DOLPHIN DIGEST 12/18/2025
Weekly Newsletter by Arleta School and Arleta 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
ARLETA FOOD PANTRY, CLOTHES CLOSET, & FAMILY TOILETRIES
Arleta has a small food pantry, clothes closet, and a variety of toiletries available for the use of any Arleta family. To set up an appointment to use the pantry or the closet, please email our SUN School Coordinator, Raina Bilbrew at rbilbrew@pps.net or raina.bilbrew@portlandoregon.gov or call or text her at 971-803-8986.
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: 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 weekly CSA food boxes, compiled by 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.
ARLETA SCHOOL BOOK FAIR ENDS TOMORROW!
Arleta's Winter Bookfair ends tomorrow, 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 have been visiting the fair with their class twice during the week when to shop or make wish lists to bring home. 20% of sales benefit the school library.
There aren't any toy-like items, but there are a beautiful selection of journals, pens, and bookmarks to inspire our young authors. And THANK YOU for your continued support for Arleta's library program. We also need parent volunteers to help Treasa with the book fair. To sign up to help out, please click here.
If you are able to help us provide books to all students this holiday season, please consider making a donation to our Winter Book Fair by clicking here!
To shop the Arleta Booksale online, click here. Online orders can be delivered to Arleta for free. Make sure Arleta Elementary receives credit for your purchase by choosing our school as a book fair item from the Book Fair drop down menu. This will get you free delivery to Arleta on any books or items that you purchase (and ensures Arleta gets that 20% of your purchase). 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.
BIPOC FAMILY GATHERING - JAN 8
Arleta's bi-monthly BIPOC Family Gathering is back in the new year on Thursday, January 8, 5:30-7pm, welcoming students, parents, and guardians. The group offers a safe space to talk, connect, and play. Come join us in the SUN Room, which is located in the main building past the gym. Dinner and kid activities will be provided.
Please RSVP and send any questions to Arleta's SUN Recreational Coordinator, Raina Bilbrew at rbilbrew@pps.net. Please let us know if you would like a translator.
FRIED EGG I'M IN LOVE DINE-OUT - JAN 9
Join us at Fried Egg I’m In Love—known for Portland's best breakfast sandwiches. Come eat well and support Arleta!
Friday, January 9 • 7:30am–3:00pm • 10% of all sales • 3549 SE Hawthorne Blvd
The Hawthorne location serves up crave-worthy breakfast sandwiches, breakfast burritos, and crispy hash brown patties—plus delicious coffee, mimosas, and Bloody Marys. Check out their menu here. See you there!
WINTER CONCERT MUSICAL SUCCESS!
Thank you to Mr. Cunningham, and all the third, fourth, and fifth graders who worked so hard to put on a rousing concert for family and friends.
As always, Mr. Cunningham's selections were a treat. Third graders charmed the audience with their renditions of "Blackbird", "Hit the Road, Jack" and "La Bamba". Fourth graders found sweet success singing selections from The Velvet Underground, Lilo and Stitch, and Rachel Platton. Fifth graders dazzled with their encore of "Blackbird", as well as "Brave" by Sarah Bareilles and the Japanese folk song "Sakura". And as always, everyone was impressed by the jazz/rhythm and blues/classical/folk recorder portion for the third and fourth graders! The fifth graders wowed the audience with their ukelele renditions of "Party in the USA" by Katy Perry, "Riptide" by Vance Joy, and "Lost Boys" by Ruth B. We're so lucky to have such a vibrant music program.
Performer Inez D’Andrea (5th) tells the Digest, "It was really fun and Mr Cunningham is a really great music teacher."
Many thanks to Mr. Cunningham!
ARLETA BOOK CLUB BEGINS!
Our Arleta Community Anxious Generation book club is launching! Books are in and we are distributing them this week. So far we have 33 participants representing 27 students! More representation from 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th grade families would be great, and all are still welcome. Please let us know if you'd like to join by filling out this Google Form or calling the office to give us your name:. 503.916.6330. Every family that participates receives a free copy of the book.
BEAT THE BELL
For the week of December 8-12, we had 90% positive attendance (down from 93% the week before) and 132 tardies (down from 146 the week before)..
Looking for some tips to help you get out of the door on time? Check back here each week for ideas.
This week's tips:
- Avoid electronics entirely for a more restful evening and a distraction-free morning.
- Don’t try to do “one more thing”; you’ve done enough!
- Have a family meeting and ask kids for ideas about getting out the door
VOLUNTEER TO LEAD LITTER PICK-UP IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY
We're seeking someone to organize our monthly litter pick-up in January and February. It only takes 30 minutes and usually happens on the second Thursday of the month. Please sign up on Konstella!
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).
WATERCRESS, BY ANDREA WANG - 2022 NEWBERY HONOR BOOK
A story about the power of sharing memories—including the painful ones—and the way our heritage stays with and shapes us, even when we don’t see it.
While driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl’s Chinese immigrant parents spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. They stop the car, grabbing rusty scissors and an old paper bag, and the whole family wades into the mud to gather as much as they can.
At first, she’s embarrassed. Why can’t her family just get food from the grocery store, like everyone else? But when her mother shares a bittersweet story of her family history in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged—and the memories left behind in pursuit of a new life.
Get The Book
- 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.
- Go to the author's website!
- Read a review of the book here.
GOT A CHILD IN OBOB?
Click here to borrow any OBOB book from Multnomah County Library, or you can order them from Powells Bookstore (OBOB books are now 20% off at Powell's)!
Would you like to recommend a book for next year's OBOB list? Submit your recommendation here now through February 20th. Click here to read their book recommendation criteria.
Arleta's OBOB finals are on Tuesday Mar 3, 2026 ⋅ 2:30pm – 4pm.
OBOB practices are on Thursdays, from 2:30pm to 4:30pm starting Jan 15, through to Thursday Feb 19.
Be Still In Haste
How quietly I
begin again
from this moment
looking at the
clock, I start over
so much time has
passed, and is equaled
by whatever
split-second is present
from this
moment this moment
is the first.
MAKE A PAPER PLATE SNOWGLOBE
Two paper plates, watercolor, acryllic, tempora paint and/or markers, a piece of plastic (like, from a freezer bag), glue, scissors, white paper and a hole punch, and a sheet of dark construction paper.
(Alternatively, as in the picture, you can use construction paper collage and pom-poms instead).
I can't believe I got fired from the calendar factory. All I did was take a day off.
NWCT'S WIZARD OF OZ- NOW THROUGH 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.
SE PORTLAND LITTLE LEAGUE REGISTRATION OPEN
Southeast Portland Little League (SEPLL) is a nonprofit dedicated to providing baseball and softball opportunities for youth ages 4-16 in a fun, inclusive environment. We welcome players of all skill levels and focus on skill development, teamwork, and fair play. Community is at the heart of SEPLL. By giving kids a place to learn, grow, and connect, we’re building a stronger community—on and off the field.
Registration is now open for Spring teams. Click here to learn more and to register!
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).
RESOURCES FOR DISCUSSING VIOLENCE AND RACISM WITH YOUR CHILDREN FROM EMBRACERACE
The nonprofit EmbraceRace has put together a list of helpful resources for growing violence affecting children in our community. They write:
"The truth is as adults and caregivers we can’t 100% guarantee safety for kids. But we can let them know with our words and actions that we will do everything we can to protect them and help them thrive. We can acknowledge hard realities and provide tools for resilience, healing and community. We can create, with kids, a positive vision of the world we want to live in and take steps to get there – running when we can, walking when we must."
Action Guides & Articles
How to talk to kids after incidents of mass violence
by Anatasia Kim, PhD7 Ways to Highlight Resistance Efforts When Discussing Oppression with Children
by Mia BirdsongSame/Same/Different: How to Build an Inclusive Kindergarten
by Madeleine Rogin
Webinar Videos
Managing Racial Stress and Teaching Kids to Do the Same
with Drs. Riana Elyse Anderson and Shawn C.T. Jones
Teaching and Learning About Race: Fantastic Practice in the Early Years
with Victor Bradley and Verónica ReynosoTeaching and Learning About Race: Fantastic Practice in Late Elementary School
with Drs. Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn and Onnie RogersUsing Books to Engage Young Children in Talk about Race & Justice
with Tandem, Partners in Early Learning
I BELONG STUDENT ART EXHIBIT ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS
Oregon PTA is excited to celebrate the art, identity, and belonging of all children and teens across Oregon. We invite K–12 students statewide to submit original artwork for a special exhibition at the 2026 Oregon PTA Convention, taking place in April 2026 in Clackamas.
