakable codes
essential to winning WWII.
1968 American Indian Movement founded.
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Additionally, for resources provided by National Geographic, to talk to children about colonialism, click here.
The cafeteria bulletin board includes vocabulary words in Chinook Wawa, a language still taught by the Grand Ronde tribes today. For their Chinook Wawa language learning app, click here.
RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE BY RAJANI LAROCCA - 2022 NEWBERY HONOR BOOK
Reha feels torn between two worlds: school, where she’s the only Indian American student, and home, with her family’s traditions and holidays. But Reha’s parents don’t understand why she’s conflicted—they only notice when Reha doesn’t meet their strict expectations. Reha feels disconnected from her mother, or Amma. Although their names are linked—Reha means “star” and Punam means “moon”—they are a universe apart.
Then Reha finds out that her Amma is sick. Really sick.
Reha, who dreams of becoming a doctor even though she can’t stomach the sight of blood, is determined to make her Amma well again. She’ll be the perfect daughter, if it means saving her Amma’s life.
From Indies Introduce author Rajani LaRocca comes a radiant story about the ties that bind and how to go on in the face of unthinkable loss. This is the perfect next read for fans of Jasmine Warga and Thanhhà Lại.
- Click here to borrow the book, ebook, or audiobook from Multnomah County Library.
- Buy the book at Powell's Bookstore.
- Buy the book, ebook, or audiobook at Barnes and Noble.
- Purchase the book on Amazon.
- Read a review of the book by clicking here!
Nálí. Her Solo
next to her bed her instrument sleeps
covered for the night like a bird in a cage
night passes...... the light returns
she pulls the cover away
dust motes dance in the air
she tunes her loom
strums the white parallel lines
with a flick of her wrist
each string must vibrate
layers of notes grow upward
tamp tamp tamp tamp
she listens for the right pitch
inserts the percussion fork into
the parallel lines that lead upward
she pulls down mountains, stars, lightning, storm patterns
tamp tamp tamp tamp
she is mythic soloist, storyteller, mathematician
her concert transforms us
we soften like lambskin
CUBISM FOR KIDS
For materials, you will need a sheet of drawing paper and markers.
(Image credit, Dora Maar, Portrait of Pablo Picasso, 1936, Oil on Canvas.)
Why are frogs so happy?
They eat whatever bugs them.
FOOD PANTRIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SURROUNDING AREA
One in six children in Oregon and SW Washington face food insecurity. Food insecurity can arise for anyone. Should you need a little help, or you want to give a little help, here is a list of nearby resources.
Search for food pantry by day and time open, using the Portland Free Food Calendar.
Urban Gleaners takes advantage of Oregon's bountiful harvests, making sure they don't go to waste, sharing food through a variety of free markets around the region. You can find those markets on their website. Find a location by clicking here.
St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 5415 SE Powell Blvd. Hours are on Fridays from 2-5pm and the entrance is in the rear of building. They use a lottery system to give out the initial entry numbers. Those who have arrived by 1:45 pm on Friday will be entered into the lottery. Those who arrive after 1:45pm will be given the next number available.
SVDP Our Lady of Sorrows, 5221 SE Knight street. Referral only. Call Portland Council for food box at 503-235-8431.
Groceries 4 Grout, 4028 SE 34th Ave. This food pantries is hosted every Friday at Kenilworth Presbyterian Church parking lot. The outdoor pantry is shopping-style, available to everyone and we invite people to bring their own bags. Call (503) 235-3977 with inquiries.
The Woodstock Food Pantry 4033 SE Woodstock, provides groceries on Fridays and Saturdays, between 12:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. to anyone who needs them. Drive-through or walk-up pantry. Cars – line up and stay in your car. Walkups – line up on the sidewalk.
The Francis Center 6535 SE 82nd provides food boxes Monday through Thursday from 10am -2pm. They ask that people gather one box per month, unless they're homeless, in which case, they can come once a week.
Kellogg Middle School Free Food Market, 3400 SE 69th Ave, is generally open on the 3rd Friday of every month (but they have added extra dates for November and December) and is open to the public (you do not have to have a student at Kellogg to attend). Please bring your own bag. The Kellogg pantry is open for these dates: November 7, 10, 14, 18, 21 & December 2, 5, 9, 12, 15, 19, from 4pm-6pm. For more information, email info@kelloggmsptsa.org.
