Richmond News -- "What's the Latest?"
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General
Richmond earns Exceptional rating on Oregon state report card!
On Monday, October 15 the Oregon Department of Education released the official report cards for each public school and we learned that Richmond has received the designation of an "EXCEPTIONAL SCHOOL" for our students' achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in the 2006-07 school year. This is the second year in a row that Richmond has achieved "exceptional'” status and the first time in it's history to repeat the honor. You can view Richmond's report card below. The complete version is available at the Oregon Department of Education Web site.
Our exceptional status does reinforce the skill and experience of our classroom teachers and support staff, but it also acknowledges the important role parents and extended family play in a child's achievement. Such an accomplishment would not be possible without your dedication to your child's education and the way you strongly support your child's learning beyond the school day and year. You make sure your child has frequent trips to the local library and has a growing collection of children’s literature in your home library. You work with your child as he/she completes homework each day and you take your family to important community venues that enrich your child's education (e.g. OMSI, Japanese Garden, local festivals, art exhibits, etc.).
Richmond families have also contributed to our school's success by working long and hard to raise thousands of dollars to enable us to add classroom teachers beyond our district allocation to: 1) keep class sizes small in the majority of our classrooms, and 2) add a reading specialist to work with children individually or in small groups. This gift of extra teachers, particularly in classrooms with our youngest learners, has made all the difference. Thank you for your commitment to Richmond. Our school would not have this exceptional award without your help. It's that simple. So please pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself on our collective achievement!
Adequate Yearly Progress report, 2007 - 2008 school year
The Oregon Department of Education has released the annual Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report for all schools as required by the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. You can view a PDF of Richmond's own AYP report here. Any questions about Richmond's Adequate Yearly Progress or the No Child Left Behind law can be directed to principal Kathryn Anderson.
Most Portland Public Schools make the grade under tougher No Child Left Behind standards
Portland, Ore., Aug. 4, 2008: More than 70 percent of PPS schools measure up to academic performance ratings required by the federal No Child Left Behind law, despite tougher standards that went into effect in 2007-08. Statewide, 61 percent of schools met the higher bar. The annual ratings also highlight areas of improvement needed among PPS high schools, particularly a need to increase graduation rates.
The Oregon Department of Education on Monday released preliminary reports under NCLB, indicating whether each school met, or did not meet, standards for "adequate yearly progress," or AYP:
- Cleveland and Lincoln high schools met all achievement, test participation and graduation standards - Cleveland for the first time, and Lincoln repeating last year's achievement. Two other PPS high schools, Pauling Academy on the Marshall Campus and the Spanish-English International School on the Roosevelt Campus, met all student achievement benchmarks, but missed the graduation rate standard.
- Lane Middle School, approaching its fifth year on the school improvement list, also met all standards this year - an academic comeback resulting from reforms put in place by leaders and teachers. Binnsmead Middle School, which also had been on the school improvement list for several years, also met all standards. Binnsmead will become a K-8 next year as Clark Elementary moves in.
- Statewide, many elementary and K-8 schools were tripped up by the higher standards and failed to meet AYP. The impact in PPS was not as deep, with 86 percent of PPS elementary, middle and K-8 schools meeting AYP, compared to 69 percent statewide. One PPS elementary school, Sitton, seems to have missed the mark in attendance for the second straight year, posting 91.4 percent attendance, just short of the 92 percent mark. That rating may be appealed by the district, but following the law, PPS must offer Sitton families a chance to transfer their children to another school.
- For the first time, PPS as a district did not meet federal standards for high school graduation. Improving the graduation rate is a focus of district high school reform efforts, and PPS will continue targeted intervention programs started last year to support students' successful transition to high school, and to prevent struggling students from falling behind.
Each year federal law requires states to rate schools based on how students performed on standardized tests in reading and math. The stakes grow higher over time: This year, schools must have about 60 percent of their students pass the state tests - up from 50 percent last year. To meet AYP, 95 percent of students must participate in the tests.
Further, schools must meet those benchmarks not only for the entire school population but also for subgroups: students from low-income homes, those with limited English language skills, students with disabilities and racial/ethnic subgroups (Asian/Pacific Islander, African-American, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan native, and white). For a large, diverse school, that can mean meeting almost three dozen separate standards.
