District Staff News
October 14, 2019
We're beginning our seventh week of the school year and it's already time for conferences. I hope you have the opportunity to connect with many parents this week. They are a critical part of their student's education; the school-to-home partnership benefits all of us!
Thank you to everyone who helped coordinate and lead our professional development sessions on Friday. It was great to see so many leaders in our district step up to share their knowledge with colleagues. I also appreciate the time set aside to allow our School Climate Teams to collaborate and work on plan development.
We continue to work on our District Continuous Improvement Plan. Our CIP helps us identify goals and measurements to ensure we are serving all students. This plan aligns with our Academic Vision and will inform our Student Success Act Plan. By now, you should have had your building-level staff feedback forum. This feedback will be reviewed, summarized, and incorporated into the SSA Plan as part of the application process for funds this spring.
If you were unable to attend your building-level meeting, you can join us tonight at CHS at 7:00 PM for a public forum. You can also submit your feedback through an online survey. It is open to staff members now, but will not open to the rest of the community until our public forums are complete. We will send a link to our families to access the online survey this Wednesday.
The firm we hired to conduct a community poll about a potential general obligation bond has wrapped up its work. Patinkin Research Strategies will present its findings to the Board this Thursday. The Board plans to decide by early November whether to refer a facilities bond to voters next May. In the event that the Board decides to pursue a bond, we will rely heavily on our Facilities Condition Assessment that was completed last year. It highlights needs in regards to school modernization, safety and security, HVAC improvements, new roofs, etc. The report, along with our demographic study, made it clear that we have no need to build any new facilities. This is all a good reminder that while our work is really about what takes place inside the classroom, we also have a responsibility to make sure our students, families, and staff have facilities that reflect our commitment to a quality education here in Canby.
Finally, we are at a time of the year where we are transitioning from one season to another. I don’t know about you but for me fall always seems to be a time of deeper reflection. I appreciate very much the collegiality I observe in buildings, the thoughtful ways you interact with your students, the commitment you have to partnering with the families you serve, and the way we approach our work to meet the needs of our students. I always feel fortunate that I get to work each day with so many outstanding educators and staff members here in the Canby School District.
Enjoy the fall colors!
Best,
Do parent-teacher conferences make you nervous? With so much on our plates, it can be stressful to prepare for conferences. These conferences are not only a time for us to provide empirical information about how students are doing, but they are also a time to create partnerships, strengthen relationships with families, and should be the beginning of ongoing communication that promotes student learning. Below are links that can support you in preparing for conferences. Each holds strategies to support this partnership, enhance communication, and prepare us for communicating with families that have different cultures than our own.
Thank you for all you do for students each and every day. I hope you find the following resources helpful in preparing for fall conferences.
Don’t have time to read or prefer to listen? Here are some tips from the yourparentingmojo podcast. A resource guide is also included on this site.
- Ivonne
Climate Teams from across the District had their first meetings on September 26. Our secondary teams met in the morning and our elementary teams met in the afternoon in the Ackerman library. It was wonderful to see all the work as teams began conceptualizing and working on their School Climate Plans! It is the goal that all schools will have completed School Climate Plans in place by the end of this school year. The next Climate Team meeting is scheduled for this coming Friday, October 11! Thank you for all of our Schools and Climate Team members for your commitment to our collective work!
The Behavior Instructional Assistants had their first “job-alike” meeting on September 27. These will occur regularly, as we on-board this important new role within our elementary schools, so that we are implementing this new role with fidelity and able to show the impact that this new staff/student resource is having on our school climate across the District.
Our Post High Program will have their Fall Parent Night on Wednesday, October 16, from 5:00 - 7:00 pm.
SEAC (our parent Special Education Advisory Council) will be sponsoring an SSA Parent Meeting for our parents with students with disabilities the evening of October 15, 2019.
- Kathy
On the first of the month, our help desk system turned one year old. In those 365 days, your technology team processed just over 4,500 requests, issues, and questions! While this is a ton of tickets, we estimate that it only represents 50-60% of the actual work our teams accomplish. We appreciate your willingness to use the system so that we can better track our work, but we’d love if you’d use it more. So, if you haven’t logged in to report a problem or make a request, please give it a shot. We’d love to be at 11,000 total requests by October 2020...can you do it? We think you can!
- Bret
Loan Forgiveness Workshop
Clackamas ESD is hosting a free student loan forgiveness workshop. Loan forgiveness or cancellation of your loan means that you are no longer required to repay some or all of your loan. Do not miss out on this opportunity which could save you money!
When: Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Time: 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Where: Clackamas ESD, 13455 SE 97th Ave. Clackamas, OR 97015
Presenter: Lauren Smith, Vice President of Western Region for PAC NW/AXA ADVISORS
Workshop Agenda:
* Important factors that may make you eligible for student loan forgiveness
* Examples of how this program might work for you
* How AXA Advisors will help you simplify the process by using StudentLoan Tech to determine your eligibility
Nike Company Store Passes
Free WW Membership
Your OEBB medical plan covers the entire cost of membership into WW (Weight Watchers Reimagined), and the process is easier than ever ... so check it out and see if it's right for you!
(Plus, if you sign up between now and December 15th, they'll send you a free cookbook!)
- Michelle
Enlisting Pediatricians to Help Students Succeed in School
A Message from CHS Girls' Soccer Head Coach Maria VanAcker
On October 17th the GSOC program will dedicate the home game vs Lake Oswego HS to Ellie. There will be pizza, #elliestrong shirts and bracelets, and CHS soccer merchandise for sale (rain jackets, sweatshirts, dri-fit tops, t-shirts, soccer socks, etc). Dutch Bros. will be slinging coffee and warm drinks, and the CHS Dance Team will perform at half! (We’re also working on securing a performance from the CHS Band and Cheer team - stay tuned!) All supporters are encouraged to wear their #elliestrong t-shirts to the game. Help us pack the stands for Ellie and make it a memorable night of support for her and her family!
#elliestrong Youth Soccer Camp
The GSOC program is hosting a #elliestrong Youth Soccer Camp on Friday, October 18th from 9-10am at the CHS Stadium field. The camp is open to boys and girls ages 4-14. A $20 suggested donation is encouraged per player; and each player will take home an #elliestrong t-shirt! Preregistration is encouraged (https://forms.gle/s1c37z9ipdkf5eEq7).
The local podcast, Canby Now, recently talked with Ellie about her diagnosis. Take a listen for a dose of inspiration (begins at 21:30 into the podcast).
CEF Unsung Hero Award
Do you know someone with great passion, vision, and generosity? An individual who continually goes above and beyond their call of duty while supporting education? Take this opportunity to nominate them for the Canby Educational Foundation's Reif Unsung Hero Award. The award is given in recognition of former CEF Board Member with benevolent community support, Roger Reif.
Nomination Form: https://www.canbyedfoundation.org/unsung-hero
Thursday, October 24, 2019
5:30pm
Oakview Acres
$50 per Person | Drinks and Dinner
Tickets on Sale Now
Proceeds go towards grants for Canby School District students.
All students. All abilities. All opportunities.
Email: fostera@canby.k12.or.us
Website: www.canby.k12.or.us
Location: 1130 South Ivy Street, Canby, OR, USA
Phone: 503-266-7861
Facebook: facebook.com/canbyschooldistrict
Twitter: @canbyschools