The Cheetah Coalition #4

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NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY

Monday, September 7 is Labor Day so there will be no school that day. Enjoy the long weekend!

FIRST FIRE DRILL ON TUESDAY

As w have to conduct our first fire drill within the first 10 days of school, we will have the drill on Tuesday, September 8.

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Dear Atkinson Families,

We are making a change to our procedures for students who arrive after the school day has begun.

In the past, parents and caregivers have sometimes checked in at the office, received a pass, and walked their child to the classroom. Beginning now, we will no longer use this practice.

We are making this change for two important reasons. First, we have found that having a parent walk a hesitant student all the way to the classroom does not necessarily make the transition easier. In some cases, it can prolong a difficult goodbye and make it harder for children to develop confidence and independence at school. We want students to learn, with support from us, that they can successfully make the transition from their family to their school day.

Second, limiting hallway access during the school day helps us maintain clear and consistent safety expectations. We want students and staff to know that adults they encounter in our hallways and instructional spaces are there for a specific school purpose and have completed the appropriate check-in process.

If your child arrives late, you now have two options:

If your child is comfortable walking independently, you may say goodbye in the foyer and they can walk themselves to class.
If your child needs additional support, please bring them to the office, say goodbye there, and a staff member will help them get to class as soon as we are available.

We know that some children—especially our youngest students—may need a little extra reassurance at first. We are happy to provide that support. Part of our job is helping children discover, “I can do this,” even when the transition initially feels hard.

Parents and caregivers who are volunteering will continue to check in through the office and may be in the building as part of their scheduled volunteer work.

Thank you for helping us make this shift and for partnering with us to build both a safe school and increasingly confident, independent students.

Warmly,

Debbie Armendariz

Principal

Atkinson Elementary School

darmenda@pps.net

STUDENT PHOTOS

Student photos will be taken on September 21 and 22! Kinder–2nd grade students will have their photos taken on Monday, September 21, and 3rd–5th grade students will have their photos taken on Tuesday, September 22. If your student misses their photo day or you want a retake, those will occur on Tuesday, October 13.

REMINDER: PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES AT SCHOOL

We are reaching out to ask for your help with personal electronic devices at school.

Per district policy, personal electronic devices must be off and away during the school day. This includes phones, smartwatches/iWatches, and similar devices. Students may bring these devices to school, but they must remain stored in a backpack, fanny pack, or other secure location. Students may not wear smartwatches or other personal electronic devices during the school day.

This week provided an important example of why this policy matters. Several students were wearing smartwatches when an Amber Alert was issued. The devices displayed an upsetting message about an abducted infant. Understandably, this was distracting and concerning not only for the students who received the alert, but also for other students as the information quickly spread among classmates.

We also want to clarify an important part of this expectation: the rule applies to the device itself, regardless of whether it is turned on, turned off, placed in “school mode,” or has settings that prevent alerts or notifications. Personal electronic devices may not be worn or kept on a student’s person during the school day.

We also cannot ask teachers to stop instruction to determine whether something a student is wearing is an electronic device or simply looks like one. If a student is wearing something that appears to be a personal electronic device, they will be directed to put it away, and they must comply with that direction.

Please talk with your child if they bring a phone, smartwatch, or similar device to school. Remind them that it needs to be off, away, and not worn before the school day begins. Teachers will not hold or store personal devices for students, and the school is not responsible for devices that are lost, misplaced, damaged, or stolen. If you are concerned about your child keeping track of a device during the school day, the best option is to leave it at home.

If a student is seen wearing or using a device, they will be directed to put it away. If they refuse, we will contact their family and ask that an adult come to school to pick up the device.

Our goal is not to police students’ belongings. It is to protect instructional time, minimize distractions, and ensure that our students can focus on learning in an environment where the adults at school can thoughtfully support them when sensitive or frightening information arises.

Thank you for reinforcing this expectation at home and helping us keep the focus where it belongs—on our students, their learning, and their well-being.

EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM PRACTICES PLANS

WHAT ARE EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM PRACTICES PLANS?

