Duniway Dispatch

August 31: First Day of Full Kindergarten Classes

September 4: Principal's Coffee, 8 am in the Cafeteria

September 7: Labor Day- no school

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: The Duniway Open Golf Tournament

PPS District Calendar 2026-27

Hello Families,

Happy Friday and I hope you all have had a good first week of this school year. It has been a great first week of school at Duniway and it was been wonderful to welcome all of our students back to school (and welcome our Kindergarten students for their first days of elementary school).

I want to send a special shout our to our new teachers: PE Teacher Meghan Austin, Music Teacher Kyle Lawrence and Learning Center Teacher Liz Tracy for having a successful first week. I also want to give a shout out to some of our recent staff members who moved into new roles (or returned to former roles) such as Christine Dugan as Third Grade Teacher, Sarah Erickson as 5th Grade Teacher, Hannah Morioka as Reading Intervention Teacher, and Christy Suib as 504 Educational Assistant. They all did a great job in this first week. As I visited their classrooms and observed their interactions with students, students welcomed them with smiles and kind words and clearly they were settling in well to their new roles.

Looking ahead to next week, we will have our first full week of school and also our Kindergarten students will start on Monday with their full class. It also looks like rain is in the forecast and please remember to send students with rain gear on those days to be prepared. I hope you all have a great weekend and I look forward to seeing you all next week.

Sincerely,

John Melvin

JOIN US on Friday, September 4th at Duniway's first Principal's Coffee to learn more about the Portland Public Schools (PPS) Rightsizing process and its potential impacts to Duniway, our community and communities across PPS.

PPS is undertaking a districtwide Rightsizing process to better align schools, programs and resources with the needs of students and the realities shaping their future. The PPS School Board has charged our Superintendent with developing a long-term plan to address declining enrollment, rising costs and the sustainable use of our school facilities, including potential program changes, boundary adjustments, and how we use our buildings. This effort builds on prior work and reflects a broader, systemwide approach to strengthening stability, equity and access across all communities and all PPS schools.

PPS hosted a series of Rightsizing listening/Q&A sessions in the 2026 winter and spring. These community connections were critical for the School Board and Superintendent to understand our needs and priorities for our schools, which may look different for each family and each community. As PPS is now further along in the Rightsizing process, we invited PPS leadership to have a local conversation with Duniway to inform us of the process, answer your questions and understand next steps for our schools.

WHEN: Friday September 4th (8 - 9 am)

WHERE: Duniway Cafeteria - enter from Rex Street side cafeteria entrances

WHO: We will be joined by PPS leadership

Deborah Kafoury, Superintendent Kimberly Armstrong's Chief of Staff

Eddie Wang, School Board District Zone 7 Director and School Board Chair. Director Wang represents Duniway as part of PPS District Zone 7.

To learn more about this ongoing process, check out PPS Rightsizing process Q&A.

Real changes with real impacts are coming to PPS. It is essential for our community to understand the scope of these changes on our school communities.

In solidarity for our children and our public schools,

Your Duniway Advocacy Committee

Hi Duniway community! My name is Liz Tracy, and I am excited to join Duniway as a Special Education Learning Center Teacher. In my role, I will provide specialized, individualized support to students with IEPs, working closely with students, families, and classroom teachers to help each child feel supported and successful. I am passionate about building strong relationships with students, celebrating their strengths and successes, and creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment where every child can thrive.

This is my tenth year working in Portland Public Schools and my seventeenth year in education. Prior to joining Duniway, I served as a School Climate Specialist at Sunrise Elementary School and previously worked as a Special Education Teacher at Pioneer School. I am so excited to be part of the Duniway family and look forward to getting to know students and families this year.

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.

Dear Duniway Families,

Welcome to a new school year! I'm Catherine Mosich, and I'm honored to serve as PTA President for a second year.

My family has been part of the Duniway community for many years, and I have a 6th grader at Sellwood and a 4th grader at Duniway. Volunteering here has been one of the most rewarding parts of our experience, and I've seen firsthand how much we can accomplish when we come together.

The PTA supports our students, teachers, and families through programs, events, and volunteer efforts that help make Duniway such a special place. I'm grateful to continue working alongside our dedicated parent volunteers this year.

Whether you're new to Duniway or returning, I encourage you to get involved in whatever way works for you. There's a place for everyone in our community. Thank you for your support, and I look forward to a wonderful year together.

With gratitude,
Catherine Mosich
PTA President

Sign-ups are LIVE for September It's a great opportunity to see the kids and school in action! Please consider signing-up and supporting the staff. Check out Konstella to learn more.

• September Lunch Duty
• September Recess Duty

Kick off the first full week of school with our first Principle Coffee. Dr. Melvin will provide updates on the school and the PTA will cover upcoming events and ways to get involved. Also in partnership with the Bike Bus and the Advocacy committee we will have 2 guest speakers:

• Deborah Kafoury, Superintendent Kimberly Armstrong's Chief of Staff
• Eddie Wang, School Board District Zone 7 Director and School Board Chair. Director Wang represents Duniway as part of PPS District Zone 7

It is a chance to learn more about the Portland Public Schools (PPS) Rightsizing Overview Process and its potential impacts to Duniway, our community and communities across our school district. Come and have your voice heard as we continue to advocate for our students and schools.