In addition, elementary and middle schools must have 92 percent attendance and high schools must achieve a 68.1 percent graduation rate.
Superintendent Carole Smith said, "Even with tougher NCLB standards this year, nearly all our elementary and middle schools made the grade. But these results remind us that the steps we're taking to reform high schools need to remain a top priority."
Last year, the fifth year of the ratings, was the first time any Portland high school met AYP, as both Lincoln and Franklin met all the standards. This year, Lincoln repeated its achievement and Cleveland made AYP for the first time. Franklin High School this year fell short only in reading and math for students with disabilities.
Cleveland High School's success in meeting AYP follows a variety of efforts at the school to support ninth graders and to identify students who were at risk of failing and dropping out. The school has created a ninth grade academy to help incoming students adjust to the rigors and higher expectations of high school, and administrators have assigned more experienced teachers to teach ninth grade classes. The school also has mobilized parents, counselors, coaches and mentors to support students who are struggling with academics so they stay in school, pass their coursework and continue to earn the credits they need to graduate.
Another highlight in this year's results was Lane Middle School's success in making AYP. Had Lane not made AYP this year, the school would have faced restructuring after prior AYP failures. Under the school improvement plan, Lane teachers and support staff focused intensely on small group and individual student needs as identified by student assessments. Teachers were able to personalize their daily classroom instruction based on their students' skill gaps. A revised school schedule offers time for small groups of students to meet with teachers to work on particular needs. Additionally, some students received individual tutoring with teachers during the school day or after school. The school had missed AYP standards for students with disabilities and attendance in the past. If Lane meets AYP again in the coming year, it will move off the watch list entirely.
Portland Public Schools' elementary schools traditionally have cleared all hurdles and met AYP. This year, however, some did not. Last year, the state raised the score needed for students to pass their benchmarks - raising the bar for grades 3 to 5. And this year, schools were challenged to get 10 percentage points more students over that higher bar. These two challenges left a few schools just short of meeting AYP. Sanctions will not be imposed for at least another year, however, because schools do not join the improvement list until they fail to meet AYP twice in a row in the same subject.
AYP reports for all Oregon schools will be posted on the Oregon Department of Education's Web site.
Newsletter Online Only
We've tried to keep printing Richmond's Shinbun for weekly home delivery via our student backpack network (SBN), but it's become impossible to print and distribute our large newsletters each week for thefollowing reasons:
- Our copy machines cannot handle the print run of 500 copies of a newsletter that's generally 10-14 pages each week. Our District placed these copy machines at Richmond 5 years ago and they were reconstituted machines at that time. The large volume of 500 issues simply cripples them each week, making most unavailable for essential classroom copying.
- Many parents are requesting an online issue only to allow us to be better environmental stewards.
- Our budget lacks the funds for the weekly demand of paper (1.5 boxes at a minimum), copy machine repairs, toner, etc.
Have you changed your phone or address?
What about your friends, neighbors or family listed as emergency contacts/pick-ups on school records?
If so, please let the school office know so we can maintain accurate contact records in case of emergency or the illness or your child. Recently, we've needed to reach quite a few parents to let them know their child has succumbed to the flu bug and we’ve been unable to reach both parents and emergency contacts. Please email Patsy Burke, school secretary, to let her know new contact numbers.
Promotional video
I am making a Richmond promotional video that will be used for recruiting prospective parents, interns and teachers. The focus will be on the many great qualities of our immersion program: parent volunteering, our wonderful interns and teachers, the Japanese cultural programs, and, of course, the classroom experience.
Many parents have signed a consent/permission form that does NOT allow their child to be videotaped. Instead of sending out a new consent form, I would like to ask your permission to videotape big events like the Spring for the Arts and then get permission later if we choose to use an image of your child in the edited video. For the classroom experience, I will seek out parents individually and have them sign a consent form. The final video will be available on the Richmond website and in DVD.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns by emailing me at wluers ( at ) gmail ( dot ) com.
Thanks,
Will Luers
Former Richmond Student Impressed Emperor of Japan with Her Japanese!
