DOLPHIN DIGEST 4/9/2026
Weekly Newsletter by Arleta School and Arleta PTA
WELCOME TO ARLETA'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!
We’re so glad to have you as part of our school community!
This weekly newsletter is developed and sent in partnership between school administration and the PTA. If you have information you'd like shared in the newsletter, please email it to ArletaSchoolPTA@gmail.com. Keep scrolling for the latest.
INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We acknowledge Portland rests on traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla and many other Tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River. #HonorNativeLand https://youtu.be/ETOhNzBsiKA
FREE BREAKFAST/LUNCH FOR ALL STUDENTS
We have breakfast available for all Arleta students at no cost. Please join us!
The doors open at 7:45 and students eat in the cafeteria. Students are dismissed to class at 7:58 in order to be ready to learn at 8:00. Kindergarteners are walked to class by a staff member.
Remember, the cafeteria is supervised at 7:45, but no other areas on campus are. If you drop your student off for breakfast, please make sure they head directly to the cafeteria. Parents are welcome to hang out in the cafeteria while their students eat breakfast.
VOLUNTEER AT ARLETA'S EARTH DAY CELEBRATION
There are so many cool activities at Arleta's annual Earth Day Celebration tomorrow, Friday, April 10th, and you can be part of making them happen. We need parents volunteering at the plant sale and crafting tables, and we need help setting up and taking down the event in the cafeteria. Please click the button below to sign up to volunteer!
We especially need help on the plant sale table from 3:15-4pm, the drinks table, the seed station, and the flower pounding station, all shifts! This is such a fun event. Please help us make sure it's fun for everyone!
ARTS AND LITERACY NIGHT FOOD AND PRIZES VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Arts and Literacy Night is in one week!
The April 16th event is one of the biggest Arleta gatherings of the year.
It's a gallery-style event where our kids show off their creativity (and hard work) to the Arleta community. We need some volunteers to help feed the hungry crows and run the prize tables. Please click the link below to pitch in and help out!
We especially need help with the half-hour shifts for the prize table and with clean-up!
PTA SEEKING DONATIONS FOR ARLETA YEARBOOKS
The Arleta PTA provides a yearbook for every student, every year, so every child can take home the memories of their school year, and donations help us make this possible for the whole school.
Please consider one of the following levels of support:
$15 – Sponsor one student’s yearbook
$45 – Sponsor a small group of students
$150 – Help fund a classroom’s yearbooks
PUT A ROCK IN THE BUCKET FOR ART NIGHT!
We're doing a very popular rock-painting table at Art & Literacy Night, and we need you to help us collect rocks! Find a cool rock? Have a stash at home? Bring it to the school office and put them in the orange Home Depot bucket in the kid waiting area! Thank you so much for your help!
SAVE YOUR BOOKS TO SWAP AT ARTS AND LITERACY NIGHT
Do you have some once-loved kid books around that don't get the attention they deserve? Let's change that!
Starting today April 9th, through the 16th, we're collecting gently used, age/school-appropriate books to be donated to the Arleta Book Swap table. During Arts and Literacy Night on April 16th, students and their siblings will have the opportunity to choose a new favorite book to take home.
📚 We encourage kids who donate their books to include a little note for the next reader.
📚 Please limit donations to 1-2 books per child, keeping in mind that it's best to donate only what you would like to take home.
📚 You can drop off your donated books in the basket located outside the main office.
Thank you for helping us share the joy of reading!
RAISE 20% MORE FOR ARLETA DURING BOTTLEDROP EARTH WEEK!
From April 15–26, your recycling can go even further! During BottleDrop’s Earth Week promotion, all Blue Bag donations are eligible for a 20% match, boosting the impact of every bottle and can you return.
It’s an easy way to fundraise for Arleta—just pick up a Blue Bag from the school office, fill it with redeemable containers, and drop it off at any BottleDrop location.
Start collecting today!
KEEP COLLECTING YOUR JAR LIDS FOR FIRST GRADE FLOATS
Calling all recyclers! The first graders will soon be working on creating their floats for the parade and we need all your metal jar lids for the wheels...think sauce jars, pickle jars, jam jars, pepper jars, peanut butter jars, you get the idea. Anything that comes in a glass jar will have a metal lid and we want it!
There will be a tote bag for collection set up at the entrance of the main building or you are also welcome to send them directly to Teacher Katherine. We will continue collecting lids up until the end of April. Thank you for helping our First Graders out!
SUN SCHOOL SEEKING SNACKS TO SHARE
SUN School offers an amazing array of enrichment activities for kids: piano, photography, journalism, skateboarding. But kids explore the world best on full stomachs. SUN School is seeking donations of snacks to help feed kids in the program. Please make sure donations of kid-friendly snacks are healthy and shelf-stable. Donations can be collected in the school office! Thank you so much.
