To Do:

• Please pass this opportunity on to your staff as you see fit: Mid Oregon Credit Union is continuing a partnership with KTVZ to present $500 monthly awards for innovative, sustainable classroom projects that are worth being recognized in the community. The program identifies the classroom efforts and awards the teacher/school the funding, and a news story airs on KTVZ to provide a spotlight on the good things that are happening in education. Here is a link for additional information. Please send any nominations directly to Kyle Frick (Mid Oregon) at [email protected]
• Here is one more group that is looking to recognize student writing – with the promise of free food: An essay contest, for current 6th graders, is being sponsored by the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary. The 350 word or less essay will speak to the importance of voting.  If this becomes a class assignment, all students from the winning class will earn a pizza party.  Here is additional information that you can share with any interested 6th grade teachers.

This and that:

• Here is a bit of an enrollment update from Tuesday evening of this week: We were projected to grow, as a district, by 320 students this year, which is slightly over our actual average growth from the past 20 plus years. However, we have only grown by 53 students (notice this is still a growth in our district) over last year. Specifically for middle schools, we have grown slightly overall, but are 39 under our projection. Our approved district budget and building staffing allocation are both based on our projected enrollment (which we currently have not reached), so I do not anticipate any additional employee support coming to any of our schools – nor do I see any immediate reductions being called for.
• As you know, and will hear more about soon, finding enough Spanish interpreters during peak times like conferences is difficult, yet families needing this service have the right to trained and competent interpreters. In an attempt to help remedy this shortfall, we are working with the ESD to use some of our non-certified, Spanish-speaking staff who are interested in being paid outside of their work time to provide this service. Feel free to begin asking any potential non-certified employees on your staff if they would be interested in this.  If so, we ask that they notify Kinsey of their interest by participating in a one-hour interpretation training so basic expectations can be explained.  Here is more from Kinsey regarding this: If you anticipate using bilingual non-classroom teachers for language interpretation during conferences, please invite them to attend one of these trainings: October 3rd from 2:15-3:15, or October 9th from 4:00-5:00.If neither option falls within their contract hours, we will time-sheet them to attend.To register, please contact Kinsey.
• In this article about learning – and forgetting what we’ve learned – the author points to studies that indicate “about 56 percent of new information is forgotten within an hour, 66 percent after a day, 75 percent after six days…” then goes on to offer suggestions of how the most important learning can be taught in ways where retention is much higher. Likely this will not be new information for you, but will no doubt be a good reinforcement of what you already know or connection to prior knowledge!

Reminders:

• Most of you are aware of this already, but this is also a good time for a reminder: Dana Pedersen – principal at Ensworth – is the point of contact for any questions you might have regarding FAN, homeless education and foster care.
• Looking forward to seeing you all on Monday at 3:15 (meeting start time) at HDMS. Please be there a few minutes prior to this. Here is the agenda.