Category Archives: Education

The Right to Read — Free Documentary Film Showing October 5th

Posted on by

The Right to Read shares the stories of an activist, a teacher, and two American families who fight to provide our youngest generation with the most foundational indicator of life-long success: the ability to read.” 

The I Am Learning Foundation is hosting a screening of The Right to Read documentary film at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School on Oct. 5th. This film seeks to spread awareness about the literacy crisis happening in our country. Following the viewing there will be a panel discussion with local educators addressing this issue here in Portland Public Schools.

Event Time: Doors open at 5:30pm, film starts at 6:00pm. 
Location: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, 4906 NE 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97211 (Please enter at the doors on 6th, next to the playground.) 

This is a free event and childcare as well as snacks will be provided. 

Please contact info@iamlearningfoundation.org for special accommodations. For more information about The I Am Learning Foundation, please visit our website at: https://www.iamlearningfoundation.org/  

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School Vandalized with Hate Speech and Graffiti

Posted on by

Our own Dr. MLK Jr. Elementary School has been vandalized with hate speech and graffiti targeted at children. Please review the KOIN.com article listed for more details and PLEASE use the number at the end of the article if you have any information that could lead to the identification and arrest of those responsible.

The children of our community deserve the best and should not be subjected to immature and hateful displays such as this. We need to find those responsible and see that they face consequences for their attempts to terrorize children.

MLK Jr. Elementary vandalized with hate speech, graffiti
koin.com/news/mlk-jr-elementary-vandalized-with-hate-speech-graffiti/

Loretta Smith reschedules to September 5 at King Neighborhood Association!

Posted on by

Update your calendar! City Council candidate Loretta Smith is rescheduled to come to King Neighborhood Association on September 5!

Due to last-minute scheduling conflicts, our KNA meeting has been pushed forward a week – to September 5 — so that Loretta Smith can meet King neighbors and residents to share her vision for Portland and to hear our concerns, issues and questions.

Don’t miss this chance to talk to and hear from the woman who may be elected Portland’s next new commissioner come November! It all starts at 6:30 p.m. at 4815 NE 7th Avenue on the south end of King School in the NECN offices!

With the end of summer vacation and the start of a new school year, this is a perfect time to get involved in your King Neighborhood Association. We’ve got a lot coming up this year — from adopting new bylaws that empower members —  to tackling the issues that most affect livability in King neighborhood. Help set the course by attending meetings, speaking up – and maybe even running for office yourself! We’ve got a couple vacancies on the KNA board just waiting for you!

See you September 5!

Margaret O’Hartigan, Chair, King Neighborhood Association

Help King Students Play Math

Posted on by

Dear neighbors:

Schools are the heart of our communities and children are the heart of our schools.  King School needs your help in supporting our children’s academic growth and success.  Almost no one would deny that a college education and a strong foundation in academic fundamentals is mandatory in our increasingly knowledge-based economy.  Growing industries like science, technology, math and engineering rely on not only our students’ proficiency in language, but also a strong foundation in mathematical concepts.

Test results show that, upon graduation, fewer than half of Portland students are ready for college math.  For many students the achievement gap starts early.  At King Elementary School only 8 percent of students in 3rd grade are meeting or exceeding state standards in math.  The district average is 56 percent of students meeting or exceeding standards for math in 3rd grade.

In an attempt to increase young children’s comfort with and exposure to foundational mathematical concepts, a parent group in collaboration with King School administration, teachers and the SUN community schools program is looking to offer a twice weekly two hour after school program called “Play Math!”  The curriculum introduces progressively more challenging math concepts the same way that a video game provides more fun, stimulation and challenge with each level a player reaches.

We would like to involve King neighbors. 

Can you share everyday problems you have that the children can help you to solve using math, or, talk about a career or hobby that you have that uses math?  Do you ever have to do any of the following?

  • Create a budget? For example: for a home remodel or grocery shopping.
  • Are you a business owner who has to price products, make sales and track inventory?
  • Are you a computer programmer who ‘teaches’ computers to perform complex mathematical functions quickly?
  • Are you an engineers who designs electronics, roads, bridges, make buildings stand, etc.?
  • Are you a contractor, baker, chef who must measure parts in order to make a whole?
  • Do you play bridge, or, a sport that requires you make basic arithmetic concepts?

We need your stories and problems for the children to solve.  Our class will be every Tuesday and Thursday in March from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Even if you cannot attend we would love to use your picture, story and problem for the students so that they can make the connection between what they are leaning, their neighbors and real world problems solved by math.   If you are interested in being involved please send a quick email to tanyabarham{at}gmail.com

Thanks for helping King students find fun and success in math.  Go Lions!

Tanya