Upcoming Calendar Highlights

November 22, 23, 24 -  No school, Thanksgiving break

December 1 - Deadline for HS lottery application window

December 2 - The da Vinci Arts Fair, 10 am to 4 pm

December 7 - da Vinci day at PTA Clothing Center, volunteers needed

December 8 - Dance 1 & 2 Showcase

December 14 - Winter Music Concert

Winter Break - December 16 to January 1, back to school on January 2

2018 Mark your calendars: Link to PPS Calendar for 17-18

January 1 - Holiday, no school

January 15 - Holiday, no school

January 17 - Late opening, 10:45 am start

January 29 - Planning day, no school

February 1 - Dance 3 & 4 Showcase

February 19 - Holiday, no school

February 21 - Late opening, 10:45 start

March 21 - Late opening, 10:45 start

March 24 to April 1 - Spring Break

April 13 - Planning day, no school

April 15 - da Vinci Annual Auction, save the date!

April 18 - Late opening, 10:45 am start

April 27 & 28 - Spring Dance Showcase

Portland Playhouse and the da Vinci Drama Department present Romeo and Juliet

Don’t miss the fall show. Final two shows are Sunday at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets are now available online or you can pay at the door, $10 (or pay what you can).

Romeo and Juliet Volunteers Needed

There are still a few slots to fill! Please see the jobs to be filled and sign up on this Signup Genius site.

“Hanging out” at School

For the play, call time for students is 90 minutes before the show. Volunteers should report 60 minutes before each show. Please make arrangements for your student to have someplace to go between the shows. There will not be supervision for students “hanging out” at school. The show runs about one hour and fifteen minutes so students need to be picked up after the shows. The school day ends at 3:15 and unless your student is in an organized/supervised activity, they really need to be leaving the school at that time.

Arts Fair News

The Arts Fair is now TWO WEEKS AWAY! For any and all questions related to the Arts Fair, visit the team’s planning page. We have some fantastic vendors lined up so help spread the word and let’s get some shoppers there to support local artists and the PTSA.

Volunteers Needed for the Arts Fair

We still have a number of slots open on our Signup Genius site. Please take a look and find a job that suits your talents and schedule. The planning team has been working for months and they need a crew to run the event from setup to selling items in the cafe to some heavy lifting moving the Marley dance floor. This is a very fun community event to be a part of but it takes many hands to transform the school into a sale gallery for a day and back.  

School Attendance is very important!

Did you know that when children miss more than 2 days a month, or 17 days a year they are considered chronically absent? We want the very best for our students and when they are not in school, they fall behind. Each day is filled with instruction, experiential learning, and collaboration with peers that cannot be duplicated or sent home. Please make an effort to plan trips and appointments around our school calendar whenever possible. When your student will be late or absent, for whatever reason, please notify the school office by calling our main line, 503-916-5356 or send an email to Sheli. 

Upcoming Calendar Highlights

November 1 3- Final meeting for student artists participating in the Arts Fair, lunch in room 102

November 15 - QSA student meeting at lunch, room 102

November 15 - SOC/BSU meeting after school, room 102

November 15, 16, 17, 19 -  Romeo and Juliet, tickets online or pay at door

November 22, 23, 24 -  No school, Thanksgiving break

December 2 - The da Vinci Arts Fair, 10 am to 4 pm

December 8 - Dance 1 & 2 Showcase

December 14 - Winter Music Concert

Portland Playhouse and the da Vinci Drama Department present Romeo and Juliet

Don’t miss the fall show, opening this week, Wednesday, November 15 with four performances in the da Vinci Auditorium and one at the Winningstad on Friday as part of the Fall Festival of Shakespeare. Tickets are now available online for the da Vinci shows, or you can pay at the door, $10 (or pay what you can).

