NR 110811
North Clackamas Schools schedules community
meeting on local option levy
After more than 30 public
listening sessions on a possible local option levy for North Clackamas Schools,
the school district has scheduled another opportunity for public comment. The event will take place at 12:30 p.m.
on Tuesday, November 15 at Milwaukie Center, 5440 SE Kellogg Creek Drive. All
are welcome.
The School Board is exploring several revenue-raising strategies
to help schools weather the economic downturn. In December, they will decide whether
or not to place a local option levy on the ballot in 2012 or later.
As part of their decision process, the School Board will consider
extensive input from community members through public meetings and surveys. The
on-line survey is available at www.nclack.k12.or.us/localoption.
The short-term property tax could be used for school operating
expenses for purposes voters approve.
This could include hiring teachers to reduce class sizes, increasing the
number of school days, purchasing new textbooks to address more challenging
standards, adding classroom technology, or adding education programs, such as
more advanced placement courses. The tax would last three to five years
depending on voter approval, and could not be renewed without another vote.
A
local option levy in the community could raise up to $4 million per year for
North Clackamas schools. The cost to homeowners would be around 99 cents to
$1.25 per $1,000 assessed value of the property. The average home in the
district is assessed at $205,000. Such a home would be charged an additional
$205 to $256 per year, depending on the rate approved by voters.
……………………………………………………………….
Education Foundation supports middle
school elective programs
North Clackamas Education Foundation (NCEF) has donated $1,250 (or
$5,000 total) to each North Clackamas School District four middle schools to
help ensure arts, choir, music, shop and FACS classes have the supplies they
need.
Aeylin Summers, Assistant
Superintendent of Educational Programs, approached the NCEF board with the
request for funds. With the recent move of sixth graders to middle schools,
each school had to change its master schedule to accommodate 300 more students.
The district created a “wheel” structure in which sixth grade students can participate
in a yearlong rotation of electives attending each class for six- or 12 weeks.
However, the restructuring did not provide funds for elective class supplies.
“The Foundation is a huge supporter
of music and arts in our district,” NCEF Board Chair Jeanne Magmer said. “By
supporting this new middle school structure, more students will be exposed to
music and arts classes. Our funding helps ensure that these classes have the
materials the teachers and students need to be successful.”
Previously the district charged
students a $10 fee to participate in electives. The new wheel system eliminates
the district’s ability to charge this fee.
“The Foundation has an activity fee
assistance program in place to ensure that all students are able to participate
in electives regardless of ability to pay the fee,” NCEF Executive Director Ami
Margolin Rome said. “This middle school funding request fits nicely within the
Foundation’s mission to bridge the gap between district funding and unmet
student needs as well as with our traditional funding for the arts and music
and underserved students. We actually are paying the activity fees for the
entire school.”
To supplement NCEF funding, the
district plans to allocate $750 for supplies to each middle school, giving each
school a total of $2,000 to support these courses.
For more information contact Ami Rome at the NCEF office,
503-353-6053. To find out more about NCEF, visit the Website at www.nc-foundation.org.
………………………………………………
Rotary clubs donate dictionaries to third graders
As part of a
national effort to support literacy, the Clackamas Rotary, the Gladstone
Rotary, and North Clackamas Sunrise Rotary clubs last week donated dictionaries
for 1,800 third grade students in 18 North Clackamas elementary schools. About 450 students also received a
Thesaurus.
“We have
learned that in spite of technology, many children do not have access to the
internet at home and have limited access at school. With the significantly high level of poverty and
homelessness, many third graders are so excited to receive their own
dictionary,” said Clackamas Rotary member Renee King. “Teachers love this, too, because all students have the same
dictionary.”
……………………………………………………..
Rex
Putnam boasts league champions in boys soccer
The Kingsmen boys varsity soccer team took first place in
their league, the Northwest Oregon Conference, besting second place Sherwood
and third place Liberty.
“Coach Mitch Wing led the team through a strong season,”
said Putnam parent Jamie Berry.
…………………………………….
College night offers strategies for choosing a college and paying for
it
"College Night" is being held at Clackamas
Community College (CCC) in the Gregory Forum. The date is Nov 14, from 6:30-9:00pm. This event
is being sponsored by the Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) and
is not specific to CCC students, but to all college bound students. The following information will be
covered at this event:
- Student College
Options
- Financial Aid
- Scholarships
For more information, visit: http://www.collegenightinor.org.
Pizza and soda is included for all who attend.
…………………………………………………………….
November 17th presentation reveals
strategies for funding college
Ben Kaplan, national expert on paying for college, will present to students and
parents on November 17 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at Rex Putnam High School.
Kaplan is one of the nation’s leading experts on college admissions,
scholarships and financial aid, student success, career planning, and youth
personal finance issues. He has helped tens of thousands of families save half
a billion dollars over the past 10 years.
Kaplan has authored 12 best-selling books and CDs, including How to Go to
College Almost for Free (HarperCollins Publishers), the leading book in the
genre with more than 500,000 copies in print. The book is based on his
experiences in winning two dozen scholarships worth $90,000—enough to cover virtually
the entire cost of his Harvard degree.
Kaplan delivers live presentations to 30,000 families each year at high
schools, colleges, corporations, and community venues worldwide. He previously
served as Fastweb’s "resident scholarship coach," and has advised
leading Fortune 500 companies and educational institutions such as Citigroup,
American Express, Sallie Mae, Fidelity, UCLA, Texas A&M, and the National
Parent Teacher Association.
The presentation is open to all North Clackamas parents and high school
students.
