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School needs instructional assistants
A Mid-county K-5 elementary school is seeking instructional assistants. Responsibilities include instructing small groups of students in reading and English as well as assisting the teacher in organization, data collection and lesson preparation. Two years of college or the ability to pass a basic skills test is required. The positions are temporary and pay $9 per hour. There are no benefits. Please contact Lisa Oglesby at lisa_oglesby@ddouglas.k12.or.us or 503-256-6500, ext. 4521, if you are interested and would like to apply.
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| Rotarian Keith Manning distributes dictionaries to students at Sacramento Elementary School. |
| Photo by Ollie Lund |
As part of Northeast Rotary Club’s ongoing effort to give back to the community, dictionaries were handed out to third-grade students at four area elementary schools last month. A total of 285 kids at Russell Academy and Prescott, Shaver and Sacramento Elementary schools in the Parkrose School District carefully etched their names inside the front cover of the new books.
Cindy Barton, Shaver principal, called the dictionaries a perfect gift for the age group. “They are personal ... and are being received when students begin concentrating on their writing skills.”
While handing out dictionaries, Rotarians reminded the students that command of the English language would be essential to their futures. They also made students aware of the group’s efforts to eradicate polio worldwide.
The little team that could
Portland Christian has continued its winning ways in chess tournaments. Elementary, middle and high school students from this Parkrose area school traveled to Anaheim, Calif., in December to compete in the Western Grade Championships tournament. (See Memo article “Portland Christian hosts state chess tournament,” April 2007.)
In the Blitz competition — speed chess games five minutes long — PC took home the first place team trophy in the grades 9-12 and 7-8 categories thanks to the efforts of Steven Koch, Dylan Gardner, Raymond Cho, John Russell and Cody Wisenbaker. Grades 4-6 earned the second place trophy.
Steven and Raymond teamed up to take top prize in the two-player team chess category for high school students. Chance Rossi and Andy Harding came in second. Middle school teammates John and Cody, and Austin Wisenbaker and Max Churchman, placed first and second respectively.
Portland Christian nearly cleaned house in the main event (regular games last 45 minutes or longer), winning first place team trophies for eighth-, ninth-, 11th- and 12th-graders and taking second place for sixth-graders.
Those earning individual trophies included the overall tournament winner, Steven. Raymond was the second place finisher among 12th-graders. Other winners were Andrew Harding, first place, 11th grade; Dylan, first place, ninth grade; Chance, second place, ninth grade; John, first place, eighth grade; Cody, second place, eighth grade; Garet Wisenbaker, second place, first grade.
Chess Coach Alan Svehaug said, “One thing that makes these results remarkable is that many of our players have never played in any tournament before.”
Festival goes back to school for student input
The Portland Rose Festival has launched its next phase of the Court Task Force public input campaign with an online survey written for the students. Any high school student can participate by going online to www.rosefestival.org, scrolling down to Court Task Force, and clicking on Student Survey. Students are asked if they think grades are important, whether more schools should be considered and if this should be a school-only program.
“We know we have a great program, but we want to be sure we’re meeting the needs of the students, the community and the festival,” said Leslie Goodlow-Baldwin, co-chair of the Court Task Force. “If there are changes that need to be made, we’re ready to make them.”
A committee of festival and community representatives will meet through the end of the year to study all aspects of the court program and to make recommendations for possible modifications. Any changes would be put into effect for the 2009 Rose Festival season.
Since 1930 the Rose Festival has chosen young women from Portland area high schools to serve on its court. In 2007 the International Festivals and Events Association awarded the Best Community Outreach Program for festivals worldwide to the Rose Festival Court program.
Court members represent their schools throughout May and June at many community events, hospitals, senior centers and meetings with business leaders and civic groups; they also receive a $3,500 scholarship courtesy of the Randall Group, which has generously donated to the Rose Festival court scholarship program, and Pacific Power, which also provides a mentoring program with female executives.
Results of the Court Task Force survey will be available next spring. For more information on the Court Task Force and other Rose Festival events, go to www.rosefestival.org.
Host families needed for Japanese exchange students
Students from Ryukoku University in Japan will be attending Mt. Hood Community College to study English for three weeks beginning Feb. 23. The students are between the ages of 18 and 23 and are in need of English-speaking host families so they can be immersed in the English language.
Host families should be able to provide an individual room for a student. A shared bathroom is acceptable. If public transportation is not available, the host family will need to provide transportation for the student. The host family is also responsible for providing breakfast and dinner each day. The students are on their own for lunch. Host families will be paid a stipend to help defray costs for hosting a student.
If you are interested in hosting a Japanese student, please contact Yoko Sato at 503-775-5615 or satoy@mhcc.edu.
Become local voice for recreational trail development
Residents interested in representing Oregon Congressional District 3 on the Oregon Recreation Trails Advisory Council can take a first step by acquiring an interest form and information packet from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.
The seven-member council, which is composed of representatives from each of Oregon’s five congressional districts and two coastal counties, has a vacancy in our district. Congressional District 3 serves Multnomah County and the northern part Clackamas County.
The information packets may be obtained by contacting OPRD’s State Trails Coordinator, Rocky Houston, at 503-986-0750 or at rocky.houston@state.or.us. The deadline for submitting interest forms is Jan. 11, 2008.
The council usually meets three to four times per year. It advises the department on statewide trail planning and provides a public forum for non-motorized trail development. Members also may serve on a variety of other OPRD committees, including panels reviewing recreation trail grant proposals.
SnowCap and Human Solutions volunteer recognized
Diane Sherwin, former educator and long time volunteer at SnowCap Community Charities and Human Solutions, became the 16th recipient of the Lowenstein Trust Award last month. This $10,000 award is given to an individual making an extraordinary contribution to assisting and empowering the underserved and vulnerable populations in the Portland area.
Sherwin has worked to help the elderly and families with young children to cope with difficult financial circumstances. She is well known for her efforts to help nonprofit organizations work in collaboration, avoiding duplication and overlap as they work to serve families.
Most recently, Sherwin has developed the Holiday Store, a Human Solutions program, into a resource for more than 250 families.
The Lowenstein Trust was established as part of the estate of the late Steve Lowenstein, attorney, advocate for legal services for the poor, civil rights activist, author, Portland neighborhood activist and chief of staff to former City Commissioner Mike Lindberg.
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