Lane Food Pantry, 7200 SE 60th, in the back parking lot, is open both to school families and the public, every Tuesday from 3:30-5pm, and offers 3-5 days worth of food, including fresh produce, to all comers. Please do not arrive more than 15 minutes early for the safety of the students. The pantry is run in partnership between the SUN program, the Latino Network, and the Oregon Food Bank.
The Equitable Giving Circle provides food boxes, compiled with Black farmers, for BIPOC people in our area and provides home delivery.
Portland Open Bible Community Food Pantry, 3223 SE 92nd Avenue Portland, has an open pantry on Tuesday 4pm-7pm and Thursday 10am-1pm except on federal holidays. Online ordering is open 24 hours per day / 7 days per week (click here to order food online). Walk in, call (503) 442-8228, or visit their website for more information.
PDX Free Fridge is a community based and informed mutual aid effort to increase access to free food and vital supplies by creating a network of independent fridges and pantries in Portland, OR. Go to their website to find a fridge or pantry near you! (Note: this map is out of date, and is currently being updaated.)
Milk Crate Kitchen delivers meals twice a month. To learn more, click here for the Milk Crate Kitchen website.
During these unprecedented times, some local restaurants are stepping in to fill the gap. Click here for a list of local restaurants providing SNAP meals.
To research more resources, go to the Oregon Food Bank Food Finder, Findhelp.org, or the Multnomah County Food Assistance page which has been updated to include resources for folks on SNAP not getting their SNAP payments. Multnomah Education Service District has a document with a list of resources for SNAP beneficiaries, translated into multople languages. To donate food, consider the Portland Food Project, which will pick up shelf-stable food from your home and deliver it to food pantries.
FREE BREAKFAST/LUNCH FOR ALL STUDENTS
We have breakfast available for all Arleta students at no cost. Please join us!
The doors open at 7:45 and students eat in the cafeteria. Students are dismissed to class at 7:58 in order to be ready to learn at 8:00. Kindergarteners are walked to class by a staff member.
Remember, the cafeteria is supervised at 7:45, but no other areas on campus are. If you drop your student off for breakfast, please make sure they head directly to the cafeteria. Parents are welcome to hang out in the cafeteria while their students eat breakfast.
COLLINS GALLERY AT THE MAIN LIBRARY - THE ART OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS, NOW - NOV 30
Sept. 26 - Nov. 30, 2025
Explore how children’s book illustrations come to life in this exhibit highlighting the creative process and varied illustration styles. Featuring sketches, storyboards and final art from a wide range of Oregon illustrators, the show offers a behind-the-scenes look at how ideas evolve into finished images for young readers. Presented by the Oregon chapter of SCBWI (The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators).
The Collins Gallery is used for exhibits created by library personnel or by community members in cooperation with library personnel. Use of space by a community organization does not constitute an endorsement of the organization's beliefs by the library.
Central Library
801 SW 10th Avenue
Portland, OR 97205
503.988.5123
RIBBON PILLOW WORKSHOP AT HOLGATE LIBRARY - NOV 28
Fri Nov 28
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Holgate Library
Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with Native staff members at the library! Measure fabric, select ribbons, and sew a beautiful pillow in this workshop. No experience necessary, all supplies provided. Work at your own pace and craft away with your community!
This program is intended for a Native / Indigenous audience. Space is limited and registration is required. Click here to be taken to the event on the Multnomah County Library website.
STORYTIME AT POWELLS CITY OF BOOKS - NOV 29
Join us every Saturday for kids’ storytime. This week we’re reading The First Peoples by Maika Harper on Saturday, November 29th, at 10:30 am at our downtown store, 1005 W Burnside St. Portland, OR 97209. Click here for event website.
PICS AND PENGUINS - SENSORY FRIENDLY HOLIDAY PHOTOS - NOV 29
When: Saturday, November 29th 10am-4pm
Where: Zen Penguin Swim School - Clackamas
(Located inside Clackamas Day School)
16640 SE 82nd Dr, Clackamas, OR
Click here to register for the event.
What to Expect:
- Multiple seasonal backdrops - colorful rainbows, snowy scenes and festive spaces to interact with!
- Play-based photo invitations - no posing, no waiting, just natural smiles and space for movement
- Parent-led photos - bring your phone or camera and capture the moments that matter
- Special Confetti Zone - one area will feature a professional photographer to invite mom and dad in the photo and capture your family's playful side in action!
