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Monthly Messenger

Stories

Opportunities

Events

Dec. 13, 2023

In this Issue:

• Message from Superintendent Goldman
• Efforts to Expand, Improve Child Care Gain Community, Business Support
• Coding Event Seeks to Get More Students into Computer Science
• Apply for a Grant From Our Regional Educator Network
• Upcoming Events

Message from Superintendent Goldman

Greetings colleagues - 

As the winter holidays approach, I want to share a brief message of gratitude. So many positive happenings and outcomes transpired across our ESD region in 2023 — to list them all would make for the longest superintendent message of all time! Without recounting the genuinely infinite individual efforts, projects and programs, it’s truly our collective effort and commitment to each other that have created the conditions for the extraordinary outcomes achieved in 2023.

2023 brought us one step closer to pre-pandemic norms around attendance, academic achievement and prosocial behavior in our region’s schools. While we still have a long way to go to recover and ultimately produce lasting change in our school systems, because of the efforts of our region’s educators, we are seeing increases in important markers of student success: attendance, early literacy and graduation rates have begun to improve.

Also this year, students are more fully engaged in their communities as participation in extracurriculars, dual credit and CTE opportunities are on the rise in our area high schools.

These things don’t just happen in silos or because of the efforts of individuals alone. Accomplishments like these — and continued progress toward more equitable and supportive schools — are only possible when our communities pull together and believe in one another.

I hope you are able to get some rest and enjoy the holiday season with those who bring you joy. 

Dan Goldman

Superintendent

Efforts to Expand, Improve Child Care Gain Community, Business Support

Providence Seaside Hospital awarded NWRESD’s Child Care Resource and Referral program with an oversized check for $100,000 on Nov. 28 at Step Ahead Academy, a child care center in Gearhardt, Oregon. The money will be used to support child care providers in Clatsop County. Photo courtesy of Eva Manderson.

Clatsop County’s youngest residents still don’t have access to the quality child care their families need. The county remains what is considered a severe child care desert for infants and toddlers — meaning there are more than 10 children for every available program slot. Families with young children routinely struggle to find child care and often have to hem together a convoluted patchwork of solutions so they can maintain employment.

Northwest Regional Education Service District’s Child Care Resource and Referral program has been working in Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook counties since 2017 to help expand the number of child care providers in the region and sustain existing programs. The program recently got a boost from three local funders to expand its work.

Coding Event Seeks to Get More Students into Computer Science

Nineteen students from Beaverton, Hillsboro, Warrenton-Hammond, and Sherwood school districts participated in a creative design challenge called codeORcreate in November. The purpose of the event was to introduce students to the creative problem-solving required in computer science work. Photo by Sara Franklin.

Last month, there were more than 7,000 unfilled computer science jobs in Oregon according to a recent report from the Computer Science Teachers Association. Jobs like these have an average salary of close to $110,000 a year. 

“Getting students coding experience in a fun, low-stakes setting is a great way to introduce them to the field or give them additional skills if they are already taking classes,” says Sara Franklin, a career and college readiness professional learning coach at Northwest Regional Education Service District.

As the state of Oregon works to expand Oregon’s computer science education plan, NWRESD is bringing coding events to more high school students, especially students in rural areas.

Apply for a Grant From Our Regional Educator Network

A teacher stands in front of the classroom and calls on students.

Our Northwest Regional Educator Network is now accepting grant applications for the 2023-24 school year. 

Grants are available to educators, grade level teams, building administrators, equity teams, superintendents, etc. in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties. We’re looking for applications that propose ways to address inequities in our schools.

Proposals should focus on one or more of the following areas:

• Culture and climate
• Flexible school systems
• High-quality professional learning
• Improved systems
• Preparation and growth

The application is open through Feb. 2, 2024, and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. There are currently no set caps on grant requests, so dream big for your community!

Upcoming Events

Concussion Management Teams in Schools

1/5/2024 10 - 11 a.m. | Virtual

1 PDU

This training will help educators learn how to create and facilitate a concussion management team so that students/athletes who experience a concussion are supported appropriately. Participants will learn about how to:

• Manage challenges related to students with traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Follow return to play and return to learn laws in Oregon
• Draft TBI-related immediate temporary accommodation plans (ITAP), 504 plans, and individualized education programs 
• Provide appropriate accommodations for students with TBI

This event is for special educators, administrators, school counselors, 504 plan case managers, coaches, athletic directors, athletic trainers, nurses and school psychologists. 

Learn more and register.

Motivational Interviewing Techniques for Improved Attendance

1/17/2023 2 - 3 p.m. | Virtual

1 PDU

Motivational interviewing is a counseling technique that helps people through changes of habit and/or behaviors. During this session we will give a brief overview of motivational interviewing techniques, pedagogy and theories to better support students who are chronically absent.

We will also discuss how to support a student or family through the stages of change specifically around attendance concerns. This session is for educators and support staff leading attendance initiatives at school sites and open for school districts located in Columbia, Clatsop, Tillamook, and Washington counties.

Learn more and register.

ORTIi Early Literacy Tier 3/Individual Problem Solving Training Day

1/18/2024 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

The Oregon Response to Instruction and Intervention (ORTIi) project, in collaboration with the National Center on Intensive Intervention, is hosting an invitation-only Early Literacy Tier 3/Individual Problem Solving (IPS) training day with partner school districts participating in the project. During this one day training, ORTIi staff and Jon Potter from NCII will cover: updates for tier 2 intervention review, updates for tier 3 individual problem solving, and developing standards of practice for tier 3/IPS (including training and monitoring). While the focus of the day will be intensifying reading instruction for struggling readers, discussions will also include how to integrate social, emotional and behavioral support when creating plans to support a student.

This training is intended for district and building leadership teams already working with ORTIi, but could be beneficial for anyone working on implementing or refining a multi-tiered system of support for early literacy in their setting.

Email Matthew Kishlock to determine whether this training would be appropriate for you and your team or to coordinate alternative support from the project.

NWRESD Early Literacy Supports Training Series #2

1/18/2024 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

5 PDUs

Come learn about the Science of Reading, the Science of Teaching and Data-Based Decision Making. There will be differentiated options for learners based on the needs of participants as well as opportunities for goal setting and interim coaching available. 

The intended audience for this series of trainings includes all instructors in Pre-K through fifth grade settings, literacy coaches and specialists, school instructional leadership team members and school administrators in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties. We have funding available to cover substitute costs. 

Learn more and register.

School Safety and Mental Health Summit

1/31/2024 8:30am - 3:30pm | In Person (Hillsboro, OR)

6 PDUs

As we emerge from the pandemic, it's clear that school safety and mental health remain pivotal areas of concern. Research confirms that students who are mentally healthy are more likely to actively engage in school, use appropriate problem-solving skills, and add to positive school culture. 

That’s why we’re hosting a free, one-day virtual summit focused on fostering collaboration and coordination between educators, administrators, mental health professionals, and other community partners in creating environments where students feel both physically and emotionally safe.

Join us on Wednesday, Jan. 31 from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. over Zoom. Up to 6 PDUs are available to participants who attend the entire summit.

Register for the School Safety and Mental Health Summit.

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