Every year, the U.S. President issues a proclamation officially designating November as National Native American Heritage Month. The purpose is to recognize and honor the contributions, cultures, and histories of Native Americans and Alaska Natives. While we don’t want to limit our recognition of Native Americans and Alaska Natives to this one month, this time is specifically set aside each year to honor the contributions and influence of Native Americans and Alaska Natives on shaping the culture, achievements, and history of the United States of America. The more we grow our knowledge during this special time of the year, the better we are able to integrate the accomplishments and influences of our Native community into our curriculum all year long. 

There are many Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month resources available to support your own knowledge base as well as your work with students.  

• Library of Congress
• Resources for Teachers
• ReadWriteThink
• Lesson Plans for Teachers
• HMH
• Tips for Integrating Native American Content into Curriculum

Elizabeth Woody

We Remember Our Relatives

We begin with flowers beaded onto the cradleboard.

The mattress and forms hold the child’s head center and upright;

The legs and spine will be straight.

The laces spiral over the center: They will shape the child.

The baby emerges from the womb and is safely enclosed again.

Leaning on a tree or hanging from a saddle,

the child is connected to us and watches as we gather

huckleberries, catch and clean salmon, dry the roots.

This beginning with protection is brilliant

with attention to detail: cradleboards have a song.

Shells tinkle on the rounded rose bough

that guards the child’s face as we walk.

Contoured flowers edging the carriage in arms,

made by relatives especially for the child

to ensure the soul will bloom.

New and Noteworthy

ODE Launches Instructional Frameworks Website

Exciting news! ODE launched Oregon’s Early Literacy Instructional Frameworks Website in August, featuring a wealth of k professional learning resources. Here are some highlights of resources that will be especially valuable for instructional coaches: 

• Collaborative Learning Session Guides: These guides facilitate engaging professional learning sessions.
• Interactive Slide Decks:  The "Reflecting on Our Practice" slide decks offer informative, interactive content for self-study or professional learning.
• Online Modules: Explore our self-paced, asynchronous learning modules that delve into key literacy topics, allowing you to enhance your understanding at your own pace.

Check out the website for these resources and more to support early literacy in Oregon!

NEW: K-5 Newsletter

The Oregon Department of Education’s (ODE) Office of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment is launching a new quarterly newsletter for K-5 educators. This newsletter provides resources, opportunities, guidance, and ODE updates tailored specifically to support the integrated and well-rounded instruction that elementary education entails. It aims to streamline information related to K-5 academic standards and instruction into one convenient communication. 

To sign up for the newsletter, click here

ODE Announcements

Literacy Leaders’ Network Resumes: Longer Meeting, New Start Time, Potential to Link to Professional Goals

Purpose:  The goal of the Oregon Literacy Leaders’ Network is to build a diverse community of language arts and literacy practitioners working together to share inclusive literacy practices–reading, writing, speaking, and listening–that align to the needs of all students (i.e. multilingual learners, students experiencing disabilities, etc.).

Who we are: Collectively we are individuals who support literacy development for students:

• Classroom teachers, teacher-librarians, and school library staff
• TOSAs and instructional coaches
• District leaders, school administrators, and program administrators
• Professional learning providers and higher education faculty
• State education specialists
• Community members (usually retired educators)

When do we meet?

• Meet virtually every Second Thursday on Zoom, from 3:30-5:00 p.m.

What to Expect in Monthly Meetings:

• Meet and connect with other literacy practitioners from across Oregon 
• Share a “Bulletin Board” of opportunities
• Collaborate through self-selected breakout rooms to go deeper on topics of interest
• Read, write, and think about language arts and literacy together, occasional featured speakers
• Highlight high-leverage instructional practices

Link to Professional Learning Goals:

• Tie your attendance and participation in the LLN to your professional learning goals, particularly for goals 9 & 10, with local administrator approval. 
• Receive professional learning and build a professional network during LLN meetings.
• Earn PDUs for your attendance and participation in the LLN.

Meeting Facilitation: Co-hosted by Oregon Council of Teachers of English (OCTE), Oregon State Literacy Association (OSLA), Oregon Association of School Libraries (OASL) and the Oregon Department of Education Language Arts,  Literacy, Assessment, and Multilingual and Migrant Education teams, Office of Indian Education, and Teacher Standards and Practices Commission.

