FGCS Updates

August 26, 2008

Dear FGCS Families:

The first day of school is less than two weeks away and
teachers and staff are busy preparing for the arrival of students on
Monday, September 8. We're writing to update you on the status of
building plans and to ask for your help in preparing for the new year.

Building Update – Level 3 and 4 parents, please take note: Plans for
placing modular classroom buildings for Levels 3 and 4 continues at a
fast pace - however, we hit a snag when the Planning Commission
delayed final approval of our city permit until Tuesday, Sept. 2.
Because of this delay, the 'mods' may not be ready for our first day
on Sept. 8, so we have secured temporary classrooms nearby at the
Forest Grove UCC Church and the Senior Center.
We are eager to have our entire community together on one campus and
so we aren't thrilled at the prospect of starting the year with some
of us in temporary spaces - please be assured that we are working very
hard to get everyone settled in their permanent school homes. We
expect to need these temporary spaces for a short period of time, if
at all, but parents should plan on delivering students to the
temporary locations for the first day of school. Teachers and staff
will work together to make sure students have a positive experience
whatever the physical location of their classrooms and staff. Thanks
for your understanding and patience. If you have any questions, please
contact Karen at 503-359-4600 or k.torry@fgcschool.org.
Here are the details about our short-term temporary spaces:
Level 3 students (7th/8th) will meet at the Forest Grove
Senior Center, 2037 Douglas St. To drop off students, turn onto
Douglas from Pacific Ave., drive past the senior center parking lot to
21st Ave. Teachers will be waiting to greet students at the building
doors on 21st Ave. starting at 8:35 a.m. Students will dismiss from
the center at 3:20 p.m.
Level 4 (9th/10th) students will meet at the Forest Grove UCC,
2032 College Way, across the street from Pacific University, just two
blocks from FGCS. To drop off students, take Main St. to 21st Ave.,
turn east on 21st Ave., then turn right on College Way. Teachers will
be waiting to greet students at the entrance on College Way starting
at 8:35 a.m. Students will dismiss from this location at 3:35 a.m.
We will keep you updated, so please check email regularly or
contact Karen Torry (503-359-4600 or k.torry@fgcschool.org) if you
have questions.

All Hands on Deck – FGCS needs help getting the building, grounds and
classrooms ready for the first day of school. Here are times and
ways that you can help:
Thurs., Aug. 28 and Fri., Aug. 29, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We need
people to move classroom furniture (we have a freight elevator that
makes it easier), shelve books, pull weeds, pick up trash, take items
to the recycling center or Goodwill, and do miscellaneous other tasks.
Contact Karen Torry at 503-359-4600 or k.torry@fgcschool.org if you
can help – or just stop by.
Weds., Sept. 3 and Fri., Sept. 4, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Help art
teacher Teresa Perrin organize the art room. Call 503-359-4600 if
you'd like to let Teresa know you can help – or just show up. Electric
drills and hand tools (screwdrivers, wrenches, etc.) would be helpful.

Fri., Sept. 5 or Sat., Sept. 6 – Help parent volunteer David
Cebula get our computer lab ready for students. Please email Dave at
d.cebula@fgcschool.org to volunteer.

Pick up and Drop Off
Parents dropping off and picking up students have two options:
park and walk your student to school or use our school drive-through.

If you park nearby and walk: Please park on the street or in
one of the nearby free city lots. Please do not park in the bank or
other private business lots – your car may be towed.
If you drive through: For morning drop off, turn onto A Street
from Pacific Ave. or 19th Ave., stop at the designated spot and make
sure your student exits your car safely. Please note that there is no
supervision for students outside the school building before school
begins. Students must remain in the building once they enter, even if
class has not yet begun.
For afternoon pick up, please follow the same route. Teachers or staff
will usher students to cars. Please observe a one-way traffic flow and
do NOT attempt to pass other vehicles. If you have students dismissing
at different times, please arrive at the later time or park and walk
to pick up your student – this will minimize traffic backing up onto A
Street. Finally, please turn off your engine while you are waiting to
reduce emissions.
Questions? Contact Karen at 503-359-4600 or k.torry@fgcschool.org. A
traffic flow and parking mat will be included in the Student-Family
Handbook you'll soon receive and will be posted at our web site.

Reminders
 High school students and their parents are invited to meet
teachers and discuss personalized learning plans on Tues., Sept. 2 or
Weds., Sept. 3 from 7-8:30 p.m. at school. Please come and meet our
high school team and talk about plans for the coming year. Teachers of
students in Levels 1-3 will contact parents for family visits.
 School supplies lists are posted on our web site at
www.fgcschool.org

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Fwd: FGCS News & Updates

From: Forest Grove Community School <Forest_Grove_Community_School@mail.vresp.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Subject: FGCS News & Updates

August 14, 2008


Dear FGCS Families:

We are sorry for the delay in getting this newsletter to you. Sending
messages to our large all-school email list has proven problematic. We
are trying to solve the problem but, at this point, we are unable to
send attachments to the whole list - for that reason, school supplies
and class lists are NOT attached here. Supplies lists will be posted
on our web site at www.fgcschool.org as soon as possible, copies will
be available at school OR you can email Karen at k.torry@fgcschool.org
for an individually emailed copy. Class lists will be posted at school
OR you can call the school office at 503-359-4600 to ask about your
student's placement. Thanks for your patience and understanding as we
deal with these 'technical difficulties.'

Onto the news and updates …

Family Visits: Remember that the first week of September is devoted to
family visits – classroom teachers will contact you to schedule a time
and place to meet. If you no longer plan to enroll your student at
FGCS (or if you don't wish to receive this newsletter), please notify
the office immediately at 503-359-4600 or v.gray@fgcschool.org.    We
have waiting lists for most ages and need to notify families of
openings as soon as possible. When you call or write, please provide
your student's name, your name and your email address so we can take
you off the mailing list.

 School Supplies: Many of you have let us know you're eager to take
advantage of back-to-school sales.  Please note that the lists are
specific to level. As you do your shopping, we encourage you to keep
in mind our school mission of stewardship. There are many 'green'
options available for many of your purchases, from notebooks
containing 100% recycled papers to 'tree-free' paper and pencils to
canvas (rather than PVC-containing vinyl) lunch bags. Sometimes (but
not always) these items cost more but, if possible, we ask you to
consider making a more sustainable purchase. Here are links to just a
couple of online resources (if you Google 'green school supplies,'
you'll get 2 million hits!):
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ForestGroveCommunity/ff292ad7fc/5d8f77155b/3b088a8244

http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ForestGroveCommunity/ff292ad7fc/5d8f77155b/7d73d0ac5b



Back-to-School Picnic  4-6 p.m. Sunday, August 24th at Lincoln Park
pavilions 1 and 2:  Let's come together as a school community – visit
with old friends, make new ones and find out more about plans for the
school year.  Please bring an entrée and salad or dessert to share –
we encourage you to take advantage of our local bounty with food from
your garden or local farmers markets if you can. Bring your own table
service (plates, cups, utensils, napkins) and a picnic blanket or
chairs. Frisbees, soccer balls and other outdoors toys would be
welcome! Iced tea and lemonade will be provided. We'll have
information about student clubs and after-school classes, as well as
volunteer opportunities at school. If you'd like to help with set up
or clean up, please contact Donna Van Dyke at d.vandyke@fgcschool.org
or 503-359-4600.

Building Update: Work continues to secure two modular classroom
buildings for our middle/high school classes. We hope and plan to have
these classrooms ready by the first day of school but have secured
temporary classrooms in local churches as a back-up plan that we hope
not to need. We will update you as more information becomes available.
If you have questions, please contact Karen Torry at
k.torry@fgcschool.org or 503-359-4600.

Schedule/Early Release Fridays  - School will start at 8:50 a.m. for
all students. Level 1 students will be released Monday through
Thursday at 3:05 p.m., Levels 2 and 3 at 3:20 p.m. and Level 4 at 3:35
p.m. Please plan to pick up your student promptly at the release time;
if you are delayed for any reason, please call the office as soon as
possible. All students are released at 1:05 p.m. on Fridays.

No Lunch on Fridays: We are trying something different this year to
preserve more of our early-release Fridays for learning activities.
Rather than providing a full lunch period, we will provide a short
snack time in the morning. Please plan to send your student a healthy,
filling snack rather than a full lunch – good options include cheese,
fresh fruit and nuts.

Calendar: An eagle-eyed parent alerted us that there was an error in
the school year calendar we sent earlier this summer. The days off
circled on the calendar were all correct but the wrong dates were
listed below in one or two places. A corrected calendar has been
posted on our web site at www.fgcschool.org. Again, please note that
our calendar varies slightly from the District calendar – please
always refer to our web site for our schedule.

