Newsletter
April 27, 2025
VP Families,
First, we want to send a heartfelt thank you to all of our incredible volunteers. From our SMART volunteers, to our small but mighty PTO, to those who supported or attended our movie nights, and to our families who join field trips and help in our classrooms — we are so grateful for everything you do to support our school community. It’s truly inspiring to see what we can accomplish when we all work together. Thank you for being such an important part of our school’s journey!
PTO Updates
Thank you to all the families and students who participated in this spring’s Walk and Roll to school on Tuesday! Sounds like the kids had fun, the weather cooperated, and it was a perfect way to celebrate Earth Day! We appreciate the Safe Routes to School Program and PBOT for helping us put this on and hope to have another in the future. Thanks everyone!
The Teacher Appreciation Breakfast Potluck will be on Wednesday 5/7. Let’s show our support and appreciation for our amazing teachers by contributing time for breakfast setup or food items for them to enjoy. Please be at the school or drop off items by 8:00 am Wednesday morning. We have started a Google Sign Up Sheet. Thank you! Here is the link to the google sign up: Teacher Appreciation Potluck Sign Up
Our annual Jog-a-Thon will be on Thursday, May 22nd. This is put on by our beloved Coach G and PTO parent Nathan Dunbar. Any parent/family help is appreciated to count the students’ laps! Please see the attached letter for more details: Jog-a-thon Letter
Our final PTO Meeting will be on Wednesday, May 7th from 6-7 pm in the school library.
Below are a couple of paid opportunities you may be interested in having your student participate in:
Zenger Farm Summer Camp (Grades 1-8)
Their summer program that centers land stewardship, nourishment, curiosity, and respect for youth. Sliding scale options available. Flyer is attached. Link to register.
Kids Clinic with Scottish Tams Dance Team
The Scottish Tams Dance Team will be hosting a Kids Clinic on Saturday, May 31st from 10AM-1:30PM. With a Showcase that begins at 1:30PM to watch the dances the kids have worked on. Registration is now OPEN!! Please register by 5/12 and you will have a guaranteed shirt that’s in your child’s size! P.S. If you register by 5/7 you will have that early bird pricing of $25!! Link to Register Please let Jamie know if you have any questions: jamie_arreguin-perez@ddsd40.org.
Sincerely,
Principal Smith & Mrs. Johnson
“A book is a gift you can open again and again.”
-Garrison Keillor
Important Dates
| May May 5th-9th – Teacher Appreciation Week May 7th – Teacher Breakfast – Sign up to help here: Teacher Appreciation Potluck Sign Up May 7th – VP PTO Meeting – 6-7 pm in the library or online May 8th – 3rd/4th Grade Music Concert May 22nd – Jog-a-Thon May 23rd – No school for students (Staff Professional Development Day) May 26th – No school – Memorial Day June June 6th – No school for students June 12th – Last day of school for students – Also an early release day |
Important Links
| Monday Morning Announcements – Here are our latest morning announcements: 4.14.25 Monday Morning Announcements.mp4; 4.21.25 Monday Morning Announcements.mp4 Meal Menus – You can now find district wide meal information at https://www.ddouglas.k12.or.us/departments/nutrition-services/nutrition-info-menus/. Click the “SchoolCafe Link” and you can view the menu as a guest or create an account. 2024-25 School Calendars – 2024-25 Elementary School Calendar. To see all of the district calendars, please use this link: https://www.ddouglas.k12.or.us/our-district/master-calendars/ |
PTO Links
| PTO Meetings: PTO meetings occur the first Wednesday evening of each month. Stay tuned for more information about how to attend them. Friends of Ventura Park meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month from 6:00-7:00 PM in the school library or on Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/kad-bhvi-ayz. The remaining dates are: May 7th (These dates are subject to change). Previous Meeting Notes: Notes from 04/02/2025 Looking to connect? If you have questions about the PTO or would like to chat about how you can help, please email us at venturaparkpto@gmail.com. If you are on Facebook, we have an active group that is a great resource for the entire school community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/venturaparkpto. Our mission is to support our school, enrich our children’s education, and strengthen our sense of community. There are many ways to support Friends of Ventura Park PTO and contribute to our goal of creating community. See the attached flier for details |
Ventura Park Partners
 Jazmin Caliman (she/her/hers)SUN Site Manager Want to talk to Jazmin? C: (971) 227 – 4480 Email: JazminC@irco.org Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN)Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) |  Claryssa Minjares P3 Family Coordinator Want to talk to Claryssa? C: (503) 984 – 2812 Email: claryssam@irco.org Building New Beginnings |
 Irina Belikova Family Resource Navigator Want to talk to Irina? C: (971) 408 – 5593 Email: irinaB@irco.org |  VP Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Friends of Ventura Park Want to talk to our PTO? Email: venturaparkpto@gmail.com |
