Eagle's Edge
January 5th, 2024
Congratulations to Us. A True Team Effort
Dear St. Therese Community,
You may or may not have been aware that for the last year and half, St. Therese School faculty and staff have been preparing for a visit from the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA). The visiting team for the accreditation consisted of one Catholic school principal from the Seattle Archdiocese, one principal from a Catholic school in Portland, three teachers from the Archdiocese of Portland, and the Catholic Schools Coordinator from the Office for the Mission of Catholic Education (formerly DCS).
Recently preparation really ramped up and I have to tell you that a strange mix of excitement, pressure and anxiety was directly proportionate, for our staff and faculty. None of us was doubtful about how great our school is, nor was there any doubt about our students. Nonetheless, a pending assessment and judgment of our school from an outside body was intimidating! I tell students who have test anxiety that it's normal, and even healthy to a certain extent. It means you care!
The visiting team was on campus for 3 days, and as a result they will be recommending St. Therese School for a full 6 year accreditation, with the distinction of falling in the top third of categories!! It couldn't have gone any better! (***I note that this is a process and the recommendation from the team and our self-study document will be reviewed by the WCEA. In all likelihood it will be stamped with their approval, but it's not technically official until then.) The WCEA commissioner was on campus Friday and she had no doubt about final approval by the powers that be.
If that's fuzzy, you're not alone. The protocol and rating system have changed since the last time that St. Therese was accredited. Basically, there are 3 possible results in the new WCEA accreditation process. From least to greatest these are:
- 1. Denial of accreditation.
- A 6-year accreditation with a follow-up visit in one year to check on progress towards a particular recommended area of growth.
- A full 6-year accreditation with a follow-up visit at the 3 year mark to monitor general progress towards newly established goals.
Upon the evaluation from the accreditation team, we fell solidly in the best category, #3 as listed above.
I have linked the slideshow from the accreditation team which they shared with us yesterday afternoon. If anyone wants further info on details of the visit, such as what the 4 domains encompass and specifics about substandards, I am more than happy to share all of that. In short, we did great!!!
Oftentimes the elephant in the room in discussions regarding St. Therese, is that we don't have the financial backing of other schools, particularly when we are compared with some schools on the west side which serve more affluent communities. That is true. Does it present challenges? Of course.
The most important part of the accreditation process for me, and I know for many of our staff, is that this recognition is proof that money cannot and does not buy quality when it comes to education. You can't purchase community values. Diversity isn't for sale. Even higher teacher pay, which is one of our goals, does not guarantee longevity of teacher tenure, nor does it promise that teachers will go the extra mile for their students. A bigger bank account can make logistics less of a concern, but it cannot transform a community into caring more about others.
We heard from each member of the accreditation team many times how "special and faith-filled the St. Therese community is." From a note to teachers and staff from the team, "Wow! What a warm, amazing, faith-filled school you have!" As an English teacher who always encouraged students to find more descriptive adjectives, I noted how many times I heard the word "special" this week. One of the headaches I hear from other principals, is that they are only serving the most affluent families in their neighborhood, rather than serving Catholic families. When these times for accreditation roll around, those schools can't replicate what we have, which is a deep commitment to our Church and our Faith, evident not only on paper but in the people, students, and families who are committed to St. Therese. Money can't fix that problem for other schools. We can look for grants and get creative with fundraising, but other communities cannot buy school culture, and the numerous intangible elements which we have at St. Therese. One member of the visiting team, a principal of a school in a more expensive zip code, noted to both Father Gabriele and to the parent panel that their school "has the same number of students, but that's the only similarity." That was meant as a compliment to our school. She was impressed with all that we have going for us.
Our new Director of Catholic Education from the Office for the Mission of Catholic Education, Elias Moo, asked if he could join us for the final presentation to staff. I have to admit that I was initially hesitant because I didn't know how this thing would turn out. It was my first experience with accreditation as a principal and everyone's first experience of this process under the new protocol. If things didn't turn out in our favor, I was concerned that our staff, myself included, would not be in the mood to meet guests. Nevertheless, I am fiercely proud of our school and I always welcome visitors, so I obliged and told Mr. Moo to join us on Friday. He was not expected to speak at the event, he only asked to observe the process. At the end of the presentation, he noted that St. Therese is obviously blessed to have the qualities that make Catholic education unique, "that special sauce." Indeed we do.
Those who know me personally will tell you that I am very direct. I answer questions in a matter-of-fact way. I am not the guy to sugar-coat reality. I would make a terrible politician. That's not a "humble brag;" in fact, that quality can really rub some people the wrong way, and it has. I wear my heart on my sleeve and if you've ever read a newsletter, you know I'm effusive about St. Therese. I mention that only to say that I am sincere and intentional in my words. When I write in these newsletters that I love our school, I mean it! I have always been so proud of our school and grateful to contribute to it. But I have never been happier for our community than I was yesterday, because it was such a positive affirmation for all of us by an objective outside body. I wanted teachers and parents especially to hear that, from not one but five people whose charge was to use a strict, objective rubric to review us. We are not "less than" any other school. Conversely, we have a quite a bit to offer that is exclusive to St. Therese. Our teachers and staff do what we do for our students, not for accolades or praise, but this acknowledgment is very gratifying. A number of people congratulated me yesterday and my response each time was the same.
"Me? No! Congratulates to you! Congratulations to our students! No, congratulations to us!"
We didn't need other administrators and teachers to remind us of how special our community is, but it sure is nice to have some recognition! This isn't only about academics either. The 4 domains examined included academic excellence, Catholic identity, operational vitality, and governance and leadership. This isn't just a "feather in our cap" for our school employees. This is just as much about our community, both school and parish, parents, families, parishioners, volunteers and frankly too many to name. This is recognition for all of us. The preparation for accreditation was truly a team effort, and more importantly, our day to day operations reflect that. The results were not surprising, but it is a relief to have the process finished, at least for the next 6 years.
Thank you. Each and every one of you.
Thank you to our students for personifying the values we hold dear. Thank you St. Therese families for the role you play as the primary teachers of your children, and your support of our school. Thank you staff, teachers, faculty, parish staff, volunteers and all of the people I have forgotten to mention. Our community would not be what what it is without each and every person involved. I mean that. I do want to give special thanks to our school faculty and staff for going above and beyond. They never relented in serving our students, while also preparing so well for this detailed and lengthy process. As I told my wife today, "I can't wait to get back to work, and just work, without being distracted by the multitude of requirements for accreditation." It is indeed a relief, and the prep for this process has been like a second job for all of us, but it has proved worthwhile. I couldn't be more proud of our school, and the future at St. Therese is even brighter. I promise.
With tremendous gratitude,
Principal Schoning
Spotlight on 5th Grade
From Mrs. Campos, "The 5th graders were hard at work as they researched their assigned tribes. After gathering their note, they created a display sharing their information with the students and teachers at St. Therese School during theircall day Native American Tribe Museumin the PSC. Parents and grandparents of the 5th graders were invited. Fr. Gabriele took time out of his busy schedule to visit the museum."
First Annual St. Therese Tech Fair
Thursday April 11th, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Saint Therese Gym (MPC)
Mr. Rymer and all St. Therese students have been working hard, and having fun all year, learning about computer science, engineering, robotics, and many other things. They are inviting the whole St. Therese community to come check out the results. This is open to all, including friends, grandparents, neighbors and anyone you would like to bring. Stay tuned for more details from Mr. Rymer.
Upcoming Dates and Events
Please understand that the numerous half days are accommodations for our School Accreditation Process. They will be fewer and farther between next year.
- March 22 - Half day of school, noon dismissal.
- March 17 - 22 - Outdoor School for 6th grade students
- March 25 - 29 Spring Break, no school.
