WLWV Community Update
July 8, 2019
Expiring Local Option Levy Funds 80 Teachers, Renewal To Be Placed On 2019 Ballot
The West Linn-Wilsonville School Board officially announced that the District will go out for a renewal of its Local Option Levy during the November 2019 Election by approving the required ballot title, caption, question, and summary during its June meeting.
The Local Option Levy currently provides funding for approximately 80 teachers in the District. The renewal of $1.50 tax per $1,000 of assessed value for general operations for five years beginning in 2020-21 will allow the District to maintain those teachers currently funded by the Local Option Tax. The Local Option Tax Levy was last passed by West Linn-Wilsonville voters in 2014 and is set to expire following the 2019-20 fiscal year.
Thank you to our community for continuing to invest in WLWV school facilities! As the West Linn-Wilsonville School Board prepares to place a possible Capital Bond on the November 2019 Election Ballot, the District continues to complete some of the final projects of the 2014 Capital Bond thanks to the continued generosity of WLWV residents.
While well over 90 percent of the 2014 Capital Bond funds have been spent on pivotal projects such as the construction of Meridian Creek Middle School and Sunset Primary School, there's still more work taking place. This summer, work includes new carpeting at Cedaroak Park Primary, tennis court resurfacing at Wilsonville and West Linn high schools, track replacement at Wood Middle School, a new music room at Bolton Primary, performance lights at Willamette Primary, a new playground and portable classrooms at Boeckman Creek Primary, and general site improvements across all 16 schools among other projects.
Work will continue through the summer, finishing in time for the start of the 2019-20 school year in August. Learn more about the possible 2019 Capital Bond on the district website.
Nutrition Services Accepting Applications for Free or Reduced-Priced Breakfast/Lunch
Your family may qualify for Free or Reduced-Priced breakfast and/or lunch at school!
Applying now ensures a faster processing time and ensures you will not be charged for meals unnecessarily as long as your family qualifies for the program. Meal benefits are not retroactive.
Confidential family applications can be picked up at school and submitted to Rhonda Linstrom, Eligibility Official at: 2755 SW Borland Road, Tualatin, OR 97062, or emailed to LinstroR@wlwv.k12.or.us, or faxed to 503-638-0486.
Applications can also be submitted online by visiting the Nutrition Services webpage on the District Website.
If you have any questions or need assistance completing an application, please contact Rhonda Linstrom, Eligibility Official at 503-673-7992 or LinstroR@wlwv.k12.or.us.
Summer Learning Continues Across West Linn-Wilsonville with Summer Reading Program
While the West Linn-Wilsonville School District’s Summer Reading Program has gone through a variety of iterations over the years, one thing has always stayed constant — the program increases reading skills for students in a fun and inclusive environment.
The free three week-long Summer Reading Program kicked off on Monday, June 17 and concluded on July 3.
Open to all West Linn-Wilsonville students in grades 3-5, the program consists of nearly 200 students with representation from all nine of the District’s primary schools.
Bus transportation is provided for all participating students, who arrive at Boones Ferry Primary at 9 a.m. where they spend the better part of 3.5 hours interacting with peers from all over WLWV, selecting books from the BFPS library and, of course, finding a comfy spot to curl up and read.
“One thing I really like about the program is that, even in just three weeks, we really feel like a mini-family and students get to know one another really well,” says Elisa Lee, the District’s Dual Language Coordinator and one of the Summer Reading Program coordinators alongside Kelly Rogers. “We have tremendous staff members, instructional assistants, and reading specialists who help make this program successful.”
It’s the second year that the program has been open to all nine primary schools. Students receive snacks and a hot lunch during their day of learning, providing ample time to get to know teachers from other schools as well as peers they might not otherwise get the chance to meet. In addition to reading, students spend time discussing literature, participating in writing activities, and even some art projects all aimed at accelerating and improving reading skills.
“It’s really an extension of what students receive in the classroom during the school year,” Rogers says. “Instruction is probably more focused during the course of the school year, but our teachers are certainly using all of the same strategies that we would in the regular classroom setting.”
New this year is an additional component for the District’s Dual Language students. WLWV Dual Language teachers oversee students who participate in the Spanish-English program using books written in Spanish as donated by Lowrie Primary. The additional element allows Dual Language students the chance to further their skills in the summer months.
“It really is a comprehensive program and one that we’re proud to be a part of,” Rogers says. “It’s a great resource for students and families.”
Safety Spotlight — Integrated Pest Management
If you’ve been out to the Athey Creek Middle School soccer fields recently, you might have noticed a new addition to the fence lines that surround the schools’ property.
The black covering that can be seen along the base of District fencing is actually a specially-designed fence guard that prevents the growth of pesky weeds that can lead to dangerous pests. The new environmental safety feature is just one example of the District’s efforts to reduce the use of herbicides across school grounds.
Learn more about efforts to reduce the use of herbicides in the West Linn-Wilsonville School District by visiting the District Website.
CREST Summer Camps Continue Through The Summer
Other CREST Summer Camps include EnviroCamp, where students explore local creeks and forests, learn about interesting wildlife and play active games. Students learn tracking, observation, and survival skills, during week-long camps. Adventure Camp, meanwhile, allows middle school-aged students the chance to explore the outdoors through activities like hiking, canoeing, white water rafting, and kayaking. Catalyst Camp allows students to visit research labs and conduct some science experimentation of their own.
High School Art Students Stun Community with SMART Bus Design Unveiling
Wednesday, June 26 was a monumental day for the City of Wilsonville thanks, in part, to students at Wilsonville and Arts and Technology high schools.
The City of Wilsonville’s SMART Transit Center unveiled two battery-electric buses during its celebratory community event, marking 30 years of independent transit service in Wilsonville. The new buses will cut down more than 5 million pounds of carbon emissions over their lifespan, highlighting another important chapter in the City’s quest to reduce Wilsonville’s carbon footprint and increase practices of environmental sustainability.
The unveiling of the two buses was noteworthy for more than the positive impacts they will make on Wilsonville and the larger world, however. The unveiling ceremony on June 26 marked the first time that Wilsonville and Art Tech students saw their breathtaking design boldly displayed on the exterior of the two new buses. Students spent months collaborating on their vibrant design, combining the blue and green colors of SMART with many of the prominent landmarks of Wilsonville.
Students presented their design to the Wilsonville City Council in December of 2018, where it was unanimously approved as the design for the new buses. Students who worked on the bus wrap design included Leilani Bautista, Vianey Bautista, Jasleen Kaur Bhullar, Elaysia Gates, Mason Wright, Eleanor Karrick, Angelica Maldonado, and Max McGuire. Under the mentorship of Wilsonville High Art Teacher Christopher Shotola-Hardt and Arts and Technology High’s Tech Teacher Philip Clark, students even got the chance to see the design wrapping process before it’s unveiling.
And After months of hard work and waiting, June 26 marked the day when the entire community could see all their hard work come to fruition. Students met transit officials and state legislators, received certificates for their service to the City, and took pictures with Mayor Tim Knapp and other government officials during the celebration event. They even had the opportunity to take a ride on the 35-foot electric buses prior to their deployment into the field on June 27.
Maybe best of all, students will now get the satisfaction of seeing their impactful design roam the City’s streets for years to come. They will always be able to point to their contributions, as their names are quite literally etched in Wilsonville's proud history, appearing on the back bumper of the new and future electric bus fleet.
About West Linn-Wilsonville
Email: kilstroa@wlwv.k12.or.us
Website: www.wlwv.k12.or.us
Location: 22210 Southwest Stafford Road, Tualatin, OR, USA
Phone: 503-673-7000
Facebook: facebook.com/wlwvschools
Twitter: @wlwvdistrict