Gray MS Fall Update

Hillsdale schools are already bustling with preparations for the new academic year. Staff is back, students are picking up their schedules and locker assignments. School starts for most Portland Public Schools students on August 26th.

This year brings a few changes to Robert Gray Middle School.

Enrollment this fall is 435 students, down 15 from last year. 1.5 positions were cut, due to a combination of district budget cuts and the decrease in enrollment. Principal Lisa Newlyn noted, in a recent conversation with the Hillsdale News, that enrollment has not rebounded since the Covid pandemic when many families turned to private schools, which remained open.

One upside of the smaller student body: Lunch will return to a single lunch period instead of two. This change will allow students from all grades to gather together for clubs and affinity groups.

New this year for Robert Gray: PPS middle schools have moved to a standards-based grading model that is more like the elementary school grading system. Letter grades have been replaced with a report card that describe students’ progress in specific areas as highly proficient, proficient, close to proficient, or developing proficiency.

PPS Superintendent Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong has focussed on School Improvement Plans in recent years, and Newlyn says she expects to see marked improvements on the school’s state report card for 2024-25.

Personal Device Policy

A new state law now requires schools to adopt polices banning personal electronic devices during the school day. For Robert Gray, however, this isn’t new.

“The State of Oregon is following our lead,” said Newlyn. “Robert Gray has had an ‘off and away’ policy for years.”

This year, the rules extend to smartwatches and earbuds. Students may not wear or use them during the school day. All personal devices must stay in backpacks or lockers.

According to Newlyn, compliance has been strong, helping Robert Gray students build good habits to carry into high school.

Curriculum Notes

Budget cuts over the past few years have reduced electives. “There are no frills,” Newlyn said. Gone are Mandarin and French classes—Spanish is now the sole foreign language offering.

While the “frills” may be gone, the school maintains a robust music program as well as courses in leadership, journalism, and textiles.

PE and health classes have also expanded. State requirements mandate that every student take three credits a year in PE or Fitness, plus Health. The lower level space that previously housed Shop classes and then SUN School has been transformed into a fitness room with weights and treadmills.

Spotlight on Crafts

Textiles, a name that can’t contain all the crafts students get to explore, is a hands-on craft class taught by the school librarian, Gwen Sullivan.

Crafts include paper (origami, airplanes, quilling, pop-up books), macrame, crochet, knitting, weaving, woodworking from kits (no power tools), sewing, embroidery, Lego—and, to go with the macrame, plant propagation. Assignments can include upcycling old items into new ones.

Projects start with the basics and get more complex. Sullivan said it’s a very popular elective and that many students have asked to take it more than once. Unfortunately, there’s time in Sullivan’s library schedule to offer it for just one period each day, or one course each semester.

Is the class popular with boys as well as girls? “They boys are the ones who keep asking to take it again!,” said Sullivan.

Sewing machines now occupy the library space once filled with computers. “It makes me so happy that they want to make stuff,” Sullivan said.

Have craft supplies to donate? Email Sullivan, she may be looking for just what you have! Especially sought right now: fur and felt.

Social development

Robert Gray has several student affinity groups, student-led groups for students who share a common identity to build, connect, and explore their identities. Active groups at Gray include the Jewish Student Union (JSU); Students Organizing for Leadership (SoL) for Latinx students; and Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA).

Newlyn hopes to find community facilitators for two currently inactive groups: The Black Student Union (BSU) and a group for students of Asian, Desi, and Pacific Islander descent.

Also as part of the renewed focus on School Improvement Plans, students have a 15-minute “advisory” time at the beginning of each school day during which teachers guide students in goal-setting, social-emotional learning, and reflection in a small-group setting.

How to learn more

School updates are posted on the website, Facebook and Instagram.

5th Grade Family Night is coming in November. Date TBD. An opportunity fifth-grade families to learn more about Robert Gray.

A Community Celebration Welcome is planned for Thursday, August 21 from 5-8pm at Stephens Creek Crossing Community Center, 6714 SW 26th Ave. The event will feature music, Kona Ice, Mediterranean-inspired food, giveaways and activities.

—Valeurie Friedman

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Does it seem to too early for back-to-school? Or just right? Let us know.