Bulldog Bulletin

We had our first rainy day of school, so I wanted to remind our families of what to be prepared for in regards to recess.

• Always send your child to school with a rain jacket – You just never know in Oregon!

• K-2 students also benefit from having a ziplock bag in their cubbies with a full change of clothes in it, just in case.

• If your child comes home soaked after playing in puddles or downspouts, please trust that our staff did everything we can to encourage better choices, but it’s impossible to prevent them from enjoying the rain if they really want to.

• As Oregonians, indoor recess does not happen very often.

• Indoor AM/PM recess takes place in the classroom with the teacher, but they're only required to do so if extreme weather conditions are creating a safety hazard (e.g. lightning, intense hail, etc.).

• Lunch-recess is when teachers have their duty-free lunch, so an emergency indoor recess would need to be in the gym instead of the classrooms.

• Each teacher will decide whether or not umbrellas are allowed at recess.

• K-2 teachers typically do not allow umbrellas due to their developmental age and the fact that they struggle to open/close them, or they quickly become toys.

• An umbrella may be taken away by staff if a student is not using it properly and/or is creating disruptions at recess with it.

All schools will be closed on Monday, September 7th for Labor Day.

Our first fire evacuation drill is scheduled for Tuesday, September 8th at 1:35pm. PPS requires all schools to practice specific emergency drills each month. Richmond's monthly emergency drill calendar can be found here.

Prior to the evacuation drill, teachers will provide a mini lesson to students on the expectations and purpose of each drill. (For lockdown drills, an additional trauma-informed mini lesson is provided by School Counselor Ms. Matty to our youngest students. More info to come soon!)

At the start of every emergency drill I will get on the intercom to warn students that we are about to begin a drill. I will also explain that a drill is only for practice, and there is no real danger in the building. However, it is important to practice seriously so we know what to do in a real emergency.

During my intercom announcement teachers will offer noise-reducing headphones to students who may benefit from them. If your child has sensitivities to loud noises, providing a pair of headphones from home can also be helpful, and your child can keep them in their cubby or locker.

Our goal for fire evacuation drills is to evacuate the building in less than 4 minutes at voice level zero (silent) so that students can hear any new directions provided by teachers during the evacuation.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding our emergency drills, please check out the PPS website, or email me at setotharp@pps.net.

PPS bus drivers will teach a mini lesson on bus evacuations on Wednesday, September 9th. The lesson and drill will take place during morning arrival prior to releasing students to their classes. Only students riding the bus that morning will actively participate in the drill.

Students who do not ride a bus to school on 9/9 will not actively participate in the drill, but they can review this info from PPS.

All students with submitted bus plans via their Permanent After School Dismissal Plan should have a bus tag attached to their backpack. If there are any changes, like adding a bus, bus stop, contact person, etc., please feel free to update the bus tag at home.

If your child is new to the bus after 9/2/26, and it is a permanent change, and they do not yet have a bus tag, please email Sarah in the office sweber@pps.net and we will make one for them.

Get those haircut appointments scheduled and outfits picked out for picture day! Sung Kokko is a local Asian-owned business and they have provided the BEST school photos for our families. As a parent myself, I was very pleasantly surprised by their ability to capture both of my kids' unique personalities in every photo.

PPS Superintendent Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong is scheduling school visits with principals this Fall in an effort to learn more about our schools. I have scheduled my visit with Dr. Armstrong at Richmond on Thursday, September 24th. This is an opportunity for me to show Dr. Armstrong why Richmond means so much to our community.

I will be partnering with our PTA on finding creative ways to welcome Dr. Armstrong on 9/24. Please keep an eye out for requests from our PTA to help decorate our school with photos, banners and collages that let Dr. Armstrong know why Richmond's JDLI program means so much to us. Thank you in advance for your support. 🙏

Hello Richmond Families!

We could use a few more volunteers to help out in the library this school year!

If you would like to volunteer in the Richmond School please contact Ms. Kali Cardenas at kcardenas@pps.net and fill out the following form Richmond Library Volunteering Form. You will need to pass the PPS Background Check to be able to volunteer.

Thank you so much!

-Ms. Kali Cardenas, Teacher-Librarian

Tuesdays-Fridays at Richmond Elementary School

Girls on the Run is coming to Richmond! This afterschool program helps girls build confidence, develop friendships, and learn important life skills through fun activities, movement, and meaningful conversations. At the end of the season, the team works together to complete a community service project and a non-competitive 5k. No running experience is necessary, and all abilities are welcome!

• The 8 week season is 9/21/26 - 11/13/26.
• Practice days are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-4:00 at Richmond.
• Participant registration is a sliding scale from $20 - $230.

REGISTER HERE before September 14th! There are 15 participant slots available.

Registration will be in lottery status for the first week. Once they run the lottery, if there are more than 15 participants registered, the system will randomly choose the participants who are accepted. If the team is at 15 or below, it will accept all registered participants and open to first come first serve registration through the first week of practices.

Visit gotroregon.org/programs to learn more or email programs@gotroregon.org with any questions.

Richmond's school counselor Ms. Matty is Richmond's Site Liaison, so you can also reach out to her if you have questions at mspain@pps.net.

Save the date! 9/19 @ 11:00-2:00

Oya No Kai is hosting a community building potluck at Mt. Scott Park w/ an option to Roller Skate! Come eat, drink, skate and learn more about all the programs Oya No Kai has to offer.

Please Join us at Mt. Scott Park (picnic site D) and the Mt. Scott Community Center for a FREE community building event for all JDLI families! Bring your favorite dish to share, meet fellow community members, and learn what Oya No Kai has to offer.

For more questions reach out to Bennett Frazier @ bennett.frazier@oyanokai.org.

Roller Rink time and Skate rentals are included! Due to capacity Please limit your rink time to the time slot you signed up for.

Become an Oya No Kai Member Today! https://oyanokai.org/membership/