Superintendent's Update

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to play a central role in daily life in Centennial. Staffing and substitute shortages persist. Quarantines continue to impact continuity of learning for students. These disruptions cause ongoing stress to staff, students, and families alike. The need for compassion and grace continues. We are all doing the very best we can to cope with the obstacles that exist in our current reality. Each of us can make a positive difference with our mindset and outlook and by showing kindness to ourselves and others.

In spite of these challenges, much progress continues to be made in Centennial. We have taken the opportunity in this e-newsletter to highlight some of the important work taking place.

This month’s e-newsletter edition contains the following information:

• Winter Break Reminder

• New Board Member Introduction

• Funding Plans for Unfinished Learning

• “Test to Stay” Protocol Information

• CSD COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic

• Preparing for Next School Year - Changes and opportunities related to:

• Comprehensive Boundary Review

• Transition of 6th grade to the middle school level

• Conversion of Oliver to a Middle School

• Comprehensive Boundary Review survey results and Open House information

• Bond Updates

Sincerely,

James Owens, Superintendent

Monday, December 20 through Friday, December 31, 2021 is winter break for Centennial School District. Our schools will be closed during this time. Enjoy the holiday season!

Join us in welcoming our new Board Director Rose Solowski who was selected and appointed by the Centennial School Board to fill the Position 3 At-Large vacancy. Solowski took the oath of office at the December 8, 2021, Board meeting. She will serve until June 2023.

“Over the past year, the phrase “learning loss” has been used to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning. Despite a disrupted school year, there are countless stories and artifacts of student learning, progress, and strength. While academic learning may be unfinished, it is not lost. With commitment and care, educators, school leaders, school support staff, families and communities continue to provide students with opportunities to learn while also tending to students’ physical, social, and emotional needs. Remarkably, students continue to demonstrate new and deepening competencies such as problem solving in the moment, navigating uncertainty, learning new technologies, and relying on the resilience and strength of family and community.” ~Oregon Department of Education, Student Learning: Unfinished, Not Lost, March 2021

As a part of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), Centennial School District is fortunate to have funds devoted to Unfinished Learning during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years.

The intent of the ESSER funds is to support the safety of students and staff and the needs of students (academic, socially, and emotionally) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In September and October 2021, a committee of educators and community partners throughout the District convened to support the direction of these funds to benefit Centennial students over the next couple of years.

Also in Fall 2021, Centennial School District reached out to over 80 students and families through empathy interviews to hear their stories about how the pandemic has impacted them and to learn about students' academic and social emotional needs.

A summary of the Unfinished Learning Plan was shared with the Centennial School District Board of Directors on October 13, 2021. Here are some of the Plan’s highlights:

• Building-Based Teachers: A substantial portion of the 2021-2022 Unfinished Learning Plan dollars is dedicated to provide building-based teachers to help buffer impacts of staffing and substitute shortages. Consistent building-based support decreases the frequency that staff (teachers, specialists, administrators, and otherwise) are pulled from their normal duties to cover classrooms when a substitute teacher is unavailable.

• Support Staff: An additional building-based Educational Assistant is being allocated to each school to provide additional student and supervision support.

• English Language Arts and English Language Development Materials Adoptions: To strengthen core language instruction for all students over the next several years, some funding has been allocated to enhance curriculum adoptions in English Language Arts and English Language Development.

• Staff Wellness: Knowing the health and well-being of our staff is important, we’re attributing funding towards workplace health promotion activities and staff wellness.

• Tutoring and Home Visits: For students who are credit deficient or not attending school, school staff will conduct home visits to determine specific needs and options to re-engage with school.

More information about the Unfinished Learning Plan can be found at the following link.

We are preparing for the launch of the “Test to Stay” protocol in mid-January 2022. It is available only for unvaccinated, asymptomatic individuals who were exposed in indoor and outdoor school settings where universal masking is fully in place.

The "Test to Stay" program doesn't apply to fully vaccinated individuals since they are not subject to quarantine and do not require a test to stay to continue attending school following an exposure.

Information about "Test to Stay" is as follows:

• It will allow some students to attend school in person during the quarantine period as long as the student tests negative.
  

• Exposed unvaccinated (or not fully vaccinated) students without permission/signed consent on file will follow a 10-day quarantine process.

• Exposed unvaccinated (or not fully vaccinated) students with permission/signed consent on file will test two times at school between days 3-7, and negative results mean students stay at school.

• With parent/guardian permission, testing will take place at the school site at no cost to students. Students will self-administer the test using the swab while school staff provide guidance and monitor results.
  

• A testing consent form must be received in order to participate in the "Test-to-Stay" Program. These forms will be available for parents of unvaccinated students to complete in early January 2022.

“Test to Stay” frequently asked questions (FAQs) can be found here: https://bit.ly/3xJ8OzW.

We’ll continue to keep you informed and provide additional resources on our website at: www.csd28j.org/testtostay.

Centennial School District is partnering with Legacy Health Services and Metropolitan Family Service to bring two vaccine clinics to our district.

The free vaccine clinic is for ages 5 and up. The clinic offers:

• a 2nd dose of the pediatric vaccine for students who received their first dose at Oliver and Meadows in November
• 1st and 2nd vaccine doses available for anyone ages 5 and up (Pfizer and Moderna)
• Covid-19 booster shot
• Johnson & Johnson single shot vaccine

Registration is recommended: https://bit.ly/3CdQ0JC. Drop-ins are accepted. Patients under 15 years old will require parental / guardian consent to receive vaccination.

Clinic dates, times, and locations are as follows:

• Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021, 2:30-5:30 p.m.

