Portola Test Scores Improve
Congratulations to all students, teachers and staff for helping elevate Portola’s test scores API to 734 from 704 in the previous school year, achieving the biggest gain of any school in El Cerrito.Let’s aim to keep improving the scores this year.
First Quarter Set to End
The first quarter will end on Friday, Oct. 26. This is a great time to check on PowerSchool to see if your student is missing any work that can be made up. If you need a password and login for PowerSchool, please go to the school office. (Note that Monday, Oct. 29 is a minimum day in addition to the regularly scheduled minimum day on Wednesday, Oct. 31)
Get Ready for School Photo Day
Photo Day will be on Monday, Oct. 29. Your student received the LifeTouch order forms with this Thursday’s packet
8th Grade Hoodie Design Contest
We need students help to create a unique design for the hooded sweatshirt for the 8th grade class of 2012-2013. Enter a design by the deadline of Monday, Oct. 22. The author of the winning design will receive a free sweatshirt! Design must fit on 9 inch by 12 inch paper, must include the name Portola Middle School or PMS, must include the year 2013 and must only use four colors: black, white, green and yellow.
Turn in Your Scary Art and Stories
The deadline for students to submit pictures and stories for the annual Fright Write anthology is Monday, Oct. 22. Artwork to be considered for the cover of the anthology must contain the words `Fright Write’ and `2012-2013′. Students whose work is published in the anthology will receive a free copy.
Fright Fest to Be Held Oct. 29-31
Student activities during school lunch hour to include a scarecrow building contest on Oct. 31, contests for guessing the weight of a pumpkin and for guessing how much candy is in a jar.
Support Portola Musicians and Athletes
The school cross country team will be competing in meets on Oct. 22 at Rancho Laguna in Moraga and Oct. 25 at King Middle School in Berkeley. All symphonic and jazz bands will perform at the Halloween Concert on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at the theater in El Cerrito High School.
Don’t Forget To Vote – Your Vote Counts!
You should be receiving your absentee or mail-in ballots if you haven’t already. Aside from the presidential race, there is also a race to fill two offices for our school board. The school board is an important office in our school district, and the people we elect will have a big influence as to the direction the district takes. Also important are the two propositions, Prop. 30 & Prop 38, and the two measures, Measure G & Measure E, that will greatly affect our schools and the ability of our school district to continue maintaining the minimal services that we currently have if not passed. See Props and Measures flyer (PDF) for a comparison of the propositions and measures. Portola PTSA endorses Measure G.