Riverdale Review DISTRICT 51J
Fall 2015
New college credits available
Embracing the Habits of Mind
Photo by Brian Black
Photo by Bailey Grayson
RIVERDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT – Riverdale schools are committed to building upon the foundation of the Coalition of Essential Schools’ 10 Common Principles as a framework for shaping school culture. This year, with an eye on continued improvement, administration and staff have prioritized the integration of the Habits of Mind into the curriculum. These habits help students understand who they are as learners and workers, engage in selfreflection and self-advocacy, and encourage persistence and resiliency in the face of challenging work and learning. In her book, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck explains that it’s not just our abilities and talent that bring us success – but whether we approach them with a fixed or growth mindset. The right mindset can motivate students, create a love of learning and develop a resilience that sets them up for success in every area of life – helping them to raise their grades now and reach future goals. Our staff is using tools to help students move from initial exploration to comprehensive internalization of the habits, which will become lifelong behaviors for effective communication, decision making, problem solving and learning. As the Habits of Mind become ingrained in the school culture, Riverdale is transforming into an even more powerful learning community. See the habits in action below.
Grade school students show persistence, one of the Habits of Mind, when a math problem is hard.
Riverdale's annual Field Studies allow students the chance to step out of their comfort zones.
Grade school takes on one habit at a time
High school focuses on academic risk-taking
Riverdale Grade School is rolling out one of the 16 Habits of Mind every two weeks with lessons throughout each grade level and subject area. The year kicked off with a focus on managing impulsivity. Teachers emphasized and discussed with students the need to think before acting and to be deliberate, thoughtful and strategic. Tools include self-regulating; being calm, planned, mindful, reflective and controlled; counting to 10; and using “wait time.” As 3rd graders contemplated this concept, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” provided great examples of impulsive behavior. Continued on page 9. Riverdale Review
Last year, high school teachers identified habits that reflect their goals for students. This year they selected several from the prioritized list to study more deeply. “We began with the concept of safe risk-taking,” says teacher David Thompson. “We asked ourselves how can we encourage students, as they engage in their learning, to embrace challenge and complexity, take initiative, consider other perspectives, speculate and experiment, innovate (think creatively and connect disciplines) and be bold (try something new or take a leadership role).” In small groups, teachers examined Continued on page 9.
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Our students can now graduate with up to 53 college credits – provided on our campus by Riverdale teachers through partnerships with Portland State University, Portland Community College and, new this year, Western Oregon University. In addition to existing offerings – Western Civilizations A and B and Geology through PSU and Writing 121 through PCC – students now have access to three Spanish courses, Tech Apps, Chemistry and Algebra through the Willamette Promise. This program costs students only $30 per year – no matter how many Western Oregon University credits they earn. Additionally, our Willamette Promise course teachers are part of a larger professional learning community of educators – both high school and college level – who meet regularly to develop common proficiency assessments, share effective teaching strategies and review data on student performance. Many Riverdale students also earn offcampus credits through Templeton Scholars at Lewis & Clark College and other similar programs. www.riverdaleschool.com
Supporting Our Schools A message from your school board chair: Strategic Plan accomplishments
I have had the privilege and the pleasure of serving as a Riverdale School Board member for the last five years and as board chair for the last four. What I have seen our school leadership team and staff accomplish over the past three years is remarkable. In 2012, we embarked on a process to develop a five-year Strategic Plan – bringing together district leadership, teachers, in- and out-of-district parents, students and community members to determine what was working and what needed improvement in the district. We identified four Strategic Mandates: • Provide an outstanding, well-rounded education that engages our students • Assure a financially healthy and sustainable district • Attract, develop and retain an exceptional faculty, administration and staff • Foster a respectful, vibrant and welcoming community through collaborative, honest and professional relationships Strategic Plans can be abstract things – nicely bound books that sit on a shelf gathering dust – but, we actually use ours to drive our priorities. We implemented the plan in the 2013-14 school year. It is a rolling plan that carries us through the 2017-18 school year. In a little more than two years, our team has reached enough of the goals and objectives that we intend to do an update in early 2016! Some highlights: • Our stable, solid and exceptional leadership team has fostered an open, collaborative and team-based atmosphere. • The district has implemented a staff evaluation and professional development process focused on instructional best practices and continued learning. • Our grade school team has worked diligently to align K-8th grade curriculum and create cross-currricular connections for students. • Teams of teachers from the grade school and high school regularly collaborate on critical school issues. • Both schools continue to integrate the key principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools. • In an era of financial volatility and underfunding from the state, we have worked to ensure financial stability and good stewardship for the district, and preserved or added to our programs even when it has been difficult to predict future revenues. • We have greater visibility and engagement in the education organizations and groups in the state. • Our students have continued to do exceptionally well by virtually every academic measure. • Our high school students are accepted at the colleges of their choice, including some very prestigious universities. • But perhaps the most important change over the past three years is the feeling in our schools right now. There is a positive energy that is pervasive, and an unmistakable sense of progress. That feels like a lot of momentum to me! My wife and I have two boys at Riverdale. We came because of the “smallness” of the environment and how personal it felt. The more we researched the program, the more we liked it. We stay for the educational experience our boys receive – the teachers, the programs and also the support and engagement from the community. Even people that haven’t had children in the schools for years still come out to support our schools. On behalf of the school board, thank you for your support. Sincerely, Mike Gunter
