da Vinci Arts Middle School Scroll

Sunday, October 7, 2018

da Vinci Scroll 9-17-18

Upcoming Calendar Highlights

September 17 - 21, Spirit Week and dance party on Friday

September 18, Special Schedule for STOPPS, bus safety drill

September 23 - 28, Outdoor School for 6th grade

September 25, PTSA General meeting, 7 pm in the Library, all welcome

October 2, 3, & 4, Locker priming (after school, volunteer help needed)

October 5, Run for the Arts, pledge forms will come home this week

October 10 & 11, Locker painting (students paint during the day, volunteer help needed)

October 12, Statewide in-service day, no school

October 18, Girls Inc., Girls Self Defense Workshop, see below

October 19, Picture retakes

October 29, Quarter 1 grading day for teachers, no school for students

Get Ready for Spirit Week! Break out the costumes.

Monday - Pajama Day

Tuesday - Favorite Color Day

Wednesday - Pirate Day (Yarrrr! It be International Talk Like a Pirate Day!)

Thursday - Crazy Hair Day

Friday - Twin Day (AND a dance party at the end of the day!) The “dance party” will be during the school day and we will operate on a one-hour assembly schedule. If you need to pick up your student early or relay a message, make arrangements in advance as we will not easily be able to locate them during the last hour of the day. We will post a range of supervised activities. If parents/guardians want to come help, feel free to reply.

Outdoor School Sites and reminders: Students will attend with their Social Studies class:

Period 1 - Arrah Wanna (Mr.Boettcher)

Period 3 - Angelos / Sandy River (Mrs.Jardine)

Period 4 - Kuratli (Katie the Counselor)

Period 5 - Namanu (Ms.Wright)

Period 6 - Canby Grove (Ms.Blair/Mr.Gershuny)

Refer to Counselor Katie’s website for more information about Outdoor School, including forms to download, the link to the MESD page, and timing of buses.

Thank You to our Volunteers! Many thanks to Virginia Meyers, Rebekah Folsom and Alexandra Ryder, who helped all day on Friday to make sure Picture Day ran smoothly. Thanks also to our line-up of morning attendance helpers: Lara Raban, Jason Hoffman, Carmi Lyon, Linda Rose and Amy Gannon.

New Empathy Club starting this week, Wednesday, Sept. 19th from 3:30-5pm in the cafeteria. We will be creating activities, volunteering, spreading kindness & embracing empathy. Students will help collaborate & shape this club. Please bring a t-shirt or tote bag you want to stencil on to for this first mtg.

If you can’t make this first mtg., or on Wednesdays, there will be other ways/ events/ opportunities to get involved.

Please email to be on the club list: DaVinciArts.EmpathyClub@gmail.com

Trogdor is coming! DaVinci’s only after school rock band is holding auditions Wednesday, October 3rd 3:30-4:30. Anyone interested in auditioning should come to the Music building after school prepared with a song to perform. If you have questions, see Mr. Gerolami.

Link da Vinci PTSA to your Fred Meyer Rewards through the Fred Meyer Community Rewards Program: The Program donates cash every time you use your FM Rewards Card. Please click here. This program can earn our PTSA thousands of dollars and it costs you NOTHING. Once you sign in or create a new account, click on "re-enroll or link your Rewards Card now" and search for "da Vinci PTSA" or use our new code: SI414. It's easy!

Girls Inc., Girls Self Defense Workshop, October 18 This FREE, PTSA-sponsored event, is open to all da Vinci girls (including all female-identifying students), as well as those at neighboring middle school and high schools as space allows. There are 30 spots available and quite a few people expressed interest at Back to School night. If you signed up, a representative of Girls Inc. will be in touch with you. If you interested, pick up a registration form in the office.

Facebook Discussion Group Have questions for other families or what to share information? This Facebook page is for current da Vinci family members. It is a closed group so please let us know who your student is to join. Remember our school motto of “Safe, Fair and Friendly” applies to all of us, online and at school. There are parent moderators. This is not an official school site but available and encouraged for two-way communication among our community.

Chinook Books benefit the PTSA Books and the mobile app are now available in the office. Books are $25 and the app is $15. You can now order the mobile app online and the PTSA earns 60% until October 15th. You’ll save all year at local, sustainable places you love such as Salt and Straw, Laughing Planet, Hot Lips Pizza, Grand Central Bakery and more. This online link is designed for mobile devices only:

https://chinook.co/davinciartsmiddleschool.

da Vinci Scroll 9-10-18

Upcoming Calendar Highlights

September 12, Arts Fair team meeting, 8:45 am

September 13, Back to School night, 6 - 8 pm

September 14, Picture day

September 17 - 21, Spirit Week and dance party on Friday (during school hours)