What Makes It Sensory Friendly:
No lines, no forced smiles, no stranger in a Santa suit - just you and your family moving at your own pace through a series of thoughtful scenes with gentle lighting, flexible space, and open-ended play for all comfort levels
NWCT'S WIZARD OF OZ - NOV 29 - JAN 4
"We're off to see the Wizard!" Join Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion on a classic adventure through Oz.
Northwest Children's Theatre's "Wizard of Oz" runs Nov 29- January 4, with 3pm and 11:30pm showings. Tickets to all shows at The Judy are general admission and can be purchased here for $30-$40 (sensory-friendly performances pay what you will). NWCT does participate in Arts for All, which offers $5 tickets to people receiving SNAP benefits.
FREE LUNCHTIME CONCERT - DEC 3
Jazz vocalist Hannah DiMo performs her annual Jazzy Christmas concert on Wednesday, December 3rd, from noon-1pm at The Old Church, 1422 SW 11th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97201. To RSVP for the concert, click here.
The Old Church, a theatre venue in Portland, presents Lunchtime FREE Concerts every FIRST and THIRD Wednesday of the month. Our gift to the community for over 56 years, join us in person or on our Youtube Channel.
Click Here for Hannah's Instagram. Watch the livestream of the concert on YouTube on The Old Church's YouTube Channel.
COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER PERFORMANCE - DEC 4
Amateur performers of acoustic Baroque, Classical and modern music get an opportunity to play for a small and supportive audience and provide a free concert to people in the community.
December 4, 2025, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm, at Community Music Center, 3350 SE Francis St, Portland, OR 97202
Meets the 1st Thursday of each month at 10:30 am through June 2026. This is a free, drop-in activity - no tickets or reservations required.
This is a 3rd party event supported by the CMC Space Use Grant program and funded by the Portland Parks Local Option Levy.
For more information about the event, contact: ds@gyromantic.com or call 971-328-1750.
MILWAUKIE UMBRELLA PARADE AND TREE LIGHTING - DEC 6
Join the Milwaukie holiday tradition of decorating umbrellas and parading through downtown ending with the lighting of the tree on Sat., Dec. 6, 2025.
Here are some details about how the Umbrella Parade works:
- The parade will convene in the South Downtown Plaza near the Post Office at 11222 SE Main St. (Keep in mind that Main St. will be closed from Washington St. south to 21st Ave. for the staging beginning at 12 p.m.)
- Everyone is welcome to decorate an umbrella and participate in the parade. No pre-registration is required.
- The parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. All participants who want to be part of the umbrella decorating contest must arrive by 4:15 p.m. The parade then travels north for four blocks on Main St. ending at historic city hall (10722 SE Main St.) where the tree will be lit around 5:15 p.m. All festivities will conclude at 6 p.m.
- Categories include Most Creative, Most Festive and Most Milwaukie. Upon arrival, look for the sign of the category that you want to be judged in and line up behind the sign. Each category includes prizes for both adults and children. All prizes will be awarded at just before the tree is lit at historic city hall.
- Hot drinks and sweet treats are available for free at historic city hall after the parade.
Win great prizes for best decorated umbrellas! Click here to go to the event page on the Milwaukie city website.
OMSI $5 SUNDAY - DEC 7
Admission to the museum on the first Sunday is $5 per person.
Tickets for Empirical Theater and Kendall Planetarium shows, tours of the USS Blueback Submarine, as well as select special exhibitions, can also be purchased for $5 per person on OMSI First Sundays.
We anticipate higher traffic on First Sundays and encourage guests to purchase tickets in advance online, particularly with the timed tickets for the feature exhibit.Click here to see the event on OMSI's website.
SOLVE FOSTER ROAD CLEAN-UP - DEC 13
You're invited to participate in a community-driven monthly litter cleanup initiative on SE Foster Road.
Happening every second Saturday, this is a chance for residents, patrons of Foster Road businesses, and environmental advocates to make a tangible difference.
We will be meeting up at 10am at Laurelwood Park, 6421 SE Foster Rd Portland, OR 97227 | Map Link.
The clean-up lasts from 10am-noon.
We will supply the necessary materials; participants are asked to bring their own water, dress for the weather, and bring their own generous energy.
Join us in keeping this vibrant street of small businesses looking its best!
MULTNOMAH COUNTY LIBRARY CULTURAL PASSES
The Multnomah County Library has cultural passes to allow free admission to select cultural institutions around Portland. To check out a cultural pass from the library and see the list of institution, please click the button below.
