Capitol Hill Weekly Update

What Families Should Know

At Capitol Hill Elementary, we are committed to ensuring that all students learn in an environment that is safe, welcoming, and free from harm. We take any use of racial slurs, gender-based harassment, or violence seriously and respond promptly when concerns are brought to our attention.

We want students to know that if something happens to them—or if they witness something happening to a peer—they should report it to a teacher or any trusted adult at school. Families can support this work by talking with their children about what language is acceptable and not acceptable, and by encouraging them to speak up if words or actions feel hurtful or unsafe. Reporting concerns helps us provide support, address issues early, and maintain a respectful school community.

Portland Public Schools has clear Title IX protections in place to address gender-based discrimination and harassment and Title VI protections to address race-based discrimination and harassment. Our school’s Title IX and Title VI Coordinator is Martin Yonn, and we work closely with district supports to ensure concerns are handled with care and fairness. Families can learn more about Title IX and Title VI protections, reporting, and supports by visiting the Office of Civil Rights page on the district website.

Families can support math learning at home by encouraging students to spend short, consistent time on i-Ready MyPath and by celebrating effort rather than speed. Little bits of practice add up, and this kind of targeted work helps students strengthen the skills they need to feel confident and successful in class.

At school, we just completed the winter i-Ready Diagnostic, which gives teachers important information about what each student is ready to learn next in math. Using that information, i-Ready MyPath creates personalized lessons that focus on specific skills—helping students catch up, practice key concepts, or extend their learning based on their individual needs.

We’re encouraged by the progress we’re seeing. With consistent grade-level instruction, teacher-led interventions, and regular use of MyPath, many students have already made a year’s worth of growth across quarters 1 and 2. When school-based instruction and at-home practice work together, it creates powerful opportunities for student growth.

You may start seeing purple Capitol Hill Elementary yard signs popping up around our neighborhood—and that’s no accident! Our PTA has created these signs as a way for families to show their school pride and help our community feel connected and welcoming.

As we begin to ramp up for kindergarten enrollment, these signs are a simple but powerful way to show families what makes attending their neighborhood school special. When families choose Capitol Hill, they’re choosing a place where children build friendships close to home, families connect with one another, and community grows beyond the school walls.

Yard signs are free and available for families to pick up at the PTA Meeting on February 11 at 6:00pm, as well as before and after school on February 13 and 17, during Champions pick-up on February 17, and at the School Dance on February 20. We can’t wait to see our neighborhood shine with Capitol Hill pride!

If you'd like to help offset the $5 cost of a yard sign, you can donate here.

Our upcoming Principal’s Coffee has been moved to 8:10am, making it easier to join right after drop-off. At this coffee, Principal Armendariz will share an update on the district's process for the upcoming year.

On February 6, principals receive enrollment projections, staffing allocations, and program requirements from central office. These district-level allocations are based on projected enrollment and help guide decisions such as the number of classrooms and instructional guidelines at each school.

Principal Armendariz will be sharing this information with staff on February 10, with the PTA on February 11, and with families at Principal’s Coffee on February 13 at 8:10am. We’re especially grateful for the many families who participated in the community input sessions at Ida B. Wells, facilitated by district leadership, as well as for the ongoing engagement and thoughtful input provided by our Site Council and Instructional Leadership Team (ILT).

Join us for coffee and donuts!

We love the strong sense of community at Capitol Hill Elementary and how present and supportive our families are. We also want to continue prioritizing student safety by ensuring that all adults check in at the main office when visiting, volunteering, or even stopping by to drop off an item for a student. Checking in allows us to provide a visitor badge so everyone on campus is easily identifiable as they move about the school.

We also want to help protect teachers’ instructional time, planning time, and breaks, which are essential to supporting students each day. If you’d like to connect with a staff member, please reach out to schedule a time during school hours—pick-up times are often a great option. Thank you for helping us keep our school both welcoming and safe, and for respecting the time and care our staff dedicate to students every day

If you had the chance to fill out the TAG Family Survey, we appreciate your input. It you haven’t had a chance to fill out the survey, there is still time. TAG Family Survey This survey is for all PPS families.

The Single Subject Acceleration - Math process application window begins March 1st. This process is open to 2nd - 4th grade students. The process outlined in the PPS administrative directive on acceleration and on the TAG Website, allows students who qualify to accelerate through the next grade level. This is a rigorous process with only 14% of students qualifying for SSA-M in 2024 - 25. It is important to talk with your students' teacher to determine if your student might be a good candidate for SSA-M. Strong candidates are students who have met the standards of their current grade level and are proficient on a paper/pencil assessment administered at schools under the guidance of the TAG Department. The decision to accelerate students is made by the TAG Department, with input from teachers, a variety of district administered assessments and the paper/pencil assessment.

The timeline for SSA-M:

March 1 - 31st applications accepted via the TAG Website

April 1 - 30th evaluation process

May 31st family notification

June 1 - 30th appeals process

July 1st family notification

For questions regarding your student’s potential for SSA-M, please contact your student’s teacher. For questions regarding the SSA-M process, please contact the TAG Department at ppstag@pps.net

The ACCESS Academy application lottery opens on Feb 18th. For more information please visit the ACCESS Academy website.

Monday: Teriyaki Chicken or Tofu with Yakisoba Noodles

Tuesday: Mozzarella Breadsticks

Wednesday: Turkey & Cheese Sandwich or Cheese Sandwich

Thursday: Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza

Friday: Chicken Fillet Sandwich

Here is the link for the page that has monthly menus for both breakfast & lunch:
https://www.pps.net/departments/nutrition-services/menus

Our school year calendar has all of the important school-related dates for your reference.

• 2/11-Early Release 11:50 AM
• 2/11-PTA Meeting 6-7 PM
• 2/13-Principals Coffee-8:10 AM
• 2/16- No School
• 2/20 Family Fun Night- School Dance, 6-8 PM
  
  

Reminder: When picking up students early please make sure you (or whomever is picking them up) brings their ID so we can check to make sure you are approved to pick up the student.