ARLETA FOOD PANTRY, CLOTHES CLOSET, & FAMILY TOILETRIES
Arleta has a small food pantry, clothes closet, and a variety of toiletries available for the use of any Arleta family. To set up an appointment to use the pantry or the closet, please email our SUN School Coordinator, Raina Bilbrew at rbilbrew@pps.net or raina.bilbrew@portlandoregon.gov or call or text her at 971-803-8986.
BIPOC LUNCH GROUP ON PAUSE
The Arleta BIPOC Lunch Group provides students with a welcoming environment to promote cultural awareness, social tolerance, and academic success. It is a safe space for students to gather and be themselves, timed with your child's lunch, and meets weekly on Fridays throughout the SUN School semester. We're on break and we'll resume meetings in the SUN Spring term, which begins April 13!
FREE SALSA DANCING CLASSES FOR ADULTS STARTS APR 14
Starting April 14 and running through May 26, Arleta SUN School will offer weekly salsa lessons for the adults in the Arleta community. Adult Salsa Dance Lessons will be held Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 PM in the cafeteria. The entire class series costs $42. No partner is required, and all experience levels are welcome. Please use the link to get registered!
TOMORROW - EARTH DAY CELEBRATION - APR 10
Join us for our annual Earth Day & Arbor Day celebration on Friday, April 10 from 2:30–4:00 pm in the Arleta cafeteria!
This fun after school event includes:
- 🌱 Planting seeds to take home and grow,
- 🌸 Flower pounding with Vessel Kitchen Gardens,
- 🐝 Meeting local nature experts from Portland Urban Beekeepers and Hoyt Arboretum,
- 🌿 A Garden club plant sale — take home a plant for your garden!
Kids and families can drop in, explore the activity tables, and learn about bees, trees, gardening, and nature in our community. Feel free to stop by anytime during the event window!
All activities are free to participate in. The only items for sale will be plants from the Garden Club fundraiser. Students must attend with a parent or guardian.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING - APR 14
The next school board meeting is Tuesday, April 14th from 6-9pm, at 501 N Dixon St. Portland, OR 97227. This meeting is open for the public to attend in person up to the capacity of the room and will be streamed live under the provision of ORS 192.670 at: https://www.youtube.com/@ppsboardofeducation/live
Links to Board of Education Information:
- Board of Education Website
- Past Board Meeting Recordings
- Board Meeting Agendas and Materials
- Public Meeting Notices
- Send requests for public comment to publiccomment@pps.net. More information on Public Comment can be found on the Board’s Meeting Protocols and Public Comment web page.
Board Office Staff
- Rosanne Powell – Senior Board Manager (rpowell@pps.net - 503-916-3741)
- Kara Bradshaw - Executive Assistant (kbradshaw@pps.net - 503-916-3741)
ARTS & LITERACY NIGHT - APR 16
Arleta's Annual Arts & Literacy Night is in one week! On Thursday, April 16th, come to the school from 5:30-7pm for a creative event that's part gallery showing, part fair, and all fun!
At this event you can make stamps, zines, foil statues, and marionettes with your child, enjoy pizza, play Mad Libs, watch an African drumming performance, create bird garlands and fence art projects, paint rocks, and swap books. Most importantly, your child will be able to show you the visual and literary art they've been working hard on all year. Don't miss this incredible event!
SPRING PICTURE DAY - APR 17
Dorian Studios will be coming again to Arleta this year the morning of Friday, April 17 for an optional picture day. This picture day is an opportunity to have your student’s pictures taken again. These pictures are a bit more unique in that you will be able to choose a background for your student’s picture.
The order forms will be arriving this week if you are interested in having your student’s picture taken again. You may also order online by clicking here. There will be some order options that are only available in the spring, such as key chains and mugs.
These pictures are informal, totally optional, and separate from the class pictures and year book photos we had taken in the fall!
We also need 2 parents to volunteer from 8am-10am to help escort kids back and forth between the photographers and the classroom. Please email Nicole to sign up!
FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT - FERNGULLY - APR 24
Our final Family Movie Night of the year is this Friday, April 24th, doors opening at 5:30pm and the movie starting at 6pm. In this 1992 animated movie, the magical inhabitants of a rainforest fight to save their home, which is threatened by logging and a polluting force of destruction called Hexxus. Enjoy a cast including Robin Williams, Tim Curry, Christian Slater, Cheech Marin, and Tommy Chong!
Bring camp chairs/blankets for seating. There will be concessions for sale. Students must be accompanied & supervised by an adult.
