PDX Parent August 2018

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festivals, fairs & fun, pg. 40

for the long days and short years

Comparing OR & WA schools + All about after-school

? y d a e r l what, a

PDXPARENT.COM

k c a b s ’ t i Yu p, ! l o o h c s to

PORTLAND | VANCOUVER | AUGUST 2018

FREE

your health + wellness picks, pg. 28

Adventure Club FOR KIDS

IT’S FREE!

1st TUESDAY of EVERY MONTH • 9AM - 10AM Inside the Food Court

Kids will enjoy meeting a new character each month, fun activities, dress up, snacks and more!

2018 SCHEDULE

Events are best suited for kids up to 8 years of age.

August 7th Pirates and Fairies

September 4th Super Hero Play

November 6th Snow Queen

December 4th Elf Workshop

October 2nd Circus Fun

Exit 17 off I-84 • Troutdale • (503) 669-8060 • ShopColumbiaGorgeOutlets.com

Contents FEATURES The After-school Divide...................................................12 Coding, calligraphy, cooking. The after-school possibilities in Portland can be endless — if you go to certain schools. By Melissa L. Jones.

A Tale of Two States........................................................20 Going to school looks different depending on which side of the Columbia River you’re on.

By Beth Slovic and Jeni Banceu.

PDX Parent Picks................................................................28 Reader picks for the best in family health & wellness round out the results of our 2018 readers’ poll.

DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Note................................................................................. 6 Play Room.......................................................................................8 Picture books to love, local kids saving the planet, and Dr. Corey signs off.

Field Trip........................................................................................ 36 Root, root, root for the home teams. (In this case, the Hillsboro Hops and the Portland Pickles.)

By Alison Wilkinson and Julia Silverman.

Hands On...................................................................................... 38 Sweet DIY wind chimes to see out summer.

By Amber Gauntlett Recipe File................................................................................... 39 Healthy, make-ahead breakfast cookies are just right for busy back-to-school mornings.

AMBER GAUNTLETT

By Judith Rich.

Time Out........................................................................................40 Watermelon-eating contests, road races

38

for all abilities and summer’s last street fairs.

Last Look...................................................................................... 42 Our PDX Parent Celebrates the City party was a blast! Here we share a few snapshots that capture the fun.

RESOURCES After School............................................................................ 16-19 Back to School.....................................................................23-27 Health & Wellness.............................................................30-34

* cover stories pdxparent.com

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Editor’s Note for the long days and short years

H

ard to believe that’s it’s almost time for the kids to head back to school, isn’t it? Just a few more precious weeks of golden-edged summer left. But for all its languidness, August has a sense of urgency to it, as well. That’s neatly illustrated in two of our featured back-to-school stories this month. In the first, writer Melissa L. Jones dives into the inequities inherent in the after-school programs available at public schools throughout Portland, a longstanding — if often overlooked — situation with no easy solution. In the second, award-winning writer Beth Slovic, and one of her students from Clark College, Jeni Banceu, take a side-by-side look at education options in Oregon versus Washington. Spoiler alert: Unless you are part of the Portland area’s robust private school culture, you may not like what you see. Both of these stories strike at the heart of the Oregon conundrum: Our state is booming, unemployment is low, people move here in droves, and yet our public school system is The PDX Parent crew (most of us, anyway!) at the first-ever PDX Parent Celebrates the City party at Oaks Park this summer. More than 1,500 chronically underfunded, readers turned out to help us celebrate the winners of our annual and the cracks are getting readers’ poll, and we loved seeing each and every one. For more harder to paper over every pictures from the day, turn to page 42. year. There’s so much at the root of this problem, from the state’s wobbly tax structures to a public employees’ retirement system that over-promised, leaving current students to pay the bill. In the absence of meaningful change, wealthier schools have turned to fundraising to patch the gaps, diluting the urgency for action and leaving poorer schools in the same district out of luck. There are no easy answers, or perfect solutions. But before problems can be fixed, they need to be understood. We hope this issue helps with that understanding, and that like us, you’ll be inspired to start the school year with a new sense of purpose and perspective.

P.S. This issue marks a final column from the wonderful Dr. Corey Fish of Pacific Crest Urgent Care, who has been our featured advice columnist for the better part of two years. Thank you to Dr. Corey for the sage advice on everything from snoring kids to sports injuries, and everything in between! (And for convincing me that no, my son Ben did not need his appendix out last October — it was just a virus.) You can keep up with Dr. Corey at pacificcrestchildrens.com/blog.

— On our cover: Back to school doesn’t just mean hitting the books, it means hitting the playground, too!

Photographer Sung Kokko captured

this sweet shot at Vernon Elementary School, as part of our story on after-school offerings. See more of Sung’s great work at sungkokkophoto.com.

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This month, only on pdxparent.com: »F ree, family-fun events in August »O ur picks for the end-of-summer events your family can’t miss

PDX Parent P.O. Box 13660 Portland, OR 97213-0660 Phone: 503-460-2774; Fax: 503-331-3445 Publisher Rose Caudillo, 503-460-2774 publisher@pdxparent.com Editor Julia Silverman, 503-922-0893 julia.silverman@pdxparent.com Managing Editor Denise Castañon denise.castanon@pdxparent.com Art Director Susan Bard Web Director Michelle Carew, 503-914-6151 michelle.carew@pdxparent.com Calendar / Newsletter Editor Amy Conway calendar@pdxparent.com Customer Accounts Manager Christie Kline, 503-810-9817 christie.kline@pdxparent.com Distribution Coordinator Melissa Light melissa.light@pdxparent.com Senior Account Executive Ali King, 503-331-8184 ali.king@pdxparent.com Account Executive Kristy Olsen, 503-914-6481 kristy.olsen@pdxparent.com Account Executive Jill Weisensee, 503-309-8272 jill.weisensee@pdxparent.com Web Administrator Casey Rhodes casey.rhodes@pdxparent.com President Keith Goben, 503-460-2774 keith.goben@pdxparent.com For distribution issues, e-mail us at distribution@pdxparent.com For calendar submissions, e-mail us at calendar@pdxparent.com PDX Parent is published monthly by Metro Parent Publishing, Inc., and is copyright 2018 Metro Parent Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

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PHOTOS: ROBIN LOZNAK

Play Room

Kids to Know:

The Climate Change Challengers “By being a

For Beaverton siblings Miko and

plaintiff in the

Isaac Vergun,

federal case

climate change

Juliana et al. v.

United States

is not some

— plus with

abstract idea. It’s personal and it’s

the work I am

a family affair.

doing through Plant-for-the-

“Since I was born

8

August

in the Republic

Planet — I have

of the Marshall

an incredible

Islands, it is very

chance to make

important to me

a difference

to keep small

to protect the

islands nations

future of the

like the Marshall

world, as well

Islands from

as my sister’s

going underwater,”

birth country,

says 17-year-old

countries across

Miko. Miko and

the world where I

Isaac are two of

increasingly have

the 21 children and young adult plaintiffs in Juliana v. United

friends, and even my very ability to keep my asthma from getting

States, a federal lawsuit put forth in 2015 that asserts that the

worse,” says 16-year-old Isaac. Miko and Isaac are not the only

government has caused climate change and is thereby violating

ones concerned for the planet in their family; their mother was

the plaintiffs’ right to life, liberty and property. The suit has faced

also very involved with bringing Plant for the Planet, a nonprofit

significant pushback from the federal government and the fossil

from Germany that teaches children how to combat the climate

fuel industry, but is currently scheduled to be heard before U.S.

crisis and aims to plant 1 trillion trees, to Oregon and Southwest

District Court Judge Ann Aiken in Eugene on October 29, 2018.

