The Guardian Gazette

Hello IBW Students and Families,

I hope you all had a fun and restful Spring Break! Now that have returned, we are gearing up with our seniors and have lots to celebrate as we move further into spring and closer to the end of the school year. Tomorrow, we have a senior class meeting in the auditorium during FLEX time with important information that we will also send home to seniors and their families in a follow up Senior Newsletter on April 2nd. Class of 2026 has only 42 more days of class! WOW!

I always find this time of year thrilling and like riding a high speed train…it goes by fast and before we know it, summer will be here.

AND, summer will be here sooner rather than later with our school district’s announcement of a budget shortfall. Rather than school ending on June 9th, the last day of school is now Friday, June 5th.

In short, here are two important date changes to be mindful of:

May 1st - no school due to PPS furlough day

June 3rd, 4th, and 5th - new semester final exam schedule

We have updated TRIVORY to reflect these changes. Also, as scheduled, there is no school this Friday, April 3rd as it is a teacher grading day ending 3rd quarter and Monday, April 6th is also a no school day as it is a teacher planning day to gear up for the final quarter of the school year.

Now more than ever, we need our community to join us at our school auction on April 18th. You can find more information on our IBW Booster’s web page: https://www.ibwboosterclub.org/

I am looking forward to attending and am also offering a yoga class to raise money for our Community Equity Council and our culturally specific student clubs. Sign up at the auction!

THANK YOU in advance to all the community members, families and friends, who have donated items for our school auction. Mine is but one of many generous offers.

AGAIN, looking forward to a fun evening together with you on April 18th!!

Principal Coning

Please scroll down to find more specific information about each of these events. If there is no information, stay tuned, it's coming soon but mark your calendars!

April 1 - FOR SENIORS - Mandatory Class Meeting during Flex
April 3 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS, Teacher 3rd Quarter Grading
April 3 - Wine and Purse Fundraiser for Grad Night
April 4 - Campus Clean-Up/Day of Service with SOLVE
April 6 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Teacher Planning Day
April 8 - Spring Choir/Orchestra Concert, 7pm
April 10 - FOR SENIORS Deadline to apply for IBWHS Scholarships
April 13 - 17 Multicultural Week
April 18 - IBW Auction
April 24 - Unified Prom
April 30 - Spring Assembly
May 1 - NO SCHOOL - Staff Furlough Day
May 2 - Prom

See more dates/information on the:

Looking Ahead to the 2026-2027 School Year, the 2026-27 District Calendar has been approved.

Mark these dates on your calendar, Times TBD
Monday, August 17th - First Day of Fall Sports

Friday, August 21st - Back to School Business Days for Juniors and Seniors

Monday, August 24th - Back to School Business Days for Sophomores and Freshman

Tuesday, August 25th - Back to School Business Day - All Grades Make-Up Day

Wednesday, August 26th - Jump Start Day for Freshman and Seniors

Thursday, August 27th - First Day of School for all Grades

Monday, August 31st - Make-Up Photo/ID Day

Get ready for a great night in Multnomah Village! Friday, April 3rd is First Friday and the forecast is calling for 65 degrees and mostly sunny!🌞 Join friends and neighbors and be sure to stop by the Wine and Purse Fundraiser for Grad Night. In addition to all the other donations received, Paloma Clothing patrons donated 9 boxes of gently used purses and bags. Great purses can be found for just $5-$25!

This Saturday, April 4 we are hosting a Day of Service at Ida B Wells from 9-11:00 AM. We are partnering with SOLVE and student groups to do some target work on the east side of campus, including the Courtyard area and the Community Garden.

24-25 Yearbooks are Still On Sale. If you missed your chance to pick up a copy of last year's yearbook, we have a few copies still available for purchase for $65 from Ana Curtis in the main office.

Also, the only way to ensure you get a copy of the 25-26 yearbook is to preorder one through SchoolPay. Any yearbooks not preordered will be sold on a first come first serve basis while supplies last. We ordered 50 less this year, so we will be selling out.

Did you earn an "F" in a required course 9th, 10th, or 11th grade? If so, PPS Summer Scholars dates and information will be coming out soon. Summer school is the best way to make up failed courses. Students can typically make up two - semester classes (3 weeks/class) and it's free! Please keep checking the Gazette for updated info. Once registration opens in May, students will register for classes with their school counselor.

Smart City Learning Cafe is going "Pop Up" for the remainder of the school year. They will meet every Wednesday from 6:00-8:00pm at a different venue each week. Click here for the locations and calendar: https://www.joeminato.com/smart-city-learning-cafe

**Your school counselor also has the calendar if you have questions.

Find out more of what is happening with our band program here: https://app.smore.com/n/dq1xeb

Seniors, don't miss your opportunity to apply for 6 unique IBW Scholarships.
APPLY HERE Deadline is April 10th!