GAME AND CRAFT NIGHT - APR 30
The PTA Family Engagement Coordinator and SUN are hosting a Game and Craft Night in the Arleta cafeteria on Thursday, April 30th from 5-7pm. Come with the family to play some board games and/or get creative with some crafting. We'll have a variety of games for a wide range of age groups: Apples to Apples, Parcheesi, Chutes and Ladders, Mexican Train Dominoes, etc. People are welcome to bring their own favorites as well and bring them back home at the end of the night! Crafting materials will also be provided for the artsy among us.
You can come and go as you please - whatever time works for your schedule, and light refreshments will be available. We really just want to bring families together in our community space for some family fun and mingling.
NEURODIVERGENT FAMILY GATHERING - MAY 7
The last Neurodivergent Family Gathering is coming up on May 7th - please join us! We'll be meeting in the cafeteria starting at 5:30pm, with dinner provided, and play and socialize until 7:30pm.
ARLETA BIKEAPALOOZA - MAY 8
When: Friday, May 8 • 4:30–6:30 PM
Where: Arleta blacktop
What: A fun, family friendly bike event to get ready for spring riding. We’ll have quick bike safety checks (air, brakes, chain), a simple skills course, karaoke, and more! We’ll wrap up with a short neighborhood group ride, a great way to see how Bike Bus works and build confidence.
Who: Kids and adults of all abilities, whether you ride often, are just getting started, or just curious. No bike? Come anyway!
Hosted by the Arleta Bike Bus in partnership with SUN and the Arleta PTA.
SCHOOL YEAR DATE CHANGES REMINDER
As part of the PPS and the teacher's union negotations to deal with the budget deficit, there have been several date changes. Please update your personal calendar:
- April 22nd and May 13th are full days of school (no early release).
- There is no school May 1st (The First Grade Parade is being rescheduled.)
- The school year ends on June 5th (not June 10th).
CELEBRATE HISTORY DURING NATIONAL ARABIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH!
To celebrate National Arabic American Heritage Month, let's enjoy a little history!
Mesopotamia, located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in modern-day Iraq, is often credited as the birthplace of civilization. Help your kid learn about the birth of civilization by watching the two videos, below.
The first is a TEDEd video giving the general story of the rise and fall of Mesopotamia.
The second is about an exhibition at the Morgan Library and Museum featuring women of Mesopotamia and centering around history's first author, Eheduanna. She was the first person to take writing, which had been used for business and accounting, and use it to express thoughts and feelings artistically. She was also the first person in writing to use the pronoun, "I".
Would you like more resources to explore the art and history of Mesopotamia? Click here for a kid-friendly blog-post showing different kinds of Mesopotamian arts and crafts. Click here for crafts you can do with your kids for hands-on learning about Mesopotamia.
To explore early writing in a funny way, learn about history's oldest letter of complaint (or tablet of complaint) to the infamous Ea-Nasier.
To delve into a colorfully illustrated old book check out this copy of The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Devices by Ismail al-Jazari (from present-day Turkey) showing 12th century designs for automatic doors, drink-serving robots and hot showers. To learn more about the early inventions of the Sumerians, check out this History Channel article!
While thinking about ancient writing, your kids might like to explore the world's first alphabet, which was created by the Phoenicians in what is now Lebanon! This is an easy resource on the Phoenician alphabet! To learn more about the Phoenicians themselves, click here!
REGISTRATION FOR KINDERGARTEN IS NOW OPEN!
You can sign up at arleta.pps.net/kindergarten/connect-to-kindergarten
Enrolling early helps us secure the resources and staff our school needs. Click below to download the flyer for details on our upcoming Arleta Kinder Connects and New Student Open House! Thank you!
BEAT THE BELL
For the 4-day week of March 30-April 2, we had 94% positive attendance (up from 92% the week before) and 104 tardies (averaging 26 tardies a day) which is a higher tardy rate than the 25.2 average the 5-day week before.
Looking for some tips to help you get out of the door on time? Check back here each week for ideas.
This week's tips:
- Make a family pledge about attendance and being on time.
-
Give up on pajamas. Let your kid wear school clothes to bed.
Ask kids to check the weather the night before and set out proper jackets/shoes.
ESPERANZA RISING, BY PAM MUÑOZ RYAN
Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico - she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, and servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances - Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.
Get The Book
- Click here to borrow the book from Multnomah County Library.
- Buy the book at Powell's Bookstore.
- Buy the audiobook on Libro.fm.
- Buy the book, ebook, or audiobook at Barnes and Noble.
- Purchase the book on Amazon.
Sympathy
I know what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals—
I know what the caged bird feels!
I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting—
I know why he beats his wing!
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings—
I know why the caged bird sings!
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Weekend.
Weekend who?
Weekend do anything we want!
One in six children in Oregon and SW Washington face food insecurity. Food insecurity can arise for anyone. Should you need a little help, or you want to give a little help, here is a list of nearby resources.
Search for food pantry by day and time open, using the Portland Free Food Calendar.
Urban Gleaners takes advantage of Oregon's bountiful harvests, making sure they don't go to waste, sharing food through a variety of free markets around the region. You can find those markets on their website. Find a location by clicking here.
St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 5415 SE Powell Blvd. Hours are on Fridays from 2-5pm and the entrance is in the rear of building. They use a lottery system to give out the initial entry numbers. Those who have arrived by 1:45 pm on Friday will be entered into the lottery. Those who arrive after 1:45pm will be given the next number available.
SVDP Our Lady of Sorrows, 5221 SE Knight street. Referral only. Call Portland Council for food box at 503-235-8431.
Groceries 4 Grout, 4028 SE 34th Ave. This food pantries is hosted every Friday at Kenilworth Presbyterian Church parking lot. The outdoor pantry is shopping-style, available to everyone and we invite people to bring their own bags. Call (503) 235-3977 with inquiries.
The Woodstock Food Pantry 4033 SE Woodstock, provides groceries on Fridays and Saturdays, between 12:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. to anyone who needs them. Drive-through or walk-up pantry. Cars – line up and stay in your car. Walkups – line up on the sidewalk.
The Francis Center 6535 SE 82nd provides food boxes Monday through Thursday from 10am -2pm. They ask that people gather one box per month, unless they're homeless, in which case, they can come once a week.
Kellogg Middle School Free Food Market, 3400 SE 69th Ave, is generally open on the 3rd Friday of every month and is open to the public (you do not have to have a student at Kellogg to attend). Please bring your own bag. The Kellogg pantry is next open on: April 17, May 15, & June 5 from 3:30-5pm. For more information, email info@kelloggmsptsa.org.
Lane Food Pantry, 7200 SE 60th, in the back parking lot, is open both to school families and the public, every Tuesday from 2:30-4pm, and offers 3-5 days worth of food, including fresh produce, to all comers. Please do not arrive more than 15 minutes early for the safety of the students. The pantry is run in partnership between the SUN program, the Latino Network, and the Oregon Food Bank.
The Equitable Giving Circle provides food boxes, compiled with Black farmers, for BIPOC people in our area and provides home delivery.
Portland Open Bible Community Food Pantry, 3223 SE 92nd Avenue Portland, has an open pantry on Tuesday 4pm-7pm and Thursday 10am-1pm except on federal holidays. Online ordering is open 24 hours per day / 7 days per week (click here to order food online). Walk in, call (503) 442-8228, or visit their website for more information.
PDX Free Fridge is a community based and informed mutual aid effort to increase access to free food and vital supplies by creating a network of independent fridges and pantries in Portland, OR. Go to their website to find a fridge or pantry near you! (Note: this map is out of date, and is currently being updaated.)
Milk Crate Kitchen delivers meals twice a month. To learn more, click here for the Milk Crate Kitchen website.
During these unprecedented times, some local restaurants are stepping in to fill the gap. Click here for a list of local restaurants providing SNAP meals.
To research more resources, go to the Oregon Food Bank Food Finder, Findhelp.org, or the Multnomah County Food Assistance page which has been updated to include resources for folks on SNAP not getting their SNAP payments. Multnomah Education Service District has a document with a list of resources for SNAP beneficiaries, translated into multople languages. To donate food, consider the Portland Food Project, which will pick up shelf-stable food from your home and deliver it to food pantries.
WATCH THE ARTEMIS II MISSION
The Artemis II mission, after orbiting the earth twice, fired it's engines and reached the moon on Monday April 6th, circling the moon in time to catch a solar eclipse, name new features on the moon, receive a posthumous message from Jim Lovell, and make the first spaceship-to-spaceship transmission. Now, it is a day away from returning home. See photos from the dark side of the moon on NASA's website, here! If your child is curious about the inside of the Orion space capsule, this article will help you compare it to the Apollo capsule. If your child is curious, this page on NASA's website shows engineers and astronauts testing a replica of the Orion module and has lots of pictures of the interior!
When they re-enter our atmosphere near California, around 7:53pm EST, today, April 10th, as gravity pulls them toward Earth, they will be traveling at the fastest speed humans have ever gone: slightly faster than 25,000 mph / 40,200 kph during reentry - over 11 km per second! Apollo 10 reached a top speed of 24,791 mph / 39,897 kph in 1969.
