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Monthly Messenger

In this issue:

• Message from Superintendent Goldman
• The Make-or-Break Year: What Happens When Schools Rethink Ninth Grade?
• Students Dream Big. Our Workforce Development Team Is Building the System to Match.
• No New Educator Should Go It Alone: Mentors Take Educators From Surviving to Thriving
• The Oregon Legislature Averts Further Cuts to Education
• Listen: Becoming a Great Reader Doesn’t Happen By Accident

Message from Superintendent Goldman

Colleagues - 

Across our region, there’s a lot of good work happening in our schools and programs right now. In this newsletter you’ll see students stepping up to lead school improvement efforts, educators supporting one another through mentorship, and teams building stronger pathways from school to meaningful careers. You’ll also see the steady, behind-the-scenes work of improving literacy instruction so every student can navigate the Information Age and access the high-wage careers of tomorrow. 

Before getting to those stories, I want to share a quick update on something many of you care deeply about: Outdoor School.

Last year, the Oregon Legislature reduced Outdoor School funding by 20%. We were able to sustain the program this year primarily through reserve funds while we hoped for a legislative fix in 2026. With the legislative session now concluded and no solution in place, our Outdoor School leaders have been conducting listening sessions towards redesigning the student experience with significantly fewer resources.

That’s hard news. Outdoor School has long been a rite of passage for Oregon students, and this team has worked hard in recent years to make the experience more accessible — translating curriculum into multiple languages and supporting schools so more students can participate. 

Students from Orenco Elementary, supported by nurses, therapists, families, and adaptive equipment so they could fully participate. Photo courtesy of Hillsboro School District.

These funding reductions also put pressure on the progress we’ve made to professionalize Outdoor School educators by providing more stable employment and benefits.

At the same time, other parts of our system will continue moving forward with plans to hire for the year ahead. And regionally, we recently reached an important milestone: all 20 school boards in our region approved the new Local Service Plan, which guides how NWRESD partners with districts to deliver services and support students. We’re grateful for the collaboration and shared commitment that made that possible.

Taken together, these updates reflect the reality of our work: celebrating progress, navigating challenges, and continuing to show up for students and schools across our region.

I hope the stories that follow leave you as encouraged as I am by the creativity, dedication, and heart behind this work –

With appreciation —

Dan Goldman

Superintendent

The Make-or-Break Year: What Happens When Schools Rethink Ninth Grade?

Carter, a junior at Neah-Kah-Nie High School, leads a lesson about how to formulate an argument and respectfully disagree. In addition to leading freshman orientation, a tailgate party, a club rush event and monthly freshmen lunches, this year’s 20 Link Crew leaders are also visiting classrooms to facilitate lessons and share what they are learning in their upper-level classes. Photo by Tracey Goldner.

When she was in middle school, Brieah says the thought of high school used to scare her. She used to worry about the pressures of school and of always having to be mature. But all that started to fade away at her freshman orientation.

There, she was paired up with two seniors who asked her about herself and introduced her to classmates. She took a tour of the school and learned how to navigate the ins-and-outs of opening a locker. They broke down class schedules and all of the names of ninth-grade teachers.  

Read more about how Neah-Kah-Nie students are leading school improvement efforts (and shout out to Tigard High School for the inspo).

Students Dream Big. Our Workforce Development Team Is Building the System to Match.

Image description: Two people with text that says Q&A with Adam Whalen and Misty Wharton

We sat down with Adam Whalen and Misty Wharton, two Oregon educational leaders who recently joined our organization, to reimagine how schools and employers prepare students for a future they’re excited about — one that’s resilient and provides a living wage.

Listen to the podcast or read the interview.

No New Educator Should Go It Alone: Mentors Take Educators From Surviving to Thriving

Summer Gann, a special education teacher at Warrenton Grade School, works with Theodore, a kindergartener who is part of her classroom readiness program. Summer helps students with disabilities learn how to share, follow directions and calm themselves down after challenging situations. The goal of the class is to prepare students to join general education classes by third grade. Photos by Tracey Goldner.

The chocolate milk dripped off the table, and Crosby jumped back. But it was too late. The milk covered the front of his blue cargo pants, and he immediately cried out in distress. 

“The chocolate milk is all over my pants,” he said. “I need new pants, Miss Summer.” 

As a freshly minted special education teacher, Summer is participating in a new mentoring program that is specifically focused on making sure she feels confident and ready to do her job well. 

Read more about the ways in which rural special education teachers, career technical teachers and instructional assistants are connecting across systems to gain specialized support.

The Oregon Legislature Averts Further Cuts to Education

As the 35-day legislative session comes to a close, we are reviewing newly passed legislation to understand how it will affect schools and students across our region.

The biggest takeaway for educators is that lawmakers approved legislation to partially disconnect Oregon’s tax code from recent federal changes. This move restored approximately $311 million to the state budget and allowed the state to avoid the mid-biennium reductions to K-12 education funding that many had feared.

Several other bills passed this session will also shape how schools operate in the coming years. Read our comprehensive legislative recap to learn more about the changes ahead.

Listen: Becoming a Great Reader Doesn’t Happen By Accident

Mkiah, a fifth grader, has learned how to read and write in just one and a half school years. She works with Marjo Hawkins, a literacy coach at Lewis & Clark Elementary school, on phonics-based spelling skills. A high-quality reading intervention like the one Astoria uses -- Phonics for Reading -- can accelerate a child’s reading growth. Photo by Tracey Goldner.

Do you want to hear more about what regional schools are doing to improve literacy outcomes, but you run out of time to stay up on written information? 

Listen to the just-published audio story about Astoria School District’s work to overhaul their literacy instruction. (Also available on Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts). 

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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.