Compass Clips

Compass Clips is a quick video voyage showcasing some of the spirit-lifting stories taking place throughout NCSD schools and departments. It’s your one quick click to see stories about sensational students and support staff, terrific tales about teachers, and positive profiles of paraeducators or principals.

Celebrity Salsa Chef Brings the Heat to NCSD!

His work has been featured in Netflix's Taco Chronicles and his family's restaurant earned an on-screen nod in FX Network's The Bear...and Celebrity chef Jonathan Zaragoza recently presented to Culinary students at our Sabin-Schellenberg Center. Students loved hearing his inspirational words and watching his kitchen magic in action!

On the Front Lines of SSC's Fire Science Program

What do NCSD students learn as a part of SSC's Fire Science program? Gear up for an inside look at the program's curriculum, and hear directly from staff and students about how this unique program prepares future firefighters and emergency personnel.

Rubik's Cube Club Full of Twists & Turns

Welcome to Ardenwald Elementary's Rubik's Cube Club, where students are always thinking inside the box. These young solvers show off their rapid-fire reflexes as they race to put a solid grip on every scramble. It's a great reminder that even when life gets mixed up, persistence can help anyone solve their way through a tough problem without flipping out.

Past Episodes

February 5, 2026

Reading Rabbits Hop Into District Libraries

When all of NCSD's Media Technicians met together for a recent monthly meeting, they also met Roz, Rita, Ramona, Roxy, Rusty, Rufus, and many other "Reading Rabbits" all made of paper mache...and all lovingly made by Clackamas High School's Paola Bandiera. The CHS Media Tech spent more than a year hand-crafting each keepsake from discarded book pages, then surprised each of her overjoyed colleagues by gifting each one.

License & Registration Please...

With so many amazing hands-on experiences, we definitely did not have the right to remain silent when we checked out Sabin-Schellenberg's Law Enforcement program. Students from all district high schools cover all aspects of law enforcement from traffic stops, detective work, forensics, and even how to conduct an arrest (as our host suddenly found out).

Unified Basketball: Making Swishes Come True

We've previously shared Unified Basketball highlights from our district's high schools, but Clackamas High's team played it's first-ever game earlier this week. Thanks to Rex Putnam High's squad for making the road trip, and to all the students, staff, and fans who always make these contests more about having fun while making new friends...and less about points on the scoreboard. The seasons continue for CHS, RPHS, Milwaukie, and Adrienne C. Nelson throughout this month!

October 17, 2025

Well Actually, It IS Rocket Science!

You’re provided one solid block of metal, two axles, and four small plastic tires. Your mission? Use only these materials to cover the most distance using one model rocket engine as your fuel source. Why yes, this IS rocket science, and it’s part of the Machine Tool Technology course in Sabin Schellenberg’s Manufacturing Engineering Program. Just how far did these rocket-powered projectiles buzz from blueprint to blacktop? Buckle up!

With Building Enrollment, Construction Students Hammer Out A Solution!

The Building Construction program at our Sabin-Schellenberg Center is becoming so popular, it's running our of classroom space. So how do Building Construction students solve the problem? They build their own classroom right on campus! These advanced students are building their own classroom space one board at a time, and plan to start officially using their new outdoor spot in the next few weeks!

🎶🎶Ahh...Freak Out! Rollin' Through Summer CARE!

Students in our summer CARE program always have a great time participating in summer activities, but we visited on a day they were having a WHEELIE great time! Special thanks to the the Rose City Rollers for rolling through Ardenwald with their truck full of skates and safety equipment, allowing many of our CARE participants tthe chance to try out roller skating for the very first time.

May 30th, 2025

Rex Putnam's King of Cornhole

As the end of another school year draws near, many North Clackamas high school seniors are thrilled to accept college tuition offers for skills ranging from academics, to special trades, to athletics. But Rex Putnam senior Hayden Gonzales is the first NCSD student to receive a unique athletic scholarship for a skill he perfected playing in his own backyard. Meet Putnam’s very own king…of cornhole.

