OPE brought the cheers, celebrations, and a little cafeteria competition to this week’s assembly! Students were celebrated for showing September’s character trait, Respect, throughout the month. Counselor Ms. Top kicked off October’s focus, Responsibility, by sharing ways students can make responsible choices every day. Principal Harder kept the excitement going by announcing this month’s Golden Hooty and Starbucks winners. Way to go, OPE!

Then it was time for the Crazy Clean-Up Relay! Students and staff balanced trays of “lunch,” walked through cones, emptied their trays into a trash bin, stacked them neatly, and walked back to the finish, all while classmates cheered them on! This spirited challenge served up a reminder: walking in the cafeteria, cleaning up after ourselves, and keeping shared spaces safe and clean are responsibilities we all share!

Scappoose became a classroom for the day as our third graders enjoyed a walking adventure packed with local history, community connections, and hands-on fun!

At Watts House Museum, students explored Native American artifacts, school memorabilia, and Scappoose’s past, including learning that Grant Watts owned a store and was our first mayor! A library scavenger hunt introduced students to its many resources and role in the community.

At City Hall, students discovered how local government works and how their voices can make a difference. Letters from previous third graders helped inspire accessible play equipment at Veterans Park! Mayor Backus shared a video celebrating local parks and students’ contributions, and exploring police cars and equipment added to the excitement!

A big thank-you to the volunteers, museum and library teams, and city staff who welcomed our students and made this adventure possible. What a wonderful way to discover the history, people, and possibilities that make Scappoose special!

Scappoose School District has progress to celebrate!

Newly released Oregon Department of Education results show that the percentage of students meeting or exceeding state standards increased by 7.7 percentage points in third-grade English Language Arts and 3.9 percentage points in eighth-grade math compared with the previous school year.

We’re proud of our students’ hard work and grateful for the educators and families who support their learning every day. Together, we’ll keep building on these successes!

At Scappoose School District, we believe families play an important role in supporting students as they develop the knowledge, skills, and healthy habits they need to thrive. As part of this commitment, our district uses an adopted K–6 Health curriculum designed to provide students with age-appropriate learning experiences that support their physical, social-emotional, and overall well-being.

We know that families may have questions about what students are learning in health class and how these topics are addressed at different grade levels. We want you to have access to the same resources our teachers use so you can better understand the curriculum, preview learning materials, and engage in conversations with your student at home.

Below, you will find resources related to our adopted K–6 Health curriculum, including information about the curriculum, grade-level learning, and materials students may encounter throughout the school year. We encourage you to explore these resources and use them as a starting point for conversations with your child.

Health education is most meaningful when schools and families work together. If you have questions about the curriculum or would like additional information about what your student will be learning, please reach out to your child’s teacher or school administrator. We appreciate your partnership in helping our students develop the knowledge, skills, confidence, and healthy habits they need to be successful.

Scappoose Elementary Health Parent-Guardian Notification Letter

Additional Resources:

As we settle back into the rhythm of the school year, our campuses are once again busy with students, families, staff, buses, and vehicles. We can all help keep them safe by slowing down, staying alert, following posted signs and speed limits, and parking only in designated areas.

Vehicles must remain on designated roads and in approved parking areas, and bicyclists must follow all posted traffic and bicycle signs.

Please note: Motorized recreational vehicles, including minibikes, motorized scooters, go-carts, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, and similar devices, are prohibited on all district grounds. Skateboards, rollerblades, scooters, and similar devices may also not be used on district property.

Thank you for helping us maintain safe and welcoming campuses for our students, staff, families, and visitors!

The Orange & Black Classic, presented by Les Schwab, is coming up on Friday, October 9, at Wildwood Golf Course!

Grab your friends, coworkers, family, or fellow Scappoose supporters and build your foursome. Team spots are limited, so don’t wait to register!

Your day includes:
-Prizes
-Golfer swag bags
-On-course snacks & drinks
-Lunch from Pig Cow Spud
-A great day supporting Scappoose students!

-$600 per foursome | $175 per individual
-Check-in: 7:30 a.m. | Shotgun start: 9:00 a.m.

Gather your foursome. Get registered. Tee up for Scappoose students!

Scan the QR code on the flyer to register today!

As we begin the school year, we would like you to be aware of how Scappoose School District communicates. We strive to develop and deliver clear, timely, and accurate information about the district and all that is happening in and around our schools. We seek to provide resources and materials to ensure families, students, staff, partners, and community members are informed about our key priorities, community events, our successes, and obstacles.

