Last Friday, four high school student ambassadors (Supriya R., Annabel W., Neah L. & Logan L.) represented Riverdale along with our Director of Equity & Inclusion Abby Rotwein and Board Director Michele Rosenbaum at the 30th annual Asian American Youth Leadership Conference. While offering an opportunity to join with students and teachers from 29 other Oregon high schools, the theme for this year's conference was "connecting our truth". The keynote speaker, Manju Kulkarni, powerfully retold the history of immigration and other laws that had a personal impact on her while growing up in Alabama. As the Executive Director of the AAPI Equity Alliance, her organization serves a coalition of over 40 organizations dedicated to the diverse needs of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Southern California. 

After the keynote address, the students and teachers participated in small and larger group discussions on their own family origin stories. Sticky notes were plastered across a large timeline on one side of the room as all shared when and how their families arrived in the United States. This dynamic process opened up conversations on learning, embracing and utilizing our family history as we impactfully lead personally and professionally in life. For more information or to sign up for the abbreviated virtual AAYLC conference on Saturday, May 14th, go to aaylc.org. This opportunity is for students of any background and open to an unlimited number.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. See below for ways to learn about and celebrate this month.

May is Jewish American Heritage Month, which honors the achievements and contributions of Jewish Americans. Learn more at the official website.

May 1st is May Day, which commemorates the labor movement's fight for rights. It is also known as the International Workers’ Day.  

Happy Eid Al-Fitr to our Muslim community, we hope you enjoy the end of your fast.

Happy Cinco de Mayo to our Mexican American community and all who celebrate.

We wish a lovely Mother’s Day to all mothers and mother figures. We recognize that this can be a special day for many and a hard day for others.   

The Riverdale School Board will hold an in-person board meeting on Monday, May 2 at 6 p.m. streamed through GoToWebinar. Following the last agenda item, the board will go into executive session using a private link and once finished, then return back to the same public meeting link to report out and/or take action on executive session items. 

Community members who would like to speak on agenda topics will be given an opportunity to do so after the board discusses that particular topic. There is also an opportunity to speak to non-agenda topics. In either case, community members have two options for submitting public comment: Use the “raise hand” feature to then be unmuted to speak to the board, or email your comment to Chrisie Patrick before 4 p.m. on Monday, and she will read it on your behalf.  

It's not too late to donate! We are so close to our $86,000 goal, and no contribution is too small. Please consider donating to help us provide much-needed technology hardware and A/V upgrades to ALL our classrooms across the district. We can do this Riverdale!