Riverdale Review DISTRICT 51J
Spring 2017
Adding a snow buffer
Sojourning in Summer Lake By Henry Thomas, class of 2017
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – My hands were already numb from the frosty morning air as the first rays of sunlight began to peek out over the snow-capped mountains looming over me to the east. I was up at 5 a.m., with only the low howling of the wind as company, to watch the sun begin its slow ascent over the Summer Lake Resort and Hot Springs in Summer Lake, Oregon. With a mixture of elation and contentedness, I looked on as the clear morning sky slowly turned a magnificent shade of orange. Inside the rustic, one-story cabin that we were calling home for the week, my classmates were sleeping fitfully, nestled inside their sleeping bags. In a few short hours, we would soon be ready for another day of hiking and living in the desolate beauty of Southeastern Oregon. The previous morning, we had loaded the bus with our gear, and I had sensed the 23 seniors and two juniors taking part in this Field Studies trip were nervous. Many of the students lacked much previous outdoor experience; however, Continued on page 9.
Building bridges, and winners
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Riverdale students excel at bridge building thanks to the skills imparted by physics teacher Mark Wechter. For the past five years, our kids have nabbed all top 20 spots at the annual regional bridge building contest. And this year’s regional winner, sophomore Glenn Sutter (pictured), also went on to claim the top prize at the international competition – Riverdale’s fourth international win in the past five years. What gives our students such an advantage? Mr. Wechter says his class spends a lot of time discussing the rules governing the strength of each bridge component, identifying the type and magnitude of force each piece will undergo, and the impact of different thicknesses, lengths and densities of wood. They use diagrams of Portland bridges as
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Students encounter a rainbow and the stunning Summer Lake during several hikes throughout the week.
RIVERDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT – In an effort to better prepare for possible snow, Riverdale has added a five-day Snow Day Buffer to the end of the 2017-18 school year. This year's unexpected snowfall was significantly disruptive and required lengthy administrative discussions, parent input and teacher contract modifications to best address lost instructional hours (see page 2). Three days were added, making this year's last day June 14. Next year, things should flow a little easier, with set days earmarked for extending the school year in response to snow days. Please note that June 11-15, 2018 could be converted to instructional days as needed, and approach your end-of-year planning accordingly.
well as theoretical bridges for practicing their skills. “They are allowed to ask as many questions as they like about design elements and rules, but each student in good faith needs to be able to sign a sworn statement certifying they designed and constructed their own bridge,” he says. “This is also why my answer to their questions is often, ‘It's your bridge,’ by which I mean they need to make their own decisions about their bridge, and they need to have solid logic supporting their decisions.” Mr. Wechter says being able to track how the forces distribute through the bridge from where it is loaded, and designing accordingly, is not intuitive for many students. Fortunately, Glenn says the curriculum came naturally for him: “I used to build a lot of things when I was younger with my brother, which definitely gave me an advantage over my classmates. When building my first bridge, I tried to make it as simple as possible with fewer parts that could break.” Continued on page 5. www.riverdaleschool.com
Supporting Our Schools A message from your superintendent: Looking back at a dynamic year
As we approach the end of another year, I like to pause to reflect on both the great and not so great moments we encountered. CURRICULUM: Curriculum work was certainly a high point. We started the year by introducing a new math curriculum at the high school and strengthening middle school math, which involved a lot of hard work by the math committee under the leadership of Principal Joanna Tobin. Our teachers then undertook the effort to adopt and implement the curriculum. In addition to providing our students with a solid course of study that builds cohesively from one grade to the next, the highlight for me was witnessing the outstanding collaboration taking place between our two schools. Similar groundwork took place this year with a K-12 science curriculum review that resulted in the adoption of curricular supports aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. Next year’s new materials include an online science platform (STEMscopes), increased hands-on activities and supportive STEM technology. SUPPORT: In addition, the Riverdale School Foundation – a source of financial support for our small class sizes and enrichment programming – had an outstanding fundraising year. Our Parent Teacher Clubs have also worked to further develop their governance model, which will allow them to continue to provide the positive support for which they are best known. WEATHER: A more challenging twist to the year was the winter dominated by unexpected weather. Weeks of snow caused us to miss a significant number of school days, forcing us to recalculate our calendar. Efforts were driven by the need to meet the required number of instruction hours for our students – both state requirements and parents’ expectations. This required us to renegotiate the existing student calendar with our teachers, along with making changes to individual employee calendars. Although it took longer than we wanted to complete the process, we were able to successfully implement changes with the least impact and best outcomes for all parties. (See "Adding a snow buffer" on page 1.) BUDGETING: The biggest challenge is still ahead of us, and revolves around state school funding. As we develop the budget for next year, which must be balanced by June 30, we are forced to work with an estimate since the actual funding for schools has not been determined, and may not be finalized until August. We are in a budget cycle in which personal and corporate income taxes are up and unemployment is at a low rate. State revenue is up; however, the implementation of a "kicker" is a real possibility. The impact of the kicker, while positive to individuals, does reduce the dollars available for school funding. This all means that we will need to be flexible as we set the budget for the 2017-18 school year. There is a strong sentiment in Salem to increase funding for schools, yet by how much is still unknown. Once determined, it may require revising our budget during the school year. Another unknown is how the PERS shortfall will be addressed. COMMUNITY: All in all, this has been one of the more dynamic years of my career and I am incredibly impressed by how our staff, our school board and our community came together to deal with the issues. This is what makes Riverdale so exceptional – a caring and supportive community, a highly skilled school board and staff members who know what to do and how to get things done. Sincerely, Terry Brandon, Superintendent
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Thanking the board
Riverdale School District extends its heartfelt thanks to our school board members – John Bogaty, Mike Gunter, Nicole Grayson, Joe Prats and Michelle Janke – for another year of their exceptional guidance and support.
