Director's Letter November 7, 2025

Shelly Smith
12 minutes ago
6 min read

Hello ACA Community,

It seems like the first week of school just happened and here we are beginning Quarter 2…Well done ACA! It’s this time of year when I find myself stopping outside classroom doors to peek in. The music groups are working on their performance pieces, nearly completed woodworking projects are lined up on a shelf, the bulletin boards hold displays of our talented student’s work, and learning is happening in all 12 classrooms! Thank you, students, for engaging in your education, and thank you parents for supporting them!

ACA’s Giving Tree is Coming Soon!

In an effort to support ACA community members who could use a little boost this year, please consider contributing to our Giving Tree. Every contribution - big or small - will make a difference to families right here in our school. We will also be accepting donations of non-perishable food items in the boxes by the office. Please see the flyer below for more information!

Volunteer Spotlight

Our spotlight this week is on Jana Holland, an extraordinary volunteer! She is the creative force behind many of the event flyers you see posted around the school and attached to this newsletter. She also works at taking fun photos and keeping our social media accounts active. Jana shows up at every evening Enrollment Information Meeting to guide parent tours and answer questions. She served on the PTO Board in the recent past and has invested untold hours making ACA great. Jana is a stellar volunteer and we appreciate her very much!

Illness

We have had a handful of Chickenpox cases crop up at ACA. Fever, appetite loss, headache, or tiredness and a general feeling of being unwell can be early symptoms.

Student Health Survey

You may have received a ParentSquare notification from the Oregon City School District about Oregon’s annual Student Health Survey for students in grades 6, 8 and 11. Our survey window opens the week of November 17. At that time, I will send the surveys and an opt-out form to parents of students in grades 6, 8 and 11. You can share the survey with your students to complete, or opt out.

Seeking Student Representative

The ACA Governing Board has a seat open for a student rep. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of the month at 6:00pm virtually. Interested students see the flyer below! Application deadline extended to November 13.

Be an Entrepreneur and Sell at the Holiday Bazaar!

Students (and parents) join us for our 5th Annual Holiday Bazaar on December 5 & 6, 2025. We're looking for student and adult vendors to fill our halls with wonderful crafts, treats, and even food. It’s a lot of fun! Vendor information and applications are due November 13 and can be found at the PTO desk in the cafeteria. Mrs. Johnson has a web page set up for Holiday Bazaar information and forms. Check it out HERE!

Deck your Doors!

Time is ticking to place your order for gorgeous wreaths from Willamette Evergreen's lovely selection. Check out the flyer below to see the different options and themes. Get your order in by November 13th then plan to pick up your wreath at the ACA Holiday Bazaar on Dec 5 & 6. Enjoy!

Gentle Rule Reminder(s)

We hope our students are enjoying the new free meals service! Unfortunately, we’re getting a little messy and not cleaning up our spaces. When students are finished eating, whether in the cafeteria, in the hall, or outside, we ask that they throw away their plates and milk cartons. Every day, our custodian Ethylvina faces unnecessary messes. We can do better! Thanks everyone!

ACA Outings

We’ve got a variety of Outings to offer over the next couple of months! Join us for a tour of the newly reopened Oregon State Capitol in Salem, with the option to visit nearby Hallie Ford Art Museum, or come see two fantastic musicals featuring ACA students.

(These outings also can enhance your student's learning records for Fine Arts / Social Studies or fulfill the Art/Music Performance requirement for Mr. Edson’s World of Performing Arts class.)

--Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7:00 PM – OCCT’s The Addams Family at Gladstone High School

Special group preview pricing for this date only: $8 + fee. Tickets available online only via the QR code on the attached flyer or click here.
We’d love to see more ACA families supporting this local group and ACA students Abigail & Quinn who are in the cast!

-- Friday, Nov. 14 – Salem Adventures: Capitol & Art Museum Tours

FREE!! But you must sign up using this Google Form to attend one or both tours.
Capitol Tour: Grades 4 and up (the form explains options for younger siblings & chaperone limits). Art Museum: Open to all ages.

--Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2026 – Portland Trail Blazers Game

About 37 seats left! Choose from $11, $42, or $62 tiers — no Ticketmaster fees.
See the attached flyer or visit the ACA Blazers Group Page to pick your seats.

NEW OUTINGS:

-- Friday, Dec. 12 – NWCTS Wizard of OzThe Judy Theater | Meet at 11:30 AM, Show 12–1:30 PM with Q&A after. Featuring ACA student Vivian!

Tickets on sale now in the ACA office through Thursday, Nov. 13.Only 50 seats available – this "student field trip" show is already sold out!
Seats confirmed with $12 per person payment in the ACA office on a first-come, first-served basis. See the attached flyer for more details.
Individual HS -- CAREER DAY SHADOW experiences are available during NOVEMBER & DECEMBER for HS families to sign up for through PWA- Portland Workforce Alliance. A Parent & Student must each fill out the request and then wait to see if you're approved.

If you would like to receive ACA Outings Updates emails that also include local info. for your own "DIY Family Field Trips", please fill out this google form. Please reach out to colleenfilippello@aca.k12.or.us with any questions. Hope to see you at one (or all!) of these fun outings!

From the World’s Greatest PTO

Thank you for participating in the first round of our Pie Fundraiser! Pie pickup is 11/21 @ 2:30, at ACA. We will have a second chance to order pies for the holidays, the due date for orders is 12/6 @ 4pm. Pie pickup is 12/19 @ 2:30.

GAME NIGHT: Wednesday 11/12 3:30-5 in the cafeteria. Bring your favorite game to play, we will have several available as well. Kids games in the gym TBD- please let us know if you would like to help organize some!

Holiday Bazaar Volunteers Needed! It’s hard to believe it’s less than a month away!

Please find the link here

Applications for students, adult vendors, and food trucks can be found at the PTO desk or online

easy way to support us Link your Fred Meyer Rewards to ACA PTO and we earn money every time you shop at no cost to you. click this link and choose ACA PTO to help us reach our goal!

Remember to check the calendar on our website often, AllianceCharterAcademy.org, and don’t forget to log your volunteer hours here Volunteer Time Log.

Thank you for being part of the ACA family, and have a wonderful weekend!

Go Eagles,

Shelly Smith

ShellySmith@aca.k12.or.us

Executive Director

“The mission of Alliance Charter Academy is to nurture the innate curiosity of our students, ignite their passion for learning, and prepare them for lifelong success through personalized learning and the collaboration of school, family, and community.”