OGMS Newsletter

Hello Ockley Families,

In the March 9th Newsletter, I shared that our team was resetting expectations for class engagement by our students through a school wide focus on being On Task, On Time, On a Mission. We have appreciated the early feedback on our Hallway Sweep practice and have made some adjustments. We shifted from sending students home on the 2nd Sweep to the following:

This has resulted in more time for our team to directly support students in reflection and goal setting. We have seen significant improvement in our students getting to class on time and staying engaged in class.

Thank you for your continued partnership in upholding our shared value of having students in class and engaged as learners.

Some quick reminders to help us finish out the year safely. Please remember that the front of the school on Montana Avenue is a bus zone. Our busses typically arrive around 3:15 PM to prepare for dismissal, so it is critical that this area is clear for them. Spring also brings more bikes & scooters, so please also be aware of our students as they leave in the bike lanes. We appreciate your attention to this during a busy pick up time.

In Partnership,

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal, Ockley Green Middle School

Right now the OG Supporters are all about showing the love for Ockley Green's hardworking, dedicated, and deeply amazing staff. They may not be literally walking to work five miles uphill both ways in the rain, sleet, and snow, but figuratively they are putting in that kind of effort every day and we want to make sure we express how much we appreciate them.

Join the OG Supporters in showing some extra love for OG Staff during May 4th-8th! We're looking for donations of drinks, treats, snacks, and more, as well as volunteers to pick-up donated meals & deliver to OGMS. Click here to sign-up/learn more!

You can also drop off thank you notes for general staff in the OG Supporters mailbox and we'll make sure they are displayed for staff to read throughout the week!

On separate notes:

• Holy Plant Sale, Batman! The Peninsula Optimist Club Plant Sale ENDS THIS COMING THURSDAY APRIL 30TH! If you're a procrastinator, your time is now. Go to peninsulaoptimistclub.org and choose Ockley Green Supporters as the nonprofit you want to support! Pick up will be May 7th & 8th.)

• Tamale Boy Restaurant Night is MAY 13th! Keep an eye on socials for more details!

• Volunteer to join a Bike Train to/from School on May 6, supporting the OG Climate Club's efforts to encourage students in biking to/from school. Register here!

Until next time,

The OG Supporters

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April 7th marked the beginning of our 8th Grade Expectations & End of Year events for the remaining 60 days until Promotion. Administrators presented the 60-Day Expectations and provided an update on Promotion during Science Classes on April 1st-2nd. Here are the slides for your review.

We will continue to provide information on Promotion as it nears. Here is some initial information for you:

• Our staff made the decision to keep Promotion on our original date of June 5th, even though this is now the Last Day of School due to the shortened school year, which is a result of the furlough days;
• Promotion is June 5th @ Roosevelt, starting at 6:00 PM;
• Students will need to arrive at 5:30 PM; and
• Tickets will be distributed through Language Arts classes in May. Each student will receive 6 tickets and we will have a process to request additional tickets. More to information will come when tickets are distributed.

Please reach out to our front office staff with any questions.

Book Fair

The book fair is coming back to Ockley! The Scholastic Book Fair will be in the library from Monday May 18th-Friday May 22nd. Get some great books for your student to read over the summer!

Library Books Due Date

The universal due date for all PPS students has been moved to Friday, May 22nd! Please make sure that your student turns in all of their books by that date. If books are not returned, they will be automatically marked as lost and a fine will be added to the student account. Please email Ms. Peacock at vpeacock@pps.net if you have questions or concerns.

Multnomah County Summer Reading

The Multnomah County Summer Reading program begins on June 16th. All PPS students are automatically enrolled in the program. There will be paper gameboards available in the OGMS library, or students can sign up online.

Here are ways to get support right now or by calling 2-1-1:

- Oregon Food Bank’s Food Finder – find the nearest pantry or market by ZIP code

- Urban Gleaners Free Food Markets – fresh produce and pantry staples, open to all

- Sunshine Division Emergency Food Boxes & Delivery – free home-delivered groceries

- Milk Crate Kitchen – free chef-prepared meals delivered to families

- Full list of Portland and PPS-area food pantries

All PPS schools offer students free breakfast and lunch on school days. Some PPS schools also host free food markets and pantries in partnership with the SUN Community Schools, Oregon Food Bank, and other partners. If you need support navigating these options, contact your school office, and we will make sure you’re connected to the right resources.

April 27 & 28 - 8th Grade OSU Field Trip

April 30 - Culture & Community Night

May 1 - NO SCHOOL - Furlough Day

May 11th -15th School Wide State Testing

May 19 - Hosting Climate Solutions Fair at Ockley Green

May 20 - Spring Band Performance

May 27 - Spring Dance Performance

PPS 2025-26 Calendar