The Bike Bus has secured enough volunteers and is officially rolling into Year 2, and our first ride is Friday, September 4 (next week!).

📍 Sellwood route: Departs at 7:05am
📍 Eastmoreland route: Departs at 7:30am

Check out the route maps to find your closest stop and figure out where you can hop on!

A few quick reminders to share with your riders before Friday:

🪖 1. Helmets on! No helmet = no ride.
🚲 2. Street riding only. Please stay in the street with the Bike Bus — no sidewalks or greenways.
🙌 3. Keep those hands on the handlebars. No “no hands” riding in the Bike Bus!
🔛 4. Give your fellow riders some space. We’re a big, moving blob of bikes, so leave plenty of room around you.
🔀 5. Know how to merge! Show your kids the merge graphic so they know how to safely join the Bike Bus when they’re hopping on along the route.

We can’t wait to see everyone back on two wheels!

See you Friday, September 4!

Oregon regulations state:

• You must be at least 16 to operate an electric assisted bike
• You must be at least 16 to operate a motorized scooter
• Pocket bikes and mini motorcycles are not legal to operate on premises open to the public, which includes sidewalks, streets, and school grounds

Thank you for your help with keeping our students and community safe!

We are continuing the Duniway tradition of having families donate funds to the school to allow for our staff to purchase the required supplies for the entire school year, rather than students bringing their own supplies. We are recommending a $50 per student school supply donation. If you are able, there is also an option to sponsor another student.

Please click SCHOOL SUPPLY FEE to pay your 2026-27 school supply donation(s).

If you would rather pay with cash or check (made payable to Duniway PTA), you can bring it to the office by ringing the buzzer by the main entrance on SE Reed College Place on school days between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

If you haven't done so already, please join our community on Konstella. Konstella is a platform provided to us by the PTA to help connect parents, volunteer for school activities, and keep up to date on community events and activities. Link to Join Konstella.

Exciting news! We have two open positions for part-time "Temporary Duty Support" here at Duniway. The job starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 12:35 p.m. each school day.

The Temporary Duty Support position provides student supervision and safety support during non-instructional periods of the school day. This role supports smooth school operations by monitoring recess and lunch activities and reinforcing positive behavior expectations.

For more information on the position and how to apply, please click the link to the job description.

Oregon's schools have to do a lot with too little, and our kids pay the price. The Duniway PTA Advocacy Committee works on that from both ends, making sure every family can take part in school life here and that the people funding our schools hear what's actually happening in them. This year we've broken the work into roles so nobody has to do it alone, most just a few hours a week, and nobody here started out knowing how any of this works. Roles and sign-ups are on Konstella, or email Margaret at lilbigstuff@gmail.com or Tracy at tlgluckman@gmail.com and tell us what sounds fun and how much time you have.

Join the greater Duniway community on Friday, September 25th at 9am for a round of golf raising funds for the Duniway PTA. You don't want to miss out on this epic event full of prizes, competition, drinks from local sponsors, and memories in the making!

• Your registration includes 18 holes of golf, range balls, golf cart, lunch, drink ticket, and a commemorative hat
  
  
• Prizes for contests (KPs, Long Drive, Straight Drive, Long Putt, Best Dressed Team) and division winners (gross, net, ladies, co-ed, alumni, senior)
  
  
• Parents, grandparents, neighbors, alumni, and supporters of Duniway are welcome!
  
  
• More information and FAQs at www.duniwayopen.com
  

Thank you to the generous sponsors of The 2026 Duniway Open for supporting the Duniway Elementary PTA:

GoSports, Oregon City Subaru, Sebastiano's, PDX Sliders, Ate-Oh-Ate, Green Drop Garage, Trico General Contractors, Unitus Community Credit Union, EC Electric, Heiberg Garbage & Recycling, Portland Family Dentistry, Martin Haugh Financial, Westmoreland Ace Hardware, Country Financial-Scott Bennett, Moreland Neighborhood Dental, Zenbu Lounge, Proper Pint, Headwaters Automation, Scott Brennan-State Farm, CertaPro Painters of Portland, Moving Forward Staying Present, Prema Yoga, Smitty's Taphouse, NW Golf Guys, Pure Green Juice Bar, AllRight Beer, Brew Dr. Kombucha

This year, Duniway’s Annual Fund Run will take place in early October, giving our students the chance to kick off the school year by running, jogging, and walking to support Duniway. We’ll also be bringing back the Duniway Parent Classic for its third year, inviting parents and caregivers to join us for a run/jog at the end of the day. Stay tuned for more details on how to donate, rally friends and family to make pledges, and volunteer. We're looking forward to cheering our Dragons on for this yearly tradition that plays a critical role in fundraising for Duniway.

This special edition includes information on:

• Key Dates
• School Supplies
• Daily Schedule
• Arrival and Dismissal Map
• School Bus Action Item
• Early Release Dates
• Reporting Absences, Late Arrivals, Early Pickups, and Changes to Dismissal Plans
• Communication Methods at Duniway
• Tips on Clothing and Belongings
• ParentVue and Yearly Verification
• Volunteering at Duniway
• Personal Electronic Device Policy
• Nutrition Services at Duniway
• Handy Links