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Oregon Achieves... Together!
A Message from the Interim Director of the Oregon Department of Education Dr. Charlene Williams
The following column appeared in The Oregonian on September 3.
During my 30 years as an educator, I made it clear to every student and parent I met with that I would never make assumptions about what they can and can’t achieve. Instead of making assumptions, my goal was always to take the time to meet with people in their community, develop close connections and ensure we are elevating standards for our students that lead to their success.
Since I returned to work in Oregon eight weeks ago, I have brought this same mindset while meeting with educators and administrators across the state. My goal is to learn as much as I can about what makes each of Oregon’s 197 public school districts special and deliver a clear message that the Department of Education aspires to provide high levels of support and maintain high expectations to ensure academic excellence for all of our students.
In recent visits to districts in Malheur County, I was able to hear firsthand about the celebrations, opportunities and challenges that small, rural and remote communities face while serving our students. Students visiting the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization and the LGBTQ+ Youth Drop In Center in Ontario expressed concerns similar to those we hear from students in larger urban settings: they want to feel safe and to belong.
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Governor Tina Kotek recorded a back-to-school video message to Oregon’s students. Please watch and share!
National Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15 and ends on October 15 to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. It first started as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and expanded to a full month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The dates were chosen because September 15 is the anniversary of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.
Check out the resources...
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The week of October 9-13 is National School Lunch Week. The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) are teaming up to raise awareness of the importance of child nutrition programs in schools.
Research shows that students who are adequately nourished at school:
- perform better academically
- behave better in the classroom
We invite school board members and superintendents to eat with students during that week to experience their local school lunches.
Encourage your board to participate by planning lunch with students that week. All they need to do is reach out to school nutrition staff and building administrators before their visit. Then they are encouraged to post to social media about their experience using the #NSLW23inOR hashtag and the ODE (@ORDeptEd) and OSBA (@OSBANews) handle.
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ODE’s Menstrual Dignity Team will be receiving the #StandingStrong Award at the Healthy Teen Network’s National Take Care and Take Action Conference in Portland in October. The team is being celebrated for their commitment to implementing Oregon’s Menstrual Dignity Act (2021) and providing all menstruating students the opportunity for dignified self-care, leading the way for other states to replicate Oregon’s Menstrual Dignity program (including the Menstrual Dignity Toolkit) and advocate for young people’s access to inclusive healthcare services.
The Healthy Teen Network’s #StandingStrong Award celebrates individuals or organizations who are champions, standing up, with, and for the rights of all young people.
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September is National Preparedness Month, a reminder to talk with your kids and teens about how to prepare for an emergency or disaster.
Disasters can happen anywhere without warning. Here in Oregon, we deal with wildfires, floods, heat domes, ice and snowstorms, plus the ever-present threat of a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. It’s important for everyone in your household – especially kids – to know what to do when a disaster happens.
More about preparing for disasters...
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The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) administers the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) for the State of Oregon. The U.S. Senate Youth Program is an annual scholarship competition funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation and endorsed by the U.S. Senate. Each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity select two high school juniors or seniors to participate in the program.
More about USSYP...
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