ARTS FOR ALL TICKETS
Anyone who gets food relief through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and has the Oregon Trail Card or Washington State Quest Card qualifies to purchase $5 tickets to theatre, arts, and culture events around Portland through the Arts for All program.
Arts For All envisions a community where everyone—regardless of financial resources—can experience and enjoy arts and culture.
Over a decade ago, Arts For All was founded by dedicated arts leaders to ensure Oregon Trail Card/SNAP recipients could access specific arts events for just $5 per ticket.
Click here to be taken to the Arts for All Website and to purchase tickets.
MULTNOMAH COUNTY LIBRARY EVERYBODY READS 2025-26
Everybody Reads is a community-wide project that promotes shared reading, discussion and creative engagement around a single book. This year's program pick is Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson' memoir Lovely One. Click here to reserve a copy of the book (libraries often also have copies for you to keep, so check your local library branch).
From January through March, join your community at libraries for events around the book. Attend programs about history, the law and civic engagement. Celebrate the themes of Lovely One with creative activities like musical performance and art-making. Click here to see a calendar of Everybody Reads events.
Click here to buy tickets to see Justice Jackson discuss her autobiography live with Literary Arts and ask her questions, on Thursday March 12 from 7:30-9:30pm, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (tickets $35-$85).
ADVOCATE FOR FUNDING QUICKLY WITH THE NATIONAL PTA
TAKE ACTION NOW and urge Congress to support a FY26 appropriations bill that includes adequate funding for education-related programs and restores the important work of the U.S. Department of Education.
PTA urges Congress to approve full funding for 2026 that includes robust federal investments for our nation's children, families and schools and retains the U.S. Department of Education and its core functions.
The U.S. Department of Education was created in 1867 and ensures equal access to education for all children in our nation. The Department is uniquely suited to administer programs and funding streams that serve students, families and schools that need it most, like IDEA and Title I, and its role and federal education-related funding is essential to improving academic outcomes and student well-being in our communities and across the country. The core functions of and programs administered by the Department of Education cannot be transferred, dismantled or diminished without having devastating impacts on the children, families and schools they serve.
There could not be a more urgent time for Congress to invest in education and protect the U.S. Department of Education.
Go to National PTA.org and email your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators to advocate for federal funding and to protect the U.S. Department of Education.
NEW HEALTH CURRICULUM OPEN HOUSE AND REVIEW SESSION
Community, staff, and students can attend this event to hear about this curriculum, ask questions, and give feedback. Please see details below/flyers attached.
Health Curriculum Review Session
Date: Wednesday, December 3rd
Presentation Time: 6-7 PM Click here to RSVP!
Open House Time: 10 AM - 8 PM
Location: Prophet Education Center 501 N. Dixon St. Portland, OR 97227
Food, interpretation, and childcare will be provided during the presentation from 6-7 PM. If you plan to attend the presentation, please RSVP so we can ensure interpretation and childcare needs are fully covered. The presentation is scheduled for one hour (6-7) and there will be extra time for questions and review of materials until 7:30 PM. For the open house, you can drop in anytime 10 AM - 8 PM to speak with the PPS Health team and review curricular materials. We hope to see you there!
ATTENDING SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
The School Board meets regularly at the school district's Dr. Matthew Prophet Education Center (Prophet Center), 501 N. Dixon Street, at 6:00 pm on select Tuesdays of each month - and on certain other occasions. Some scheduling changes do occur; if you plan to attend, please see below for the upcoming public meeting notices.
Under the provision of ORS 192.670 all meetings will be live-streamed at http://www.youtube.com/@ppsboardofeducation/live, except for those meetings that fall under the provisions set forth for executive sessions.
To subscribe to email notifications of public meeting notices, email kbradshaw@pps.net to request to be added to the email list. After an email address has been subscribed to the mailing list, a notice of a Public Meeting of the School Board will be sent before each scheduled meeting.
VACCINE RESOURCES FOR YOUR CHILD'S HEALTH FROM THE DISTRICT
Vaccines play a crucial role in protecting our students from serious illnesses and help keep our community safe. Parents/ Guardians of students who are due to receive vaccines should receive a letter in the mail. Please check if your child’s vaccinations are current, including their recommended flu shot, and contact your medical provider or any of the resources listed below.
Multnomah County Student Health Centers
Multnomah County Vaccination Clinic (English)
Email: ArletaSchoolPTA@gmail.com
Website: arletapta.org
Location: 5109 SE 66th Avenue
Phone: 503-916-6330
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArletaElementaryK5