Greetings!
Chalkboard kicked June off with two stellar events. One was a second "Conversation with Oregon Teachers," this time in Forest Grove. The other was an address to the City Club of Portland on the impact the CLASS Project is having in the Sherwood School District.
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CLASS at the City Club of Portland 
Chalkboard's CLASS Project was featured at the City Club of Portland's Friday Forum on June 5th. Chalkboard President Sue Hildick, Sherwood School District Superintendent Dan Jamison and Sherwood teacher and union leader Terrel Smith all reported on the transformational success of CLASS.
Exciting preliminary student achievement data were released, along with context on what CLASS means for the future of teaching in Oregon. An engaged crowd -- including key foundation decision-makers and reporters -- gathered in Portland's Governor Hotel to listen and interact with the expert panel. Meanwhile, around 28,500 listeners across Oregon were able to tune in later that evening to a rebroadcast on Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Listen to the presentation, "Standing
at the Head of the Class: Promoting Great Teaching in Oregon" by clicking the Friday Forum link or by visiting www.pdxcityclub.org. DVDs will be available shortly.
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Chalkboard hosts second "Conversation with Oregon Teachers"
 On June 4th, Chalkboard co-hosted a listening session with the Forest Grove School District.
Like our May event in Cottage Grove, the session honored educators celebrating a successful year of implementing the Beginning Teacher and Administrator Mentor Program. Superintendent Jack Musser addressed the crowd, along with Assistant Superintendent Dave Willard, and Mentor Program leads Angella Graves and Annie Tronco. Chalkboard's Kate Dickson moderated the discussion.
Find out more about the "Conversation with Oregon Teachers" by reading the press release and viewing the Conversation Report in the Teachers' Lounge.
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Teachers' Corps Launched
The Teachers' Corps is a network of Oregon educators committed to
teaching quality, career advancement, lifelong learning and improved
student achievement.
Like Chalkboard's Citizens' Corps, Teachers' Corps members
share Chalkboard's goal of improving Oregon's K-12 education system to
make it among the nation's best in student achievement.
Visit our Teachers' Corps Web page to join or find out more.
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Chalkboard Welcomes New Team Member
We are happy to announce a new member of our team: Melissa Mullineaux. Melissa will be joining us over the summer as an intern, primarily in support of the CLASS Project. Melissa is originally from Medford, Oregon, but just returned to the States after spending a year in Italy teaching kindergarten. Prior to that, she earned her M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University, student-teaching first and fifth grade in the New York public school system. In the fall, Melissa will be teaching sixth grade language arts in Washington DC under Chancellor Michelle Rhee. We look forward to capitalizing on her enthusiasm for the teaching profession and her experiences as a beginning teacher.
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Tag, you're it... 
For the past year, Mollie Dickson has been writing about her experiences as an MAT student on her blog "Ready, Set, Teach" hosted by the Chalkboard Project. On June 7th, Mollie graduated from her program and received her Master's Degree. "Tag" asked Mollie to reflect on her time as a Master's student and make some predictions about the future of teaching in Oregon. Congratulations Mollie, on your great accomplishment!
1) Reflecting on your recent graduation, what advice would you give to Oregon's many young people who may aspire to become teachers? And what advice would you give to students preparing to enter MAT programs in the fall?
For all ages of people who are considering entering the world of teaching, I will say this: get ready. Not only will teaching fulfill your craving to make this world a better place, through the education and empowerment of our children, it will shake your world-humble you, force you to reevaluate many assumptions regarding teaching and learning, push you beyond what you imagined yourself capable of, take you out of your comfort zone every single day -- it will stir your spirit and bring you to life. So my advice? Get ready -- keep a journal; share your stories -- and just go for it! It will be the best decision of your life.
For students entering into MAT programs this fall, congratulations. You've taken the first, courageous step. So my advice to you is this: breathe deeply and walk slowly, so you may soak it all in and not miss the details; question and examine critically, for this is how breakthrough transformations occur; listen to and learn from your students, they are the experts; seek and accept guidance from those around you, you are surrounded by wisdom; don't spread yourself too thin, dig deep and do innovative work in the areas that matter to you; and remember, even as a teacher, you are still always a learner, so don't be discouraged when you make mistakes, lessons go wrong, or a student just doesn't get it -- it's a bumpy ride -- keep your head and heart set on doing what's best for kids, continue trying with persistence and determination, and have a good laugh now and again. And as I tell my 6th grade writers: be bold, use your imagination, take risks, and enjoy the ride!
2) Are you optimistic about the future of teaching in Oregon?
I am very optimistic about the future of teaching in Oregon. Number one, because I have to be. I have to believe that what we, as teachers, dedicate our minds and hearts to every day is making a positive difference in the lives of young people, our community, our state, and our world. Number two, because now, more than ever, the public is taking notice of the severe lack of funding and attention our schools are receiving. Oregon's schools are in a state of crisis, which means Oregonians have an opportunity -- to stand up and speak out for education, to invest in the lives of our children, and to ensure a brighter future for us all.
3) What do you see as some obstacles and what do you see as some benefits of teaching in these times?
The primary obstacle for teaching today is obvious: funding. But I believe the benefits are just as clear: a chance to rebuild from the ground up, an opportunity to engage the public in a collaborative effort to educate our children, and a challenge to think wisely and creatively about how we can hold on to, develop, and sustain the people and programs that are increasing student engagement and achievement, while letting go of unnecessary barriers. I believe the focus of teaching and learning will shift from authoritative instruction bound by classroom walls to authentic, student-centered learning that utilizes community resources and technology to reach real-world purposes and audiences. So honestly, what better time than now is there to become a teacher?
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Congrats to Charlie Walker
On Saturday, June 13, Chalkboard Board Member Charlie Walker was presented with the University of Oregon's Distinguished Service Award for having made a significant contribution to the cultural development of Oregon and society as a whole.
Congratulations Charlie, on this well-deserved honor!
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Grant for Chalkboard Announced
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation will be granting Chalkboard Project $250,000 to assess the impact of our efforts to improve Oregon public schools' quality, stability, and accountability through authentic and innovative civic engagement. Chalkboard is thrilled at the investment the Kellogg Foundation is making in our organization to measure our results and guide our future work.
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CLASS Deadline Extended
The deadline for submission of the CLASS RFP has been extended until July 1, 2009.
For more information visit the CLASS Web page.
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Chalkboard in the news...
Recently Chalkboard's statewide education reform efforts were recognized by the Daily Astorian Editorial Board which said: "Chalkboard has demonstrated repeatedly the power of new vision for
education. In a downturn like this, we are fortunate Chalkboard exists."
Read the entire Daily Astorian piece along with other Chalkboard news coverage on the Chalkboard Web site.
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What's Next for Chalkboard...
June 11
CLASS Advisory Council Meeting
June 17
Chalkboard Advisory Council Meeting
July 1
CLASS RFP deadline
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