The Weekly FIRE
Flexibility, Integrity, Respect, Effort
issue 15: 02/02/2021
Hello Dragons-
When do we get to come back to school?
That is the question we have all been asking since last March. Fortunately, this week there is some encouraging news about re-opening schools. Rates of Covid-19 infection remain high, but have been going down in recent weeks. Oregon has started providing Covid-19 vaccines to teachers, bus drivers, the great folks like Melody who make sure you get breakfast and lunch, and other district employees so that we can get ready to bring all of our students back to school. We here at RLA, along with the rest of the district, are moving furniture and making plans to be able to start bringing students back on campus as soon as it is safe to do so.
I will let you know more as soon as I can. In the meantime, in is important that we all do the following:
1. Continue to work hard in your online classes. We are working hard to be ready to resume in-person classes, but the reality is that we don’t know what is going to happen with the pandemic and there is no guarantee that we will be able to re-open anytime soon. Keep showing up for your classes with Teams and doing your work in Schoology.
2. Keep wearing your mask and limiting social gatherings. Overall cases in Multnomah county need to keep going down for us to be able to come back to school. You can help make this happen. Keep wearing your mask. Stay at least 6-feet from anyone you don’t live with. Wash your hands frequently. Limit the number of people you interact with as much as possible.
3. Help share information about vaccinations. Take a look at the chart below. Is there someone in your family who is eligible to be vaccinated because they work in a preschool, day treatment center, residential care facility or another job that is eligible for vaccination? Is there someone in your family or household who will become eligible in the next few weeks because of their age? Talk with them about getting vaccinated. People who are eligible can use this link to make an appointment to get the vaccine. Scroll down to the button that says “Let’s get started” to determine if you are eligible and make an appointment. Here is a link to the same information in Spanish.
Let’s work together to keep our protect our community, fight Covid-19 and get back to school as soon as possible!
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!
Tiger
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!
Jesse now has a virtual office!
Lines for Life
How to sit healthy
- Julie Mack, Wellness
Yes, sitting all day at your computer is terrible for your health and body!! We need to practice better sitting posture. Sitting sounds so weird but it has some serious negative health impacts. When you sit, you use less energy than you do when you stand or move. Research has linked sitting for long periods of time with several health concerns. They include obesity and a cluster of conditions such as increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels.
A few tips for sitting:
- keeping feet flat or rest them on either the floor or a footrest
- positioning knees at the same height or slightly lower than the hips
- placing ankles in front of the knees
- relaxing the shoulders
- holding elbows at the sides creating an L-shape in the arms
- sitting up straight and looking forward without straining the neck
- keeping the back against the chair, or using a backrest or cushion if there are places where the back does not comfortably meet the chair, especially in the lower back region
- avoiding sitting for long periods at a time, ideally taking at least a 10-minute break for every hour of sitting
- Do squats, push-ups, or jumping jacks. Turn off your camera and aim to do 5 squats or push-ups or 15 jumping jacks every 10 minutes of your lecture.
Stand up! If you need to have your camera on, stand at your desk or counter instead of sitting to activate your leg muscles during class. You can even do some standing stretches, calf raises, or walk in place to push yourself more.
Do some desk exercises. There is a whole host of exercises you can do right from your desk. Most these can be done without anyone even knowing, and you will quickly see the results!
- Briana Mejia – I see you!!! You are trying really hard – you can do this!!! I believe in you!!
- Maria Pacheco – way to come from behind!! You got this!
- Betsy Miranda Tello – you are trying so hard!! You totally can do this!!!
- Hannah Thompson – way to pick up the slack girl!! I know you got this!!!
Jo shouts out to:
- Isabela Guillen, Jennifer Sauno and Juan Calderon
Giving a shout out to my "A" team- students working Asynchronously and turning in good work. Although I miss having you in class, I'm impressed by your independent work.
Maya shouts out to:
- Karina Jacobo Bautista- IN IT TO WIN IT!!! SO proud of you.
Maureen shouts out to:
- Jonathon Reyes Reyes- Excellent participation and hard work!
- Ebonee Goldsby- Asynchronously awesome! Keep up the good work!
- Stephanie Sauno- Thanks for your quality work- You rock!
- Rosa Bautista Alejandre - Wow! Excellent Hexter for you- nice work!
- Hannah Thompson- Way to Go!! Great job Hexter 3!!
- Debo Francisco Ascensio - All around great student- Thanks for your hard work!
- Edwin Cruz- Nice job finishing strong!!
- David Vasquez Ramirez- Excellent participation- way to show up!
- Magaly Ruiz - Way to go finishing strong!!
