End of the year

As we come to the end of another school year, we wanted to thank all those who have made the 2007-08 school year a great one. Volunteers will be recognized today for their hard work and staff members will have a luncheon on Wednesday. If you are interested in bringing anything in for the staff luncheon, please bring it by the school on Tuesday or on Wednesday morning.

Tomorrow is the school picnic at Washington Park. Please be sure to dress for the weather (which isn't supposed to be very sunny) and bring a sack lunch.

Thanks again to everyone who's helped out this school year. We'll look forward to seeing you again in the fall.

Portfolio week

It's been a week of portfolio presentations and we've been lucky enough to have some great folks volunteer to be on the portfolio panels. Thank you to everyone to took time out of their lives and from work to help our students get "real-life" feedback on their portfolios. Thanks, also, to all of the HS students and parents who filled in when needed.

And congrats to all the students who presented their best work to the panels.

Bike to Work Month

The month of May is Bike to Work Month and what better time to commit to commuting by bike. The Bicycle Transportation Alliance(BTA) will be presenting a workshop for the MLC High School community, parents and teachers interested in commuting by bike to work and/or school on Wednesday, May 21st at 3:30 p.m. Most likely it will be held in the library, but look for a sign.

This event is free and open to all High School Students, Teachers and
Parents.

Workshop description from the BTA website:

Bike Commute Workshops

The BTA's Bike Commute Workshops are a great first step towards bike commuting. They are also a place for seasoned bicyclists to learn more, share what they know about commuting with new riders, and find out who in their workplace is interested in biking to work.

Topics covered include:

- Building confidence as a bike commuter
- Safe and legal riding
- What you need to know about lights and rain gear
- Carrying stuff - including clothes, groceries and kids
- What to do about your hair
- Route planning and maps

The informative presentations are followed by time for questions and discussion. Presenters also spend time offering route-planning assistance on a one-on-one basis after the presentation.

If you have any questions or would like to RSVP, please call Jan Kahn, MLC parent, at 503-957-4189.

New (and familiar) Faces for 2008-09

We are excited to announce some staffing additions for next school year. Deanne Larsell has been hired as our new physical education teacher. Laura Bullock will return from her leave of absence and step into Ruth's activities coordinator position. Julie Hoffman, who joined the staff this year as a temp middle school ERC teacher, has been offered the permanent assignment. Welcome!

Loads of community events

Thanks to all who joined us for Renaissance Faire on Thursday. Turnout was great and everyone seemed to have a wonderful time. Tanya put a lot of work into the preparation and it showed!

Saturday (May 3) is the high school prom. If you haven't gotten your ticket(s), they'll be available at the door for $30. It'll be held at the North Star Ballroom (653 N. Killingworth Ct.) near PCC's Cascade Campus, from 7-10:30p.m.

As you know, this will be Ruth's last year with us at MLC. To celebrate her retirement, we'll be gathering together for a "Hats Off to Ruth" event on May 17. It'll be held at the school from 3-5p.m. with a dessert potluck and a special presentation for Ruth at 4p.m.