The Weekly FIRE
Flexibility, Integrity, Respect, Effort
issue 9: 12/07/2020
Hello Dragons!
This is it! We have just ONE WEEK left in second hexter. Now is the time to check your schoology and make sure that you have everything turned in. If you don’t now is the time to make a plan to get it done. Your teachers are here and ready to help. If you have a question, just send them an email or a message on teams! You can also go to office hours. We are all rooting for you, and we are here to help!
Remember that if you have incompletes from last spring, you could complete some of those courses by passing the classes you are in now!
Principal Aaron
Check out our past issues of the FIRE at the bottom!
Animal Guide of the Week:
-Laura Craford, RLA Social Worker
For those of you who do not know what the animal cards mean…
Each newsletter I will pull a card from my deck of animal guide cards, it is our message for the week—something we need to think about, understand or that we need to remember about ourselves or a situation. This is something that I have been doing with RLA students and staff for a while now, it’s my thing. 😊 If you ever want your own card, message me (Laura) through teams or @ (740) 240-2311 and I will send you a picture of one, just like when you would come to my office for one when we were in school!
Platypus
This week at RLA we are the PLATYPUS: “Stop complaining and focus your attention on the blessings in your life.” There have been many times that I have rolled my eyes or maybe even thrown the card when I have pulled the platypus for myself. However, if I think about it, maybe the platypus is asking me to take a step back and think about what I am grateful for in life, think about where my priorities are, and even think about how “bad” something really is. A book comes with the cards that gives further explanation for each animal. I found this to be helpful as I rolled my eyes this time around when we got the card:
“What are the things that make you happy? You may find a discrepancy between what makes you happy and what you’re doing in your life right now. If that’s the case, choose to alter one or the other: Either change your life and start doing what makes you happy, or change your thinking to enjoy whatever is happening in the moment. It’s up to you.”
Neither changing your life or changing your thinking are necessarily easy, but one or both seem like something to consider. What do you think?
After school drop in support group for students
Tuesday’s @ 3:30 & Thursday's @11:30 with Laura:
https://rsd7-net.zoom.us/j/95828308125
Meeting ID: 958 2830 8125
I think I would like to talk to someone...
Are you in need of Resources?
Do you want to talk to Janna Cash, the school counselor?
Do you have questions about your credits, transcript, or graduation plan? Students and parents can schedule a meeting with her here!
Lines for Life
Parents! Families! Looking for some extra support?!?!
The RLA Parents Support group starts Nov. 2nd! Below is the flyer with the time and zoom link. Please join us to learn ways to connect with other parents and support you and your child through these hard times.
¡Padres, Madres y familias! ¡¿Buscando más apoyo?!
Weekly Wellness Tips:
It is getting colder out and darker early, which makes it even harder to get some exercise in. Wake yourself up and try some boxing with Wellness! (Please do not punch other people including siblings!!) It is a great beginner workout but also will get everyone a little sweaty!
Cardio exercise helps:
- Strengthens Your Heart.
- Reduces the Risk of Several Diseases.
- Improves Lung Capacity.
- Naturally Boosts Energy.
- Great for Mental Health.
- Better Sleep.
- Helps the Immune System.
I bet you never heard of Alan Hart
-Sue Rosemarin, Science
Alan L. Hart was assigned female gender at birth, in the early 1890s. Throughout his upbringing around Albany, Oregon, he “always regarded herself as a boy, and thought she would be a boy if only the family would cut her hair and let her wear trousers.”
Hart ultimately became an expert in tubercular radiology, pioneering new ways to detect tuberculosis. He also published four progressive novels that drew on his medical background; his first, Doctor Mallory, was reviewed by the New York Times and would be named one of the state’s most significant books by the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission. Meanwhile, he practiced medicine for the rest of his life, despite being outed (and thus compelled to move) several times over the years. He divorced, but remarried.
The Science Behind COVID-19 Prevention
Welcome to this week's edition of Behind the Science of the COVID-19 Pandemic. As I promised, this week is all about mask MYTHS. I need to emphasis here MYTHS there are so many I could talk about, but will just show a screenshot of a FAKE Facebook post from this summer
I stress THIS IS FAKE!
None of these claims are true
Students of the Week shout outs!
- Daisy Juarez- Excellent job keeping up and doing quality work!!
- Yarely Dominguez Garcia- Keep up the good work!!!
- Star Aguilera- Awesome job!
- Angel Armenta- Great job! Keep up the good work!
Sue shouts out to:
- Alexis Hurtado Dominguez – you are doing awesome!!! Keep going – you got this
- Ebonee Goldsby – Wow – talk about resilience – you never gave up even with computer problems – you are great and can do this!!!
