As I write this last article for the Alameda News Notes, I cannot believe we are in our final full week of school with the last day for students just a few days away. While the pace of the past few weeks has been hectic, I have enjoyed every minute of it!

Next Wednesday your child will bring home the exciting news of his/her teacher and classmates for next school year. Although it is a very quick thirty minute visit to their new classroom, Move-Up Day gives students the opportunity to meet their teacher and classmates so they can start the new year with a little more familiarity than they would have otherwise.

As I've said before, we have spent hours working hard to balance class lists to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of our students. With a student body as large as ours, that is quite a task. It is possible your child's assignment won't match everything you had envisioned in a classroom placement. It is also likely that may happen more than once throughout your child's schooling. The staff thought long and hard about each and every placement, which is why changes in class assignments will not be made. I also want to remind everyone that the class lists will be posted for an hour at the end of the day (3:00 PM) on the 10th. This is a change from previous years when lists were posted in the morning.

I look forward to watching the children's excitement next Wednesday morning on Move-Up Day. I know they will be coming home with great news. Thank you for a wonderful year. I am very lucky to have started my first year as principal in such a supportive, loving community!

Fifth Grade Announcement

Liane Reed, a fifth grade parent, has offered to organize a list of students attending the same schools next year to allow parents the information they need to organize carpools and walking groups. The lists are posted outside of each fifth grade classroom. Feel free to sign up when dropping off or picking up your student. If you have questions, contact Liane at jnlreed@msn.com .

FRI 5 --- Field Day, grades 3-4-5

FRI 5 --- End of the year picnic, 6:00 PM

MON 8 --- Wilcox's class to Hollywood Bowl, 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM

TUES 9 --- Hudson's and Grant's classes to pick strawberries, 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

TUES 9 --- 3rd Grade Kickball Tournament, lunchtime, Wilshire Park

TUE 9 --- Chess Club party

WED 10 --- 5th grade social

WED 10 --- Last day of school - Have a wonderful summer!

A reminder that the Alameda Family Picnic is this Friday, June 5th at 6:00 PM. Pack your picnic basket and bring a blanket to spread out on the Alameda lawn. Tom Cheek, Cynthia Plank and a collection of their musical friends will be performing on the Harvard Square stage. You might even see an Alameda student or two joining in with the band. We hope to see you there!

We are hoping every Alameda family will take the time to complete Alameda's Satisfaction Survey. A link is posted on Alameda's website (www.alameda.pps.k12.or.us). The feedback from the survey is used in planning for next year! Thank you in advance for your participation.

The Special Education Department is collecting opinions from parents and guardians of students receiving special ed services. Data from this survey will be used to develop changes and/or improvements to the program. If your child is receiving special ed services, please go to http://www.sped.pps.k12.or.us to complete this short survey.

Reminder: Please pay any negative balances on lunch and/or library accounts. Students will not receive report cards at year- end if they have negative balances. Information on money owed has already been sent home. Darlene is in the cafeteria every day from 6:30 AM to 1:30 PM; you can drop off payment to her anytime except during the lunch hour 11:30 - 12:30. If you have any questions, call 503-916-6036.

It's been a fun year of playing chess on Tuesday mornings. Now it's time to celebrate! Tuesday, June 9 is the end-of-year chess club party. Parents are invited to contribute pot luck items, such as: donuts, bagels, muffins, fruit (precut or easy to eat as is), milk, juice, water, cups, napkins. I'll have a sign- up next week if you want to commit to something specific. You may bring items in with your children as early as 7:45 a.m. on the 9th. Also, we welcome new parent volunteers for next year! Several of us are either "graduating" or will have 5th graders next year. Contact Susan Rosene if you're interested: strosene@yahoo.com.

Dear Parents,

Medication left at school must be returned to the parent or be destroyed at the end of the school year per school district policy. We are requesting you to make arrangements to pick up your child's unused medication before the last day of school. If you have any questions, please call me at school or at 503-257- 1638 ext. 2320.

Nurse Lue Ann

Schoolhouse Supplies Online is a program that provides families at Alameda with the option to do their back-to-school shopping online. Parents will save time, money, energy and gas by not having to drive to multiple stores to find supplies. Supply kits are delivered to your child's classroom prior to the first day of school, and teachers can count on the supplies being consistent among students, as they are exactly what each teacher has requested. Plus, proceeds from the program will provide students across the district with the tools needed to succeed in school. WWW.SCHOOLHOUSESUPPLIES.ORG/ONLINE

Schoolhouse Supplies - The Free Store for Teachers -

Schoolhouse Supplies is an award-winning nonprofit that supports public education in Portland by giving students and teachers free classroom supplies. Our mission, "to serve classrooms in need by operating a volunteer-run Free Store for Teachers, which is stocked with supplies donated by the community," is based on the belief that every child deserves school supplies and has the right to a quality education.

Lost and found clothes are collected, washed and donated to the Clothes Closet at Marshall High School. Please check the table in the front hallway Tuesday before our donation date for your lost items!!

Donation Date: Wednesday, June 10

Please contact tmcwonactt@comcast.net if you have any questions!

Don't forget that you can add to your reading challenge page total by reading over the summer. Just continue to use the form and turn it in next fall. Extra forms are available outside the library or on the website.