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Every penny counts RIVERDALE SCHOOL FOUNDATION – The Riverdale School Foundation has launched its Annual Campaign to raise $1 million for Riverdale schools. Contributions help bridge the gap between state school funding and what it actually costs to provide an exceptional Riverdale education – a gap that can run as high as $6,000 per student. Funds raised keep class sizes small and ensure an integrated curriculum including art, music, technology, libraries and physical education at the grade school, and a range of high school electives. The foundation counts on every family to participate in the Annual Campaign. Suggested giving levels remain the same as last year. Resident and transfer families with children in grades K-12 are encouraged to contribute $3,500 per child while tuition families are encouraged to give $500 per child. The foundation would be grateful if community members also gave at the $500 level. Families who add $1,000 to their total donation will be recognized as going the “extra mile.” Families are also encouraged to apply for matching grants from their employers, if available. The Riverdale community has a long tradition of school support. If every family challenges itself to give at a level that makes them proud, we'll reach our goal! Families have until Friday, Nov. 20, to make a pledge or donation. Pledges must be fulfilled by April 30, 2016. Pledges and donations may be mailed to the Riverdale School Foundation at PO Box 69015, Portland, OR 97239, or made online at www.riverdalefoundation.org. Riverdale Review
Academic Highlights What makes Riverdale unique by Grant Roulier, class of 2017
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – I entered Riverdale midway through freshman year. Before that, I had attended a large public school, a small private school and one of the top performing public charter schools in the country. These varied experiences have helped me appreciate what a unique school community we have here at Riverdale. What constitutes Riverdale students partake in many a really good school experiential learning and bonding activities. community? The first, and fairly obvious, element is inclusivity. One of the best ways to understand and assess that is to first experience it as an outsider. While starting mid-year is always a challenge, everyone I encountered during my first week seemed to genuinely want to make sure I felt welcomed. Over the past two years, I have participated in a wide variety of activities – some I had always enjoyed and other brand new experiences. While I'm not a star in tennis, basketball, theater, cross country, jazz band, mock trial, Model United Nations, or any of the activities I do, I have fully enjoyed all of them. I definitely would not have had the chance to pursue all of these at the other schools I attended. Through each team or undertaking, I’ve experienced an encouraging and supportive culture. An inclusive school community is also open to self-expression – stimulating creative freedom. No matter where we come from, we all bring unique and important worldviews. A strong community respects and helps to shape these different outlooks. Riverdale is both small enough and big enough to offer students many avenues for self-expression, including art, music, film, technology, sports, literature and many more. In a sense, Riverdale offers a liberal arts education, which is rare at the high school level, particularly at a time when many schools have to cut back on the arts, physical education and co-curriculars. From the numbers and rankings, you can see Riverdale is a top performer. However, it is the immeasurable aspects I have mentioned that really distinguish Riverdale from other schools. Nearly all of Riverdale's students go on to four-year colleges, which is not typical of most high schools. While it would be easy for students to focus exclusively on their respective paths toward self-fulfillment, prestigious schools or careers, Riverdale’s emphasis on service helps students maintain a broader awareness. By valuing service, Riverdale helps us explore and consider where we might make the most significant contributions – to an even larger community. Riverdale Review
Pop goes the art RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Grade school students are trying their hands at Pop Art this year as part of the Art Literacy program, a 25-year-old Riverdale tradition that provides an added art focus each year. Unlike many schools that have had to cut back on art programs, Riverdale makes sure art is integrated into core subject areas. In addition to students taking art classes from a full-time art teacher several times a week, classroom teachers also weave art projects into other areas of learning. “Art Literacy offers kindergarten through 8th grade students the opportunity to concentrate on specific artists and art movements and to learn ways to ‘read’ works of art,” says parent Naomi Hand, who is leading the effort this year. “Each trimester teachers welcome parent volunteers into their classrooms to give a presentation, lead a discussion and facilitate a hands-on art project.” This year’s Pop Art theme has students studying artists Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, plus Claes Oldenburg, whose large-scale public installations can be seen around the globe. Inspired by his whimsical sculptures, students are designing plans for a fictitious installation on the grade school lawn and creating soft sculpture representations using tissue paper. The parent lead for each year’s program selects a theme, determines which artists to study and what art projects to do, consulting with the art teacher along the way. A presentation is crafted, supplies collected and parent volunteers trained to facilitate each session in the various classrooms. Funds for the art supplies come from the Parent Teacher Club.
A 4th grade student thinks a giant Rubik's Cube sculpture would add artistic flair to the grade school campus.