September 23 - 28, Outdoor School for 6th grade

September 25, PTSA General meeting, 7 pm in the Library, all welcome

October 5, Run for the Arts

October 2, 3, & 4, Locker priming (after school, volunteer help needed)

October 10 & 11, Locker painting (students paint during day, volunteer help needed)

October 12, Statewide in-service day, no school

October 19, Picture retakes

October 29, Quarter 1 grading day for teachers, no school for students

Back to School Night, Thursday, September 13, 6 - 8 pm Parents and guardians are invited to da Vinci Thursday evening, September 13th from 6 pm - 8 pm. We will start in the Auditorium at 6:00 with a presentation, then you will follow your student’s schedule and visit their classes for 10 minutes each. Students will be bringing home a flyer with their schedule and map of the building. Review this in advance and bring it along so you know where the classrooms are. You can also see the schedule and room numbers on ParentVue. A map of the building is on the website.

This is an opportunity to learn more about what students will be doing this year, expectations, and how you can support them. Due to limited space, we ask that if you are able to do so, please make arrangements for childcare. Remember that parking is limited in the neighborhood. The lot east of the school will be open and there is some parking in the lot behind the school. Take public transit if possible.

PTSA leadership will be available in the hall before the program and have Chinook Books available for sale.

https://chinook.co/davinciartsmiddleschool.

da Vinci Arts Fair Arts Fair meeting this Wednesday, 8:45 am

This year’s beloved da Vinci Arts Fair is Saturday, December 1st! The time to plan is now, and we invite all interested parents to a meeting Wednesday morning. Upon arrival, check in at the office for meeting location. This is an important community event and fundraiser for the PTSA. There are several team members able to continue in an advisory role, but we need a few more folks able to take the reigns as well as parents who can take on smaller pieces of the puzzle. Curious about where you can plug in? Come to the meeting!

Attendance Reminder If your student will be arriving late or be absent for any reason, please email sbryan@pps.net or call the main office number, 503-916-5356. Let us know the student’s name and the reason for the absence.

Monday, September 3, 2018

Upcoming Calendar Highlights

September 3, Labor Day Holiday, no school

September 4, Outdoor School presentation for all 6th graders, families welcome,
auditorium, 9:45

September 13, Back to School night, 6 - 8 pm

September 14, Picture day

September 25, PTSA General Meeting, 7 pm in the Library, all welcome

October 5, Run for the Arts

October 2, 3, & 4, Locker priming (after school, volunteer help needed)

October 10 & 11, Locker painting (students paint during day, volunteer help needed)

October 13, Statewide inservice day, no school

October 19, Picture retakes

October 29, Quarter 1 grading day for teachers, no school for students

Outdoor School All 6th Graders will attend Outdoor School Sunday, Sept 23 -
Friday, Sept 28. Paperwork was handed out on Friday and is due back to Mr.Gershuny Tuesday, Sept 4th! (White Health History form and Pink rules form). Outdoor School Site Supervisor “Coho” will come to give a presentation on Tuesday, Sept 4th, 9:45-10:45 am and families are welcome to attend. See the MESD website for answers to frequently-
asked questions.

Picture Day is September 14th All students will have their portraits done on the 14th.
These photos are used for the complimentary student ID and loaded in Synergy.
A purchase is optional. Order envelopes were sent home in the opening packet but online
ordering is easier and more secure. An invitation to order online will come by email with
the direct link to do so. We have one volunteer to assist during the morning of the 15th
but could use a couple more to get students through the process. Please contact Sheli
in the office if you can help.

ParentVue and StudentVue accounts The office staff can help parents and guardians
with setting up Parentvue accounts. Please call or email if you need an activation key or
assistance. Student account passwords for StudentVue and Google Apps were reset this
summer to a default password and should be reset. Information to help your student is on
the da Vinci website on the Library page or here.

Musical Auditions for John Hughes High Auditions for the fall drama production start
this week. See Ms. Accuardi’s website for information. Students need to sign up outside
the classroom for a slot.

Chinook Books benefit the PTSA Books and the mobile app are now available in the
office. Books are $25 and the app is $15. They will also be available before Back to School
night outside the auditorium (check or cash only). You can now order the mobile app online
and the PTSA earns 60% until October 15th. You’ll save all year at local, sustainable
places you love such as Salt and Straw, Laughing Planet, Hot Lips Pizza, Grand Central
Bakery and more. This online link is designed for mobile devices only:

https://chinook.co/davinciartsmiddleschool.

Back to School Night, September 13, 6 - 8 pm Parents and guardians are invited to
attend the program on September 13th from 6 pm - 8 pm. We will start in the Auditorium,
then you will follow your student’s schedule and visit their classes. This is an opportunity
to learn more about what students will be doing this year, expectations, and how you can
support them. Due to limited space, we ask that if you are able to do so, please make
arrangements for childcare.

