Dragon News

Message from the Principal

Greetings Findley Community~

As we guide our students through academic challenges, social dynamics, and personal growth, one of the most valuable traits we can help them develop is resilience. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change, and keep going in the face of adversity. It’s not just about “toughing it out”—it’s about learning how to navigate life’s ups and downs with confidence and courage.

Resilient children are more likely to:

Approach challenges with a problem-solving mindset
Maintain a positive outlook even when things get tough
Build stronger relationships and communicate effectively
Persevere through academic and personal struggles

These skills are essential not only for success in school but also for long-term well-being and achievement in life. I was able to attend our Beaverton School District Community Partnership Breakfast last Thursday. The theme from all of the partners was the importance of building resilience in students so they can face the challenges of our ever-changing world.

At our school, we integrate resilience-building into everyday learning by:

Encouraging a growth mindset: Mistakes are seen as opportunities to learn.
Promoting goal-setting and reflection: Students learn to track progress and celebrate effort rather than simply achievement.
Creating a supportive environment: Teachers model empathy, perseverance, and self-regulation.
Teaching coping strategies: Through social-emotional learning, students gain tools to manage stress and emotions.

Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in nurturing resilience. Here are a few ways to help:

Validate emotions: Let your child know it’s okay to feel frustrated or disappointed.
Encourage problem-solving: Ask guiding questions like, “What could you try next?”
Model resilience: Share stories of how you’ve overcome challenges.
Celebrate effort, not just results: Praise persistence and progress.

Resilience doesn’t develop overnight—it’s a journey. By working together, we can help our students build the inner strength they need to thrive in school and beyond. Thank you for being our partners in this important work!

With Gratitude,

Sherry Marsh, Ed.D

Principal

Findley

Every Student Belongs Board Policy ACB

Equal Educational Opportunity Board Policy JB

Educational Equity Board Policy JBB

Supporting Immigrant and Refugee Students and Families

Serving LGBTQIA+ Students

Many thanks and much appreciation to YOU our PTO for planning and executing a fun day of festivities yesterday. It started off with fun at our assembly to celebrate meeting our Dragon Dash fundraising goal and culminated with a fantastic evening of dancing, singing and community at our annual Fall Festival.

Chicken Dancing!

🐔

Pies in Mrs. Mesler, Mrs. Stroeve and Mrs. Canessa's faces!

🥧

Some witches at the Fall Festival.

🧙🏻‍♀️

Gear Up For Fall

It's time to gear up for Fall! As our days turn a bit darker and much wetter, with the right gear, you can keep walking and rolling all month long. Use these tips to make it easier to get out the door with the things you need to keep your children warm and comfortable for their trip to school.

Wear bright reflective clothing when walking or rolling.
Don’t assume people driving will see you. Make eye contact before crossing in front of vehicles.
Be alert! Keep eyes and ears open, especially while crossing the street.
Cyclists should make sure to have lights and wear helmets – it is the law.
Driving or biking? Use extra caution and slow down in the dark and rain. And remember, do not text and drive!

Available Food Resources for BSD Families

With the ongoing government shutdown, there’s uncertainty about how programs that support families, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other food assistance, may be affected. We understand this may cause concern for some families in our community.

As a reminder, every student has access to a free, nutritious breakfast and lunch each school day. We also want to share additional community resources that may help:

School-Based Food Pantries
The Oregon Food Bank (OFB) and Urban Gleaners (UG) operate several weekly or bi-weekly food pantries at our school sites. These pantries are open to everyone; families don’t need to attend that particular school to receive assistance. Pantries are located outside the schools on designated days. In addition, Aloha High School and Community School at Merlo Station Campus have pantries inside the schools, available to students only.

For a list of our school-based pantries, see the calendar attached to this ParentSquare message or visit our district website. For food pantries outside our schools, check OFB’s Food Finder.

Beaverton Resource Center
The Beaverton Resource Center (BRC) supports eight church-based pantries in Beaverton through the Care to Share Food Pantry Network. Phone: 503-591-9025

Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has opened its new Washington County HOPE Center, featuring a food pantry designed to serve up to 1,200 families per month. Address: 1440 SE 21st Ave, Hillsboro; phone: 503-640-4311

Feed My Body, Feed My Brain
The Beaverton Education Foundation is once again partnering with the district to fundraise for the Feed My Body, Feed My Brain campaign. Grocery gift cards will be distributed to families in need prior to winter break — the number of cards depends on the amount of money raised. If you’re able, please consider donating online to the campaign.

Thank you for helping to ensure that every child is fed and ready to learn.

Join Findley Pack 718 for Fun and Friends!

Looking for a way for your child to make new friends, try new adventures, and unplug from screens? Want to meet other families in our community?

Cub Scouts is a parent-led, volunteer program that helps kids:

Develop good character & leadership skills
Learn citizenship & community service
Build fitness & confidence
Experience the outdoors and adventure

Pack 718 is chartered through the Findley PTO,

making it a wonderful way to connect with other Findley families.

Who can join?
Boys and girls in grades K–5. Dens are organized by grade level and meet 1–2 times a month for fun, age-appropriate activities like hiking, woodworking, first aid, knot tying, visiting museums, and more.

Pack Meetings
The entire Pack (K–5) comes together monthly on the 2nd or 3rd Tuesday at 7 PM at Findley. Scouts are recognized for their achievements, enjoy fun activities, and sometimes hear from guest speakers.

Special Events
Pinewood Derby car racing, Rocket Launch, community service projects, Blue & Gold Banquet, picnics, and more family-friendly adventures.

Learn More:
Website: pack718.com
Watch us in action: YouTube video

Join Today: Sign up here

Questions?
pack718leads@gmail.com
(971) 319-0827

Dismissal & Walking Traffic Patterns

As you may have noticed, we have a good number of students that go to Car Pickup or Flag Pole at the front of the school at the end of the day.

Flag Pole Parents: We have noticed a number of adults standing on the sidewalk waiting for your students by the Free Little Library. Adults tend to cluster right out side the door making it difficult for students to exit and traffic to flow with ease. We know it is exciting to get them afterschool and listen to the stories they have of their day but it is equally important that we have space for walking on the sidewalks. For this reason, please wait on the grassy areas, leaving the sidewalks clear for students and caregivers to move about. We would really appreciate it.

We also ask that if you walk north of the school after pickup to please use the upper side walk on Saltzman, as opposed to the sidewalk along the building. This leaves the sidewalks by the buses and day care vans clear for student traffic. This will help with congestion around our buses and some of our day care vans and ensure the safety of everyone.

Thank you for your help with this! Safety is our first concern.

Sparky's Steps to Safety

Sparky invites you to show our community that a safe crossing is the best crossing. Follow the footprints to designated street corners and avoid crossing midblock. Teach others how to stay safe while walking to and from school.

2025-2026 Findley Student/Family Handbook