Hannah Hogness was a Richmond student from kindergarten through 4th grade until her family moved to Washington this past summer. This fall, Hannah and her family visited Japan to be with her grandfather as he received the International Prize for Biology from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Hannah did a beautiful job introducing her family to the Emperor and Empress in Japanese. The pictures below show Hannah with her father, grandparents and the Emperor. Everyone complimented Hannah for her excellent Japanese and wanted to know where she learned to speak the language so fluently. Her parents credited Richmond with Hannah's excellent Japanese language skills.
The following information was taken from the JSPS announcement about the award:
The International Prize for Biology was instituted in April of 1985 by the Committee on the International Prize for Biology in commemoration of the sixty-year reign of Emperor Showa and his longtime devotion to biological research. The Prize is awarded each year to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of basic research in a filed of biology. The Prize, comprising a medal and a prize of ten million yen, is awarded to the selected recipient, along with an Imperial gift from His Majesty the Emperor.
The Committee on the International Prize for Biology (chaired by Dr. Saburo Nagakura, president, The Japan Academy) of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science decided to present the 23rd (2007) International Prize for Biology to Dr. David S. Hogness, Professor Emeritus of Stanford University School of Medicine, U.S.A.
Dr. Hogness was born in the United States, 1925. He studied chemistry and biology at California Institute of Technology, obtaining his doctorate in 1952. Since he was appointed Professor of Biochemistry in the School of Medicine, Stanford University, 1959, he has dedicated his career to studying gene structure and function and the regulatory mechanisms of gene expression in higher eukaryotes.
The field of specialization for the 23rd Prize is "Genetics." Dr. Hogness established that the expression of many genes is controlled by regulatory regions or cis-elements located on the same strand; and he demonstrated that genes play key roles in animal morphogenesis, so that the absence of a certain gene's function results in a developmental abnormality. These findings extended the frontiers of genetics, molecular biology, and molecular developmental biology; indeed, they laid the foundations for an entire field, which we know today as genomics.
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Please reserve handicapped parking for cars with this designation!
Recently we've had a number of drivers who have deliberately ignored the posted signs in Richmond's parking lot that reserve two spaces near the cafeteria entrance for people with handicapping conditions. When staff or other parents question the drivers, these thoughtless folks tell us they are not actually parked in the space, but are merely waiting temporarily to pick up or drop off a child. Pulling into a parking space designated for handicapped drivers IS parking, even if it's just for a moment or two. Richmond has several parents and caregivers use canes, walkers or wheelchairs to get around and a car in one of their handicapped spots makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for them to safely leave their car and get into the school. We will tow cars parked in a handicapped spot in Richmond's parking lot without a tag identifying the car as able to legally use the space.
This same situation has also happened with the parking spot designated for the "Auction Recipient" and the spot designated for the "Richmond Secretary." Please respect these signs, even if you think you're "only going to be a minute" in the parking space. Our custodian will arrange for your car to be towed unless you are Patsy or the family that purchased the auction space.
Academics
The Rosetta Stone Comes to Richmond!
We've asked Portland Public Schools' department of English Language Learning to set Richmond up with an enterprise license for the English and Japanese versions of Rosetta Stone. This means that all of our students, staff and families will have Web-based access to the Rosetta Stone language system to enable us to improve our English and/or Japanese language skills from anyplace we have internet access. Our student and staff data is being loaded so our school will be able to access Rosetta Stone by next week.
How will Rosetta Stone help our students with their English or Japanese fluency? Rosetta Stone will never replace a great teacher, but it can provide extra tutoring and reinforcement of language skills that have been taught in the classroom. At school, the program will give classroom teachers the flexibility to concentrate on the personal instruction and interactive classroom activities that promote fluency while allowing some students to work independently on the computer to stretch their skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in Japanese or English. Many parents have asked for additional resources to help support language learning at home. We hope the Rosetta Stone program gives you the flexibility and high-quality language support you've been asking for.
Get Started With Rosetta Stone at Home!
Portland Public Schools’ ESL department has purchased a site license for all Richmond students, staff and family members to use the Rosetta Stone online language system to practice and improve our Japanese language skills. You can access our PPS license at the following website, from any place you have internet access.
- Website: http://ppsenterprise.onlinelanguagelearning.com
- User Name: Your child’s I.D. number located on your child’s recent report card, sent home March 21st.
- Password: Your child’s I. D. number, again.