"Dress for Success"- At FGCS, that term means coming to school ready
for work and play that is active, often outdoors and may involve
getting wet or dirty. Student dress should be casual and comfortable.
Waterproof or water-resistant walking shoes or boots are ideal in many
settings, particularly for Out & Abouts. Students should always bring
a waterproof or water-resistant jacket to school (even if it's sunny
in the morning) because we go outside for recess and Out & About rain
or shine (OK, we might stay in if it's a torrential downpour and
definitely if there's thunder or lightening). We do keep a supply of
back-up gear on hand, but students who come to school without clothing
or footwear appropriate for the weather or activity may have to miss
out if we don't have the right item or size that day. We do not yet
have room for students to keep boots and jackets at school but
students are welcome to store these items in their backpacks in case
they are needed.

Calling All Volunteers – FGCS depends on the involvement of family and
community members to thrive. There are many opportunities to volunteer
– from supervising recess and chaperoning Out & Abouts to serving on
our technology committee or board of directors. We have a pressing
need between now and September 8th for help setting up classrooms and
getting our school buildings ready by September 8th – this could
involve moving furniture, installing shelves, clean up and
organization. To help with these tasks, please contact Karen Torry at
k.torry@fgcschool.org or 503-359-4600.

News & Updates

Dear FGCS Families:

 

            We hope this finds you all well and enjoying the beautiful Pacific Northwest summer. We’re writing to share a long list of news and updates.  If you have questions or comments, please check individual items to find the right person to contact. Please don’t reply directly to this email.

            A quick note about this email message: We are in the process of updating our database and transferring management of the system to school staff.  To try to avoid being filtered out by spam detectors, we are sending this message in several batches that may arrive at different times.

We apologize in advance to those who may receive duplicate messages or whose students are no longer enrolled at FGCS. Please bear with us as we work out the kinks in our new system and create an up-to-date address book.  A million thanks to Sherie Pitt, who has volunteered countless hours over the past several years managing the database and helping us stay in contact with our community. To report problems or concerns about email communications, please contact Karen at k.torry@fgcschool.org or 503-359-4600.

 

Back to School Picnic

            Mark your calendars! Our 2^nd back-to-school picnic, this year called the Community School Local Harvest Gathering, will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, August 24^th at Lincoln Park Pavilions 1 and 2 near the skate park. We’ll send details closer in time to the event, so watch your inboxes.

 

Supplies, Class Lists and Student-Family Handbook

School supplies lists will NOT be emailed to families this year but will be posted on our web site by the second week of August. Class lists and the updated student-family handbook will be emailed to families around the same time. The handbook will also be posted at the web site and paper copies will be available upon request.       

 

Staff News

In addition to welcoming 70 new students this year, we are pleased to announce several additions to our teaching staff.  We are fortunate to have hired well-qualified, exceptional people who are eager to be involved with your children's growth as scholars, stewards and citizens. If you have questions about teachers, please contact Vanessa Gray at v.gray@fgcschool.org or 503-359-4600.   Here is a brief introduction to each of our new teachers:

 

Level 1 - Karen Thias is new Level 1 classroom teacher. Karen has been a classroom teacher in single-age and mixed-age elementary classrooms for more than eight years. She has strong interests in science, art, and writing, and brings those passions alive in her classroom.

 

Level 2 - Gretchen Ziemer, while not a new staff member, will take on a different role at the school as our new Level 2 classroom teacher. Before becoming our Out and About teacher, Gretchen had experience teaching PE, health and environmental studies. Gretchen is also enrolled in Pacific's Master of Arts in Teaching program, so she'll have the opportunity to put theory into practice in a very real way!

 

Level 3 - Shannon Perry has been hired as the Level 3 (7th/8th grade) language arts and social studies teacher, replacing Megan Densky, who has accepted a teaching position in Portland. Shannon has many years' experience working with youth, first in social services and later in school settings. She has been an academic coach, led after-school programs and, most recently, taught language arts enhancement at Neil Armstrong Middle School. 

 

Level 4

Elizabeth Annis will teach language arts and a first-year Spanish elective to Level 4 students next year. Elizabeth's teaching experience spans 15 years at several levels, including high school. She is qualified as an ESL instructor, taught after-school Spanish at FGCS this year and most recently worked with incarcerated youth earning their high school diplomas.

 

Rick Boudreau, who served as a Level 3 instructional assistant this year, will put his varied talents and experiences to work teaching PE to all classes and teaching civics and economics courses for Level 4 students. Rick, who has a graduate degree in political science, has been a journalist and worked with international, non-governmental organizations. He is also a former tennis instructor and competes regionally.

