The Guardian Gazette

Dear IBW Community,

Forecasting for current 9th-11th graders is now underway for the 2026-2027 School Year. Students received forecasting materials from their 1st period teachers last Thursday and there was a forecasting fair on Friday when students had the opportunity to meet with teachers about classes they teach. The deadline to forecast is February 18. Prior to this deadline, every student needs to meet with their counselor either before school, during lunch or after school to finalize their choices. Students should have their courses entered into StudentVUE BEFORE they meet with their counselor.

All the necessary information forms, links, etc. can be found on our website https://ibw.pps.net/academics/forecasting Please take the necessary time to review course offerings, the Interactive Course Catalog and finally, you can attend the Guardian Scholars Night tonight where you can get an in-depth look at all the advanced coursework that is offered at IBWHS.

Students,

A few reminders about forecasting: 1) You cannot drop year long classes unless there are extenuating circumstances such as a family or medical emergency, etc. The penalty is a WF, which means you withdraw from the class with an F or a WX, which means you withdraw due to extenuating circumstances without a grade penalty. 2) You can only be a TA for one year in your four years of high school. 3) Try new electives, new courses, and be open to your 2nd or 3rd alternative of an elective if you do not receive your first.

Last week was Counselor Appreciation Week and we are so thankful for our team of counselors. They are one of the best counseling teams I have worked with over my 25+ years in public schools. They collaborate closely and have a major influence on the lives of the students at our school.

Sheila Kendall, Last names A-C skendall@pps.net

Malcolm Simonoff, D-He msimonoff@pps.net

Julie Fleming, Hi-McC jfleming1@pps.net

Danny Bradach, McD-R dbradach@pps.net

Lauryn Files, S-Z lfiles@pps.net

I look forward to seeing you in the hallways, classrooms and at some big athletic events coming up in the gym.

Principal Coning

Please scroll down to find more specific information about each of these events. If there is no information, stay tuned, it's coming soon!

February 10 - Guardian Scholars Night

February 12 - PTA Parent Book Discussion
February 13 - 15 - SW Stageworks, Winter Play, Shelter, Opens

February 13/14 - Visit Makerspace at the Portland Winter Light Festival
February 18 - IBW Opportunities Fair at Flex in Cafeteria

February 18 - DEADLINE for completing the Forecasting Process

February 19 - 21 - SW Stageworks, Winter Play, Shelter, Continues
February 25 - Battle of the Bands

February 26 - IBW Red Cross Club Blood Drive
February 26 - PTA Clothing Closet
February 27 - Alumni Night! Double Header Basketball vs. Grant
March 2 - Spring Sports Season Begins (Register NOW!)
March 4 - FOR JUNIORS - SAT Testing
March 6 - Wells Madness (during Lunch) Kicks Off

March 11 - IBW Wells-ness Fair
March 17 - All Sophomore Field Trip to the NW Youth Careers Expo
April 18 - IBW Auction

See more dates/information on the:

Thank you to our Physics Teacher, Hilary Brown, for submitting photos of students in her classroom working collaboratively to research and present on electricity generation and learning about electrostatics and charging while levitating tinsel.

And thank you to Spanish 3-4 teacher, Amy Durham, for sending in photos of her Spanish 3-4 classes practicing their salsa moves!

OSAS testing continues

• Science - Week of February 23

Please remember:

–JUNIORS must bring their CHARGED PPS chromebooks for testing!

–All students whether testing or not, will report to their regular classroom

–These are normal days for classes (i.e. there is NO “special schedule”).
As always, see Trivory for bell schedules and daily events.

On December 19, the PPS District office sent this message to families of students in grade 11 with the ODE’s 30 Day Notice of Testing with Opt Out Form for English and Math and separate Science form and link to exemption forms and translations.

To learn more about OSAS please visit PPS’ Assessment Main Page.

