Principal Schachner's Notes

Dear Forest Park Families,

This has been a heartbreaking week. The shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend has left many of us feeling sad, shaken, and vulnerable. Our hearts are with the children, families, staff, and entire school community grieving this devastating loss.

Families and staff have reached out with questions about safety at Forest Park. As your principal, I share your concerns and take these questions seriously. I want to share some of the ongoing work supporting safety at our school.

PPS Security Services attended both our lockdown drill and our earthquake drill this year. They also visit weekly to walk our campus. These visits help security staff become familiar with our building and grounds and help our staff build relationships with the people who support us in an emergency.

Families and staff have raised thoughtful questions about safety at Forest Park. I am gathering the questions already shared and working with district staff and Security Services to clarify answers and determine next steps. I will share information that addresses these common questions in upcoming community newsletters so all families receive the same updates.

Thank you for caring for one another and for partnering with us to support our children and staff. During this difficult time, we will continue to make space for students’ feelings while providing the familiar routines, relationships, and care they count on at school.

On a positive note, we will be welcoming our new librarian, Jen Hopkins on Tuesday!

Warmly,

Principal Schachner

• November 2–6: Coat Drive

• November 11: No school - Veterans Day

• November 13: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day

• November 19: Evening family conferences.

• November 23–24: No school - family conferences

• November 25–27: No school - Fall Break

Former Forest Park Students presented to our school their community project at our assembly this week. They are asking for our help with their project by donating items for Rose Haven Women Shelter. Below is the presentation with more information.

Forest Park’s fall conferences are an opportunity for families and teachers to celebrate each child’s strengths, discuss learning progress, and identify goals together. Your perspective is an important part of this conversation.

Conference sign-up is now open.

Sign up at https://www.myconferencetime.com/fpe2026/

Select your child’s homeroom teacher and an available conference time. In-person conferences are preferred, with online conferences available if necessary. To request an online conference, write “Online conference requested” in the comments section when you sign up. Your teacher will send you a meeting link before your appointment.

Please schedule one conference per student, with parents and caregivers attending together when possible. Contact the principal about separate-conference requests or concerns about joint attendance. Choose from the posted slots; if none works for your family, contact the office. For in-person conferences, wait in the commons until your appointment time, then go to the classroom and knock gently if the teacher has not come out to greet you.

During your 30-minute conference, your teacher will share:

1. Your child’s strengths, sense of belonging, friendships, and learning habits.

2. Fall i-Ready Reading and Math assessment results, along with current curriculum assessments and work samples.

3. Your child’s report card, explaining progress toward grade-level expectations.

4. Classroom instruction and supports, shared learning goals, and manageable ways to support learning at home.

Our Family Conference Guide includes suggested topics and space for your notes. You are welcome to review it before your conference and jot down questions or priorities. No preparation or printing is required; we will provide a paper copy at your in-person conference. For online conferences, your teacher will include the guide with your meeting link.

For students in grades 1/2 and 4/5, the homeroom teacher will lead the conference using information from both instructional teachers. Families may request follow-up with the other teacher when needed.

There are limited conference meetings available with our specialists.

For help with conference sign-up, please contact Mia Yerton at myerton@pps.net.

We look forward to connecting with you and working together to support your child!

I recommend watching this short video with your child to help them recognize bullying and understand how to get help. It explains repeated, intentional hurtful behavior, including name-calling, spreading rumors, excluding others, physical harm, and cyberbullying, and discusses how these behaviors affect children.

After watching, ask: “Who could you go to for help?” and “What could you do if you saw someone being hurt or left out?” Remind your child that they can tell a trusted adult whenever something feels unsafe or hurtful—even if they are unsure whether it is bullying.

Watch the video together.

School photos are now available to view and order through Holland Studios! Families can browse the photos and purchase their favorites using a credit card through Holland Studios’ secure online ordering platform.

Looking for a thoughtful holiday gift? School photos make wonderful holiday gifts for grandparents, extended family, and friends! 🎄❤️

Event: Forest Park Elementary 2026
Website: www.hollandstudios.com
Password: 23956fall26

Please save your event information and password for easy access when viewing and ordering photos.

For questions about photos, ordering, or purchases, please contact Holland Studios directly. The school office is unable to assist with photo purchases.

Holland Studios
📧 info@hollandstudios.com
📞 503-238-5957
🌐 www.hollandstudios.com

We hope you enjoy looking through your school photos!

Preschool Programs:

• Multnomah Early Childhood Program 2026-27 FREE Peer Preschool Classes
  (Arabic) (Chinese) (Korean) (Persian) (Russian) (Somali) (Spanish) (Vietnamese)

Vaccinations, Health & Wellness:

• Free Community Vaccination Clinics (English) (Spanish)

• Multnomah County: Student Health Centers (fliers in English, Russian, Chinese, and Vietnamese):

• Cleveland HS

• Franklin HS

• Jefferson HS

• McDaniel HS

• Roosevelt HS

Community Events & Information:

• AFS Intercultural Programs: Host an Exchange Student

• Multnomah County: Common Application

• City of Portland: 311 Non-Emergency Hotline
  (Spanish) (Vietnamese) (Chinese) (Russian) (Somali)