Washington, too. — Denise Castañon

2018

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Bookshelf: Picture

This

Reading a beautifully illustrated books with your kids is like stepping into another world for a few moments. Here, Kim Tano and Richard Corbett, the children’s book buyers for the iconic Powell’s Books in Portland, share their picks for the best new picture

SIMON & SCHUSTER

Ocean Meets Sky, written and illustrated by Terry Fan and Eric Fan Grown-ups might call it the horizon.

But kids know it’s really the place where the ocean meets the sky.

And so a young boy sets sail on a pilgrimage to honor his grandfather, accompanied by whales and jellyfish, seagulls and clouds. $17.99.

Florette, written and illustrated

by Anna Walker Mae’s family has moved from their verdant country home to Paris, and she’s longing for her old garden, where she once chased butterflies and watched the plants grow. There seems to be no green space in the city — until one day, Mae finds a way. Walker’s lush illustrations help inspire hope where there seemed to be none. $16.99.

Forever or a Day, written and illustrated by Sarah Jacoby An ode to appreciating where you are right now, this warm, quietly illustrated book explores the elusive meaning of the word “forever.”

Unfolding as a conversation between a parent and a child over the course of a single day, this one reminds us to be grateful for the smallest of moments. $17.99.

21 percent of families with kids ages 18 and under

Drawn Together, written by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat This simply told tale with few words and colorful, elaborate illustrations, tells the story of a grandfather and grandson who don’t speak each other’s language. But over the course of the book, the two find that art brings them together. A lovely reminder that there are many ways to communicate and form friendships. $17.99.

Is virtual reality, better known as VR, the next big item on your kid’s wish list? A new study by Common Sense Media suggests

own a virtual reality device.

that the VR experience — in which people don a special headset to simulate an environment — is making slow

13 percent

Chalkboard:

expect to buy one in the next year.

but steady incursions into the family market. The study suggests that parents have real concerns about VR,

reality show

43 percent of parents say it is appropriate for kids under the age of 13 to use VR.

PENGUIN BOOKS AUSTRALIA

They Say Blue, written and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki You can see with your own eyes that an egg yolk is yellow, and that your blood is red, and that the crocus that appear in spring are purple. But when you try to cup water in your hands, it isn’t blue — so how can you be sure? A gentle book about learning your colors and asking questions. $17.99.

DISNEY BOOKS

LITTLE, BROWN

From the illustrator of the Ivy & Bean series comes this peaceful look at life inside a lighthouse. While the water churns and recedes outside, inside the keep and his family make tea, keep a logbook and make sure the lamp’s wick stays alight. $18.99.

CHRONICLE BOOKS

Hello Lighthouse, written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall

ABRAMS BOOKS

books of 2018 (so far).

including that it could increase social isolation and access to inappropriate content, plus leave kids wanting to spend more and more time on it (as opposed to going outside, into actual reality). On the flip side, the study showed that parents are cautiously optimistic about the education potential of virtual reality, with 62 percent of parents saying

they think it can provide an educational experience for kids; that number climbs to 84 percent among parents whose kids are

Among kids ages 8-17 who have used virtual reality, 76 percent say they have used it to play games.

SOURCES: COMMON SENSE MEDIA/SURVEY MONKEY.

already experimenting with the technology. After all, VR can help a child feel like they are soaring through space, or exploring underwater or trekking through the desert, without ever leaving home. But its most common application right now? Playing games, according to the survey results. Watch those wish lists ... . — J.S.

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Play Room

Ask Dr. Corey:

Q

: I recently read a pretty alarming report about

A

levels of arsenic in rice cereal. We were thinking about making that our daughter’s first solid food.

What’s your advice on the best first food for babies, and how to progress from there? : Providing food for our families is a basic human instinct.

NANCI TANGEMAN

Aside from the obvious importance of providing nutrition for growing and development, meal time is a shared cultural experience.

Good Deeds:

The Soul Box Project After the November, 2016 presidential election, Southwest Portland resident Leslie Lee’s anxiety climbed so high that she broke out in a rash “from my knees to my neck.” She tried putting herself on a news diet, but when a gunman opened fire at a concert in Las Vegas in late 2017, killing 58 people and injuring hundreds more, she knew she couldn’t just look away. So instead, Lee is spearheading an effort to force people to engage with the reality of gun violence in the United States. She’s the founder of The Soul Box Project, which aims to create a tiny origami box to memorialize each and every one of the people whose lives were lost to gun violence in this country between 2014-2017. (That’s 168,558, for those keeping track at home.) She began in October of 2017; now she’s getting thousands of boxes donated each month, and has a date to put 35,000 of them on display at the state Capitol in Salem in February of 2019, right around the anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. “This happened with the AIDS quilt too,” Lee says. “They created something beautiful about a horrific subject. And to have the kids have some way of tangibly expressing and understanding what this issue is about is really valuable. Someday, they will see these exhibits and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I helped with this.’” Want

Because of this importance, it’s always alarming when scary things show up in our food, whether that’s an outbreak of something like salmonella or a “heavy metal” like arsenic.

There are two kinds of arsenic that show up in food. One kind, which occurs naturally and is not thought to be dangerous, is called “organic arsenic.” It’s the other kind, “inorganic arsenic,” that we worry about.

Too much exposure to inorganic arsenic can cause vomiting, other stomach problems, or problems with the brain, heart, or even certain types of cancer. Typically, one would have to be working directly with pure arsenic, and either eating it or not handling it safely for these types of problems to occur.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is working with the Food and Drug Administration to help set rules for how much arsenic is allowed in food. Great guidance for parents concerned about this issue can be found at healthychildren.org.

I always tell parents that iron-containing solid foods should be introduced by 6 months of age, but that rice cereal doesn’t have to be the first food, or introduced at all for that matter. There are many other single-grain cereal (like oat or barley or wheat) that are iron-fortified. Finely chopped meat (if your family eats meat, of course) is a great source of iron. Also, feel free to start with a puréeed vegetable like carrots, sweet potato, spinach or squash.

The world’s your oyster! (Though maybe don’t start with oysters …)

As an aside, this will be the last Ask Dr. Corey column as I pass the torch on to my esteemed colleague, Dr. Doug Lincoln from Metropolitan Pediatrics. If you have more questions for me, feel free to email at info@pacificcrestchildrens.com or make an appointment to come see me at my pediatric-specific urgent care practice, Pacific Crest Children’s Urgent Care — more information is online at pacificcrestchildrens.com.

website, soulboxproject.org, has simple-to-follow directions on how to make the boxes, and kids can decorate them any way they like. She’s looking for board members too, and folks to help out with social media. (Follow them at @soulboxproject on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.) Get in touch at soulboxteam@gmail.com. — J.S.

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Dr. Corey Fish is the founder of Pacific Crest Children’s Urgent Care. He and his team specialize in high-quality, compassionate medical care for infants, children and adolescents. He attended the University of Washington School of Medicine and did his pediatric residency at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas in Austin.

GORDON HIRSCH

to help? You can organize a box-making party at home, or attend a session at a local library or place of worship. Lee’s

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The After-school

Divide Coding, robotics, art, drama … the after-school programming choices can seem endless. But it’s not that way for all kids in Portland.

BY MELISSA L. JONES PHOTOS BY SUNG KOKKO

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After-school tug-of-war at the Schools Uniting Neighborhoods program at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in Northeast Portland.

T

he 50,000 students in Portland Public Schools get the same math curriculum. More or less the same English, social studies and science, too.

Elementary school students attend school the same number of days and hours, whether they attend Woodlawn in Northeast Portland or Maplewood in Southwest Portland.

But when it comes to what happens after school at PPS’s 57 elementary and K-8 schools, the opportunities differ vastly.

Some kids have a wide choice in what they can do after school, while others have few options. A student at Richmond, where 3.6 percent of the population is considered “economically disadvantaged,” can take yoga or coding on campus or get picked up by bus to go learn archery with Trackers Earth. At other schools, where students come from less privileged backgrounds, there might be half as many choices.

The discrepancy in after-school programming was highlighted earlier this year, when PPS discontinued an electronic flier distribution program called Peachjar that had been criticized for targeting wealthier parents and ignoring poorer students.

“I had a friend up in Alameda, and she was telling me, ‘I get swamped with these (fliers,)’” says Grout Elementary School parent Angela Gillette. “And I was getting one to two a month.”

Gillette did some research, and found that more Peachjar fliers advertising programs like soccer and musical theater were going to parents at schools with higher-income families.

“Does Portland Public look at it and say, ‘How come this school is offering 10 things and how do we even it out?’” Gillette asked.

The answer, district officials say, is no.

Local control Independence is one reason that after-school activities are so different from school to school.

“Every school manages their own after-school options in different ways,” Hauth said.

Many reasons can result in a school with limited options, she said.

“That could be because of space and it could be because there are not enough families in the community who can participate or who can pay,” said Hauth. “Different schools have different needs.”

After-school care is a necessity, not a luxury, for working parents who don’t have family or friends living in the area who can care for kids after school lets out. (Another option is to pay for a sitter, which can be hard to find and can be less reliable.) Often, parents mishmash an art class one day, a soccer class the next, a playdate here and a homework club there.

“People are used to cobbling it together. I’m lucky because I have in-laws,” said Chapman Elementary School parent Helen Shum. “As a community, we rely on these private pieces. There’s a lot at Chapman, it’s just not run by the district. You do it on your own.”

“I figured out what’s a high-income school, and they’ve had 27 Peachjar emails. If you went to a lower-income school you could see that they had maybe two,” she said. “It bugged me that PPS was giving them the tool to do it.”

At Alameda, just 3.4 percent of students were considered “economically disadvantaged” in 2017-2018. At Grout, that number was 38 percent.

In March, PPS discontinued the Peachjar program. In a note sent to school email lists in January, PPS communications staff wrote, “There are inherent equity issues with regards to the communities targeted for events …. Perpetuating this disparity contradicts PPS’ focus on equity and excellence, ensuring every student and every school succeeds.”

But despite the emphasis on who’s allowed to distribute information, little has changed for what is being offered at each site.

And working parents still need to figure out a plan for after-school care.

EG ROBOTICS/ZAYNE MAYFIELD.

Licensed child care versus enrichment programs

SUN schools

PPS contracts with 14 licensed child care providers for before and after care in 51 schools, generally available every day after school.

That’s different from the nonprofits and for-profit companies such as Mad Science or Soccer Shots that provide afters-school enrichment activities, usually as a once-a-week class.

Nancy Hauth, program manager for Early Learner Programs and Child Care at PPS, estimated that 3,500 PPS students are in licensed child care in or near PPS sites; many more participate in unlicensed programs like SUN (the Schools Uniting Neighborhoods community school program, managed by Multnomah County’s Department of County Human Services), gymnastics or another after-school activity.

There are some attempts to ensure that lower-income schools where parents can’t pay for a rich slate of after-school classes can nevertheless offer engaging program.

In particular, 39 PPS schools offer free or low-cost after-school programming through the SUN (Schools Uniting Neighborhoods) program, which is funded by Multnomah County. The SUN program, however, is not licensed child care; it is an anti-poverty strategy, and there aren’t always enough spaces to go around.

Robotics is just one of the after-school options at Maplewood Elementary School in Southwest Portland.

Which schools get SUN funding is determined in part by a complicated formula used by Multnomah County that takes into account poverty, racial demographics and other factors. pdxparent.com

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Budgeting for After-school Care How much for aftercare?

Depends on where your children go to school.

Almost all licensed providers charge a registration fee and separate prices for before- and after-school care.

SUN is free at some schools, and costs less than

other child care providers at others.

Blazers Boys & Girls Club on NE MLK Boulevard

charges $250 in membership fees for the school year for grades one through six.

Friendly House, which serves the Chapman

neighborhood, offers a sliding scale based on income that ranges from $213 to $485 per month for five

days of aftercare.

Five days of aftercare at Duniway is $255 per month.

Five days of aftercare at Ainsworth, governed by a

board of Ainsworth parents, runs $330 for the month.

YMCA, which operated at 11 PPS sites last year,

charges $368 to $390 per month, depending on the site, for five days of aftercare.

Camp Fire Columbia operates after-care programs at

8 PPS schools. Five days of aftercare ranges from

$388 to $409 per month.

Peninsula Children’s Learning Center provides care

at Sabin Elementary School, Boise Eliot/Humboldt

Elementary School, Faubion and King. Five days of

aftercare runs $450 per month.

Enrichment Programs Vary Widely

Trackers, for example, picks up students after school from several PPS elementary schools, mainly in

Southeast. To participate in one day of archery per week, parents pay $120 to $140 per month.

Medium Cool Film School charges $200 to 250 per

semester for one two-hour class per week.

EG Robotics charges $160 to $175 for a 12-hour

course that is stretched over six weeks.

The Children’s Gym, which picks up students at

Alameda, Rigler, Rose City Park and Emerson, charges $33 per day for aftercare, or more than $600 for 5 days of aftercare and gymnastics instruction per month.

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“We’re not the education institution — that’s the schools — but supporting families is in our lane of supporting success,” said Greg Belisle, Senior Program Specialist Youth and Family Services Division of Multnomah County.

Because different nonprofits such as IRCO and Impact NW run SUN programs at the schools, SUN classes range from yoga to study halls to ballet folklorico.

At Grout, where Gillette’s son goes to school, he can go to SUN for free but only for two days, where he has a computer class, ultimate Frisbee and art.

At Harrison Park, where 50 percent of students are considered “economically disadvantaged,” SUN programming is offered, but not on Fridays.

Other SUN sites have no limit on days, but parents pay to enroll. A school with 50 percent or more of students on free and reduced lunch is not allowed to charge fees.

And not everyone gets what they need.

At King Elementary School, SUN doesn’t start until first grade, and not everyone can get in.

“We don’t have enough spots for everyone who wants to access SUN,” said King principal Jill Sage. “It’s competitive.”

The school has nearly 400 students, and about a third of them are using SUN, King said.

Others go to the Boys & Girls Club on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard or use Peninsula Children’s Learning Center.

Other smaller programs have approached King to set up classes, but Sage said, “We get offers, but in general our families don’t have funds for extra activities.”

Sage, who has worked on equity issues in PPS, said using Peachjar fliers didn’t work the way the district wanted.

“I’m sure the intention was to open up these things,” said Sage. “There just hasn’t been an intentional, deliberate expectation of services. We allow each school to build things up or not.”

That, she said, can result in inequity.

“We do need to give more to historically underserved populations

because they have been historically underserved,” said Sage.

For their part, after-school providers say they feel caught between wanting to serve a more diverse group of students and needing to be able to pay their teachers and make a living.

After-school providers react When Peachjar first came to PPS in 2016, many after-school providers criticized it as too expensive for nonprofits and small businesses. Now that it is gone, though, they are left without a single reliable pipeline to reach new families, making it even more difficult to expand into more schools.

In Portland, Peachjar charged $25 per flier per school. To reach all 57 PPS elementary and K-8 schools, a company would be charged $1,425 to send one email.

Peachjar, which is doing business with schools in 38 states, said its service brings more equity to schools because parents have better access to school and community resources.

“Peachjar does not make any decisions regarding which materials are distributed to families or to which schools they are distributed to,” said Susan Le, marketing manager for Peachjar, in an email.

Reading with buddies after school at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary.

“Community organizations decide which schools they would like to send to and Peachjar only delivers the fliers that the district approves.”

The district’s decision to quit Peachjar came with a new rule — no fliers will be distributed at PPS schools unless they are from PPS or another governmental organization such as the city of Portland, Multnomah County or Metro.

The change has left some after-school programs scrambling.

“It’s a real mess,” said Zayne Mayfield, executive director of EG Robotics, a company (now a nonprofit) that he built with his brothers. “We’re not very happy with what’s going on with it. We contacted the PPS ombudsman.”

Mayfield and his employees work in roughly 30 PPS schools, teaching robotics and electronics after school and doing programs for seventh grade career exploration.

Most schools where his classes are offered began with parents asking for the program. “A lot of it is word of mouth from parents,” Mayfield said.

“Schools are so hard to get into if you don’t have a parent to advocate for you.”

Before Peachjar, Mayfield spent about $800 to advertise with paper fliers. When Peachjar took over, he said, his costs went up to over $4,000; he raised his prices to make up for the expense.

Mayfield said he met with a dozen other groups — including Mad Science, Northwest Children’s Theater and Soccer Shots — to figure a way out of the communications problem.

“I would like to see a culture change of saying ‘after-school is important,’ he said. “All the afterschool providers feel like we are a burden or a hassle. How can we have a working relationship?”

Michel Hulsey, who runs Medium Cool Film School at five PPS schools, said he won’t be back to at least one PPS school this fall, and he’s already canceled his summer Rain or Shine Camp, because he can’t get enrollees without advertising through schools.

“Peachjar wasn’t cheap,” said Hulsey. “I didn’t love it, but it was something.”

Hulsey said he decided where to offer his film-making classes based on where he could get classroom space.

“It was more about who had availability for me,” said Hulsey. “I know schools get neglected.”

He spoke at a Portland Public Schools board of education meeting in December about his ideas for fixing disparities. To encourage more afterschool options, he said, the district could waive school rental fees at schools that should have more diverse options.

“You know what one solution would be? Ask us to do it,” he said.

He emailed the board after speaking at the meeting, writing: “I’m completely baffled at how doing away with Peachjar will help resolve this issue since this doesn’t change where programs are offered.”

Hulsey said he got no reply.

How to find after-school care: • Ask at your school.

• Look on school and PTA websites.

• Check 211info.org.

• Check pdxafterschool. com.

• Contact Nancy Hauth at PPS at nhauth@pps. net.

• Check out the district’s Civic Use of Buildings calendar.

Want more options?

• Ask a program to come to your school.

• Ask other families if they are interested because you might need a minimum number.

• Talk to the PTA and principal.

For more options, just turn the page.

To find even more info, visit pdxparent.com/after-school-guide.

An after-school drumming group at Vernon Elementary in Northeast Portland.

Melissa L. Jones is a Portland writer with one son in Portland Public Schools. pdxparent.com

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AFTER-SCHOOL

Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges

TUTORING THAT REALLY WORKS For 41 years, Huntington’s certified teachers and highly-trained tutors have worked with students of all ages and abilities to improve grades, selfconfidence, organizational skills, and study habits. We provide personalized programs and one-on-one instruction in academic fundamentals and advanced subjects as well as preparation for high stakes exams.

ACADEMIC SKILLS (K-12)

Phonics –Vocabulary – Reading – Writing – Math - Study Skills

SUBJECT TUTORING (6-12)

Math (through Calculus) – Sciences – Social Studies – Writing – Foreign Languages

EXAM PREP

ACT – SAT – SAT Subject Tests – AP/IB Tests – SSAT – HSPT

Based on a comprehensive evaluation, we develop individualized tutoring plans. Our programs enable students to improve their fundamental skills quickly and build lasting confidence in their academic abilities.

Our tutoring programs offer students expert help on a flexible schedule. Tutors specializing in a variety of academic subjects reinforce class concepts and provide students with homework and test support to help improve their study habits and grades.

Our exam prep programs feature one-on-one instruction on powerful test-taking strategies and key academic content.

With valuable practice test opportunities throughout the program, students are confident and prepared for the exams that will shape their futures.

Visit our Two Locations

PORTLAND

Bethany Village

BEAVERTON

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15220 NW Laidlaw Rd., Portland • 503-533-5700 pdxhlc@gmail.com • Portland.huntingtonhelps.com 14649 SW Teal Blvd, Beaverton • 503-524-4744 bvrhlc@gmail.com • Beaverton.huntingtonhelps.com

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N

A Tale

Two States Comparing and contrasting the schools on either side of the Columbia River.

BY BETH SLOVIC AND JENI BANCEU

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ot too long ago, Jackie and George Sacks found themselves in what many Portland parents would consider an enviable position.

Their quaint Northeast Portland bungalow sat squarely within the boundaries of one of Portland Public Schools’ most coveted K-8 schools, Beverly Cleary, which has consistently been considered as one of the best elementary schools in the city, based on state rankings.

But as the couple’s first child approached kindergarten in 2013, uncertainty crept in. Oregon’s largest district wanted to overhaul its elementary schools, shifting boundaries to spread enrollment more evenly through the district, to equalize class sizes and to address long-standing concerns about unequal opportunities at historically underserved schools.

Sacks attended a kindergarten open house in the well-heeled Grant Park neighborhood and found school administrators’ answers to her questions about art and music programming underwhelming, she said. This, despite the fact that the city had recently started collecting an arts tax to supplement school programming.

“I was quite frankly mortified,” said Sacks. “There was no clear plan. There was a lot of vague response.”

So Sacks and her family packed their bags and headed north, to Vancouver, Wash., where Sacks already worked as a high-school dance teacher. The move wasn’t without its sacrifices — Sacks’ husband still commutes to Hillsboro — and she acknowledges her family was privileged to be able to move.

But they were in search of one thing: predictability.

“I don’t want to gamble,” said Sacks. “I believe in consistency. I believe in thoughtful design.”

For the Sacks family, the Evergreen School District in east Vancouver offered a solution to the question most families confront at least once in their parenting career: “Where should I send my child to school?”

For families who live in the Portland metro area, the question sometimes has an added component: Would Washington or Oregon better serve my child?

TWO STATES; TWO APPROACHES TO FUNDING For years, Oregon outspent Washington on a per student basis, said John Tapogna, president of ECONorthwest, a Portland economic consulting firm.

But recently, Washington — which relies on property taxes and sales taxes to fund its schools — has pulled ahead of Oregon, which uses funding from income and property taxes, plus lottery revenue, for schools.

But a key court ruling is likely to accelerate spending increases in Washington, said Tapogna.

!

$ Per student spending Oregon: $10,842 Washington: $11,534

In June, lawmakers finally settled a lengthy court battle in which schools advocates alleged that Washington had failed to meet its constitutional obligation to adequately fund schools.

As a consequence, the Washington legislature infused an additional $1.6 billion into the state school fund for 2018-19. That’s expected to translate to higher salaries for teachers.

Washington already outperforms Oregon by a few key measures, including high school graduation rates and elementary math proficiency; the increased spending might serve to widen the lead.

area, more diverse communities and an expanding system of languageimmersion programs draw parents to local schools.

ONE FAMILY’S BI-STATE SOLUTION

?

National Assessment of Educational Progress scores for reading/math at 4th grade in 2017 Oregon: Math: 233 Reading: 218

Some local families take advantage of both state’s offerings.

Washington: Jeff Crockett and his wife, Jenna Starting Math: 242 Biggs, both teach in Vancouver; he’s teacher salary Reading: 223 in the Evergreen district and she’s in Oregon: Vancouver Public Schools, to the west National average: 2015-16 school year, Math: 239 of Evergreen. But they live in Portland $35,252 Reading: 221 and keep their daughter in a Portland Washington: Public Schools’ Spanish-immersion 2015-16 school year, program. $35,069 Statewide OREGON’S DILEMMA “I’m really happy about the Spanish percentage of Oregon, meanwhile, faces a immersion,” said Crockett. “The students eligible Median teacher financial pitfall due in part to school language, it’s just an incredible thing to for reduced lunch salary in 2016 districts’ growing obligation to fund see her acquiring.”

Oregon: 2010-2011: the state’s pension system for all public He sees the differences between Oregon: $63,730 50.6 percent employees. In 2017-18, on top of a Washington and Oregon nearly every Washington: $64,850 teacher’s salary, districts had to pay day, though; In 2017-18 he taught third Washington: 2010-2011: an additional 24 percent to the state grade north of the Columbia River, and 40.1 percent pension fund known as PERS. By 2021, districts will have to pay his daughter, Willa, attended third 31 percent, meaning they would send more than $15,000 to the state grade at Sitton Elementary School in on top of every $50,000 in salary they spend. The state also has a the St. Johns neighborhood of North Percentage of cap on property taxes, no sales tax and low corporate taxes, reducing Portland. special education potential funding for schools and other services.

His school, Crestline Elementary, students If Oregon fails to devise a financial fix and the burned to the ground in 2013 after Oregon: economy slows, school districts may a teen started a fire when 13.8 percent in 2010 have to look at reducing staff or lopping the building was unoccupied. off school days from the calendar. For Evergreen rebuilt the campus in Washington: now, district leaders hope a healthy 2014, and today it stands out as a 12 percent in 2010 Average economy buoys schools by offsetting the sparkling, state-of-the art school kindergarten increased cost. with meticulously landscaped class size “Without some significant revenue grounds, security cameras and Number of Oregon: 22 reform and/or PERS reform, it will be a new playground equipment. charter schools Washington: 17 statewide challenge not only for Beaverton but for Apartment buildings dot the other districts as well,” said Don Grotting, immediate neighborhood around Oregon: 127 superintendent of the Beaverton School Crestline, just as they do near Statewide Washington: 12 District. “We’re hoping there will be Sitton. student/teacher enough of an [economic] offset that we The socio-economic mix at ratio don’t have to reduce programs.”

Crestline is similar to Sitton’s too.

Oregon: Oregon’s Quality Education About 40 percent at Crestline students identified as Latinx, while 23.1 students Commission regularly calculates how 43 percent were white. Nearly 70 percent of students in 2017 to one teacher in the much it would cost to fund a highly qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, schools’ go-to metric for 2016-17 school year effective school system in Oregon. For the measuring how many students are economically disadvantaged.

Washington: current biennium, that number is almost At Sitton last year, 40 percent of students were Latinx, 16 percent 16.9 students $2 billion more than the $8.2 billion the were African American and 27 percent of were white. Sixty to one teacher as state is already dedicating to education. percent qualified as “economically disadvantaged.” of fall 2015 Plenty of parents, of course, continue But what happens inside the two schools feels in some ways to choose Oregon schools. In the Portland different to Crockett.

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“Our kids are very well supported,” Crockett said of Crestline. “It doesn’t feel like a low-income school at all.”

As a Washington teacher, Crockett is eligible for a $5,000 annual bonus for working in a high-poverty school and an additional $5,000 for earning certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Those incentives can boost the starting salary of $43,785 for Washington teachers with master’s degrees above the starting salary of $50,226 for teachers of the same educational background at Portland Public Schools.

(In Oregon, there are no statewide salary bonuses, although PPS does give an additional $1,500 per year to teachers with national board certification. New this year in 2018-19, Washington gives a little bit more money to districts with high costs of living, such Statewide as those near Seattle; Oregon’s funding allocation percentage accounts for no such differences in the cost of living.) of English language learners Crockett had 20 children in his class last year; his daughter had 24.

Oregon: 9.2 percent The Sacks family, meanwhile, has been in in 2015 Vancouver for five years, and Jackie Sacks said she’s Washington: never regretted picking up roots. Her children, who 10.4 percent in 2015 just finished second and third grade, get PE and music consistently and so do other children in the district, she said.

Student “To me, those are essential services,” she said. backgrounds

!

?

Oregon: Caucasian, 63.4 percent, African-American 2.4 percent, Asian-American 3.9 percent, Hispanic 22.5 percent, American Indian/ Alaskan Native 1.4 percent Washington: Caucasian, 56.1 percent, African-American, 4.4 percent, Asian-American, 7.3 percent, Hispanic, 22.4 percent, American Indian/ Alaskan Native 1.4 percent

TECH TIME Variety exists within local districts systems, of course.

In Washington, the Vancouver Public Schools district gives iPads to every student starting in the third grade. Starting in sixth grade, children may take them home. In Evergreen, schools distribute Chromebooks to students, giving older students permission to take the laptops home.

In Oregon, the Beaverton School District gives Chromebooks to high school students. The Parkrose School District in Northeast Portland started distributing iPads to students in 2014, later introducing Chromebooks at the upper grades. High school students may take home the iPads.

Portland Public Schools has no such districtwide program.

LEARNING A LANGUAGE Portland Public Schools, the largest district in the state, has an extensive network of schools that instruct students in English and an additional language, including Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Russian. The school district has proposed adding an Arabic program as well.

Since students spend part of the day learning in English and the second part learning in the other language, Portland Public Schools calls its program “dual-language immersion.”

Beaverton and other Oregon districts have smaller dual-language programs in fewer foreign languages.

Beaverton offers Spanish immersion in its schools and Chinese in an affiliated charter school.

In Southwest Washington, language programs are also more limited. Vancouver Public Schools offers Mandarin and Spanish.

Evergreen Public Schools offers immersion in Spanish only.

!

?

High school graduation rate in 2016 Oregon: 74.8 percent Washington: 79.7 percent

Average SAT scores in 2017 Oregon: 1108 Washington: 1075

GOING PRIVATE Parents on the Oregon side of the Columbia River have far more options when it comes to private schools.

In Vancouver, most private schools, especially at the upper levels, have a religious bent. Two exceptions are the Cascadia School, which provides a Montessori education for children 6 through 14, and the Gardner School, which offers a science and arts curriculum in a rural setting from preschool to eighth grade. (Annual tuition at Cascadia is $10,000; it’s nearly $19,000 at Gardner.)

In the Portland area, parents may choose from a host of options.

Those include language immersion programs such as those at the International School, the French American International School and the German International School. Tuition for a first-grade student ranges from $15,000 to $18,000 a year.

Portland also offers Waldorf education through high school, including at Cedarwood, a K-8 where annual tuition is $14,000, and the Portland Waldorf School, a K-12 school where tuition for a firstgrader is also $14,000.

For parents who seek a Montessori experience, Childpeace Montessori School runs through what it calls “upper elementary school” for children who are 9-12. (Tuition is $13,000.) Next door, Metro Montessori educates middle-school-age students (for $17,000 a year).

Catlin Gabel and the Oregon Episcopal School offer rigorous programs at steeper prices — $28,500 at Catlin’s lower school and $28,200 at OES. Beth Slovic teaches journalism at Clark College in Vancouver; her daughter will start school in Portland in the fall. Jenifer Banceu studies journalism at Clark; her daughter attends Vancouver Public Schools.

Sources: governing.com, osba.org, ecs.org, hechingerreport.org, nces.gov, oregon.gov/ode, k12.wa.us, nationsreportcard.gov, www2.ed.gov, wacharters.org and reports.collegeboard.org.

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BACK TO SCHOOL

an accessible and inclusive digital directory pdxparent.com/umbrella a digital directory for the thousands of families throughout the Portland/Vancouver area that require specialized services for their children

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ARENT XP

2014 -20

K PI C

cultu Languagea,nd more music

PD

E nrolli nFgall no w fonrish Spa es Cla ssre,

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503-284-0610 • www.PortlandEarlyLearning.com

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BACK TO SCHOOL

the

podcast Find us on iTunes, SoundCloud and Stitcher.

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S CK

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RENT P PA I

Health & Wellness

Back to school means it’s time for a checkup. Let our rea

2018

EYE CARE FOR KIDS

DENTIST

Top 5

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Portland’s premier research and teaching hospital, our readers say that Casey Eye Clinic is an acclaimed for the littles. Whatever you’re looking

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Don’t let the name fool you — Sellwood Medical Clinic’s flagship

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may be in its namesake Southeast Portland neighborhood, but

Hillsboro Pediatric Clinic

they’ve recently opened a second clinic in North Portland, in

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Imagination Yoga imaginationyoga.com Kids all over Portland learn how to salute the sun and stretch like a cat and a cow from the inspired teachers at Imagination Yoga, who lead classes at schools around the metro area.

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Not in your neck of the woods? Get in

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HOSPITAL/HEALTH CLINIC Top 5 Kaiser Permanente Legacy Health Systems OHSU PeaceHealth PROVIDENCE HEALTH & SERVICES

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give them high marks for emergency care and scheduled visits alike.

MAMA/BABY FITNESS CLASS

WORKOUT WITH CHILD CARE ONSITE

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Barre3

Postnatal yoga at Alma Midwifery Yoga Union Community Wellness Center Winner Fit4Mom Multiple locations.

Fit4mom.com With classes that cater to prenatal and postpartum moms, Fit4Mom covers all the bases for Portland mamas looking to keep fit.

And with locations that span from close-in to the ’burbs, Fit4Mom is ultra convenient.

But best of all, at the Stroller Strides classes, your workout partners are all in the same boat, so no one will bat an eye if you need to stop mid lunge to breastfeed a hungry baby.

Center Multnomah Athletic Club Southwest Community Center VillaSport Athletic Club and Spa Winner

24 Hour Fitness Sixteen locations in the Portland/Vancouver area.

24hourfitness.com With all the games, activities and crafts at the 24 Hour Fitness Kids’ Club, your little will be just as tired as you are after your workout!

And you can rest assured that your child is in good hands since every Kids’ Club caregiver is background checked and certified in CPR and first aid. Plus with locations from Tualatin to Vancouver, chances are there’s a 24 Hour Fitness near you.

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Zenana Spa and Wellness Center 2024 SE Clinton St., zenana-spa.com Our readers know that when expectant and new mamas need some pampering, they turn to Zenana, which specializes in care for pre-and-post partum mamas. But anyone is welcome for one of their luxuriant nail treatments or blissed-out massages. pdxparent.com

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FAMILY HEALTH & WELLNESS

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FAMILY HEALTH & WELLNESS

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FAMILY HEALTH & WELLNESS

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Field Trip

Home Teams FTW! Brine Time

B

ack in elementary school, I “played softball.” I am STORY AND PHOTO putting that in quotes, as my

BY ALISON WILKINSON finest memory was doing the hokey pokey in right field while my best friend joined in from third base.

Pro tips

The tickets are super affordable at $13 each (or $7 per spot on the family-

friendly berms), but the cost of food adds up quickly. (But if you go on Sunday nights, kids get a free hot dog, water and fruit.)

While I did not quite have the stamina for playing softball, I do enjoy watching a ballgame. So my kids and I recently headed to Walker Stadium in Lents to catch a Pickles game — Portland’s own collegiate-baseball-level team.

As we entered the stadium, we found ourselves face to face with all the best of baseball. And by that I mean, of course, the food. There are hot dogs fresh from the grill, beer, ice cream served in miniature batting helmets, crackerjacks and, naturally, pickles. After choosing our meals of varying degrees of [un]healthiness, we took our seats.

There are no bad seats at Walker Stadium. From our seats halfway up the bleachers, just above the Pickles dugout, we could see the action perfectly and had a great view of the scoreboard as well. That was a big help as I tried to explain the rules of the game to the kids.

After two innings, it became clear that my 6-year-old daughter had inherited my level of patience for the game. (“So … all they do is play with a ball?”) However, spirits were exuberantly raised by the entertainment at the end of each inning. In addition to the team mascot, Dillon the Pickle, (who roams the stands for plenty of photo ops), there was an assortment of ZOOperstars — like Nolan Rhino and Derek Cheetah, costumed in blow-up, squishable attire.

Each ZOOperstar had a different act, from dancing to harassing the players.

The kids’ favorite, hands (pants?) down, was Mike Rainbow Trout, who somehow managed to “consume” a member of the Pickles staff, bringing him into the costume. Soon a shoe was spit out. Then another. Then a shirt, pants, and finally the staff member himself, who ran out clad only in brightly polka dotted underpants. “Now that’s entertainment!” my oldest exclaimed, nearly crying from laughing so hard. The ZOOperstars aren’t at every game, so check ahead if you want to see them.

The verdict: My oldest was all-in by the end. He was rooting for the Pickles like a lifetime fan — which hey, I guess he basically is at age 8. The younger two came for the baseball and stayed for the mascots — but still had an awesome time.

non porta-potty variety — key for families.

There is no shade in the bleachers. (My youngest was lying down on the step of the bleachers at one point to try to shield himself from the sun.) Bring a hat and don’t forget sunscreen.

Lents playground is just across the field, and is a great place to take a break from the action.

Alison Wilkinson is a Portland lawyer, mom of three and former web editor at PDX Parent.

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Where: Walker Stadium

There are perfectly adequate bathrooms of the

Details

at SE Holgate and 92nd Ave. When: Games run

through August.

See website for details: portlandpicklesbaseball.com.

PDX doesn’t have a MLB team, but our minor and collegiate baseball teams still give your family a chance to root for the local boys of summer.

Hop To It

B

y the close of my son’s Little League season this STORY AND PHOTO June, I thought I’d had my fill

BY JULIA SILVERMAN of baseball. Two practices plus two two-hour games per week for two months straight — can you blame me?

And yet, when Ben and I headed out to a Hillsboro Hops game on a perfect mid-July summer’s eve, it didn’t take long for me to figure out that there was room in my heart for yet more baseball.

The Hops, a single-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, have been playing at the spiffy Ron Tonkin Field on the edge of town for five years now. No, it’s not major league ball, and thank goodness for that — there’s room to stretch out in the bleachers, instead of being packed in like a sardine, and if your kid wants to be on the arena’s big screen, he or she just needs to stand up on the bleachers and do their best Fortnite floss, and the camera will find them.

The team has gone out of its way to be super-familyfriendly, with $7/person seats available on the “Frontier family berm” overlooking left field. (Bring a blanket, and note that on a sunny day, this is the last area of the field to get some shade.) Shadier bleacher seats go for $16 per person.

When kids get wiggly, there are several inflatables set up in a kid zone just past center field, including a giant slide and a bouncy house with a basketball hoop inside.

Dinner options are pretty typical stadium fare with a few lighter options, like teriyaki rice bowls and soft tacos with chicken. There’s even a hot dog topped with a huge scoop of mac ‘n cheese for those with extra-hearty appetites. As you’d expect from a team called the Hops, there’s plenty of beer on offer, too.

And what about the baseball? The level of play was surprisingly good; the night we were there, the Hops blew out

Parking costs $5 per car, cash only. It’s a bit of a haul from downtown Portland, especially if you’re heading through rush hour to make a 7:05 game start. You can take the MAX blue line to Orenco Station and pick up a free shuttle bus to the stadium from there.

Pro tips

Bring a baseball mitt! Players routinely tossed foul balls to hordes of kids waiting in the family berm area.

their opponents, 11-0, and the happy crowd roared its approval. My son, a fledgling Little League pitcher, had fun calling balls and strikes with surprising accuracy, and we both liked speculating on which of the players we were watching might someday be headed for the big leagues.

Add in plenty of silly contests and entertainment sandwiched in between innings (Whipped cream eating contest — no hands allowed!

Ice bucket challenge!), regular appearances by Hoppy, the team’s mascot, and the time-honored singing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame to mark the 7th inning stretch, and we were sold. After all, you can never really have too much baseball.

Don’t miss the cool art installation out front, which lights up when your kid cranks its gears.

Serious fans should consider signing up for the “Short Hops” club, for kids ages 3-12, which is free to join and gets your kiddo perks including autograph sessions with players and giveaways every game.

If you’re planning on eating at the ballpark, consider buying a family 4-pack of tickets; $49 gets you four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas and a family-sized popcorn. Available at area Safeway and Albertson’s

Details

Where: Ron Tonkin Field, 4460 NE Century Blvd., Hillsboro.

When: Home games through Labor Day weekend; find out more at hillsborohops.com.

only.

Julia Silverman is PDX Parent’s editor. She loves Little League, really. pdxparent.com

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Hands On

Chime In

Scour the house and garage for odds and ends to make a wind chime for your yard.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY AMBER GAUNTLETT

A

s the autumn winds start to blow in, preserve some summer memories with a dazzling DIY wind chime that will add some sparkle to any porch.

By rummaging through your garage, kitchen junk drawer or craft cabinet, you are sure to find the perfect random materials. Consider old keys, metal hardware, rusty silverware or broken jewelry. Then add in some beautiful glass beads for a polished look and the sweet tinkling sound of metal striking glass.

(For a true recycled treasure hunt, pair this project with a field trip to the Rebuilding Center, ReClaim It!, Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore or SCRAP and make it a hands-on lesson about the importance of reuse.)

We used a piece of driftwood found on the beach for our first wind chime, and an old lighting bracket found at the ReBuilding Center for our second wind chime.

(See photo on page 5.) So let the natural creativity of your kids take over!

MATERIALS

INSTRUCTION

A variety of “lost and found” objects, such as keys, springs, metal doo-dads, old costume jewelry, washers, nuts, silverware with holes, wooden beads and shells Glass beads A stick, piece of driftwood or some sort of metal base with holes in it from which to hang strings

1. If you are using a stick or wood for your base, drill a few small holes in it. (Kids will need supervision or help from grown-ups here.)

2. Cut fishing line to desired length, make a knot at one end, then string up a mixture of glass, wooden or metal beads, and all the other treasures you found. Note that fishing line is slippery, so grown-ups can tie the knots.

But it is nice and stiff, so it’s easy for small hands to string beads on it.

Drill to make small holes (if using stick for base) Fishing line Wire or string

Amber Gauntlett is the owner of Smartypants kids’ art space in North Portland.

Witnessing the joy that kids find in the art-making process brings out the kid in her. For more information visit smartypantspdx.com.

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3. To secure the line to the base, put the line through a hole in the base, add one bead, then put the line back through the same hole in the base. Then tie it off.

4. Repeat, making as many strings of beads and recycled objects as you have holes in your base.

5. After all the dangly strings are attached to your base, use wire or sting to make a handle for your wind chime.

6. Hang the finished creation on your porch where the sunlight will make it sparkle and the breeze will make magical sounds!

t as

k o i o es C

r e B a r k o f f

Recipe File

A healthy, hearty spin on every kids’ dream-come-true morning meal.

STORY AND PHOTO BY JUDITH RICH

E Carrot Breakfast Bars Males 9 pieces Ingredients 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats ¾ cup flour (you can substitute with gluten-free flour)

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Line baking pan with foil or a silicone baking mat.

2. Whisk the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium-sized bowl.

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg white, honey and vanilla. Stir in milk. Then add the flour mixture. Fold in carrots and golden raisins.

1 large egg white

4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup of honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 tablespoons coconut milk or almond milk 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated cup golden raisins or dried cranberries

5. Take out of the fridge and use an ice cream scoop to form nine equal-size pieces, but then use your hands to shape them into squares or triangles.

6. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown on top and then cool before serving.

ating a healthy and satisfying breakfast is a challenge for working parents. Between shuttling the kiddos to school and getting to work on time, sitting down for breakfast often feels overwhelming.

The idea of just grabbing a quick granola bar is tempting, but they can be high in sugar and processed ingredients.

Wanting to create something healthy, but still have it resemble a treat, I recently started making these oatmeal-carrot breakfast bars.

(Since they require time to chill in the fridge, you might want to make them the night before.) It didn’t take long for them to become a hit with the littles and the grown-ups in our house — and we’ve been taking them with us when on the go.

Made with old-fashioned rolled oats, shredded carrots, cinnamon and honey, they’re hearty, comforting and taste like a cookie. There’s no sugar added, but this treat does include honey, which is not suitable for children under the age of 1. I’m already thinking of new ways to jazz them up with other veggies such as zucchini or pumpkin as we move into fall. Hope they make your mornings a bit sweeter.

Judith Rich creates kid-inspired recipes and writes about her family’s dining out adventures in and around Portland at her blog, Eaty Pie, eatypie.com. pdxparent.com

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Time Out run for your life

wild about watermelon Summer’s ultimate fruit takes center stage at the annual Hermiston Watermelon Giveaway.

The little town in Eastern Oregon is known for growing the sweetest, juiciest watermelons around, so come get yours — and stick around to see the mayors of Portland and Hermiston in an oh-so-dignified watermelon-seed spitting competition. Friday, August 3, noon-1 pm.

Pioneer Courthouse Square, downtown Portland. Free.

go. play. explore.

August | 2018

Don’t like to go for your run at sweaty high noon in August? We don’t blame you.

Try the Sunset on the Springwater instead, an evening half marathon or 10K that starts and ends at Sellwood Riverfront Park, and winds through the adorable Sellwood neighborhood and the Springwater Corridor along the way. Bonus: When you’ve finished the race, there’s a barbecue, a beer garden and live music, too.

The pre-race kiddo run starts at 4:20 pm; the grown-up runs start at 4:45 pm, and the whole shebang goes on until 10 pm. Saturday, August 4.

Elsewhere, families looking for an all-day and fully inclusive track event have FACT/OREGON two choices this month. First, check out the All-Comers Track Meet on Wednesday, August 1, 5:30 pm, at Elden Kellar Track at Hare Field in Hillsboro. It’s a great chance for future track stars to test their mettle at events like discus throwing, long jump and the hurdles. For more info, visit hillsboro-oregon.gov. Or, head to the Tualatin Hills Athletic Center in Beaverton for the second annual All Ability Tri4Youth, a fully accessible triathlon open to all athletes aged 8 to 26. The course includes a 50-yard swim, a 2-mile bike ride and a half-mile run. Celebrate these great athletes and check out the family funfair while you are there. Saturday, August 11, 8 am-noon. Find more info, including about how to volunteer, at factoregon.org.

pass the crawfish Get your fill of little red crustaceans at the annual Tualatin Crawfish Festival. There’s a crawfish-eating contest, plus plenty of other food options if crawfish aren’t your thing.

Saturday promises lots of fun for the littles at the CrawKid Zone, including face painting, field games, balloon animals and a kids’ watermelon-eating contest. Friday August 3, 4 pm-10 pm. Saturday August 4, 10 am-10 pm. Tualatin City Park, 8515 SW Tualatin Rd. $5 admission, 12 and younger free. Visit htcraceseries.com/event/crawfish-festival/ for more info.

believe in bigfoot Plenty of Pacific Northwesterners have stories about their own up-close-and-personal encounters with the Big Guy (and we’re not talking Santa Claus). Come celebrate everyone’s favorite mythical recluse at the Oregon Bigfoot Festival. There will be Bigfoot-themed exhibits, guest speakers, food carts, plenty of merch and even carnival-style games. Saturday, August 11, 10 am-6 pm. Glenn Otto Park, Troutdale. $5 suggested donation fee per adult, and $2 per kid.

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movies for all Head to the brand-new Gateway Discovery Park to discover the inclusive playground for kids of all abilities on and then stick around for the ReelAbilities Movie in the Park. The flick in question is No Ordinary Hero — the SuperDeafy Movie, the story of a deaf actor’s connection with a young fan, and an examination of what the word “normal” means, exactly. Saturday, August 4.

JOHN MAUCERE Pre-movie programming, including dance performances and deaf poetry, starts at 6 pm; the movie shows at dusk.

remember me At the ObonFest Japanese festival, it’s all about the joyful remembrance of those who have passed.

Memorial lanterns sway as as the Bon Odori dancers lead groups through traditional dances that pay tribute to ancestors. Festivities also include live music, drumming from Taiko Portland, kids’ activities and a beer garden. And so much delicious food! Saturday, August 4, 3 pm-9 pm.

Oregon Buddhist Temple, 3720 SE 34th Ave. Free admission.

bollywood calling The sights, sounds and swirls of India take over Portland’s living room on August 12, when the India Festival returns. Sample some super-delicious food, and jam out to some amazing music performances and dance demonstrations. This is an all-day party with free admission on Sunday, August 12, 10 am-8 pm. Pioneer Courthouse Square.

ANGIE HEINEY

street fair season Alberta Street in Northeast Portland is always a party, but their annual street fair is special. They go all out with a focus on local products, artists, crafts and food, plus some of the best people-watching this side of New York City. Get there early for the 11 am kids’ parade, and stick around for kid crafting activities, plus three separate entertainment stages. Saturday, August 11, 11 am-6 pm.

gimme the remote!

Is it a bird? Is it Superman? Nope, it’s drones, aerobatic planes, helicopters, warbirds and even jets, performing at the Radio-Control Air Show. (Though — spoiler alert — your kids are probably going to be the most excited about the candy drop.) Hosted by the Oregon Miniature Aircraft Squadron.

Saturday, August 11, 9 am-4 pm.

46100 NW Strohmayer Rd., Forest Grove. $8 per car for parking, but $6 if you bring in canned food for their food drive.

Get social with us!

ALI KING

bikes on bridges Tune up those bikes because it’s Providence Bridge Pedal time! This year, the Kids Pedal 3-mile loop will cross the Hawthorne and Steel Bridges.

Grown-ups (and hardy kiddos) also have the option of the Marquam Express or Main Ride routes, which cover more bridges. Sunday, August 12. Kids Pedal is free for ages 13 years and younger (and any accompanying adults), but advance registration is required: providence.org/bridge-pedal.

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August 2018

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Last Look

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PHOTOS BY AMY CONWAY, DENISE CASTAÑON AND ROSE CAUDILLO

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A few scenes from the fun at the first annual PDX Parent Celebrates the City event at Oaks Park in June: 1. Penny’s Puppets groupies in the crowd. 2. Getting creative with Spark Arts. 3. Spinning the wheel with Pietro’s Pizza. 4. Storytime with Olive & Dingo. 5. Every day is a

good day for bubbles. 6. Getting hands on at the OMSI table. 7. Experiments gone wild at the Mad Science table. 8. So much to see at the

Thinker Toys table. 9. High-fives for Dillon the Pickle. 10. Sun salutations with Imagination Yoga. 11. Checking out the info from Friends of Trees.

12. KEEN shoes come in every color of the rainbow.

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