The Cheetah Coalition #30

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Dear Atkinson community,

Each day, our school is strengthened by the generosity, energy, and care of our volunteers. Whether they are working behind the scenes or alongside our students and staff, their contributions help create the vibrant, supportive environment that makes our school such a special place to learn and grow.

I’m excited to share that April 20–24 is Volunteer Appreciation Week. During this time, we will pause to recognize and celebrate the many individuals who give their time and talents to our community. In honor of this week, we will shift our regularly scheduled Principal’s Coffee to focus on thanking and connecting with our volunteers. We invite all volunteers to join us on Friday, April 24 after drop-off—we’ll have coffee and pastries, and as we usually do during our parent coffees, I will be available to respond to any questions parents may have.

Our volunteers make an incredible impact in so many ways. They lead our amazing PTA and manage outstanding programs like Running Club and the Atkinson Bike Bus. They participate in Site Council, assist in classrooms, guide reading groups, and chaperone field trips. They nurture curiosity in our outdoor learning garden and bring joy to our campus through special events such as Día del Niño, Día de los Muertos, Harvest Festival, and Lunar New Year. Volunteers also create our yearbook, organize the student talent shows, and always take the time and care to celebrate our teachers and staff.

These contributions—big and small—help build a strong, connected community where students feel supported and inspired. We are deeply grateful for the time, care, and commitment our volunteers bring to our school.

If you are a volunteer, please join us during Volunteer Appreciation Week so we can thank you in person. If you have been thinking about getting involved, we would love to welcome you—there are so many ways to make a difference!

Thank you for all you do to support our students, staff, and school community.

In service to children,

Debbie Armendariz

Principal

Email: darmenda@pps.net

School phone number: (503) 916-6333

Lilly Williams (she/her), M.Ed.

School Counselor

Call or Text: 971-319-3623

Checking and responding to emails between 7:45 a.m.–3:45 p.m. Please allow up to 48 hours for a response.

Spirit Week was so much fun! Rainbow Day, Pajama Day, Red Carpet/Fancy Dress Day...what a blast! Thanks to everyone who participated. See some fun pictures below.

As some of you may be aware, there is a measles outbreak in Oregon with 26 confirmed cases, including cases in Portland. PPS, MESD, and the Multnomah County Health Department are all distributing information, so students and families may have questions.

Please notify our nurse, Jenny, (jhefele@mesd.k12.or.us) and School Health Assistant, Vanisha, (vsingh@pps.net) immediately if your child has a confirmed or suspected case of measles. Any health or symptom-related questions can also be directed to them. Building policy questions can be directed to administration.

If a measles case is identified in the building, here is what will happen:

• Jenny will gather all necessary information and submit it to the MESD Communicable Disease team.
• The County Health Department will determine whether a community investigation or notification is needed.
• If notification is required, messaging will be provided by the Health Department and distributed by building administrators. To protect privacy, teachers and staff should not share information directly with classroom groups or other cohorts.

We will continue to follow the symptom-based exclusion chart when determining whether students may attend or remain at school (see below). This includes any new, undiagnosed rash that cannot be fully covered.

A measles notice with more information is attached below. Currently available in English only.

General measles information: Measles is highly contagious and can cause serious complications including pneumonia, brain swelling, hearing loss, and death. 20% of those infected are hospitalized. Symptoms begin like a common cold, with a rash and fever appearing approximately five days later. The rash typically starts along the hairline or neck and spreads over the body. There is no antiviral treatment; care focuses on supportive measures and treating secondary infections such as pneumonia. Two doses of the measles vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles for life. The vaccine is typically given at ages 1 and 4, making children under 4 especially vulnerable.

Three key ways to protect yourself and students:

• Masks — Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. A well-fitting mask that covers the nose and mouth can reduce the risk of inhaling the virus.
• Hand washing — Measles droplets can land on surfaces and remain infectious for up to two hours. Regular hand washing or sanitizing, especially before eating or touching the face, helps prevent transmission.
• Vaccination — Anyone between the ages of 5 and 18 can get vaccinated for free at any School Based Health Center!

