PFA Family Newsletter

Welcome to a New PFA School Year!

Welcome to the 2026–27 school year! Whether your child is starting preschool for the first time or returning for another year, we’re glad your family is part of Preschool for All.

In this newsletter, you’ll find important fall updates, resources for your family, and ways to stay connected with PFA throughout the year.

Have ideas about how we can make this newsletter more useful or accessible for your family? Call us at 503-988-1280 or email preschoolforall@multco.us.

Plan Ahead for the I-5 Southbound Closure

If your family travels on or near I-5, an upcoming closure may mean longer travel times for preschool drop-off and pick-up.

I-5 southbound will close between I-405 and I-84 beginning September 11. The closure is expected to last up to five weeks. One southbound lane will remain open between I-405 and the Broadway/Weidler exit.

Traffic may be heavier on I-5 and nearby streets during the closure. If the closure affects your route, please plan for extra travel time when you can. Stay in touch with your preschool provider if traffic may affect your usual drop-off or pick-up time.

Get current closure and travel information.⁠

Resources for PFA Families

PFA works with community partners and specialized staff who can help support your child and family throughout the school year.

Family Navigators

PFA partners with four community organizations that have Family Navigators who can help families find resources and support. These Family Connector Organizations are:

• Black Parent Initiative
• Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)
• Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)
• Latino Network

Family Navigators provide culturally specific support and can help connect families with resources in their communities.

Meet the Family Navigators⁠ and find Family Navigator contact information⁠.

Support for Children With Disabilities and Health Needs

The Multnomah Early Childhood Program (MECP) provides special education services for eligible preschool-age children with disabilities and developmental delays. Every eligible child has an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). Evaluations and services are free to families, and MECP works with families and preschool providers to support children’s goals and needs during everyday preschool routines.

Learn more about MECP.

PFA also has three registered nurse consultants who work across PFA preschool sites to support children with health needs.

Please complete a PFA Child Health Questionnaire for your child. Your preschool provider can help you complete the questionnaire and will send it to PFA’s Nurse Consultant Team. This information helps our nurses understand your child’s health needs and make sure they have the right support at preschool.

The nurses review these questionnaires for health needs such as asthma, diabetes, seizures, and severe allergies. They can train preschool staff to manage children’s health conditions and give medication when needed. They can also connect families with community resources, including health and dental clinics and food resources. Their work helps children with health needs participate safely and consistently in preschool.

If you haven’t completed a health questionnaire yet, please ask your preschool provider for one.

New Financial Support for Some Immigrant Families

Multnomah County has a new program that may help immigrant families who have lost income after an immediate family member was detained by federal immigration agents.

Families must live in Multnomah County, have at least one child under age 18, and meet other requirements. Eligible families can apply for one of these two types of support:

• Rent assistance: Up to $3,000 in one-time help with rent. Income requirements apply.
• Direct financial assistance: Up to $1,000 in one-time help with needs such as groceries, energy bills, baby items, legal documents, court costs, certifications, or training. There is no income limit for this assistance.

Families can apply for either rent assistance or direct financial assistance, but not both. You do not need a referral from an organization to apply.

Apply for rent assistance or apply for direct financial assistance.

Have questions or need help? Email Tacher Schmid or call 971-865-1824. Staff speak English and Spanish and can arrange interpretation in other languages as needed.

Free Parenting With Intention Workshop Series

PFA provider Stacey Dunbar of Aprende con Amigos is offering a free three-part Parenting With Intention workshop series for families.

Stacey has worked in education for more than 25 years as a teacher, consultant, and preschool owner. She is also a certified parent coach and an Oregon certified Master Trainer. In this workshop series, families will have a chance to reflect on their parenting, identify their family’s strengths and values, and set intentions for how they want to move forward together.

The three sessions are:

Reflections & Styles
Saturday, September 19, 9 a.m.–noon
Reflect on parenting challenges and identify your parenting style.

Strengths & Values
Saturday, October 17, 9 a.m.–noon
Identify your family’s strengths and values.

Family Manifesto
Saturday, November 14, 9 a.m.–noon
Create a family manifesto and set intentions for moving forward.

The workshop series and child care are free. Space is limited, and participants must attend all three sessions.

An optional information session will be held Thursday, September 10, from 8–9 p.m.

To RSVP or get the Zoom link for the information session, email Stacy Dunbar.

Keep Your PFA Family Handbook Handy

Have a question about Preschool for All? The PFA Family Handbook is a good place to start.

The handbook explains what families can expect from PFA, family responsibilities, important policies, inclusion resources, and what to do if you have a question or concern.

The Family Handbook is available in English⁠, Dari⁠, Spanish⁠, Simplified Chinese⁠, Russian⁠, and Vietnamese⁠.

Help Improve Preschool for All

Throughout the year, PFA’s evaluation team may contact you and invite you to share your family’s experience with Preschool for All. We hope you’ll participate!

Hearing directly from families helps us understand what’s working well and what we can improve. Your feedback is an important part of how PFA learns and grows.

This year, our evaluation team is learning about:

• Families’ experiences with Preschool for All
• How families, preschool educators, and kindergarten teachers can support children as they move from preschool to kindergarten

You may hear from senior early learning program evaluators Janice Cole and Xia Zhang, early learning data analyst Chris Buck, or early learning evaluation analysts Laura Rodriguez and Mario Olivares.

If our evaluation team reaches out, we hope you’ll take part and share your experience.

Share Your PFA Story

Has Preschool for All made a difference for your child or family? Our communications team would love to hear about your experience.

Family stories can help others learn about PFA and help our community understand what Preschool for All means for children and families.

Share your PFA story with our communications team.⁠

Stay Connected With Preschool for All

Want to hear more from Preschool for All? Subscribe to the PFA Community Newsletter⁠ for PFA updates, special announcements, upcoming events, community highlights, and more. The Community Newsletter is sent by email six times a year.

You can also follow us on Instagram⁠ and Facebook⁠ for more frequent updates throughout the year.

Have a question or feedback for us? Contact our team at preschoolforall@multco.us or call 503-988-1280.

With gratitude,
The Preschool for All Team