CHALK TALK

IN THIS ISSUE 

The Future of Teacher Preparation in Oregon    

Yamhill County Explores Online Learning Partnerships


Faces of Education 


Our Voices, Our Schools 








 

Why Do You Love Your Public School? 

 

 

The nonprofit organization, Parents for Public Schools, is launching a national campaign to rally support for public schools. You could win $1,000 by submitting a video explaining why you love your public school.  Winners and finalists will be announced in October at PPS' national conference in Houston.

 

  

Click Here to Speak Up For Public Schools

 

 

ChalkBloggers Highlights

 

 

Check out some of the blog posts from this month. 

 

 

"Lessons from Creating a College-Bound Culture in Public Schools."
Ruth Wallin 

I like to ask my fourth graders what college they are planning to attend. Of course, they think I'm asking them if they are a Duck or a Beaver. I am really serious about this though. Kids and parents need to know that some sort of post high school education is the goal for all Oregon kids.  

 

"A Day of Learning with the Mid-

Willamette Boys and Girls Club"
Abby Block 

Last week, Dan Jamison and I were invited to help facilitate the

Mid-Valley Boys and Girls Club staff retreat in Lincoln City. This Boys and Girls Club serves kids in the Mid-Willamette Valley area within the Albany, Sweet Home and Lebanon school districts and provides a fun, safe and supervised environment for recreational and educational activities. 

 

Leading with Integrity, Justice and Courage: A Tribute to Sen. Mark O Hatfield.  

Sue Hildick

Although we lost one of Oregon's greatest statesmen on August 7, I have been missing Senator Mark O. Hatfield for a number of years. He was my first employer and greatest teacher of my professional career.   

 

 

"Poll Results: Which Element of Classroom Instruction Do You Find Most Important?"

Liz Hummer
New school year, new ChalkBloggers poll. In the righthand sidebar, we'd now love to hear from you about what concerns you most about education in Oregon (and if there's an option we haven't included, let us know in the comments and we'll add it).   

 

 "Teaching Tip: Welcoming New Students to the New School Year"
Jennifer Singleton 

Here it comes...the first day of school! Walking through the doors, you can feel the exhilarating mixture of excitement and nervousness in the air. Kids will be meeting new teachers, seeing old friends, and showing off their stylin' new clothes. It's fantastic fun for some, but for students with high geographic mobility, the prospect of yet another new school, filled with unfamiliar faces isn't exciting-it's scary.

 

 "How to Use Classroom Technology to Enhance Student Learning."

 Liz Hummer   

 I may be revealing how much television I watch, but those K12.com Oregon Virtual Academy commercials are everywhere these days. Issues of school choice aside, their refrain of praises for online learning has me thinking more and more lately about the role of technology in education.

 

 What is a Bad Teacher?  

 Guest Blogger

Melissa Cantwell

 As a relatively new teacher, I'm well aware that the changes that result from education reform efforts going on now will have a huge impact on the future of my teaching career. I want to have a voice in the discussion about the future of public education. 

  

International Comparison of Student Achievement:  Good News?  Bad News?  No News?  

Ron Smith

Over the last several years, critics of public education in the United States have regularly turned to data provided by the Europe-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) through its student assessment initiative, the Program of International Student Assessment (PISA).  

September 2011

Greetings!

 

This past month included some new learning and listening for Chalkboard. We helped Yamhill County school districts explore possibilities around online learning and we held a convening to discuss the future of teacher preparation in Oregon. In both instances, we were struck, but not surprised, by the commitment of educators in our state to think outside the box in order to better meet students' needs. We hope you'll learn more about each of these topics and follow their progress as ideas become actions.

The Future of Teacher Preparation in Oregon

This past week Chalkboard hosted a conversation with representatives from higher education, school districts, policy makers, and other partners on the topic of teacher preparation. There were almost 40 individuals in attendance. The diverse group of attendees discussed current challenges and opportunities around teacher prep and had lively conversations about program admissions, accountability and placement. Chalkboard plans to hold a larger second convening in January.

 

Chalkboard received a grant from the Paul G. Allen Foundation to explore integrating a teacher prep component into the current CLASS Project framework.

 

 

Yamhill County Explores Online Learning Partnerships

Six Yamhill County school districts could see $1.2 million in revenue by creating a collaborative online learning program, according to a report by ECONorthwest. Dayton, Amity, Sheridan, Willamina, Yamhill-Carlton, Newberg, and McMinnville commissioned a report through the Chalkboard Project to look at the potential of creating a robust online learning program as well as finding efficiencies in their current IT operations.

 

Read the Press Release  


Read the Report

Faces of Education

There has been a flurry of activity in the last month as the Governor and Legislature have gone about appointing key education advisors and boards. Here's a list of some of those new appointees:

 

Ben Cannon, Education Policy Advisor 

Cannon came to the Governor's Office from the Oregon State House of Representatives and teaching middle school Humanities at the Arbor School of Arts and Sciences. He is a graduate of West Linn High School and Washington University. Cannon is also a Rhodes scholar and researched education policy while at Oxford University.

 

Oregon Education Investment Board

The Oregon Education Investment Board, chaired by the Governor, is overseeing an effort to create a seamless, unified system for investing in and delivering public education from early childhood through high school and college so that all Oregonians are well prepared for careers in our economy. Governor Kitzhaber has designated Springfield Schools Superintendent Nancy Golden to serve as his alternate in the role of Board Chair.