Did you miss fall registration for AP classes? Are you starting a new AP class in the second semester? Between now and March 2nd students in year-long courses have a second chance to have exams ordered, but there is an additional $40 late fee, on top of the exam fee ($80), charged by the College Board. While there is financial assistance for the exam fee, there is no financial assistance for the late fee. The only students that will not be charged the late fee are the 2nd Semester only AP classes. After March 2nd, students that have not registered and paid for their AP exam will not have their exam ordered. This is the LAST chance for registrations. The url to both all things PPS AP at www.PPS.net/advancedplacement and specifically registration information https://ccr.pps.net/enroll-get-ahead/advanced-placement/ap-exam-registration-directions .

Have questions? Contact Scott Burns, sburns@pps.net or Abby Menashe amenashe@pps.net

On Wednesday March 4, all PPS high schools will be holding the SAT School-day test in their high school for all 11th graders. This is given for FREE to all 11th graders. This exam offers an opportunity for students to demonstrate their readiness for college and career next steps. Please encourage your student(s) to arrive at school early, with their fully charged chromebook and be prepared for the test. Additional information about this test and the schedule will be coming out as we get closer. No registration needed, we have handled it for you.

Winter Formal: https://youtu.be/mH2kGyFWbh8

2025 Recap Episode, GNN - https://youtu.be/_igMt2nulQs

A chance encounter on a bench that memorializes a student killed in a hate crime leads to an unlikely friendship… An inappropriate relationship between a student and teacher is reported, but is the accusation a fabrication?… A group of friends preparing themselves to survive the end of the world face unforeseen fractures among their ranks… AI is used in myriad ways to navigate romantic lives, advance career prospects and understand the fundamental nature of reality…

And below them…beneath the school…is a forgotten fallout shelter. When students find out they are not the first ones to uncover this derelict space, the past comes back to haunt them…
Will they put the ghosts to rest…or will past horrors made present destroy them?

Shelter sees the powerhouse partnership of award-winning writer Conor Eifler (You Cannot Undo This Action) and director Matthew B. Zrebski (The Demolition) reunite in crafting a hard-hitting story for this turning-point moment in our shared history.

Shelter is recommended for audiences aged 8th Grade and older for frequent coarse language and mature teen situations.

Experience the magic of a live performance! Reserve your tickets for Teen West Project: Year 14 - Shelter. Don't miss out on the excitement—book now and treat yourself to an unforgettable event.

February 13 - 15th and February 19-21. https://www.southweststageworks.com/online-ticket-sales

The Wells Speech & Debate team competed in tournaments on January 24 at Sunset HS and January 31 at McMinnville HS.

Congrats to our Speakers and Debaters!

Jasper DeFrain - (2nd) Spontaneous Argumentation; Impromptu Speaking; Programmed Oral Interpretation

Eliza Evens - (6th) Novice Poetry; Original Oratory; Novice Parliamentary Debate

Witnee Fagan - Impromptu Speaking; Programmed Oral Interpretation; Spontaneous Argumentation

Elise Gorsegner-Harless - Radio Commentary; Spontaneous Argumentation

Sam Hartoch - Parliamentary Debate; Impromptu Speaking

Zach Horwitz - Impromptu Speaking; Spontaneous Argumentation

Naima Jaitla - (6th) Original Oratory; Spontaneous Argumentation

Finn Jones - Impromptu Speaking; Spontaneous Argumentation

Robert Kaiser - (4th) Lincoln Douglas Debate; Informative Speaking; Spontaneous Argumentation

Maham Luqman - Radio Commentary

August Maurer-Hayes - Novice Parliamentary Debate

Lily Morgan - Impromptu Speaking; Spontaneous Argumentation

Malija Stone - (6th) Original Oratory; (5th) Radio Commentary;

Riley Stone - Informative Speaking; Spontaneous Argumentation

Eesa Taylor - Parliamentary Debate; Extemporaneous Speaking; Impromptu Speaking

Special thanks to our generous sponsor, Southwest Portland Martial Arts &

CrossFit Hillsdale, for contributing to the sustainability of our program!

Contact Coach Terese if you’d like to become a sponsor - terese.bushnell@gmail.com

Viking searched for life on Mars in 1976 and the Ida B. Wells High School Makerspace found it! This elaborate artistic representation of the Viking mission Lander (and a surprising life form) was carefully crafted by students with the support of IBWHS Makerspace staff and the Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project, a 501c3 nonprofit. Using wood craft, metal, and found objects, this craft represents lights and a universal question at full size! This artistic representation of the spacecraft is making the original mission crew proud!