- Kanani Walking Eagle West – IN IT TO WIN IT – wow – you go, girl!!! Great job!!!
- Chris Hanley – you are doing awesome!!! Keep going – always a pleasure to see your initials in class
Maya shouts out to:
- Daniel Munoz- consistent participation and good energy in class!
- Brokk Smith- consistent attendance and always willing to participate in class. Thank you!
- Isabela Guillen- Great job getting back on track. Great attendance and I love your offerings in class.
- Dimitri Travis- as always, it is such a pleasure to you in class. Your positive attitude makes my day, everyday!
- Micheal Easterly- So proud of your efforts in class and staying focused to pass your other classes. Keep it up!
Julie shouts out to:
- Austyn McKee- Staying on top of his assignments and crushing his senior year! Great job!
- Gage Crowner- Staying on top of his assignments and crushing his senior year! Great job!
- Alex Gordon- Turned in a great video assignment that just really made me smile! Thanks so much!
- Harmony Crook- Worked through technology issues to make sure all her assignments are getting turned in! Way to persevere!!
Jim shouts out to:
- Magaly Ruiz - Made a big push this week and is now one test away from a CR History credit.
- Daisy Juarez- Got a good chunk of work done over the break. And is now more than ½ way done with a CR Health Class
- Breydon Smythe- This week’s Credit Recovery Rockstar. Worked steady through the break and kept at it this week. Got a bunch done and is now 2 tests and a handful of quizzes away from completing his second CR class this school year.
Neil shouts out to:
- Debo, Angel Mendoza, Carlos Munoz Guzman, Dimitri Travis, Cristian Flores,
- Araceli Avalos, Jesus Paz Zacarias, Giovanni Cervantes, Harmony Crook,
- Samantha Crouch, Maria Pacheco, David Ramirez Vasquez, Christian Morgan
Earn CTE or Elective Credit
Want to Earn CTE or Elective Credit while learning skills you need in today’s workforce and life?
Check out Kathi “The Job Lady’s” Monday YTP Classes below.
You can earn .50 credit by attending, ask me how!
Have questions about these classes or anything else “job” or “life” related, please email me Kathi Morris at kmorris@rsd7.net or text/call me at 503-708-6540.
Job Club Class
Every 1st Monday of the Month
Nov. 2nd & Dec. 7th
Want help with resumes, cover letter’s, interviewing or applying for jobs? Then this class is for you!
Time: 1pm -2:30pm
Meeting ID: 964 0575 7931
Passcode: RLA
Permit Prep Class
Every 2nd Monday of the Month
Nov. 9th & Dec.14th
Need help preparing to take the Oregon Permit test? If so, then this is your class!
Time: 1pm - 2:30pm
Meeting ID: 964 0575 7931
Passcode: RLA
Soft Skills Class
Every 3rd Monday of the Month
Oct.19
Want to learn about soft skills needed in today’s job market? Want to learn what soft skills are? Come to this class and find out!
Time: 1pm - 2:30pm
Meeting ID: 964 0575 7931
Passcode: RLA
Kathi's Career Corner:
Do you know what Emotional Intelligence is? Do you want to know what Emotional Intelligence is and how it can help you? Read this week’s article and find out. Each week Kathi “The Job Lady” will give you “tips and tricks” on this and much more! If you want individual help, contact Kathi: kmorris@rsd7.net or 503-708-6540 (text is fine).
If You Say These 3 Words Daily, You’re More Emotionally Intelligent Than Most
Sure, book smarts and practical experience play big roles in who you are as both an employee and a person. But emotional intelligence (EQ) also carries significant weight. In fact, EQ can take you a long way.
Your EQ is your ability to understand, manage and leverage your emotions in positive ways to handle stress, communicate effectively and empathize with others. Someone with such self-awareness can, therefore, overcome challenges, work well with all types of people and even defuse inevitable conflicts in healthy, productive ways.
How do you increase your EQ? You can study, read, practice and train to expand your knowledge and improve your hard skills, but boosting your EQ involves another kind of effort. Instead of looking outward, you must look inward. One surefire way to do just that is by admitting some hard truths to yourself. Research shows that coughing up just these three words, can make you more emotionally intelligent: "I don't know."
Being able to admit that you don't know an answer or a solution or a piece of information isn't necessarily an easy feat. Often, it's hard to know if you have the best information. In many cases, no matter how accomplished or experienced you are, there's still plenty you don't know. This is not a criticism, but rather permission to say it out loud. It's true for all of us, even though most of us would rather dig a tunnel with our mouth than admit that we don't know something.
The reality is that, sometimes, you just don't know. Admitting it to yourself and others, welcoming help and ideas, and being open to criticism are important. Accepting that you need more information, experience, or hands on deck takes humility and confidence, and those are two powerful traits of a good employee.
