Weekly Family Newsletter

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Monday, April 13th-Friday, April 17th: Spring Spirit Week

Wednesday, April 15th, 6:00-8:00pm, Library: Poetry Slam

Wednesday, April 15th, 6:30pm, Portland Art Museum: HeART of Portland

Monday, April 20th, 5:00-10:00pm, 3702 SE Hawthorne: Bagdad Pub Fundraiser

Friday, April 24th-Saturday, May 2nd, 7:00pm, Auditorium: Arts Alive

Friday, May 1st: NO SCHOOL

Monday, May 4th-Friday, May 8th: Staff Appreciation Week

Wednesday, May 6th, Front Lawn: PTSA Plant Sale & Pre-Order Pick-Up

Saturday, May 16th, 7:00-10:00pm, Aerie at Eagle Landing: Senior Prom

Friday, May 22nd, 2:36pm, Gym: Senior Recognition Assembly

Monday, May 25th: NO SCHOOL

Thursday, May 28th: Last Day of School for Seniors

Tuesday, June 2nd, 7:30pm, PSU Viking Pavilion: Class of 2026 Commencement (Livestream Link)

Wednesday, June 3rd-Friday, June 5th: Semester Two Finals

Friday, June 5th: Last Day of School for 9th-11th Graders

Friday, April 10, 2026

Dear Franklin Students and Staff,

Today is the National Day of Silence. Started in the mid 1990’s by two college students, Day of Silence is a nationally-recognized demonstration where LGBTQ+ students and allies all around the country protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ+ people in schools. Click here to learn more about the Day of Silence.

Please come to the library on Wednesday, April 15th, at 6pm for the annual Franklin Poetry Slam. All are welcome to cheer on our amazing student poets. They will be competing to win a spot at Verselandia and a $1000 cash award!

Also on Wednesday, April 15th, at 6:30pm, you will have the opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary work of student artists from our school and across the district! Franklin visual artists with works on display include: Olive McHenry-Weiner, Ameia Wergeland, Jack Tracy, and Kathy Tran. Additionally, Franklin dancers Caitlan Susbauer and Keena Mackenzie will be performing in the Honors Dance Ensemble, and the FHS Jazz Band will be opening the event. All of this and more at the 2026 HeART of Portland: A PPS K-12 Arts Showcase at the Portland Art Museum, 1119 SW Park Avenue. This district-wide annual event kicks off with an evening of student dance, music, and theatre performances, along with the opening of a student visual art exhibition featuring over 100 works. This event is free & open to everyone!

Thank you for your continued support of our Franklin community.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Dr. Z

• Review your/ your students' vaccine records and stay up to date with vaccines. Call and schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider or at any PPS Student Health Center, as needed.
• Exposed staff should be prepared to provide evidence of immunity upon request.
• Review the symptom-based exclusion chart and stay home from school or work if you are unwell.
• Monitor yourself and household members for symptoms of measles. If you believe you/your student might have measles or been exposed to measles, call your healthcare provider or medical office for further direction. Seek emergency care as needed and call ahead of your arrival to avoid spreading the virus to others.

For more information about measles, visit the Oregon Health Authority webpage. If you have questions or concerns, please call your healthcare provider or Multnomah County Health Department at 503-988-3406.

With the new furlough days added to the calendar, please take note of the following:

• Thursday, May 28th will be the final day for seniors.
• Senior finals will take place on Tuesday, May 26th and Wednesday, May 27th.
• Tuesday, June 2nd will be an all 8-period day.
• Finals for all students will run from Wednesday, June 3rd–Friday, June 5th.

Monday: Dress as Adam Sandler Day

Tuesday: College Day

Wednesday: Dress as Someone Famous Day

Thursday: Meme Day

Friday: Dress as an Album Cover or Artist Day

Our annual poetry slam is coming up on Wednesday, April 15th from 6:00-8:00pm in the Franklin library. Student poets can sign up in the library until April 10th, and all Franklin community members are welcome to join the audience on April 15th. Questions? Ask librarian Ellen Pederson, epederson@pps.net. See you at the SLAM!

Portland Public Schools Board of Education will be hosting three engagement sessions over the next two weeks as our vision for rightsizing our schools comes into focus.

These sessions are an essential part of what will be a multi-tiered, months-long effort aimed at surfacing the impacts, complexities, and community realities involved in school consolidation and closure. The insights we gather during this phase will guide future engagement and provide crucial context for the Board and district leadership as we work to ensure well-resourced, sustainable schools and equitable access to opportunities for all PPS students.