The Ida B Wells Red Cross Club is hosting our 2nd blood drive of the 25-26 school year on Thursday, February 26th. We are always appreciative of our parents and community members who donate.

Please use the link below to join our lifesaving mission and schedule an appointment today!

REGISTRATION LINK

Time: 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM

Food will be Provided!:

Agenda

6:00: Dinner

6:30 Advanced Coursework Benefits

6:40 Supports for Advanced Coursework

6:50 Rotations (5 min) -

Collaborative Study Groups
Focused Note-Taking
Meet AP and Dual Credit Teachers
College and Career Center Services

7:20 Q/A +Closing

https://app.smore.com/n/tfwj9

RSVP Now for Third Annual Youth Infrastructure Fair, Thursday, February 26, 2026, 3:30 PM-6:30 PM, McDaniel High School

hosted by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), PPS CTE and PPS College & Career

This fair offers a hands-on introduction to careers that build and sustain our cities. Students will engage with professionals from diverse backgrounds representing fields such as water, electricity, transportation, sustainability, architecture, and more and enjoy:

• Career exploration with engineers and industry professionals

• Raffles, games, prizes (including gift cards, STEM kits, books, and more), and dinner provided

• Scholarships for PPS seniors (class of 2026) pursuing STEM pathways. Application Link: tinyurl.com/2026yifscholarship

• PSU & OSU application fee waivers for qualifying 11th and 12th grade PPS students

• Internship opportunities with industry partners

This event is intentionally designed to engage and expand access and opportunity for our historically underserved students by connecting them with industry professionals and pathways they may not otherwise have access to.

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Save the Date: IBW Career Opportunities Fair, W 2/18 @ Flex

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See the Ida B Wells Career News for additional details, registration links, and more opportunities

Are you looking for a fun way to earn volunteer hours and support your local community? Rieke Elementary needs high school volunteers to help moderate our Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) tournament!

This is a great chance to flex your leadership skills, keep the competition fair, and support the next generation of readers.

Details

• When: Thursday, February 12th

• Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM (must be available for the whole time)

• Where: Rieke Elementary School

• Roles: moderators, timekeepers and scorekeepers for student battles (No prior OBOB experience required—we'll give you a quick rundown!)

Help us make this year’s "Battle" a success! Whether you’re an OBOB alum or just love a good competition, we’d love to have you support Rieke! Interested? Please contact Jen Hopkins (jhopkins2@pps.net) no later than Thursday, Feb. 5th.

See this week's IBW Weekly here: https://app.smore.com/n/0v2z7

You can view this week's Athletic Schedule here:
Official Weekly Athletic Schedule

Registration is now open and ready for you to register for baseball, softball, golf, tennis, lacrosse, track and field and boy's volleyball. See our website for all the details and links needed for registration https://www.ibwathletics.com/registration

SchoolPay is also open to make the payment for the Spring PIL Pay-to-Play Fee. It is important to note the $400/individual or $800/family maximum for the year. For many, the spring season is free. Lacrosse is still a club sport and does not count towards the maximums. More information to come regarding payments for Boy's Volleyball.

We are currently at 205 spring season registrations but still have a ways to go building towards 500! Keep it up!

The Ida B Wells Awesome 80s auction will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. We hope you will join us to support our student community!

Here's how you can support now:

• Attend: Get your tickets now here.
• Collect donations: IBW clubs, organizations and athletic teams are collecting donations for items for the auction and they get to keep the money raised. Rally the groups you are affiliated with to start procuring! Want to learn more? Check out this video.
• Sponsorships: Does your business want exposure to our community? Auction sponsorship is a great way to reach our community. More details here or email fundraising@ibwboosterclub.org for more information.

Gym Shack Concessions: https://signup.com/go/ycboLia

• We need help during events tonight, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday this week so we can keep the Snack Shack open and raise funds for teams and clubs!
• NOTE: Students need an adult present to work a shift
  
  

Bingo

Don't miss Monday bingo every week at the Old Barn at 6:30 PM! Bring cash to purchase your cards and not only are you supporting the IBW teams and clubs, but you could win big! Follow our Instagram or Facebook for weekly updates.

