November 2014 – Memo Pad

To fully serve the community, the Mid-county Memo offers this section to showcase celebrations of milestones in our readers’ lives, those seemingly small accomplishments that often do not receive the recognition they deserve and everyday events that should be shared with friends and neighbors along with opportunities to participate in the community. When you send submissions, please include all details that apply: full names of any individuals mentioned, details of the milestone and everyone impacted by the event and a contact name and phone number or email address. Send a photo if you have one. Please identify each individual from left to right (large group shots can simply be identified by the group name) and provide the name of the photographer so we can give proper credit. Memo Pad submissions for the December issue are due Saturday, Nov.15. For best results, email Darlene Vinson at editor@midcountymemo.com, or mail submissions to 3510 N.E. 134th Ave., Portland, OR 97230. To leave a phone message, call 503-287-8904. The Mid-county Memo fax number is 503-249-7672.

Portland Lutheran boasts National Merit commended students
Principal Kara Kaufman, of Portland Lutheran School, learned recently that two of her students placed in the top five percent of students who took the National Merit scholarship qualifying test. Daniel Barnes and Ian Lortz earned Commended Student status and have been recognized for exceptional academic promise.

Royal’s alum earns gold
Portland Christian High School alumna, Kim Hill (2008), helped make U.S. volleyball history. Hill led the United States to its first major women’s volleyball title by scoring 20 points in a 3-1 victory over China in the world championships and was named the tournaments most valuable player.

U.S. women had never won the world championships, World Cup or Olympics. The Americans finished second in the world championships in 1967 and 2002.

ELL students excel at Mill Park
Mill Park Elementary School, in the David Douglas School District, has earned a Super School Award by Imagine Learning. Imagine Learning provides an online intervention program specifically targeting the needs of English Language Learners.

Mill Park was the only school in Oregon presented the award. Super School Awards are presented to schools in recognition of school staff and students that show “exceptional enthusiasm, amazing Imagine Learning innovations, and just plain good citizenship.”

Mill Park has the largest number of English Language Learners of any David Douglas elementary school. More than half the students at Mill Park are ELL. Use of the Imagine Learning intervention program helps to improve and advance both a student’s literacy and language skills at the same time.

Because the award was in recognition of work from the 2013-14 school year, it was presented jointly to former Principal Rolando Florez and current Principal Bob Stelle. Congratulations to Mill Park staff and students.

Apply to Rose Festival Court
The Rose Festival Court Program is now recruiting for the 101st Queen of Rosaria. The Rose Festival Court is comprised of up to 15 outstanding young women chosen from Portland Metro-area high schools.

The 2015 Court is selected in March, go through orientation in April, and travel in May visiting community events, business leaders, hospitals, senior living centers, youth organizations and civic groups. Rose Festival Court selection signals the kick-off of the Rose Festival season. All court members receive a $3,500 scholarship valid for any accredited college, university or trade program.

Candidates must be female; attend a 4A, 5A or 6A high school in Multnomah, Washington or Clackamas counties; be a junior or senior this year; have a 3.0 GPA (exigent circumstances do apply); a record of community service.

Applications are available at rosefestival.org/programs/rose-festival-court, and must be returned by Jan.9, 2105.

The Rose Festival is also looking for members of the 1965 senior and junior courts. The 50-year court is featured each year in the Grand Floral Parade. If you were a member of either of these courts or know someone who was, contact Marilyn Clint at marilync@rosefestival.org. Use Court Alumni in the subject line. All past members of the Rose Court are encouraged to keep their contact information current with Clint.

Alice Ott repeats as Model School
The state of Oregon has released its annual School and District Report Cards. Two David Douglas schools – Alice Ott Middle School and Menlo Park Elementary – achieved Model School status.

The State Report Cards rate schools on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest achievement level and 5 being the highest. Both Alice Ott and Menlo Park are overall Level 5 schools. Model schools are schools that rank in the top five percent of all high poverty schools in Oregon.