I bet you never heard of Dr. Rachel Levine
-Sue Rosemarin, Science
Dr Levine is the secretary of health for Pennsylvania, is currently leading the state's response to the Covid pandemic. She has been nominated by President Biden to serve as assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. If confirmed by the Senate, Levine would be the first openly transgender federal official in a Senate-confirmed role.
This week on The Science Behind COVID I wanted to explore pandemics. How did we get here? Did we know this would happen? Will there be a future pandemic? Well to put it simply, yes, we knew this would happen and there will be a pandemic in the future, but we CAN do things to minimize the damage.
Viruses like COVID-19 are all over the planet. Viruses have existed as long as there has been life! Every living thing has a virus who is looking to reproduce. Most viruses that attack humans don't do much harm due to are immune system. However, evolution is ALWAYS waging war. Our bodies fight new pathogens (illness) EVERY DAY. Normally to no effect...but every once in a while...
The video I grabbed for today goes into the science about how a virus in another animal, like a bat, can cause a massive pandemic in people. I hope you enjoy and don't be shy if you have questions, I love to talk science! (gpena@RSD7.net)
All job seekers know to dress professionally for an interview, but did you know there are certain colors to wear to up your chances of landing the job? Read this article and find which colors are a go and which are a no go! 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).
Wearing This Color in an Interview Can Ruin Your Chances of Getting the Job, According to New Study
We all know first impressions mean everything on the job search. But who knew that "dressing for success" meant leaving out certain colors of the rainbow?
According to a recent CareerBuilder survey of 2,099 hiring managers and human resources professionals, blue and black are the best colors to wear to a job interview. Those surveyed said wearing black communicated a certain leadership potential and sophistication, while they said blue communicated someone is a team player. That makes sense because all shades of blue are often conflated with trust and confidence, making it an easy color to wear in the workplace.
But not all colors in the survey received, well, flying colors. In fact, you should probably leave your orange blouses behind. The bright color was rated the worst by those surveyed and was said to communicate creativity but also a few negative traits. The individuals surveyed believed orange could communicate someone was attention-seeking, untrustworthy and lacked commitment.
This mental picture doesn't only make orange a risky choice for interviews, but for external meetings and performance reviews, also. It seems safest to save your orange outfits for social gatherings or the next time you're working on a creative project.
Then again, if orange makes you feel powerful, here's a friendly reminder: Confidence is the most important thing you can bring to any interview or negotiation.
Earn CTE or Elective Credit by taking Kathi's Permit Prep Class every 1st Monday of the Month
Want to Earn CTE or Elective Credit while prepping for your permit? Need help preparing to take the Oregon Permit test? If so, then this is your class!
Check out Kathi “The Job Lady’s” Monday YTP Class below.
You can earn .50 credit by attending, ask me how!
Have questions about Permit Prep or anything else “job” or “life” related, please email me Kathi Morris at kmorris@rsd7.net or text/call me at 503-708-6540.
Monday: March 1st, April 5th, May 3rd & June 7th
Time: 1pm - 2:30pm
Meeting ID: 964 0575 7931
Passcode: RLA
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.
ZOOM: Meeting ID: 997 0308 6129 & Passcode: 500314
If you're interested in GSA or have any questions about the club, please contact Linda at:
Phill Wilson is a black gay man who founded the Black AIDS Institute. During the AIDS crisis, Wilson saw that outreach was mostly targeted towards white gay communities even though the black community was being disproportionately affected. He founded the Black AIDS Institute to combat the unequal health care and preventative education during that time. In 2010, Wilson was appointed to President Obama’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, and eventually became the co-chair of the Disparities Subcommittee. During his career, Wilson has also worked as a World AIDS Summit delegate.
(Source) https://medium.com/tmi-consulting-inc/10-queer-activists-you-should-know-613e2d06663c
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:
Hank Aaron, Home Run King Who Defied Racism, Dies at 86
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
Arts & Crafts: Thursday, 3:30pm
Arts & Crafts Group will be wrapping up in the next few weeks. However, if you are interested and weren’t able to join the first round, you are in luck! A new Arts & Crafts group will be starting soon. If making things with your hands and being creative, while enjoying some social time is your thing, send Jesse an email and let her know you’d like to join!
Todd Brehm, tbrehm@trilliumfamily.org 971-334-2009
Jesse Bright jbright@trilliumfamily.org 503-318-2905
A Chuckle with Kendra
1. Why shouldn’t you write with a broken pencil?
2. What does a nosy pepper do?
You can find the answers at the bottom of The Weekly FIRE.
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
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/Newsletter Editor
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
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. It’s pointless!
2. Gets jalapeño business!
Reynolds Learning Academy
Website: https://www.reynolds.k12.or.us/rla
Location: 20234 Northeast Halsey Street, Fairview, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 667-4673