WLWV Community Update
Feb. 5, 2018
Oregon Graduation Rates Rank WLWV Among the Best Districts in Oregon
The Oregon Department of Education released 2016-17 Graduation Rates for Oregon Schools Thursday morning, which show the West Linn-Wilsonville School District is among the top school districts in the entire state.
The District improved almost across the board at all of its schools, generating an overall graduation rate of 93.04 percent. The Oregonian listed the top schools in the state Thursday morning, showing that West Linn High School ranked No. 1 in Oregon at 97.19 percent, while Wilsonville High School was a close second in Oregon at 96.25 percent, beating out every other high school in the state. Wilsonville saw an increase of nearly 4 percent from the 2015-16 graduation rates, while Arts and Technology High School jumped nearly 7 percent.
“There are a lot of factors that go into graduation rates, but a great deal of the credit goes to our students,” said Superintendent Kathy Ludwig. “We're fortunate to live in a West Linn-Wilsonville community that cares about its schools, providing many resources and opportunities for our students to succeed. And of course we have tremendous teachers and administrators, all who play a pivotal role in the academic successes of our students.”
West Linn-Wilsonville also improved in graduation rate for economically disadvantaged students (83.44 percent) and in students with disabilities (79.17 percent). While among the top school districts in the state in graduation rate, West Linn-Wilsonville continues to strive for improvement.
“Our West Linn-Wilsonville District Goal No. 1 is to grow student achievement, generate equitable outcomes for all students, and eliminate opportunity and achievement gaps,” Superintendent Ludwig said. “In that spirit, it truly is our goal to achieve a graduation rate of 100 percent, and ensure that our students are college and career ready when they leave our buildings.”
The State Average increased 2 percentage points to 77 percent, showing an upward trajectory over the past five years. View the complete list of Oregon High School Graduation Rates.
District to Begin Radon Testing in Select Schools
As part the Oregon Health Authority's Healthy and Safe Schools Plan, all Oregon schools are required to test for radon by Jan. 1, 2021. To ensure all West Linn-Wilsonville schools are safe and healthy, and to meet the new OHA mandates, the District will begin testing select schools in February. Meridian Creek Middle School, Sunset Primary, Stafford Primary, and Cedaroak Park Primary will all get tested during the 2017-18 school year, with other WLWV schools receiving radon testing in ensuing years leading up to 2021.
Tests will take place during the school day, but will not disrupt classroom learning. Test canisters will be placed throughout each building for a 72-hour period, at which time they will be collected for testing. Testing devices are not dangerous and are also small and unobtrusive. Individual school communities will be notified by ListServ prior to testing in their school.
The Environmental Protection Agency has established 4.0 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L) as the action level for radon. Elevated radon levels in schools can typically be reduced quickly with changes in ventilation. Radon comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil and rock, and is found throughout Oregon in many different types of buildings. Breathing high levels of radon over a long period of time can cause lung cancer.
For more information regarding radon testing in WLWV schools, contact Communications Director Andrew Kilstrom at kilstroa@wlwv.k12.or.us. For information on how homes can be tested easily and at low cost, go to www.healthoregon.org/radon.
Health and Wellness Parent Focus Group Provides Curriculum Renewal Feedback
With new Oregon health and education standards taking effect starting in the 2018-19 school year, the West Linn-Wilsonville School District has been hard at work updating curriculum and materials for next fall. A group of West Linn-Wilsonville health teachers, counselors, and district administrators have met several times over the past few months to review the new standards, compare to current WLWV practices, and begin to think about future changes the district might implement across K-12 schools.
As part of that health and wellness renewal, district staff invited parents and community members to take part in a focus group workshop on Wednesday, Jan. 31. A collection of interested school district patrons, ranging from primary school parents to West Linn Safety Task Force members attended the night of learning, where the focus group dug into the new standards and what it means for West Linn-Wilsonville students.
“I’m really thankful for everyone that made time in your busy schedules to come and help us think about this important topic,” said David Pryor, Assistant Superintendent of Primary Schools. “We’re really looking forward to getting your help in this process as we look at the new standards and think about our own practices. We’re excited to work together on this as one big partnership, as a district, parents, and community members.”
Read more about the Jan. 31 meeting at https://www.wlwv.k12.or.us/domain/262.
Register Today: WLWV Preschools Set Up Students for a Successful K-12 Experience
A West Linn-Wilsonville preschool classroom is like no other classroom in the school district. When you walk into a preschool classroom at Cedaroak Park Primary, for instance, one of the first things you’re likely to find is a group of students huddled around a book, comfortably nestled inside a large and inviting reading tent.
Venture a little further into the room and you’ll find an art station, where students are likely hard at work creating master pieces with different mediums. You’ll also find a reading circle, walls filled with student work, and many more learning stations bursting with learning.
Continue outside any of West Linn-Wilsonville’s six preschool classrooms and you’ll find even more interactive fun in the form of outdoor playscapes — intentionally designed for play-based learning. Those playscapes are the crux of West Linn-Wilsonville’s preschool philosophy, combining play with learning to build academic vocabulary in preparation for kindergarten.
That type of learning is certainly evident at Cedaroak Park, which enjoys two preschool classes this year for both 3- and 4-year-olds. Principal Carolyn Miller says she’s seen the program grow tremendously in recent years, thanks to elite teachers and school grounds that perfectly lend themselves to early childhood learning.
“All of our spaces for preschoolers are interactive, natural playscapes. Children get the chance to use sticks and objects to build and design, they get to play in sand and ride on their bikes, and they spend a great deal of time outdoors every single day,” Miller says. “While we may think of that as play, play is actually the way that young children learn, and everything about the classroom and playscape is intentional to aid that learning.”
Read the full story about the benefits of attending a WLWV preschool. For more information about preschool registration, go to https://www.wlwv.k12.or.us/domain/160.
Inclement Weather Information
The School District will also notify parents via FlashAlert as well as via ListServ. Parents are encouraged to subscribe to both services if they haven't already. Even if you have previously subscribed to FlashAlert, it is important that you check your subscriptions as the FlashAlert service routinely removes subscriptions that have not been recently updated. Please note that FlashAlert is not a West Linn-Wilsonville system and the district can only provide limited help. Families are encouraged to consider getting the free FlashAlert Messenger app from the Apple AppStore or Google PlayStore.
The School District makes inclement weather decisions based on the ability to operate school buses safely, the ability for students and parents to get to school safely, and the ability for employees to get to work safely and on time. The decision to open, close, or delay the start of school is made for the entire West Linn-Wilsonville School District. That means that while inclement weather conditions might occur in only certain areas of the district, the decision to close or delay the start of school will be made for all schools. Families will also be notified when the District elects to utilize snow routes due to inclement weather.
Education Foundation Readies for Blazer Night
The box office is now open for the West Linn-Wilsonville Education Foundation's 4th annual "Night with the Portland Trail Blazers," as they take on the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, March 17th at 7 p.m. in the Moda Center.
This year, the Foundation is offering online ordering, so that families can select seats and print tickets at the time of purchase. This will make it easier for purchasers while removing the burden of collecting tickets from the desks of our hard-working school secretaries.
As in years past, WLWV ticket holders will have the opportunity to participate in at least one experience. All ticket holders who purchase through the West Linn-Wilsonville Education Foundation link will have the opportunity to go onto the court after the game and shoot a free throw. Additionally, any tickets purchased for children between the ages of 6 and 13 will be entered into a drawing to participate in the pregame Courtside Kids experience. For this exciting program, 20 kids will get to high-five the Blazers as they come onto the court and sit in their courtside chairs while the team warms up.
To sign up your child(ren) for the drawing simply send an email to marcouxbeyer63@gmail.com. Include:
Your name
The number of tickets purchased for kids ages 6 - 13 (names not necessary)
Your ticket purchase confirmation
Order your tickets now at www.rosequarter.com/WLWV and use Promo Code: WLWV.
The purchase deadline is Feb. 16.
Upcoming Events
School Board Meeting: Monday, Feb. 5 — The West Linn-Wilsonville School Board will hold a public meeting starting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 8 in the District Office; 22210 SW Stafford Road, Tualatin.
Early Release, Professional Growth Wednesday: Feb. 7 — Professional Growth Wednesdays include a two-hour early release on select Wednesday afternoons to allow educators time to collaborate and participate in professional development opportunities.
Joint School Board Work Session: Monday, Feb. 12 — The West Linn-Wilsonville School District will hold a joint work session with the City of Wilsonville.
President's Day: Monday, Feb. 19; NO SCHOOL — There will be no school on Monday, Feb. 19 in recognition of President's Day. Class will resume Tuesday, Feb. 20.
Rapid Resources
About West Linn-Wilsonville
Email: kilstroa@wlwv.k12.or.us
Website: www.wlwv.k12.or.us
Location: 22210 Southwest Stafford Road, Tualatin, OR, United States
Phone: 503-673-7000
Facebook: facebook.com/WLWVschools
Twitter: @WLWVdistrict