It's Ready, JET, Cook for Sabin-Schellenberg Students!

Dedicated Food Network fans know that celebrity chef Jet Tila has sliced and diced hundreds of delectable dishes in front of some very competitive critics. He’s appeared on the network’s hit shows like Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped, Iron Chef America, and even won a $20,000 prize for his work on Guy’s Grocery Games. Still, the internationally known culinary ambassador for Thailand said he felt a different kind of energy as a recent surprise visitor to NCSD’s Sabin-Schellenberg Professional Technical Center.

Starting the Day Off Full Circle

Doesn’t matter if it’s during the first few minutes of the day in high, middle, or elementary school, those opening moments of class are a perfect time to set a positive tone for the entire upcoming day. That’s why many NCSD elementary classrooms don’t start the day with a morning math problem or reading assignment…but instead focus on morning circle time. As our series on Social Emotional Learning lessons continues, see how Rachel Wong, currently a K-3 Literacy Coach at Bilquist Elementary, keeps students from feeling down by simply circling them up.

April 18th, 2025

Classroom Meetings Teaching Classy Behavior

Whether it’s in elementary, middle, or high school, every NCSD staff member is dedicated to making sure all students feel a sense of belonging in every classroom. In many schools, teachers take time during their daily schedules to allow students to share their thoughts—which are less about reading, writing, and math…and more about how to lift each other’s spirits while being a good person. Take a look at how daily “class meetings” have transformed the dynamics of one Oregon Trail Elementary classroom.

Never A Bad Hair Day in These Classes

There’s quite a buzz happening each week in our Sabin-Schellenberg’s Cosmetology program, and it’s not just the electric clippers snipping the final touches on a perfect haircut. That’s because several days throughout the school year are Client Days, when NCSD community members make appointments with Cosmetology students for salon services ranging from haircuts to highlights and perms to pedicures. Settle in to see how students handle all the hands-on happenings.

Delivering Joy One Card at a Time

Each day, Happy Valley Elementary students Miles and Blake like to play with their friends at recess. But earlier this year, the two brothers made hundreds of new, older friends playing "Cupid" for the City of Happy Valley. The boys spent an afternoon paying surprise visits to seniors at several local care facilities, delivering more than 700 “Care Cards,” handmade by students at their school, Scouters Mountain, and Mt. Scott elementary schools. Don’t miss this heartwarming story full of charmful chats and a few cheerful tears showing you’re never too old to feel loved.

March 12th, 2025

When Smiles Mean More Than The Final Score

It had all the dribbling, shooting, and cheering of a rival high school basketball game, but a recent afternoon contest between Milwaukie and Putnam high schools had fans excitedly rooting for both teams. By bringing student athletes together with and without intellectual disabilities, Unified Basketball proves it’s less about points on the scoreboard…and much more about encouragement, opportunity, and most of all…inclusion. Grab a courtside seat for all the high energy and high fives that come from attending this NCSD heartwarming hoops program.

Who Loves This Partnership More? Flip A Coin!

When an elementary school’s Leadership Team needed help counting coins from a recent fundraiser, it only made cents to call older role models from right up the street! That’s why Rex Putnam Leadership students gladly accepted the special invitation from Riverside to help with the Tigers’ coin counting, which turned into an unforgettable field trip teaching students of all ages about leadership, collaboration, and inspiring others!

Architecture Teacher Provides Blueprint For Student Success

This past fall marked the third time in the past four years that an NCSD teacher was named the Oregon Regional Teacher of the Year. What is it about Robert Parker’s hands-on teaching style that makes him so revered among students from all NCSD high schools? Hear directly from his students in class, as the architecture teacher reflects upon life experiences that led him to Sabin-Schellenberg, and why he believes NCSD’s commitment to Career Technical Education is paving the way for student success.

Get Social with NCSD

Compass Clips

Celebrity Salsa Chef Brings the Heat to NCSD!

On the Front Lines of SSC's Fire Science Program

Rubik's Cube Club Full of Twists & Turns