Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – June 7, 2024

Greetings Sellwood Community,

It was wonderful to see so many of you last night for Sellwood’s Annual Showcase Night.  Celebrating our students’ hard work is so important.  A big thank you to all of our teachers and students who worked hard on preparations.  Ms. Souther, the time, care, and effort you contribute to making Showcase happen are so appreciated.  Also, a shout out to our performers: Mr. Patterson and the jazz band, the Sellwood Stars, and the marimba band.  What a treat – I felt so proud of our accomplished students, whether they were performing, displaying their artwork, or their academic projects. 

Next week is the last week of school, with our annual field trips to Oaks Park on Monday and Tuesday, and 8^th grade promotion on Friday.

Don’t forget, next Friday, the last day of school, is a half-day ending at 12:30 PM.

Enjoy the weekend!

Sincerely,

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – May 31, 2024

Greetings Sellwood Community,

We are entering the last two weeks of the school year, and they are packed with events!

We have Showcase Night on June 6^th, from 5:30 to 7:30.  We have our end of year trip to Oaks Park, June 10^th for 8^th graders, and June 11^th for 6^th & 7^th graders.  Finally, we have 8^th-grade promotion on the last day of school, June 14^th, from 10:30 to 11:30.

Important note:  The last day of school, Friday, June 14^th, is a half-day.  School will end at 12:30 PM.  Buses will run as normal.

Also, please read the important information below about end-of-year Chromebook and charger collection.

Enjoy the weekend!

Sincerely,

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – May 24, 2024

Greetings Sellwood Community,

Sellwood's 2023-24 yearbooks have arrived! They look beautiful, and I know every student will want one.  For the first time this year, we are committed to providing a yearbook to every single student regardless of ability to pay.

We need your support in order to make this sustainable.  We are requesting a suggested $17-$20 donation to our Sellwood Yearbook Donation account in School Pay (the price for a yearbook was $25 last year).  You can donate more, especially if you have more than one child at Sellwood.  We hope that our “Yearbooks for All” plan will make for a more enjoyable and equitable end of the year experience for all.

Here's the link to SchoolPay.  https://pps.schoolpay.com/  If you need assistance with SchoolPay, the SchoolPay parent help phone number is 833-731-2600.

Thank you in advance for your generosity in bringing this end-of-year experience to all of our students. 

Again: every student will receive a yearbook the last week of school, but we need your help!

Sincerely,

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – May 20, 2024

Greetings Sellwood Community,

My apologies for the delayed newsletter.  Last week, I was out of town caring for my elderly mother (95!) who has been doing poorly.

I was also sorry to miss the PTA Garden Tour yesterday.  I heard that it was a lovely event, as usual, and a great success.  Thanks to all that attended and supported our wonderful PTA!

This week, we will be conducting state testing on Tuesday (ELA) and Thursday (math).  Please make sure your child gets a good night’s rest and arrives to school on time with a fully-charged Chromebook.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

A little over 30 years ago, a Madison High School student named Joseph Janson had a simple wish. He wanted to go to a dance. But nothing was simple for Joseph, who was born with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy and was confined to a wheelchair. 

He confided his wish to Tony Nitz, who at that time was an educational assistant at Madison (now Leodis V. McDaniel High School). Tony had been working one-on-one with Joseph for months and he immediately went about making the young man’s dream come true.

“The truth is, I would have done anything for Joseph,” Nitz said. “He was a unique person, and we had a very special bond.”

Madi Bourdon’s first book practically wrote itself. 

According to the Glencoe Elementary School counselor and Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) coordinator, it only took them an hour and a half to finish A Kid’s Book About Chosen Family, which came out this March with A Kid’s Co. publishing.

For the past three years, Alondra Nieves Barajas has been both student and teacher.

Most days, the senior from Roosevelt High School attends class, does her homework, and spends time with her friends just like any other 18-year-old. But on Wednesday nights, you can find her at the front desk, teaching adults – often much older than herself – the ins and outs of the United States naturalization test.

When Aaron Presberg first got the email from the White House, he thought it was some sort of prank. 

Then he shared the message with a few colleagues who assured him that it was no joke, and the exciting reality that he had been invited to Washington, D.C. to present at the White House’s first-ever Summit for Sustainable and Healthy K–12 School Buildings and Grounds started to sink in.