Greetings MLC Community,As we enter this season of thanksgiving, the PTSA wants to bring awareness of those in our community who need assistance. Food scarcity, housing insecurity, financial stress, and other obstacles to learning are faced daily by MLC students and their families.

You can help. Please consider contributing to the annual holiday meal fund drive. Your financial donation will allow MLC families to purchase food and other necessities during the holiday season. 
If you need assistance or would like to request a grocery card for your family, please contact MLC's school social worker, Clement.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
The MLC PTSA Board



Our 4x5 classes on their adventure to Camp Hancock Field Station earlier this month. Your support of the MLC PTSA makes these field trips possible for all students, regardless of their family's ability to pay. Photo by Kenneth Kreuscher


Get involved with MLC! Join our PTSA meeting Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at 6:30PM in the MLC library. Free pizza and childcare will be provided. RSVP for childcare here. The meeting will be simulcast online. Please see mlcptsa.org for the link.

It's hoodie order time! Youth and adult size black Bella+Canvas sweatshirts printed by New Avenues Ink in Portland, OR. New Avenues is a screen printer with a social mission: since 2013, they have offered paid internship hours and career mentorship to young adults experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
Your purchase supports the students of MLC and the mission of New Avenues Ink. It's a win win and you'll be so cozy! Put in your order now!

Last call...Get your name in the MLC directory

Boat Raffle:
Only 30 tickets left for Blue Bird, a beautiful 11.5' long Bevin's Skiff sailboat created by MLC's 6th grade classes in collaboration with the non-profit Wind and Oar Boat School. Tickets are only $25. You can take the boat home for your own use OR DONATE IT BACK TO MLC FOR STUDENT USE! Winner will be chosen on the last day of school: Friday, June 10, 2022 at noon. GOOD LUCK! Proceeds will go towards experiential learning opportunities at MLC. 

Board Members Wanted:
The MLC PTSA has two openings on its board: President (can be co-Presidents) and Vice President. Each position is a two-year term starting July 1, 2022. The PTSA is holding a special election meeting on Tuesday, June 7 at 6:30PM via Zoom. If you are ready to throw your hat into the ring, please plan to join the meeting.

Backyard Concert Series:
Just a few tickets left for our final show: Deck the Krautrock w/ MØTRIK + guest show on Saturday, June 11,  from 6 to 9pm. Thank you to all of the hosts and guests who have made this inaugural concert tour such a success! ​

Hello!

The PTSA has two openings on its board: President (can be co-Presidents) and Vice President. Each position is a two-year term starting July 1, 2022. Attached is a very general description of each role. For more details, you can take a look at this document that maps out all that the PTSA does as a board and volunteer community over the course of the year. 

Over the past four years as PTSA president, I've had the pleasure of working with this diverse community including fellow MLC parents who became dear friends, MLC teachers who inspire me, MLC students who make me laugh. Has it been easy? No. But is anything worthwhile easy?

Here's where I'm going to get real with you: When you chose MLC for your child, you made the choice to join a community. Our community thrives because a lot of people care deeply about MLC and its students. Don't fall into the trap of believing that someone else will step up or some other parent will do the hard stuff that makes MLC so magical for your student. 

The PTSA is holding a special election meeting on Tuesday, June 7 at 6:30PM via Zoom. If you are ready to throw your hat into the ring, please email me beforehand so that I can officially nominate you at the meeting on June 7. 

THANK YOU! 
Alisa 

--
Alisa Welch
MLC PTSA President
Metropolitan Learning Center

So excited to have a planting plan for Avril's Butterfly garden. Thanks to parent Laura Hartzell, we've got an excellent plan to attract butterflies, bees, and other beneficial creatures by utilizing native plants and shrubs. Please use this plan when purchasing plants at any Portland-area nursery. 

Hello, MLC Community,

I'm excited to share some of the activities and events that the PTSA has planned for the spring and summer.

For starters, The MLC Backyard Concert Series has SIX shows in May and June. There's something for everyone: a kid dance party, comedy night, folk music and more! Tickets for all shows will go on sale on April 7, 2022 at MLCPTSA.org We are looking for catering, beer and wine donations. If you would like to donate food and/or drink, please email Amy Ouellette. 

If live music isn't your thing, consider making a financial contribution. We are hoping to raise $25K for the 2022-23 school year to help pay for field trips, electives, experiential project-based learning... all of the stuff makes MLC magical.

ALSO We're establishing a monthly MLC + Couch Park cleanup starting Sunday, March 6, 2022 from 10AM-noon. Kids are welcome! Please bring gardening tools, gloves, and lawn & garbage bags. We will meet on the first Sunday of every month through summer, 2022. 

AND FINALLY, our Spring Used Book Sale needs parent coordinators. Email me if you're interested.  

For more details about all of this, please join us for our March PTSA meeting on Zoom, next Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 6:30 PM. We'll start having our PTSA meetings in person at MLC as restrictions lighten up for using PPS buildings. 
 
-Alisa Welch
MLC PTSA President