There are only 28 Model Schools in Oregon, and only one school district in the state had more than two Model Schools. This is the third consecutive year that Alice Ott has achieved Model School status, which no other middle school in Oregon has done. Only five schools overall have done it, the other four being elementary schools.

In addition to having two overall Level 5 schools, the district has four schools at overall Level 4 – Cherry Park Elementary, Earl Boyles Elementary, Floyd Light Middle and Ron Russell Middle. All three of the district’s middle schools achieved Level 5 status in the area of academic growth.

The District’s remaining seven schools were all at overall Level 3 status. There are no Level 2 or Level 1 schools in David Douglas. In addition, the district’s high school graduation rate increased for the third consecutive year to 73 percent. That compares to a statewide average of 68.7 percent.

Improvements for Leach Botanical Garden, Clatsop Butte announced
Commissioner Amanda Fritz’s office announced she has allocated more than one million dollars of System Development Charges to fund improvements at Leach Botanical Garden and Clatsop Butte Park, according to an email from PP&R spokesperson Mark Ross.

The investment at Leach Botanical Garden includes approximately $1 million in improvements, including Americans with Disabilities Act access to areas including the upper garden at the regional attraction. Pedestrian and vehicle access projects will be prioritized. The specific projects will be determined in partnership with the non-profit Leach Garden Friends.

Portland Development Commission is collaborating by contributing additional funds of up to $1.1 million towards the upper garden’s project design and construction over the next five years. PDC has already contributed approximately $150,000 in schematic design work.

Portland Parks & Recreation expects to acquire more property for the garden to display plants not only plants native to the Northwest, but also from remote parts of the region, according to Leach Botanical Garden Executive Director David Porter.

The additional 1.36 acres will give more people the opportunity to experience botanical treasures, take classes and participate in events in a setting apart from the bustle of urban life at 6704 SE 122nd Ave. in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood in outer Southeast Portland.

“The improvements at Leach Botanical Garden will make significant improvements to a beautiful garden and will be enjoyed by individuals and families from around the region and especially those who live in east Portland,” said PP&R Director Mike Abbaté in Ross’s email. “Removing barriers that enhance access for people with disabilities in the historic Leach Botanical Garden is another way to make sure all Portlanders can enjoy this amazing garden gem.”

“Leach Botanical Garden is a unique botanical and cultural attraction,” says Leach Garden Friends’ board president, Linda Morrow. “We represent the character of the Pacific Northwest realized through plants, water, art and discovery. This support from Commissioner Fritz through Portland Parks & Recreation is an important step to carrying on the legacy of east Portland civic leaders, John and Lilla Leach, who were visionary in giving their botanical garden to be a public space of respite and beauty.”

The Clatsop Butte Park project provides an opportunity to enhance a park site atop a butte in east Portland, at Southeast 152nd Ave. and Belmore St. in Pleasant Valley, with views of downtown Portland, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens. PP&R will begin improvements on the 43-acre Clatsop Butte property by developing an interim wood chip trail, benches and signage to encourage use until funds are available to build out the Master Plan developed with the community. Approximately $100,000 in SDC funds will provide improvements primarily benefiting an estimated 178 nearby households.

Construction is expected to begin in October 2014, with completion before the end of the year.

Spirit of Portland winners include Parkrose superintendent
City of Portland will recognize the 30th annual Spirit of Portland award winners at 6 p.m. at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, 501 N. Graham St., Thursday, Nov.6.

The Spirit of Portland awards recognize local individuals and organizations who have demonstrated an outstanding dedication to positive change in our community. Award winners are those who have not only worked to improve the community, but also gone above and beyond a dedication to civic engagement in order to make a lasting impact, according to selection criteria.

Award winners are chosen from nominations submitted by fellow Portlanders, and by a selection committee of representatives from the Commissioners’ offices, the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, neighborhood associations and other diverse community organizations. The Mayor and each Commissioner also selects special award winners to recognize specific works and achievements.

Representing Mid-county are:
East Portland Action Plan
Rosewood Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative, selected by Mayor Charlie Hales
Karen Fischer Gray, Parkrose School District superintendent, selected by Commissioner Nick Fish.