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Academic Highlights
A holistic approach to music RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – In our kindergarten through 4th grade music classes, children begin with what they do instinctively: play! Guided by the Orff Schulwerk approach to music instruction, speech, song, movement, drama and instrumental play are combined for active and creative music-making by all children, not just the musically talented. Through imitation, experimentation and personal expression, Riverdale students are becoming confident, life-long musicians and creative problem solvers. “Active learners develop a better and more thorough long-term understanding of the material and ideas involved,” says new music teacher Lindsey Quint. “Our students regularly improvise and create their own dances and musical experiments, which helps prepare them to approach challenges in many other contexts.” Research suggests that oral reading of song lyrics, rhymes and poetry improves a child’s ability to read fluently. And neurologists believe early rhythmic experiences support brain development. Learning through Orff Schulwerk builds skills beyond music, including creativity, communication, critical thinking, collaboration and confidence, and provides for non-verbal expression of emotions. “We consciously cultivate tolerance, helpfulness, patience and cooperation,” explains Ms. Quint. Ensemble activities require sensitivity to the total group and awareness of each individual’s role. The curriculum develops each child’s potential, not only as a musician, but as a whole person… a future leader. Riverdale’s music curriculum is never music in a vacuum. It is always in unity with movement, dance and speech. What can you do at home to enrich your child’s musical interest and skills? • Talk about what they learn and enjoy in music. Ask them to teach you their favorite song or
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Choir: Community, not class
by Melanie Henderson-Sjoberg, class of 2018 RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – I think it is undeniable that choir is completely distinct from any other class at Riverdale. Ms. Schnizlein’s unique approach to teaching and devotion to forming a supportive atmosphere not only enhances the students’ love of music, but also creates a community where students aren’t afraid of taking personal risks and being vulnerable. Our choir is guided by the concept of “self as all,” meaning that each person is essential to the vitality of the choir. Every individual’s attendance and participation is crucial to our choir attaining its full potential. Instead of students individually competing for a good grade as they would in almost all other classes, in choir our success relies on the combined effort of everyone in the class. “Everyone supports one another and we never judge or discourage another member. Each individual feels like they belong,” explains Rachel Couche, a sophomore in her second trimester of choir. Students aren’t judged based on how experienced they are as singers, but rather viewed as distinct individuals with special
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Choir students support one another to sing in harmony.
Photo by Grant Roulier
Grade school students enjoy creative musical experiences through a playful curriculum that builds skills beyond music education.
singing/movement game. Ask what instruments they’ve experimented with in class. • Sing together. Singing helps build routines: bedtime, bath time, cleaning up. • Move or dance to any music, just for the joy of it. • Play instruments or create a “kitchen band” using household items to create interesting, layered rhythms. Play music games such as “Name that Tune” or “Sound Concentration,” in which unseen sounds are identified. • Create opportunities for discovery. Lower the volume on a familiar movie or show and create your own soundtrack. Listen to and imitate different types of sounds from animals to environmental noises. • Listen to live or recorded music of different styles. By the time students reach the 5th grade, they know and understand music. This is an exciting transition year, in which they select an instrument and participate in band classes three days a week. Students learn to persevere and practice, which aligns with our Habits of Mind instruction throughout the school. And in 7th and 8th grade, several musical electives are available, including Advanced Band, Marimba and other rotating selections.
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Academic Highlights Milkshake's summer adventures
Milkshake the guinea pig is happy to be part of Mrs. McDonald's class.
........RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Mrs. McDonald’s 1st/2nd grade classroom can’t stop talking about Milkshake. But it’s not the creamy, thick beverage you’re probably imagining. It’s a friendly guinea pig that has stolen hearts and had many adventures. “Milkshake came to our classroom at the end of last year,” explains Mrs. McDonald, who received him from a neighbor at just five weeks old. “The students welcomed him with open arms, and after a class vote and at least 25 name suggestions, Milkshake was given his name.” Wondering what to do with Milkshake over the summer, the teacher set up an online visitation calendar for interested class families. “His calendar was full within the week,” she says.
Choir (continued from previous page) skillsets to offer the class. This mutual respect for others forms a diverse community in which every student is accepted and valued. Instead of having one person who is in charge of leading and controlling the choir, every student is responsible for creating a productive environment. It is our job to make the class workable, by enforcing rules and concentrating on what we are learning. By placing students in charge of the productivity of work time, it allows us to commit to our learning experience and encourage Riverdale Review
“Milkshake left school with his travel bag containing hay and cage shavings, and was passed each week from student to student until I returned to the classroom.” Milkshake traveled with a journal and each family added to his story. The journal details his love of fruit and veggies (“Who eats more, me or Milkshake? Milkshake does!”) and his play dates with family pets who loved to linger around his cage. “He is so cute when he speeds around his cage like a race car with squeaky wheels,” says one journal entry, referring to Milkshake’s predilection for ‘popcorning’ – a behavior exhibited by happy guinea pigs that involves running, jumping and often squeaking noises. Students researched the odd behavior and were glad to learn it was perfectly normal. When he returned from his adventures, Milkshake was much bigger and very social. Plus, the summer of constant love and attention turned him into an interactive member of the class. “He thrives on the constant movement and little voices of my classroom,” Mrs. McDonald says. “When the children are quiet during independent learning periods, Milkshake will often poke his head out of his cage and give a few squeaks to make sure everyone knows he is still there.” He now receives visitors from
Students record Milkshake's adventures during his summer visits to their homes.
others to do the same. “If we want to get better, we all have to concentrate,” says sophomore Sidney Gaab. “Sometimes we have to remind each other to pay attention so that we can focus.” This way, students don’t feel as if the teacher is forcing them to be there – instead, it’s our desire to improve and enjoyment of the class that fuels our enthusiasm. Our commitment to our choir community is essential to our overall success, because it creates the foundation upon which we can improve our music. Our constant support and encouragement of each other allows
us to enjoy singing, which makes our music sound better. “In our choir, people are comfortable singing in front of each other,” says junior Alison Molinari. Because we trust and accept everyone in the class, it allows us to be confident about our voices and makes us sound more harmonized. “Our support for each other makes it the best choir I’ve ever been in,” says junior Taryn Engel. Like many others in the class, it is the unique sense of community that makes choir my favorite class of the day.
all over the school. “Milkshake has strengthened our classroom community, been a source for writing inspiration and given us a chance to practice one of the Habits of Mind,” Mrs. McDonald says. “When Milkshake begins to squeak and hop around his cage, staying seated and focused on our work is a true practice in managing impulsivity.” He’s also proven to be a helpful math tool, letting students measure his cage as he scurries about cheering them on.
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Academic Highlights Building robots, and skills
A scavenger hunt has students deciphering clues to find a 1900s Benson Bubbler, left, and Portland's second oldest sculpture (an elk fountain), right.
On a hunt for history by Xander Klas, class of 2016
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – New to the high school this fall is a Portland History elective, taught by Michael Johnson. As the name suggests, the class offers students the opportunity to research history as they would in a required history course, but with a local focus. With topics ranging from the Pre-Columbian history of the area, the founding of Portland and the growth of the original downtown blocks into the expansive metro area that is Portland today, it naturally made sense to step out of the classroom and explore the vibrant downtown region about which students were learning. Yet, no ordinary field trip would do when the subject area was our own backyard, so a scavenger hunt was planned for historic sites and buildings in the original Portland land claim – roughly the area between the Hawthorne and Morrison bridges, bounded on the west by 4th Avenue. Students began by identifying points of historic interest in that area, such as City Hall and the USS Oregon memorial. In the week leading up to the trip, two teams of students crafted clues hinting at the location and historic background of their chosen landmarks. The day before the trip, the clues were revealed to the other team, which was left to decipher and plan a course for the next day’s journey. In addition to the landmarks in the clues, each team would also have to take pictures of at least four historic plaques or markers found downtown. Field trip day had two vans full of students departing school early and heading downtown. From there the two teams split up, competing against one another to be the fastest to reach all the landmarks. One team headed into Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park and followed the river south until it reached the Hawthorne Bridge, at which point the students turned toward City Hall. The second team headed into the city first, then swung south to the park later. The reward for being the first team to find all the landmarks and plaques – coffee and doughnuts paid for by Mr. Johnson – was more than enough to inspire competition. Eventually, the two teams met up to grab lunch from several food cart pods (Portland’s latest contribution to history) before sitting down to eat at Director’s Park. After a few stops at a quirky candy shop or two, students returned to the vans and headed back to Riverdale.
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RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Based on student interest cultivated through the Riverdale Robotics Team’s annual participation in the Pacific Northwest District FIRST Robotics Competition, the high school added a Robotics class for the fall trimester. The class, taught by technology teacher Adam McLain, is honing skills that will be instrumental during the Robotics Team’s “build season” starting in January and also provide a framework for students interested in this emerging field. “Though the hardware and software are all different, the principles are universal,” he says. The class is building robots from a kit and adjusting them to match different tasks. One was the tin can challenge highlighted in the school’s e-newsletter earlier in the year. Another involves an autonomous maze, similar to the Exploratory Ventures final last year. To prepare for the maze, teams added various types of sensors: motor encoders, ultrasonic range finders and even bumper buttons to provide information about the robot's condition. “Then teams developed algorithms and wrote programs using that information to effectively navigate,” Mr. McLain explains. “The current, most-promising strategy uses bumpers to identify when the robot has gently hit something. It then backs up, and uses an ultrasonic range finder on each side to determine which direction has the most available distance. It turns in that direction and continues its progress.” The class is almost entirely hands on. “The robot provides the feedback – either it does what the team wants or it does not. Success and setbacks are determined not by a rubric, but by actual results. This leads students to seek information – right now that is chiefly in the form of program and device documentation,” he adds. Though this class is only one trimester, students may opt to continue honing their robotics skills and cultivating their interest in robotics by joining Riverdale's Robotics Team, Pandamonium, when the group starts the six-week building period for the robotics competition, which is held in March. Even students who have no experience with building robots are encouraged to participate. “As long as you have an interest in learning about robotics, you'll pick up skills throughout the process and from other team members,” Mr. McLain says. The Robotics team also needs members who can help with non-technical activities such as fundraising and marketing. If you're interested, let Mr. McLain know. Riverdale Review
Academic Highlights Exploration and empathy in preschool RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, Riverdale’s preschool program honors children’s natural curiosity. “Children come to us full of ideas about the world around them and with their own experiences in the world. They are resourceful, imaginative and inventive, and possess a desire to interact and communicate with others," says Principal Joanna Tobin. The students' inquisitiveness drives the curriculum development process, which progresses with purpose but not scope or sequence. “The children have just as much to teach others as I do,” says teacher Tammy Sutter. “We learn together and we follow what strikes the kids as exciting and interesting.” The notion is that children are endowed with many languages through which they can express their ideas, and in class they are shown how to use these symbolic languages – painting, sculpting, drama, etc. – in everyday life. “On the ‘house project,’ children were given an outline and asked to fill in what is in their house,” Ms. Sutter says. “A typical 3- or 4-year-old can't draw a realistic bed, but they can draw in their scratchy way and then tell me what it is. I take the time to listen and to document their efforts so that others can see what they are learning.” Ms. Sutter and Barbara Lamb, along with their instructional aides, create rich, vibrant and textured environments in their classrooms for daily exploration,
with a focus on bringing the outdoors inside. Even “Share and Tell” is designed around found objects from nature, rather than toys or gadgets. Recently, Ms. Sutter’s class has been displaying all of its found treasures on a “weaving wall” made of chicken wire. Leaves, twigs and flowers wind their way up the framework, growing day by day. This display allows children to return again and again to add new insights; express their thoughts; and formulate their feelings, ideas and understandings about the world around them. “It’s important that they take time to really see things, examine them, notice the differences and similarities between everything they encounter,” Ms. Sutter says. Her class spends a lot of time “noticing” – others’ emotions, events on the calendar, variations in patterns and sounds, the color of each others’ skin – and honoring what makes us all unique. Through directed, yet flexible, learning, students develop fine and gross motor skills and key interpersonal skills such as kindness and empathy. On any given day, classroom conversations can center on making people feel welcomed and accepted (e.g. returning “hellos” and “good mornings” and saying “thank you”) and honoring emotions (e.g. not hurting feelings by making fun of friends’ favorite colors and what to do if you’re missing your mom – though moms, and dads, are rarely far away.) “Parents play an essential role and are always welcome to volunteer in the classroom,” Ms. Sutter says.
Preschoolers notice a molehill, which leads to an interesting discussion about tunnels.
Students add their natural treasures to the weaving wall in class, to share with others.
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Calming young minds RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – On Wednesdays, the 1st/2nd grade blended classrooms alternate through three mindfulness lessons: Yoga Calm, MindUP™ and Habits of Mind (see cover story). Teacher Debbie Gorenstein, a devoted Bikram yogi, is helping students calm their minds and bodies through the practice of Yoga Calm, which introduces poses through story and visualization. “I've done yoga in class in the past,” Ms. Gorenstein says, “However, this year we made it weekly due to the increased PE requirements.” Each week, students practice different poses related to listening, grounding, strengthening and visualization. They also discovered how the pre-frontal cortex helps to tame the amygdala. “Yoga has a calming effect on the kids once they relax and enjoy the poses – it helps them when they grow frustrated or impatient,” Ms. Gorenstein says. MindUP™, led by Jennifer McDonald, is a research-based training program rooted in cognitive neuroscience, positive psychology and mindful awareness. “It helps students calm down and maintain focus,” she says. Through lessons aligned with state standards, students learn to self-regulate behavior and mindfully engage in the type of concentration required for academic success. The program is designed to support improved academic performance while enhancing perspective, empathy and kindness, and fostering complex problem solving skills.
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Academic Highlights H2O: To study, protect and provide by Matouš Komers, class of 2016 RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – While the H2O for Life class is thankful for all of the attention and support for our fundraising efforts to bring water to a Nepalese school that suffered massive earthquake damage, there is also much to share about the curriculum. Among our studies is Nestle Waters' attempt to build a water bottling plant in Cascade Locks, Oregon. If successful, water will be pumped from Oxbow Springs just 100 yards from the boundary of the highly protected Mount Hood National Forest. First proposed in 2008, this complicated issue with potentially negative impacts is still being considered. To educate ourselves and raise awareness about the issue, we studied Nestle Water, Cascade Locks and other communities impacted by bottling plants. We also learned about the salmon living in the streams near Cascade Locks and took a field trip to Eagle Creek, which is along the Columbia River just three miles from the town. As student leaders for the class, senior Madeline Hensleigh and I created a classroom lesson to prepare students for the trip. We gave out packets for note taking and had students rotate through several stations designed to teach different aspects of salmon life and stream health. These included the natural habitat/riparian zone, salmon life cycle, water quality and the various macroinvertebrates that indicate whether a waterway is healthy or not. Upon arrival to the salmon watch site the following day, we met four volunteers from various government agencies and conservation groups. As in our class preparations, groups of students visited the different stations to test the pH and dissolve the stream’s
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Students examine macroinvertebrates – stoneflies, mayflies and caddisflies.
oxygen, wade through the water to find macroinvertebrates, explore the riparian zone and examine the stream while assessing the lives of Columbia River salmon. It was clear that everyone learned a lot and had a great experience. The next week, when Mrs. LePore, Madeline and I had the students take a test on what they learned, everyone knew their salmon facts; so, the field trip was a success! A second trip took the class to the Bull Run Watershed. As for fundraising, our efforts continue. At press time, our class has raised nearly $2,500 toward our $5,500 goal. “I love knowing that a small group of high school students, over a period of less than 12 weeks, can make a life-improving, and often a life-saving, impact on a community somewhere else in the world,” Mrs. Lepore says. It's really great to be involved directly as one of the leaders of H2O. Service often feels passive instead of active. So, it's good to feel like we're actually making a difference ourselves. Since 2008, when the program began, nine communities have been served by the class’ fundraising efforts. Says Mrs. Lepore, “I would guess that 100 students in the five H2O classes have impacted more than 10,000 people. That feels really rewarding.”
Growing an outdoor classroom RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – It takes a village to raise a garden, or in this case an Outdoor Classroom and Garden at the grade school. Last year, a group of parents, students and staff worked together to extend a few existing garden beds used by preschoolers and establish a larger Outdoor Classroom area next to the Riverdale District Office. The 7/8th grade Leadership class sought donations of sustainable juniper wood for the garden beds and, with adult volunteers, taught younger students how to build. With seven new garden beds, a circular seating area, two picnic tables, a garden shed, composters, irrigation and white boards added, the team transformed the space into a bountiful outdoor education area used by the whole school for studies in a variety of core subjects. Students now come to plant, explore, learn and touch in myriad lessons taking place throughout the garden cycles. Along with planting and harvesting, classes and activities you can expect to see in the Outdoor Classroom include irrigation design, building of new structures and measuring existing ones, geology, weather, erosion, water flow and composting. Plus, this year’s Leadership class is back in the garden, enhancing the entry. They completed an initial site analysis and created a base map to use as the foundation for their design ideas. Now they are defining the path and generating a planting list. Many hands, donations and volunteers contributed to this effort. Our thanks go to all who supported and continue to support this curriculum-enhancing endeavor! Learn more about outdoor learning at http://www.riverdaleschool.com/garden.
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Academic Highlights One habit at a time (continued from page 1)
What the space looked like before the garden grew.
Math skills were crucial for building garden beds.
“We brainstormed ways Goldilocks could have better managed her impulsiveness,” says teacher Lynn Evans. “We also discussed thinking before acting, taking a deep breath and being patient.” Students have also spent time exploring persistence, listening with understanding and empathy, and thinking flexibly. They are now focused on metacognition, or thinking about thinking. At all grade levels, students are showing persistence when a math problem is hard and applying flexible reasoning as they discover multiple ways to solve problems. Kindergarteners also find math time a good time to demonstrate their ability to manage impulsivity by providing one another with time to think. “Students are encouraged to be flexible learners, to value their strategies and methods and to value the idea of struggle,” says math teacher Vi Tamargo. “When a problem is extra difficult, students like being reminded that when it feels tough, that means your brain is learning.” Student growth and learning are being recognized during the learning process. “Our Falcon Feathers acknowledgement tickets have been revised to include Habits of Mind and our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system has been revamped to focus more on intrinsic motivation and less on extrinsic rewards,” says Principal Joanna Tobin.
A focus on risk-taking (continued from page 1)
Hunting for beans!
Making a yummy salad.
The 7/8th Leadership class defines the entry path.
1st and 2nd graders discovering buried "treasure." Riverdale Review
individual assignments and discussed how they could present students with appropriate intellectual risks and the techniques they employ to encourage risk-taking. “Students experience risk in many areas of academics,” says Michael Murray, school counselor. “For students to embrace risk-taking, it is important that they feel they have a safe opportunity to do so. But taking intellectual risks inherently requires that learners be outside of their comfort zone.” He adds, “One of the greatest challenges of this work is helping students find and explore opportunities in which they feel free to take risks and stretch themselves. This requires the individualization envisioned in the Coalition of Essential Schools' principle of personalization – teaching and learning should be personalized to the maximum feasible extent.” Taking risks can happen in various ways, large and small: making an announcement at our community meeting, proposing a hypothesis in a math class, choosing a bold thesis in a humanities essay, designing and building one’s own bridge in Physics 10, creating and exploring a challenging essential question in Senior Exhibition. "In each opportunity we can support students' risk-taking through our expectations, assessments, feedback and modeling,” Mr. Thompson says. The teachers have also discussed the challenge of academic risktaking in a college preparatory environment. “We believe that, as students progress through high school, it is important that we help them grow academically, psychologically and emotionally to be better prepared to continue their education in the future,” Mr. Murray says. “But we understand that risk-taking can be at odds with the need for perfect grades that some colleges demand. These discussions that we are having about Habits of Mind are helping us take some risks ourselves in order to better support students.”
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Faces of Riverdale Voice for change
Life in the lab
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Junior Gabe Abdellatif likes being a voice for change, especially when it comes to matters impacting students' engagement with their schools and community. Now in his third year on Riverdale High School’s Site Council (comprising students, parents, faculty and administration working together to lead and support school policy and programs), he was recently appointed to the Multnomah Youth Commission, where he works with youth and elected officials to improve the city and get the youth voice heard. What is the Multnomah Youth Commission? It’s the official youth policy body for both Multnomah Gabe Abdellatif, County and the City of Portland. It’s a class of 2017. group of young people, ages 13-21, striving to provide a voice for youth in county and city policy. The MYC works to change policy affecting young people, as well as stereotypical community perceptions. What drew you to the position? I really enjoyed the voice that Riverdale’s Site Council gave me. It was really nice to be able to create policy recommendations and see changes implemented in the school community. I wanted the opportunity to make similar changes on a larger scale. How were you selected? After answering several essay questions and providing letters of recommendation, I was called in for an interview at City Hall with youth commissioners and staff from Multnomah County and the City of Portland. I was definitely a little nervous. The two-hour process involved icebreakers and group collaborative activities followed by a short interview rotation in which candidates moved around the room and responded to interview questions. What have you been involved with so far? My work started in August with a three-day retreat, which was the first time I met all of the other commissioners and started to work with them. We learned a lot about the history of the MYC, how the county and the city differ and the extent of each entity’s jurisdiction. We also participated in several workshops on social justice and heterosexism. The retreat laid down the foundation for us to start our work. Each commissioner chose a committee on which to serve, all tackling major issues affecting youth: Education and Youth Voice, Youth Against Violence, and Sustainability (improving access to transit). I serve on the education committee, which has worked for several years on chronic absenteeism amongst high school students. This year, we’re also planning a mayoral candidate forum for youth to hear the different candidates’ platforms and hold a mock vote.
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Not every aspiring high school scientist gets to work in a prominent hospital research lab. Yet, senior Katherine Pelz has had the privilege of working in two – through summer and school year Katherine Pelz, internships in the Department of Molecular class of 2016. and Medical Genetics and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Oregon Health & Science University. Katherine’s work included “maintaining and splitting cultured cells, immunofluorescence staining of human and mouse tissue sections and protein detection by western blotting.” Working with a postdoctoral fellow, she studied the role of platelets in promoting the survival of metastatic cancer cells in the blood stream. “I also tested the sensitivity of fibroblasts and endothelial cells to two different drugs using cell viability MTS assay and calculated the 50 percent growth inhibitory dose,” she says. If you don’t understand those words, don’t feel bad. Katherine didn’t either when she began at age 16. “The first few papers I read required me to look up at least one word in each sentence and refer to the studies cited.” But, each week she understood more terms and procedures that helped her make connections to her own experiments. Katherine plans on majoring in Biology in college and is considering colleges offering research opportunities. “Having experience in the lab setting has reinforced my desire to pursue the sciences,” she says. Katherine also had the chance to write an abstract on the work she did with Dr. Owen McCarty and present it at an OHSU conference. She will be listed as a co-author when the research is published.
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Creating web solutions RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Senior Cole Bemis spent nine weeks over the summer interning at Pollinate, a full-service Portland ad agency that was named 2015 Advertising Age Cole Bemis, Northwest Small Agency of the Year. class of 2016. There, he participated as a member of the development team, finding and implementing web solutions for clients’ needs. Specifically, he worked on the firm’s website, pollinate.com, and Wilson Football 2.0, a football customizer for Wilson Sporting Goods. “I gained working knowledge of the structure and processes of an ad agency and collaborated with creative and client services team members to actualize their exciting ideas,” Cole says. Cole was the first high school intern Pollinate had hired, and it seems like that risk paid off for the firm. The team not only asked him back for next summer, but he’s also doing some contract work for the agency during the school year. The internship only enhanced Cole's desire to study computer science next year in college. Riverdale Review
Athletics RIVERDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT – Due to the fast pace of sports and the time constraints of a printed newsletter, what you are about to read is not the most up-to-date sports news. At press time, many crucial games to determine how the fall season wraps up were still on the horizon, but we wanted to make sure you knew how hard our athletes have been working since the season began. Please be sure to visit www.riverdaleschool.com/sportsnews for the latest recaps.
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL
Photo by John Ng
Photo by Danette Molinari
Photo by Canon Wright
Maverick Soccer teams are mid-way through their league schedule and are competing for league playoffs berths. The boys’ team has several key upcoming games against De La Salle, Life Christian, Faith Bible and Portland Christian to secure a spot in this year's playoffs. Coach Mark Madeira and the Mavericks are currently ranked No. 10 in the state and need to continue their winning ways through late October. The girls’ team and coach Willie Anderson are currently ranked No. 12 in the state 3A/2A/1A division and have key upcoming games versus Clatskanie, OES, Catlin Gabel and Westside Christian to secure a post-season position. Maverick Volleyball secured a big win when it beat league opponent Clatskanie on the road for the second straight season. The team, under head coach Reed Goldsmith, continues to show remarkable improvement and has dropped some heartbreakers to both De La Salle and Warrenton this season. A tremendously young squad will return next year as Riverdale will only graduate one senior from the team this season. The future of Maverick volleyball continues to look bright with very talented young athletes. Maverick Cross Country teams are making a push for state. The boys’ team finished third in state last season and is looking to return once again. With several strong showings, including first place finishes at the Kiwanda Challenge and Chemawa Invitational, the Mavericks seem to be hitting their stride at the right time. Not to be outdone, the girls’ team is having an outstanding season – taking first place at both the District's PreInvitational Event and the Kiwanda Challenge. The ladies look to qualify as a team for the first time in Riverdale cross country history and have a great chance to do so under head coach Michael Johnson.
RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL Falcon Boys’ Soccer continues to battle for a league playoff spot. Head Coach Roberto Curilovic has the A team boys fighting for a spot in the Metro Christian League Division 1 Playoffs. As the boys push through their final league schedule, they need to continue their strong play. The same can be said for Head Coach Miguel Saavedra and the Boys’ Division 2 team. The first-year coach has the program primed to possibly secure a playoff spot in its league as well. Great job boys, and keep up the hard work! Riverdale Review
Falcon Girls’ Soccer has made tremendous strides this season under first-year head coach Gilian Gandy. The girls have already shown remarkable improvement in their skills and understanding of the game. They are battling top teams in the league and have broken through with several wins this season. What a tremendous job, Falcons. Falcon Volleyball has faced many challenges this season, including injuries and illness, but continues to improve under second-year head coach Nancy Fowler. The program has also grown with the introduction of first-year B team head coach Sara Marruffo to help with the ever-growing number of players. The Falcons have fought hard and continue to make us proud. Falcon Cross Country continues to show remarkable improvement this season, with several personal records throughout many of the early meets. Head Coach Jenni Denekas and the Falcons are gearing up for the Metro Christian League Cross Country Championships in late October and are on pace to have their best showing yet. Good luck to our distance runners!
Photo by Brian Black
Fall sports in progress
Sign up for winter! RIVERDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT – Riverdale winter sports include boys’ and girls’ basketball for grades 5-12, high school co-ed swimming, and high school club sports skiing and snowboarding. Practices begin: • Monday, Nov. 16 - High school • Monday, Nov. 30 - 7th and 8th graders • Monday, Jan. 4 - 5th and 6th graders Online registration must be completed prior to the first day of practice, including all sports fees ($350 for high school and $300 for grade school). For those who have already participated in a fall sport, only the fee is required. Visit the district website to register and pay fees.
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Riverdale Review Fall 2015
DISTRICT 51J
Riverdale School District 11733 SW Breyman Ave. Portland, OR 97219
Inside this issue: • Latest News • Supporting Our Schools • Academic Highlights • Faces of Riverdale • Athletics • Events and Activities
P. 1 P. 2 P. 3-9 P. 10 P. 11 P. 12
Events and Activities Spend a night in 'Almost, Maine' Monday, Nov. 9 Tuesday, Nov. 10 Wednesday, Nov. 11 Welcome to Almost, Maine, a town that’s so far north, it’s almost not in the United States – it’s almost in Canada. And it almost doesn’t exist. Because its residents never got around to getting organized. So, it’s just…Almost. One cold, clear Friday night in the middle of winter, while the northern lights hover in the sky above, Almost’s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in the strangest ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. Love is lost, found and confounded. And life for the people of Almost, Maine will never be the same. ALMOST, MAINE: It’s love. But not quite. RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – For 15 student actors, the one night you’ll spend in 'Almost, Maine' took almost two months of preparation. "So far, the rehearsals have been productive and very focused,” says Clara Hillier, co-director along with Heath Koerschgen. “We are sharing naturalistic acting techniques, honing comedic timing and recognizing tactics, beats and emotional connections with our scene partners.” All but one of the nine acts of "Almost, Maine" focus on two people discovering and processing some form of love – new, old, unrequited, passionate, shy, anxious, unexpected or cautious love. "They’re having a great time preparing,” she says. “I know these 15 students are ready for the challenge of tackling true, fully rounded characters and working on the nuances of acting technique." Four of the female actors are portraying two roles each. Performances will start at 7 p.m. at the Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S. State St., Lake Oswego. Tickets will be sold at the door each night, $10 for adults, $7 for students and seniors. Cash or check only.
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Get to know Riverdale High School, Nov. 15 RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Prospective high school students (including RGS 7th and 8th graders) and their families are invited to join us at 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 15, at Riverdale High School for a first-hand look at all that makes Riverdale special. Register online at www.riverdaleschool.com/InfoDay. At Info Day, guests will tour the school and hear from the principal and student speakers. They will get acquainted with Riverdale through guided discussions on curriculum and campus life led by teachers, parents and students, and through visiting classrooms to learn more about specific programs, clubs and sports. This is the perfect chance to experience all that our high school has to offer. We hope to see you there! Families interested in Riverdale Grade School can register for the Grade School Info Day on Friday, Jan. 22.
Mark your calendar Nov. 9-11 "Almost, Maine" (HS Drama production) Nov. 12 Grade School Band Concert Nov. 15 High School Info Day Nov. 16/30 Winter sports practice begins (HS/GS) Nov. 20 High School Fall Choir Concert Nov. 23-27 Thanksgiving Break See more at www.riverdaleschool.com/calendar. Riverdale Review