Family, staff, student, and community member perspectives are an essential part of this process. We hope you’ll join us for the following discussions:

Saturday, April 11th at 2:00pm at Kellogg Middle School

Virtual Option: https://pps-net.zoom.us/j/86256517467#success

Monday, April 20th at 6:00pm

Virtual Only: https://pps-net.zoom.us/j/82289805530#success

Wednesday, April 22nd at 6:00pm at Ida B. Wells High School

Virtual Option: https://pps-net.zoom.us/j/82289805530#success

Please RSVP here to help us plan for childcare and accommodation needs. (RSVP is much appreciated but not required.)

Host an Italian student and enjoy a true cultural exchange! Your child will be invited to an all-expense paid vacation to visit the family of your Italian student in the summer of 2027!

Ergon specializes in a rigorous selection process ensuring that students are responsible, adaptable, respectful, and willing to integrate in their host family. Students are fully insured and arrive with credit cards for all expenses, including recreation activities and vacations. We devote great care to matching students with host families. For parents and children alike, the experience of sharing their home with an Italian student often leads to lifelong friendships. To complete the cultural exchange, your son or daughter will enjoy an-all expense paid vacation to visit the family of your Italian student in the summer of 2027. Ergon sponsors the flight!

To learn more, please email info@ergon-se.org and visit www.ergon-se.org. Thank you!

A group of parent and staff volunteers are working to identify the most urgent needs facing Franklin students and families in order to prioritize supports we can offer. Students will be receiving a form in their English classes this week that they can fill out and turn in to any Franklin adult they trust. If this sounds like something that your family could use, please check in with your student about turning in this form. Thank you!

The third performance of Arts Alive has been rescheduled due to the PPS furlough days. Tickets are on sale now for Friday, April 24th, Saturday, April 25th, Thursday, April 30th, and Saturday, May 2nd. This annual show will feature performances by every level of Dance at Franklin, choir, band, and theater. Your ticket will also grant you access to the visual arts gallery in the Black Box Theater (more details in the graphic below).

Please come support the hard work of Franklin's amazing artists! You will not want to miss these performances.

PPS has revised the 2025-26 calendar, which reflects the newly-approved furlough days. The calendar is also available on their website.

A few things to note:

• There will be no school on Friday, May 1st.
• The 2025-26 school year will now end on Friday, June 5th.
• Thursday, May 28th is still the last day of school for seniors.

Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week is the week of May 4th, and we are looking for several helpers. Check out the sign-up and find a spot that works for you.

We are also looking forward to our annual Plant Sale Pick Up on Wednesday, May 6th and could really use your support. Sign up here.

The Franklin PTSA’s Annual Fundraiser is taking place this month. Every dollar donated goes directly to delivering critical needs for our students, from computers for photography classes to mock trial/debate tournament fees and the FHS counselors' emergency clothing budget. Make a difference today at: tinyurl.com/FranklinGives.

On Monday, April 20th from 5:00-10:00pm, the Bagdad on Hawthorne will donate 50% of ALL sales generated in the Bagdad Pub to the PTSA. Enjoy a brew and a bite and support our school!

FAB is in the middle of spring season and hoping to finish out the year strong! They need volunteers to make that happen, though, so please read their weekly newsletter here and see how you can help.

The 9th Annual Playmakers Summit is happening on Saturday, April 18th at Oregon Episcopal School, and spots are filling quickly. If you’re involved in girls’ and women’s sports in any way, this day is for YOU. Link to the website: https://www.playmakerssummit.com/

This FREE event brings together athletes, coaches, and leaders for a powerful day of inspiration, leadership, and connection. Even better, lunch is provided, so all you need to do is register, show up ready to learn and be energized!

Here’s what makes this event so special:

• Dedicated Athlete Programming designed to empower and inspire female athletes
• A simultaneous Coaches Clinic specifically for those who coach female athletes
• Opportunities to connect, grow, and be part of a strong, supportive community
  

Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or supporter of girls’ and women’s sports, you are invited to be part of this incredible experience. Don’t wait—registration is required, and space is limited!

Click here to register

Because game schedules are subject to change, sometimes with short notice, we don't post them here. Please bookmark this page that is kept up to date. This information is also posted in Trivory for your convenience.

Show your pride for your graduate! The Franklin PTSA is now selling Franklin Graduate yard signs for $20. Please click this link to order, and plan to pick up your sign either at the Plant Sale on Wednesday, May 6th, or after the Senior Assembly on Friday, May 22nd. Signs can also be purchased at either of those events!

Dear Class of 2026 Seniors and Families,

Please open and review the Class of 2026 Senior Letter and Calendar, as it contains valuable information regarding several important dates, senior prom, senior clearance, graduation & rehearsal, the 60 Day Rule, and more! The letter is attached as a PDF below as well.

We run items in The Bolt family newsletter for two weeks unless there is a good

reason to run them longer. To submit an item, fill out this form by 4pm on Thursday.

You can find past issues of The Bolt on our Smore homepage.

There is a lot going on at Franklin. Make sure to download Trivory, follow the

FHS Instagram page and bookmark the FHS website for the latest information.