INVITE HOPE: MARCELO FONATANA AND WAVE CONTEMPORARY AT THE COLLINS GALLERY - NOW THROUGH JULY 5
Central Library is transforming into a space for poetic resistance. Marcelo Fontana and Wave Contemporary invite the viewer to see hope as an active power rather than a passive wish. Eighteen artists will create small and shareable acts of hope displayed in the Collins Gallery. The title for the exhibition, Invite Hope, comes from a Maya Angelou quote: “Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space. Invite one to stay.”
The Collins Gallery, at the top floor of the Central Library, is used for exhibits created by library personnel or by community members in cooperation with library personnel. Use of space by a community organization does not constitute an endorsement of the organization's beliefs by the library.
Central Library
801 SW 10th Avenue
Portland, OR 97205
503.988.5123
WOODSTOCK LIBRARY TWEEN COUNCIL - APR 10
Come to Woodstock Library on Friday, April 10th from 4:15-5:15pm and help your librarian choose the best books, movies, comics, programs and events for you and your friends. Have fun working on special projects, making new friends, and creating the perfect library for you! This is a volunteer position and snacks will be provided. For kids ages 9-12. Click here to see the Tween Council meeting on the Woodstock Library website.
FREE "IMPROVE YOUR SOIL" WORKSHOP - APR 11
April 11th | 11am - 4pm at Oromo Church, 8040 SE Woodstock Blvd Sponsored by Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Association.
Join the OSU Extension metro Master Gardener program presenters and learn how you can "Improve Your Soil" to get your garen ready for planting this spring! Partcipants will learn why soil care is key to supporting strong root systems and vigorous growth, along with ways to build and maintain soil that allows their gardens to thrive.
RSVP to join the workshop here: forms.gle/um21jhCRmwy5zKWCA
Find more info about Our Happy Block here: ourhappyblock.com
TINKER CAMP AT HOLGATE LIBRARY - APR 12
You’re an explorer and anthropologist and discover a miniature world that everyone else thought was only imaginary. Come to Holgate Library and enjoy Mini Worlds for Kids with Tinker Camp from 2-5pm on Wednesday April 12th. Create a model of your teeny, tiny world so everyone can see with Tinker Camp, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting STEAM education in your community. Use cool materials and tools to design and build a small scale version of whatever you discovered. Tiny rooms in a teeny house? A pint-sized playground? A miniature amusement park?
All you need to do is bring your BIG tiny-sized ideas! Recommended for kids 8 and up!
NEXT FOSTER-POWELL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING - APR 13
The next Foster-Powell Neighborhood Association Meeting is this Monday, April 13 from 6:30-8:30pm.
Join Us In-Person
Where: Mt. Scott Community Center - Multipurpose Room 1, 2nd Floor - 5530 SE 72nd Ave (Map)
At the top of the stairs, turn left or, from the elevator, turn right. Then, it’s the first room on the right. Look for the Foster-Powell sign.
Join Us Virtually
Meeting Link: Zoom link
Dial-in Number: (253) 215- 8782 | Meeting ID: 839 5449 4883 | Passcode: 500305
Event & Elections Announcements
Our meeting this month will be announcement heavy as we enter into nicer weather! Here are a few of those announcements:
Arleta Elementary Bikeapalooza
82nd Avenue of Roses Parade
Schiller & 72nd Street Plaza Mural Design Competition
Summer Soiree
FPNA Annual Board Elections
Discussions and possible board actions
- Vote: Send a letter to PBOT requesting traffic signage on SE 72nd Ave?
- Vote: Present another Land Acknowledgment gift to an Indigenous organization and, if so, how much?
- Vote: Volunteer Appreciation/Social Event proposal - budget of $250 for drink tickets?
- Vote: Reimburse Ryan Sooley $73 for printing and laminating map of Foster-Powell for NA use?
General meetings are always the second Monday of the month from 6:30 – 8:30 PM with the exception of August. Check meeting notices for location. All neighbors are welcome at meetings. Anyone who lives, works, or owns property in Foster-Powell is considered a neighbor.
LEGO CLUB - WOODSTOCK LIBRARY - APR 14
Join us Tuesday, April 14 from 3:30-5pm for a fun and imaginative LEGO building session. We'll provide the building blocks, you bring the creativity! Ideal for grades K-5, but younger and older siblings are welcome. Click here to see Lego Club on the Woodstock Library website.
GRAPHIC NOVEL CLUB - APR 14
Kids in grades 4-5 are invited to come together at Holgate Library on Tuesday, April 14th from 4-5pm and talk about graphic novels and eat snacks! Every meeting includes a short activity related to this month's book. A limited number of books are available for pick up at the library. Click here to see the Graphic Novel club on the Holgate Library website.
WHAT IS A WATERSHED WEBINAR - APR 15
Forests filter rain and snowfall and deliver it to streams or aquifers, but management activities on the landscape can affect water quality and quantity. Join OSU Extension Forest Watershed Specialist Annette Patton for an introduction to watersheds, including an overview of what a watershed is, its importance, and water processes across the landscape.
