January 2024 Education Update

Oregon Achieves... Together!

A Message from Oregon Department of Education Director Dr. Charlene Williams

Gratitude in the Storm: Celebrating the Resilience and Dedication of Everyone Serving Students in Oregon

Dear Education Community,

As we navigate the winter storms that have challenged many communities across the state, I am compelled to express heartfelt gratitude to the remarkable people in the education community who have gone above and beyond to ensure the well-being of Oregon students and families. The recent weather challenges have not deterred educators from their mission; instead, they have demonstrated unwavering commitment by delivering food to families and making extraordinary efforts to serve our students in various capacities.

Thank you Majalise Tolan, Lincoln County Superintendent, for these pictures and captions from meal drop sites. Drop sites include four schools and four local partners. Food was made in Newport and bussed out. First Student also worked with the county to bus vulnerable residents to sources of electricity.

Sodexo Cafeteria from Sam Case Elementary: Linda Barger and Kate Clark

First Student Bus Picture:

Back row left to right (Bus Drivers): Benjamin McCoy, Cary Workman, Chris Carley (orange vest), Dave Boyce

Seated: Chloe Minch (Principal of Toledo Jr./Sr. High and daughter, Reed) Janna Limbert (Principal of Toledo Elementary) Kim Cusick (Lincoln County SD Business Manager)

Collective Efforts

Amidst these challenges, I am delighted to share some positive news. All districts and eligible charter schools have successfully applied for the Early Literacy Success School District Grants! This collective effort allows us to embark on a journey to amplify and uplift powerful literacy strategies across the state. As we all know, literacy is one of the cornerstones of education, and this initiative marks another significant step towards fostering a culture of learning and growth in our communities.

In recognizing the holistic support our schools receive, we want to shine a spotlight on the invaluable contributions of our education support professionals. Their dedication is the backbone of our educational system. I encourage everyone to take a moment to nominate an education support professional for the ESP of the Year award. The deadline for nominations is February 21, 2024, and your participation is crucial in acknowledging the unsung heroes who make a profound impact on the lives of our students.

January is also School Board Recognition Month and I want to thank every passionate, committed leader serving on the Boards of Education for Oregon’s 197 school districts, 19 Education Service Districts and, of course, the State Board of Education.

From setting impactful school policies uplifting educational excellence to developing the budget and partnering closely with the superintendent, your critical role advances student learning from their first lessons in kindergarten through their walk across the stage at high school graduation. Your work requires late night meetings, early morning strategy sessions and an endless list of tough choices. Thank you for your devotion to Oregon’s scholars. Your commitment is seen and valued.

As January unfolds, marking the start of a new year and, for many, a new semester depending on your district calendar, let us carry forward the spirit of resilience and determination that the staff and volunteers in our schools, districts, ESDs, and on our boards, embody. In times of adversity, it is their dedication that lights the path for students, guiding them toward success.

In recognition of the recent holiday, allow me to conclude with the wise words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love." Let us embrace the power of love, justice, and education as we move forward together.

In Love and Justice,

Dr. Charlene Williams

All-In for Literacy!

Every eligible charter school and district has applied for the Early Literacy School Grants

The buzz in Oregon around early literacy is alive because of you! We want to thank all of the districts and eligible charter schools for submitting their Early Literacy Grant Applications-100% of eligible districts and charter schools applied for the grant! Your effort to develop applications that reflect a strong vision for literacy in your respective schools is powerful to witness. It has taken a lot of time and learning muscle– thank you so much for your investment.

The role we all play as education leaders in growing confident, skilled young readers and writers is one of the most critical commitments we make to our children, families and caregivers, and communities. Oregon is at a historic moment as we uplift one of our state’s largest investments in literacy.

Next Steps

Our application review process is already underway! Applicants can expect to receive communication from their Integrated Guidance Grant Manager regarding their application status and if any revisions are needed by the end of February. We anticipate that grant agreements will begin being drafted as early as March 2024 and funding will begin flowing to districts shortly thereafter. Here’s to lifting literacy in Oregon!

Nominations Open for the 2024 Oregon Education Support Professional of the Year

Nominations are open to honor the outstanding contributions of Education Support Professionals in Oregon. Now through February 21, 2024, you can submit an application to recognize an exceptional Education Support Professional (ESP).

To be nominated, ESPs must work in an Oregon K-12 public school or school district and meet the definition of an ESP in Oregon.

Nominees should embody the core values of:

Accountability: The ESP owns and takes responsibility for student outcomes and success within their scope of influence.
Equity: The ESP creates and fosters an environment where every student has access and opportunity to thrive.
Excellence: The ESP collaboratively manages the resources they are entrusted with to achieve the best possible outcomes for every student.
Integrity: The ESP is honest and transparent regardless of the situation they are facing.

ESP’s work together with teachers and administrators in Oregon public schools to perform a variety of jobs promoting quality education, fostering positive learning environments, offering nutritious meals, providing reliable transportation, maintaining safe and clean schools for all students, and much more.

The 2024 Oregon ESP of the Year will be surprised with a special announcement later in the spring. Thanks to the Oregon Department of Education’s partnership with the Oregon Lottery, the Oregon ESP of the Year will receive an award of $5,000, as well as a plaque and banner to commemorate this significant achievement.

Additional information can be found on the Oregon Education Support Professional of the Year webpage.

Nominate an outstanding ESP today!

ODE’s Office of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment is launching a new quarterly newsletter for K-5 educators. This newsletter will provide resources, opportunities, guidance, and ODE updates tailored specifically to support the integrated and well-rounded instruction that elementary education entails. It aims to streamline information related to K-5 academic standards and instruction into one convenient communication. The newsletter is intended for educators supporting or in K-5 classrooms. The first issue arrives in February. Please subscribe or share the link with K-5 teachers who might be interested.

Student Spotlight

An Associated Press story went national about an Arlington High School student who aims to become the first woman to compete in the Professional Bull Riders Tour.
Axios Portland talked with Parkrose High School students who helped win a grant to make streets safer around their school.
The Hermiston Herald highlighted a Hermiston High School student who won the congressional app challenge with his entry to help diagnose car problems.

Nominations Open for 2024-25 Oregon Teacher of the Year

Nominations are now open for Oregon Teacher of the Year! Honor a special educator in your life on the Oregon Teacher of the Year website through February 21, 2024.

Nominees for Oregon Teacher of the Year should be exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable, and skilled licensed public school educators in grades preK-12.

The Oregon Teacher of the Year serves as the face and voice of educators across the state. As a representative of the profession, this teacher leader is asked to engage and inspire other teachers and community leaders.

What happens after nominations close in February?

All eligible teachers* who have been nominated will be invited to apply. Candidates who submit an application will then be in-the-running to be selected as a Regional Teacher of the Year from one of the 19 Education Service Districts statewide. Every Regional Teacher of the Year will be awarded $1,000 and will be celebrated across the state in September.

One of the Regional winners will then be chosen as the 2024-25 Oregon Teacher of the Year by a blue ribbon panel. Thanks to ODE’s partnership with the Oregon Lottery, the Oregon Teacher of the Year receives a gift of $10,000 as well as a special fund to cover all travel costs for the year.

The Oregon Teacher of the Year will also submit an application to be considered for the honor of National Teacher of the Year.

Thank you for nominating an amazing educator and spreading the word!

*For more information about Oregon Teacher of the Year eligibility requirements, please see the “About” section on the Oregon Teacher of the Year website.

Training Opportunity to Support LGBTQ2SIA+ Youth

Teachers, counselors, teacher’s aides, nurses, administrators, social workers and others working in K-12 schools and school-based health centers are invited to participate in a free training opportunity that will help support LGBTQ2SIA+ youth. The Family Acceptance Project (FAP) training is led by Dr. Caitlin Ryan, the nationally renowned founder of FAP, who has conducted essential research showing that even small changes in family support for LGBTQ2SIA+ youth have significant positive health outcomes, including reducing the risk of suicide.

If you work in K-12 schools, no matter what your role, this training is for you and will introduce you to some effective ways to support young people ¬and families with a large range of views and cultural perspectives. There are separate two-hour trainings offered, one for school personnel and the other for school health providers, including counselors, social workers, nurses, physicians and family liaisons. Check the registration link for dates and times.

Additionally, for those who want to dig in a little deeper and to have more opportunities to practice applying the skills learned, we are offering one day-long free virtual training on February 28. (It is not necessary to attend one of the two-hour trainings to attend this day, but if you attended one of the two-hour trainings, you are also welcome to attend this longer training.)

Register for any of these trainings with your school or work email address. The Zoom link will be sent after registration.

This training is primarily for school districts in the following counties: Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Benton, Clatsop, Columbia, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk, Tillamook and Yamhill. If you’re from another county and want to attend, please send an email to amarcus@aocmhp.org, as there are a limited number of “out of region” spaces available.

ODE In the News

The East Oregonian covered a recent visit to Pendleton by ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams.
Klamath Alerts highlighted how a CTE Revitalization Grant from ODE is helping Bonanza Junior/Senior High School start a pre-apprenticeship program in construction and carpentry.
OPB explained how a waiver ODE applied for from the U.S. Department of Agriculture is leading to more students receiving meals at school.