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Oregon Achieves... Together!
A Message from the Director of the Oregon Department of Education, Dr. Charlene Williams
Dear Education Community,
As we step into the vibrant month of May, we are thrilled to celebrate our graduates and honor the backbone of our learning environment—our teachers.
Teacher Appreciation Week: Shaping Minds, Building Futures
To all our beloved educators out there: Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! (May 6-10) Your dedication shapes the future one student at a time.
During this important week, we take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the incredible impact teachers have on all our lives. From sparking curiosity to offering support and guidance, teachers play a pivotal role in student development and success. Let’s make this week (and maybe next week and the week after, too!) special for them by expressing gratitude through notes, small gestures, or simply saying, "Thank you." Let’s recommit to our support for public education and the relentless dedication of our educators. They deserve the best resources, supports and conditions to educate our scholars.
Class of 2024: Resilience and Inspiration
May also launches a series of celebrations and acknowledgements for the class of 2024. As we celebrate, let’s also take a moment to marvel at the remarkable resilience these graduates have displayed throughout their educational journey. Navigating an ever-evolving landscape, they have adapted to unprecedented challenges, from shifts in learning modalities to global uncertainties, all while maintaining their commitment to academic excellence and personal growth. Their perseverance and adaptability are not just commendable; they are inspirational. These young individuals have met the demands of their time AND have also equipped themselves with the skills and fortitude to thrive in an uncertain future. As they step forward into the next chapter of their lives, we honor them and we are inspired by them. Congratulations class of 2024!
Gratitude to each and every one of you who support this work. Your partnership is invaluable and helps us propel each scholar forward on their journey to a brighter future.
In Love and Justice,
Dr. Charlene Williams
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Over the next five months, the Oregon Department of Education will do the work called for in House Bill 2656 and look to develop a framework for the future of Reimagining Oregon’s Accountability System.
New Accountability Web Page
We are sharing this message to introduce this effort and also point you to a new landing page on ODE’s website which will provide updates, insights, key documents, and research informing the work of an advisory committee, launched in accordance with the bill. The landing page will provide ‘’read-outs’’ of advisory committee meetings. It will also provide information about how to participate in a statewide survey (coming soon!) to make your own contribution. We will need everyone’s input!
Background
Ten months into my tenure as the Director of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and with the full support and alignment of Governor Tina Kotek, I am ringing the bell for us to come together and answer the most essential questions for the future of education in Oregon:
- What does a truly excellent educational experience look like for Oregon students now and over the next decade?
- Are school leaders and policy makers aligned to the right goals?
- How do we know if Oregon’s schools are successful in these endeavors?
- How does ODE best support working towards that success?
These important questions, and others like them, have been raised by Oregon families, educators, students, school leaders, tribes, business leaders, and policy makers. Some of these questions have lingered for decades.
More about accountability...
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ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams helped celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week with a personal message to teachers. Please take a moment to thank the educators in your life and share this message on social media!
There is a lot to commemorate in May! Click on each link below for resources to help incorporate these topics into your classroom:
(From an Oregon Military Department press release.)
High school students in Oregon will have a paid opportunity to learn professional technical training while earning high school credit, as part of the newly endorsed program called “The Oregon Plan.”
Created by the Oregon National Guard, the plan received official approval last month from the Oregon Department of Education, which is required as part of its regular renewal process.
“Through this exciting program students get paid to earn high school credit, learn career skills such as basic finance, medic training, construction and engineering and practice working in teams,” said Dr. Charlene Williams, Director of Oregon Department of Education. “As students plan their summer of learning and work, I hope they consider this enriching and life changing option.”
More about The Oregon Plan...
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 Be sure to check out our X page and follow us to stay up-to-date on everything that's happening in education in Oregon!
Invitation from OTIS to Help Reduce Child Abuse
As part of collaboration and community engagement, the Office of Training, Investigations, and Safety (OTIS) is reaching out to partners and stakeholders to share who we are, provide opportunity for conversation, and invite you to be part of providing input that informs how we do business.
Who We Are
OTIS is a department under the Oregon Department of Human Services and the Oregon Health Authority, referred to as a shared service. OTIS conducts abuse investigations involving children in non-familial settings such as schools, daycare settings, group homes, and treatment facilities. OTIS also oversees and conducts abuse investigations throughout the state for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities, severe mental health issues and those in substance use disorder facilities.
More about OTIS...
ODE In the News
The Oregon School Boards Association’s Sounding Boards Podcast interviewed ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams about her statewide travels and work reimagining accountability in Oregon.
My Central Oregon wrote a story on Mental Health Awareness Month that included the Mental Health Toolkit developed in collaboration between ODE and the Oregon Health Authority.
The Klamath Herald & News highlighted how a farm-to-school program funded in part by ODE is helping students get hands-on learning about locally grown foods.
Student Spotlight
Roosevelt High School in North Portland has a peer mediation program to help resolve conflicts. Students leading the effort were interviewed on KOIN and KPTV to talk about their work.
KOBI-TV in Medford talked with Phoenix High School students participating in the Skills USA Masonry Competition.
OPB featured the move to create a crisis line specifically for Native youth in Oregon and spoke to a high school student going through the training to provide much-needed help.
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