October PTA Newsletter
Hello Vestal Families!
We had a fantastic beginning of the school year this September! We loved coming together for Back to School night and the community resource fair. We had a book fair with local bookstore Linda Letra and were able to get books into the hands of lots of Vestal kids. We started our annual pie sale. And we got to meet many of you at our first few PTA meetings. We’re excited to see what the rest of this busy October will bring!
Vestal Value of the Month: Empathy
This month at Vestal we are talking about empathy: ability to understand and share the feelings of others. In the context of social justice, empathy plays a crucial role in helping us recognize inequality and injustice, motivating us to advocate for change.
To continue the discussion of empathy at home, Vestal students may enjoy reading Milo Imagines The World by Matt de la Peña. The story beautifully illustrates empathy by showing how understanding others' experiences requires looking beyond first impressions and embracing different perspectives. Watching Inside Out could be fun this month as well; the film highlights empathy by illustrating how recognizing and validating others' feelings, even difficult ones, helps build stronger relationships. Older Vestal students may enjoy the graphic novel Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas, which emphasizes empathy by showing how understanding others' challenges, offering support, and celebrating differences can create a strong, inclusive community.
PTA News and Updates:
Picture Makeup Day - 10/16: This is for kids who missed school picture day on 10/10. Volunteers are still needed! See info below.
Bipartisan Cafe Day - 10/17: Go get yourself a latte or a slice of pie and support the PTA, and a great local business! A portion of every dollar spent at Bipartisan Cafe (7901 SE Stark St.) all day long this Thursday goes toward the PTA.
Movie Night : We are excited to host the PTA’s first movie night of the year on Friday, 10/18! We are in need of some volunteers to help make movie night a success! See below.
Grounds Cleanup Day: October grounds clean up will take place on Saturday 10/19 from 10 AM - noon. We will be working with our garden educator partners at Grow Portland and will be weeding & prepping the raised garden beds as well as general litter pickup.
Pie Sale: Pie pick up will be 10/29 after school!
Walk & Roll to School Day was a big success! Thanks to the volunteers and to everyone who got their kiddo out of bed a few minutes early that morning - we know that isn’t easy!
Can / Bottle Drop: Bring your returnable cans and bottles to our bottle drop team every 1st and 3rd Monday at school pick up. All proceeds go to the Vestal PTA in support of the Vestal Elementary community!
October Events and Reminders:
October 16 - School Picture Makeup Day (if absent 10/10)
October 17 - Bipartisan Cafe Day!
October 18 - PTA Movie Night
October 19 - Grounds Cleanup Day -10 AM-12 PM
October 23 - Early Release - 11:50 AM (lunch will be served, no SUN)
October 29 - Pie Pickup - 2:30 PM
October Volunteer Opportunities:
Picture Makeup Day - 10/16: Help escort kids to and from the studio for their school photos. Sign up here.
Movie Night - 10/18: We need volunteers to help with setting up, selling concessions, making popcorn, managing the projector, and cleaning up. Sign up to help at movie night here.
Pie Pick Up - 10/29: We are in need of help setting up tables & tents, organizing the pie orders for after school pick up, and tent/table tear down. We could use some extra folding tables. Please reach out if you are able to loan any tables for the afternoon. Volunteer times are flexible—any help is greatly appreciated! Sign up here.
For All Volunteers: Take these two quick steps: Fill out the PPS volunteer application here. Then, let us know what kind of volunteer opportunities you’re interested in by filling out this quick form: Vestal PTA Community Volunteer Form.
Community Highlight: Oregon Walks
We’re proud to partner with Oregon Walks, a nonprofit dedicated to making streets safer and more accessible for pedestrians. Through their leadership of the 82nd Ave Coalition, they advocate for safer infrastructure, depaving, tree planting, and transit improvements along 82nd Avenue.
Oregon Walks has directly impacted Vestal by supportive efforts to improve walking routes for students and families. Their efforts include championing crosswalk improvements, traffic calming measures, and pedestrian-friendly planning, working with neighbors and the City of Portland to create a safer, more inviting neighborhood.
In addition to advocacy, Oregon Walks organizes community events like the Black to Nature walking series, which connects members of the Black community with outdoor experiences; dementia-friendly walks that promote exercise and social connections for elders; elected walks that bring constituents and elected officials together through walking; and walking school buses that organize groups for elementary students facing barriers between home and school. Their commitment to inclusivity and equity ensures that everyone, regardless of ability or background, can enjoy safe walking experiences.
By working with city planners, local businesses, and residents, Oregon Walks aims for long-term changes that enhance pedestrian safety and enjoyment.
Learn more about their impactful work: oregonwalks.org.
Thank you for reading, and for being a part of the Vestal community.