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Monthly Messenger |
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To our community partners:
As I write this message, signs of spring and renewal are beginning to appear in the last vestiges of snow and ice we just endured. After days of early morning safety decisions impacting thousands of children, families and workplaces, I couldn’t be happier to see daffodils creeping out of snowmelt.
Springtime is also when we often see exponential student growth. We venture out for more field experiences and applied learning…minds are opened and new connections are made…both kids and educators are hitting their stride.
March offers numerous opportunities to share wonderful stories about our students and the dedicated staff who surround them – and I’m especially excited to celebrate the pivotal ways our classified staff contribute to student success.
Classified Appreciation Week - March 6 to 10
 Maureen Crawford-Markasky, an instructional assistant at Cascade Academy, introduces students to her nephew Kendrick Bourne, a football player for the New England Patriots.
With nearly 2,000 instructional assistants across northwest Oregon and thousands more support positions, we have lots to celebrate this week. I’m extremely proud to highlight just a few ways classified staff at NWRESD are changing lives:
When I read through all these accomplishments, I’m incredibly proud of how our classified staff center students and equity in their daily work. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU to all our classified colleagues working to improve the lives of children and families!
Neurodiversity Celebration Week - March 13 to 19
 Every neurodivergent person has unique strengths and challenges. Generally speaking, our culture tends to emphasize only diagnosis and treatment, leading us to focus on the challenges rather than the many strengths and talents of neurodivergent people.
NWRESD educators are fierce advocates for recognizing and celebrating our students’ diverse strengths and learning differences. In addition to the many neurodiverse students supported by our autism team, Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education, and other teams throughout our system, we have many talented staff who are neurodiverse and bring their many talents to the forefront in service to others.
Help us prepare for Neurodiversity Celebration Week. If you or or someone you know – students you work with, community leaders, etc. – are neurodiverse, we encourage them to answer this anonymous single-question survey that asks:
What strengths and superpowers are you celebrating during Neurodiversity Celebration Week?
We will compile the responses and post them to our social media accounts. Thanks in advance for helping us name and celebrate the many reasons we value our students and colleagues who are neurodiverse.
In addition to these fun opportunities to celebrate important educators and students in our circle, I’m proud to highlight the enclosed news from across our agency.
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In partnership –
 Dan Goldman
Superintendent
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Northwest Promise is Now Career and College Readiness
 From left: Our career and college readiness team includes Jaimie Brady and Sara Franklin, professional learning coaches, and Kevanna Doolittle, project management specialist. Jerome Townsend (not pictured) oversees the program.
Northwest Regional Education Service District launched a new career and college readiness program this past fall. Northwest Promise, the dual-credit program we offered from 2014-2022, is now part of Willamette Promise and is run by Willamette Education Service District. Students in our region can still take dual-credit courses, but school districts need to register with Willamette Promise. Courses are available for $30 per year.
Based on feedback we received from educators in the spring of 2022, our career and college readiness program now provides the following services to the 20 component school districts in our region:
- Career technical education (CTE) program support
- Career readiness, awareness and exposure curriculum and resources
- Educator workshops and professional learning communities (PLCs)
- Work-based learning and internship development
- Employability skills curriculum guidance
- Career services for high school students - Download our flyer [PDF]
- Guest speaker connections
- Resume-building workshops
- Mock interview events
- Career fairs
Team members include Jerome Townsend, NWRESD instructional director, Jaimie Brady and Sara Franklin, professional learning coaches, and Kevanna Doolittle, project management specialist.
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At its Feb. 14 meeting, our board of directors proclaimed March 2023 as Women's History Month. This proclamation recognizes and celebrates the contributions, achievements and history of women.
We've highlighted a few excerpts from the proclamation below:
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The history of the struggle for women's rights in the United States is one of slowly overcoming powerful forces that for centuries have negated our progress in every aspect of life — gender equity, pay, politics, legal affairs, education, and more. America has a rich history of courageous women and girls who have marched for justice, shattered countless barriers, and faced significant obstacles with unfailing optimism and bravery.
Far too often, their stories have gone untold, contributions negated and sacrifices ignored. We especially recognize the historical traumas and inequities that exist for women of color and the advocacy of the Black suffragists whose stories have long gone untold and unrecognized. They bravely fought against racism while working to gain access to the ballot box — ensuring access to the same fundamental human and civil rights and a more equitable future for all women in our country.
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 Tami Swearingen (seated), the business manager for the Jewell School District, and Marcy Wood, fiscal assistant for the Jewell School District, pose for a photo on Feb. 6, 2023.
In addition to the special education, outdoor school or technology services that education service districts are known for, our agency also provides business services to school districts. During the 2021-22 school year, we supported 11 school districts with the work required to keep a school running smoothly from a business perspective.
This work includes completing payroll and all of the related deductions and tax requirements, conducting financial audits, meeting state reporting requirements, managing cash and bank reconciliations and developing budgets.
As anyone who works for a school district can tell you, there are many details to keep track of when you work in the world of school finance. We met up with Tami Swearingen, the business manager for the Jewell School District, in January to ask her about her work and how NWRESD helps support her district.
Stacy Rager, our Columbia Service Center administrator, will be the next executive director of early learning at Northwest Regional Education Service District (NWRESD) beginning July 1.
Stacy joined NWRESD in 2013 as a school psychologist and then became principal of the Beaverton Early Childhood Center. After four years in that position, she went on to serve as the EI/ECSE evaluation coordinator and then Columbia Service Center administrator.
“In her numerous leadership roles, Stacy has built meaningful relationships with families, external partners and staff across our organization,” says Superintendent Dan Goldman. “She is extremely knowledgeable about the technical aspects of early childhood special education and the challenges faced by the region’s early learning systems. We are excited to promote an internal candidate who has shown tremendous dedication and growth throughout her career with us.”
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 From left: Tim Prosser, a special education teacher at Cascade Academy, Kendrick Bourne, a professional football player with the New England Patriots, and Tim Miles, a behavior specialist and sports coach at Cascade Academy.
Friday, Feb. 10 was an exciting day for the Student BIPOC Affinity Group at Cascade, Pacific and Columbia academies. The student-led Black, Indigenous and People of Color group welcomed Kendrick Bourne and his wife, Vanessa. Kendrick plays football for the New England Patriots. Kendrick and Vanessa are also the nephew and niece of Maureen Crawford-Markasky, an instructional assistant at Cascade Academy and president of the NWRESD chapter #101 of the Oregon School Employees Association.
Kendrick shared about his educational experiences in high school and college and his time in the NFL. He has played for the New England Patriots since 2021. Before that, he played for the San Francisco 49ers.
After his presentation, students got his autograph and took pictures. Maureen said the community loved having him as a guest speaker. “Our students had a hard time letting him leave until he promised to come back for another visit,” she said.
NWRESD is seeking candidates for two zoned (elected) and two appointed positions. The open zoned positions are zones 2 and 5 and the open appointed positions are in business and social services.
Board service is fulfilling on many levels. We asked current at-large board member Maureen Wolf why she serves. Here's what she had to say:
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"Public education is a cornerstone of democracy. Every child deserves a quality education that equips them to successfully pursue higher education and/or a career. Those beliefs are why I serve on the NWRESD Board of Directors. NWRESD is committed to the success of all children in our region and provides services directly through our schools or through technical support for every district within our four-county region.
We are also committed to expanding digital access for all as well as educating our littlest learners so they are kindergarten ready. I am proud to be part of a team that leads with equity at the heart of our work and executes through innovative programs." -Maureen Wolf, At-Large Position, NWRESD Board of Directors
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Review Your District and School Attendance Policies
Wednesday, March 15 - Virtual
1-2 p.m.
Bring your current school and/or district policy to look over in this session. We will unpack various attendance policies from our region, state and country. If your school or district does not currently have an attendance policy, this session will provide you with examples and a starting place to begin your protocols. This free session is specifically designed for educators and support staff leading attendance initiatives at schools in Columbia, Clatsop, Tillamook, and Washington counties.
Problem-Solving Task Demands in the Classroom for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Wednesday, March 15 - Virtual
6-8 p.m.
Explore instructional interventions that help reduce task demands for preschool students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Learn about the common task demands that can impair preschool students with ASD. Explore assessment methods to determine which behavioral factors could be impeding children from completing various classroom tasks. This free training is for early child care providers in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties.
NEW DATE: We've Rescheduled Our Community Film Screening
Monday, March 20 - Hillsboro
6-8 p.m.
 We've rescheduled our free community film screening of "The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks." Students, families, educators and community members are invited to attend. The event will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Monday, March 20 at our Washington Service Center in Hillsboro. A question-and-answer session will follow the screening.
Food and drinks will be provided. Free child care is available upon request. Captions will also be provided. If you need to additional accommodations to attend or would like to request child care, please email Janet Bucio at least 5 days before the event.
Integrated Guidance Final Convening and Celebration
Monday, April 10 - Hillsboro
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Come celebrate all of the Integrated Guidance work you've completed this year. We'll review your accomplishments and talk about how to stay connected with your community. Breakfast will be provided.
codeORcreate Northwest 2023
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, April 21-23 - Virtual and in person in Hillsboro
Half-day Friday and Sunday, Full-day Saturday
 We're hosting a free computer science design challenge April 21-23 for high school students who are interested in website design, coding, graphic design and/or game design. The competition is open to students in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties.
Students can enter as a team with up to five people or individually. After receiving applications, we will follow up with individuals and pair them with a team. We will also assign industry mentors to all teams.
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The Monthly Messenger is a monthly update for Northwest Regional Education Service District partners. Would you like to see your team's work featured? Email communications. |
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