Primerly field report
a tuition-free public neighborhood school in Portland
K–5 · Public · Neighborhood · Portland Public Schools
2409 N Saratoga St, Portland · Amber Gerber
At Chief Joseph Elementary, the academic program is centered on developing critical thinkers who possess the skills to become change agents within their community. A cornerstone of the upper elementary experience is the 4th and 5th-grade blended classroom model, where students from both grades are integrated into a single learning cohort. For the 2025-26 school year, this blended structure applies to instruction in Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Health, with all students in these classes engaging in the 5th-grade curriculum. To ensure foundational mastery, mathematics remains grade-level specific, requiring some students to transition to different classrooms to receive instruction tailored to their specific grade requirements.
The school day consistently begins with a community circle at 8:00 AM, a practice designed to foster social-emotional growth and a sense of belonging before core instruction begins. Beyond the core subjects, students participate in typical PPS specials that include Physical Education, Music, Art, and Media.
Tuition: Tuition-Free Public
Address: 2409 N Saratoga St, Portland OR 97217. Phone: 503-916-6255. Website: pps.net/chiefjoseph.
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Seats here aren’t first-come; they’re drawn by lottery. Each circle below is a tenth of the families who applied over the last two springs and stayed in the running (didn’t take a higher-ranked school). Filled circles got a yes.
Official PPS lottery results, 2025-26 & 2026-27 combined: offers made ÷ families still in the running (offered + waitlisted); applications cancelled for a higher-ranked school excluded. pps.net › prior transfer data. Slots reset every year.