We look forward to communicating with you and your family!

Information is conveyed primarily via:

SSD Mass Messaging: Directly from the District or Individual Schools via a variety of mediums; email, text message, app notification, automated phone calls.

The SSD App: To get the App, simply go to the App Store on your device and search for “Scappoose School District.” From there, you can choose which schools you want to get new/alerts from.

Scappoose School District Website:

www.scappoosek12.org
School-specific websites: (These can be navigated to from the SSD main webpage)

School Newsletters:

These will be sent out every Friday to your email inbox

District social media sites: Please follow us!

Facebook: Scappoose School District
Instagram: @Scappoose_Schools

FlashAlert notifications:

Scappoose Flash Alert Page This is mostly for inclement weather

Letters/emails to parents/guardians

A quick reminder: We start off assuming that ALL students will be riding the bus unless families tell us otherwise. So, please take a moment to log in to ParentVUE and update your information, including whether your student will be using our bus services.

We know that pick-up and drop-off times are important and our transportation partner, First Student, does its best to create route timetables that correlate with parent/guardian information in ParentVUE.

PLEASE NOTE: Timetables are subject to change slightly as we move forward through the first few weeks of school as additional students are added or removed as bus riders. We will communicate those changes as we receive the updates.

Wednesday/early release routes: for PM times on Wednesdays, you can subtract one hour from the PM schedule.

FirstView 1.0 Bus Tracking: If you are interested in the FirstView 1.0 Bus Tracking App, please navigate to our district webpage HERE for more information.

If you have questions about pick-up or drop-off locations, please contact First Student at 971-290-4020.

Visit our First Student Bus Services page HERE, for the latest bus routes, schedules, and updates.

Helping Every Student Grow in Reading and Mathematics

This school year, K-8 students will take the Star test in fall, winter, and spring. The test helps teachers understand each student's strengths and learning needs so they can provide the right instruction and support throughout the year.

Fall Interim Assessment Window

Kindergarten: 9/21/26-10/2/26

Grades 1-8: 9/8/26-10/2/26

What is Star?

The Star is an online reading and mathematics assessment that adapts to each student.

When students answer correctly, questions become more challenging.
When students miss questions, the assessment adjusts to find the level where they are ready to learn next.

Because every student receives different questions, the assessment provides a more accurate picture of what they know and what they are ready to learn.

What does it measure?

Reading

Fluency
Phonemic Awareness
Phonics
Key Ideas and Details
Text Complexity
Vocabulary
Craft and Structure
Knowledge and Ideas

Math

Counting & Cardinality
Algebraic Thinking
Geometry
Expressions & Equations
Numbers & Operations
Functions
Ratios
Number System
Stats & Probability

How will the results be used?

Teachers use Star results to:

Plan instruction that meets students' individual needs
Identify students who may benefit from additional support or enrichment
Monitor student growth from fall to spring
Celebrate student progress over time

The assessment is not graded and is not used as a report card grade. It is one of several tools teachers use to understand student learning.

How can you help?

You can help your child by encouraging them to:

Get a good night's sleep before testing.
Eat a healthy breakfast.
Arrive at school on time.
Take their time and do their best.
Work independently without help so teachers receive the most accurate information about what they know.

The goal isn't to get every answer correct—it's to understand what your child is ready to learn next.

What you’ll learn

Following each testing window, you'll receive a Star Family Report that explains your child's results in easy-to-understand language. It shows how your child is progressing over time and identifies skills they have mastered and skills they're ready to learn next.

Learn More

Watch this short family video from Renaissance Learning:

It’s one of the best ways to stay informed on both District and School specific information in real time, right on your smartphone!

If you don't yet have the app here is how to get it:

1. Search; “Scappoose School District” in your device's App store

2. Download the App to your phone/tablet and click “Open”

3. There will be a pop-up and click “Choose from list”

4. Choose the schools you would like to receive news/alerts from

5. CONGRATS! Your App should now be set up!

OEA Choice Trust (OEA CHOICE WELFARE BENEFIT PLAN) supports the well-being of Oregon’s public education employees. Scappoose School District has received a grant to support our employee’s well-being. OEA Choice Trust files an annual report with the Employee Benefits Security Administration, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). You can visit the OEA Choice Trust website to see how to request and receive copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof.