Implementing the OSAS Interim Assessments On-demand Asynchronous Professional Learning Course
ODE has partnered with Southern Oregon Education Service District to create an on-demand asynchronous professional learning course to help teachers, school administrators, and district leaders learn how to implement the Oregon Statewide Assessment System (OSAS) Interim Assessments. The course, Implementing the OSAS Interim Assessments, consists of five one-hour modules delivered through Canvas.
Participants will gain a greater understanding of the following key concepts:
- Understand Oregon's Statewide Assessment System, including interim assessments and formative assessment practices
- Gain a deeper understanding of how to assess the complexity of Oregon’s Academic Content Standards
- Select appropriate Interim Assessment Blocks (IABs) to administer to students in alignment with curriculum goals
- Access data to identify instructional strengths and areas where additional support is needed to maximize student learning
- Build and sustain appropriate uses of the OSAS Interim Assessments within created or existing curriculum maps and pacing guides
The course is available now at no cost to Oregon educators. More information can be found in this flier, which may be used to promote the course in your district. Register using the link above.
Pre-Register for Free Oregon Statewide Learning Summits
Join educators from across the state for an exciting series of Statewide Learning Summits. Mark your calendars and prepare for a day of insightful sessions, networking opportunities, and shared learning experiences on: Early Literacy, Adolescent Literacy, Social Science, and Transformative Social and Emotional Learning.
Five Statewide Locations
- Bend: Thursday, July 31, 2025
- Medford: Wednesday, August 6, 2025
- Portland: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
- Newport: Thursday, August 14, 2025
- La Grande: Friday, October 3, 2025
Who Should Attend? Teachers, Instructional Coaches, Administrators. To maximize learning and impact, we encourage attendees to come in teams that include administrators (building and district), teachers, coaches.
Pre-Register Now Registration Limited - Save Your Spot Now
Literacy Leaders’ Network Meeting: March 13 – Save the Date!
Our Mission: To build a literate society of readers, writers, thinkers, and listeners
Purpose: The goal of the Oregon Literacy Leaders’ Network (LLN) 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 with 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.
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 WestEd.
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
April is National Poetry Month
Since its inception by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month has blossomed into the world's largest literary celebration. This special occasion honors the vital role poets play in our culture and underscores the significance of poetry in our lives.
Each year, tens of millions of readers, students, K–12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary event curators, publishers, families, and—of course—poets come together to celebrate. Let’s celebratepoetry's important place in our lives this April!
Here are some resources to use with students to celebrate National Poetry Month:
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National Poetry Month Poets.org has numerous activities, resources, and lessons that you can use across many different grade levels to celebrate poetry and poets.
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ReadWriteThink Celebrating Poetry for Teens has collections of poetry–both for, and by, teens–lists of novels in verse, as well as lesson and unit plans for teaching poetry reading and writing.
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ReadWriteThink Poem in Your Pocket Day is geared toward elementary students; however, the lesson could be adapted for older students, and there are many other resources available for other grades, as well.
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Reading Rockets has numerous lessons and activities geared toward children and emergent readers to celebrate National Poetry Month.
OLA EDI Antiracism Committee Scholarships Available
The Oregon Library Association's (OLA) Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Antiracism (EDIA) Committee is looking to support library-service related professional development with scholarships*, open to library staff (employed, unemployed, volunteers) in all library types in Oregon: who
- identify as belonging to one or more marginalized, minoritized, and racialized communities seeking general professional development**,
- are looking to develop skills in providing culturally relevant services to communities that are historically and currently underserved and under-resourced**, OR
- are seeking professional development on, related to or impacting efforts towards equity, diversity, inclusion and/or antiracism in their libraries or the communities they serve
*Scholarships are made possible in whole by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.
**These applicants will be given priority.
Scholarships are issued on a reimbursement basis; if this presents a hardship, please let us know in your application.
Applications will be reviewed on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, January through June of 2025, by the OLA EDIA Committee with support from the State Library of Oregon.
Members of the selection team who apply for a scholarship will be recused from that round of discussion and selection.
Unless otherwise worked out with the committee, the following criteria must be met:
- The learning event must begin before the end of July 2025.
- Recipients must complete a short post-evaluation survey provided by the State Library of Oregon.
For any other questions, please contact the EDIA Committee Chairs at edicommittee@olaweb.org
If you're ready, you can apply here. You can download PDF versions for your offline reference:
While not a definitive list, here are some organizations that may offer appropriate learning events for your consideration.
OSLIS & Gale Resources for Teaching Research Skills
Oregon School Library Information System (OSLIS) turned 25 last year, and we’re still celebrating! Molly Sloan, librarian at Portland Jewish Academy and chair of the OSLIS Committee, shared this on the OASL listserv recently: “OSLIS is the Oregon School Library Information System, and it's here to help kids ‘learn to research and research to learn!’ Here's a short video about how I use some of the OSLIS resources to get my kids started with the research process. I hope you find it useful and take a moment to explore all of the other great resources available at OSLIS.” (If Chrome doesn’t play nicely with the video, try a different browser.) Jean Gritter, district librarian for Greater Albany Public Schools and a member of the OSLIS Committee, followed Molly’s information with this: “And here's a great Knowledge Quest article to share with teachers about using GALE Topic Finder, available from OSLIS! Upgrading Research Lessons with AI, posted by Karin Greenberg on 02/04/2025” The Topic Finder search visualization tool is available in Gale OneFile products and in Power Search. Not familiar with Topic Finder? This 1-minute Gale video provides an introduction.
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OASL Fall Conference: Session Proposals Being Accepted
The Oregon Association of School Libraries’ (OASL) annual fall conference will be at North Eugene High School on Saturday, October 4, 2025. It’s always a powerful professional learning experience and networking opportunity. The conference committee is currently accepting session proposals through at least early May. They would love to have you be part of the conference and share your ideas with other library staff. Please direct questions to Jessica Lorentz Smith (jessica.lorentzsmith@bend.k12.or.us) or Amy Page (page_a@4j.lane.edu).
OLA Conference April 23-25: Registration Is Open
The Oregon Association of School Libraries (OASL) is a division of the Oregon Library Association (OLA), and each has an annual conference. While sessions at the OASL fall conference are very specific to school libraries, some school library staff also choose to attend the OLA conference. This year’s OLA conference will be at the Lane Events Center in Eugene from April 23 – 25, and registration is open.
Boosting Reading Comprehension by Building and Using Prior Knowledge
Author Kelly Gallagher is considered one of the leading voices in adolescent literacy education, an author of nine books, and a veteran high school teacher in California.
The Multnomah ESD is proud to host Kelly for the following complimentary virtual event:
Boosting Reading Comprehension by Building and Using Prior Knowledge.
In the age of click-and-go reading, why do students need to know information when they can just look things up?
Bestselling author Kelly Gallagher argues that to think critically, it's imperative that we teach kids stuff. Lots of it. Why? Because students who know more are able to read more, and read better. Building readers starts with building their knowledge.
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 4:15 - 5:30 pm via Zoom
Audience: All grades 6-12 educators in Oregon and Washington
REGISTER via PD Networks
* This session will be recorded and sent to all who register
Oregon State University Spring 2025 Teaching Early Literacy from a Multilingual Perspective PD Course
Oregon State University is offering a Teaching Early Literacy from Multilingual Perspective. Registration is open through March 14, or until the class roster fills.
The course is especially beneficial for k-5 educators working with multilingual students and is ideal for k-2 educators and those who wish to collaborate with colleagues in their district. School and district leaders are also encouraged to enroll alongside teachers, fostering a more cohesive approach to literacy instruction across the district.
This course is designed for a range of Oregon educators, including:
- Classroom teachers
- Language specialists
- Literacy specialists
 Click here for more information.
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.
40th Annual Oregon Writing Festival
Hosted by the Oregon Council of Teachers of English (OCTE) on May 3, 2025, at Woodburn High School for students grades 4 through 12.
Students bring a sample of their best writing to share in small groups of ten, participate in two writing workshops, listen to a keynote author, and have a chance to purchase books for autographing by the following:
- Former elementary school teacher Aron Nels Steinke is the creator of the wildly popular award-winning Mr. Wolf’s Class graphic novel series. His honors include the Eisner Comic Industry Award, finalist of the Oregon Book Award, and winner of OCTE's Oregon Spirit Book Award. He will speak to grades 4-5.
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2. Back by popular demand, this will be the fourth appearance of longtime teacher and award-winning writer and editor Bart King, who will share his writing skills and irresistible sense of humor with students of grades 6 – 7. He has a slew of books, of which he has sold more than a million.
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3. Born and raised in Australia, Emily Suvada is the award-winning author of a science fiction thriller series for Young Adults, This Mortal Coil, in which the daughter of the world’s leading geneticist must solve the mystery he left behind. Emily will share her love of Star Trek, reading, and writing with students in grades 8-12.
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Click here for more information.
Civics Learning Project Opportunities for Students
Ridgley Scholarship - Applications due April 1, 2025. Available to current high school seniors who have participated in Civics Learning Project (CLP) programs, this college scholarship offers $10,000 over four years for the recipient.
Student Essay Contests
National Center for State Courts - Open for students in grades 3 - 12, the essay topics inspire students to explore the principles of US government. The contest opens February 17 and entries are due March 21.
Civics Education Reports - There are a few interesting reports:
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
Katie Trader -- Literacy Specialist
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