This webinar will be recorded and the link will be emailed to participants the week after the event. The webinar takes place on Apr 15, 2026 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm, and costs $5 (scholarships available).
Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made by Apr 8, 2026 to Carrie Mack: carrie.mack@oregonstate.edu or 541-237-6808
CREATIVE LEARNING: BAMBU 3D PRINTER AT HOLGATE LIBRARY - APR 16
Come to Holgate Library on April 16th to use our 3D printer and get help from staff on creating a project of your choice (subject to time limits). No experience necessary! A selection of colors of PLA will be available for you to use.
Space is limited and registration is required. Registration opens March 26. Click here to RSVP in the 2:15-3:45pm timeframe. Click here to RSVP in the 4pm-5:30pm timeframe.
Children in grades 5 and under must be accompanied by an attentive teen or adult.
READ TO THE DOGS AT WOODSTOCK LIBRARY - APR 17
Come to Woodstock Library on Friday April 17th from 3-4pm and improve your reading skills and make a new friend by reading aloud to a therapy dog. The dogs and handlers are from Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Dove Lewis Portland Area Canine Therapy Teams, Paws for Love, and Pet Partners®.
OREGON SCHOLASTIC CHESS FOUNDATION STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS - APR 17-18
We’re excited to share that the 2026 OSCF State Championship is set for April 17–18 in Seaside and registration is now open!
Full details & registration: https://www.oscf.org/events/oscf-state-championships
State is always one of the highlights of the year: two days of serious chess, ocean air, team spirit, and lots of memories in the making. We hope to see many of you there!
Don’t Forget: Crazy Hat Tradition! Our beloved tradition continues: wear your craziest, wildest, most creative hat on Friday, and you might walk away with a prize. Yes, parents are welcome to join the fun too.
2026 T-Shirt Design Competition
We’re continuing our annual T-shirt design contest and we’d love to see your creativity!
Who can enter? All players are welcome.
Requirements:
• Original hand-drawn artwork
• No AI-assisted designs
• Submit by March 18th at 12:00 PM (noon) by email to oscf@oregonscholasticchessfederation.org
• Email subject line: 2026 T-shirt Design Competition – Player’s Name
All submissions will be reviewed anonymously by an OSCF Board panel.
Prizes:
• 1st Place: $20 Salt & Straw gift card and one free T-shirt featuring the winning design
• 10 Additional Finalists: $5.25 Salt & Straw gift cards
Let your imagination run wild: chess themes, Oregon vibes, creative twists… surprise us!
EARTH DAY CELEBRATION AT THE OREGON GARDEN - APR 18
Earth Day at The Oregon Garden is a free day of celebrating our planet! Guests of all ages are invited to grow their environmental stewardship by visiting with environmentally-conscious exhibitors, engaging in educational activities and exploring the Garden!
Admission to Earth Day at The Oregon Garden is free!
Activities
- Monmouth Taiko Drumming Association
- Interactive Life-size Orca Whale – courtesy of City of Salem – Public Works
- PDX Critters – Interact with animals!
- Pinecone Birdfeeder Craft Workshop
- Spark Photobooth
Panel Schedule
Panels all day long courtesy of Sustainable Silverton!
10:00 AM: Agriculture panel: “Local and Resilient Food Chains”
11:00 AM: “Oregon White Oaks in Silverton” – Eric Hammond
1:00 PM: “Sustainable Silverton Coalition” – Board
2:00 PM: “Solar Panels and the Circular Economy”
Parking
- On Site: $10
- Members always park free.
- Complimentary Park and Walk lots available at Silverton Senior Center and Robert Frost Elementary.
If you haven’t been, this is the ideal time to visit this Oregon attraction. The 80-acre botanical garden feature more than 20 specialty gardens showcasing the diverse botanical beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
The Oregon Garden is at 879 W Main St. in Silverton.
Click here for more details about Earth Day at the Oregon Garden!
FREE COMPOST FROM THE CITY OF PORTLAND - APR 18-19
In the fall, PBOT collects leaves from city streets and converts the debris into high-quality compost. In celebration of Earth Day, PBOT gives away all of this built up compost. And the best part? It’s completely free.
From April 18-19, 2026, you can pick up free compost at the Sunderland Maintenance Yard, 9325 NE Sunderland Avenue. The event is open each day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There is no limit to the amount of compost you can take. If you have an open-bed vehicle, PBOT will load the compost for you. If you want to bag your own, bring a shovel and bags. Click here to see the event on the City of Portland website.
