October 23, 2023

The Owl 10/23/2023

NO SCHOOL THIS FRIDAY! Parent Teacher Conferences!

Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up on October 27th, and there is NO SCHOOL! You will have the option to attend in-person or on Zoom. Please read below for important information!

All Homeroom, English, Art, Music, & PE teachers will have conferences on Friday, October 27th.
English Specialists (Grades 1-5) will have additional conference options on a day the following week, via Zoom ONLY.

Art, Music, and PE Specialists will also hold conferences, but they will be invite-only. The specialists will reach out to you individually should they feel the need to request a conference.

NEW: The specialists will also be hosting Open Houses on the 27th! Open Houses are for anyone who wants to meet the art, music, and PE teachers, see the spaces, and learn about the programs.

Art, Music, and PE Open Houses: Friday, October 27th, 9:30-12:00pm and 1-4:00pm
Feel free to drop by the Art Room, Music Room, and/or Gym during any of these times to say hello!
***All conferences (except for the extra English days) will be available to be attended in-person OR via Zoom.***

ISP Receives Top Workplace 2023 Honor!

International School of Portland has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2023 honor by The Oregonian Media Group! The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage, LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few.

Bodo Heiliger, Head of School, says:

“It is an honor to be named an Oregonian Top Workplace recipient, and it helps let the Portland area know that this is a great place to come to work. Among many incredible qualities that we share at International School of Portland, one that stood out in the survey is that we are innovators. This award is because of all the hard work and dedication that our faculty and staff put in to make ISP a special place. I am proud of all that we are doing on a daily basis.”

Alumni Classroom Volunteers

Alumni Classroom Volunteering is a great opportunity for graduates to come back into a familiar environment to practice their language skills and help their teachers. As role models to our younger students, volunteers will aid the teacher by reading a book, doing a presentation, and helping with other tasks that the teacher may need. Come back and show your appreciation for our teachers by volunteering in class!

How to request a classroom volunteer opportunity:

1. Please send all alumni volunteering requests to Emi, Alumni and Community Engagement Manager, at emik@intlschool.org. Please avoid reaching out to teachers directly to avoid confusion.
2. Please give us at least 48 hours (business days) advance notice to coordinate with teachers.
3. Volunteers can choose from 2 shifts 8am-12pm OR 12-3:10pm (2:30pm for early dismissal)
4. We prefer not to put students in with their siblings.
5. We place one volunteer per class.
6. We will try our best but depending on availability we are unable to accommodate your request.
7. All volunteers are required to fill out an Emergency Medical Release Waiver Form which will be provided upon confirmation of the date and time. Guardians need to complete and sign the form and can either email a scanned copy to emik@intlschool.org or have the volunteer bring a hard copy with them on the day-of. Volunteers are unable to help unless we have the form.

Expectations: We expect all Alumni Volunteers to use their language skills and follow the teacher’s instructions. Please respect the classroom and their activities and do not disrupt the class. Remember that this is an opportunity to gain a meaningful learning experience for yourself and the students.

We look forward to seeing you!