Check out all the upcoming Career Days, Internship opportunities, and more in the IBWHS Career News! Here’s a calendar of some of the key dates and deadlines highlighted in this month’s issue:

• 4/2 - ELSO Studio Justice Virtual Open House - RSVP to learn about their programs
• 4/3 - Deadline: Oregon AHEC’ s Annual Healthcare Camps at OHSU
• 4/3 - Geomatics Career Camp at OIT
• 4/9 - PPS Architecture Day with Oh Planning & Design - attend for your chance to be considered for a summer internship
• 4/10 - PWA Physical Therapy Career Day
• 4/16 - PWA Oregon Anesthesiology Group at Legacy Emanuel
• 4/17 - PWA Real Estate, Business, Construction & Architecture Career Day with CREW
• 4/22 - Deadline: Roots ‘N Threads Clothing Design Mentoring Program
• 4/24 - Providence Ready Career Exploration - Providence St. Vincent Medical Center
• 4/25 - Bodecker Speak Your Peace Spoken word
• 4/29 - PWA Law Career Day @ Tonkon Torp
• 4/29 - PWA Entrepreneurship Career Day

These opportunities go fast, so please apply or register as soon as possible.

Watch for our Spring Preview Coming Soon!

Check out the Weekly Schedule here: https://www.ibwathletics.com/this-week

Get Your IBW Sports Button! Show your school spirit by purchasing a IBW sports button for just $5-- add up the amount of buttons needed and pay that x5 ! Once your button is ready, we’ll deliver it directly to your student to bring home or you can email ecaldwell@pps.net if you prefer to pick it up from our school. Purchase on SchoolPay Today https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/Photo-Buttons-w-IBW-Athlete-Photo/SeywSvE

Do you know a teacher, counselor, or administrator at Ida B. Wells High School who goes above and beyond every day? Now’s your chance to recognize them!

The OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education honors incredible educators who inspire students, support families, and make a lasting impact in their communities. This year, four outstanding educators (Pre-K–12) will each have their mortgage or rent paid for a full year and receive a $2,500 donation for their school!

We encourage parents, students, staff, and community members to nominate an Ida B. Wells educator who exemplifies:

• Creativity and enthusiasm
• Innovative and effective teaching practices
• Meaningful community impact
• A strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Nominations are open through Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Let’s make sure the amazing educators at Ida B. Wells are recognized!

Submit your nomination here: https://www.onpointcu.com/onpoint-prize/educator-of-the-year/

Hello Ida B. Wells Community,

The Ida B. Wells Booster Club is excited to invite you to the 2026 annual School Auction. Our auction will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. We hope you will join us to support our student community!

For those not familiar, the purpose of the Ida B. Wells Booster Club is to help student programs advance, foster community spirit and raise funds to complement the Ida B. Wells High School student body. Our Booster Club supports Athletics Teams, Organizations and Student Clubs by providing grant funds for critical needs not covered by the PPS budget. (Here’s a video of recent grants we have provided.) Booster Club Grants have paid for needs such as camps, conferences, specialized training, equipment, student scholarships, tournaments fees and much more. The auction is an avenue for IBW groups to raise funds thereby enriching the overall experience for Ida B. Wells students.

Our Booster Club is very excited to take it back to the Awesome 80s with the goal of raising at least $80,000 for groups and programs at IBW! We are looking forward to a successful auction with all of your support! On April 18, Let’s Go Crazy supporting student programs at Ida B Wells!

Tickets are now available to purchase for $75 per person or $150 per couple. You may also sponsor an IBWHS Teacher/Staff member by purchasing a staff ticket for $75. This is an adult-only event and includes dinner and drinks. Tickets can be purchased here. Get out your Aquanet and parachute pants, and be ready to raise some dough to help fund enrichment opportunities for IBW students!

Below is a FAQ to answer all questions you may have about this year’s event! It’s going to be a fantastic evening celebrating and raising funds for our community.

When and where is the auction? It is this Saturday April 18 at 530PM at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center.

How do I buy tickets? Tickets can be purchased here.

What are we raising money for? The Booster Club is hosting the auction and will have items in the auction to raise money for the club. All IBW athletics, clubs, programs and organizations are able to donate items to the auction, and the money goes directly to that group (less a small fee). So this event is your chance to support the groups that are important to you!

Will there be a paddle raise? Yes, we have a planned Paddle Raise for the Booster Club general fund. Our general fund will allow Boosters to continue funding grants for our groups - student clubs, sports teams, sports clubs and organizations.

What can I expect at this year’s auction? There will be a silent auction, a Buy Now board that you can buy gift cards for face value, a wine wall hosted by the PTA, a Wheel of Fortune game, Heads or Tails to support IBW Athletics and dancing!

What do I wear? We want you to be comfortable and have fun so there is no dress code however lots of people will be dressed in 1980s costumes. Think parachute pants, neon, big hair and leg warmers. No matter what you choose to wear, we just want to see you there supporting and raising money for our school!

Where will I sit? What if I don’t know anyone? This year there won’t be assigned table seating unless you prearrange a group with us. Come grab a drink, eat some great food, and mingle with other parents. I have a group of friends and want to sit with them! If your group buys 10 tickets, we are happy to reserve a table for you. Email auction@ibwboosterclub.org with the people you want at your table.

