School News Blast
Gladstone District • Growing Great People • 1.29.21
Distance Learning to continue through Spring Break
At a special session on January 27, the Gladstone School Board directed the district to finalize its plan for hybrid learning by March 10. It also decided the district will remain in distance learning through Spring Break.
Factors in the decision included Clackamas County’s COVID-19 metrics, state pandemic guidelines for schools, an anticipated surge in the virus in March or April, and the desire to give employees the opportunity for vaccinations and building immunity before reopening schools.
The Board discussed the complex logistics of opening elementary school for hybrid learning, including required cleaning protocols and the need for frequent outdoor air exchange in classrooms.
State rules require 35 square feet per person in classrooms, six foot spacing between individuals, and mask wearing for all. Because only half of each class could be in the classroom at one time, hybrid learning will be on a part time schedule yet to be determined.
Knowing some students will not choose to return to classroom learning, the district plans to continue to provide online options, including teacher-led distance learning and PLP.
A district parent survey in mid-February will determine student registration for hybrid vs. distance learning so staff can be reallocated.
A date for opening hybrid learning has not been set as it depends on both disease metrics and vaccination rollout to staff.
Kraxberger launches Million Page Challenge
Teachers at Kraxberger Middle School have challenged sixth, seventh, and eighth graders to see which class can be the first to read a million pages by the end of the school year. The goal is 50 pages per student per day, with the Kraxberger staff joining in to help each grade level.
“Research shows us that young readers have better outcomes in school, but the real reason teachers wanted to do this is that we know the power of a good story,” said seventh grade language arts teacher Sarah Lennox.
“We always want our students to be able to explore the world through a passion for reading, but now it feels especially important when so much of our lives are spent in our homes," she added. "The escape and entertainment that comes from reading is just as valuable as the academic practice students are getting.”
Because Kraxberger's school library is closed due to renovations, language arts teachers are helping students access books through friends, family, the public library, and online resources. Students are encouraged to read anything they can get their hands on -- articles, the news, fiction, graphic novels, and e-books—as well as school reading assignments.
“Our students have diverse reading tastes, and it is nice to see them exploring so many genres and styles,” Lennox added. “Rick Riordan's series are a favorite right now, as are the Lunar Chronicles and graphic novels.”
"The Million Page Challenge is a fun way to get excited about reading," said seventh grader Avery Smith. "I love how we can see other books that people really liked. It helps you find something new and different to read."
As of January 28, the school has read 106,366 total pages. Sixth graders are in the lead with 41,485 pages, followed by seventh grade with 35,477 pages and eighth graders with
29,404. Once a month, the staff will draw names to send a new book of the winner's choosing, and an end-of-challenge celebration will be planned for later in the year.
Teacher of the Year nominations due by January 31
Community members, students, and educators have until the end of January to nominate a teacher for the 2022 Oregon Teacher of the Year. Up to 19 regional winners will be selected and then one of those will become Teacher of the Year! Nominate your favorite teacher today: https://oregonteacheroftheyear.org/nominate/
Key Dates
February 8: No School -- Progress Reports
February 15: No School -- Presidents Day
Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon: Clothes Closet open, located off Nelson Lane in a portable on the GHS campus
Mondays: Free Meals for Kids at Kraxberger Middle School -- 11 a.m. —12:30 p.m. & 4-6 p.m.
Chromebook problems? Call the Tech Support Hotline!
If you are advised that you need to exchange your device, we will have your paperwork ready to sign when you arrive. The hours to do this are Monday to Friday from noon to 4 p.m. If these hours will not work for you, please call the Tech Hotline to make an appointment or other arrangements.
FERPA protects your child’s educational privacy
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that gives parents certain privacy protections with regard to their children's education records, such as report cards, transcripts, disciplinary records, contact and family information, and class schedules.
Will the school let me review my child’s education records if I request it?
Yes. As a parent, you have the right to review your child's education records and to request changes under limited circumstances.
Parents whose children receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) may have additional rights and remedies with regard to their children's education records. The school district’s Director of Special Services can answer questions about IDEA.
Who else gets to see my child's education records?
To protect your child's privacy, schools are prohibited from disclosing personally identifiable information about your child without your written consent. Exceptions to this rule include disclosures made to:
- school officials with legitimate educational interests;
- another school at which the student intends to enroll;
- state or local education authorities auditing or evaluating federal- or state-supported education programs or enforcing federal laws that relate to those programs; and
- disclosures including "directory information."
What is directory information?
FERPA defines "directory information" as information contained in a student's education record that generally would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Directory information in the Gladstone District is defined as:
• The student’s name
• The student’s photograph
• The student’s participation in officially recognized sports and activities.
• The weight and height of athletic team members.
The student’s Social Security Number and student identification number will not be released. The district will never disclose personal information for the purpose of enforcement of federal immigration laws, in accordance with state law.
At the start of each school year, the Gladstone District gives parents annual notice identifying directory information, the district’s option to release it, and the requirement that the district must, by law upon request, release secondary student names, addresses and phone numbers to military recruiters and/or colleges, universities, and trade schools unless parents request the district withhold this.
Parents seeking exclusion from release of any type of directory information or information to military recruiters and/or institutions of higher education must make a request in writing to the principal within 15 days of the annual notice.