DOLPHIN DIGEST 8/27/2026
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
Dear Arleta Students,
I'm so excited to start our 2026-27 school year with you!
Guess what I love most about being your principal?
- Getting to see you every school day!
- Listening to your thoughts and questions.
- Learning what you're learning.
- Seeing you smile.
- Learning with your families and our Arleta staff.
Here's something I hope you will think about, as we start our new year together: Our Arleta motto is: "I am because we are." What do you think it means? Here's a challenge: What does "I am because we are" mean to you? Would you draw me a picture or write me a note to show me what you think? And guess what? I'll write back to you! Just give your letter to your teacher or ask your grown-up to help you bring it to the office.
We're all part of Arleta! Ever student and staff member at our school has a shirt with our motto on it. On Early Release Wednesdays, we'll wear our Arleta shirts to school for our cross-age buddies and class-led assembles. Our first Arleta Shirt Day is Wednesday, September 16!
A special hello to everyone who is new to Arleta this year1 I'm so glad you're here. And to all of our returning Arleta students: if you see someone who looks a little shy or alone, I hope you'll say hello, invite them to join you, or give them a friendly smile. I am because we are.
I can't wait to see each of you at 7:53 every morning!
Love,
Ms. Hawking.
A NOTE FROM OUR NEW SCHOOL LIBRARIAN
My name is Aubrey Pagenstecher and I am so excited to be joining the Arleta community as your new teacher librarian! I'm looking forward to getting to know your students and making sure the library is a place where they can find answers, something great to read, inspiration, and a space to belong.
About me: I am a graduate of PPS and the mom of a rising PPS 2nd grader. Before realizing a lifelong dream of becoming a librarian, I was a Pre-K-1st grade teacher for 15 years in PPS. When I'm not reading, I'm often hiking outdoors, camping, hiking, and biking.
I will be at Arleta on Mondays and Wednesdays. Monday classes include: Cooke, Havran, Williams, Jacobs, Hedlund. Wednesday classes include: Bidney, Noah, Doyle, Katherine, Maggie. You can view the library schedule here. You can see the catalogue here. Questions? You can reach me at apagenst@pps.net. Volunteers always welcome!
"School libraries are sacred magical spaces. They're places where you can fee l safe to explore worlds different from your own. They're also a safe place to tackle tough questions about your own world. School libaries are essential and life-changing. They're places where every type of kid deserves to feel safe and welcomed."
-Jasmine Warga
THE LOW-DOWN ON SCHOOL MEALS
We are happy that Nutrition Services will again provide Free Meals for all Portland Public Schools students: one breakfast and one lunch per day at no charge. Families do not need to apply for meal benefits.
Meal Requirements: To qualify as a complete meal, students must select at least a ½ cup of fruit at breakfast, and at least a ½ cup of fruit or vegetable at lunch.
No ID Cards Needed: Students do not need to enter ID numbers or use meal cards. Our staff will click and log each reimbursable meal as it is served.
Menus & Allergens: Menus and allergy details are available on the Nutrition Services website at Nutrition Services.
Milk: Students bringing lunch from home who want milk must also select two other food items (like a fruit and a vegetable) to complete the meal to receive it at no charge. Milk cannot be purchased by itself.
Adult Meals: Kitchen teams cannot accept cash or checks. Staff, visitors, and volunteers can purchase meals by creating a School Cafe account, or by mailing/dropping off a check or money order payable to Portland Public Schools at the Prophet Education Center (501 N. Dixon St. Portland, OR 97227).
School Recess and Lunch Times:
K-2 Recess: 11:10-11:25
K-2 Lunch: 11:25-11:45
3-5 Recess: 11:35-11:50
3-5 Lunch: 11:50-12:10
GIRLS ON THE RUN REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
Back by popular demand, we are bringing the nonprofit, Girls on the Run, to Arleta for a third year!
The program is open to all girls in third through fifth grade. Volunteer coaches will teach lessons in walking and running, along with lessons in building confidence, fostering friendships, self-love and self-care, and social problem-solving skills. At the end of the season, the team will compete in a 5k run and a Community Impact Project. The goal is to experience a sense of connection and belonging, as a team.
Assistant coach Giselle Edwards says, "Excited to be a part of this program at Arleta, it has been wonderful to see my child participate in past years and build confidence and community with the others in the program. Looking forward to a season of fun and hard work with our group!"