 

Brook Waldman will teach high school Algebra and Geometry, with an emphasis on applied skills, drawing on Brook’s varied background, which includes teaching math and science, outdoor education and construction. Brook, who is working on his master’s degree in teaching, may be the only person you’ll ever meet who holds a certificate in bamboo building and lists cardboard furniture construction alongside welding, pottery and cooking under ‘other skills’ on his resume.

 

Rochelle Auran will teach high school biology.  Rochelle holds a graduate degree in zoology, has taught college-level biology and has 20 years’ experience working in professional laboratories.

 

School Schedule

            Background: As most of you know, we earlier announced plans to begin the school day at 8 a.m. rather than 8:50 in the coming school year. This change was suggested in response to desire expressed by some families for an earlier release that would make it easier for their middle and high school students to participate in after-school district sports and activities. Because this represented a significant schedule change, our Board of Directors took the matter under advisement and sought input from the school community through our web site feedback page.  A synopsis of that feedback will be posted on the web site soon. After reviewing the matter, the Board decided to maintain the daily schedule we used this past year. The Board stated that it will continue to study the matter and may consider schedule changes at a later date. Please contact board chair Terry O’Day at t.oday@fgcschool.org with any questions about the Board’s decision.

Schedule: School will begin for all students at 8:50 a.m. School doors will open at 8:35 and students should be in their classrooms, ready to go by 8:50.

Dismissal times will be as follows:

            Level 1:            3:05 p.m.

            Levels 2& 3:     3:20 p.m. (please note this is a change for Level 3)

            Level 4:            3:35 p.m.

           

School Calendar

            The first day of school for FGCS is Monday, September 8.  A complete school calendar is attached. If you have trouble opening or printing this document, you can pick up a copy in the school office. Please note:  Although we follow the District calendar in most respects, we have some days off when other District schools are in session and are in school on some days when other District schools are closed.  Our calendar will be posted on the school’s web site: www.fgcschool.org and will be regularly updated with special events.  For questions about the calendar, please contact Vanessa at v.gray@fgcschool.org.

 

Facilities Update

            As many of you know, we learned shortly before the end of the school year that our landlord was unable to proceed with plans to renovate the third floor of our building to add new classrooms because the project was simply too expensive. We are now planning to construct a second school building on site, while continuing to occupy two floors of our current building. Planning and construction of the new building will take one to two years but will ultimately result in a beautiful, functional school campus.

Meanwhile, here is how we are making room for our three new classrooms. We plan to place two modular classroom buildings on the property to house our Level 3 (7^th/8^th) and Level 4 (9^th/10^th) classrooms. These buildings each have two 850-square-foot classrooms and will be completely refurbished with new paint, flooring and extra windows. Although they won’t have the character of our current building, they will be large, comfortable spaces. Placing the modular classrooms requires a city permit, for which we have applied; a hearing is set for Monday, August 4 at the Community Auditorium. The FGCS Board has approved hiring an architect to provide technical support on this project.

In our current building, there will be some changes, too. Karen Thias, our new Level 1 teacher, will move into Veronica’s old room while Veronica and Gretchen, our new Level 2 teacher, will move into the downstairs classrooms. Sherry, Rachel and Charlie all will remain in their same classrooms. This interim plan is intended to keep our whole school community in close proximity and keep all classes in a level in the same building while we make permanent plans for the future. If you have any questions about facilities issues, please contact Karen at k.torry@fgcschool.org. 

 

Volunteer Opportunities

            FGCS is a school created by volunteers and are ongoing success depends on the strong support of parents, friends and community volunteers. Here are just a few ways you can help:

The downstairs classrooms will get a fresh coat of colorful paint over the summer, so please contact Gretchen (g.ziemer@fgcschool.org) or Veronica v.dolby@fgcschool.org) if you’d like to join the paint crews.  We will also need volunteer help setting up the modular classrooms, assembling classroom tables, hanging bulletin boards and doing other tasks to get our facilities ready for students. If you’d like to be notified about work days, please send your contact information to Karen at k.torry@fgcschool (or leave a voice mail at 503-359-4600).

We also have an immediate need to develop a core of volunteers able to help with computer and other technology issues. We have a small core of extremely talented, hardworking volunteers who help in this area, but we need a larger group as our school grows.  Specifically, we need people to contact local businesses and organizations who may have computers to donate, to pick up those donations, to upgrade systems, install software and install desktops and printers in classrooms. Tech-minded students are more than welcome! To help in this way, please contact Karen at k.torry@fgcschool.org.

