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JUNE-JULY 2002 PARENT NEWSLETTEREnd-of-term
project
The
final end-of-term-project for the 2001-02 school year begins Monday, June 17 and
runs through Friday, June 28. Enclosed
is the project description (www.communityschoolhouse.org/OurTown.htm)
and a letter to parents explaining off-site activities for the project. The
enclosed permission slips for the project activities must be returned by June 17th.
The
end-of-term project continues the school theme of Journey.
Community Schoolhouse staff has written a project allowing
students to create a journey through Salem that reflects the past, present and
future of our town. End-of-year
celebration– Friday, June 28
The
Community Schoolhouse
end-of-year celebration for parents and students is Friday, June 28th,
from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at the Mission Mill Museum Spinning Room (1313 Mill St. SE)
in Salem. The event showcases the
final end-of-term group projects, as well as a variety of other
student-generated projects and activities.
Please mark your calendars for this very special event! Progress
reports
Spring
progress reports for Community Schoolhouse students were mailed to
parents earlier this month. Please contact the school if you have not received
your child’s progress report. Student
progress reports are mailed each term to indicate academic and behavioral areas
where your child is – or is not – progressing. The progress reports are not
formal report cards. Community Schoolhouse report cards are distributed
three times during the school year, following each term. Report cards are
tailored specifically for our school’s instructional programs. A
traditional Salem-Keizer School District report card will be distributed at the
end of the school year. The 21st Century Community Schoolhouse
Levels of Mastery system (see “Documenting Student Achievement” section in
the Parent-Student Handbook) will be used to assign letter grades and credits
for this district report card. ATTENTION
Parents: Another parent survey!
Thank
you to those who took the time to complete and return Teaching Research
Division’s parent survey. The parent survey is a valuable component of our
overall school evaluation report submitted to Salem-Keizer School District.
Combined with other evaluation measures, the survey assists staff in gauging how
the school is meeting the needs of students, parents and the Salem-Keizer
community. (NOTE: If you have not returned your completed survey, please do so
immediately so Teaching Research can complete their year-end report.) And
just when you thought you were done with surveys, we have another one! The
Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has requested that Community Schoolhouse
parents complete a short online survey as part of the state’s overall
evaluation of public charter schools. Northwest
Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) in Portland has been contracted by ODE
to conduct this evaluation, which also includes student and staff surveys, a
daylong onsite visit, and a written school profile. The
Community Schoolhouse
is required to participate in this ODE-funded evaluation and is asking parents
to complete the online survey at: http://www.nwrel.org/charter/eval/oregon/2002/login.html
and 1)
Select the appropriate survey: Parent, student, staff. 2)
Select the appropriate school name: 21st Century Community
Schoolhouse 3)
Enter the password for the school: 21st 4)
After password is entered, click “Login” 5)
Complete the survey. 6)
If an item in the survey does not apply or the answer is not known, leave
the item blank. 7)
When finished, click “Continue”.
You are done! Parents
who do not have Internet access at home or work can complete the online survey
at The Community Schoolhouse. The school will have a group of computers
available through June 28th for parents to complete the 15-minute
survey. Please complete this survey by June 28th to insure the timely
submission of the evaluation report to the Oregon Department of Education. Funding
update
The
recent failure of Measure 13 – and the continuing uncertainty over the state
school fund – has resulted in a $50,000 reduction in funding for The
Community Schoolhouse for 2002-03. This reduction will directly impact
teaching and instructional support at the school until additional funds are
raised from outside sources. Final decisions on staffing levels and
instructional program changes will be made during the summer. The
situation also forces the school to seek additional cuts in its operating
budget. Items being considered for possible reduction are student bus passes,
custodial services, instructional supplies and technology services. Additionally,
a proposed expansion of the Schoolhouse building (the acquisition of additional
classroom space) has been postponed indefinitely. Consideration of a building
expansion project may resume if and when funds become available.
Congratulations to our first graduates! Congratulations
to Edith Lopez and Jon Martin, the first two graduates of The
Community Schoolhouse. Although our school will not officially become a
grades 9-12 high school until next year, Edith and Jon completed their credit
requirements this year and received their high school diploma.
The staff and students of The Community Schoolhouse wish Edith and
Jon the best of luck in the future.
Instructional updates
Science & Society: 9th
& 10th Grade Science Physics is Phun! is the name of the game this term in integrated science. We have been looking at the world of physics through motion, forces, power, simple machines, and energy. For their projects, a number of students have constructed machines that help work get done and have calculated the machines’ mechanical advantage and efficiency. Others are figuring out how much horsepower can be generated by themselves, friends or family members by calculating the mass, acceleration, force, distance and work done in a variety of activities. Some are looking at energy conversions in energy systems, and still others are exploring Einstein’s theory of relativity, where mass and energy are interchangeable once speeds reach 186,000 miles/second. We will end this term with the Great Rocket unit, where students will be building and launching their own model rockets. Launch time is set for Friday, June 14th in the morning at Bush Park! 9th
& 10th Grade 20th Century Studies Students
are completing the requirements for 20th Century Studies
credit. They recently completed a
detailed unit on the Great Depression where they learned how economic, political
and social forces shaped individual and family lives during the 1930’s.
Students had the unique opportunity to listen to and analyze the lyrics
of several Woody Guthrie songs. They
also viewed and analyzed the film The Grapes of Wrath. 11th
grade Chemistry This
term we have been focusing on acids and bases and the neutralization process.
Students conducted an experiment testing which antacid was the most
effective for the cost between Rolaids, Tums, and Milk of Magnesia.
Ask your student which is the best!
We are now exploring the chemistry of water quality, including acid rain. Currently, students are testing water samples from around the
Salem area (Willamette River, Pringle Creek, and a number of well water samples)
to determine the concentration of nitrates, phosphates, chlorine, ammonia,
dissolved oxygen, and pH. We
will also test for the presence of coliform bacteria. Finally, students will investigate the effects of temperature
changes on water quality as well as the sources and effects of heavy metals in
drinking water. 11th
grade U.S. History Students
are currently completing their final contracts for US History credit.
Third term contracts have focused on the decades of the 1970’s and
1980’s. Student discussed the
presidencies of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and
George Bush. They also analyzed the
international and domestic policies of the presidential administrations and
discussed how the policies impacted people across the country and throughout the
world. Students
can still turn in work for any contract that they have not yet completed.
You can find the contracts at: http://www.communityschoolhouse.org/us.history.contracts.htm Please
encourage your child to turn in any incomplete work so they can receive full
credit for the course. The final
date to turn in work is Monday June 17, 2002. Language
Block:
English English
teacher Ron Burkhart has returned from a month-long family leave following the
birth of his son, Alder (born on May 6th and weighing in a 9 lbs., 8
ounces). Meanwhile, the duties at
school have the students tackling reading, writing and speaking. Yes,
students are hitting the fundamentals again at the end of the school year.
Students are doing a wonderful job on written journals and have covered a
current events unit relating to the future of schools and the budget process.
Completing the year before the final project is a music review in combination
with a short research paper on the musician or group of their choice. Students
have also completed listening to a novel on tape and will write a short review. Spanish Over
this past term students had the opportunity to complete about 6 weeks of
straight Spanish in Ron’s absence. Students
worked on improving their vocabulary and building up their grammar through
in-class notes and activities, which required them to listen to language.
This term students also looked at the Hispanic culture through the use of
a video, which documented a famous Hispanic’s life.
Students were able to see first hand the struggles one faces when placed
in the middle of two cultures. Native
speakers have participated in the above activities, as well as completing
investigations on the Mexican revolution. This included studying work from
authors who lived through the revolution and composed short works reflecting
their experiences. Additionally, a
group of students worked with Allied Video Productions in producing a public
service announcement (PSA) in Spanish. The PSA focuses on making parents aware
of the signs of underage drinking. Math: Rick’s
Math Classes
Zac’s
Math Classes
Community
Classroom: Mentorship
program
For
parents of students who currently have internships, your son or daughter’s
last day at their site will be during the week of June 10 – 14.
The remaining two weeks of the school year will focus on the end-of-term
project. Please encourage your student to turn in their internship time sheet to
Heather Burns. This assignment
provides proof of their attendance at their worksite and is a large part of
their grade. Community
garden This spring a group of students has been working hard to start our second community garden. The purpose of the garden is to grow food to donate to the Marion Polk Food Share organization. Over the past couple weeks, students have been dodging rain drops (and hail storms) and working in the hot sun planting, tilling and watering vegetables and flowers. However, this dedicated group of students cannot be dissuaded by the unpredictable spring weather. They are working hard and a fine yield of fresh produce is expected from the garden this summer. If you care to visit the garden, it is located in south Salem on Sunnyside Road, .08 miles south of the intersection with Kuebler Boulevard. 2001-02
yearbooks – buy yours now! Don’t miss out on the 2001-02 yearbook. This yearbook will be full of fun memories and events from the past school year. Yearbook order forms are in the front office, and checks should be payable to The Community Schoolhouse. Cost: $20 each.
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contact: school@communityschoolhouse.org |
The
21st Century