- April 1 - Easter Monday, No school.
- April 11th - Tech Fair
- April 12th - 1/2 day, noon dismissal
- April 19th - 1/2 day, noon dismissal
- April 21st - First Communion at 10 a.m.
- April 26th - Family Fun/Bingo Night
Recurring Events
****Holidays, inservice days, early release days, and other special events will affect these days.
- Choir Practice : Mondays 3:30 - 4:30
- Student lead school Masses: Wednesdays 8:30 a.m. (Holy Days of Obligation will affect these mass times)
- Student Store: Thursdays at dismissal
- Pizza Fridays: for all students, at lunchtime on the last day of the week (Friday)
- Vietnamese Enrichment Classes: Fridays after school
Athlete's Foot. Notes from St. Therese Athletic Board
- Basketball team photos this Monday, March 17th, after school in the St. Therese Gym. You should have heard from your coaches on the time. Please double check with them if you have any questions.
- FYI: Our athletic department will host a banquet for all players, in early April. It will be a weekday, but stay tuned for details on date and time!
Please Read these Important Odds and Ends
- All Fair Share Hours are to be completed and submitted no later than April 30th, 2024. Hours earned after this will apply to the next academic year. Thank you to everyone for pitching in!
- Drive slowly at all times, not just when it's busy. We have small children, teachers, service personnel and many others who crossing campus throughout the day. The speeds at which some people drive are really out of control.
- Please stop parking on the sidewalk which abuts the front of the main school building, and any other walkways. On top of the oil slicks left which create safety issues and are unsightly, sidewalks are reserved for pedestrians. We have quite possibly the biggest school/church parking lot on the east side of town. There's plenty of room.
- When exiting campus to Halsey, please slow down before stopping before the sidewalk and mind pedestrians/runners/cyclists.
Thank you for your support in these matters!
Outdoor School is Tomorrow!!
Sunday March 17th - Friday March 22nd
Make sure to have your 6th Grade campers at school by 2:30 tomorrow!
Veteran 6th grade teacher advice:
- Double check your packing lists tonight!
- Pack for warmth. Weather looks good.
- It's Oregon, so rain is a serious possibility.
- Pack an extra pair of socks, in addition to what you already planned for.
Mrs. Baumbach will see you tomorrow for the departure! They're going to have a great time!
Update on 2024 - 2025 School Year Tuition
This year current families will be automatically re-enrolled for the 2024-25 school year, and should contact the office if they do not wish to continue at St. Therese. The annual $200 registration fee will be applied to your FACTS account on April 1st.
We are committed to keeping tuition affordable to all our families and financial aid is available for those who qualify. Our tuition rates are still among the lowest of K-8 Catholic schools in Oregon. Due to inflation and cost of living adjustments for all, our tuition rate for the upcoming school year has gone up to $8,600, which we intentionally kept under a 4% increase.
The deadline was previously posted as March 1st, but the good news is that families may still apply for Financial Aid.
Please use the link to the school website for more information on registration, forms etc.
https://www.stthereseschool.org/grades-k-8
Please call the office at 503-253-9400, or email Mrs. Barnett, barnetta@stthereseschool.org.
Tutoring at a great price! Great way to prevent the summer slide!
Incredible Rates for Summer Tutoring at University of Portland & Scholarships are Available
University of Portland is offering this great deal to our St. Therese students. If you've ever looked into tutoring and associated costs, you know that it can be cost prohibitive for most of us. U of P is offering a great solution to this, in their School of Education. This is open to all students 2nd grade and up, for only $125, for 2 hours per day, 4 days per week. They have scholarships available as well.
(****Please find the red button below for the registration info.***)
STEAM Night at De La Salle North
2nd Grade Lenten Preparations
From Ms. Lavagetto:
The 2nd Graders made crosses to wear to church during Lent to remind us that Jesus died on the cross for us. They learned to do some weaving for this project.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Our very own Library Leprechaun, Mrs. Chong.
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