Our intrepid fundraising work group can also use more volunteers to help with Pizza Wednesdays, Scholastics book fairs and other efforts. Please contact Misty Lewis at semile@verizon.net.

Unlike other public schools, FGCS depends on volunteer help to supervise lunch times and recess to allow teachers to take a short break during the school day. Helping out at lunch and recess is a great way to get to know students and it provides a tremendous support to our hardworking teachers. To volunteer at recess or lunch, contact Vickie Jares at v.jares@fgcschool.org. 

 

 

 

 

School Schedule and Homework Policy Change Feedback Request

School Schedule and Homework Policy change feedback request

This month, we received a recommendation from school administration to change the school start time to an hour earlier in the day and to change the “No Homework” policy to a “Homework Options” policy.  Because these changes will affect everyone, we’d like to hear your thoughts on these so we can make sure we’ve covered all the bases.  Your comments on the tech policy were very helpful to us and we are hopeful that you will take a few minutes to send us any thoughts or information you might have on the subject of the school schedule and the homework policy.

 

To make your comment, go to the board feedback page on the website or click on this link: http://www.fgcschool.org/feedback/index.php

Just to remind you of the process, these comments will be reviewed by the board and school administrators.  You will get a synopsis of the comments and our decision in a subsequent email.

Thanks again for your input!

FGCS Board

 

 

Proposal to change the “No Homework Policy” to a “Homework Options Policy”

Draft 6-17-08

Our intention in developing the no-homework policy was two-fold. One, we wanted to recognize the compelling research that shows no correlation between learning and homework. And two, we wanted to foster in students a genuine love of learning that can be undermined by forcing homework upon them. Based on feedback from parents and students this year, we propose to amend our homework policy. Rather than having a no-homework policy, next year we will have a homework options policy that will allow for students to tailor their homework to their needs and interests.

During the initial PLP planning session, the teacher will discuss with the student and family whether they want homework and, if so, the teacher will provide options to choose from. Teachers will provide some options for homework for students based on classroom work, but this is not the only type of homework students could do. Families and students may decide that appropriate homework for them is related to an extracurricular interest. Students will commit to the type and amount of homework specified in their PLP.

 

School Schedule Change

Draft 6-17-08

 
So that our schedule can accommodate students who want to participate in extra curricular activities at the middle and high school levels, we propose to change our daily schedule so that we start and release from school earlier. We propose a start time of 8:00 am and release times of 2:15 for Level I, 2:30 for Level II, and 2:45 for Level III and IV.

 

 

 

 

Summer Activities and Fall Sports

Dear FGCS Families:

 

            We hope you are enjoying the early days of summer vacation. Below is information about some activities available in our community for students over the summer as well as information about a free summer meals program and registration for fall sports at the middle school and through community-based recreation programs. If you learn about other opportunities in the community, please email Karen Torry at k.torry@fgcschool.org for inclusion in future notices.

 

Summer Activities

 

FREE One-Day Nature Observation Art Camps for students entering 4^th-8^th grades. Camps are June 25 or June 26 at Tillamook State Forest Center (free bus transportation provided from Forest Grove). Registration forms and details are available at Valley Art Association, 2022 Main St., Forest Grove.

 

Pacific University Children’s Summer Theater Camp 9 a.m.-noon July 14-25 for ages 5-13. Cost is $200 for the entire two weeks, $125 for one week, and $25 per day. Please contact Caitlin Quinn @ costumes.cquinn@pacificu.edu or 253-686-8159 for more information.

 

Forest Grove Dance Arts: A schedule of classes can be found at http://www.forestgrovedancearts.com/Summer_Class_Schedule_2008b.pdf or call 503-352-4682 for more information.

 

Skyhawks Sports Camps at Lincoln Park, Forest Grove

 

Ages 4-7 multi-sport camp July 7-11

Ages 3 ½-4 soccer camp July 21-24

Ages 5-7 soccer camp July 21-25

Ages 6-12 soccer camp Aug. 4-8

See http://www.skyhawks.com/ for costs and registration.

 

Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department offers a wide variety of art, music, theater, sports and recreation programs at sites across Hillsboro throughout the summer. For a schedule, costs and registration, call 503-681-5397 or visit http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/ParksRec/.