Build a library for your child
Children often want their own place to keep books that have special meaning for them. By encouraging children to set aside their personal favorites, you are helping them express their affection and respect for books. Here are some tips for helping children set up a personal library of their own:
Find a special place for books. If your child's room doesn't have a bookshelf or bookcase, use a box, basket, or other sturdy container. Plastic stacking cubes work well.
As often as possible, let your children choose the books they want to add to their collection. A bookbuying trip to a yard sale or bookstore is a fun Saturday activity.
Encourage your child to explore a wide variety of books. A well-stocked child's library should include fiction and non-fiction books. Make sure your child has a book collection that includes books of poetry, mystery, adventure, science fiction, biography, autobiography, comedy, etc.
Take your children to the library regularly. Even a child with a well-stocked bookshelf needs a fresh supply of books. Encourage children to treat library books with the same care they show their own. Give kids books or magazine subscriptions as gifts.
For babies and young toddlers, choose sturdy books that will survive rough handling. Board books, for example, have thick pages that can be turned easily and wiped clean.
(The above is modified from information provided by Reading is Fundamental.)
Need recommendations about children's books suitable for your child? Richmond's classroom teachers and library assistant are two excellent sources of information as are the librarians at your local Multnomah County Library. Staff at local bookstores like A Children's Place (4807 NE Fremont) or Powell's Booksellers (various locations) are well-versed in helping families make great book choices.
Here are two more Web sites to get you started with great recommendations about children's books.
Bank Street Bookstore: A fabulous bookstore that specializes in children's books and is associated with the wellknown Bank Street School in New York City. This Web site lets you search for books in a dozen different ways to get you to the perfect title.
New York Times Book Review: This site shows children's books reviewed by The New York Times since January 1997, arranged alphabetically by author.
Music and Arts
Takata-sensei, Richmond's Newest Artist-in-Residence
Lynn Takata, a reknowned Portland ceramic artist, started work today on a large mosaic mural that will involve every
Richmond student at every grade level, PreK-5. Today's introduction to mosaic art included a formal presentation by
Takata-sensei to show students a variety of examples of mosaic art that she has created with students in schools across
the Portland metro-area.
Richmond's mural will be completed in two parts and will be located along the west wall of the cafeteria building, facing SE 41st street. Part one will be completed over the next six weeks and part two will be completed by students at the start of the school year, September 15-October 17. Many thanks to Fujiwara-sensei, our cultural arts specialist, for her help coordinating all aspects of this residency!
Takata-sensei joins two other artists-in residence at Richmond this school year. The first was a theatrical group, Play-by- Play and the second was the eight-week taiko residency. Funding for all artists-in-residence would not be possible without the dedication of our PTA and their successful Spring for the Arts.
Mosaic Art project installation
Check out the pictures from the first week of our Mosaic Art project under the guidance of Artist-In-Residence Lynn Takata.
The final pieces
Check out the pictures from the completion of our Mosaic Art project under the guidance of Artist-In-Residence Lynn Takata.
Fundraising
Fresh-brewed coffee at Richmond!
Get your morning cup of coffee (or two cups) here at Richmond Elementary.
Our days often start with particularly busy mornings. Getting your coffee at Richmond will sure help fuel the forces that keep you rockin' AND give you a little extra time each morning.
PTA members will be brewing yummy Portland Roasting coffee every morning. Please come by to fill your travel mug or one of our to-go cups with some delicious coffee in front of the office. We will also provide cream and sugar. One 12 oz. cup of coffee is only $1 or a $10 coffee card for 11 cups. All profit will go to the Richmond Foundation.
What a combo! Save $$$ while drinking your tasty morning coffee, save an extra trip to the coffee shop and help fund staff for our school!!!
Brought to you by Richmond's Rich Coffee Makers:
Emi Avondstondt
Etsuko Austin
Sachiko Nishikido
Rich Coffee Update
Rich Coffee has given to Richmond Foundation $2210 between mid February and the end of May. Thank you for support!!!
Hang on to your Rich Coffee Cards. They might be coming back in fall if they can get some help.
Anyone interested in Rich Coffee team starting in fall? 7:45-8:15 is the time you will be working. If interested, contact Emi Avondstondt.
Save Our Elms Coffee orders--update, June
Thank you to all who have supported Richmond's elm trees by buying Save Our Elms
coffee from Portland Roasting this year. The trees look great this spring and with
your continuing support, we can hopefully keep them healthy and Dutch-Elm disease
free.
Oya No Kai (more information)
Japan or Bust handcrafted cards are available in the Richmond Office!
Proceeds from the sales of these student made cards benefit this year's 5th grade cultural exchange to Japan. Prices are $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00. All occasion and holiday cards are offered. Thank you for your support.
Please Subscribe to the Listservs!
Make sure that you are receiving the most up-to-date news about our school by subscribing to the grade-level listservs provided by Oya No Kai. The Richmond Shinbun is exclusively online at the Richmond Web site, and an email is sent to the listservs when a new issue is published. Fundraising efforts are publicized through the listservs, and teachers will increasingly begin to use the listservs for distributing homework, notices, and other information. Because we want you be aware of all these activities, it is very important that ONK has a current email address for every family that is checked regularly. Visit http://www.oyanokai.org/community/email.html to subscribe to your grade-level listserv. If you have any questions, contact ONK Webmaster Jean Mittelstaedt.Scrip news(more information)
How do I order Scrip? Order forms are available to at Richmond in front of the office & in the cafeteria, at Mt. Tabor, and online at oyanokai.org. Return completed order forms to the Scrip mailbox in the Richmond Office or to a Scrip Volunteer in the cafeteria by 8:00 am on Order Mondays.
Mt. Tabor orders are due in the ONK box in Mr. Bacon-Brenes' room by 9:15 Monday morning. You can also email orders by 8pm Sunday night (call Leslie Kowash to be sure we have your credit card on file before you email your order).
Don't forget: you can buy left over Scrip (cash or Check) on Friday afternoons when we are handing out Scrip orders. We don't have all vendors on Fridays, but we have a lot to choose from.
Please contact Leslie Kowash at 503-235-5513 if you have any questions. Check out the Fundraising/Scrip page at www.oyanokai.org for more info, forms, order dates, etc.
Richmond Foundation (more information)
Update, June 9
Dear Terrific Richmond Parents -Congratulations! You did it...again! With a record amount raised in parent donations for the 4th straight year, parents at Richmond raised enough money to fully fund the fourth 4/5th grade teacher for next year! Having so many parents each contribute, small steps lead to great things; and working together as a community we are a powerful bunch of people! This year, the Richmond Foundation raised $62,000 and the PTA donated $5,000 and...boom...we had the $67,000 required to fully fund all of our classroom teachers! Wow!
The simple and consistent message from Richmond Foundation has been the same for the last four years and will be be the same every year: a donation by as many families as possible, of the equivalent of one month's of kindergarten tuition twice-a-year (once in the fall and once in the spring) does amazing things for our school. The Richmond Foundation funds are only and always used to support small class size and enrichment activity. The generosity and commitment families at Richmond have shown demonstrates that you all understand that 'to get more, you have to give more.'
Thank you to all of you who give to Richmond and the Richmond Foundation in all ways: money donations small and large, time you spend at school helping and, most important, the time you spend with your children and each other making Richmond the exceptional education experience it is. Thank you from your children...thank you from your teachers...and thank you from the Richmond Foundation.
Sincerely,
Andrew Felcher, Tim Gooding, David Gregor, Jennifer Gregor, Jeff Hardy, Stephanie Hinkle, Jeanne Kaliszewski, Katie Luers, Rich Shawen
Angie Tomlinson, Cathy Zaerr
PTA (more information)
Why Become a PTA Member?
- Statistics show that children whose parents are involved in their education achieve greater academic success than their counterparts whose parents are not involved.
- As a PTA member, your vote counts! All monies raised through PTA-sponsored events are allocated according to a vote of the majority of the membership. This is your organization and we want to hear your voice!
- As a member of the Richmond PTA, you will become a member of the oldest child advocacy group in the United States.
- Get involved in what is happening in Salem concerning our legislative issues affecting children.
- It is fun!!! Our Richmond PTA believes that creating a climate of fun and family-centered activities is good for the overall health of our school. Join us for our many fun events!!!
Healthy Meals Committee/Recyclable Cafeteria Trays
With all the events, activities, and district involvement at Richmond, our Healthy Meals Committee has been at a stand still for a few months and we would like to reenergize this committee. Fortunately, Julie Gefroh, first grade parent, has been working with AmeriCorps volunteer Cassidy Sullivan to get Richmond involved in a pilot program for recyclable cafeteria trays beginning in the fall. We really appreciate Julie's follow-through and dedication to making Richmond move toward becoming a green school. Thanks Julie and all the members of the Healthy Meals Committee for hanging in there during our lull.
Magnificent Three versus Shadow Team
Please see the pictures below and thank the ladies who were originally known to the PTA board as “The Shadow Team” but who are now considered by leader of the Grandparents’ Brigade, Dorothy Fisher, as the "Magnificent Three" (Emi Avondstondt, Etsuko Austin, and Sachiko Nishikido). They have been busy at work selling coffee and making our beautiful thank you boards for our Winter Signature Event sponsor, Kaiser Permanente. Please thank these terrific, hard-working ladies when you see them, and stop by the M3 (Magnificent Three) coffee stand and have a cup!
Grandparents' Brigade
Our Grandparents' Brigade is once again ready to help teachers, students, and staff at Richmond. We currently have 7 regular dedicated volunteers, and we are looking to enlist more wonderful grandmothers and grandfathers to join us. The children feel a comfortable connection with grandparents, and their presence at the school is a benefit to teachers and students alike. We paste, cut, copy, staple, help the children in the classrooms, watch the children on the playground, and do lunch duty (eat those veggies.). We are an energetic, enthusiastic, and spunky group so get involved! It's easy and rewarding.and what is more important
than making a difference in a child's life? Please call me at 503-255-9656 to volunteer.
Dorothy Fisher (Benjamin, Juliet, and Nicholas Kallen's Grammy)
Site Council (more information)
Site Council News
The Richmond Site Council is looking for 1-2 new parents who are willing to serve. The Site Council meets monthly, historically on the second Monday afternoon of the month from 2:30-4:30. While this is a challenging time commitment for working and childrearing parents, there are many benefits to this service. You will be able to join other parents to work and spend time with representatives of Richmond's outstanding teaching and classified staff, and Kathryn Anderson, Richmond's dynamic principal.
Under Oregon law, the stated mission of Site Council in every public school is to work on implementation of the School Improvement Plan. For me, though, the question that guides the work of the Site Council is this: given the existing resources and realities, how can we best serve and educate the students who are at Richmond now and who will be attending in the near future? I have come to think of the Site Council as creating a forum for clear communication between different groups in the school community, providing oversight of how the school is operating, and planning for the future needs of our students and the school.
More specifically, over the last couple of years, we have tackled the major issues we could identify that impact Richmond. Among other things, we have worked to:
- recruit students to meet the district's growth targets
- identify staffing needs that are not being met by district and state funding
- support the creation of a grant-writing committee
- figure out how to most effectively and painlessly do school fundraising
- maintain and strengthen the 5th grade trip to Japan
- clarify the roles and responsibilities of parent support groups
- understand the changing demographics of the student and family population of Richmond
- find support and funding for curriculum revision and staff development
By the way, Site Council meetings are always open, so we look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on Monday, December 10th in Richmond's staff room.
Tim Smith, Site Council member
District News (more information)
Richmond grandparent and PPS receive awards
Mr. Yoji Matsushima is the recipient of the Japanese Foreign Minister's Award for his long service to the Japanese Ancestral Society of Portland (1974 to present) and his work to establish the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center to preserve the history of Japanese Americans in this region. Mr. Matsushima is a dedicated member of Richmond's Grandparents' Brigade and volunteers several days per week at our school. His grandchildren at Richmond are Noah in kindergarten and Taylor in 3rd grade, with Abby in 6th grade at Mt. Tabor. We are fortunate to have his guidance and support at Richmond and know his recognition from the Japanese Foreign Minister is well-deserved.
Portland Public Schools has also been honored with the Japanese Foreign Minister's Award for its PreK-Grade 12 Japanese immersion program. This award has been given by Mr. Masahiko Koumura, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Japan, and is conferred on PPS "for the contribution and services of promoting cultural exchange and strengthening the friendship between Japan and the United States."
Read the full press release of the Foreign Minister's awards.