Kudos to our staff Superintendent Terry Brandon wishes to recognize the following staff members for their outstanding achievements: Rob Pridemore, acting grade school principal - For stepping in to oversee the daily operations while Principal Tobin is on maternity leave. Mr. Pridemore has deftly thrown himself into the role during the rapid-paced year end, ably assisted by a few willing grade school staff to whom we also extend our gratitude for their service: Shar Hunter, Sue Johnson, Lori Peterson, Liz Randall and Vi Tamargo, and, of course, the front office team of Chrisie Patrick and Suzanne Bevier. Laura Keldorf, high school humanities teacher - For her ongoing dedication to guiding each year’s graduating class through Riverdale’s extensive capstone project – Senior Exhibitions (see page 5). It is a significant and lengthy undertaking for both students and teacher. She also brings staff and community members into the mix and coordinates the annual presentation day. Sarah Hansen and Vi Tamargo, testing coordinators - For expertly managing this year’s busy state testing season at their respective schools, handling countless logistics, guiding teachers through the entire process and looking out for our students. Riverdale Review
Academic Highlights Exploring our community RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – It’s important for our younger students to begin to explore the world around them. While our 2nd graders studied the school community and staff roles earlier in the year, this spring our kindergarteners got to know those who help out in our local community and 3rd graders explored the heart of our city. In kindergarten, the classes begin by defining what a community is – a group of people who help each other, solve problems together, sometimes live in the same area, sometimes love each other, etc. Teacher Jennifer Schulz likes to draw a bull’s-eye to illustrate the layers of the different communities we live in, starting with our family, then our neighborhood, our classroom, our city and our state. Next, she says the students talk about all the different jobs that contribute to our communities, “just like we have our classroom helpers that work as a team to get all of our jobs done. We have lots of books about jobs and careers, and we start thinking about what we might want to do when we grow up as we read the trade books about the jobs.” The unit culminates with a field trip to nearby Lake Oswego. Teacher Kate Wray says, “We ride the school bus to the fire station and then my class goes on a tour of the post office and then a search for as many community helpers as we can find. We go to an animal hospital, a bank, several retail shops, a grocery store, the library and a real estate office, and then we ride the Tri-Met bus back to the school.” A highlight of the trip was when the firefighters boosted the kids up on the fire pole to slide down. Ms. Schulz enjoyed seeing the kids hang on and even climb upward. “They all thought it was funny when the firefighter put on all his gear and talked through his face mask,” she says, “after which one student remarked, ‘You sound like Darth Vader!’” The 3rd graders also rode a Tri-Met bus, this time into downtown Portland. Peter, their knowledgeable tour guide, shared the city's history, including the earliest art and architecture. The group saw some iconic Portland landmarks, such as Skidmore Fountain, the Portlandia statue and Pioneer Courthouse Square (better known as “Portland’s living room,” which is currently being renovated). “Peter's scavenger hunt to look for evidence of art, people doing their jobs and transportation really focused our attention on noticing everything around us,” says teacher Lynn Evans. “I was proud of the class’s respectful listening and good behavior. They were excellent ambassadors of Riverdale!” But the Portland exploration didn’t stop there. Both 3rd grade classes had one more adventure – crossing our city’s bridges on foot from west to east and back again. They especially enjoyed seeing the Burnside Bridge’s double-leaf bascule in action and taking the aerial tram down from OHSU to traverse the beautiful new Tilikum Crossing. Kindergarteners at the fire station and 3rd graders downtown and across bridges. Riverdale Review
Art of the game RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Art classes at the grade school often reinforce the subjects our students are learning about in their core classes. After the 3rd graders returned from their recent walking tours of Portland (see previous article) they were tasked with designing board games that teach players about the city. First the classes discussed the basic principles of game design – What makes a good game? What do games need to work? What makes them fun? Then they came up with their own criteria: It must be fun to look at, slightly challenging and competitive but with easy to follow rules, and provide a unique playing experience. “You always play games. It is really cool to get a chance to make your own from beginning to end,” Eda D. says. Students broke into groups based on the areas of the city that interested them most. They strategized a game objective, conceptualized characters, created obstacles for players and devised a way to win. Finally they started designing the look of the game board and the rules of play. “It was great to work together! And it was so fun to divide and conquer,” Sy J. says. Students had the opportunity to give feedback on other groups’ game rules, making sure they made sense. “What is really cool about this project is that kids designed the criteria for it before they began, so they knew exactly what they needed to do,” says art teacher Liz Randall. “As the teacher, I was there to support them, help them think through problems they encountered, give them artistic advice and recommendations, but it was their job to create.” "It was fun because the project took a long time and we put a lot of effort into it,” Carys C. says. For some extra fun, students had a game day (pictured) at the end of the project to play each others’ games and learn from their peers’ efforts.
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Academic Highlights The great outdoors RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – From April 30 to May 5, our 6th graders attended Outdoor School – a weeklong, science-based overnight field trip, with many social learning components. Full days were devoted to the study of water, plants, soil and animals – components so tightly integrated students could see by the second day how they worked together in an ecosystem. One of the most amazing parts of Outdoor School is the hands-on aspect. Students are out in the field exploring rivers, creeks and ponds. They handle animal furs and skeletons, looking for different adaptations. They identify and work with plants in the forest. They take hikes. They perform water tests and make observations from activities that help simulate what goes on in the natural world. “I love seeing how excited the students are to learn and explore in a natural environment. Experiential learning is the best kind of learning. The students love making discoveries and hypotheses about nature,” says teacher Brian Black. “This year was even more special because one of my former 6th graders was a high school Examining soils' five layers student leader in the great outdoors. at our camp. She was remarkable in how she worked with the students, ensuring they learned a lot and had fun at the same time.” In fact, two Riverdale High School students were leaders with Mr. Black’s group this year. In addition to educational learning, there is a strong social aspect. The students meet and interact with students from diverse backgrounds from other Multnomah County schools – usually sharing cabins with a mix of kids from four schools. They learn how to live with someone they've never met before. “The field studies were all very interesting, but so was socializing with other schools and coming up with compromises for the tasks
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that were set for us,” says 6th grader William F. “I love the entirety of Outdoor School,” says At Outdoor School, 6th graders teacher measure pH in water and soil. Larissa Reece. “All of our district's Field Studies have found that careful balance between structured and unstructured time that allows teachers and students to connect with each other in ways that don't happen naturally in the classroom. But Outdoor School takes that balance and runs with it. One hour, students are measuring the dissolved oxygen levels in the river water and the next hour they are playing ‘forest ninja’ with kids from other schools.” She says she also loves that the program extends the instructional approaches our teachers practice in the classroom. “The kids are constantly challenged to think about why things work the way they do in the natural world (‘why would it be an advantage for this animal to have ears that are shaped that way?’) but also to think about how they are connected to other things (‘how is this plant's root system connected to what we learned yesterday about soil compacting?’). While we strive for that type of thinking in the classroom, at Outdoor School the kids can actually see it in action.” William agrees, “I learned how to measure pH in water and in soil. I also learned that soil has five different layers: duff, topsoil, subsoil, parent material and bedrock. I also learned that mushrooms have external bacteria/DNA on the outside of their caps.” William says he found it especially interesting to learn that trees have a dead center, when he previously believed they were alive throughout their layers, and that you can tell from an animal’s skull whether it was a predator or prey. “Binocular vision means the animal is a predator, and monocular vision showed that the animal was prey.” Looks like the week's lessons paid off.
Ecological study RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – This spring, 2nd graders tackling an ecology unit explored the Riverdale forest through rain, hail and sunshine. In the classroom, they published a nature poetry anthology and created a forestthemed mural. Guided by their teachers and outdoor educator Lauren Rosenstein, the student ecologists studied how living and nonliving things interact for survival. They looked at populations, communities and ecosystems, using the grade school campus habitat as home base. They depicted their forest studies in a mural outside the classroom – starting with soil and decomposers, adding ground cover, shrubs and trees, and including the animals and insects that live in these layers. They tested the soil for acidity, which creates the potential for plant life, and investigated the variables needed for growth: light, temperature, gases, soil, organisms, water, fertilizer and worms. The class also ventured off campus to the Jackson Bottom Wetlands for a wildlife treasure hunt. To capture their experiences, the students wrote poetry and drew sketches of each scientific experiment, which will form the basis of an almanac used to track how the garden changes over time. “There is a forest just out there. You can learn from a bunch of books but actually being there can tell you a lot more,” Harry S. says. Students explore nature, gathering ideas for their forest studies mural. Riverdale Review
Academic Highlights Seniors deliver capstone
Computers are as crucial as pencils
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Senior Exhibitions give you a glimpse into our students' intelligence and curiosity. For this unique, interdisciplinary capstone project, seniors delve into controversial topics that both engage and challenge them. They conduct significant research, talk to experts, write a lengthy academic paper and present their findings to teachers, students and community members. The 55-minute presentations ranged from politics and education to medicine and technology – each designed around an essential question and thesis, and many with activities and questions to involve and inform the audience. Gabe Abdellatif exposed how the war Isabelle Whitlock addresses on political correctness homlessness and illegal caused a shift in camping in Portland. politics; Emily Fowler demonstrated how the current electoral college weakens America’s democracy and instead called for a district-by-district system; Kathryn Luu made a case for vanity sizing’s negative impact on teens; Isabelle Whitlock offered solutions to homelessness and illegal camping in Portland based on other cities’ efforts; and Simon Chuang examined the effects of parenting and showed that an authoritative parenting style (both demanding and supportive) fostered self-reliance in adolescents. And that is just a small sampling of the extensive research conducted by our seniors.
RIVERDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT – No longer are pencils and notebooks the primary school supplies for students. Computers have become an integral accelerator of the educational experience, just as they have in most American homes and offices. Thanks to generous donations from parents and community members, Riverdale continues to outfit our classrooms with the technology needed to develop savvy learners who can successfully navigate our tech-laden world. Every 1st-8th grade classroom now has a Chromebook for every student, used regularly to support writing, research and more. In addition to interactive white boards, kindergarten classrooms each have five touchscreen Chromebooks, helping to familiarize younger students with Riverdale's standard educational technology tool. Additional machines are also available to students of all ages working with our math specialist or in our library, where online literacy curriculum is incorporated. Mobile laptop carts, computer labs and daily Chromebook checkout provide access for all high school students. Physics classes use bridge design software, while Yearbook students design, author, edit and publish using desktop computers and a variety of professional software. Our technology classroom purchased a 3D printer, just in time for this year’s student-led Exploratory Ventures (XV) class to construct drones (see page 10). In many Oregon schools, online state testing and college-readiness exams put a tremendous strain on student computer access, with computers unavailable for classroom learning while in use for testing. At Riverdale schools, this is no longer a problem. “That is so important,” says Todd Migchelbrink, whose 6th graders continued using Chromebooks, microphones and webcams to create video documentaries on Central America and the Caribbean this spring while other grades 6th graders use a variety of technology to produce video documentaries. participated in state testing. District technology coordinator, Jeff Bjorn, shares that "the district's new science curriculum adoption, aligned with Oregon's state standards, will incorporate scientific and engineering technology into the curriculum, enhancing student learning by providing access to engineering equipment, kits and tools used for research and design.” Dietrich Nebert, 5th/6th science teacher, says this year’s successful pilot of science probes has already enhanced scientific explorations. The probes interface directly with laptops to record real-time data including temperature, voltage, light and pressure. “A student or team can now measure and graph the voltage produced from an engineered wind turbine prototype blade. Once the data is recorded, the graph can be studied and compared to other prototypes. Since communicating scientific findings is also important, students now have the advantage of constructing digital presentations with graphs, videos of results, and animations.” Wireless versions will be added to all middle school labs next year, along with 360-degree cameras and remote-control robotic STEM capsules to engineer task-performing vehicles.
Bridges (continued from page 1) Simplicity is key, according to Mr. Wechter, who says most students over-engineer their bridges. “A simple, elegant design that addresses the rules for that particular year will outperform an overly complex design every time … Glenn did a great job of addressing the possible loading positions without overcomplicating his design.” Other schools have noticed Riverdale’s winning streak and reached out for guidance. For two years, Nestucca High School’s engineering class has visited Mr. Wechter for some bridge building pointers. He’s also been asked to join the international bridge competition leadership committee, which oversees contest rules, qualification and the integrity of the contest. We couldn’t be prouder of the impact he’s having on high school bridge building and our students. Riverdale Review
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Academic Highlights The class of 2017 earned admission to these colleges:
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Academic Highlights Benjamin Goldberg – Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (Physics). Benjamin vacillated between two colleges – one a well-known research university where he’d have to compete for research opportunities with graduate students, and the other a liberal arts college with readily available research opportunities. In the end, he picked Case Western, with a distinguished physics department and multiple professors offering student research in areas that interest him. The curriculum will allow him to try multiple fields before choosing one focus and “the faculty are committed to ensuring good career and grad school opportunities,” he says, adding the urban setting and diverse student population mean he’ll find a lot to do outside class. Most importantly, RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Choosing a college boils down “I felt more welcome when visiting Case than I did at to personal fit. Our seniors considered academic goals, learning any other school.” His advice? Reach out to professors environment, size, location, extracurricular activities, cost and and students, who will give you a truer sense of the more, before committing to a school. See what factors influenced school than admissions staff. And if you’re struggling their decisions and what advice they have for underclassmen. to choose, “don’t be afraid to let minor things, like how Kathryn Luu – Savannah College of Art & Design, good the food is, tip the balance.” Savannah, Georgia (Historical Preservation Design). Interested Seth McFarlane – California College of the in an art career, Kathryn sought insight from art teacher David Arts, San Francisco, California (Industrial Design). Schell, who spoke highly of SCAD. After a quick and enjoyable Seth says CCA has one of the best industrial design visit, she opted to attend a summer program to get a better feel. programs, with campuses in two of the most designShe loved it! “The professors are all very passionate and care rich areas in the U.S. He also received a great financial about their students. This was a big draw for me, because it felt aid package for attending a pre-college program there similar to the caring staff at Riverdale,” Kathryn says, adding that last summer. Was it an easy choice? “To be honest, I small class sizes allow for one-on-one time with professors. “I also had to make some compromises,” he says. “CCA isn't loved the fact that SCAD has a really diverse selection of majors exactly the ‘college experience.’ It is small, there is no compared to other art schools.” Her advice? Keep an open mind, athletics program, etc. But, ultimately I chose CCA look at a wide variety of schools to determine the type that fits because I feel that I will get the best design education, you best and definitely visit. and because I'll be able to focus on what I actually Ben Richmond – Georgetown University, School of Foreign want to do with my life.” He’s most looking forward to Service, Washington, D.C. (International Politics). When meeting and working with other creative people. His studying foreign affairs, Ben says D.C. can’t be beat. Plus, it helps advice? Visit as many colleges as you can and try to do that many of the professors had experience in international a pre-college program at a school that interests you. relations and government, including serving on the National Noa Cohen – University of Oregon, Robert H. Security Council at the White House. The School of Foreign Clark Honors College, Eugene, Oregon (Biological Service offered him “a community of students that are interested Anthropology). As one of five students to receive in the same things I am.” He also liked the Jesuit philosophy. His a prestigious scholarship covering all her expenses advice? See if the school requires SAT subject tests – Georgetown and providing funds for travel abroad, internships recommended three subject tests, requiring him to plan ahead. and leadership activities, Noa's decision was easy. Mitchell Dignan – University of Portland, School of Location was also a factor. “I am interested in going Nursing. Portland, Oregon (Nursing). Having the No. 4 ranked to medical school in the Pacific Northwest and going West Coast nursing school conveniently located in his hometown to an undergraduate school in the area would help made the decision easy for Mitchell. He can stay close to home my chances of getting into OHSU,” says Noa, who is and take advantage of a fantastic program with great job excited by the research opportunities offered as early placement. He’s looking forward to knowing that everything he as freshman year. The honors college provides small studies after the first year will be career-related. Plus, he says classes in a large university filled with opportunities he likes the religious aspect as well. "It is a good complement – the best of both worlds. “I can’t wait to try as many to the education. It feels like home already!” His advice? “Pick a new things as possible my freshman year!” Her advice? college that aligns to your interests. Don't pick one that aligns to Narrow your search to just a few schools based on the society's interests.” factors that mean the most to you. Congratulations to our graduates! The RHS graduation ceremony takes place at 7 p.m., June 6, at Lewis & Clark College.
College: Finding your fit
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Academic Highlights Beyond the book
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RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – It’s one thing to simply read a book. It’s another to offer feedback and suggestions to the author or create soundtracks and board games to accompany the story. These are just some of the projects our 7th and 8th grade students worked on this year. In 8th grade, students spent a few months reading one of three books – “To Kill A Mockingbird,” “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” or “Into the Wild” – and completing a complementary project. Teacher Carrington Light says some students created soundtracks with heavily annotated lyrics and wrote reflective essays detailing why they chose specific songs for their project. Other students created artistic representations of Henrietta Lacks’ famous HeLa cells or original paintings of an important scene from their novel. Some students even tackled board games, which required them to create not only the board and the trivia, but also the rules – contemplating different scenarios that players would encounter during the game. This project resulted in a day filled with both play
and learning. (Board games seem to be a favorite Riverdale project. Read about games created by 3rd graders on page 3.) The 7th graders all read Carl Hiaasen’s award-winning novel “Skink No Surrender,” which Sophia D. describes as “about Richard, a 14 year-old boy with a calm attitude. His cousin, Malley, decides to run away one night with a man she only knows online. Fearing for his cousin’s safety, Richard teams up with Skink, a particularly strange stranger, to find his cousin and the man who kidnapped her.” Her classmate, Max J. says, “It was very suspenseful and kept me hooked. I just wanted to keep reading.” After finishing the book, the students wrote letters to the author. A few mentioned his other books and asked what he planned to write in the future. Some asked about his motivation for writing this book or about his childhood compared to the main character’s, while others offered alternate endings. “Who knows? Maybe one day another group of 7th graders will be reading one of Hiaasen’s books, and maybe it will be about a suggestion that we made today,” Sophia speculates.
Board games based on books were a fun 8th grade project.
All packaged up: 7th graders are ready to mail letters to an author.
Students explore service RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – On May 25, Riverdale High School hosted its first Service Learning Fair, which introduced students to new community service opportunities. Students met with representatives from 22 local organizations that offered a wide range of volunteer opportunities – from helping refugee children improve English and math skills to assisting in an animal shelter or helping restore natural areas in local parks. “Connecting with meaningful service can benefit our students in many ways,” says College Counselor Kathleen Reid, who coordinates Riverdale’s Service Learning program. Students are required to complete 90 hours of service in order to graduate, though many go above that number. In fact, 16 of this year’s graduating seniors have accrued more than 200 service hours. Several volunteering high-flyers kicked off the fair by Students ask questions about volunteer speaking to opportunites during the Service Learning Fair. underclassmen about their experiences, after which students visited tables and spoke with organization representatives. “I didn’t know there were so many local programs that need volunteers,” says sophomore Emma Brendle. Olivia Corvelli, also a sophomore, had looked for volunteer opportunities in the past but found the in-person format to be really valuable. “It was so nice to be able to speak face-to-face with knowledgeable representatives for the organizations.” She was excited about making connections at the fair and looks forward to working with some of the groups. Ms. Reid is optimistic that after seeing the diverse group of community organizations and the many ways to volunteer, students will be proactive in finding meaningful service during the summer and throughout the school year. She says volunteering helps students “develop real world skills that can help them succeed in school and beyond. They learn leadership, problem solving, collaboration, time management, responsibility and empathy. Colleges know this, too, and are more likely to admit students who have participated in significant community service.” Regarding the event, which she hopes to expand next year, she says, “It's a win-win for both our students and the organizations that come to the fair. Students can find organizations that interest them and the organizations can recruit more volunteers.” Riverdale Review
Academic Highlights A home for the three little pigs By Kitty F. and Tess H., class of 2021
RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Riverdale 2nd and 7th graders worked together to construct miniature houses from gumdrops and toothpicks. For the past two years, the 7th graders have built toscale tiny houses, and were able to put their architecture skills to use to help the younger kids. Their first step was to create basic blueprints. Students designed a house on paper so strong that even the three little pigs would approve. “It has to withstand the earthquake test,” says 2nd grader Ivy B. Her group leader, Grace G., explains, “We shake the stool A 7th grader helps eager 2nd graders and we blow on it.” Although the goal of the construct tiny houses. activity was stability, both age groups wanted to make their towers creative and original; one group even added turrets! That’s why the 2nd graders were tasked with recreating their blueprints after their house was built. This whole process took two class periods. While the 7th graders typically use hot glue, cardboard and corkboard to build their tiny houses, this project had a delicious twist to it – gumdrops! We all love gumdrops, but who knew they could reinforce a house so well? While the kids liked experimenting with (and eating the leftover) gumdrops, the teachers liked them for different reasons. Ms. Gorenstein, a 2nd grade teacher, told us that the ingredients found in gumdrops have properties that would be great to study in Chemistry class. In our experience, we find that Riverdale often links a variety of subjects to other classes and, in this case, two different grades cooperated to gain experience and learn new skills. Cassius D., a 2nd grader tells us about the house his group is creating, “We tried to make it look like a house, and [tried to make it] not fall over.” All of the groups succeeded in making their houses sturdy and stable. Zach A. proudly shows us his team’s work, stating, “It doesn’t fall over when we hold it upside down.” This is just one of the many times grade levels have worked together to learn new skills. Having an older student to guide the project can produce even better results because, whether it’s learning to help little kids, create blueprints or fighting the big bad wolf, students of all ages enjoyed the hands-on learning this project provided.
Correction We mistakenly credited the wrong student for an article in the last issue of the Riverdale Review. Senior Emily Fowler was the true author of "International Day of the Girl." We apologize to Emily for this error, and extend our appreciation for her efforts related to both the high school assembly and the article. Riverdale Review
Summer Lake (continued from page 1) any concerns about the week ahead were put to rest over the course of the six-hour bus ride down to the resort. The nervous energy subsided and gave way to palpable excitement and eager anticipation for spending the next four days filled with much needed rest and relaxation alongside our peers and instructors. I knew we were set for a great week when every single member of the trip was on their feet and getting ready for the day before 7 a.m. – a first for the entire Summer Lake program! A sudden rainstorm couldn’t dampen our spirits as we set off for the first of several hikes throughout the week. We avoided cow pies, and even a baby calf, as we ascended one of the nearby hills. Although a day of hiking may not have been to everyone’s tastes, it was heartening to see how eager each person was to step outside of their comfort zone. Back at the resort, our downtime was filled with suiting up to soak in the natural hot springs, playing card games, solving puzzles, cooking meals and taking pictures. One of the most profound experiences we had on the trip was the day we spent with high school students from Paisley, Oregon, a town just a short bus ride from Summer Lake. Friendships struck up quickly between Riverdale and Paisley students, many of whom only attended school four days a week in order to work on their families’ farms. We found that despite how different our home lives were, we were united by many common interests and hobbies. Together, we worked on a service project conducted at the local bird refuge, followed by a tour of Paisley Charter School and an evening spent viewing the Paisley students’ production of Samuel Goldsmith’s “She Stoops to Conquer.” Taking in the rugged landscape and scenery while getting to relax free of our daily troubles made the Summer Lake trip fantastic. Sharing a week with 28 unique, adventurous and openminded individuals made the trip unforgettable. I woke up eagerly every morning, excited to learn about, and spend personal time with, my peers. Although I see many of them every day at school, spending a week just being ourselves helped everyone open up and forge personal bonds that will continue through the rest of the school year. For this, I am grateful to Principal Paula Robinson and everyone in the high school administration, teachers John Preacher, Laura Keldorf and Holly Finnerty for being such great trip leaders, and to everyone else who made the trip possible.
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Faces of Riverdale Behind the build: Drones
Helping teens in crisis
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Senior Matthew Gilbert didn’t want Riverdale’s Exploratory Ventures (XV) program to fade out. With no one else stepping up for this student-led, hands-on science class, he and classmate Jack Reamy decided to pick up the gauntlet. This time by building drones. Previous XV classes have launched video cameras and a GPS device into space using a weather balloon, deployed a vehicle to capture footage of the sea floor, constructed two large telescopes and created miniature autonomous vehicles.
RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – Senior Molly Benson is committed to helping peers in crisis. Trained in suicide intervention, she volunteers 15 hours a week with Lines for Life and its YouthLine – a confidential teen-to-teen crisis and help line. Molly takes calls from teens struggling with suicidal thoughts. She also helps with social media marketing, reaching teens through the vehicles they use most. Last year, she did classroom outreach throughout Portland-area Molly Benson, schools, talking about mental class of 2017 health with other teens.