Romeo and Juliet Volunteers Needed

Please see the jobs to be filled and sign up on this Signup Genius site. Cast and crew families usually fill these spots but anyone is welcome to help out. Volunteers are welcome to see the show for free. If you volunteer for a backstage job, you can see the show on another night. If you can help organize concessions, please let Sheli know. Filling backstage supervision and house manager positions are the priority and if we don’t have someone to do the shopping and manage concessions, it won’t happen. Four student ushers are needed for each show. Students interested in volunteering should see Sheli in the office.

Arts Fair News

The Arts Fair is just THREE WEEKS AWAY! For any and all questions related to the Arts Fair, visit the team’s planning page. We have some fantastic vendors lined up so help spread the word and let’s get some shoppers there to support local artists and the PTSA. We have posters, postcards and lawn signs in the office if you have a good location for any of these. You can also follow the event on social media.

• Facebook
• Instagram

Volunteers Needed for the Arts Fair

Please sign up on our Signup Genius site if you can volunteer for the event. The planning team has been working for months and they need a crew to run the event from setup to selling items in the cafe to some heavy lifting moving the Marley dance floor. This is a very fun community event to be a part of and it takes many hands to transform the school into a sale gallery for a day and back.  

Student Artists Wanted

We strongly encourage all students to participate in the da Vinci Arts Fair on Saturday, December 2nd! All da Vinci students are invited to set up a booth and sell their artwork at the fair. Small gifts and greeting cards tend to sell really well and it's fun to make some money before the holidays! The fair is a wonderful opportunity to experience selling work in a supportive environment without having to pay a registration fee. This year it's only a one day event, so it's not as much of a time commitment as previous years. To participate, students just need to attend the da Vinci arts fair meeting in room 102 at lunch on Monday, November 13th and submit paperwork by the extended deadline of Tuesday, November 14th.

8th Grade Families - The PPS High School Lottery application window for Benson HS and Jefferson HS for this year is Nov.13 - Dec.1.  

For information on info sessions/tours for all PPS high schools, please see Katie’s website.

Upcoming Calendar Highlights

November 5-  Daylight Saving Time ends, remember to set your clocks back 1 hour

November 6- Second Quarter starts, new term classes start

November 7, 8, 9- Family-Teacher Conferences

November 10- No school, Veteran’s Day

November 15, 16, 17, 19-  Romeo and Juliet, tickets online or pay at door

November 22, 23, 24-  No school, Thanksgiving break

December 2- The da Vinci Arts Fair, 10 am to 4 pm

Family-Teacher Conference Times and Reminders

Tuesday, November 7th EVENING 4:15pm – 8:15pm  (after school)

Wednesday, November 8th DAYTIME 8:15am – 3:45pm (no school for students this day)

Thursday, November 9th DAY/EVE 8:15am – 8:15pm (no school for students this day)

The link to signup and information about conferences is on our website. We highly recommend reading  1718 dV Family Conference Important Info  before arriving for your conferences. Most importantly, please respect the time schedule. Conference times are scheduled every 10 minutes with no transition time. If you arrive late, you will have less time. If you miss your time, you can only reschedule if there is an open spot later. There are a few open spots now with some teachers. If you are unable to make your conference time, please delete your spot so someone else might be able to fill it. Teacher conferences are only offered for year-long classes, not the 2nd period term classes. If you are signed up for spot with a teacher who only had your student for a term class, the spot will be deleted. There are also a few teachers reporting slots filled for students they do not have. Those slots will also be deleted. You would receive an email notification for any such changes.

While you are in the building, take a look near the cafeteria for items that have ended up in the Lost and Found. After conferences, remaining items will be washed and donated. We also suggest you visit your student’s locker to clean out any food containers or other things that should go home.

Meals Sign-up for Teachers During Conferences

Our teachers work long days during these conferences. If you can contribute to morning treats or a meal on Thursday, please use this Sign-up and let us know what you can bring. They really appreciate this support and nourishment.

Chinook Books Still Available

The PTSA still has Chinook Books for sale with 50% of proceeds going to support all classrooms and programs. Stop by the office to pick one up when you come in for Conferences.

Portland Playhouse and the da Vinci Drama Department present Romeo and Juliet

Don’t miss the fall show, opening Wednesday, November 15 with four performances in the da Vinci Auditorium and one at the Winningstad as part of the Fall Festival of Shakespeare. Tickets are now available online or you can pay at the door, $10 (or pay what you can). Volunteers are needed for each show. Please see the jobs to be filled and sign up on this Signup Genius site. Cast and crew families usually fill these spots but anyone is welcome to help out. Volunteers are welcome to see the show for free. If you volunteer for a backstage job, you can see the show on another night. If you can help organize concessions, please let Sheli know.

Are you a ceramic artist?

We are seeking a 2nd parent volunteer to help lead clay club this year. The club will be meeting once/week after school. Please email Alison to let her know if you can help her lead the club.

Arts Fair News

For any and all questions related to the Arts Fair, visit the team’s planning page. They have extended the deadline for student artists to apply and are welcoming more students and alumni (high school- age). Students need to fill out an application (available in the office) and attend an informational meeting (lunch on Nov. 13th).

Thank You to Pizzicato and Diners!

The da Vinci Foundation will receive a check for $554.85 from Pizzicato as a result of our fundraiser on October 24. Thanks for supporting the da Vinci Foundation!

8th Grade Families - The PPS High School Lottery application window for Benson HS and Jefferson HS for this year is Nov.13 - Dec.1.  

For information on info sessions/tours for all PPS high schools, please see Katie’s website.

Upcoming Calendar Highlights

November 3 - No school, Teacher planning/grading day, end of quarter 1

November 7, 8, 9 - Family-Teacher Conferences

Note- Conferences are after school on the 7th and there is no school on November 8 and 9.  November 10 - No school, Veteran’s Day

November 15, 16, 17, 19 - da Vinci Drama and the Fall Festival of Shakespeare present Romeo and Juliet, tickets available at the door and online link coming soon

November 22, 23, 24 - No school, Thanksgiving break

Family-Teacher Conference times & Sign-Up

Tuesday, November 7th EVENING 4:15pm – 8:15pm  (after school)

Wednesday, November 8th DAYTIME 8:15am – 3:45pm (no school for students) Thursday, November 9th DAY/EVE 8:15am – 8:15pm (no school for students)

The link and information about conferences is on our website.  

Meals Sign-up for Teachers During Conferences

Our teachers work long days during these conferences. If you can contribute to morning treats or a meal on Thursday, please use this Sign-up and let us know what you can bring. Teachers really appreciate this support and nourishment.

Security Tip and Regarding Personal Belongings

Please make sure your student has a lock for their locker and have a conversation about the importance of keeping their belongings secured in locked lockers. Families are welcome to come in and check the lost and found for personal belongings that end up there. There are MANY jackets, water bottles, lunch boxes and a few other assorted items. Phones and other small items are regularly found and turned into the office. We currently have a found dental appliance, a few keys and assorted jewelry in the office. We would love a volunteer to help clean up and organize the lost and found area in the cafeteria.  

In Need of Clean Beanbag Chairs

Do you have beanbag chairs that you no longer need?  We are looking for 4 to 6 beanbag chairs to create a lounge workspace for students. If you have a beanbag chair in good condition to donate please drop it off in the office.

It's TAG Nomination Time!

If you would like to have your student tested for potential TAG identification, nomination forms are now available in the front hall (next to the auditorium doors) or online.  Forms are due back by November 12th and can be turned in to the office. If you have any questions, please contact Megan Young.  More information can be found on the PPS Talented and Gifted website.

PPS High School Lottery Application

8th Grade Families - The PPS High School Lottery application window for Benson HS and Jefferson is Nov.13 - Dec.1.  For information on info sessions/tours for all PPS high schools, please see Katie’s website.

