October Newsletter

• October 9th - No School at CMC
• October 16th - 10th Grade College Prep Field Trip
• October 21st - Pre-ACT and PSAT Day
• October 28th - Teacher Inservice Day - No CMC classes
• October 30th - Progress Reports
• November 3rd - Picture Retakes

Hi! My name is Crystal Eschweiler, and I look forward to partnering with you and your family! I like to think of us as a team while your child is a student at Clackamas Middle College (CMC). We are all working together to help your student succeed, grow, and thrive.

I began working for North Clackamas School District in 2000, after staying home to raise my two sons, who are now 30 and 33. I started at Bilquist Elementary, then moved to Alder Creek Middle School, followed by five years at the District Office. In August 2014, I joined CMC, and I have loved being part of this community ever since!

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is working with our youth and watching students blossom and thrive throughout the year. I especially enjoy getting to know their families and seeing siblings and cousins come through CMC. It's wonderful to watch our school community grow and to be part of so many students' journeys.

Outside of work, family is everything to me! My husband and I have two sons, two daughters-in-law, and five grandsons ranging in age from 8 months to 16 years. I'm a proud boy Mom and Oma, and having grown up with four brothers, I was the only girl in the mix until my wonderful daughters-in-law came along!

I love music, dancing, laughing with friends, discovering new restaurants, attending festivals and concerts, traveling, comedy shows, and exploring immersive art experiences. I also love all things shiny, sparkly, blingy, bright, and pretty—which explains my collection of disco balls!

Before moving to Oregon in 1995, I lived in Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Texas, and Colorado. Colorado, with its beautiful mountains and sunshine, will always hold a special place in my heart.

I'm excited for another wonderful year at CMC and look forward to getting to know you and your family, building connections, and being part of your student's success. Here's to a year full of growth, laughter, memories, and teamwork!

I am new to CMC this year and I help students who need guidance in completing their assignments. This is my 11th year as a professional educator. I am a licensed Special Education teacher. I have taught students from birth to 21 years of age. I am originally from California and went to college at the University of California Santa Barbara where I earned a degree in International Relations and a minor in Spanish. During my undergraduate studies I spent a summer studying in Salamanca, Spain.

After many years working in the business world I decided to return to school to become a teacher. While working full time and raising my daughter I went to Portland State University for a Master’s in Special Education along with obtaining my teaching credential. I love making connections with students and families.

Portland has become home since 2003. Outside of work, I love traveling and spending time with my family and friends, going to see live music and enjoying food from all over the world. My husband and I have one daughter who is 23 years old. I have four cats and one dog. I have a lifelong love of Snoopy and Godzilla.

There will be no CMC classes on October 21st and students will be released early from school. All College Prep 9th and 10th grader students will take the Pre-ACT in the morning. All juniors can sign up to take the PSAT during this time. The PSAT costs $15.00. Please sign up with Crystal if you'd like to sign up to take the PSAT.

Tests start promptly at 8:50, do not arrive late. All students will be dismissed for the day at 11:50am. An afternoon PSAT session is available for students with college classes in the morning. Contact your counselor to sign up.

For all 12th grade students and 11th grade students not taking the PSAT, the district is also holding a College and Career Virtual Fair full of college and career-related sessions and workshops. Please go to nclack.k12.or.us/ccr-fair for more information.

Our first College Readiness Symposium of the year was all about MOVE • PLAY • NOURISH • CONNECT! On September 25th, CMC students and staff headed to beautiful Silver Falls State Park for a day focused on health, wellness, and community. Students MOVED on a hike through the rainforest and behind South Falls, PLAYED soccer, volleyball, Spikeball, and other field games, NOURISHED themselves with lunch and hot chocolate, and CONNECTED with classmates and staff outside of the regular school day. Even a little Oregon rain couldn’t dampen the fun! Experiences like these are one way CMC puts our commitment to ensuring every student is known, supported, challenged, and prepared into action.

Clackamas Middle College is partnering with North Clackamas School District to provide breakfast and lunch for students during the 2026–27 school year.

If your student is interested in receiving school-provided meals, please complete this Google Form. Each week, participating students will receive a new Google Form to order meals for the following week. The weekly meal order form will only be sent to students who have filled out the above form.

If you completed the form last year, please complete it again for the 2026–27 school year.

Bridge Builders Student Leadership Club is Off to a Great Start!

The Bridge Builders Student Leadership Club recently held its first official meeting of the 2026–2027 school year! (Note: Not all of our amazing members are pictured).

Our student leaders are already making a huge impact around CMC! So far this year, they’ve been busy:

• Helping set up classrooms and prep the school for opening day

• Welcoming 9th graders and new students during CMC Experience Day

• Assisting in the library and supporting teachers as grading assistants

• Building new cabinets and running school clean-up crews

• Writing birthday postcards to celebrate classmates

• Providing peer tutoring to support fellow students

...and so much more! Clackamas Middle College is truly a better place thanks to their hard work and positive energy.

Want to Join Bridge Builders?

If you're a new student interested in joining this dynamic leadership team, applications open soon! Current Bridge Builders will visit CRS classes on Thursday, October 29 to share a quick presentation and hand out application forms.

Important Dates to Remember:

• Thursday, Oct 29: Applications Open (In-class CRS presentations)

• Thursday, Nov 5 (by 3:00 PM): Applications Due

• Thursday, Nov 12 (at Lunch): First Meeting (All new and returning members)

• Thursday, Jan 14 (at Lunch): Follow-Up Meeting (New members only)

Have Questions? Stop by and chat with a current Bridge Builder or reach out to any of our club advisors: Amy, Elaine, Ruby, or Victor. We'd love to have you join us!

The online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is officially OPEN!

Link to Application: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

All Class of 2027 graduates are encouraged to complete the 2027-2028 FAFSA as soon as possible regardless of your plans for after graduation to make sure you have access to any financial aid and scholarship opportunities that may become available to you. The FAFSA is required to use Oregon Promise funding, be eligible for Work-Study opportunities, receive all federal and state grants (including Pell Grant and Oregon Opportunity Grant, and qualify for federal student loans. Here are some free financial aid resources available to assist you with the FAFSA:

Federal Student Aid Website:

• Preparing to Fill Out the FAFSA Form: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/pro-tips (read this first to save time!!)
• Filling Out the FAFSA Form: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out
• FAFSA Help: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help (live chat available)

• Check your folder given out at the graduation meeting for the handout on steps to getting started with applying for financial aid or check out the Oregon Opportunities Booklet! Pages 16-20 provide detailed, step-by-step information about the FAFSA.
• CCC is hosting a hands-on workshop on October 8th at the CCC Oregon City campus from 4:30pm-6:30pm to help with completing the FAFSA. Register here to attend!!
• We will host a FAFSA & ORSAA Completion event in January 2027 (details coming soon) to assist with your applications!!

• FAFSA FAQs (YouTube Playlist for students and parents)
• Oregon Goes to College: How to Apply for Financial Aid - Detailed Resource for Oregon Students

Please let us know how we can help support you in getting this important step in your post-high school planning completed!!

CMC Counseling Staff

Upcoming Career Exploration Opportunities with Portland Workforce Alliance (PWA)!

Below are several upcoming hands-on career exploration days in October!! If you're interested in attending, please click on the link for the event to fill out the registration form including parent permission. We do not provide transportation to these events. If you have any questions, please see your CMC counselor. These events do fill up, so reserve your spot now!

Portland Workforce Alliance Career Days:

• Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026: KGW News Career Day
• Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026: Kaiser Permanente Career Day
• Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026: Nike Career Day
• Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026: Intercept Aviation Career Day
• Friday, Oct. 23, 2026: Portland Fire & Rescue Career Day
• Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026: Veterinary Medicine Career Day
• Friday, October 29, 2026: Holst Architecture Career Day

PWA Career Mentorship Opportunities - Don't miss out on these!! These mentorships happen outside of school hours and offer help to explore careers, gain leadership experience, and build professional connections!! Previous CMC students have earned scholarships, landed internships, and built lasting networks through these programs in the past.

• PWA Youth Impact Council (deadline Oct. 16)
• PWA Future of Nursing Mentor Program (deadline October 16)
• ACE Mentor Program of Oregon (deadline Nov. 4)