Riverdale Review DISTRICT 51J
2018-19 Fall/Winter
Strategic planning What's ahead for Riverdale? Page 3
Also in this issue: • Students tackle PSU Honors College curriculum
• Riverdale grad improves U.S. Army body armor
• How brain breaks help kids
• Art enhances core subject studies
• Tech education program expands
• Young readers build confi dence
• New grant for teacher site visits
... and much more
Riverdale Review
www.riverdaleschool.com
Supporting Our Schools A message from your superintendent
Producing intended outcomes Five months into my tenure as interim superintendent and I am now past fi rst impressions and knee-deep into the important work of supporting student education. That means keeping one foot in the day-to-day, current year work, while simultaneously planning strategically for the future. Rather than boring you with the daily tasks I tackle, I would like to characterize my work in terms of the intended outcomes being produced. Four terms come to mind when I refl ect on the work happening at the district and school levels: efficiency, effectiveness, clarity and collaboration. It is all too often the case that a government agency, such as a school district, has practices that confuse and frustrate staff and community alike. Eff orts are underway to streamline and establish user-friendly processes and increase clarity for all. Our goal is to save both time and money, and have systems that work well in our small district. We are also working to maximize the revenue available to support student learning. For example, we are tapping into non-general fund resources at the state and federal levels to address facility needs. Our fi rst project is to audit the lighting in our high school classrooms and use state money for upgrades and improvements. This may sound like a small matter, but having appropriate lighting is an important part of providing quality learning environments for students. With support coming from multiple community partners, such as our Parent Teacher Clubs and Riverdale School Foundation, the ability to collaborate is critical. In my continuing interactions with organization leaders and our administrative team, I am working to maintain clear lines of communication that will unify our work, align our eff orts and foster understanding of the important work done by others. Clarity of purpose and direction is our primary goal in creating a renewed strategic plan (see page 3). Riverdale will be well-served to have a high-quality plan for the future that clearly outlines our community’s visions for our schools now and in the future. The interactions of the 35 hard-working members of our strategic planning team and the feedback provided by eight varied groups during input sessions have provided valuable information to move us forward. I am inspired and energized by this important work and grateful for the opportunity to serve as your superintendent. Sincerely, Jim Schlachter
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Annual campaign — so close to our goal RIVERDALE SCHOOL FOUNDATION – The Riverdale School Foundation and Riverdale School District are incredibly thankful for the generosity of all donors to the 20182019 annual campaign. So far, 76 percent of student families have joined with many alumni, staff and community members to raise $1.35 million for Riverdale students. This signifi cant number brings us so close to our $1.5 million goal, which we will continue working toward in the upcoming months. The Riverdale community has a long history of supporting its schools, and we are very fortunate that so many families make exceptional education a priority in their household budgets and in their giving. A list of all families who contributed to the annual campaign will be published in January, with an updated list distributed in June to account for additional donations received throughout the rest of the year. For over 25 years, donors to the annual campaign have been, and continue to be, the bedrock for Riverdale schools by supplementing state school funding in an eff ort to matintain our tradition of educational excellence. It’s not too late to give! You can help us reach our goal. The Riverdale School Foundation is still accepting pledges and donations at RiverdaleFoundation.org. Pledges do not need to be redeemed until April 30, 2019. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated; what is important is that every family participates in some way. Please check if your employer off ers corporate matching. Last year, this led to an additional $90,000 in matched donations. "All in all, I was so grateful for the support of my incredible call-captain team and the foundation board," says the campaign chair, Amber Hillman. "Everyone stepped up in a way that was remarkable, with so much eagerness to educate, and so much enthusiasm for Riverdale schools." She also expressed gratitude to the Riverdale High School student volunteers who called community members and alumni this year in support of the campaign. Thank you again to all those families who donated. It is encouraging to have so many friends of Riverdale stepping up to sustain our small district in the face of demanding state budgets that don’t provide enough for education. Please thank donors on this list as you see them. Giving to the annual campaign is the community-wide investment we can make for our children. Riverdale Review
Supporting Our Schools Strategic planning — setting the course for Riverdale's future RIVERDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT – They say the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. When it comes to strategic planning, that fi rst step is often a step up for an aerial view of the current reality. Superintendent Jim Schlachter says this is crucial. "Often people will want to start by looking down the road to the destination, but resources will follow your focus. If you’re not careful, you could lose what you have now by not building those key factors into your roadmap to the future." From there, the sky’s the limit. Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but Superintendent Schlachter says the best strategic plans are a little audacious. They should stretch districts to set challenging goals that propel the community’s vision for what learning can be for its students. It should also take the full three- to fi ve-year term of the plan to reach those goals. Right off the bat, Riverdale pulled together an extensive 35-person planning team — comprising students, parents, teachers, members of the
Parent Teacher Club and Riverdale School Foundation, two school board members, support staff and administration — to gain insights, gauge community preferences and get everyone on the same page in determining future priorities. The team met several times and the fruits of its labor were presented to eight community groups for input. In total, 113 people weighed in on the process. Four overarching themes emerged to shape what Riverdale’s future will look like — innovative educational model, curriculum and instruction, climate and culture, and district stability. The next step will boil down what will need to happen in the next three to fi ve years to get us there. "This will happen as the process produces a plan that clearly articulates to all concerned the strength of our schools and the direction we are moving to provide outstanding educational experiences that match what is needed in today’s environment," Superintendent Schlachter says.
Beginning in January, the team will begin structuring a game plan as individual committees drill down to develop a specialized, detailed framework for each theme. Upon approval of the strategic plan, the district will develop specifi c actions and timelines necessary to achieve the objectives. The new plan will provide a base from which we can measure progress toward achieving the desired results. Superintendent Schlachter says it’s imperative to align workforce and fi nancial resources to the strategic goals. Equally important is communicating the plan clearly so that it’s embraced enthusiastically by the entire community — parents, students, teachers, staff and administrators — not just the school board and district offi ce. "We all need to own it and be excited for where we’re headed,” says Superintendent Schlachter. “This work is setting us up for what we aspire to do, what we’re really striving for as a district. I hope we can energize people to take the next step with us."
Innovative Educational Model Curriculum and Instruction Climate and Culture
District Stability
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Academics and More Riverdale students tackle PSU Honors College coursework RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – While at fi rst students found it how the city of the present was Teacher Laura Keldorf is excited and it diffi cult to adhere only to the text shaped by the city of the past. They’ll shows! After 15 years spent teaching and avoid using personal anecdotes examine physical landscapes of cities Portland State University’s Western in their writing and discussions, Ms. and consider the role policies, such Civilization to high school students, Keldorf says it wasn’t long before they as redlining, play into the intentional she’s now bringing The Global City were pointing out infractions and segregation of marginalized and to life. This three-trimester PSU disenfranchised populations. Honors College course not only They’ll also critically assess the provides a total of 15 college format and structure of artistic credits, its content more closely human expression. Visits to PSU aligns to Riverdale’s desire to and guest professors are included focus on diversity, awareness in the experience. In the fi nal term, and fostering a greater sense Ms. Keldorf says students complete of empathy for differences. It’s the extensive requirements for an opportunity to step away their senior exhibitions with an from what Ms. Keldorf calls "a additional focus on identifying the Eurocentric history of privilege disciplinary methods for each fi eld and victors" and focus instead on of their research. a multicultural, interdisciplinary Throughout the course, lengthy critique of society as a whole. writing assignments develop Riverdale High School students discuss the scholarly The conceptual, seminarover several graded drafts, and texts they are reading in The Global City, a PSU Honors style curriculum calls upon students are seeing marked College course that is off ered as a full-year elective. the fi elds of urban studies, improvement — going from a fi rst anthropology, sociology, geography, draft score of 82 to a third draft score of productively redirecting peers back to history, political science and 96 is common. Parent feedback during the text at hand. economics. It’s designed to foster conferences confi rmed that students To start, students were introduced curiosity and create scholars by to social capital and discussed the in this course are thinking and writing incorporating critical thinking, process extent to which civic engagement like never before, and engaging writing and the persuasive power of — aff ects the development and resilience in global conversations at dinner, and diff erences between — evidence of the global city. As the course unfolds during carpools or while shopping for and argument. in trimester two, students will explore groceries.
Did you know? College credits on campus RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Riverdale students complete a full course load in all three trimesters each year. By meeting Riverdale's 28-credit graduation requirement, they also exceed Oregon state graduation requirements by four credits (eight classes). Better still, many of our students graduate with a signifi cant number of college credits. Riverdale teachers, through partnerships with three Oregon colleges, teach college-credit
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classes on our campus. During the last school year, 201718, we had 116 students earn a total of 464 college credits at Riverdale: • Western Oregon University: 26 students earned 104 credits • Portland State University: 77 students earned 308 credits • Portland Community College: 13 students earned 52 credits
Students describe RHS This image sums up a recent RHS student survey — with the largest words most frequently used to describe the high school. The next tier includes: opportunities, relationships, challenging, teaching, helpful, understanding, prepares, support and fl exibility. Riverdale Review
Academics and More Tech education program expands at high school
Bringing creepy carrots to life RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Our 1st grade students love Aaron Reynolds’ Creepy Carrots. What’s not to love? It’s described as "The Twilight Zone comes to the carrot patch in this clever picture book parable about a rabbit who fears his favorite treats are out to get him." But what’s better than reading the story? Bringing it to life during an activity called reader’s theater. The goal in reader’s theater is to effectively read a script aloud so the audience can visualize the action. Without the benefi t of costumes or props, our little performers make the text come alive by using voice, facial expressions and gestures. It’s similar to when parents perform all the voices when reading bedtime stories. Students do not memorize their roles, but must read along in the script to know when it’s their turn to speak. The activity helps develop fl uency through repeated exposure to the text, increases comprehension and provides a purpose for reading. "It helps relate reading to writing, as a Riverdale Review
way to understand the author has a voice and is using it to tell a story," says teacher Kristin Lessard, adding her students were thrilled to act out this particular book, even though it’s at a higher-level than most are reading in class. "Acting out the parts was motivation to sound out and decode the words." After reading the story together as a class and discussing the main idea, setting, events and characters, each student chose a role and practiced with their classmates — and some parent volunteers — before performing in front of other classes. The teachers say students were a little nervous. It took a leap of faith to read the parts in front of their 3rd and 4th grade buddies — plus some preschoolers and middle schoolers — but, as they did it, their confi dence grew. Reader’s theater will continue throughout the year, and is just one of many tools used to instill a love of literacy and teach our students that reading is fun. Above: 1st graders performing.
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Thanks to the eff orts of technology teacher Adam McLain and new funding from Oregon’s Measure 98, Riverdale High School’s technology department is adding more options for students interested in technology careers. The expanded program begins with a mandatory freshman-level technology class and includes a four-trimester certifi cate course in web design and development. Freshmen taking the required course, Computers Demystified, may earn college credit through Western Oregon University via the Willamette Promise program. This one-trimester course is worth four college credits as Computer Science 160. Two goals of Measure 98 are to establish or expand programs in career and technical education (CTE) and college-level education opportunities for Oregon high school students. At Riverdale, those objectives are guiding the development of a new CTE certificate in web design. Interested students complete a series of three courses starting with the fundamentals of web design followed by classes in JavaScript and server-side programming. Skills learned in these three classes are put to practical use with a capstone project in which students create a website for a business or organization in the community. Mr. McLain says the capstone project may be completed individually or in small groups. Most Riverdale students, except for current seniors, will have the option of enrolling in this CTE program. Mr. McLain is developing the technical skills assessment with State of Oregon CTE directors to ensure Riverdale’s program meets state requirements.
Freshmen in the required Computers Demystifi ed class can earn four college credits and aim toward a CTE certifi cate.
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Academics and More Developing financial literacy
Nope, not that mole created a computer slideshow. "Not a lot of people know about the mole as a unit of measurement," says one student. "It’s not just this ugly animal that digs up your yard." But the critter does make an excellent visual takeaway. Each group designed and sewed a stuffed mole, employing two basic sewing stiches and their creativity. This year, some were dressed as a farmer, genie, wizard, princess and basketball player. The latter ties to one group’s presentation: "A mole of basketballs could make a planet the size of the earth."
RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – For those who have forgotten their chemistry studies, a mole is a unit used to measure atoms and molecules. Teacher Jill Leve has a unique way of reinforcing the concept for all of her 8th grade students – by asking them to present their research to another grade and leave behind a cuddly surprise. A mole is equal to 6.02 x 1023. How can you illustrate that for younger students who have no concept of that math? It was quite a challenge for the group selected to present to preschoolers. They opted for a skit with costumes, while most
Above: A few of the hand-sewn moles.
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – For everyone who’s ever said personal finance should be taught in high schools, you’re not alone. That’s why non-profit Financial Beginnings sends financial industry professionals into high schools to lead free financial literacy workshops. And why Riverdale has made this program a part of the curriculum this year. So far, sophomores and seniors have explored banking, budgeting and credit. Throughout the spring, they’ll dive into investing and risk management. Juniors explored career/education paths, along with financing college. Next they’ll address managing debt accumulation, interest, credit, investing and managing risk. Students have been quite receptive to the lessons and resource materials, which are designed to help them achieve their financial and life goals. "They've been great!" says junior Devin Chek, who adds that high school students have been asking for classes about money, and how to manage it. "I have a new understanding and appreciation for how important it is to know about finance," says junior Catherine Armstrong.
Tootling vs. tattling RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Tootling is all the rage in the 3rd grade classrooms. It may sound like a funny word, but the impact is quite serious. "We are discussing the importance of tootling, which means noticing the positive things our peers are doing instead of focusing on the negative," says teacher Lauren Howley, who created a board in the hallway where her students can write down their tootles and post them for others to see. "They LOVE it!" Each morning the class discusses the importance of
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recognizing kindness, as well as noticing positive words and actions. Examples of tootles include: • "Chloe picked up a banana peel on the soccer field." • "Imrie cheered me up when I was feeling sad." • "Rowan shared her snack with me when I didn't have one." • "Omar was reading silently when everyone else was talking." Passing by? Other students and staff are invited to add a tootle to the board.
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Academics and More New PTC grant secured for teacher site visits
One of two 2nd grade totem pole projects created during a Native American unit that combined art and social studies skills.
Using art to enhance learning RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Art teacher Liz Randall makes a point of creating projects related to her students’ math, science or social studies lessons. These may include botanical drawings, animated simple machines or creative visual representations of insects, fish, flags and cities. "Usually the project will talk about an element of what they are learning in class and they will be visually depicting that," she says. "This is also tied to art standards because they need to see how art connects to the rest of the world." For example, the 2nd grade is studying Northwest Coast Native Americans and researching the tribes in each region. Throughout this unit, the 2nd grade teachers focused on the overarching question, "How did the land influence a culture?" Students learned about the common characteristics of the Northwest environment and how Native Americans used the land for food, transportation, shelter and tools. They read Native legends and crafted button blankets to represent their own made-up versions. They also made cedar-bark rubbings while discovering the many different uses for this version of the tree of life. Concurrently, Mrs. Randall taught students about the specific art style these tribes used, including shapes, colors and symbolism. Then she helped students create individual sections of a totem pole that were assembled into one large pole. Students also worked on a second, smaller totem with their classroom teachers that featured animals to symbolize their family members. Next time you ask your student about their studies, remember to ask how their art connects to their classroom learning.
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RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Thanks to a generous new grant from the Parent Teacher Club, grade school teachers will have the opportunity to spend a day observing a teacher at another school — or even within Riverdale — for inspiration and to learn new tools. Teachers are encouraged to seek out programs or practices they are interested in replicating at Riverdale. While they are just beginning to consider their choices, possible examples could include outings to observe literacy lessons in action, explore handson practices, discover new ways to incorporate technology and see other innovative options for talented and gifted learners or special education, among other varied ideas. "The options are endless and we look forward to how these perspectives will add to our great work and outstanding programming for students," says Principal Joanna Tobin, who adds the site visits will likely affirm the really great work our teachers are doing. In fact, the grant request was inspired by a team of Colorado educators from Academy District 20 that recently visited Riverdale schools to learn from our educational practices. Each year, this large
district selects a new city and identifies schools that provide interesting approaches to a specific topic. This year, the trip’s focus was on projectbased learning and socialemotional learning. Principal Tobin says, "They selected us for both reasons and provided extremely positive feedback on our social-emotional learning opportunities." The visitors were also impressed with our K12 smallschool model, focus on the Habits of Mind, and early release time designated specifically for professional development and teacher collaboration. Riverdale’s grant funds will pay for substitute coverage in order to make local site visits a reality for teachers who wish to participate. Teachers must clearly identify what they wish to gain from the experience before their requests will be approved. Afterward, they will be asked to reflect on and share the strategies, ideas or tools they witnessed and explain how they can be adapted for use in their own classrooms. They’ll also note what made them walk away thinking, "Gosh, I really am doing a great job with this already." Our teachers, who are all lifelong learners, are excited for the PTC’s support in making this new learning opportunity a reality.
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Academics and More Brain breaks make a big difference RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Have you ever wondered what is happening in your child’s brain when, for example, they have a temper tantrum or get stuck on a negative emotion? Well, they do, too. That’s why our young students are exploring their brains and learning to build more adaptive ways of handling big emotions.
How my brain works Our 2nd graders just wrapped up their study of the human brain. "We sang, we researched, we made a model of the brain using clay," say job-share teachers Michelle Sager and Alison Barron. "We shared stories from our hippocampus, and heard from brain experts in the real world. All this work laid the foundation for students to understand what is happening in our bodies when we have an emotional response." Their studies prompted one student to tell her mom she could no longer have a nightlight in her room because it would diminish
exercises that get the left side of the brain talking to the right side of the body and vice versa. In 2nd grade classrooms, students falling out of the green zone can ask to spend The Zones of Regulation three minutes at a brain Teachers are also break table where they introducing the Zones of choose a strategy — clay, Regulation to help children stretches, breathing and get in touch with their more — to help them regain emotions and use selftheir focus and return to control. It’s often hard for classwork. Mrs. Sager says students to verbalize big that all students use the table feelings but they can use the and there is no judgment. colors to identify which of the In fact, she says the practice four zones they are in: green boosts self-awareness and – happy and calm; blue – sad; empathy, as students are yellow – excited, nervous recognizing when to give or frustrated; red – angry or friends space and when to “flipping your lid.” check on them. From kindergarten through 4th grade, students What a difference have been given a toolbox Thanks to these efforts, of strategies to bring their teachers, students and bodies into the green zone parents are noticing a big — the optimal zone for difference — from better learning. These include brain coping skills to a different break practices for using tone at the dinner table. their prefrontal cortex to "Even my mom saw a calm down their amygdala difference. She said the first — such as yoga, meditation, day I started meditation that square breathing and mindful I did not talk about the bad coloring. Me Moves are stuff in my day, only the good her brain’s production of melatonin, and led another student to say, "What you just said made me pull a file from my hippocampus, the place where I remember things."
Classroom meditation time helps students remain calm and focused.
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stuff in my day. It taught me to stay calm and be in the present," says 4th grader Cea B., who even started to meditate at home with her sister. Students are guided through child-friendly meditations using the Calm app, made free for teachers to use in class. Many grades make time for this practice after lunch, and teachers have been amazed at how tranquil and focused students are for the rest of the afternoon. "Mrs. Hutchinson introduced me into the wonderful world of meditation," says 4th grader Harry S. "My experience with meditation started out rough but one day it just clicked. Now meditation awakens my soul. It’s super cool. When I am done with meditation it feels like a whole other day. The past is the past and there is nothing I can do about that. And the future is the future and there is nothing I can do about that. It has been a great helpful skill to have up my sleeve."
Clay brains help 2nd graders understand their emotional responses. Riverdale Review
Academics and More What I did this summer
A role-playing exercise helps middle school students understand their actions have consequences.
Finding balance in difficult situations By Mary Horrall, grade school parent
RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Our middle school students are walking an exciting, challenging tightrope to adulthood. The Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre Program, in collaboration with the Oregon Children’s Theatre, is using music, comedy and drama to teach forethought, insight and specific skills to help them navigate this journey. Above Between Below includes an assembly with workshops to introduce ideas and tools to use when handling difficult situations. Role-playing exercises also illustrate the following points: • Actions can have unintended consequences. • Bullying is a behavior, not an identity. • Social media can be used as a tool for wide- scale gossip and public shaming. • People can be on both the giving and receiving end of bullying behaviors in different situations. • Everyone needs to take personal responsibility for their own power to harm or help others. Students were tasked with core values scenarios such as challenging a friend to skip basketball practice to hang out and play video games, or begging a friend who needs to study for a test to play Fortnite. Language arts teacher Carrington Light said that kids came away with a better understanding of how they could report bullying behavior to an adult while remaining anonymous. The 8th graders were in agreement that this tip was "a biggie." The program will wrap up in mid-December with the final two workshops. Giving our tweens and teens balance to step along the high wire will serve them well on their course to the flying trapeze of adult life. Riverdale Review
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – From manufacturing to medical research, our high school seniors kept very busy this summer thanks to some pretty interesting internships. Henry O'ScannlainMiller interned at Lightspeed Aviation, which manufactures noise-canceling headsets targeted to the general aviation market. While there, he evaluated the designs of different mounts for a biometric sensor that could monitor pilot health. He also evaluated two sensors for use in detecting carbon monoxide in the cabin. Olivia Corvelli interned at Vigor Industrial where she assisted the aerospace engineer program manager with work focused on refurbishing a missile silo in Montana. She also helped out with trip logs, project management plans and collecting employee data. Abby Millender interned at the Woods Chemistry Lab, a joint effort between Portland State University and Oregon Health & Science University. Over the course of the summer, Abby worked on her own experiment to see if specific MRI contrast agents are toxic to a certain type of fish embryo. Clayton Pelz had two summer internships. One in which he built an ultrasound microscope that combines a high-quality, custom microscope with an ultrasound transducer to study the effects of ultrasound on cancer tissue, among other uses. In the other, he worked on OHSU's immunofluorescence project, validating whether certain antibodies — which will be
helpful in treating breast cancer — worked properly. Rachel Feiner interned with an OHSU lab researching multiple sclerosis. Her research involved how certain antioxidants, which have been shown to slow the brain damage caused by MS, interact with neural pathways. Aviva Soll interned at OHSU’s Oshimori Lab, where she was involved with researching squamous cell skin cancer and the effects of a protein called TGF-Beta and its receptors, as well as the cytokine IL 33. The research focused on how the proteins affect skin cancer growth and malignancy, as well as the tumor microenvironment. Norris Meigs interned with Donate Life, an organization that spreads awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation. Norris performed data research, created an educational pamphlet geared toward faithbased communities, and made a poster to be displayed in every Oregon and Southwest Washington Department of Motor Vehicles branch for DMV Appreciation Week — approximately 98 percent of registered donors come from the DMV. Alma Tzintzun interned at construction and project management firm Inici Group, where she assisted with architectural projects. Want to know more? Read Emma Brendle's personal account of her internship with Intel's Product Systems and Engineering group and how satisfying it was for her to see her ideas come to fruition at RiverdaleSchool.com/News.
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Faces of Riverdale Meet our new music and art teachers RIVERDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT – Riverdale's passion for the arts is evident. Just walk through the doors to our schools and you'll see art on the walls and hear music in the air. The arts truly come alive during the annual District Arts Night (slated for April 24 – mark your calendar). This year, our district welcomed a new high school art teacher, Nate Orton, and a grade school music teacher, Misha Kuznetsov. During Nate Orton’s interview process for his high school position, Principal Robinson visited him at the Multnomah Arts Center, where he taught for seven years. While waiting outside his classroom she recalls, “A teenaged student walked out of the class and went directly to their parent saying ‘best art class ever!’ with the biggest smile. I called that a good reference.” Misha Kuznetsov comes to us from Russia by way of New York, where he led elementary and high school music programs. Principal Tobin says "Mr. Misha," as the kids call him, has a tremendous talent on the trumpet and wowed the interview committee with his ability to take the simple instrument of a recorder and make beautiful music. Let's get to know their approaches to teaching. What’s impressed you most about Riverdale students? Mr. Orton: During my interview for the teaching position, I was excited to meet a few students who asked me challenging questions. They were sure of themselves, sharp and outgoing. I immediately realized this was a student body I wanted to work with. Mr. Kuznetsov: They really care and look out for each other. It's great to see a tightknit community of children who are willing to go out of their way in order to make other students comfortable, happy and safe. What do you say to students claiming to have no artistic or musical abilities? Mr. Orton: The short
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answer would be to say, "I don't believe you," but I guess it is more what I do rather than say. I work alongside the student to help with visual fundamentals while talking about their ideas for the project. Often, if a kiddo is excited about the idea, they’ll find a way to tap into their artistic skills and develop them. Sometimes I say, "Let's start at the ground level," meaning let's take a few steps back and examine what you are having trouble with. Mr. Kuznetsov: I tell them I believe every student has musical abilities that might not yet be developed or discovered, and the best musicians are often not the most talented, but rather those who are the hardest
Left: Nate Orton, high school art Right: Misha Kuznetsov, grade school music
workers. Learning to play music can be compared to a sport. By practicing, you can get better at soccer or basketball, and the same goes for playing an instrument. By breaking down a complicated goal, task or piece into simple steps, I can make them attainable for my students. Once they master a simple piece, they’ll feel more confident in their musical abilities. How do you get kids excited about the arts? Mr. Orton: First and foremost, if I'm lukewarm about the project the students will be as well. I show genuine interest in the students’ ideas and technical abilities and continue to have a dialogue with each student about their progress. If a student wants to take their project in a different direction while still adhering to the guidelines, then I'm typically in favor. When students ask how they can receive an A on a project I say, "Make me something you are truly stoked about!" Mr. Kuznetsov: I try to pick real world music that every musician, including my students, should know about and would enjoy playing or singing. For example, the advanced band has played Gabriel Faure's "Pavane"
and Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man." The 6th graders are working on the Largo and Finale from Antonin Dvorak's "New World Symphony," and the K4th graders are singing the Beatles' "Octopus' Garden” and “Here Comes the Sun," which they all love. They’re excited and passionate about learning and love to tackle and solve tasks that professional musicians might come across when playing such repertoire. What classes are you most looking forward to teaching? Mr. Orton: My background is in printmaking, so I'm excited to dork-out with specific techniques such as lithography and screenprinting in the second trimester Drawing and Printmaking class. I'm also excited to get the ceramic kiln running in the future. But, really, I’m most excited to help students make their interesting ideas come to life in all the art classes. Mr. Kuznetsov: I'm looking forward to teaching the recorder, but am just as happy about teaching band, singing and playing xylophones. If I get there this year, teaching students to use GarageBand would definitely be a highlight. Riverdale Review
Alumni
Athletics Athletic programs benefit from summer fundraiser
Joshua Pelz demonstrates his work at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. Credit: U.S. Army photo by David McNally.
Riverdale grad improves U.S. Army body armor RIVERDALE ALUMNI – Thanks in part to Joshua Pelz, class of 2013, future American soldiers will be better protected in combat by stronger and lighter body armor. Now a materials science and engineering doctoral candidate at the University of California San Diego, Pelz spent his summer at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, doing innovative work that uses nature as the inspiration for breakthroughs in additive manufacturing. "My project is to design a system that can 3D print armor ceramics that will allow production of parts with graded structures similar to an abalone structure in nature that will improve the ceramic armor's toughness and survivability with lower weight," Pelz says. He hopes to use the composite ceramic armor and custom 3D printer he created to develop next-generation armor and also apply it to various other fields. "You could use this same system to produce ceramic implants for, say, a hip replacement or a knee replacement," Pelz says. "You could produce the ball that would be put into that hip joint to actually produce those parts. And so this system gives the ability to produce graded parts — composite ceramic parts — for really any application with any material." Read the full U.S. Army article at bit.ly/AlumJPelz.
RIVERDALE ATHLETICS – We’re already reaping the rewards from our community’s generosity at the inaugural Riverdale Golf Tournament this summer. A huge success for the athletics program, it has made funding possible for additional coaching stipends that the district budget couldn't support, along with other sports-related costs. For winter basketball, this means the ability to add both a coach and an assistant coach when early winter sports registration numbers showed strong enough interest for a third 7th8th grade team and a second high school JV team. For the winter season, Maverick boys and girls each have varsity and JV teams, with the extra JV2 team for the boys. Two teams of Falcon boys and girls are playing as part of the Metro Christian League Division 1 league (A and B squads), and a third boys’ team is part of the MCL Division 2 league. Thanks to everyone who participated in the fundraiser to supplement the Riverdale athletics budget this year. Nearly 70 golfers, 100 patrons and 24 sponsors and donors helped raise vital funds to maintain current sports programs within the 201819 school year. Through sponsorship, golf registration, lunch and a silent auction, the tournament yielded $20,000. "The timing of the tournament was perfect,” says Rob Pridemore, district athletics director. “It provided a fun way for the Riverdale athletic community to join together to help support many of our programs and kick off the year on a positive note." Plans are already underway for next summer’s tournament. Looking for athletics program details and team information? Check out RiverdaleSports.com.
Thanks to our volunteer writers & editors We're so grateful for these very special volunteers who answered the call to help with this newsletter: Heather Bogaty, Amy Coulter, Leslie Goss, Mary Horrall, Kirsten Koldinger and Sally McLain. Interested in helping write or edit for the spring issue? Email riverdalenews@riverdale.k12.or.us. Riverdale Review
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Riverdale Review 2018-19 Fall/Winter
DISTRICT 51J
Riverdale School District 11733 SW Breyman Ave. Portland, OR 97219
NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID LAKE OSWEGO, OR PERMIT NO. 79
Inside this issue: • Supporting Our Schools • Academics and More • Faces of Riverdale • Alumni and Athletics • Events and Activities
P. 2-3 P. 4-9 P. 10 P. 11 P. 12
Learn more at RiverdaleSchool.com
Events and Activities
PTC Auction: Casino Royale
For prospective families
RIVERDALE PARENT TEACHER CLUB – Each year, the Riverdale PTC hosts a fabulous fundraiser to support events, activities, programming and "extras" that help make our schools and community exceptional. From the fall carnival to art literacy in classrooms, teacher grants to extracurricular community school classes, robotics to high school musicals, and fi eld trips to fi eld day — the PTC makes these and many other programs possible with volunteers and fi nancial support. This year’s 007-themed swanky soirée, Casino Royale, will take place Saturday, Feb. 23 at a brand-new venue, The Redd on Salmon Street. Start planning your night out and gather friends, old and new, to fi ll your table. There will be online and live auctions, party pack sign-ups, a paddle raise for school requests, dinner, dancing and, of course, casino games! Stay tuned for ticket info, and check for updates in the PTC Parent Pack newsletter and at RiverdalePTC.org/category/auction. In the meantime, you can help with corporate sponsorships, much-needed auction item donations and signing up to volunteer. Never say "never" again.
RIVERDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT – We'll be opening a limited number of spaces in kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 9th and 10th grades for the 2019–20 school year. All non-resident enrollment requests are due by Feb. 15. Learn more about our grade school during the K-3rd Grade Coffee Q&A on Friday, Jan. 25 — for both out-of-district families seeking enrollment through our lottery and residents planning to start their children at Riverdale next year. Please help us spread the word to your friends and family. High school shadow days continue through February. Register for either event at RiverdaleSchool.com/Visit.
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Mark your calendar Dec. 2728 RHS Holiday Basketball Challenge February RHS Winter Play (dates TBD) Feb. 15 Non-Resident Enrollment Requests due Feb. 21 RHS Winter Concert Feb. 28 RGS 5-8 Winter Band Concert April 24 District Arts Night May 11 RGS Spring Musical For more events, visit our online district and school calendars. Riverdale Review