See below for January class newsletters from homeroom teachers:

English Scholars Classes:

• Jess Wagner - Kinder
• Robin Shue - Kinder
• Laura Humphrey - 1st Grade
• Brittney McAleer - 2nd Grade
• Mary Beth Bitzer - 2nd Grade
• Laurie Shonkwiler - 3rd Grade
• Laura Seckinger - 3rd Grade
• Tommy Allen - 4th Grade
• Mady Hampton - 5th Grade
• Kathy Zipp - 5th Grade

DLI Classes:

• Maria Tobon Olguin - Kinder DLI
• Janeth Hernandez-Solis - 1st Grade DLI
• Christine Klein-Leong - 1st Grade DLI
• Omar Casillas - 2nd Grade DLI
• Emilia Schwing - 3rd Grade DLI
• Martha McArthur - 4th Grade DLI
• Cole Brown -5th Grade DLI

Read the latest spring news from the Core Enrichments team in their newsletter.

Third quarter report cards will be printed and sent home with students in their backpacks today. They are also accessible in ParentVUE.

Last day to submit photos for the yearbook is Friday, April 24. Photos from school events, field trips, etc can be sent to atkinsonyearbookpps@gmail.com.

To purchase your copy of the yearbook, use this link: Atkinson Yearbook 2025-2026

Kellogg MS is hosting a community Multicultural Fair & Family Resource Night on May 27 and would love to invite the Atkinson community to attend. See the attached flyer for more information.

Read the latest news from our amazing PTA in their newsletter.

The PTA will be hosting an Earth Day Garden/Work Party in the Outdoor Learning Garden on Wednesday, April 22. This day is no longer an early release day, it is a full school day. Parent volunteers are welcome to arrive anytime after 12:30 p.m. to help with moving bark chips, pulling weeds, etc., and children may join their parents from 2:30–3:30 p.m. for some fun, kid-centered garden activities! We will have seeds and pots available for students to plant and take home, and limited snacks and drinks. Students must be accompanied by an adult in order to participate. Join us!

Due to the budget shortfall, there have been some changes to the remainder of the school year:

• School is cancelled on Friday, May 1 for all students
• The 2025–26 school year will now end on Friday, June 5
• Two previously planned early release days—April 22 and May 13—will now be full instructional days (dismissal at 2:30 p.m.)

Here is the link to the updated district calendar.

We’re excited for our upcoming Día del Niño celebration and need lots of volunteers to help make this fun community event a success! There are many ways to help, including: event set-up, serving food (tacos, desserts, drinks), face painting, clean-up, and more! Whether you can help for part of the evening or the whole event, your support makes a big difference.

• Please check out the sign-up sheet and grab a spot—we’d love your help!

• Questions? Reach out to Erin Lopez at air_in23@hotmail.com.

At the end of April, our 3rd-5th grade students will begin their state testing in Reading, Writing, and Math. Some parent volunteers want to do something special to support and encourage them to do their best. Their plan is to put together goodie bags for them to show that the whole community is rooting them on!

If you are interested in contributing to these goodie bags, they have created a wish list/registry on Amazon. You can purchase any items on the list using the link below. These will be sent directly to the coordinator to prep for our hard working test takers! Any excess items will help to replenish the stock!

ATK: State Testing Wishlist

The deadline for these items is Wednesday, April 22.

If you would like to help assemble baggies or have any questions, please contact Maren Kohl (maren_kohl@csd28j.org). Thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide!

• Friday, April 10 — PTA Bike Fair, upper playground, 2:30–3:45 p.m.
• Wednesday April 15 — 3rd–5th Music Performance for parents, 1:10–2:20 p.m., cafeteria
• Saturday, April 18 — PTA Auction, 6–9 p.m., Oaks Park Dance Pavilion
• Wednesday, April 22 — FULL INSTRUCTIONAL DAY, NO EARLY RELEASE
• Friday, April 24 — Principal's Coffee, 8:10 a.m., cafeteria
• Friday, April 24 — PTA Día del Niño Celebration, 6–8:30 p.m.
• Wednesday April 29 — K–2nd Music Performance for parents, 1:10–2:20 p.m., cafeteria
• Friday, May 1 — Furlough Day, NO SCHOOL

PPS works hard to ensure that all staff and students are trained to respond effectively and efficiently during an emergency at or near school. One of the many ways we accomplish this is through our mandatory drill requirements. These drills are essential in ensuring our school community is as prepared as possible for emergency situations. Atkinson's emergency drill schedule for the remainder of the school year is as follows:

• Friday, May 15 — Evacuation/Fire Drill
• Monday, June 1 — Evacuation/Fire Drill

Learn more about PPS Emergency Management here.