NCSD News

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!

The Building Construction program at our Sabin-Schellenberg Center is becoming so popular, it’s running out 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 outdoor classroom space one board at a time, and plan to start officially using their new outdoor spot in the next few weeks!

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 Rose City Rollers for rolling through Ardenwald with their truck full of skates and safety equipment, allowing many of our CARE participants the chance to try out roller skating for the very first time!

Did you know that every elementary classroom science kit can contain hundreds of loose items, from plastic cups, to straws, to rubber bands, to even specific size marbles? So what happens if a kit is missing any of those supplies? That’s where this amazing team comes in each summer! Get ready to be “Blinded By Science,” as these amazing NCSD staff members spend long hours every summer counting (and recounting) every piece of equipment elementary teachers need for science success!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.