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Monthly Messenger |
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Colleagues -
Each April, we collaborate with our school district partners to plan special education, professional learning, technology and other services for the next year. It’s an exciting and hopeful time to think and dream of equitable, supportive school environments!
At the same time, news out of Salem clouds my general optimism for the promises we can make to our children and their educators. Based on lawmakers’ current conversations, we will underfund Regional Inclusive Services by $23.7 million – the program that gives tools to students who experience certain disabilities (e.g. deafness, traumatic brain injury, blindness etc.) so they can attend their neighborhood schools. We are also seeing budget proposals that are $53 million short of Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education adequate service levels – the program that ensures our youngest learners are supported during the most important time of their development.
Lawmakers are overlooking our most vulnerable learners. At the same time, they are reviewing a barrage of unfunded bills that would come with massive price tags for school systems. Their heart is in the right place, but their investment decisions will prove their true values.
Finally, the current State School Fund proposal is a whopping $400 million short of what many districts say they need to tread water. NWRESD is putting up our best fight to ensure our students are prioritized. And if I see an opportunity for you – our educators and partners – to take action on these issues, I’ll be in touch.
When we succeed, there is tremendous opportunity on the horizon! Just glance over the 92 services specially designed for our region’s students, newly approved by local school district boards: View our 2023-24 Local Service Plan.
Our Local Service Plan document and the accompanying report of current services by district offers a comprehensive list of our programming, bringing to life the varied ways our amazing educators support school districts, their students, and the communities across northwest Oregon.
Enclosed in the remainder of this month's newsletter, we offer a glimpse into the critical work of our equity learning teams, a story of a longstanding, irreplaceable partnership, and so many more events and opportunities that I hope you take advantage of.
As always, I’m honored to partner with you to deliver meaningful and important services on behalf of our youth. |
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In partnership –
 Dan Goldman
Superintendent
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Through Equity Learning Teams, NWRESD Aims for Antiracist Learning and Action to Permeate our Programs
 Patricia Jolly, left, an early childhood education specialist at the Tualatin Early Childhood Center, discusses liberatory design during an equity learning team training on Sept. 30. Brandon Zuel, right, a speech-language pathologist, and Katie Jones, NWRESD’s equity learning coach, participate in the discussion. Photo by Kelsey Cardwell.
As our mission states, Northwest Regional Education Service District is committed to equity and the success of each and every student. The primary way we systematically approach equity work is through our 19 equity learning teams.
These teams represent several programs and sites within our agency. Each team is composed of staff members who are committed to ongoing learning and to examining the systems in which they work to identify ways to create more equitable learning environments.
 Image description: A quote from Nanci Day reads: The work cannot be done alone; it is something that clearly must be a communal effort. Feeling the support of one another as we experiment with ideas that will build equity into the fiber of all aspects of our organization makes it a thrilling cause to be a part of. A photo of Nanci accompanies the quote. Nanci is an early childhood education specialist at NWRESD.
When we first embarked on equity work, we sponsored equity workshops focused on personal awareness, implicit bias and microaggressions. Under the leadership of our equity and family partnerships team and Superintendent Dan Goldman, our equity work has accelerated to also catalyze more opportunities for translating learning into action that will lead to a better educational experience for students and families. These teams are a mechanism for distributing leadership and responsibility across the agency so everyone plays a role in advancing equity and antiracism.
“Although learning is an ongoing process, we also recognize that action must take place in order to move our organization forward on our antiracist multicultural continuum and improve our systems to better support our community,” says Katie Jones, NWRESD’s equity coach.
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 John Lowery, an optometrist and professor at Pacific University who leads the Oregon Lions Statewide Low Vision Clinic, tests out a preschooler’s field of vision during a recent low vision clinic at Northwest Regional Education Service District.
In the world of vision care, it’s common to find eye doctors who know how to treat adults with waning vision. It’s also common to find eye doctors who treat children with slight vision problems. But there aren't many who specialize in treating children who experience moderate to severe vision loss.
When asked how many people in the state specialize in the field of pediatric low vision, John Lowery, an optometrist and professor at Pacific University who also heads up the Oregon Lions Statewide Low Vision Clinic, Dr. Lowery can’t come up with any names beyond his own.
“There’s just me,” he says.
But there are an estimated 775 children across the state of Oregon who experience blindness or low vision. Most children are not completely blind, so the goal is to maximize the vision they do have.
Several times a month, Dr. Lowery travels around the state to meet with these children, assess their vision and recommend aids and techniques to help fully participate in school.
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 Neha Mahajan Hertzog
Neha Mahajan Hertzog has joined Northwest Regional Education Service District as the new school safety and prevention services teacher on special assignment (TOSA). Neha replaces Jennifer Johnson, who is now working on school safety and prevention projects at the Oregon Department of Education.
Neha will provide technical expertise, consultation, training and system development to educators, schools and community partners in several key safety and health prevention areas. These include:
- Conducting and providing training on behavioral safety (threat) assessments
- Supporting educators with suicide prevention, risk assessment and response
- Creating and supporting crisis and tragedy response teams
- Preventing and addressing bullying, cyberbullying, harassment and intimidation
- Establishing sexual incident response protocols to address sexual violence and harassment in schools
- Fostering a safe and inclusive school climate and culture
- Helping districts carry out the Every Student Belongs rule, which prohibits the three most recognized hate symbols at schools or school-related events
- Developing bias incident response protocols
- Promoting social and emotional learning
- Expanding access and understanding of mental health and well-being
Neha is a licensed social worker with a doctorate in developmental psychology. She has 8 years of experience in K-12 education and most recently worked as a school social worker for the St. Helens School District.
As the district’s first school social worker, Neha responded to student crises, provided short-term mental health support, referred students and families to community resources, coordinated the district’s behavioral safety assessment work and led trainings on suicide prevention and risk assessments.
 Dan Goldman
Dan Goldman, NWRESD superintendent, has been voted president of Oregon’s Association of Education Service Districts. Goldman was elected to the leadership position by the superintendents of Oregon’s education service districts.
“I am proud and humbled to represent education service districts, which were founded on the principle of equity,” Goldman says. “After a historic few years, now more than ever — we must be a powerful, cohesive voice representing Oregon’s most vulnerable students. I look forward to collaborating with my education service district colleagues to find ways we can accelerate academic achievement and connect children to important services, especially those who are most in need.”
A three-year commitment, Goldman will serve as President-Elect (2023-24), President (2024-25) and Past President (2025-26), providing leadership to OAESD’s Superintendent Council, Officer’s Council, Program Cabinet and Legislative Committee. The OAESD elected officials are responsible for collaborating with the Oregon Department of Education, the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators and other statewide associations and advocacy groups. OAESD tackles common statewide and regional program, management and operational issues so that all children regardless of which school district they attend have access to quality educators.
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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The deadline to apply for all board positions is April 15 at 11:59 p.m.
Apply to join the NWRESD board of directors.
Questions? Email Board Secretary Valerie White.
 Cole Ziarnik, a fifth grader at Scholls Heights Elementary, talks with Ryan Deckert, the president of Junior Achievement, about his experience with Junior Achievement this year.
NWRESD leaders including Superintendent Dan Goldman and Chief Academic Officer Megan McCarter attended the Junior Achievement groundbreaking ceremony on April 4 in downtown Hillsboro.
NWRESD has been collaborating with Junior Achievement for about a year on this expansion to the westside, which expects to host 12,000 students every school year.
“We’re excited to partner with Junior Achievement to expand access to BizTown to children across all four counties in our region,” says Megan.
BizTown is a combination in-class finance literacy and careers curriculum and simulated leadership development experience for students in fourth through sixth grades.
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Come Learn About Working for Northwest Regional ESD
April 18, May 4 and 16 and June 6 - Hillsboro
4-7 p.m.
NWRESD is hosting several recruiting events this spring. The events will take place from 4-7 p.m. at our Washington Service Center in Hillsboro.
We will offer on-the-spot job interviews for classified and licensed positions. We’re also offering on-site child care with fun events for the kids. For additional accommodations, including language interpretation, please email humanresources@nwresd.k12.or.us.
We are currently hiring administrative assistants, early childhood educators, instructional assistants, occupational therapists, school psychologists, special education teachers and speech-language pathologists.
Bilingual (English-Spanish) Zones of Regulation Parent and Child Care Provider Training
April 20 - Virtual
6-7:30 p.m.
Parenting doesn’t have a playbook, but with the right tools and strategies, it can be easier.
Come learn about how to help children regulate their emotions. The training will be led by Megan Wattman-Smart, a school psychologist at Northwest Regional Education Service District who specializes in the psychology of young children, and Megan Snow, a family resource specialist who helps connect families to resources and support.
This training will cover:
- The foundations of emotions and how to regulate them
- An introduction to the Zones of Regulation and how they are used to help young children understand their varying emotions
- Strategies and tools for integrating the Zones of Regulation at home and in a classroom
This free training is open to parents and child care providers.
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.
North Coast Inclusion Seminar
May 6 - Clatsop Community College
9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
 We hope you can join us for a day of learning that will bring together people from a variety of academic disciplines and communities. The goal of this year’s event is to help educators shake up our current educational system to make it more welcoming and accessible for everyone — especially those furthest from power and privilege.
Keith Jones, president and CEO of Soul Touchin’ Experiences, will provide a keynote address about the importance of inclusion and disability awareness.
Session topics include:
- Building a Resilient Community
- Decolonization and Education
- Disability Accessibility
- Hidden Heroes: Lewis and Clark - Who is That Black Man Standing Next to Clark?
- Inclusive Pedagogy
- Indigenous Leadership
This event is free and open to educators working in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
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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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