Oliver Elementary, 15840 SE Taylor St, Portland, OR 97233

• Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

Meadows Elementary, 18009 SE Brooklyn St, Portland, OR 97236

Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and Somali interpreters will be available at the clinic. Free grab-and-go dinner, ice cream, and other treats will be provided!

For information about the COVID-19 Vaccine and Other Opportunities:

• To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines, how to prepare your child for vaccination, and what to expect after vaccination, including information on potential vaccination side effects, please visit the following websites: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/prepare-for-vaccination.html and https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html/.

• If you are unable to attend the clinic dates and times, other options include contacting your primary healthcare provider or you may find a list of vaccination opportunities here: https://bit.ly/3EKYeed

As we get ready to turn our calendars toward a new year, Centennial staff prepares for the next school year too! The 2022-23 school year will look different for the elementary and middle school levels with 6th grade moving up to middle school. Additionally, Oliver will be transforming from an elementary school to a middle school, resulting in two middle schools next year.

The comprehensive boundary review process aims to support balanced enrollment across our elementary and middle schools and provide developmentally-appropriate programming and services so we can ensure every student has what they need to learn and thrive.

As you may know, student enrollment determines school staffing allocations. The changes for next school year will result in some staffing adjustments, especially given that 6th grade will no longer be at the elementary level and Oliver will become a middle school.

These changes produce opportunities including:

• More balanced K-5 enrollment within the physical capacity of our school buildings district-wide.

• Balanced enrollment at the middle school level to support grades 6-8.

• Renovated spaces at both Oliver and Centennial Middle School to support student learning and activities, thanks to voters' support of the 2020 bond.

Some of the ways we’re supporting staff, students, and families in preparation for next year is:

• Surveying staff to gauge their interest in various positions across the district. Starting this process now will accelerate the staffing placement process;

• Regularly communicating with staff at the building and district level, facilitating individual building information sessions, maintaining a FAQ electronic document to provide answers to ongoing questions staff may have;

• Keeping our families informed of changes related to school enrollment transitions; and

• Developing supports to assist our students and families to prepare for the 2022-23 school year.

Centennial School District is backed by strong community members and staff who care. Let’s continue to work together through these big changes to ensure positive results for our students and make Centennial the best it can be!

In November 2021, we held our first Boundary Review Open House where the Boundary Review Committee presented Committee Consensus Scenario #1 for changes in attendance areas. We provided two engagement options for our parents, staff and residents of our community, including the open house and a video paired with a feedback form. Thank you to all who participated! Here are the results of the feedback and next steps.

• We heard from 139 participants representing 76% parents and 21% staff. Feedback came from all elementary schools, Centennial Middle School, Centennial High School, and Centennial Virtual Academy.

• Of those that responded, 7% attended the in-person open house and 87% watched the online video only.

• Feedback categories were as follows:

• 9% possible action items;

• 5% transportation/walkability;

• 17% equity;

• 16% implementation/policy or district related comments/questions;

• 4% data related questions; and

• 50% positive; no major concerns.

We received positive feedback from many participants who appreciated the transparency, visuals, the challenging work of the Boundary Review Committee members, and the presentation and video.

The Boundary Review Committee has reviewed all input from the feedback forms. For items that can improve the boundary scenario map, they’re incorporating these into Committee Consensus Scenario #2 for public input at the January Boundary Review Open House.

Our second and final Boundary Review Open House is coming up! At this next open house, participants will provide input to Committee Consensus Scenario #2. The latest scenario incorporates some of the feedback from the November Boundary Review Open House.

Once again, we are offering two options for our parents, staff, and residents of our community to participate:

Option 1: January 9-16, 2022

Watch a video and fill out a feedback form. The video will provide an overview of the boundary review process and present a boundary map scenario (Committee Consensus Scenario #2). After watching the video, a feedback form will need to be submitted. We’ll post the video and feedback form on Sunday, January 9, 2022, at 4 p.m. at www.csd28j.org/boundaryreview.

OR

Option 2: An in-person Open House on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, from 6-8 p.m. at Parklane Elementary School, 15811 SE Main St, Portland, OR 97233

Masks and social distancing are required at all times on site. To gain a sense of attendance, we ask those who plan to attend in person to complete a registration form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GJZTKW9.

At the open house, attendees can drop in to receive information about the boundary review process and review Committee Consensus Scenario #2. Attendees will complete a feedback form to provide input.

A Spanish interpreter will be available. Parents may bring their children and stay together as a group.

After the Boundary Review Open House #2, the Boundary Review Committee will review the community’s feedback and then develop a final recommendation to the Superintendent. The Superintendent will then vet the recommendation and bring forth a proposal to the School Board for approval on February 23, 2022. The District will implement the recommendation and communicate changes with staff and families.

For more information about the boundary review process and timeline, visit www.csd28j.org/boundaryreview. If you have questions, email boundary@csd28j.org.

Thanks to our voters’ support, the 2020 bond projects are addressing much needed repairs across the district. Check out highlights of some of these projects in this Gresham Outlook article: https://bit.ly/3rwNexi.

With the passage of the 2020 bond, a community-based oversight committee was appointed to actively monitor the progress of the bond program and report to the community on its progress. On an annual basis, they prepare and deliver a report to the Board that includes an overall assessment of the bond projects, Bond Promise tracking and additional project reporting (such as grant dollars), a review of spending trends and cost projections, and more.

On behalf of the Bond Oversight Committee, members Karen Wolfgang and Myrna Jensen presented the annual report at the December 8, 2021, Board Meeting. You can view the presentation and annual report at https://www.csd28j.org/Page/1125.

You can find a list of the Bond Oversight Committee members on our website at: https://www.csd28j.org/Page/723.