Research and Resources for Your Classroom

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Clackamas ESD to Host Professional Learning Series

Register Here

Library Corner

Oregon Chapter of GLSEN Offers FREE Rainbow Libraries for 2024-26 School Year

The GLSEN Oregon Chapter has received generous donations that allow them to offer FREE new Rainbow Libraries for the 2024-2025 school year. They’re also offering FREE expansion sets to schools that already have a Rainbow Library.

• Starter Set: Request a new 10 book Rainbow Library (if  your school doesn’t already have one)
• There are  four grade-range options: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, or 9-12.
• Expansion Set: Request a 3 book expansion set (if your school already has a Rainbow Library)

GLSEN is taking requests through the end of the year and then will begin shipping books in Spring 2025.

LGBTQ+ students at schools with inclusive curriculum, which includes LGBTQ+ affirming books, have higher GPAs, are less likely to hear anti-LGBTQ remarks at school, and are less likely to report missing school due to feeling unsafe. Reach out with any questions to chapter@or.glsen.org

Opportunities for Educators

OSLA/OCTE Joint Fall Conference for K-12 Educators Registration is open for the fabulous Fall 2024 Literacy Conference on Saturday, October 26th in Portland: Igniting Curiosity & Cultivating Literacy for All, K-12 Keynote speaker, Dr. Eugenia Mora-Flores, will share her insights, research, and strategies for effectively supporting multilingual learners in achieving academic success. Professor of Education at the University of Southern California and respected author, Dr. Mora-Flores brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the conference.   Engaging concurrent sessions will offer practical, classroom strategies around literacy topics including:  Science of Reading Supporting Multilingual Learners Multimodal Learning A.I. and Instruction Effective Assessment and more! 8:15 am - 3:00 pm at Parkrose High School 12003 NE Shaver St, Portland, OR 97220 This conference is hosted by the Oregon State Literacy Association and the Oregon Council Teachers of English. REGISTER HERE  Questions? Please reach out to Conference Chair: Bob Bizjak

Oregon Response to Instruction and Intervention and Northwest PBIS Network are Seeking Proposals for Spring Conference

Please join Oregon Response to Instruction and Intervention (ORTIi) and Northwest PBIS (NWPBIS) Network in elevating education in the Pacific Northwest. Consider sharing your research and exemplars or data-driven story with the regional community.  

The 2024 NWPBIS Conference is April 23-25, 2025, with a pre-conference workshop date on April 23 at the Portland Hilton Downtown. 

** Submissions are due by Oct. 30, 2024 **

Click here for information on our scoring rubric

Click here to submit your proposal

Register Now for Oregon Response to Instruction and Intervention Virtual Literacy Symposium

Join Oregon Response to Instruction and Intervention (ORTIi) on December 10 for their annual Virtual Literacy Symposium. This year’s event will be keynote by Susan Lambert, host of Science of Reading: The Podcast from Amplify. There will be a great lineup of speakers: Matt Burns, Claude Goldenberg, Pam Kastner, Devin Kearns, Yvette Manns, Molly Ness, Andrea Settmeyer, and Dale Webster. Register today to participate in engaging presentations and insightful discussions.

Building a Strong Foundation in Literacy

Eastern Oregon University and Public Consulting Group (PCG) are pleased to offer the launch of “Building a Strong foundation in Literacy,” a new online training program for in-service educators. With a focus on reading science, “Building a Strong Foundation in Literacy,” equips Oregon educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to foster proficient readers in their classrooms and schools. Click here to Enroll.

Oregon Writing Festival: Save the Date!

Opportunities for Students

Write the World Writing Competitions for Students

Write the World helps “students develop the writing skills they need to succeed and make an impact” on their world. There are seven writing competitions currently available.

Click Here for Recurring Features

Contact Us

If you have ideas for the newsletter or want to contact the ODE Language Arts and Literacy specialists, please reach out:

Tina Roberts -- Language Arts Education Specialist

Tony Bertrand -- English Language Arts / Social Sciences Assessment Specialist

Sody Fearn -- K-2 Balanced Assessment Specialist

Sarah Thorud -- Early Language and Literacy Intervention Specialist

Mindi Helmandollar-Armatas -- PreK-3rd Grade Coordinator

Jennifer Fontana -- Multilingual and Migrant Education Specialist

Martha Sanstead -- Literacy Specialist