Duniway Dispatch

• September 14: Fall Session begins for Some After School Classes
• September 16: Early Release Day - all students dismissed at 11:50 a.m.
• September 17-18: Picture Days
• September 24: Duniway Back to School Night, 6-7:30 p.m.
• September 25: School Spirit Day- Duniway Gear/Colors Day (purple & white) + The Duniway Open Golf Tournament

• October 2: Fund Run
• October 9: Schools Closed - Statewide Inservice Day
• October 12-16: Book Fair
• October 21: Early Release Day, 11:50 a.m. dismissal
• October 22: Picture Retakes
• October 23: Principal's Coffee , 8 a.m. in the Cafeteria
• October 28: Family Literacy Night - 6:00-7:30pm
• October 29-30: Schools Closed - Grading and Planning Days

PPS District Calendar 2026-27

Hello Families,

Happy Friday and I hope you all have had a good week. We have had a good week at Duniway as we had our third week of school. It has been great seeing students settling into their classes and getting more used to the routines of a new school year. This week many of our students completed a new diagnostic reading assessment through "I-Ready" and next week they will move on to Math (with the exception of Kindergarten). Our students have completed I-Ready Math Assessments for several years and this is the first year they will take the I-Ready assessment in Reading. Like in Math, students will take the assessment in the fall, winter and spring and these assessments provide us with important information about students academic levels and their growth. Here is more information about the I-Ready Inform assessments.

This has also been an exciting week with the arrival of bikes, balance bikes and scooters at Duniway for a series of Bike Safety lessons in our PE classes. I want to send a huge shout out to our new PE Teacher Meghan Austin who has taken the lead in teaching these lessons. We have been supported by Metro and PBOT in providing the bikes and the bike safety curriculum. Also, thank you to the many parent volunteers who have turned out to support these lessons.

Looking ahead to next week, we will have our first early release day on Wednesday and our first school wide assembly. Also, we will have Picture Days on Sept 17 & 18. I wish you all an enjoyable weekend (that hopefully be smooth for us with the pending partial closure of I-5).

Sincerely,

John Melvin

One of Duniway’s favorite traditions — and one of our PTA’s biggest fundraisers of the year – is coming up on Friday, October 2nd. Duniway students will take to the field to run, walk, or jog as many laps as they can during their grade’s designated time.

Fundraising begins this week! Every pledge helps support the programs, activities, and resources our PTA funds for students throughout the year. We encourage every family to participate in whatever way works for them, and to invite family, friends, and neighbors to join in giving, too.

Ready to pledge?

1. Visit the Duniway Fund Run RallyUp page [duniwayelementary.rallyup.com/fundrun]

2. Click “Donate”

3. Choose either “Make a per-lap pledge” or “Make a flat fee donation”

4. Search for your student by first name, last name, or class. You can add pledges for multiple students before checking out.

5. Share your student’s fundraising page with family, friends, and neighbors!

Wondering how many laps to expect? Most students complete between 6–14 laps. Last year, one student ran 18! If you choose a per-lap pledge, your final donation will be calculated after the Fund Run based on the number of laps your student completes.

A quick note about the RallyUp “tip”: RallyUp will ask you to leave an optional tip at checkout. This tip does not go to Duniway. It goes directly to RallyUp, in addition to the fee Duniway already pays to use the platform. You are welcome to select no tip.

A reminder that Wednesday, September 16th, is an Early Release Day.

ALL students will be dismissed at 11:50 a.m.

• Lunch will be served.

• Buses will run their regular after school routes with stops scheduled approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes earlier than usual.

All student portraits will be on a private password protected site online for convenient viewing and ordering. If you do not want your student’s photos online you must e-mail Holland Studios at info@hollandstudios.com your request by 3:00pm on September 14th . Include your student’s name, grade, and school.

When the photos are ready for viewing, we will send an email out with the sign in, password, and the packages. You will order online and they will be delivered to your home.

Please feel free to contact the studio with any questions.

Thank you,

Holland Studios

503.238.5957

info@hollandstudios.com

www.hollandstudios.com

From 7:15-7:45 a.m. on both Thursday and Friday, September 17 and 18, the photographers will be available to take sibling photos on a first come, first served basis. We appreciate your patience as we pilot this option for families. Be aware that there may be a wait and mindful of others that may be waiting behind you.

All portraits will be on the private password protected site online for convenient viewing and ordering. When the photos are ready for viewing, we will send an email out with the sign in, password, and the packages. You will order online and they will be delivered to your home.

The Duniway Educational Foundation is proud to partner with our teachers and dedicated community members to kick off year 2 of our volunteer support program that meets the specific instructional needs of our classrooms. With Foundation funding, we’ll provide specialized training for volunteers, enabling them to confidently and effectively assist teachers during instructional blocks, thereby helping every Duniway student reach their full potential.

This program depends on you, our dedicated parents, caregivers, and community members. If you can commit just an hour or more a week, you can make a real difference. Volunteers will be paired with a grade level that aligns with their interests and skills, and will receive training to lead small groups and support key classroom learning goals. This volunteer position is not about working with your child's classroom, but rather about connecting our community with classrooms based on skill sets and needs. You are signing up to help the broader Duniway community.

Together, we can ensure our teachers have the support they need and our students have every opportunity to thrive.

Interested? Please take this survey by September 11th so we can plan and work with teachers on their needs for this school year.

Over 100 people have already registered for the 2026 Duniway Open!

Haven't signed up yet - what are you waiting for?

Space is limited and registration closes this Sunday 9/13.

www.duniwayopen.com

Join fellow Duniway parents, neighbors, teachers, and community members for a small-group adult discussion about The Gift of Failure - How the best parents let go so their children can succeed by Jessica Lahey on October 15th from 6:30–8:00 PM.

To learn more and RSVP check out Konstella, Duniway Community Read

Thank you + What's Next: PPS Rightsizing

Thanks to everyone who came to the Rightsizing Q&A with Deborah Kafoury (Superintendent Armstrong's Chief of Staff) and Eddie Wang (School Board Chair, Zone 7). No decisions have been made yet, and PPS says community input still shapes the process.

Missed it? Catch up here:

View the PPS Rightsizing Powerpoint Presentation: https://bit.ly/4cWXWV1

Watch the latest PPS General School Board Meeting (9/1/26): https://bit.ly/3TsoQxf

Want to attend a rightsizing community engagement session? Find one here:

Rightsizing Community Engagement Meeting Calendar: https://tinyurl.com/2p9u2etp

Rightsizing is just one piece of a bigger picture. As PPS and districts across the state face closures and cuts, our kids need consistent advocates at every level, from our own school community all the way up to the state legislature.

Here's how YOU can help:

Community and Parents for Public Schools (CPPS) Advocacy Meeting: Mon, Sept 28, 7-8:30pm, virtual. RSVP: https://bit.ly/4y6NTVX

Join the Duniway PTA Advocacy Committee: https://bit.ly/3SSJJl5

Meet Rep. Mark Gamba & Councilor Mitch Green for a Constituent Coffee during our Principal Coffee: Fri, Oct 23rd. Bike bus at 7:30am and coffee in the cafeteria at 8am. Open to Duniway, Llewellyn, Lewis, and Woodstock families. Register by Oct. 9th. RSVP: https://luma.com/xgox9h2v

Mark your calendar: Postcard Campaigns in Jan. and April, Lobby Days in Feb. and May

Come raise your voice for our kids and our public schools.

— Your Duniway Advocacy Committee

Village Table Update and Rightsizing Survey

At our September meeting, we learned more about the rightsizing process, declining enrollment, and the district’s goal of creating well-resourced and stable schools for students across PPS. No specific school recommendations were presented.

Our role at the Village Table is to listen, ask questions, invite participation and bring our community’s perspectives back to the conversation.

We want to hear from you. Please complete our short Community Check-In Survey and tell us what you’re hearing and thinking about rightsizing, what still feels uncertain, and what you want district leaders to understand about our school community.

Survey: : https://bit.ly/PPSCommunityCheckIn

Thanks, Lindsey Haugen and Margaret Henry

Have questions? Want to chat? Reach out to Lindsey at lindseyhaugen@gmail.com or Margaret at lilbigstuff@gmail.com

What Your Support Makes Possible

Because of our incredible Duniway community, the Foundation is able to fund programs that directly support our students, including:

• OMSI Outdoor School- Funding secured through 2028–29

• A Part Time Educational Assistant- Supporting students and teachers

• Reading Results & Enrichment- Reading and math support in partnership with the PTA

• Instructional Support- 31 volunteers provided 700+ hours of classroom support last year. This year we are hoping to start earlier!

• Classroom Art & Art Show- Celebrating creativity and bringing our community together

• Capital Projects- Exploring a covered basketball court, cooler play spaces, and auditorium improvements

The Foundation is a hands-on, community-powered organization. Board members help guide fundraising, support Foundation projects and events, build community connections, and bring new ideas to Duniway. Join us to help with the Year End Giving Campaign, 3rd annual Collaborative Art Show, and the 28th annual Spring Auction our LARGEST Duniway fundraiser.

You don't need fundraising experience! We’re looking for people with a variety of skills and perspectives, from events and communications to grant writing, financial, volunteer and project management, community engagement, and relationship building.

We currently have opportunities for President/Co-Presidents, Vice President, Secretary, and Co-Treasurers, as well as general voting board members. Leadership roles can be shared.

As I step down as President, one of my goals is to build a strong, collaborative leadership team so the Foundation doesn't depend on one person. We have a strong foundation to build on, and we’re excited to welcome new people, new ideas, and continued collaboration with our PTA.

Interested in learning more, fill out THIS SURVEY and I’ll reach back out to you. Join us at an upcoming board meeting on the third Tuesday of the month, meet the team, and see if the Foundation is a good fit for you.

Thank you for helping make Duniway such a special community!

Warmly,
Andrea Angell
Duniway Educational Foundation

Here are some photos from our New Student Lemonade! 🍋 It was so much fun watching our newest Dragons play games, make connections, and get to know one another.

Throughout the year, our new students will also be featured on the New Student Bulletin Board outside the main office so be sure to check it out! I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again for our winter social event.

Rachel Connors, “Ms. Rachel”

School Counselor

(503) 916-6343 ext. 76512

M-F, 7:45-3:45 PM