13th Annual da Vinci Arts Fair

• 5 weeks to go — Dec 2nd.  Save the date! Tell your friends!
• It’s time now for student and alumni student artists to register. Forms will be in the office on Monday.
• Musicians! Help us create some ambience. Volunteer, acoustic performers wanted for 15-45 minute slots at the event. Students welcome. Email us at davinciartsfairlove@gmail.com.
• Questions?  Our Information Sheet is brimming with answers! 
• Share us, like us, follow us on social media:
• Facebook
• Instagram

PTSA in search of volunteer for to help with Taxes

The deadline is coming up. As a nonprofit organization, the PTSA is required to complete taxes. Thank you to Judy Holmes for working on the audit. If you have tax preparation experience, please contact the Treasurer, Maggie Vera.

Upcoming Calendar Highlights

Ongoing - Dragon Bench repair project, volunteers welcome, see sign up below

October 23 - Due date for Run for Arts forms, shirt orders, monies

October 23 - Spanish after school starts with Kids Like Languages, room 102, 3:20

October 24 -  Pizzicato Dough for Dollars!, Laurelhurst, Dine out for Foundation

October 26 - QSA Meeting, 3:20 - 4:20 in cafeteria

November 3 -  No school, Teacher planning day, end of quarter 1

November 7, 8, 9 - Family-Teacher Conferences

Note- Conferences are after school on the 7th and there is no school on November 8 and 9. November 10 - No school, Veteran’s Day

November 15, 16, 17, 18 (or 19, TBD )-  da Vinci Drama and the Fall Festival of 

Shakespeare present, Romeo and Juliet

November 22, 23, 24 -  No school, Thanksgiving break

Important Safety and Security Reminders

With rainy weather and shorter days, traffic patterns are inevitably more challenging. In the last week, the office received several complaints and letters of concern about the student safety at drop off and pick up times. We need to remind everyone driving around the school to drive safely and courteously. We don’t want anyone to get hurt and we want to be good neighbors.

Our school rules of being Safe, Fair and Friendly apply to all of us. Thanks for your help.

• Drive slowly and yield to pedestrians.
• Pull up to the curb when dropping off students and have them exit car curbside.
• Don’t park in front of the fire hydrant zone and don’t block driveways.
• Be patient and don’t honk your horn- it’s driving neighbors crazy.
• Drive EAST in front of the school on Everett.

We also need family support in dealing with recent security issues. Many thanks to the students who have come forward with helpful information. We hope everyone will have a family conversation about the importance of care and respect for our collective community.

Eat Pizza at Pizzicato, Laurelhurst location, 28th & E. Burnside, Tuesday, October 24

Our wonderful neighbor and perennial supporter, Pizzicato, will once again donate 20% of the proceeds of the day to our da Vinci Foundation. Pick up lunch or dinner or purchase gift cards for another day. You can pre-order and take out, or even order par-baked pizzas to finish off later. They are open from 11 am to 9 pm and here’s the menu. 

Run for the Arts, Funds Due Monday, October 23th

Thanks again to all the families who have used the online platform for fundraising. Our new online total is $9,232! Please turn in the paper pledge form with monies collected (make checks out to Young Audiences or Run for the Arts) to the office on Monday if your student wants a t-shirt ordered. You can still set up an online page to share with your friends and family. This is an easy and effective way to ask for contributions.

Dragon Bench Restoration

The Dragon Bench is really shaping up! Students are still working next week on cement. The weather should be better and having a few more adults on hand would be great.  Here is the Signup if you can come in and help out.

We'd like to send a huge THANK YOU to the growing list of businesses who have enthusiastically donated materials for the dragon restoration project. These contributions have been essential to helping us stay within our budget.

3M

Beaumont Hardware

Home Depot

Mr. Plywood

SCRAP

You Realty

MCR Safety

NE Portland Tool Library

It's TAG nomination time!

If you would like to have your student tested for potential TAG identification, nomination forms are now available in the front hall (next to the auditorium doors) or online.  Forms are due back by November 12th and can be turned in to the office. If you have any questions, please contact Megan Young.

