Dear MLC Community,
I hope that you've had a restful and wholly un-eventful holiday break. Hopefully you had a chance to view the annual Solstice celebration that so many MLC students and staff contributed to virtually. f you've been around a while, you might remember the song "Winter" that the whole school sings at Solstice and is featured at the beginning of the video. (Here's (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy7Wt7OgQ8s) the original by John Krumm.) I've been humming this tune to myself as a reminder that for right now, we're dancing around the fire until spring time comes again. What's coming up in January at MLC! 2020-21 MLC School Directories are here! Purchase a hard copy for $5 and help to support our school. (http://www.mlcptsa.org/store/p67/MLC_2021-21_School_Directory.html) All MLC families that opted-in will receive a PDF version in a separate email. PTSA Meeting: Tuesday, January 6, 2021 at 6:30 PM via Zoom here (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85047396916) MLC ARC (Anti Racist Community) Meeting: January 14, 2021 at 7:00 PM via Zoom here (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88169348248?pwd=M1dmU0FoUkVsMURmVnlqNUNLeVlDdz09) . Passcode: 160904 MLC ARC believes that “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” This group for parents and community members meets monthly. ORCA, the Oregon Reader's Choice Awards books are available as e-books through the MLC library (https://search.follettsoftware.com/metasearch/ui/55744) . Get a jump on reading the nominees and the chance of winning a prize from Tim and Tini! SAVE THE DATE: March 8-21, 2021 MLC's first at-home book fair benefits our library. Shop for yourself, your teachers, or books for MLC's library. Can't wait to see you all IRL, Alisa MLC's PTSA President
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The MLC PTSA hosted a live webinar with Janet Allison, founder of Boys Alive! "Why Boys Challenge You: Parenting and Teaching for Remote Learning Success." Recorded link is live!
MLC will soon be the recipient of a new bike shelter on the blacktop, courtesy of Nicholas Woolridge, a high school student at Riverdale High School. Nicholas is building the shelter for his Eagle Scout project and along with Mark, the PTSA is super excited to support this addition to our school. The cost will be approximately $1,600 with $1,200 coming from the PTSA and $400 from Nicholas's fundraising. For a detailed cost estimate, please see this document. For more information about PPS bike shelter design and construction requirements, please click here. We'll be voting on the PTSA's contribution to this project at our December, 2020 meeting. THANK YOU, Nicholas!
Hello, MLC Families,
What a long, strange trip this has been, right? As we await a time for us all to be together again in person, we all hold our friends and teachers close to our hearts. Still, we are still a community! Here's how you can get involved with MLC now: --Electives!: Share your knowledge with our kiddos by teaching a virtual elective this fall. Consider facilitating one of the BLM electives with elementary or middle school grades. Here is the link to the volunteer form: https://forms.gle/A43kNEGH8VtLRndz8 --If you need grocery or other assistance, please reach out to our counselors, Jeannette or Kelly or our new social worker, Clement to request a Fred Meyer card. --Join the PTSA and enjoy the member benefits and advocacy for all students. It's only $12 to join. --October PTSA meeting: Our next meeting will be Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 6:30 PM. We'll be virtual, so join us via Zoom here! We'll be talking about challenges and support for students during distance learning and November ballot measures that affect us all. --Save the date: Janet Allison, founder of Boys Alive! will be leading a webinar for MLC parents, "Why Boys Challenge You: Parenting and Teaching for Remote Learning Success" on Nov 6, 2020 at 6:30 PM. Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tdO-rqT4tGNa-eLnP8i-jb-oezK-LtId- This special event is free, courtesy of the MLC PTSA! Happy fall, and we can't wait to see you IRL! Cheers, Alisa & the PTSA board John Walrod, Vice President, Joelle Graff, Treasurer, & Rick Freud, Secretary This year, we'll need community more than ever. Join MLC's PTSA meetings virtually on the First Tuesday @ 6:30 PM every month until we're able to be together again in the building:
Sep 1, 2020 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Oct 6, 2020 06:30 PM Nov 3, 2020 06:30 PM Dec 1, 2020 06:30 PM Jan 5, 2021 06:30 PM Feb 2, 2021 06:30 PM March 2, 2021 06:30 PM April 6, 2021 06:30 PM May 4, 2021 06:30 PM June 1, 2021 06:30 PM This Zoom link will remain the same all year: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85047396916 Meeting ID: 850 4739 6916 Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZEtc-6rpz0jG9KXH8SE9dj2qfW_Yzk9gyt_/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGtrj8tGd2TuRiBRpwMAo-gKOnxmCFEjfp2pDe9MAUKZgmkJ-R1DYtlG4HX Dear MLC Community:
I've been hearing from many MLC parents looking for answers--any answers--about what will happen in September. Today, Gov. Brown announced that more guidance would be coming from the State Board of Education but here's the hard truth: No solution put forth by the district will be sufficient to address all of the variables and pressing concerns in the current situation we're ALL in--students, teachers, staff, parents, and community. So, what can we do? Collaborate. Here are some ideas that I've heard from MLC parents: 1. Form learning pods. These can be formal or informal student groups that meet outdoors regularly (with safety precautions, of course) for excursions, hikes, or to study together. These could also be virtual-only as well. Parents should be prepared to facilitate learning and activities. Get creative! Mixed-ages wanted--high school and middle schoolers who are looking for leadership opportunities are welcome. If you're interested in forming pods with MLC families, you can share your details here. Be aware of the inequity that this type of learning environment can, and will, exacerbate. Reach out to others in our community and remember that a rising tide lifts all boats. 2. If you know that your student will be learning virtually ONLY, email Mark to notify him. It's important that he knows what families intend in the fall. Questions about enrollment, training, educational supports, technology, and other details should be addressed to him. 3. If you are interested in pursuing the all-outdoor model that has been suggested for MLC, let PPS know that you support this for MLC and other PPS schools. Read, sign, and send this letter. 4. Volunteer to be a buddy to incoming MLC families, especially new kindergarteners, sixth graders, and high schoolers. This will be especially important in keeping up community if there is no in-person school in fall. Let us know here if you're interested. :) 5. Help prepare project boxes for Kx3. This idea comes from Sierra, a parent and educator who envisions delivery of "materials each week for children to anchor to." How excited will kids be to receive a box of activities and projects each week! Contact Sierra to get involved. 6. Take a look at the PTSA budget. How can we maximize this budget to have an equitable, safe, robust, and meaningful school year for all of our students and staff? AND FINALLY If you need Fred Meyer gift cards for your family, please reach out to our counselors, Jeanette or Genie. The PTSA is here for the benefit of all of our students! I miss seeing all of you, I can't wait until we're back together again. --Alisa Preparing your creation for next week's Egg Drop? Check out this 1987 news report about MLC's tradition (that year was the 15th annual)! Since Egg Drop is going virtual this year, read Margarita's message about guidelines and posting details:
48th Annual MLC Kx12 Egg Drop May 18-May 21, 2020 We will not miss our annual Egg Drop. If you want to participate virtually using the flipgrid platform, please hit the link for guidelines and upload your video. All students must be supervised by a guardian or adult. Videos are limited to 1 min and 30 seconds to capture that perfect moment. https://flipgrid.com/62fdeea3 Hello, MLC families! I know that I speak for the whole PTSA board: WE MISS YOU!!! It’s been 48 days since we were together at MLC but it feels like 4,800! Nonetheless, we're still thinking about plans for next year. Because of the decrease in fundraising opportunities (such as the auction, restaurant nights, Timbers games parking, etc.) we are concerned that our ability to support our students and teachers will be greatly diminished next year. Please add your voice to the PTSA as we navigate this next year. Our last PTSA meeting of the year will be Wednesday, May 13 at 6PM. We’ll be electing board members for two positions: President and Vice President. Check MLCPTSA.org for Zoom meeting details. Fundraising News: While we couldn’t come together in person, our virtual auction on April 25th was a big hit! Thanks to everyone who logged on and sang karaoke, played trivia, and danced. The fun’s not over yet! I’ve attached a flyer with some of my favorite items to inspire you to shop and donate. Bidding ends on Saturday, May 2 at 6PM charityauction.bid/rumpusroomauction Community Assistance: The MLC PTSA has mailed over $600 in grocery gift cards to MLC families over the past six weeks. If your student and your family need Fred Meyer gift cards to get through this challenging time, please email MLC's school counselors: Genie Gomez at vgomez1@pps.net or Jeanette Scantling, jscantling@pps.net. MLC ROCKS! Starting Friday, May 1, explore area parks and find hidden rocks hand-painted by MLC teachers. Each rock has a character trait on reverse and serves as a fortune for the discoverer. Hunt for these special treasures at Mt. Tabor, Peninsula, Columbia, and Forest Parks. Save the Date: Teacher Appreciation Week: Show some of your love and appreciation for our amazing MLC teachers during the week of May 4-8, 2020! Contribute to our drive here and we'll use the funds to purchase gift cards for all MLC teachers. Feel free to mail personal thank you notes and letters to individual teachers. They appreciate it! See you soon! --Alisa MLC PTSA Board: President: Alisa Welch Vice President: John Walrod Treasurer: Joelle Graff Secretary: Rick Freud Auction Chair: Jenn Halvorson Dear MLC Community:
