Join Chalkboard for Advocacy Day
Chalkboard Project Advocacy Day - February 3, 2009
The Chalkboard Project will host its Advocacy Day on February 3, 2009 from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Oregon State Capitol.
Advocacy Day will provide a unique opportunity for one-on-one interaction with legislators and legislative staff. This interaction is a key way to make sure your leaders in Salem understand the issues facing your education system.
The Chalkboard Project will continue to advocate to strengthen mentoring and professional development programs for educators. Chalkboard supports continued expansion for the mentoring program launched in 2007 for all new teachers and administrators.
Please click here for more information about Chalkboard's Advocacy work including our 2009 Legislative Agenda and the 2009 Advocacy Day Agenda.
RSVP Today! Email info@chalkboardproject.org or call 503-542-4325.
Teacher Quality Moves to the Head of the Class
Three recent newsworthy events have combined to place a renewed focus on teaching quality in Oregon and help position the state at the vanguard of the nation's renewed commitment to education.
The three milestones include:
1. The Oregon State Board of Education endorsing the National Staff Development Council national standards. Supporting staff development standards targets the state's investment in professional development to practices that are known to influence student learning.
2. The Chalkboard Project's new partnership with the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF) will gather state leaders to form a coalition charged with developing a statewide strategy to improve teaching quality in 2009.
3. Last, and certainly not least, President-elect Barack Obama announcing his pick for secretary of education, Chicago Public Schools Supt. Arne Duncan.
"They say good things come in threes," said- Orcilia Zúñiga Forbes, Chair, Chalkboard Project Board of Directors. "In this case, we've hit a trifecta that promises great things for raising student achievement across the board in Oregon, throughout the coming year.
Click here to view the entire press release.
District with strong public support explores centralizing some opperations for efficiency
On Jan. 7, 2009 the Oregon Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) released its report on business practices in the Eugene 4J School District. In partnership with OASBO, the Chalkboard Project provided an $85,000 grant to conduct reviews of best business practices in five Oregon school districts."The Eugene School Board has a tradition of allowing decisions at the local level, which builds strong parent, community and staff support while meeting the unique needs of each school," said Angie Peterman, OASBO executive director and business review team leader. "It also has one of the strongest community-based planning processes we've seen, which has kept the district on top of demographic shifts such as its rapidly growing Hispanic population. As districts look at declining resources in tough economic times, centralizing more business functions will create more efficiency, a recommendation we're making for Eugene."
The review came at a pivotal time, according to Superintendent George Russell, who noted that Eugene has long used "site-based decision making" to allow staff autonomy.
Chalkboard's interest in reviewing business practices grew out of two research findings: an analysis of Oregon school spending that indicated statewide average spending on student support services is higher than the national average, and public opinion surveys showing nearly half of Oregonians believe schools can do more to operate efficiently.
View the entire press release here.
Chalk Talk Profile
This month Chalk Talk is profiling Marilee Woodrow, a SMART volunteer. SMART is a nonprofit organization that engages community volunteers to read one-on-one with K-3 children who need literacy support. You can find out more about SMART by visiting their website at www.getsmartoregon.org.
SMART's vision to have an Oregon where every child can read and is empowered to succeed and the Chalkboard Project's mission to help raise student achievement in Oregon's K-12 public schools to among the nation's best seem compatible. How would you like to see these two organizations proceed in achieving their like-minded goals in 2009?The significant factor is there are no 'if's in either mission statement. Each one is focused on the 'when' and the 'how' of its achievement. Literacy skills are at the center of the empowerment. We know the opportune time for establishing a literacy base for future success is from Pre-Kindergarten to 3rd grade. SMART's and the Chalkboard Project's combined efforts support each other.
Chalkboard's Citizen's Corps - as a community partner - can advocate for children's literacy issues thereby reinforcing ongoing community awareness and volunteer involvement.
How have you seen your work at SMART improve your community? What is the single greatest example of this work?
A single greatest example? The emergence and continuation of a volunteer core of adult SMART volunteers who, even in transitional times, never say quit.
The child-centered focus emanates from each volunteer to each young reader, who, in turn, gains more than simply reading support and enthusiasm for reading - they gain in self-confidence and 'life empowerment'.
SMART's community of volunteers is a proven success co-efficient for each young reader's life success formula.
Marilee Woodrow is a retired Family and Rehab Counselor and Program Coordinator. Currently, she is in her 8th year as a SMART reader and is a member of a volunteer SMART Site Coordinating Team at a Springfield school. She is also President of the Eugene Springfield SMART Chapter.
Free tutor resource for students in eastern Oregon
As kids head back to school in eastern Oregon, they need never be stumped by a tough homework assignment again. The Libraries of Eastern Oregon and the Chalkboard Project partnered to bring a free online tutoring service from Tutor.com that connects students to expert tutors. Students who've used the service rave about the program: "I think it is great that they help you with your homework and keep on having kids learn about their problems on their own with a little help."
Check it out - Log onto: www.librariesofeasternoregon.org to get on-demand, free help from qualified tutors.
An expanded Open Books website coming soon
You asked for more information to help understand public education budgets and programs. We heard you and have partnered with education groups to bring you a look at student achievement, class sizes, demographic information and school finances district by district. The new site rolls out next month. Stay tuned for February's Chalk Talk for more details.