Every Atkinson classroom has an Effective Classroom Practices (ECP) Plan that describes the routines, expectations, and supports teachers use to create a safe, welcoming, and productive learning environment.

While we share schoolwide expectations—Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible—each classroom community is unique. ECP Plans show families how those expectations come to life in their child’s classroom, including how teachers build relationships and belonging, teach and reinforce routines, recognize positive behavior, support emotional regulation, respond when students need additional help, and partner with families.

We are sharing these plans because predictability and consistency help children thrive, and families are important partners in that work. We invite you to read your child’s ECP Plan so you know what they can expect at school and how we are working together to help every student feel connected, capable, and ready to learn.

Maestra Maria's ECPP
Mrs. Wagner's ECPP
Mrs. Shue's ECPP
Mrs. Humphrey's ECPP
Maestra Janeth's ECPP
Mrs. Klein-Leong's ECPP
Maestro Omar's ECPP
Ms. Bitzer's ECPP
Ms. Laurie's ECPP
Mrs. Seckinger's ECPP
Maestra Schwing's ECPP
Mr. Allen's ECPP
Mrs. Masini's ECPP
Maestra McArthur's ECPP
Maestro Cartagena's ECPP
Mx. Zipp's ECPP
Ms. Close's ECPP
Mr. Misha's ECPP
Mr. Rittman's ECPP
Ms. Hilton's ECPP
Ms. Trapido's ECPP
Ms. M ECPP

OUR SCHOOL CLIMATE PLAN

The ECP Plans are part of Atkinson’s larger School Climate Plan, which describes how we work together across the entire school to create a community where students feel safe, valued, connected, and ready to learn. The plan outlines our shared expectations—Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible—as well as the schoolwide practices we use to build belonging, teach social-emotional and behavioral skills, recognize positive behavior, support emotional regulation, and respond when students need additional support. It also explains our tiered system of interventions and the ways we partner with families and use feedback and data to continually strengthen our school climate. The School Climate Plan provides the schoolwide framework; each teacher’s ECP Plan shows what that framework looks like in their individual classroom.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED [REPEAT]

The Atkinson Student Store is a fun opportunity for students to practice responsibility, communication, and money-management skills. We're looking for parent volunteers to help run the Student Store during the school day. It is open most Mondays from 9–10:30 a.m. and 12:30–2 p.m. No experience is needed, just a willingness to lend a hand and connect with our students!

If you're available to volunteer or interested in learning more, please email our school counselor, Bri Henderson, at brhenderson@pps.net. Thank you for supporting our students and school community!

PPS PRE-K PROGRAM

PPS Pre-K program has space available if you have a child that is 3 or4 years old. See the flyer below for more information.

WE'RE HIRING: BILINGUAL DUTY SUPPORT [REPEAT]

We’re looking for a caring, dependable English/Spanish bilingual speaker to join our Atkinson team as a Temporary Duty Support person. This role helps keep our students safe and supported during lunch and recess, while reinforcing positive behavior and building relationships with students.

The position is Monday–Friday, 10:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m., and is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys working with children and being part of a school community. Experience working with children in a school, childcare, youth, sports, or community setting is required.

Spanish speakers are highly preferred! If you or someone you know would be interested in joining our team, please check out the job description details here. The job posting will soon be appearing on the PPS jobs website.

UPCOMING DATES TO KNOW

Monday, September 7 — Labor Day, NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, September 9 — Fall STOPPS Drill for bus riders
Thursday, September 10 — First PTA meeting, 6 p.m., Clinton Park playground
Wednesday, September 16 — Early Release at 11:50 a.m.
Thursday, September 17 — Back to School Night, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, September 21 — School Pictures for Grades K-2
Tuesday, September 22 — School Pictures for Grades 3-5
Friday, September 25 — Principal's Coffee in the Cafeteria at 8:10 a.m.
Friday, October 9 — Oregon Statewide Teacher Inservice Day, NO SCHOOL

Access the full school calendar here.

EARLY RELEASE DAYS

We have early release at 11:50 a.m. on the following Wednesdays: September 16, October 21, December 16, January 20, February 17, March 17, April 21, and May 19.