Clubs
GSA
Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) is a club to unite LGBTQ+ and allies. It's a space to come together to talk and learn about sexual orientation and gender identity. A place to build community and discuss the issues that impact it and you.
This will be a safe, welcoming, and accepting space for all.
If you're interested in GSA or have any questions about the club, please contact Linda at:
Join us on WEDNESDAYS at 10:30 on ZOOM
ZOOM: Meeting ID: 997 0308 6129 & Passcode: 500314
From Shame to Pride, The Pink Triangle
Today the pink triangle is worn proudly in the gay community, but it’s past is filled with shame, torture, persecution, death, and much more.
In 1871, Germany’s criminal law stated; men who engage in acts of an “unnatural indecency” could go to jail. This is known as “paragraph 175”. The German Supreme Court in 1877 clarified that there had to be evidence of an “intercourse-like act” to be convicted. With this new revision it became challenging to prove, unless someone confessed. During this time Germany’s Gay community was able to flourish.
Nazi Germany, September 1935, pink becomes the darkest color. Another amendment was made to Paragraph 175. This amendment outlawed men from looking at or touching one another in what could be a sexually suggestive way. Law enforcement was now allowed to arrest men on rumors of such acts. A “pink list” of “offenders” was started.
The Jewish people were not the only people Nazi’s sent to concentration camps. There were many other groups as well. Some of these people were criminals who were identified with a green triangle, political prisoners with a red triangle, Jehovah’s Witnesses with a purple triangle, prostitutes, vagabonds, and lesbians with a black triangle to give a few. However, it was the gay men who were treated the lowest of the low and they wore the shameful pink triangle. They were separated from all others in fear that their homosexuality would be contagious. These men had to sleep with the lights on and their hands out from under the blankets. Pink triangles were given the dirtiest and hardest jobs, such as shoveling snow with their bare hands. These men were used in medical experiments to help find a cure for typhus fever, injected with testosterone to cure homosexuality, tortured and even castrated.
The pink triangle is reclaimed from a symbol of shame to one of pride and not only for gay men, but the whole gay community. In 1977 Miami, gay activists tried to reclaim the pink triangle by sewing it to their clothes while protesting for equal housing rights. They did not succeed. The pink triangle started to show up around the world and in 1986 six activists in New York City wanted to call attention to the AIDS crisis that was annihilating gay men, so they created a poster, SILENCE = DEATH with a bright pink upward-facing triangle.
The pink triangle may now be a symbol of pride, unity, and safe spaces for the gay community, but it was born from hatred and darkness and shall not be erased, forgotten or ignored.
For more detailed information check out these sources:
Watch this video to learn more about the experience of a Pink Triangle
Stefan Kosinski on being tortured in jail | USC Shoah Foundation
Stefan Kosinski recounts the torture he underwent in jail at the hands of Nazis intent on extracting a confession that he was homosexual.
sfi.usc.edu
BSU
The Black Student Union (BSU) is an organization at Reynolds Learning Academy that is devoted to spreading the history of Black Culture. We are doing this through cultural forums, educational workshops and entertainment events. We are all unified in one voice in order to embrace and enrich Black culture. We welcome all ethnicities and value growth, development and strive for cross-cultural understanding and appreciation of all our diverse histories and experiences.
Standing Motto “Unity Bridges Gaps”
Any students interested in joining the Black Student Union (BSU) please contact Ramon Hall at:
Groups, Groups & More Groups!
Self-care/Wellness Group, Stress Management, Grief & Loss, Making Connections…and more. If you are interested in learning more or joining a group or you have an idea for a group, contact Laura at:
lcraford@rsd7.net or call/text (740) 240-2311
1. Hip-Hop Group: Monday, 3pm on ZOOM
Hip hop group is an opportunity for students to express themselves through rhythm, beats and poetry. We will be sharing music and dance, making beats, finding beats on YouTube and writing our own lyrics/songs. The focus of this group is to create an artistic space for beginner or expert rappers, beat makers, and poets to build and create together. Check in with Dane.
https://trilliumfamily.zoom.us/j/99693631547
Password: hiphop
2. Netflix vs. Hulu vs. TikTok: Monday, 2pm on ZOOM
What’s better Netflix or Hulu? But really TikTok is where it’s at! Come to this group to discuss all things streaming and social media and everywhere in between. We hope to build a safe space where people can talk about their favorite shows, movies, and accounts they like to follow, and maybe watch a few videos! We might also get into ways to relax, deal with stress, and balance time management so you don’t end up binging on shows until 3am every night, just on the weekends ;)
https://trilliumfamily.zoom.us/j/94708901770
Password: Netflix
3. Arts & Crafts: Thursday, 3:30pm
Arts and Crafts Group with Jesse will be Thursday at 3:30pm over zoom. Due to the large interest in this group and the limited amount of supplies available, not everyone who expressed interest will be able to participate this time. However, we may be able to run a second arts and crafts group in the future. Jesse will be coordinating with students to drop off supplies as well as provide the zoom link before Thursday. For questions, call Jesse: 503-318-2905.