Important Dates for Girls on the Run
Registration Opens: August 26 Click here to register your child!
Registration Closes: September 28th
Practices: September 21st-November 9th, Mondays and Wednesdays 2:30-4:14 9/22-11/22
The registration fee is $20-$195 on a sliding scale, with financial assistance from the Arleta PTA available. For questions email Lisa Hugelier at lisa.hugelier@gmail.com.
Check out the Girls on the Run website for more information about the organization and their work, and click here to register you child for the program at Arleta!
BEAT THE BELL
It can be hard to get little ones out the door in the morning, but prompt school attendance is so important for learning. Just five minutes late per day adds up to missing over three days of instruction per school year. Getting kids in their seats and ready to learn on time starts them out on the right foot, in sync with their peers instead of starting the day already struggling to catch up. This column will give you weekly tips and tricks for getting to school on time.
This week's tips for getting to school on time:
- Give up on hair. We promise not to judge!
- Take advantage of free school breakfast; it’s earlier but some people swear by it!
- Talk about the band and what you hope they’ll play; sing one of their songs
TODAY & TOMORROW COFFEE CONNECTION FOR KINDERGARTEN AND 1ST GRADE - AUG 27,28
The PTA is bringing coffee and cups to the picnic tables after drop-off, starting at 7:50am today August 27th and tomorrow August 28th. If you're a kindergarten or first grade parent looking for a little community connection, let's sit over a cuppa and decompress!
STREET MURAL PROJECT INSTALLATION - AUG 30
Help us bring creativity to our community this summer! We’re installing a vibrant, colorful street mural on SE 66th near Arleta Elementary on August 30th! This art will enhance bicycle safety, celebrate our local Foster/Mt Scott community, Arleta Elementary Dolphin pride, and brighten the neighborhood.
Come join us in creating a street mural as a welcome back to the school on Sunday, August 30th from 9:30am-3:30pm. Sign in at 9:30 to help with a shift of painting. There will be a potluck starting at noon. Bring a dish to share or paper goods, and something to sit on. Our plan will be to begin clean-up by 3:30. Reach out to Caity at caitlin.casebolt@fulbrightmail.org with any questions regarding the potluck. Questions about the street mural? Email ArletaStreetArtProject@gmail.com.
POPSICLES IN THE PLAYGROUND - SEP 4
The PTA is hosting popsicles & yard games at the playground on Friday, September 4 from 6-7pm. We’ll have a variety of lawn games ready for you to play, but of course, you're welcome to bring any additional games you’d like.
Bring your kids, get treats, play games, connect with other parents and kids, learn how the PTA supports Arleta and find out how you can participate!
LITTER PICK-UP - SEP 4
Once a month, Arleta families gather at the picnic tables to help pick up litter around the school. This helps keep the school grounds a clean, safe, enjoyably place for our kids to play. Volunteers meet on the first Fridays of the month 2:30-3pm. Many thanks to Savannah Dombeck for leading this group of do-goodeers!
The first litter-pick up of the year is this Friday, September 4, from 2:30-3:00pm. Grabbers, gloves, and bags will be provided!
BACK2SCHOOL NIGHT - SEP 10
Back2School Night is a district-wide event (the events can happen on different days, but each school has them) that is held in order to introduce parents to their students’ new teachers and for parents to get to know a little bit about the teacher, the classroom, and what their children will be learning about. Back2School Night is a good time to ask questions or share your ideas with all/any of our staff.
Arleta's Back2School Night is Thursday, September 10 from 5:30-7pm. From 5:30-6pm we will gather in front of the school and hear opening remarks and welcomes from Principal Lisa and others. From 6pm-7pm parents will go to their child or children's classroom for presentations, a tour of the classroom, and a chance to ask more detailed questions about your kid's learning experience this year!
Each classroom's presentation is a 1/2 hour long, so if you have more than one child (or you arrived late for the presentation) you can switch to a new classroom for the second presentation at 6:30pm!
Please come and meet your teacher(s), learn what your child will be learning this year, and celebrate the new school year with us!
NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING - SEP 15
The next school board meeting is Tuesday, September 15, from 6-8pm at the Dr. Matthew Prophet Education Center 501 N Dixon St. Portland, OR 97227. As always, a recording will be up on their YouTube channel. Click here to see directions, the meeting agenda, and a link to the YouTube recording.