WOODSTOCK LIBRARY SIT AND STITCH - APR 20
Join your neighbors on Monday, April 20th 10:30am-12pm at Woodstock Library for a friendly, informal sewing/knitting/crochet/embroidery bee! Bring your own projects and socialize (sew-cialize?) at the library. Click here to see this event on the Woodstock Library website.
MT SCOTT NEIGHBOR SOCIAL HOUR - APR 21
Join the Mt. Scott/Arleta Neigbhorhood Association on Tuesday, April 21⋅5:00 – 6:00pm and meet your neighbors at a rotating neighborhood establishment. Check each month for the current location.
Click here to see more events on the Mt. Scott/Arleta Neighborhood Association newsletter.
ARLETA TRIANGLE WORK PARTY - APR 25
Make a good place better with your neighbors! The Arteta Triangle summer work parties are back for the season. Meet at the Arleta Triangle to help weed, paint, and support the community. Gloves, tools, and drinks provided. The work parties meet on the last Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. throughout the summer. On days with excessive heat warnings, the work parties start and end times each move to an hour earlier. The Arleta Triangle Square is located at 5961-5999 SE 72nd Ave, 97206.
If you’ve ever walked or driven through the intersection of SE 72nd & Woodstock Boulevard, you noticed an unusual street pattern. A wide, sweeping curved road creates a triangular island of land. On that space are trees and plants as well as a decorative wall with a canopy.
If you’re like me, you passed this spot and wondered, “Who is in charge of this space?”
The answer is you are. And now is the time to help make it even better. You are invited to join in. We’re working with a landscape planner this year to make the landscape more resilient and beautiful. Work parties on the site are also planned for every last Saturday of the month starting in April, through at least September. Help plant, maintain, or give guidance to the future of this site!
SPRING FOR ZENGER - APR 25
Zenger Farm is a a nonprofit urban and organic farm that models, promotes and educates about sustainable food systems, environmental stewardship, community development and access to good food for all. Join them on Saturday, April 25th, 2026, from 10-2 PM at our annual Spring for Zenger celebration!
Bring the whole family and enjoy Oaxacan Cuisine prepared by Chef Paula of La Cuchara, guided tours, a drop-in volunteer stewardship project, propagation workshops, and more fun farm activities!
This event is FREE and open to the public! Please register by clicking here. Zenger Farm is located at 11741 SE Foster Road • Portland, OR 97266
OPEN NATURE CLASSROOM EARTH DAY - APR 25
- Saturday, April 25, 2026
- 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM
- Friends of Tryon Creek11321 South Terwilliger BoulevardPortland, OR, 97219United States (map)
On Saturday April 25th, join Friends of Tryon Creek in our Nature Classroom space. Open for parents and children visiting the park to come and experience nature-themed arts and crafts, and learn about animals, plants, fungi, and water. Kids can interact, learn together, and make new friends.
Free public event. No Registration is required.
Future Open Classroom Events: May 30: Natural Ink
READ TO THE DOGS AT HOLGATE LIBRARY - APR 25
Improve your reading skills and make a new friend by reading aloud to a therapy dog at Holgate Library on Saturday, April 25th from 11am-1pm. For kids and teens. Call 503.988.5123 to register.
LAST SUNDAY CRAFTING CLUB AT WOODSTOCK LIBRARY - APR 26
Join us at Woodstock Library on Sunday, April 26th from 12-2pm and express your creativity with a variety of art and craft projects! Library staff will provide all materials necessary.
This event is first come first served due to limited space.
INTRO TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY AT THE HOLGATE LIBRARY - APR 26
Join us on Sunday, Apr 26 join us from 3:30 - 5:30pm at the Holgate Library for Intro to Digital Photography! This introductory course is designed for absolute beginners and those looking to move beyond automatic camera settings. Participants will learn the fundamental technical and creative principles that underpin great photography. Over the the course, we will demystify the core functions of a camera and explore how to use light, composition, and exposure controls to capture compelling images. Click here to see the photography class on the Holgate Library website.
ECOS DEL SUR AT HOLGATE LIBRARY - APR 28
Disfrute de los sonidos de Ecos del Sur mientras interpretan música folclórica de América Central y del Sur, en Biblioteca Holgate, martes, 28 de Abril, desde 6:30-7pm. Vea el calendario a la página de la biblioteca.
Enjoy the sounds of Ecos del Sur as they perform folk music from Central and South America at Holgate Library, Tuesday April 28th from 6:30-7:30pm. See the event on the library website.
CREATIVE LEARNING: BAMBU 3D PRINTER AT HOLGATE LIBRARY - APR 30
Come to Holgate Library on April 16th from 4-5:30pm to use our 3D printer and get help from staff on creating a project of your choice (subject to time limits). No experience necessary! A selection of colors of PLA will be available for you to use.
