Capitol Hill Weekly Update

Dear Families,

At our last Principal’s Coffee, families completed a survey about which school systems they’d like to learn more about, and one of the top topics was discipline. I wanted to share how we approach student behavior at the elementary level and connect it to our previous coffee on school teams.

At Capitol Hill and Portland Public Schools, we believe that discipline is about teaching, growth, and repair—not punishment. Our goal is to help every child learn to manage emotions, make positive choices, and contribute to a caring, consistent community. We do this through team-based systems of support and by aligning our work with our school values: Inclusivity & Kindness, Respect & Honesty, Safety & Wellbeing, and Growth Mindset.

We use a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) so every child receives the level of help they need:

• Tier 1 – Universal Supports:
  Expectations are taught, modeled, and reinforced across all classrooms and shared spaces. Students are recognized for positive behavior through shout-outs, class celebrations, and assemblies. Social Emotional Learning is a part of every day, anchored in our Caring School Community curriculum.
  
  

• Tier 2 – Targeted Supports:
  Some students benefit from small-group interventions such as Check-In/Check-Out or social skills groups. These are supported by our counselor and SPED team and monitored by our Student Intervention Team (SIT).
  
  

• Tier 3 – Individualized Interventions:
  A few students need individualized behavior plans or Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs), developed in collaboration with families, teachers, and specialists.
  
  

When behavior concerns arise, we start with student safety and proactive support—rebuilding relationships, reteaching routines, and helping students regulate emotions. We use logical consequences and restorative practices such as circles and reflection conversations to help students understand the impact of their choices and repair harm.

Our Climate Team reviews referral data monthly, and SIT reviews the Early Warning System (EWS) quarterly to ensure we’re supporting students effectively. Teachers can also refer students to SIT when classroom interventions need additional support.

You can expect communication from us when things are going well and when challenges arise. Our goal is to communicate early, respectfully, and collaboratively. We welcome any insights that help us support your child—such as strategies that work at home or changes they’re experiencing.

We also intentionally celebrate positive choices every day—through recognition, class celebrations, and schoolwide acknowledgments—to help students feel proud of their kindness, effort, and growth.

Thank you for your continued partnership and trust as we work together to help every child grow socially, emotionally, and academically.

In service to students,
Febe Armendariz

Principal

Capitol Hill Elementary

farmenda@pps.net

Join our Capitol Hill Community at Burlingame Park on Friday, November 14th at 7:10 for a walk to school to commemorate Ruby Bridges’ historic steps, in this nationwide day of dialogue! The goal of Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day is to inspire kids to make positive changes in their school and community.

Many families in our community are facing new challenges with the recent loss of SNAP benefits. To help connect families with support, MESD has created a Food Assistance in Multnomah County Guide that lists local programs offering free meals, groceries, and other resources.

The guide includes information on school meals, community food pantries, culturally specific programs, and local partners helping during this time.

Every winter holiday season we create a giving tree and help provide holiday cheer to some families at Capitol Hill. Beginning November 17, our giving tree will be up and available for gift tag taking. If your family needs some help for the holidays, please reach out to mlight@pps.net.

Start your holiday shopping early while helping raise money for school programs and activities. 30% of all sales from this site will be donated to the Capitol Hill Elementary School PTA to support their school programs. Orders by December 5th!

Link: https://capitolhillpicturebookfundraiser.square.site/

We have some wonderful events coming up this month and we need help from the community to make them successfully!

Auction Committee

• Our school has an annual auction in the spring which is our biggest fundraiser, and we need to get planning ASAP! We have a lead parent with some great ideas who would love to find a co-chair to help plan.

Family Fun Nights

• Put on the school dance, family movie night, or OMSI night
  
  

Classroom Volunteering

• Photography: One parent per class needed to take photos throughout the school year for our free yearbook
• Gardening: One parent per class to help with prep work, planting and lessons (does not need a green thumb, all materials will be provided)
  
  

Schoolyard Project

• Let's transform our schoolyard from blacktop to an inviting, green play space! We are looking for folks to donate their brainpower — especially if you have experience with: architecture, construction, engineering, landscaping, project management, grant writing, or general awesomeness. Contact schoolyard@capitolhillelementary.com for more information.
  
  

Please contact Tabitha Ames and Jean-Francois Ortiz at volunteer@capitolhillpta.org if you'd like to learn more about any opportunities above.

Monday-Orange Chicken with Brown Rice
Tuesday-No School

Wednesday-Beef, Bean & Cheese Burrito or Bean & Cheese Burrio

Thursday-Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza

Friday-Chicken Fillet Sandwich

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

• 11/11-No School (Holiday)
• 11/12-PTA Meeting-6-7 PM in the CHE library
  
• 11/13 5:30-6:30pm TAG Information Night (Google Meets Link-mgu-xkhc-odc?pin=4107419563388)
• 11/14-Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
• 11/17-Holiday Giving Begins
• 11/24-25-Teacher Conferences
• 11/26-28-No School-Thanksgiving Break

Pick Up & Play Clinics are FREE introductory lacrosse sessions open to girls and boys ages 6–14 who are new to the sport. These clinics are designed to be fun, welcoming, and beginner-friendly. No experience or equipment required! Please come to our next clinic on Saturday November 8 from 10 AM to 12 PM at Ida B Wells High School.

Clinic Highlights:

• Free to attend
• Open to kids ages 6 - 14
• Equipment provided
• No experience necessary
• Fun, active, and pressure-free!

Whether your athlete is curious about lacrosse or you know someone who might love to give it a try, this is the perfect entry point. We encourage all current players and families to spread the word -- forward this email, post on social media, and invite friends, classmates, and neighbors!

Let’s work together to grow the game and make lacrosse accessible to more kids in our community.

Register here or learn more about a clinic near you.

The ACES (American Cultural Exchange Service), a non-profit dedicated to connecting international students with local Portland host families, is looking for families to host students. I recently joined the team and am now helping coordinate community outreach and partnerships for our hosting programs in the Portland area.

Hosting gives local families the chance to welcome international high school and college students into their homes from 1 week to up to a school term, sharing everyday life and culture while building cross-cultural understanding. Hosts receive full orientation, 24/7 support, and a stipend.

More information can be found here.

For all four Sundays in February 2026, there will be a bus leaving from the St. Clare parking lot to take any and all who wish to go to Mt. Hood Meadows to ski or snowboard.

This bus is a fantastic way to take advantage of the SnoBlasters or Trailblazer programs, which provide top-notch, professional skiing and snowboarding instruction for children of all skill and experience levels. Children are chaperoned directly to and from their lessons.

Parents can get in on the action too! There are classes for adults, and even those not looking for personalized instruction can still use the bus program to purchase lift tickets and equipment rentals and avoid the hassles of driving on icy roads and struggling to find parking in the crowded lots. Enjoy a relaxing ride to the mountain on a luxury coach with onboard restroom, reclining cloth seats and entertainment screens, then unload right in front of the lodge!

For information on how to participate, contact bus host Zac Hanks at 503-313-4757 or by email at budosensei@hotmail.com.

You can also register directly by going to:

https://www.skihood.com/store/1548960/ <-------- (this code is specifically for the St. Clare ski bus)