DOLPHIN DIGEST 11/20/2025
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: 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.
TOMORROW - HONORING NATIVE PEOPLES MURAL CELEBRATION - NOV 21
Please also mark your calendars to join us for our Honoring Native Peoples Mural Celebration the Friday before conferences begin, Nov. 21st at 5 p.m.
Each child in our school will have their radial basket weaving on display, forming the border for our mural. Malcolm Pascua-O’Neill, our Plains Tribe Indigenous Artist, will be present, as will Lisa Jackson, Spotted Elk Oceti Ŝakowiŋ and Sheryl Moren, both former Arleta parents whose visions and efforts over the past four years created the possibility for the prominent indigenous art installation now hanging in our main hallway.
There will be drumming on the stage, and a casual Community Connect in the hallway to view and appreciate the mural. Malcolm will give a short overview of his process and the mural’s meaning. Our mural was also made possible through the contributions by Arleta Families to our Dolphin Dash which takes place each spring. Thank you Arleta Families and Caregivers.
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES NOV 24-25
Fall conferences are individual meetings between you and your child's (or children's) teacher(s). Conferences are an excellent time to learn how your child is settling into the school year, what they are finding success with and what they might be struggling with. It's an invaluable opportunity to discuss your child's needs with their teacher. This year, conferences are being held on November 24-25.
Each conference is 25 minutes long, and conferences start at 8am and end at 7:55 pm. Our staff will be at Arleta, but we can provide a virtual link if that’s better for your family. For families with more than one household, we ask you to schedule one conference per child. Students are welcome to join the meeting and individual teachers will share their conference structure through their classroom newsletter.
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.
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 & SOFT SERVE DINE-IN FUNDRAISER - DEC 7
SLOW DOWN AT FAST TIMES
Sunday 12/7 • 11 AM–2 AM
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, 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.
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."
COMMUNITY CARE THANK YOU!
Huge thanks to everyone who came out for Community Care Day! Arleta is looking fantastic thanks to the hard work and effort our community continues to show. We had more than ten families join us on Saturday, and together we tackled a ton of outdoor cleanup. Volunteers trimmed the large Douglas fir in the breezeway and hauled away a full truck load of branches, raked and removed an enormous amount of leaves, and picked up litter around the school grounds.
Your time, energy, and willingness to pitch in make a visible difference for our students and staff. We’re incredibly grateful for this community and everything you do to help keep Arleta welcoming, clean, and cared for.
¿ POR QUÉ NO? THANK YOU
A huge thank-you to everyone who came out for the ¿Por Qué No? Dine-In! Your support helped us raise $1,000 for Arleta — what an amazing community we have!
BOTTLE DROP HOLIDAY GIVE CAMPAIGN
Community BottleDrop Drop-Off Day
Bring your filled Blue Bags to Arleta TOMORROW, 11/21, and we’ll return them for you! Don’t forget to grab an empty bag for more holiday collecting.
Our next community drop-off day is MONDAY, 12/1.
Collect those cans and bottles — each deposited bag earns 20% extra through December 2!
SIGN UP TO SELL AT THE WINTER BAZAAR
Is your kid creative? Have they been asking for an opportunity to earn some pocket money?
Each year, Arleta School hosts our Winter Bazaar. Kids sell crafts, the PTA hosts a bake sale & raffle, and we all get to hang out in community, while doing a little winter shopping and enjoying each other's creativity and skills!
Tables are available to reserve starting now. If your child wants one, reserve quickly because space runs out fast!
BEAT THE BELL
For the week of Nov 20-14, we had 94% positive attendance (up from 92% the week before) and 112 tardies (up from 109 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:
- Get to bed on time, including grown-ups!
-
Fill backpack the night before, set by door
To get sluggish kids moving, try dance music (but beware of getting distracted!)
VOLUNTEER AT THE WINTER BAZAAR ON DEC 6
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.
Click the button below to sign up to pitch in and help out at the Arleta Winter Bazaar on December 6th!
DONATE ITEMS FOR THE WINTER BAZAAR RAFFLE
We need your help to make the raffle extra special! We’re looking for fun and unique items to raffle off—think spa or beauty services, vacation rentals, local craft goodies, and tasty food and beverage treats. If you or someone you know can contribute, we’d love to hear from you!
All donation offers should be sent to Arley Laman at arleyann@me.com.
ARLETA BAKERS UNITE FOR THE WINTER BAKE SALE
We still need festive baked goods for the Winter Bazaar Bake Sale! Please click the button below to sign up and contribute. The Arleta community loves gobbling up your amazing sweets and treats—thank you for your support!
VOLUNTEER WITH THE TOY DRIVE
Every year the Arleta PTA Inclusion Committee 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! Other holiday volunteer opportunities with the Inclusion Committee are also on the sign-up, so there are lots of ways to make a real difference to the Arleta community this holiday season. We have just a few slots still open on the 15th and 16th of December!
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 WITH ART
Each week our newsletter highlights different topics of interest and provide different resources for you to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. Week 1's newsletter explored stories and books. Last week we celebrated famous people past and present. This week we're exploring crafts you can do with your kids to help them learn more about diverse Native American cultures! Some of these may be fun to do on the long weekend.
It can be challenging to find crafts to do with your kids that help them explore Native Cultures in a way that values those cultures and does not trivialize important items of cultural and spiritual significance. We worked hard to put together the best resources that we could find to give your kids a hands-on learning experience.
The Museum of the American Indian is part of the Smithsonian Museums and offers some great videos that blend learning and crafting together. There are three below that you may enjoy doing with your kids.
Strawberries are an important plant to many Native American tribes. Watch the video below and learn about their significance, and make cute 3D paper strawberries using red and green construction paper, a ruler, hole punch, marker, scissors and string, watching this video.
Watch the video below and learn about the significance of corn to indigenous peoples and make corn husk dragonflies using corn husks, string, scissors, water, a bowl, towels, and washable markers.
Or learn to create sunflower bracelets using plastic beads, string, scissors, and a piece of tape, using the video below!
Additionally, learn about Hopi and Navajo Kachina dolls here and also here and then view this virtual exhibit from the Heard Museum of Kachina dolls (one is pictures in this newsletter article) with your kids. Give them paper and drawing utensils and draw together a design for their own Kachina doll, inspired by what they saw and learned.
Learn about Navajo looms at the Arizona Museum and scroll with your kids through this in depth collection of different patterns and styles of rugs made by Navajo weavers and compare it to this Navajo weavings timeline here. Then, get out watercolors and markers, and design your own rugs inspired by the patterns you looked at.
For younger students, grab some playdough and check out this petroglyph craft, and use it to talk about places of archeological significance around the US! For older students, read this Oregon Artswatch article about a current art exhibit in Astoria a local artist put together inspired by his great, great grandfather.
If getting creative with food is more your thing, try recipes here or here!
THE LAST CUENTISTA BY DONNA BARBARA HIGUERA - 2022 NEWBERY WINNNER
Había una vez . . .
There lived a girl named Petra Peña, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita.
But Petra’s world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children — among them Petra and her family — have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race.
Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet — and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity’s past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard — or purged them altogether.
Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?
Pura Belpré Honor-winning author Donna Barba Higuera presents us with a brilliant journey through the stars, to the very heart of what makes us human.
- Click here to borrow the book, ebook, or audiobook from Multnomah County Library.
- Listen to the first five chapters for free on YouTube.
- 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!
Autumn
In the dreamy silence
Of the afternoon, a
Cloth of gold is woven
Over wood and prairie;
And the jaybird, newly
Fallen from the heaven,
Scatters cordial greetings,
And the air is filled with
Scarlet leaves, that, dropping,
Rise again, as ever,
With a useless sigh for
Rest-and it is Autumn.
Two windmills are standing in a wind farm. One asks, "So, what's your favorite kind of music?"
The other one says, "I'm a big metal fan."
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
LEGO CLUB AT HOLGATE LIBRARY - NOV 21
Join us for a fun and imaginative LEGO building session from 3:30-4:30 at Holgate Library. We'll provide the building blocks, you bring the creativity! Ideal for grades K-5, but younger and older siblings are welcome. Click here to be taken to the event on the library website.
READ TO THE DOGS AT THE LIBRARY - NOV 21
Improve your reading skills and make a new friend by reading aloud to a therapy dog from 5:30-7:30pm on Friday the 21st at Woodstock Library. The dogs and handlers are from Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Dove Lewis Portland Area Canine Therapy Teams, Paws for Love, and Pet Partners®. For kids and teens. Call 503.988.5123 to register at Woodstock Library. Click here to be taken to the event for the 21st on the library webpage.
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.
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).
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.
NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL HEALTHY LIFESTYLES MONTH
Lets work together to support mental health, physical health and the environment around us! National PTA's Healthy Lifestyles initiative features approachable resources and interactive programs to encourage all pillars of living a healthy lifestyle. And follow National PTA's social media for special tips, insight and more!
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