Space is limited and registration is required. Registration opens April 9.
Children in grades 5 and under must be accompanied by an attentive teen or adult. Click here to see the event on the Holgate Library website.
INDIGENOUS CULTURE DAY AT TRYON CREEK STATE PARK - MAY 2
Indigenous Culture Day
- Saturday, May 2, 2026
- 9:00 AM 2:00 PM
- Friends of Tryon Creek11321 South Terwilliger BoulevardPortland, OR, 97219, United States (map)
Culture Day is a celebration of the reclamation of traditional lands for Indigenous Peoples that provides an accurate cultural experience for the whole community. This free, all-ages event offers the chance to listen and learn from Indigenous educators in the culturally rich land now known as Tryon Creek State Natural Area.
In its 8th year, this annual event is our Tryon Land Acknowledgement in action.
In a short forest walk, participants can go from the Nature Center and surrounding trails to see first-hand the traditional lifeways of Northwest Tribes. Indigenous leaders and educators will share a variety of traditional lifeways such as cordage and bag making, carving, Chinook Wawa language, basketry, first foods, and dentalium beads.
Culture Day Activities
Open Ceremony
Cultural Lifeways Community education tables
Guided Plant hike
Salmon Bake (samples)
Storytime
Door Prizes!
MT SCOTT-ARLETA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING - MAY 6
The next Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Association (MSANA) General & Board Meeting is Wednesday, May 6th, from 6:30-8:30pm. This is a hybrid meeting, in-person with remote viewing option.
In-Person: 72Foster Community Room (5005 SE 72nd Ave)
Remote Zoom Meeting Link: https://bit.ly/3Oq59jZ
View the Meeting Agenda
Read Past Meeting Minutes
Agenda Item Submission:
To add an item to the agenda, email the details to the Chair at least two weeks before the meeting. Clearly state what you want the association to do.
PORTLAND SIDEWALK JOY MAP - ANYTIME
Take a self-guided tour of local creations using the PDX Sidewalk Joy Map. This map showcases fun, interactive neighborhood galleries, exchanges and displays.
The map has more than 100 community joy spots throughout the city. All of these projects created by homeowners exist to bring a bit of whimsy and inspiration to the community.
These displays are viewable from front yards, curbside gardens, alleyways, side yards and sides of buildings.
The map shows a description, image and the location of each display. There’s also Instagram handles so you can follow your favorite Joy Map creators.
All locations on the map are free to enjoy, but you may want to bring quarters for the Super Awesome Prizes vending machine or pay for a pottery piece at the Poetry Pottery Box. View the map.
MULTNOMAH COUNTY LIBRARY CULTURAL PASSES
The Multnomah County Library has cultural passes to allow free admission to select cultural institutions around Portland. To check out a cultural pass from the library and see the list of institution, please click the button below.
ARTS FOR ALL TICKETS
Anyone who gets food relief through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and has the Oregon Trail Card or Washington State Quest Card qualifies to purchase $5 tickets to theatre, arts, and culture events around Portland through the Arts for All program.
Arts For All envisions a community where everyone—regardless of financial resources—can experience and enjoy arts and culture.
Over a decade ago, Arts For All was founded by dedicated arts leaders to ensure Oregon Trail Card/SNAP recipients could access specific arts events for just $5 per ticket.
Click here to be taken to the Arts for All Website and to purchase tickets. I
ATTENDING SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
The School Board meets regularly at the school district's Dr. Matthew Prophet Education Center (Prophet Center), 501 N. Dixon Street, at 6:00 pm on select Tuesdays of each month - and on certain other occasions. Some scheduling changes do occur; if you plan to attend, please see below for the upcoming public meeting notices.
Under the provision of ORS 192.670 all meetings will be live-streamed at http://www.youtube.com/@ppsboardofeducation/live, except for those meetings that fall under the provisions set forth for executive sessions.
To subscribe to email notifications of public meeting notices, email kbradshaw@pps.net to request to be added to the email list. After an email address has been subscribed to the mailing list, a notice of a Public Meeting of the School Board will be sent before each scheduled meeting.
VACCINE RESOURCES FOR YOUR CHILD'S HEALTH FROM THE DISTRICT
Vaccines play a crucial role in protecting our students from serious illnesses and help keep our community safe. Parents/ Guardians of students who are due to receive vaccines should receive a letter in the mail. Please check if your child’s vaccinations are current, including their recommended flu shot, and contact your medical provider or any of the resources listed below.
Multnomah County Student Health Centers
Multnomah County Vaccination Clinic (English)
Email: ArletaSchoolPTA@gmail.com
Website: arletapta.org
Location: 5109 SE 66th Avenue
Phone: 503-916-6330
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArletaElementaryK5