October Newsletter

As we head into the last few weeks of October, it's hard to believe how quickly the school year is moving along! Our students and staff have settled into their routines, classrooms are busy with learning, and we're already looking ahead to some of the exciting things coming up in November.

It was so nice to see so many of you at our Open House a few weeks ago. I always enjoy having families in the building and getting the chance to connect outside of the usual busy school day. I hope your child is feeling comfortable, connected, and off to a good start this year. Middle school comes with plenty of changes and challenges, and we know how important it is for families and schools to work together. If you ever have questions, concerns, or just want to check in about how things are going, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teachers, counselor, or our admin team. We want to hear from you, and we're always happy to help.

I'm looking forward to seeing many of you again at Fall Conferences in November. It's a great chance to hear from your child about what they've been learning and spend some time talking together about their progress and goals.

• November 6: 1st Quarter Grading Day
• November 11: Veteran's Day
• November 23-25: Fall Conferences
• November 25-27: Thanksgiving Holiday
• December 21-January 1: Winter Break

Outdoor School is one of the most memorable experiences of sixth grade, and we are excited for our students to have this opportunity! It's so much more than a few days away from the classroom. Outdoor School gives students a chance to learn about science and the natural world through hands-on experiences, build friendships, develop independence, and challenge themselves in new ways. For many students, it's also an opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, try something new, and discover strengths they didn't know they had. Just as importantly, the shared experiences help build a sense of community and belonging among our sixth graders. We believe every student can benefit from this experience, and we strongly encourage all of our sixth-grade families to support their child's participation.

Two of our 6th grade classes will be attending Outdoor School from Tuesday, October 27 to Friday, October 30. The rest of the 6th grade classes will attend Outdoor School in the Spring.

• Davidson's class to Collins Outdoor School
• Colbry's class to Canby Grove Outdoor School

Times for departure from Walt Morey on Tuesday, 10/27:

• Colbry's class should arrive at 11:15am, the bus departs 11:30am.
• Davidson's class should arrive at 11:40am, the bus departs at 12:00pm.

Students will return to Walt Morey at approximately 1:00pm on Friday, 10/30.

We are now halfway through the first quarter, and teachers have updated grades for the progress reports. Please log in to ParentVue to review your child’s current grades. This gives them time to improve their performance before final grades are submitted at the end of the quarter.

The first quarter ends on Thursday, November 5th. Be sure to check with your child’s teachers to find out the final deadlines for turning in missing assignments or making up tests before the quarter closes.

Reminder: The Reynolds School District no longer mails report cards. The only way to stay updated on your child’s academic progress is through ParentVue. If you need assistance logging in, please contact our office at (503) 491-1935. We’re happy to help.

We look forward to welcoming our families to Walt Morey for Fall Conferences on Monday, November 23, and Tuesday, November 24! Conferences are a wonderful opportunity to connect with teachers, celebrate your child's progress, and talk about ways we can work together to support their success.

Our conferences will be student-led, so we encourage you to bring your child along! Students will have the opportunity to share their learning, reflect on their progress, and talk about their goals for the rest of the year. This format helps students take ownership of their learning and gives families a chance to hear directly from their child about their school experience.

Conferences are 15 minutes long and will be available during the following times:

• Monday, November 23: 4:00–8:00 PM

• Tuesday, November 24: 8:00–11:00 AM, 12:00–4:00 PM, and 5:00–8:00 PM

You should have already received an invitation to sign up for a conference with your child's homeroom teacher. If you haven't signed up yet, we encourage you to do so! You only need to schedule one appointment. During that time, you'll have the opportunity to connect with your child's academic teachers, including homeroom, language arts/social studies, and math/science. If you haven't received an invitation, please reach out to your child's homeroom teacher.

We hope every family will make time to attend. Your involvement makes a difference, and we look forward to celebrating all the hard work and growth our students have shown so far this year!

Being on time to class is an important part of helping students have a successful school day. When students arrive on time, they are ready to learn, don't miss important instructions, and can settle into class without disrupting their own learning or that of their classmates. Even a few minutes here and there can add up to a significant amount of missed instructional time. Middle school is also an important time for students to develop habits like responsibility, time management, and independence that will serve them well in high school and beyond. We appreciate your support in reinforcing the importance of punctuality with your student. To help ensure that expectations are clear and consistent, we want to share a reminder about our school's tardy policy.

Tardy Policy:

Students are expected to arrive to every class on time and prepared with all required materials. Students who accumulate multiple tardies within a month will receive the following consequences:

• 3 tardies: Lunch detention

• 6 tardies: After-school detention

• 7 or more tardies: Office referral, after-school detention, and parent/guardian meeting

Additional Support: Students who are consistently tardy to class may be escorted to class by a staff member to help ensure they arrive on time and are ready to learn.​

To help keep our students, families, and staff safe, we want to remind everyone that district policy prohibits the use of recreational motorized vehicles on school grounds. This includes minibikes, motorized scooters, go-karts, ATVs, and other similar vehicles.

We appreciate your help in keeping our school grounds safe for everyone, especially during busy arrival and dismissal times. Thank you for your cooperation!

During the month of November, our school will practice our annual "Lockdown Drill." Just like fire drills and earthquake drills, it is important that schools take time to teach students how to respond in these types of emergencies.

The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) utilizes clear common language while allowing for flexibility. The premise is simple - there are five specific actions that can be performed during an incident. These actions are outlined below.

• HOLD! Clear the halls and lock doors. There is a non-threatening issue in the school like a medical emergency.
• SECURE! Get inside and lock outside doors. Close windows and blinds. There is a possible threat in the area outside the school.
• LOCKDOWN! Lock all doors, turn off the lights, and hide. There is a threat to our safety in the building.

• EVACUATE and may be followed by a location, and is used to move people from one location to a different location in or out of the building.

• SHELTER State the Hazard and Safety Strategy for group and self protection

Please see attachments below for more details regarding the SRP protocol.

Tryout Details

• Dates: Monday, November 2nd- Wednesday, November 4th
• Time: 3:15 PM – 5:00 PM
• Parent Pickup: Parents must pick up their athlete promptly at 5:00 PM
• Team Cuts: Tryouts are competitive and there will be cuts. Final team rosters will be announced at the end of tryouts on Wednesday, November 4th

Eligibility

• Grade Levels: Open to 7th, and 8th graders only.
• First Practice: Thursday, November 5th
• Practice Schedule: Monday – Friday, 3:15 PM – 5:00 PM
• Parent Pickup: Parents must pick up their athlete promptly at 5:00 PM.
• Late Bus Transportation: Once teams are selected, athletes who need to ride the bus home at 5:15 PM must be registered for the SUN program. SUN information has been sent out via ParentSquare or there are applications in the office.

Required Clearance Prior to Tryouts

All athletes must complete the following requirements before stepping on the court for tryouts:

1. FinalForms Registration: Complete all online registration forms. Click purple link below.
2. Sports Physical: Photo copy and attach a current Sports Physical Form signed by a doctor into Final Forms application. (Physicals are valid for 2 years from the exam date).

CLICK HERE FOR FINAL FORMS

These students were chosen by their teachers and are commended for their attendance, hard work, perseverance, and dedication to learning. They are excellent role models for their peers, demonstrating every day what it means to be a proud Mustang. All students earned free ice cream from Dairy Queen during lunch.

Kennedy Hubiak

Ava Dawson

Angel Botello Martinez

Liliana Tello Rubio

Raveena Varma

London Kelsey

Travis Trahan

Marlen Salazar Villa

Mary Gomez Hernandez

Walt Morey is committed to providing a meaningful and challenging environment that supports and empowers all students in achieving their fullest potential.

• Email: tpruett@rsd7.net
• Website: https://www.reynolds.k12.or.us/morey
• Location: 2801 Southwest Lucas Avenue, Troutdale, OR, USA
• Phone: 503-491-1935