If you’ve already signed up for a group, check your student email and you will get a reminder and link to join the group on the first day. If you’re still interested in one of the available groups then just follow the link/password to join at the right time! Any questions reach out to the Trillium team:
Todd Brehm, tbrehm@trilliumfamily.org 971-334-2009
Jesse Bright jbright@trilliumfamily.org 503-318-2905
Dane Hilts dhilts@trilliumfamily.org 971-940-8561A Chuckle with Kendra
1. What do you call a really old snowman?
2. What do snowmen love to dance?
You can find the answers at the bottom of The Weekly FIRE.
Upcoming Events:
Hexter 3 starts December 15th
Principal Office Hours and Open Family Meetings
This year the Principal will be holding regular times when you can meet with him without an appointment. Open family meetings will be held on Thursday evenings. The Principal will make some brief announcements and then open the floor for questions, comments and discussion. Office hours will be held on Thursday mornings and will be a place where you can drop in to ask a question or get help from the Principal. Dates, times and the Zoom link are below.
Helpful Links:
This is a link to your Clever login. Follow this link to get into your schoology, school email, SutdentVUE, Teams meetings and other school resources from any computer.
Remember your login is: schoolID@students.rsd7.net
Your password is your school ID number followed by your 8 digit birthday (schoolid+mmddyyyy)
You can find our general student schedule here:
https://www.reynolds.k12.or.us/rla/student-weekly-schedule
The school calendar for 2020-2021 is here:
English:
Español:
If you are an RLA student, make sure you are signed up to get remind messages:
https://www.remind.com/join/cc7eh7
If you are an RLA parent, make sure you are signed up to get remind messages:
How to reach us:
Aaron Ferguson
Principal
503.667.4673 ex 3430
Angie Gilbert
Trades/Careers and Internships
503.667.4673 ex 3606
Brendan O'Malley
Art/Math
406-616-2852
Chris Phelps
Social Studies
503-667-4673 ex 3617
Dane Hilts
Skills Trainer
971-940-8561
Gina Bousley
Case Management
503.667.4673 ex 3613
Gio Peña
Science
971-258-0180
Giovanna Gioffre
English
503-667-4673 ex 3604
Janna Cash
Counselor
541-362-1959
Jesse Bright
Skills Trainer
503-318-2905
Jessica Sexton
School Psychologist
(360)991-9572
Jessica Kramer
Social Studies
(503)780-4809
Jim Deady
Credit Recovery
Call: 503.667.4673 ex 3045 Text: (541) 937 5460
Julie Mack
Wellness
503-667-4673 ex 3608
Karri Klock
Registrar
503-667-4673
Katherine Howton
Math
( 609) 380-1007
Kathi Morris
YTP Specialist
(503)708-6540
Kendra DeWater
Math
(971) 217-6214
Kristin Aubel Topletz
Night School
503-893-5088
Laura Craford
Social Worker
503.667.4673 ex 3620
Lauren Tobias
Case Management
503.667.4673 ex 3618
Linda Lamendola-Gilliam
SMT/GSA/Newsletter Manager
(503)667-4673 x3630
Maureen Geraghty
English
503-830-1752
Neal Noble
Math
503-667-4673 ex 3609
Ramon Hall
SMT/BSU Leader
Sue Rosemarin
Science
503-667-4673 ex 3598
Terry Panowicz
Counselor
503.667.4673 ex 3627
Todd Brehm
Prevention Specialist
971-334-2009
If you need help with school work between the hours of 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM, Monday through Thursday you can reach out to our Night School Teacher Kristin Aubel Topletz at 503-893-5088 or email her at kaubeltopletz@rsd7.net
Si desea comunicarse con algún miembro del personal y desea ayuda en español, puede comunicarse con nuestra enlace familiar Nancy Gutierrez Leon llamando al 503-667-4673 ex 3634 o enviándole un correo electrónico a NGutierrezLeon@rsd7.net. También puede enviarle mensajes de texto al 971-236-3174.
Answers to: A Chuckle with Kendra
1. Water.
2. The snow ball.
MASKS SAVE LIVES
Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Save a Life, Wear a Mask
Reynolds Learning Academy
Website: https://www.reynolds.k12.or.us/rla
Location: 20234 Northeast Halsey Street, Fairview, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 667-4673