Estacada HS Newsletter
January 28, 2018
Estacada High School
Report Cards Coming Your Way
Student Newsmagazine
Wednesday A.C.E. Intervention Time - Revamped for 2nd Semester
The students who most need to take advantage of this program are struggling to appropriately utilize this time.
Moving forward, interventions for students will take place during their Wednesday class time for each course they are taking. While some students will have needed interventions, others will be given enrichment activities in their class.
Wednesday's will continue to be an early release for students at 1:25 pm.
After School Homework Club
Tuesdays
Math (Ruth Patino)
English (Anya Hall)
Thursdays
Math (Ruth Patino)
Science (Kevin Kirchhofer)
Students need to sign up in the office by noon of the day they will be staying after school so the transportation department can create bus routes to get everyone home. Busses will depart at 4:30pm.
Graduation Rates
Estacada High School graduated 76% of its students. This is up more than 6% from the previous year. It is interesting to note that those students who participated in multiple Career Technical Education Courses graduated at a rate of over 85%. This is a trend occurring across the state in which students involved with CTE courses graduate at a much higher level than the overall student population. The high school currently has the following CTE programs:
Automotive
Business/Accounting
Culinary
Journalism
Manufacturing
SHAWC Provides Healthy Snack for Students During Final Exams
SHAWC (Student Health and Wellness Committee) provided the funds that allowed our kitchen to serve healthy snacks to our students between their final exams this past week. There is a strong link between eating a healthy diet and academic performance.
Class of 2018
Graduation Schedule
Thursday, May 31st
Senior Final Exams
Friday, June 1
Senior Final Exams
Last Day for senior students :)
Tuesday, June 5th
8am - Senior Breakfast
9am - Rehearsal
10:15am - Senior Awards Assembly - school walkthroughs afterward
Wednesday, June 6th
6:30pm - Baccalaureate (First Baptist Church)
Saturday, June 9th
7pm - Commencement Ceremony
Historically, the senior awards assembly has been held on the Friday before the graduation ceremony. This year, the school calendar ends on Friday so our 9th-11th graders will be having final exams on that Thursday and Friday. Having students take final exams as well as attend an assembly is not feasible.
State Testing Opt Out
January 15, 2018
Dear Parent/Guardian,
With the 2017-18 school year well under way, I wanted to take a moment to provide important information about this year’s statewide assessment tests.
Last spring students at Estacada High School, and around Oregon, took state tests in English Language Arts and Math, called Smarter Balanced. The tests moved away from previous fill-in-the bubble exams that focused on rote memorization to a format which asks students to explain their reasoning and write out their answers. These new tests measure more complex, real-world skills such as critical thinking, writing, and problem solving so that your child can successfully transition from grade to grade and be prepared for his or her next steps after high school.
Estacada High School will start administering various Smarter Balanced tests in the Spring of 2018. The tests are not timed so your child can take as long as he or she needs to fully demonstrate what he or she knows and can do.
We know that an end-of-the year test cannot possibly tell us everything about your child’s academic progress. However, the results do act as a snapshot of your child’s strengths and areas for improvement and can be used as a way to ensure he or she is getting the support he or she needs. Additionally, the tests can serve as a graduation requirement and help the Estacada School District’s efforts to equitably distribute resources and support student learning. When fewer students take the test, we are left with an incomplete and inaccurate picture of how our students are performing, and this limits our ability to address issues, better serve students, and continue to improve our educational system.
If you would like more information about the tests or would like to inquire about submitting a form to opt your child out of testing for the 2017-18 school year please stop by the main office at Estacada High School. The form is also posted online on the Oregon Department of Education’s website at: http://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/assessment/Documents/Opt-Out%20Form%202017-18.pdf under the information tab. Should you wish to opt your child out, please submit this form to the main office on or before March 1, 2018. You can read more about your rights to opt-out at: http://tinyurl.com/OR-HB2655.
Estacada High School is deeply committed to ensuring each and every student in our school system has the support he or she needs to achieve at high levels and graduate prepared for his or her next steps. Our ultimate goal is to make sure that all students are setup to be successful from grade to grade and that will remain the focus of our district throughout the rest of the school year.
Respectfully,
Bill Blevins
Principal, Estacada High School