Inspired by National PTA’s Reflections theme, “I Belong”, this exhibition will honor the power of creativity, student voice, and artistic expression.
We are looking for submissions from a diverse range of artists from K-12 schools that showcase the creativity of our students. Students can use a variety of art forms, such as visual arts, literature, photography, music composition, dance choreography, or film production, to reflect on any and all ways they feel a sense of belonging.
With this exhibition, Oregon PTA hopes to shine a light on how powerful and essential belonging is for all of us—especially for the children and teens growing up in today’s world.
Students, PTAs, or communities can submit art electronically through this form, or please contact us to submit physical artwork. Artwork should be submitted by February 3rd, 2026.
We also call on all PTAs and school communities to hold their own “I belong” art exhibition this year. Official Reflections posters from National PTA are available for pick-up at the Oregon PTA office in SE Portland (please email office@oregonpta.org to schedule an appointment). Digital resources are also available at https://www.pta.org/home/programs/reflections/startyourprogram.
If you are interested in helping us celebrate our artists or for any questions, please reach out to us at reflections@oregonpta.org.
Your art belongs, and so do you!
Rules
- Each entry must be the original work of a student at a school in Oregon.
- We recommend that artwork in various art forms stay within the parameters set by National PTA for the official Reflections program here.
- While we are aligning with the National PTA Reflections theme, Oregon PTA is currently not participating in the official National PTA Reflections contest.
- We intend to display a wide variety of submitted artwork; the final decision about the display of any art at the Oregon PTA convention is at the discretion of the Oregon PTA.
- Ownership in any submission shall remain the property of the entrant, but entry into this program constitutes entrant’s irrevocable permission and consent that PTA may display, copy, reproduce, enhance, print, sublicense, publish, distribute and create derivative works for PTA purposes. PTA is not responsible for lost or damaged entries.
- Submission of entry into the PTA Reflections program constitutes acceptance of all rules and conditions.
STUDENT AND ADULT REPRESENTATIVES NEEDED FOR PAC FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF DONATIONS FOR STAFFING
The PAC is a committee that reports to the PPS Board of Education, and makes a recommendation on how to spend privately fundraised dollars from The Fund for PPS’s Champion PPS Schools. Learn More at Strategic Partnerships / Parent Advisory Committee (PAC): Distribution of Donations for Staffing. Meetings will be online/virtual.
Here is the proposed meeting schedule:
2026 PAC Meeting Schedule (Proposed)
Wednesday, January 14
5:00-6:00 PM
Wednesday, February 11
5:00-6:00 PM
Wednesday, March 11
5:00-6:00 PM
Wednesday, April 8
5:00-6:00 PM
Wednesday, May 13
5:00-6:00 PM
Wednesday, June 10
5:00-6:00 PM
Thank you to those who have already applied, and you will hear from us soon; however, we still need more representatives. Please click on the appropriate link below and complete the brief application if you are interested in serving on this committee:
ADULT APPLICATION- Seeking one parent/caregiver from each of the following schools or the feeder schools to: Franklin, Lincoln, McDaniel and Roosevelt.
STUDENT APPLICATION- Seeking two high school student representatives.
GET INVOLVED! BECOME A SCHOOL LIASON!
The nonprofit organization The Fund for PPS has launched a campaign called Champion PPS Schools to make collective impact with fundraised dollars. In the 2025-26 school year Champion donated $930,000 across the district for high impact tutoring in grades K-3, math supports for grade 9, and food pantries in 20 PPS community schools.
Learn More in our 2024-2025 Annual Report posted at fundforpps.org!
We need people from each school community to act as liaisons -- points of contact -- to The Fund for PPS. We want to hear what's going on at your school and how to engage your school community. Join us to expand the network of "Champions" and help us build a districtwide community focused on improving the academic experience for our kids and expanding fundraising so Champion PPS Schools can continue to invest in our schools and students! Thank You!
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