The Alameda School Foundation's Annual Appeal continues! We are very pleased with the generous response from the Alameda community so far and want to finish the school year strong with a flurry of contributions. Your contributions are now more critical than ever because of the significant funding shortfall for Portland Public Schools next year.

To contribute on-line, please go to the Portland Schools Foundation website http://www.thinkschools.org/, click on the "Ways to Give" link and follow the instructions for making a donation via the website. It's easy, it's fast, and it will make a difference at Alameda.

Previous use of Foundation funds include:

• Additional 1st Grade Teacher
• Additional Kindergarten Teacher
• Math Specialist
• Literary Specialist
• Child Development Specialist
• Librarian
• School Secretary

Please show your support by making a contribution to the Alameda Foundation today. Let's ensure our children receive the learning experience at Alameda that they deserve.

Attention all next year's 3-5th graders! The booklist is out for next year's Oregon Battle of the Books. Go to http://oboblsta.pbworks.com/3rd-5th+2009-2010. You can either form a team on your own or wait until our first meeting in late fall and find a team to join. Either way, you can start reading now!

Bake sales are a delicious and endearing way to raise money for under-funded schools, and customers are rewarded for championing a good cause with homemade goodies. To roll out its new line of U-Bake goodies and support local schools, Grand Central Bakery will host a "U-Bake Sale" Saturday, June 6 at each of its six Portland-area bakery cafés.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., each café will be staffed with a Grand Central baker who will offer sample treats made from their new line of U-bake products, and share recipes, techniques and advice for using the U- bake at home.

50% of the proceeds of all U-bake items sold all day will be donated to Portland Schools Foundation.

The following group events (some for adults and some for students) from this year's auction still have availability for participation.

June 21 - Geocaching Treasure Hunt on Mt. Tabor - 6 student spots still available

December 9 - Day of Dance with Grant High Gendrills - first or second Saturday in December - 7 student spots still available

NOTE: The Bastille Day Party in July has been cancelled. Anyone who purchased tickets may attend the Back to School Bash in September. For details, call Suzanne Goddyn at 503 830-8516. Thank you!

Specific information for these events including cost are hanging in the front hallway of the school or contact Kathryn Loescher at kathrynloescher@yahoo.com.

Bike First! is a nonprofit organization which teaches children with disabilities the skills they need to ride a traditional bike. It will be holding a fundraiser clinic for typical developing children this Saturday, June 20, at Concordia University. The one hour-plus clinic is called "Quick Start," and it is an opportunity for any child age 6 and up who doesn't yet know how to ride a bike to get a jump on learning that skill, using special technology. For further information, go to http://bikefirst.googlepages.com, or contact Ann Donaca-Sullivan at: annds@nwlink.com.

We are busy collecting photos of the kids for the slideshow. We would like 1 or 2 digital photos of your child during their years at Alameda. We can scan photos in if you only have a hard copy. (Please make a copy of the photo. We don't want to be responsible for originals. We hope you understand) If you have group photos of kids at Alameda, those are welcome also. These are going to be used in the slideshow at the event. Contact Mary Iverson at mli2359@msn.com.

Also, invitations came out a few weeks back for t-shirt sign up & party donations. Please contact Amy Hollands at madjoy22@comcast.net if you need a new form. We still are missing many forms.

Please note that the 5th grade social date is the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, June 10th. The 5th graders "Clap Off" and parade around the school will begin at 12:45. A graduation ceremony and party in the cafeteria will immediately follow. It will include pizza, cupcakes and refreshments!

As you head to Beaumont next year, you won't miss a beat ordering scrip. After a successful pilot program this year, Beaumont Scrip is going strong and ready for a big profit next year! You can support Beaumont, just as you have at Alameda! Watch for your scrip envelope in back to school packets this September.

Questions? email us:

Beaumont Scrip

beaumontscrip@gmail.com

Do you have a child going to Beaumont in September? We have two events designed especially for you!

New Beaumont Moms Get-to-Know You Jewelry Party - Sunday, June 7th at 7 PM - 1533 NE Tillamook Street-A FREE EVENT!

Meet other moms who will be sending their kids to Beaumont in the fall and learn how you can become a part of Beaumont's active volunteer community. Sip a glass of wine and consider a sparkly purchase from Koolas Gems to benefit The Beaumont Foundation. Adults only, please. For more information, call Suzanne Goddyn - 503 830-8516 or email her at sgoddyn@comcast.net

Beaumont Back-to-School Bash - Saturday, September 12 - The Historic Coleman-Scott House in Irvington (you might have seen it on The Irvington Home Tour this year!)-Tickets are $35

A great way to kick off the school year! Meet parents, teachers and staff - all who make Beaumont a special place for our students! We'll be serving fabulous food and drink! Space is limited so reserve your spot by emailing beaumontfoundation@gmail.com You will receive payment and ticket delivery information toward the end of summer

Alameda Graffiti, Alameda's 2010 Auction, has a date and venue! We will be descending upon the Columbia Conference Center, adjacent to the John Q. Hammons Holiday Inn located at 8439 NE Columbia Blvd on February 20, 2010. So plan on digging out your dancing shoes, hopping into your T-bird, and joining the fun!

How can you help with the Auction efforts? Contact Chris Wiegand, at auction@alamedaschool.org or 503-284-7069 to find out! Auction updates will be made periodically at http://www.alamedaschool.org/auction.