 

 

 

 

School District Summer Food Program
Anyone age 18 and under is eligible for free meals through Forest Grove School District's summer food service program. The program is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Oregon Department of Education. Meals are available at Fern Hill Elementary School, Joseph Gale Elementary School, Neil Armstrong Middle School, Lincoln Park and Rose Grove RV Park. Dates and times are:

Fern Hill, 4445 Heather Street, June 23-Aug. 1 (Monday through Thursday). Breakfast 8-8:30 a.m.; lunch 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Joseph Gale, 3130 18th Ave., June 24-July 24 (Monday through Thursday). Breakfast 8-8:30 a.m.; lunch 11:30 a.m.-noon

Neil Armstrong, 1777 Mountain View Lane, June 23-Aug. 1 (Monday through Friday). Breakfast 8-8:30 a.m.; lunch 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Lincoln Park, 2500 Sunset Drive, June 23-Aug. 1 (Monday through Friday). Lunch noon-12:30 p.m.

Rose Grove RV Park, 3839 Pacific Avenue, June 23-Aug. 1 (Monday through Friday). Lunch noon-12:30 p.m.

 

 

Neil Armstrong Middle School Athletics – Summer/Fall 2008

Football: Conditioning Camp @ NAMS Monday, 8/25 through Wednesday, 8/27 5-7 p.m., with gear issued on August 28 from 4-7 p.m.  Paperwork must be turned in and fees paid at the NAMS office to receive gear.

Volleyball: Meeting in the gym September 2 2:35-4:45 p.m.

Practice for all sports (Football, Soccer, Volleyball) begins Wednesday, September 4 at 3 p.m. All paperwork and fees must be turned in prior to practice.

Fees (change from last year): Each sport will cost $45.00 plus a one-time $3.00 catastrophic insurance fee. Registration forms are available in the NAMS main office or can be printed from the website @ http://neilarmstrong.nwresd.org/

 

Fall Soccer Registration

          Registration for 2008 fall soccer season through FC West is open and continues through July 15. Information and registration forms are available at Frye’s Action Athletics, 2016 Pacific Ave., or you may register online at www.oysa-fcwest.sportsaffinity.com. Cost is $70/child for U6-U14 with a maximum fee of $150/family.

 

 

 

Board Agenda/Building Announcement

Dear Community School Families and Friends:

 

I am writing to let you know about changes in the plans for expanding our school building. 

 

As many of you know, for the past several months we have been working with our landlord, Preston Alexander, on plans to renovate the top floor of the building to add four classrooms, restrooms, offices and meeting space. After consulting with contractors, architects and engineers, however, we have learned that the structural work required would be so extensive – and expensive – that we can no longer pursue that plan. However, we have quickly shifted gears to a new plan that will ultimately provide an excellent solution for the school’s long-term needs.

 

We are not moving – we will continue to occupy our current building, which we have all come to love. But, instead of remodeling the top floor, a brand-new building will be constructed on the same property to house additional classrooms.  Plans are currently in a great deal of flux - any specifics I would give you now would likely change, so I ask for your patience as we work out the details. We will send out an update along with a site plan as soon as possible; for now, I can tell you that we believe that the end result will be a vibrant school campus we will all enjoy for many years to come.

By now, you are probably thinking that there’s no way to finish a new building by September and you’re probably right.  So, in addition to firming up the plans for a new building, we are also working to secure temporary space for the additional classrooms we need in the fall. We have not yet decided which classrooms will be in temporary spaces, but will notify you as soon as possible.  Because the first day of school is 2 ½ months away and we need only limited space, we are confident we will find the space we need. After all, last year when we learned our building wouldn’t be ready for the first day of school, we planned a week of outdoor school and found temporary space for six classrooms in less than two weeks!  In comparison, this should be a cinch.  We have several options we are exploring. But, as always, if you have any suggestions or ideas, please contact me at t.oday@fgcschool.org or Karen Torry at 503-359-4600 or k.torry@fgcschool.org.

Although this is not the kind of news we’d like to be giving you, we continue to feel very fortunate. Few charter schools have the kind of permanent facility we have secured in our first year and fewer still have a landlord like Preston, who has repeatedly demonstrated his commitment not only to our physical facility but our mission.

 

Thanks again to all of you – students, parents, volunteers and community members –   for making this a great first year.  And here’s to an even better one next year.

 

Attached you’ll find the agenda for the board meeting on Tuesday, June 16.

Terry O’Day, Chair

FGCS Board of Directors

 

 

 

 

Pizza Day Change

Pizza day this week has been changed to Thursday, June 12 (the last day of school). Please send a lunch with your student on Wednesday, June 11.