HPE Family Newsletter
Please click here to download a PDF version of this letter.
February 1, 2023
Dear Families,
Students have worked very hard this year to stay engaged in class and remain focused on their learning. We have begun to see improvements in students’ academic performance. Second quarter report cards and middle of year i-Ready reading and math assessment reports will be emailed to all families by Friday, February 10. Please contact your student’s teacher with any questions after you review the report card and assessments.
Immunization Exclusion Day
Oregon immunization exclusion day is Wednesday, February 15. All students must be up-to-date on all immunizations, or have a medical or non-medical exemption on file, before February 15, or they will be excluded from school. Columbia County Public Health will be mailing exclusion orders to students with incomplete records this week. Please bring all updated information to the school office as soon as possible. Missing vaccines can be obtained at your primary health care provider or at the Rainier Health Center. Please call 1-800-244-4870 for an appointment. More information about exemptions can be found by clicking here.
HPE Office
As a reminder, school dismisses at 2:45 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and at 12:45 p.m. on Wednesdays. We kindly ask that you honor the dismissal time when picking up your student from school. It is extremely difficult for the office staff to manage last-minute calls and early check-outs right before dismissal.
The Hudson Park Elementary office is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please stop by the outside office window to conduct school business in-person. To contact the office via phone, call: 503.556.0196. You may also email the office secretaries:
Erin Knox, erin_knox@rsd.k12.or.us
Carrie Vawter, carrie_vawter@rsd.k12.or.us
Briarcliff Pool Swim Lessons
Swim lessons for second semester (January 31-June 15) include students in Rainier Preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and multi-age classes. Students will participate in swim lessons one to three days per week as part of the PE program during the semester. The yearly pool fee for the 2022-2023 school year is $10.00 for one student or $25.00 per family for those students participating in swim lessons. Please send your payment to the Hudson Park Elementary office. If you are able to provide a snack for the entire class to eat after each swim session, your donation is greatly appreciated. Keep in mind, the snacks must be pre-packaged/store bought and should not include any nuts. You may also send an individual snack for your student as they are typically very hungry after swimming.
A few things to note regarding swim lessons…
Students will need to bring a swimsuit and towel in a plastic bag for every scheduled day of swim lessons.
Please have students wear easy on/off shoes and clothing on swimming days.
Sixth Grade Band
We are excited to announce sixth graders have been offered the opportunity to participate in beginning band for second semester this school year. There has been a slight schedule change, with no band on Wednesdays due to the early release schedule. For any sixth grader participating in band, Beacock Music will be hosting an instrument rental night on Thursday, February 9 from 5-7 p.m. in the music room (207). Information forms will be coming home with band students soon. If you have any questions, please email: janie_anderson@rsd.k12.or.us.
Family Reading Night
We are excited to invite students and families to our upcoming Family Reading Night, which will be held at the RJSHS Commons on Read Across America Day, Thursday, March 2, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. This free event includes dinner, a Title I presentation, and reading activities. An event flyer will be shared soon. Please note, there will not be tutoring this day.
Outdoor School
Sixth grade Outdoor School will take place March 6-10 at Camp Collins in Gresham, Oregon. On Monday, March 6, students will need to be dropped off at the parent parking lot at their regular time, and will take their luggage to the sixth grade classrooms. Students will depart for Camp Collins from school between 8:15 and 8:30 on Monday and will be staying overnight Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Students will return to HPE midday on Friday, March 10, and will need to be picked up by car. An upcoming parent meeting will be announced soon where further details about the schedule will be explained and questions will be answered.
Oregon Statewide Assessments, Grades 3-6
Students in grades three through six will complete the Oregon Statewide Assessments (OSAS) April 10 through May 5. Oregon public schools test students in English language arts and math in grades 3 through 8 & 11 and science in grades 5, 8, & 11. Additional required assessments include an English language proficiency assessment for English learners and the Oregon Extended Assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Click here to view statewide assessment information on our website.
Volunteers
We are happy to have community volunteers back in our building! Thank you to each and every individual who helps out. Please visit the volunteer webpage linked here to learn how to become an approved volunteer. Keep in mind, it takes a few weeks for volunteer paperwork to be processed, so apply early if you’re planning to chaperone an upcoming field trip.
Attendance
Thank you for recognizing the importance of regular attendance at school, and for notifying the school when your student will be absent. Please note that students’ attendance is monitored and letters will be sent to families with excessive or unexcused absences.
Transportation
Please call 503.556.9140 with any transportation-related questions or concerns. Click here for bus route information including the 2022-2023 Snow Routes.
Nutrition Services
To access the February menus, click here. Breakfast is provided at no charge for all students. Lunch for K-5 is $3.25 and for grades 6-12 is $3.75. To add money to your student's lunch account, click here to access Mealtime Online. You may also send a check or cash with your student to school and the money will be added to your student's lunch account.
Free and reduced lunch program applications can be completed online. Hard copies are also available at the HPE office. Please email Nutrition Services Director, Debby Webster, with any questions: debby_webster@rsd.k12.or.us
Student Services
If you have questions about student services, please feel free to reach out to Heidi Schafer, Student Services Director, 503.556.9121, or email heidi_schafer@rsd.k12.or.us.
Reading Interventions
Based on mid-year assessments, reading intervention groups have been re-configured. If your student has been receiving reading intervention from Mrs. Johnson, expect a Progress Report by February 14. If your child is new to Reading Intervention support, you will receive a notification letter. Questions about reading support? Email Louise Johnson, louise_johnson@rsd.k12.or.us.
Counseling
If you feel your student needs counseling support, please contact Sara Gray to arrange for services by emailing sara_gray@rsd.k12.or.us or calling the Hudson Park Elementary office. Please be aware that due to the high need of counseling support at this time, there may be some delay in getting counseling services in place. That being said, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.
School Schedule/Calendar
Important Dates
January/February Swim Lessons Schedule
Stay strong and be well. Please reach out with any questions, concerns, or feedback.
Educationally yours,
Megan Keplinger
Principal
503.556.0196
Under Oregon law, (ORS, Chapter 339), all students between the ages of 6 and 18, who have not completed grade 12, are required to attend school regularly unless otherwise exempted by law. All students, five years of age, who have been enrolled in a public school are also required to attend regularly. “Regular attendance” means attendance which does not include more than eight unexcused one-half day absences, or the equivalent thereof, in any four-week period in which the school is in session. Oregon state law requires that we withdraw students who miss ten consecutive days of school. If a student is absent for any reason for ten consecutive days, they will be withdrawn from school and will have to re-enroll when they return.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: Filing a Program Complaint as a USDA Customer webpage, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 Complaint form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email: This institution is an equal opportunity provider.