Family-Teacher Conference times & Sign-Up update

Save the dates for fall conference times:

Tuesday evening, November 7th from 4:15pm – 8:15pm

Wednesday daytime, November 8th from 8:15am – 3:45pm

Thursday day/evening, November 9th from 8:15am – 8:15pm

Due to positive feedback over the last 2 years, da Vinci will again schedule Family-Teacher Conferences online. Like last year, the online Sign-Up is scheduled to open two weeks before conferences, on Tuesday October 24th at 5:30pm. On that Tuesday, we will supply detailed information as a post on our website and also send a separate email, via the usual daVinci-family-mailman-list-serv. If you’re seeing this, your email is on the list! A reminder that families must coordinate sign-ups with all parent/guardians as there is only ONE Conference spot per teacher for each student. Please also keep your eyes open for a Teacher nourishment SignUp to keep our teachers going during Conferences. We know we have such a giving and supportive family community and THANK YOU in advance for helping us give back to our teachers.

8th Grade Families - The PPS High School Lottery application window for Benson HS and Jefferson HS for this year is Nov.13 - Dec.1.  

For information on info sessions/tours for all PPS high schools, please see Katie the Counselor's website (recently updated).

Spanish Class After School

Kids Like Languages will start with a weekly class on Monday and they still have spots open.  Registration information was sent via PeachJar. Please reply if you need more information.

PIL Youth Sports

Some schools are starting to share flyers for winter sports (basketball and wrestling) and we put announcements in the student daily bulletin. For more comprehensive information on all schools and youth sports through PIL, visit their website.

13th Annual da Vinci Arts Fair

• 6 weeks to go — Dec 2nd.  Save the date! Tell your friends!
• It’s time now for student and alumni student artists to register. Forms will be in the office on Monday.
• Musicians! Help us create some ambiance. Volunteer, acoustic performers wanted for 15-45 minute slots at the event. Students welcome. Email us at davinciartsfairlove@gmail.com.
• Share us, like us, follow us on social media:
• https://www.Facebook.com/davinciartsfair
• https://www.instagram.com/davinciartsfair
• Questions?  Our Information Sheet is brimming with answers!

Upcoming Calendar Highlights

Ongoing - Dragon Bench repair project, volunteers welcome

October 17 -  Site Council - 3:30 to 5:30, Conference room, ALL Welcome!

October 18 -  PPS 2 hour late opening, 10:45 am start

October 18 -  PTSA meeting, 7:00 pm in the Library, ALL Welcome!

October 19 -  SOC (formerly named BSU) student meeting, 3:30 to 4:30 pm, room 102

October 20 -  Picture retake day, volunteer needed

October 24 -  Pizzicato Dough for Dollars, Laurelhurst, Dine out for Foundation

November 3 -  No school, Teacher planning day, end of quarter 1

November 7, 8, 9 - Family-Teacher Conferences

Note- Conferences are after school on the 7th and there is no school on November 8 and 9. 

November 10 - No school, Veteran’s Day

November 15, 16, 17, 18 (or 19, TBD) -  da Vinci Drama and the Fall Festival of Shakespeare present, Romeo and Juliet

November 22, 23, 24 -  No school, Thanksgiving break

THANK YOU, LOCKER PAINTING VOLUNTEERS!

Thanks for all the family support of our Locker Painting tradition. We had wonderful volunteers who helped each step of the way. See the wonderful slideshow of photos from Judy Holmes now on our website. We still need some help to paint the borders a solid color after school next week. Contact Sheli  if you can help. If students want to stay after school to work on their lockers, they must have adult supervision. We ask that they use a tarp and not use bathroom sinks to clean out brushes and containers.

Run for the Arts, Funds Due

Thanks to all the families who have used the online platform for fundraising. We have $8,398 toward our $10,000 goal in online donations alone! This pot of funding will ensure we can buy a new kiln this year and hire guest artists to help with our productions. Please turn in the paper pledge form with monies collected (make checks out to Young Audiences or Run for the Arts) to the office. You can still set up an online page to share with your friends and family. This is an easy and effective way to ask for contributions. If your student wants a t-shirt, please gather funds and return the form to the office before October 23rd.

