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September 2024 Education Update

Oregon Achieves... Together!

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

ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams 

Dear Education Community,

I want to extend a heartfelt “welcome back” to each of you. There’s something truly special about the energy and excitement that fills our schools at the start of the year—a feeling of hope, possibility, and a fresh start.

To our incredible educators, thank you. Year after year, you return with dedication: ready to inspire, challenge, and uplift our students. Your commitment to making a difference, especially in times as complex as these, is nothing short of remarkable. You are the heartbeat of our schools, and your work is the foundation upon which our students build their futures.

I also want to take a moment to congratulate and thank our families and communities. Your support for our schools is invaluable. You are our partners in this journey, and your trust in us to educate and nurture your children means the world. Together with schools, families and community partners, we are creating a strong, supportive environment where our students can thrive. Your continued involvement and belief in the power of education help make our schools the vibrant, dynamic places they are. We couldn't do this work without you.

As we come together this year, we are keenly aware of the challenges before us. We live in a time where the world around us is rapidly changing, with a sociopolitical landscape that is more complex than ever. In the face of these challenges, our mission remains clear: to provide every student with the education and support they need to succeed, no matter the obstacles.

This year, we are declaring September “Attendance Awareness Month”—a crucial step in moving the academic needle forward. We know that consistent attendance is key to student success. When students attend school regularly, they are more likely to learn, grow, and connect. This initiative is a call to action for all of us—educators, parents, and community members—to prioritize attendance and to ensure that each and every student has the opportunity to thrive.

By working together, we can create an environment where every child feels supported and empowered to reach their highest potential. With that in mind, we have compiled a set of resources to support educators in schools and classrooms as we set the conditions for healthy dialogues, rigorous learning, and meaningful connections.

As we step into this new school year, let’s carry with us the knowledge that the work we do matters, and that while there are challenges ahead, we are stronger together. We are shaping the future, one student at a time, and there is no greater responsibility or privilege.

Thank you for your dedication, your passion, and your unwavering belief in the power of education. Here’s to a year filled with growth, achievement, and the joy of learning.

In love and justice,

Dr. Charlene Williams

Previously Shared:

NEW Grab & Go Resources:


Measles Cases On the Rise

A measles outbreak is underway in Oregon with 30 cases reported as of August 25. All were unvaccinated and two required hospitalization.

Now is a critical moment for all of us - parents, students, teachers, administrators - to review our vaccine status.

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) are committed to keeping school communities' healthy, safe and learning together.

Here’s what we can do:

  • Update and practice your School-Level Communicable Disease Management plan.
  • Knowthe vaccination rate for your school. Schools where less than 94% of students are up-to-date with measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccines are at higher risk for measles to spread if an individual with measles attends school.
  • Communicate to parents and staff that it is important to review their vaccine status, and that of their family. The MMR vaccine is safe and two doses is 97% effective in preventing measles.
  • Communicate early and often with your school community about measles, your school-level communicable disease management plan and what to expect in the event that a student or family member is exposed to measles.
  • Per OAR 333-019-0010, in the event of an exposure to a contagious illness like measles, a school administrator must temporarily exclude from school students and/or staff who are deemed susceptible. Exclusion for 21 days or longer may be needed to prevent further spread and to ensure safety. This measure is in line with health guidelines and is taken with the well-being of all students and staff in mind.

ODE and OHA respect individual beliefs and individual rights to make health care choices, and recognize that some community members defer MMR vaccination because of personal, religious or medical reasons. In an outbreak, protecting the public’s health from this very serious disease is paramount.

Overwhelmingly, the outbreaks have been spread among unvaccinated children and adults. CDC data show 36 states and the District of Columbia now have vaccination rates below the 94 percent threshold for herd immunity, in which enough people are vaccinated to prevent wide scale spread of a disease. Oregon is one of these states that has fallen below the threshold to support herd immunity. This is why it is important for parents/caregivers/guardians, teachers, and other children who spend time around our youngest and most vulnerable children to be up-to-date with vaccinations.

Contracting measles can lead to hospitalization, lifelong complications or death. But if we all do our part, we can keep our kids safe and in school.

Please reach out with any questions or concerns to ODE.HealthySchools@ode.oregon.gov.

Hispanic Heritage Month

 

National Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15 and ends on October 15 to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. It first started as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and expanded to a full month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The dates were chosen because September 15 is the anniversary of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.

Heritage months are a good reminder for the teaching of a more inclusive curriculum, but there is no reason to limit the inclusion to a single month. These resources can be explored and utilized throughout the year:

Oregon Historical Society

Local Celebrations

Hispanic Electorate Information

National Endowment for the Humanities

The Library of Congress

The National Archives

The Smithsonian Institute

Get Ready for National School Lunch Week in October!

National School Lunch Week is October 14-18. The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) are teaming up to raise awareness about the importance of Child Nutrition Programs in schools. We invite school board members and superintendents to eat with students during the week of October 14-18 to experience their nutritious and appealing local school lunches.

Encourage your school board to participate by planning lunch with students that week. All they need to do is reach out to school nutrition staff and building administrators before their visit. They are encouraged to post to social media about their experience using the #NSLW24inOR hashtag and the ODE (@ORDeptEd) and OSBA (@OSBANews) X handle.

Civil Rights Coordinator Reminder

In January 2024, a new House Bill (HB 2281) went into effect in Oregon. The new law requires all school districts and public charter schools to designate a “Civil Rights Coordinator.” The Civil Rights Coordinator is responsible for monitoring, overseeing, and ensuring compliance with state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination. Coordinators will provide guidance to school and district staff on civil rights issues in the district, respond to questions and concerns about civil rights, and coordinate efforts to prevent violations (OAR 581-021-0655; OAR 581-021-0660).

Under federal law, districts are obligated to have designated Title IX, Section 504, and ADA coordinators. However, protected classes of race, color, and national origin, protected under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, are excluded from federal coordinator requirements. The Civil Rights Coordinator rules therefore fill a gap to help ensure districts comply with both state and federal nondiscrimination policies. The rule is intended to help districts implement existing civil rights laws with fidelity. Coordinators will help oversee district complaint processes and ensure timely and effective resolution of discrimination concerns.

Coordinators will also be required to receive training on nondiscrimination laws each year. The training requirements are designed to ensure that all Civil Rights Coordinators receive a baseline of training that will equip them to understand and implement their role in overseeing civil rights compliance. Robust training requirements are intended to give newly appointed Coordinators the information they need to effectively implement civil rights requirements.

In early August, ODE Civil Rights Specialists supported Civil Rights Coordinators from across the state in a comprehensive two-day training. Coordinators learned the basics of state and federal civil rights laws, discussed how to conduct civil rights investigations, were empowered to consider preventative measures in their own schools, and practiced implementing their skills through realistic scenarios. ODE Civil Rights Specialists were thrilled and humbled by the time, energy, and effort newly appointed Coordinators have put forth in their new roles. Congratulations to the 2024-25 Civil Rights Coordinators – this work is hard, but important, and appreciated!

ODE In the News


Suicide Prevention Month

In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month this September, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), Oregon school districts and education service districts, and state and local partners continue to take action to prevent suicide.

Research shows that caring relationships with trusted others who acknowledge our struggles and challenges and provide support can significantly reduce feelings of hopelessness and despair, and lessen thoughts of suicide.

We all play a part in helping prevent suicide. Here is what you can do.

Signs of Distress and Chronic Stress in Students

Children and adolescents increasingly report feeling the effects of stress in their lives. Depending on their age, personality, developmental stage and environment, how they respond can vary widely.

ODE’s Mental Health team has created resources to recognize the signs of chronic stress and distress and provide practical strategies for offering help and support. The resources are broken down by age group:

More mental health guidance and resources can be found on the ODE website. Please reach out to the Mental Health team with any questions.

Summer Learning in Gervais School District

ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams visited the Gervais School District in August to get a tour of their Summer Learning program. Above, Dr. Williams poses with students who made a card and framed photo for Dr. Williams and Governor Kotek. Below, Dr. Williams talks with young students working on their math skills.

Oregon Healthy Schools: Helping to Build a Culture of Student and Staff Wellbeing

As we head into the school year, our team at Oregon Healthy Schools wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate the incredible work that district and school leaders do to support student and staff health and wellbeing throughout the school year. Recognizing that establishing and maintaining a vibrant and positive school culture is just one of many responsibilities that district and school leaders have, our team would like to provide resources in support of this important work. On our Oregon Healthy Schools web page, district and school leadership will find information on a wide variety of topics related to school health initiatives that help to support a culture of health and wellbeing, such as:

  • Improving student access to healthy food
  • Expanding physical activity and physical education programs
  • Staff wellbeing
  • Student mental health
  • Family engagement… and much more!

Be sure to stay tuned for future articles in the Education Update highlighting these topics! We also encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or would like more direct support– we’re here to help. In the meantime, if you have any knowledge that you would like to share about the status of your school or district’s wellness coordinator and/or wellness committees, we encourage you to add it here. We are in the process of collecting this data to help guide our statewide wellness efforts and have heard from over 75 districts! We would love to add your district's name to our growing list.

National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month, a reminder to talk with your kids and teens about how to prepare for an emergency or disaster.

Oregon has experienced a recent cycle of emergencies and disasters, including floods, drought, wildfires, ice storms, excessive heat and a pandemic. These disasters illustrate why being prepared can make a big difference. A large part of OEM's mission is to empower people to be as prepared as possible in an emergency because once a disaster strikes, the time to prepare has passed. That's why individuals, families and communities should take steps to "Be 2 Weeks Ready."

Being 2 Weeks Ready means having an emergency plan and enough supplies for you and everyone in your household to survive for at least two weeks following a disaster. This may sound overwhelming, but you're probably more prepared than you think! The Oregon Department of Emergency Management has created a toolkit designed to take you through the process step by step. Sit down with your household and talk about what you’d do if you lost electricity, water, internet and phone service for two weeks – that’s how long it could take for help to reach you if transportation routes are blocked. Being prepared helps ensure you and your loved ones can survive.

Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so you need to plan for different types of situations. Establish a list of important contacts and a safe place for everyone to meet if separated during an emergency. Identify multiple evacuation routes from home, work or school and plan for transportation needs. Make a plan for what you’ll do with the pets. Talk to your neighbors about sharing supplies and who might need extra help. Older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers should consider individual circumstances and specific needs when planning for emergencies and create a support network of people who can help during a disaster.

Additional steps you can take to be prepared:

Student Spotlight