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Although his official role at Rowe Middle School is Media Arts & Journalism teacher, Lucas Dix’s unofficial Shamrock title could be School Culture Champion.  In this episose of the Proud To Be NCSD Podcast, meet the energetic teacher who not only leads a team of school reporters to produce weekly “Shamrock News” videos, but also created the school’s writing magazine, invented the One Million Word Club to encourage student reading, and revitalized the school’s cross-county and track teams.  Oh, and did we mention he raps in viral school music videos?

Episode 29 - Reppin' (And Rappin') Rowe Middle School

Who can NCSD teachers and families count on to make sure students with physical challenges can participate in all the same activities as their peers?  That’s when our district’s amazing Occupational and Physical Therapists move in!  In this episode, we catch up with members of NCSD’s “Motor Team” – Rose Brenner, Morgan Garner, Lisa Kline, and Nicole Nix.  These positive professionals keep students on the move, whether perfecting primary pencil placement, pivoting padlocks, or even helping students in wheelchairs stand up and sing!  

Episode 28 - Keeping Kids Moving Forward

North Clackamas schools welcome nearly 17,000 students through their front doors each morning, including hundreds of students with special needs stemming from Autism Spectrum Disorder.  How do NCSD staff members ensure students displaying autistic characteristics feel welcome, excited, and inspired in each of our schools?  That’s where this week's guests come in!  Meet NCSD’s Autism/Behavior Specialists Genoa Hillis, Julia Hunter, and Amy Nielsen, who spend their days criss-crossing the district teaming with teachers, problem-solving with paraeducators, and, most importantly, inspiring all students to feel proud of how special they are. 

Episode 27 - Special Needs Are Their Specialty 

Perhaps you’ve heard of the War Of The Roses, the Clash Of The Titans, and even the Attack Of The Clones…but have you ever heard of the Oregon Battle Of The Books?  These fabulous fifth graders from Riverside Elementary sure have!  They recently outperformed schools across the state in the fast-paced question-and-answer reading comprehension game and advanced all the way to the state finals!  In this episode, we learn how “The Bookworms” challenged themselves chapter by chapter in 15 different books to become the only NCSD team…and the first ever from Riverside…to earn statewide recognition as reading rulers!

Episode 26 - The Bookworms: A Story To Celebrate 

It may sound strange, but some of NCSD’s elementary and middle school students would be upset if they didn’t get to stay after school each day.  That’s because they love being a part of our district’s amazing after-school programs, offered to families who need affordable after-school care options.  In this episode, we learn this is far from any “babysitting.”  NCSD’s Director of Community Services Natalie Whisler, 21st Century Community Learning Center Program Manager Amber Barnes, and Boys & Girls Club Senior Director Rob Johnson tell us about these safe and structured programs offered at many district elementary and middle schools, and why students can’t wait to get there after school! 

Episode 25 - Giving Special "CARE" To Kids After School 

Did you know that in several K-12 classrooms throughout our school district, students may learn from their teacher one moment in English, but the next moment in Spanish?  These amazing classrooms are part of NCSD’s Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program.  This week’s podcast is the first-ever bilingual edition, as we learn in both English and Spanish about DLI classrooms from the tremendously talented teachers themselves: Lot Whitcomb Elementary’s Soltsinansy Hernandez Contreras, Veronica Alvarado, Melissa Sotelo Lopez, Miguel Ortiz, and Rex Putnam High School’s Jackson Doty.

Episode 24 - DLI Classrooms: ¡Increíble!

Before dribbling off to Spring Break, we posted up a preview of our conversation with three key members of the recently crowned OSAA girls basketball state champions, the Clackamas Cavaliers.  With March Madness now in the rearview mirror, this episode bounces back with Part 2 of our chat with the champs, where CHS coach Korey Landolt, along with the team’s two seniors, Rhyan Mogel and Eliza Buerk, hold court about their favorite memories of a season that ended with the school’s first-ever state championship basketball trophy.

Episode 23 - Cheers For The Cavaliers - Part 2

Just days before Spring Break tips off across the school district, we jump back less than two weeks ago to the OSAA State Girls Basketball Championship, where the Clackamas Cavaliers capped off an incredible season by winning the school’s first ever girls basketball state title.  In this pre-Spring Break preview Episode #22 of the Proud To Be NCSD Podcast, we sit down for Part 1 of our conversation with CHS coach Korey Landolt, along with the team’s two seniors, Rhyan Mogel and Eliza Buerk.

Episode 22 - State Champs!  A Pre-Spring Break Preview

Aside from creating engaging lesson plans for every subject, our elementary school teachers—particularly those in kindergarten, first, and second grade—take on perhaps the most challenging task a teacher can face…teaching kids to read.  That’s where this week’s guests on the “Proud To Be NCSD” podcast come in!  This week, we get down and wordy with NCSD’s Emergent Literacy Specialists Nadia Boria, Jaime Clarke, and Kari Tunstill, who constantly research, model, and support successful reading strategies and work side by side with NCSD’s kindergarten, first, and second grade teachers.

As we’ve learned throughout these past winter months and even in March, extreme weather incidents can quickly escalate into NCSD calling for two-hour delays or cancellation of school days.  Whether the announcement comes before sunrise or late in the afternoon, each decision impacts every NCSD family’s daily routine and is never taken lightly.  In this episode, we turn to NCSD Transportation Director Kathy Calkins, Associate Directors James Prichard and Cheryl Crosgrove, along with Assistant Superintendent Cindy Detchon to answer all the community questions that seem to heat up whenever the weather outside turns freezing cold.