Booster Membership: http://www.schoolpay.com/link/joinibw

The number of booster members and volunteer hours from a team or group is evaluated in the grant application process, so joining boosters helps your team or club!

IBW Merch

Support Booster Club by shopping online here. Guardians merch is available for sale at ComeUnity PDX. This is an Ida B. Wells family-owned shop located in Multnomah Village at 3536 SW Troy St B, Portland, OR 97219. Get the perfect gift by giving a gift card for IBW Booster Merch!

Stay up to date in real time! Instagram Facebook Favorite Links - Linktree

Raising healthy, resilient kids in a digital world can be tough, but there are hopeful solutions.

Join other parents on Thursday, February 12, 6:30 pm in the IBW Library for a PTA-sponsored book discussion of The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. Gain practical insights, share perspectives, and walk away with ideas of how to better support your child.

All are invited to join the conversation, whether you’ve finished the book, meant to read it, or just want to hear about it!

PPS PTA Clothing Center Volunteers Needed for Thursday, February 26 – Two times a year, IBW volunteers at the PPS PTA Clothing Center. The Clothing Center is a wonderful resource for students from across PPS, run entirely by volunteers and through donations. See here for details about the program. To sign up to volunteer, go to this link. Thank you!

Clothing donations are also welcome. At this time of year, donations of coats, beanies, gloves, and boys size 10-16 sweatpants are especially requested. Items can be dropped off in the school office for district delivery.

What: Grad Night is an overnight celebratory event with entertainment and food at a surprise location. A quiet space will be available if students need to take a break. Ticketholders will get more details the night of graduation.

When: The night of the June 3rd graduation ceremony, students will load up on buses about 10 p.m. from IBW high school and head to surprise location.

Tickets: $150. On sale through Sunday, May 17th. No refunds after this date.

Where to buy: Buy tickets here

Scholarships: Families interested in full or partial Grad Night scholarships should contact school counselors by Friday, May 10th, to ensure the Grad Night Committee has the information before ticket sales end. Find your counselor here

Volunteers: Grad Night needs adult chaperones (!), including a medical professional to act as onsite medic. Ideally, chaperones will have a current PPS background check. Sign up to chaperone here

Congratulations 2026 Graduate Yard Sign

Celebrate your IBW graduate with a yard sign to proudly place in your yard or window!

Yard Signs: $25

When: While supplies last.

Where to buy: Purchase yard sign here

Wine and Purse Sale

Have gently loved or designer purses that deserve a new home? Or a great bottle of wine ($20+) you’d like to share? Donate to our upcoming Wine & Purse Sale and help us raise funds for the Class of 2026 Grad Night Party!

When: Friday, April 3rd

Where: ComeUnity PDX - 3536 SW Troy St B, Portland, OR 97219

Time: 5:00pm – 9:00pm

To donate, please contact: alisondg@gmail.com or molly.fauske@gmail.com

Flamingo Flocking is LIVE

Send a Flock! Hire a cheerful flock of flamingos to visit your friend’s yard for an entire week!

$50 for a 1-week yard visit (parent cost)

$35 for a 1-week yard visit (student cost)

Want to Avoid being Flocked?

A $25 “No Flocking” donation to keep the flamingos away and adds you to the “No Flocking List.”

Where to buy: Flamingo Flocking

Questions? Email: guardiansflock@gmail.com

HOUSE PARTIES

Support Grad Night and host a fun night with your friends! We’re looking for families willing to open their homes for casual, yet fun, get togethers that help fund our seniors’ Grad Night celebration. No pressure, no fuss, just good company for a great cause!

If you can’t think of what to host, here are some fun ideas:

BBQ or Mexican Night, Come as You Are, Cocktail Chemistry Contest, Murder Mystery, Iron Chef, Moms Night Out (or In), Lip Sync Battle, Casino Night, Dad Jokes Comedy, Chopped, Decades Party, Prom Rewind, Paint and Sip, Backyard Movie Night, Cornhole Social/Contest, Driveway Happy Hour, Neighborhood Porch Crawl, Pizza & Pajamas or Host Senior Car Wash.

If one of these sounds like something you’d enjoy hosting, we’d love to chat!

Contact: ibsgradnight@gmail.com

Raffle Baskets:

Donations are needed for raffle baskets!

We have several raffle baskets needing to be filled for our Grad Night Party Graduates! Some examples of the themes that remain are; OSU, UO, Dorm Room Fun, Movie Night, and more!

If you would like to take on a full basket, and/or partner with friends to fulfill a full basket, please sign up via this link: Sign up here. You’ll find a list of different themes, and suggestions for items. Let your creative juices flow as you assemble!

If you would like to contribute and/or have a hook up for theme items but don’t have capacity to assemble a full basket/the theme you want to do is already assigned and you want to add a second or have an idea for an additional theme and/or have any questions, please email Megan Melady, meganleemelady@gmail.com

Cider Mills Fundraiser

Live Music, food and dancing!

Details to come!

The Grad Night Committee is putting together two slideshows and ask that you please submit photos as soon as possible. Submissions will be accepted through until May 15th.

1. Candid slideshow: Send candid photos of our seniors through the years with the first and last name of each person shown (please list preferred name left to right). NOTE: avoid sending photos with people who are not in the Class of '26.

2. Graduation slideshow: Send your senior's photo (can be different from yearbook photo), baby photo and plan for after graduation. Please include your student's preferred first name and full last name.

Send all slideshow submissions to: ibwslideshow@gmail.com

Parents of 2026 seniors, celebrate your senior’s accomplishments with a senior ad in the yearbook. Ads can be designed and purchased using this link: https://www.balfour.com/student-info?smi=62107. Ads are $210 for a full page, $110 for a half page, and $60 for a quarter page. Ads need to be purchased AND completed by March 14th. There will be no deadline extensions, so act now! If you have any questions or need any help, email the yearbook business department at ibwybk@gmail.com.

The Instagram account @ibwhs2026decisions is posting senior decisions.

Seniors who want to participate should message the account with their name, photo, senior decision (what they plan to do after graduation) and favorite high school memory.

The East County Community Resiliency Fair is Saturday, February 21, from 10 AM to 2 PM (I advise getting there well before 10 AM for the best freebies) at Centennial High School, 3505 SE 182nd Ave, Gresham, OR 97030. It's hosted by the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and the City of Gresham, organized through the Community Services Network. Flyers are available in: ENGLISH, SPANISH, RUSSIAN, CHINESE (SIMPLIFIED), VIETNAMESE

This is a big one. Staff will be on-site in a computer lab to help families apply for utility bill discounts and assistance programs, including:

• OHP and SNAP sign-up
• PGE Income-Qualified Bill Discount Program
• Pacific Power Low-Income Discount Program
• NW Natural bill assistance (no proof of income required to apply)
• Rockwood Water assistance
• City of Portland Water Financial Assistance Program
• Xfinity Internet Essentials

Families should bring copies of recent utility bills for any programs they want to apply for. For the City of Portland Water program, they'll also need their service address, names, and birthdates of household members (birthdates for anyone 60+), total gross monthly income by source for all members 18+, and accepted proof of income.

Beyond utility assistance, the fair includes:

• Repair Café – free repairs for small appliances, clothing, jewelry, and tools

• Clothing Swap – free gently used clothing

• Free lunch – burritos
• PGE workshops on clean energy and saving on bills, with free weatherization kits and a chance to win a $50 gift card
• Kids' helmet giveaway
• Flip Museum for Kids (flipmuseum.org)
• Tool Library Truck – free community tool lending
• Safe collection of medical sharps, CFL lightbulbs, and batteries
• Health, wellness, and community support exhibitor tables

You can see a full list of organizations that will be there here: https://airtable.com/appQznXNi44bAB85g/shrmyJEYfQVUwBRW8/tblBajIcy0AX0uALD

There is also more info at the event website: https://www.csnpdx.org/community-resource-fairs/community-resiliency-fair

We are hoping to place one of our inbound students at Ida B Wells next year. We have one family committed, but need one or two more families each willing to host for 3 - 4 months.