Verification forms Please review verification forms that should have come home last week.
Make any changes necessary, then sign and return the forms to the office as soon as possible.
If your address has changed, please send in two forms of proof of current address.
Recent utility bills or lease agreements are preferred. It is essential that we have an accurate
address and current emergency contact information for students. Make sure the emergency
contact section is updated and provide one contact who does not live in the immediate area.

Attendance and Phone Reminder

Please notify the office if your student will be late for school (the final bell is 8:45 am,
when students need to be in their classroom ready to go) or absent for any reason.
You can email sbryan@pps.net or call the main office number, 503-916-5356 (put that
number in your contacts now). You can leave a message with the student’s name and the
reason for absence at any time if we do not answer. We do check messages regularly. If
you need to speak with your student during the day, you can call the office and we will find
them in class or deliver a message. Students are not supposed to be on their phones
during the day unless they have permission. They can ask to come to the office to make
a call if needed.

Volunteer Needs- Please see this SignUpGenius site for a list of ways to get
involved now. It does take a village to do all we do at da Vinci. It doesn’t happen without
family support. Through the year we will use SignUpGenius to post needs and organize
volunteers. We also use the site for Teacher Conferences, so set up your account and learn
how to sign up sooner than later if you have not before. Take a look at current needs and
sign up or reach out for more information. Many thanks to the folks that came to the
Community Care Cleanup before school started and a special shout out to Scotti Weintraub,
Renee Hallbrook, Lara Raban, Virginia Meyers and Kieren Porter for help cleaning out and
organizing some rooms downstairs.

Dragon Bench restoration There are still a few jobs remaining to finish our playground
dragon bench. If you have masonry/carpentry skills and could help set the final stones in
the bench seat, please reply. Soon we’ll have a weekend work party for sealing the concrete.
For more information, contact Melissa Mulder-Wright.

Dancescape After School Dance Program jazz classes Registration is now open.
Please register for which class best describes your students current level, however,
please note that the teacher has the final decision on correct level placement for your student.

If your student is a recent alumni of Dancescape/da Vinci and would like to continue taking
classes with Dancescape, this is an option, but please note that jazz classes begin at 3:30pm
and they must not be tardy. If this is not a valid option for your student and you are looking
for other options and need any recommendations please don't hesitate to ask.

Click Here to Register Now

The Advanced level class begins on Wednesday, September 5th. This class is for those
students who have either:

3-4 years prior jazz/ballet experience

Completed & Passed last year's 'Jazz B' level

Have been placed in D4 for this year, in the in-school program

Were placed in the summer program's highest level (red)

The Intermediate level class begins on Tuesday, September 11th. This class is for those
students who have either:

2 years prior dance experience

Have been placed in D2 for this year, in the in-school program

Were placed in the summer program's middle level (blue)

If you are not sure about which level is appropriate please email us:

dancescapepdx@gmail.com

da Vinci Arts Fair- The date is set for our annual event for December 1 but we need
some more help on the planning team for this event to happen. This is an important
community event and fundraiser for the PTSA. There are several team members able to
continue in an advisory role, but we need a few more folks able to take the reigns. Please
see the SignUpGenius site for discrete committee needs and consider joining the team.

Youth Cross Country Track starting now in most high school clusters Visit the
PIL website for more information. We do have packets for Cleveland in the office if you live
in the Cleveland boundary.

New- Empathy Club will be starting soon Details TBD. Contact
davinciarts.empathyclub@gmail.com or Elizabeth at 971.998.5667, who welcomes more
involvement to shape the club.

Coding Club now accepting applications, space limited The da Vinci Coder's Club is
going to learn microcontroller programming this year! We are tentatively planning getting
together on Monday afternoons, 3:30 to 5p. We have a box full of wires and sensors and
motors and blinking lights, and I'm sure we can fashion these components into many
marvelous and unruly creations over the course of the year. Because the box is only so big,
though, I will invite students to join the club. If you are interested, send an email
(via a parent is fine) to richard.c.ames@gmail.com to let me know what you might do with
the components at the bottom of this web page. The first lesson does involve blinking lights,
and it is here.

Neighborhood Marimba Group Do you want to learn to play African marimba music?
Jangano Marimba Band is looking for a few new members for the 2018-19 school year.
No marimba experience is necessary. We rehearse three blocks from da Vinci once a week
for two hours. Day and time to be determined by the current members.

Jangano performs out in the community several times a year. Check out these YouTube
videos of past performances:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cuDZ-Wlhhig&t=463s

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sDrE_Su98A0 Jangano won first place at Cleveland High
School’s Battle of the Bands

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dq_fqxcBuvk Jangano at The Rose Festival

Cost:$250/year

Contact MyLinda King at marimba@teleport.com for more info on how to audition.