Dragon Bench Restoration

Thanks to parent, Melissa Mulder-Wright for her leadership and supervision of this much needed repair of our playground dragon bench/sculpture. Students in 2-D Art, 3-D Art  and 6th-grade science classes are participating in this work during the school day. This week they will be working with cement. Students should wear (or bring extra) clothing that can get dirty and dress warmly for working outside. Here is the Signup if you can come in and help out.

Picture Retake day- this Friday, October 20

Only students who were absent on the original date or who have purchased a package that they are not happy with will be permitted to go to the auditorium for retakes. They will need a pass to be released from class. If you want your student to have a picture retaken, reply to Sheli  for your student to be on the list and get a pass. You must return the original package. We could use a volunteer to help out on Friday as well. Let Sheli know if you have time on Friday morning.

Family-Teacher Conference times & Sign-Up update

Save the dates for fall conference times:

Tuesday, November 7th EVENING 4:15 pm – 8:15 pm

Wednesday, November 8th DAYTIME 8:15 am – 3:45 pm

Thursday, November 9th DAY/EVE 8:15 am – 8:15 pm

Due to positive feedback over the last 2 years, da Vinci will again schedule Family-Teacher Conferences online. Like last year, the online Sign-Up is scheduled to open two weeks before conferences, on Tuesday, October 24th at 5:30 pm. On that Tuesday, we will supply detailed information as a post on our website and also send a separate email, via the usual daVinci-family-mailman-listserv ~ if you’re seeing this, your email is on the list! A reminder that families must coordinate sign-ups with all parent/guardians as there is only ONE Conference spot per teacher for each student. Please also keep your eyes open for a Teacher nourishment SignUp to keep our teachers going during Conferences. We know we have such a giving and supportive family community and THANK YOU in advance for helping us give back to our teachers.

Don't miss our 13th Annual da Vinci Arts Fair, Dec 2nd 10 am - 4 pm.

For any and all questions about the Arts Fair, see our information sheet.  This weekend is the deadline for juried artists to apply. Student artists should apply by November 10. Help us get the word out if you know of professional artists who might want to join us. Questions should be directed to davinciartsfairlove@gmail.com.

PTSA in search of volunteer for Audit and Taxes

As a nonprofit organization, the PTSA is required to have an independent audit of the books each year and complete taxes. You do not need extensive experience or credentials but it does take a few hours to review documents and make sure required documentation is in order. There is a simple checklist to follow. If you could do the audit, or assist with filing taxes, please contact the Treasurer, Maggie Vera.

Da Vinci parents and ScreenSage are hosting a seminar aimed at increasing awareness and education around tw/teenage social media.

"When are you going to let me get Instagram?"

"But, all my friends have Snapchat!" - "I'm the only one out of all my friends who don't have that app!"

Sound familiar? If so, then this is the class for you. This interactive seminar explores the mysteries of tw/teen social media use. We will cover the How, Why and When of Snapchat, Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, TBH, Sarahah, and more. You'll leave with a better understanding of the apps themselves and how to keep your child safe online. Plus! We will have live teens on hand to (honestly) answer all your questions.

Registration is limited. Sign up today! $30. Thursday, October 19, 7:00 - 8:30 PM  or Sunday, October 22, 6:00 - 7:30 pm, Hollywood Senior Center - 1820 NE 40th Ave.

Get tickets here: https://screensage.net/events/

Free and Reduced Meals update

The grace period for meals has ended. If your child qualified last year, they will no longer receive meals unless you submit a new application and qualify.  Apply for Free/Reduced Meals. If you need assistance or a paper application, contact the main office 503-916-5356.

Cleveland High School 8th-Grade Parent Information Night

Cleveland parent groups are hosting an information night for prospective parents on November 15th at Hopworks Urban Brewery Banquet Room, 2944 SE Powell Blvd from 6 pm to 8 pm. This is an adult-only event to learn more about the Cleveland community. Questions can be directed to Melissa Hurley.