How are you doing? The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster of questions, confusion and heartbreak for so many people. Field trips, events, projects and storylines that MLC's students, teachers, and PTSA have worked so hard on have been canceled or are in limbo. Now as we're all looking towards a month of at-home schooling, it seems impossible to maintain momentum, let alone community. And yet...I suspect MLC will come out of this stronger and more creative than ever. I've gained even MORE respect for our teachers and staff as they adapt an experiential alternative school into a temporary virtual school. How can you and the PTSA support MLC families?: Because so many field trips were canceled this year and scholarships are not needed, a large portion of the PTSA budget can be redirected to needs of our students and families during this time. In order to present this idea to our membership and make these funds available immediately, we've moved our April meeting to Zoom, an online platform. PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR VIRTUAL APRIL PTSA MEETING SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2020 AT 10AM www.zoom.us Meeting ID: 572 026 262 (No password needed) How can the PTSA help you?: If your student and your family need Fred Meyer gift cards to get through this challenging time, please email MLC's school counselors: Genie Gomez at vgomez1@pps.net or Jeanette Scantling, jscantling@pps.net. We are still working on the logistics of how the cards will be mailed out to folks requesting them, but confidentiality will be honored. Also, feel free to email me with any questions or ideas how we can support each other. I've heard from so many MLC folks who just want to DO SOMETHING. So if you are in need of groceries, or a pair of rain boots for your kiddo but can't afford them right now, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! This is my email: mlcptsapresident@gmail.com There's a school community here for you. See you IRL soon! -Alisa & The PTSA Board, John, Joelle, & Rick Time sure flies! There are only 18 weeks left in the school year but a MILLION cool things going on between then and now. Here’s what’s coming up:
🎨 Classroom Art Projects: MLC’s sixth through twelfth grades need parents to facilitate classroom art projects that can be sold at the MLC auction. Contact our auction chair, Jenn Halvorson for more information: mlcauctioncommittee@gmail.com ⚽ Timbers Window Wash: Leave your car in the MLC parking lot for 4.5 hours during the following Timbers games: 2/16, 3/1, 3/8, and 3/28. Only $20 and benefits field trip scholarships. 🚲 Bike Team: John Walrod (amazing 3rd grade teacher and PTSA Vice Prez) is looking for folks to help design and build a bike shelter for the parking lot. Drop him a message to get involved: jwalrod@pps.net ❤Valentine’s Day Social: Our February meeting will be Friday, February 14 @ noon in the library. We’ll have Escape From New York pizza, free childcare at KCLC, and updates on all that’s going on at MLC. 👕 Clothing Center and Food Pantry Update: We’ve had a wonderful response to the CCFP and a special thanks to all who have donated funds, clothing, and food. Keep it coming! Popular items we need more of: new water bottles, healthy snacks (Kind bars, peanut butter crackers), apples, oranges, and spring jackets in adult sizes. Many students have asked if it can be open more often (right now it’s open on Wednesdays from 8:30-9:30 AM). If you are able to staff the center before or after school, our kids will thank you! 🎉 SAVE THE DATES: 🗨 February 21, 2020 @ 8:45 AM SPED Affinity Group in the MLC cafeteria 😎 March 14, 2020 @ 6 PM Come Hang Out at MLC’s Rumpus Room! This year's auction will be a nostalgic, fun-filled evening of retro video games, music, delicious food, beer and wine, and of course amazing silent & live auctions and raffles, topped it all off with an 80s/90s video dance party! Sliding scale tickets: $5-$50 available NOW! This is a 21+ event but childcare will be available. 🔆April 15, 2020 Did you know MLC was founded in 1968 by two science teachers? This year, the PTSA continues this legacy at our Renaissance Inventors Faire, a celebration of ingenuity, robots, innovations, art, and more. We'll have creation stations, a Rube Goldberg machine contest, and lots of STEAM. If you want to facilitate an activity table of your choice, let me know! Alisa mlcptsapresident@gmail.com See you soon! Alisa & the rest of the PTSA board: John, Joelle, and Rick |
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January 2021
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