What prompted you to volunteer to lead XV? I wanted to teach this class because I love engineering, computer science and leading other people. Teaching a class is an amazing opportunity to have committed people who love doing the same things as me who all want to accomplish the same thing. XV is a very unique opportunity for teachers and students, and helped me learn more about myself and about others. It also made me realize that I could go into teaching some day! What has surprised you most so far? Teaching was a totally different experience than being a captain in robotics, which is what I expected it to be like. In robotics, we have specific teams to do specific things, and I could simply assign something to one of them rather than doing it myself. In XV, it is just me and Jack. If we wanted something to get done, we had to do it ourselves. It was amazing to see and realize how much effort has to go into teaching such a simple class, and getting to work the logistical side of things helped me to understand what teachers and administrators at the school have to do. What is your vision for the class? The name of the class is XV: Takes Flight, and the goal of the class was to design, construct and program drones capable of having stable and semi- to full-autonomous flight using a variety of sensors. The build season has gone about as well as I could have hoped. We started with the goal of getting drones built, but not necessarily for them to work. In XV, success is not a must. Failure is a learning experience, and as long as our students learned, we are satisfied. Of course, success is a lot more fun, and having a group of motivated students helps to push the class along. How is the class structured? Currently we are creating seven drones. There are six groups of three to four students each designing their own drones with a $200 budget. The class as a whole is building a remote-control hexacopter (six-bladed drone) with about 10lbs of thrust that can be used to carry a payload such as an HDstreaming camera or other things. As a class, we split into four parts for the big drone: design, build, programming and marketing. Matthew Gilbert leads class efforts to build drones.
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How did you get involved with Oregon YouthLine? I started volunteering at YouthLine almost four years ago, and I've been asking the question "are you thinking about suicide?" for about six years. I knew someone who was involved with YouthLine and that made me want to start volunteering. Why do you think today's teens are so conflicted? I think today's teens don't get the same opportunities to be teens that other generations did. Twenty years ago if you rode your bike and fell, you could do so anonymously. Now, everything we do is recorded and documented. Imagine if everything you did (bad or good) would show up for your future boss. Every hairstyle, every stupid thought, every little thing. Stressful, isn't it? Teens have always had this level of conflict, but the way we are viewed is magnified. What advice do you give most? I don't give advice at YouthLine. I'm there to support teens. What might be the best thing for me isn't the best thing to do for everyone. But if someone is struggling, they should reach out. YouthLine is available every day from 4-10 p.m. Call 877-968-8491, text “teen2teen” to 839-863 or chat at oregonyouthline.org. Has this influenced your college and career plans? I have no idea what I would do without YouthLine. It didn't just influence what I plan to study, it is what I plan to study! I will be going to Albion College for Psychology and Public Policy, with an emphasis on Art. What is your personal approach to life? My personal mantra is, "One day you'll be an 80-year-old in a nursing home, take care of her and make sure she has some good stories to tell." Riverdale Review
Athletics RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL
Maverick Tennis: Both the girls’ and boys’ teams traveled to Tualatin Hills on May 11-12, to compete in the Lewis & Clark League District Tournament. Led by new girls’ coach Heidi Schnizlein, sophomore Emma Brendle made it through the first round of play by defeating Blanchet Catholic in two sets. She lost against the No. 1 seed player 6-3, 6-6 (7-1). Sisters Annabella (freshman) and Olivia Corvelli (sophomore), won their first round doubles match but lost in the second round. Led by boys’ coach Sam Ziff, sophomore Jonah Greenberg was matched with the No. 6 seed in the tournament, where he fought a tough three-set match but ultimately lost in the second round. Brothers Grant (senior) and Gabe Roulier (sophomore) played well in the first two rounds and made it to the second day, losing in the quarterfinals to Catlin Gabel. Maverick Golf: The wet spring put quite a damper on this year's golf season. Course conditions were not ideal, but the Mavericks pulled through and made it to the district tournaments on May 8-9, hosted at Quail Valley Golf Course for the boys and at both Quail Valley and Forest Hills Golf Course for the girls. Led by returning coach Spencer Gerke, the boys’ team finished 5th overall, improving by one spot from last season. Freshman Ethan Hill placed 11th individually and was selected for 3rd Team All-League, shooting 88 on day one and 87 on day two of the district tournament. Led by interim coach Jeff Brown, the girls’ team added some new members this season and got back to basics as they worked on technique, putting and shaving strokes off their game. Freshman Lauren Monahan competed during both days of the district tournament, finishing 41st individually. The team finished 11th overall. Maverick Track and Field: The boys’ and girls' teams competed at the Lewis & Clark League District Meet on May 12-13, hosted at Portland Christian High School. Sophomore Zoe Zurasky qualified for the OSAA State Championships in the 100m and 200m races, along with the triple jump. She set personal records in the 100m (12.76 seconds) and 200m (26.87 seconds), earning 1st place in both. She also placed 1st in the triple jump with a distance of 31'1". Junior Gillian Styring also qualified for the State Championships by placing 1st in pole vault with a height of 9'0". The boys’ team had some good finishes as well. Junior Finn James placed 3rd in the 1500m race (4:29.01), just missing a qualifying spot for the State Championships. Riverdale Review
Junior Fisher Ng placed 3rd in the 800m race, setting a personal record of 2:06.91. Junior Canon Wright also came away with a new school and personal record in the long jump (19'5"), placing 5th at the district meet. Both Gillian and Zoe competed at the OSAA State Track and Field Championships on May 18-19, at Hayward Field in Eugene. Gillian finished 2nd in 3A girls’ pole vault with a height of 10'0, beating her personal record from 2015. Zoe finished in 4th place in the 3A girls’ 100m dash (12.82 seconds) and 200m dash (26.37 seconds). She beat her previous personal record in the 200m dash, set one week prior at the district meet.
Photo from The Oregonian
Spring season standouts
RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL
Track and Field: Led by coach Keli Hall and new assistant coach Shelly Pascoe, the Falcons have had an outstanding season, setting many new school records – even more than last year. The girls’ team as a whole won the Sub-District Meet hosted at Catlin Gabel on April 26. This was the first time in school history that Riverdale has won! Standout record holders at RGS include: Lane L., 100m school record (13.33), ranked 10th in state. Octavia W., 100m hurdles (17.63) and long jump (13' 9.5) school records. Abby Z., new school record in 400m (1:06.89), and long jump school record (12’9). Olivia A., 800m school record (2:40.59). Zoe R., Lane L., Abby Z. and Octavia W., 4x100 relay team school record (57.61). Parker A., 200m (27.87) and long jump (14' 9.5) records. Andrew B., 100m hurdles (18.39) and 100m hurdles-30" (18.34) school records. Gavin S., 800m (2:30.57) and 1500m (4:47.21) school records. "It is an amazing accomplishment for Abby, as a 6th grader, to hold a school record. This is also the first time in Riverdale history that a grade school athlete (Lane) was ranked in the state," Coach Hall says.
Fall sports registration RIVERDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT – Riverdale fall sports include soccer, volleyball and cross country. Practices begin: • Monday, Aug. 14 – High school • Monday, Aug. 28 – Grade school Online registration opens July 1, and must be completed prior to the first day of practice, including all sports fees ($350 for high school and $300 for grade school*) and sports physicals. Visit the new athletics website, RiverdaleSports.com for links to register and pay fees. (Families of children who have not yet started school will need to pay by check at the Athletics Department office, located at Riverdale High School, which reopens Aug. 1.)
*Financial aid is available for sports fees. Contact the District Office for info.
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Riverdale Review Spring 2017
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 Theater and more in Ashland RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – From the plays and tours to the restaurants and hotels, this year’s 8th graders will remember their Ashland Field Studies trip for years to come. “Staying in a room with classmates was without a doubt my favorite part of the trip,” Sylvain R. says. “It gave chances for us to get to know some of our classmates better and become closer with those who were already our friends.” But the plays were the biggest highlight. “During the trip we saw ‘Julius Caesar’ by William Shakespeare and ‘Shakespeare in Love.’ Out of the two, ‘Shakespeare in Love’ was the most liked. It was a very funny love story about Shakespeare, who is in the process of writing ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and finds the love of his life, who auditions as a male. However, she is engaged to a prince. It is a stereotypical love story, but had several plot twists and was more memorable because of some of the expressions of love that can be found throughout the play.” This was the first time that teacher Carrington Light took students for a multimedia backstage tour led by actors, and it won’t be the last. They visited three rehearsal spaces and saw hand-made props and ornate costumes from former plays. “Our students asked wonderful questions. I could tell the guides were impressed with their knowledge of ‘Julius Caesar’ and their genuine interest in the process of theater,” she says. In addition to the plays, a chocolate factory tour and a trip to the science museum, the students also took part in Ye Olde Project Runway costume workshop at Southern Oregon University, in which teams had to create an Elizabethan-style dress out of newspaper (pictured below). “One person from each group was a model to wear the dress, which happened to be my job,” Sylvain says. “Meanwhile, the other group members would take measurements, fit clothing, think up different designs, and work as a team.” He says the Ashland trip brought the students great joy, along with a little taste of freedom and some enjoyable bonding time. “Ms. Light and Ms. Marruffo and the chaperones made the trip extra special as well. My classmates and I will never forget the great experience we had in Ashland.”
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'Seussical Jr.' on the big stage RIVERDALE GRADE SCHOOL – Everyone's favorite Dr. Seuss characters sprang to life onstage in “Seussical Jr.,” a fantastical musical extravaganza by grade school students performed at the nearby Lakewood Center for the Arts.
Laugh, clap, repeat RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL – The annual Festival of One Act Plays, also at Lakewood Center, featured 16 actors in five one-act comedies by David Ives that focus on language and wordplay, existentialist perspectives on life and meaning, and the complications involved in romantic relationships.
Mark your calendar June 14 Aug. 14 Aug. 15 Aug. 17 Aug. 25 Aug. 28 Sept. 5
Last day for all students HS fall sports practice begins HS Registration Fair GS Registration Fair First day: 9th graders + new HS students First day: Grades 1-8, 10-12, and GS fall sports practice begins First day for preK and kindergarten Riverdale Review