Will there be food and drinks? There will be light hors d'oeuvres, a dinner buffet and hosted bar included with the ticket price.

What is the parking situation? The MJCC has tons of free parking.

Can I sponsor a teacher, coach or staff to attend? Yes! We have a fund for teacher, staff and coaches to attend. Click here to support.

How can I get real time updates about the auction? Follow: Facebook and Instagram to get real time auctions updates!

If I can’t go to the auction, can I still donate to the fund? You can donate here.

Will there be an online auction this year? Yes! There will be an online auction after the auction open to everyone in our community.

Can I still donate something to the auction? Yes! We are accepting donations until April 1. Click here to donate.

Can students attend the auction? Unfortunately, no. Our annual Auction is intended to be an event for adult supporters of IBW.

Let’s go crazy raising money for IBW! Please email auction@ibwboosterclub.org if you have any questions.

Sara Gray, Realtor

Sarah Pitzman

City Thai

Garfinkle Orthodontics

Grant Announcement

Congratulations Wells Softball! The IBW Softball Team will be using their Booster Club Grant to purchase a pitching machine! Have a great season Wells Softball! And if you want to support more Booster Grants...sign up to volunteer in the snack shack or come to the auction!

Bingo

Don't miss Monday bingo every week at the Old Barn at 6:30 PM! Bring cash to purchase your cards and not only are you supporting the IBW teams and clubs, but you could win big! Follow our Instagram or Facebook for weekly updates.

Booster Membership: http://www.schoolpay.com/link/joinibw

The number of booster members and volunteer hours from a team or group is evaluated in the grant application process, so joining boosters helps your team or club!

IBW Merch

Support Booster Club by shopping online here. Guardians merch is available for sale at ComeUnity PDX. This is an Ida B. Wells family-owned shop located in Multnomah Village at 3536 SW Troy St B, Portland, OR 97219. Get the perfect gift by giving a gift card for IBW Booster Merch!

Stay up to date in real time! Instagram Facebook Favorite Links - Linktree

The PTA is already planning for teacher appreciation week and you can help! Please sign up now to buy fruit and other items in May - it helps us to plan the event early! Reminders will be sent as the event gets closer. All the information you need is in the link header: volunteersignup.org/Y8PK7

On Saturday April 4th from 1:30-4:00 St. Mary's academy will be hosting Portland's first ever student-run Tedx Youth event, with the theme Women in STEM. The event is organized by St. Mary’s Academy’s Youth Medical Corps and futures ted style talks from some of Portland's leading women in research, environmental science, forensics, and transportation. The event is centered around inspiring young women with a passion for STEM. We would appreciate if you would share this opportunity with your students as we would love to have students from other high schools in the area to join us for the event! I have attached the poster we have used to promote the event here at SMA. Some details about the event:

TEDxSMA Youth will feature six speakers

• Bonnie Nagel, Ph.D.: Dr. Bonnie Nagel is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at OHSU, where she leads cutting-edge neuroimaging research to identify early risk factors for mental health disorders in youth.

• Liz Flannery: Liz Flannery is the Portland Metro Forensic Laboratory Director for the Oregon State Police, overseeing the analysis of evidence that drives Oregon's criminal justice system.

• Tamily Weissman-Unni, Ph.D. : Dr. Tamily Weissman-Unni is a Professor and Biology Department Chair at Lewis & Clark College, whose research uses innovative "Brainbow" technology and zebrafish to uncover how neural circuits shape behavior.

• Grace Crunican: Grace Crunican is a veteran transportation leader who has helmed major agencies including BART, ODOT — where she made history as its first female director — and the Federal Transit Administration.

• Kelly Reavis, Ph.D.: Dr. Kelly Reavis is a researcher at the VA Portland Healthcare System whose work investigates auditory health risks among veterans and the elderly, drawing on her combined expertise in audiology, epidemiology, and public health.

• Melissa Haeffner, Ph.D.: Dr. Melissa Haeffner is an Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Management whose research examines water justice and how social, political, and environmental factors shape who gets access to clean water.

The event will be held at St. Mary’s Academy from 1:30 to 4:00 on April 4th. This provides a great opportunity for out of the classroom learning. As an incentive for our students, we're offering extra credit within our science department.

Space is limited so please encourage students to fill out the RSVP:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B49AAAA2DA5F8C61-62604566-tedxsmayouth

FaithBridge Portland invites you to save the date for the 2nd annual Black Girl LIVE! suicide awareness and prevention event for Black and Brown girls ages 12 to 17 and the adults who support them. Last year’s event hosted approximately 100 girls from Portland and beyond for education and celebration in an intentionally created space. The event is supported by OHA and intended to raise awareness, promote healing and offer access to culturally relevant resources and strategies.

Save the date: May 15, 2026

Time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Location: 2800 NE Liberty Street, Portland (University of Oregon Portland campus)