 

Richard C. "Dick" Alexander, Bank Board Chair of Capital Pacific Bank, entrepreneur, Board member of the Children's Institute, and leader in the Ready for School campaign to ensure early childhood success

 

Julia Brim-Edwards, Director for U.S. states/global strategy for NIKE, Inc., Government and Public Affairs, Co-Founder of the NIKE School Innovation Fund, and former Co-Chair of the Portland School Board

 

Dr. Consuelo Yvonne Curtis, Superintendent of Forest Grove School District and former member of Oregon Quality Education Commission for eight years

 

Matthew W. Donegan, Co-President of Forest Capital Partners and President of the Oregon State Board of Higher Education

 

Dr. Samuel D. Henry, of Troutdale, professor at Portland State University, former Chair of the Oregon Commission on Children and Families, and member of the Oregon Board of Education

 

Nichole Maher, Executive Director of the Native American Youth and Family Center in Portland and Co-Chair of the Communities of Color Coalition

 

Dr. Mark Mulvihill, Superintendent of InterMountain Education Service District in Pendleton and member of the Oregon Quality Education Commission and the Vision and Policy Superintendent Task Force

 

David Rives, of Tigard, President of the American Federation of Teachers-Oregon and teacher of English to speakers of other languages at Portland Community College

 

Ron Saxton, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of JELD-WEN Inc., and former Chair of the Portland School Board

 

Dr. Mary Spilde, President of Lane Community College and Co-Chair of the Post-Secondary Quality Education Commission

 

Kay D. Toran, President and Chief Executive Officer of Volunteers of America - Oregon and Board member of the Oregon Community Foundation, University of Portland, and Chalkboard Project

 

Johanna "Hanna" Vaandering, Vice President Oregon Education Association, Elementary Physical Education teacher, and Chair of the OEA Foundation

 

Todd Jones, Policy Coordinator for the Oregon Education Investment Team

After spending the coming year out of the classroom, Todd will return to West

Linn High School to teach history and economics. Prior to teaching, he worked nearly five years in government relations and public relations, including stints with Northwest Strategies and Metropolitan Group, and six years in state government, serving as an assistant to Secretary of State Phil Keisling and State Treasurer Randall Edwards.   


Task Force on Accountable Schools (created by House Bill 2289)

Rob Saxton, Tigard-Tualatin School District Superintendent

Colt Gill, Bethel School District Superintendent

Stephen Jupe, The Dalles Wahtonka High School Principal

Charlene Williams, Roosevelt High School Principal

Margarett Peoples, Grant High School Special Education Teacher

Tony Crawford, Baker Prairie Middle School Teacher

Morgan Allen, Oregon School Boards Association Legislative  

& Public Affairs Specialist

Doug Kosty, Oregon Department of Education Assistant Superintendent

Sue Hildick , Chalkboard Project President

Sarah Pope, Stand for Children Oregon Deputy Director

Statesman Journal Praises CLASS
"Chalkboard's research-based work already is transforming Oregon education for the better." Read the September 8th editorial.   
Our Voices, Our Schools

Jamila Singleton grew up in Oregon and is a proud product of the Oregon public education system.  After graduating from the University of Oregon, she spent eight years teaching in urban public schools and public charter schools in New York, California and Texas and was a Principal at a Charter school in Houston.  Jamila is currently a research associate at the Education Policy Improvement Center (EPIC) in Portland.  Her commitment to student attainment and increasing achievement, especially for under-served populations, continues to motivate her persistence and dedication to educational innovation, program development, and effective implementation.  

  

In what ways has your experience teaching around the country informed your current role at the Education Policy Improvement Center (EPIC)?

  

In June 2001, I graduated from the University of Oregon's Planning, Public Policy and Management program with intentions of closing the achievement gap.  Over the past ten years, I have learned that in order to carry out that intention to full completion, to follow-through, it takes collective action.  I work at the Education Policy Improvement Center to support the many states, districts and schools that are willing to make dramatic shifts towards the improvement of student's college and career readiness.  My greatest lesson, that has been reinforced in all three states in which I have led and taught, is teachers advance learning, and a teacher's willingness to engage and own the responsibility of their student's success and persist, is the road towards their student achievement and attainment--regardless of the demographic.  All students WILL learn when teachers act with urgency and push rigor and high expectations for all of their students. When organization leaders and mentors are willing to support this kind of engagement and results-driven instruction, teachers move through the learning curve and become the new pioneers of educational progress and reform.   

 

Being an Oregon native, what have you found that sets our state apart when it comes to education? 


Oregon has always been a place of innovation and trailblazing in my eyes.  My grandfather was a fisherman off the coast of Hammond and started his own small business to support the progress of his family.  I believe Oregonians value progress and are willing, like my grandfather was so many years ago, to dive deep for the future of our children and communities.  

  

What are some words of advice for new teachers in Oregon?    

 

Bakers make cakes.  Teachers make a difference.  Everyday you say, "good morning class" you are embarking on a courageous journey with great responsibility.  If a baker burns their cake, they can throw it away.  Teachers don't have that option, students will come back to schooling day to day and year to year.  The energy teachers need to persevere on behalf of student learning is unmatched.  The stronger your network of support and the extent to which you use your collaborative structures, will be the demise or catalyst to your teaching career.