PPS receives grant from US Department of Education for language immersion instruction
PPS has received the official Grant Award Notification from the US Dept of Ed for the Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP) Grant to support the Japanese Immersion at Grant HS, Mt. Tabor MS, and Richmond Elementary School. We have Diana Fernandez, Director of ESL and Immersion Education, to thank for this wonderful opportunity. She led the development of the grant, enabling our three schools to benefit from almost $300,000 per year, for five years, to support the refinement of our program. The primary goals of this grant are:
Goal 1). To increase the number of students in the PPS Japanese immersion program who achieve an ADVANCED LEVEL of Japanese language and cultural proficiency by the end of 12th grade and are on track toward a Superior proficiency level by college/university graduation.
Goal 2). To increase student enrollment and retention in the Japanese immersion program at the critical transition points between school levels and increase enrollment in rigorous course work.
Goal 3). To increase the ability of Japanese immersion students in grades 8-12 to use emerging technologies to extend Japanese language/culture learning beyond the classroom and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in authentic contexts.
Goal 4). To increase Japanese immersion program teachers' knowledge, skills and ability to engage and motivate students through student-centered, community-based projects and real-world focused curricula.
Goal 5). To establish partnerships with institutions of higher education, parents, business/industry, and community-based organizations to support comprehensive, innovative, standards-based PreK-16 Japanese language studies toward the goal of superior student proficiency levels.
Some of the key provisions in the FLAP grant pay for:
- A full-time Japanese immersion curriculum specialist to lead the refinement of our curriculum and instructional program.
- Extended hours for teachers to work on curriculum refinement during the school year (12 hours per teacher per school year).
- Extended hours for teachers to work on curriculum refinement during the summer months (30 hour summer institutes).
- Teacher salary for a 3-week summer institute for students.
- Portion of the salary for Fujiwara-sensei to enable her to provide cultural arts guidance throughout curriculum revision.
- Travel for students' (grades 10-11) summer research residency in Japan in years 3-5 of the grant.
- Materials for summer institutes.
- Technology to supplement middle school and high school labs (see goal #3 above).
- Contracts with national immersion experts to guide curriculum revision and provide teacher training.
- Contract for an external evaluator to document progress toward grant goals and evaluate programmatic changes.
You'll hear much more about this grant in the months to come.
News of Interest
Photography exhibit by M. Nakamura, Richmond parent
To honor and pay tribute to Oregon Nisei Veterans, Motoya Nakamura, a photographer for The Oregonian, created five special portraits of 442nd RCT veterans John Murakami, Roy Maeda, Joe Onchi, Art Iwasaki, and Kazuo Fujii for the article "Fighting Prejudice on Two Fronts" (Living, Sunday, November 7, 2004). Please join us for an exhibition of these important and artistic photographs. Motoya's vision and masterful technique created memorable works of art that honor and pay respect to these, and all, of Oregon's Nisei veterans. Accompanying the exhibit will be special artifacts from the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center collection.
The 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the U.S. Army served with distinction during World War Two. A Japanese American unit, the 442nd RCT was the most heavily decorated unit for its size and length of service in U.S. military history. Soldiers enlisted or were drafted, many from internment camps, and served their country with distinction, many fighting in heavy combat in the European theater while their families were incarcerated in the United States. Members of the 442nd were liberators at Dachau concentration camp in Germany. Members of the MIS, the Military Intelligence Service, served in the Pacific theater as translators and interrogators. The Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center is proud to honor and celebrate the contributions and service of all of the Oregon Nisei Veterans who served their country with honor and extraordinary bravery.
"The motto of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was 'go for broke.' It's a gambling term that means risking everything on one great effort to win big. The soldiers of the 442nd needed to win big. They were Nisei - American-born sons of Japanese immigrants. They fought two wars: the Germans in Europe and the prejudice in America...
"The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was the most decorated unit for its size and length of service, in the entire history of the U.S. Military. The 4,000 men who initially came in April 1943 had to be replaced nearly 3.5 times. In total, about 14,000 men served, ultimately earning 9,486 Purple Hearts, 21 Medals of Honor and an unprecedented eight Presidential Unit Citations."
About the artist: Motoya Nakamura was born in Nagoya, Japan, and came to the United States two decades ago after falling in love with J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. He saved money by teaching windsurfing ("because I do not have to wear a tie") and enrolled in the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri where he studied documentary photography. He has been working as a newspaper photographer ever since: "Working for newspapers gave me tickets to unknown worlds everyday."
In 2000, Motoya joined the staff at The Oregonian, and lives in Portland with his wife and two sons. The article produced in 2004: "Fighting Prejudice on Two Fronts" published his photographs of Oregon Nisei veterans:
"I, as a new wave of Issei, started this project to document and know the Japanese-American history in the first hand. The complexity of the Japanese-American history during WWII overwhelmed me to the point when I could not take it sometimes but people's courage to face it touched me tremendously at the same time. Most of the Japanese-American WWII veterans belonged to the US Army 442nd Regimental Combat Team that were widely acknowledged to be the US Military's most decorated unit for its size and length of service. I believe that my duty as an Issei photographer is to record and honor their courage in the most difficult time in Japanese-American history for the future generation."
– Motoya Nakamura Exhibit hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11 am to 3 pm, Sundays noon to 3 pm. Admission is $3 (free for Friends of the Legacy Center).
Portland Taiko classes
Kids Taiko Class is a 50-minute class open to children 4 to 8 years old. The class further explores the basics of taiko playing,
including stance, simple rhythms and playing with partners, as well as the cultural aspects of the artform and learning
Japanese phrases & numbers. Youth Taiko Class is a 1.5-hour class designed for older kids who are ready to learn
songs. Children who are interested in becoming a member of Tanuki Taiko should take this class where they will learn to
express their inner & outer taiko player. No Experience Necessary!
SUMMER TAIKO CAMP:
August 11-15 +plus picnic & demonstration noon August 17
Kids Camp (ages 5-8)
Mon-Thurs 10-11:30am; Rehearsal Fri 10-11am
Cost: $105
Youth Camp (ages 9-16)
Mon-Thurs 1-3:30pm; Rehearsal Friday 11:30am-12:30pm
Cost: $135
For more information, visit the Porland Taiko Web site.
Richmond in the Media
The Oregonian
Richmond students will learn in 3 gardens - May 15, 2008
Most schools would be delighted to have one garden. Two would be a luxury. But three?
By summer's end, Richmond Elementary School will boast an organic fruit and vegetable garden and an authentic Japanese garden -- joining a flower and fern garden that parents created about three years ago.
Read the full story at the Oregonian Web site
Russian in the classroom
Portland schools' newest language immersion program combines Russian and English language, culture and history
November 22, 2007 - inPortland magazine
Richmond is mentioned, in passing, in this article about immersion education in Portland Public Schools. The article is mainly about the new Russian program at Kelly Elementary, but other district immersion programs are described and the benefits of immersion education are outlined as well.
Read the full story at the Oregonian Web site
Oregon Charities Hope Big Kicker Means Big Giving - November 19, 2007
Parents at Richmond Japanese Immersion School usually hold a fundraising drive each spring. But this
year, they've added a fall campaign. It's called Kickstart Richmond for a reason: The kicker is coming.
In about two weeks, Oregon officials will begin mailing 1.7 million kicker checks, returning more than $1.1 billion to taxpayers in the biggest ever refund of surplus income taxes. The checks could trigger $100 million in donations to charities, experts say, and that's why the Richmond Foundation and other nonprofits are asking supporters to consider donating at least part of their kicker.....
Read the full story at the Oregonian Web site
May 7, 2007 - a story about Mt. Tabor Middle School that examines the school as a whole and gives a brief description of its component lodges, including Taborsan, where Richmond graduates continue their Japanese education.
April 22, 2007 - a story about language immersion preschools that prominently featured Richmond's new preschool.
Kitanippon Shinbun, Japan
The 2007 fifth grade cultural exchange trip, which took place from June 23 - July 4, was covered by a local newspaper, the Kitanippon Shinbun. You can view it here (article is in Japanese, pictures included). The trip is also featured on the Web site of Fukuno school, which one of the groups is visiting. Pictures and text can be seen here, and an article by the school principal, Okita-san, can be read here.
The Portland Tribune
Richmond was mentioned in the April 27, 2007 article in the Portland Tribune that described several of the PPS immersion schools in SE Portland.
Article by Toshiri Edagawa of Hokkaido Shimbun
Local correspondent Toshiri Edagawa wrote an article about Richmond for the Hokkaido Shinbun. Read the February 19, 2006 article in Japanese.