Requests to provide public comment can be made via email to publiccomment@pps.net or by calling the Board Office at 503-916-3741. Requests should include:
Full name
Pronouns
Topic (required)
Meeting requested (date and title)
School community
Phone number and whether text communication is okay
Whether you are a student
Whether you plan to attend in person or virtually
Requests must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting.
ARLETA NEURODIVERGENT FAMILY GATHERING - SEP 17
We’re excited to welcome Arleta familes to our first Neurodivergent Family Gathering of the school year. Arleta Neurodivergent Family Gatherings are every two months and bring neurodivergent students and their families together to bond over pizza and playing. The group offers a safe space to talk, connect, and play.
The first Arleta Neurodivergent Family Gathering of 2026-27 is on Thursday September 17, from 5:30-7pm in the Arleta 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.
PICTURE DAY - SEP 23
Picture Day is coming up. On September 23rd, get your little one all gussied up for their school pictures. Order forms will come home soon and may be returned to the office, or you can order online starting September 2nd and for up to four (4) days after picture day. Here are some helpful tips to make picture day great!
Schedule haircuts 7-10 days prior to picture day!
Wear simple clothing. Solid shirts or small patterns, along with sleeves, photograph best.
Avoid logos and text on clothing. Graphics or wording may not photograph completely and can become partially cropped out of your picture.
Student photos will be taken between 8am and noon. We usually need one or two parents to help escort kids to and fro, so if you can help out, please contact Nicole in the office at
nfrancois@pps.net> or call her at 503-915-6330.
JOIN A NEW TEAM OF CLASSROOM VOLUNTEERS
The Arleta PTA is committed to SUPPORT our teachers, and we are looking to build out a more robust support system for the classrooms in the year ahead: a team of parents helping teachers to organize classrooms, put together project supplies, and tutor students, including specials. Our goal is to work together to meet the teachers needs with PPS's new blended classroom model. Commitments can be regular and periodic and fit your schedule. If you are interested in learning more and getting involved please:
- Get your PPS background check completed (will be required).
- Join us in an Arleta parent run teacher support model by filling out this form.
LOOKING FOR PARENT LUNCH AND RECESS MONITORS
We are looking for 2-3 volunteers each day from 10:45am to 12:30pm to help monitor the playground and assist in the lunch room. This is a fun way to get to know the students and staff and help make sure that the kids get lunches in their bellies and some running around and playtime under their belts before heading back to class!
Can you commit to one day a week, or an occasional lunch time?
K-2 Recess and Lunch: 11:10--11:45
3-5 Recess and Lunch: 11:35-12:10
Visit the PPS website to start your application and screening process. (Once approved, your application is good for three years).
Click the button below to sign up!
Poems are little packets of creative writing: stories, details, thoughts that quickly and intensely explore little and big life experiences. Reading a poem to your child is a great way to promote literacy and to start conversations about things that your child notices and what's important to them. Each week, we feature a different poem that you are your child can read together.
CATCH UP ON YOUR VACCINES
Immunizations are among the most effective and cost efficient ways to prevent vaccine-preventable disease and protect the health of the public.
Here is a link to fill our your child's Oregon Certificate of Immunization Status to track your child's immunizations!
Here is a link to see more about immunization requirements and immunization rates per school, per school year.
If you have difficulty accessing immunization for your child, please consider the following available resources!
Multnomah County’s Year-Round Immunization Clinics
- All children ages 5-18 can get free vaccines at any location
- Located at local high schools, but a student doesn’t need to attend school there to get care
- We accept all types of insurance and serve the uninsured
Student Health Centers provide many services including:
- COVID-19 vaccines and testing
- Routine physical exams, including sports physicals
- Early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of illness and injury
- Vision, dental, and blood pressure screenings
- Immunizations
- Mental health services
- Age-appropriate reproductive health
- Routine lab tests
- Prescription medications
- Health education, counseling, and wellness promotion
- Fitness and nutrition education and counseling
- Referrals for health care services not provided at the clinics
- Low or no-cost vaccinations for children, including uninsured
- Call 503-988-5558 to make a new patient appointment
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.
Email: ArletaSchoolPTA@gmail.com
Website: arletapta.org
Location: 5109 SE 66th Avenue
Phone: 503-916-6330
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArletaElementaryK5