.Hello from the Executive Director.
October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came—
The Ashes, Oaks and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand;
Miss Weather led the dancing;
Professor Wind, the band... The sight was like a rainbow
New-fallen from the sky...
~George Cooper
Happy Wednesday!
I don’t know about you, but the beauty of fall never ceases to amaze me. There is something about the chill in the air, the vibrant colors that line the roads, and the wind swirling the leaves in a beautiful kaleidoscope that brings a sense of wonder and appreciation for nature like no other time of year. Hopefully, you are feeling it, too, and enjoying these last few days before nature takes her winter rest.
This month is a month of reflection for us at CCCS. The admin team is working on our Fall Report to 4j, our authorizing district. We look over the progress of the past year to share our successes and to evaluate the programs we hope are making positive impacts for all students. As we review our response to the pandemic and what we were able to accomplish in spite of a year of distance learning, I feel so proud of our staff, Board of Directors, students, and families. We faced every challenge last year head on and found ways to keep our students engaged in learning. The potential for loss of progress was great, but the academic data we are collecting and analyzing shows growth in spite of the challenges. This is a testament to the way our school community works together in the best interests of children. Yay, us!
Not to change the subject, but there is other news to celebrate! For operating out of an older building, we are doing many things very well. The Lane County Health Inspector came this week to check our kitchen and cafeteria for safe and healthy conditions. Congratulations, Chef, on a 100% grade! In a time of heightened worries about cleanliness and germs, it’s awesome to get such positive feedback from our friends in the health and safety field!
It is so nice to find reasons for celebration in a time where many things seem overwhelming. It is even better to work with and for people who are willing to step up when things get tough. My cup runneth over…
Thank you, CCCS community! You are the best! Have a wonderful week.
Lisa
.Hello from the Dean of Student Services.
Over the last decade, schools have been thinking seriously about how to help students gain the “soft skills” that are needed for the workplace. Employers are looking for workers capable of strong communication, collaboration, paying attention to detail, and so on.
In an age of technological distraction, the skill of paying attention is particularly important and challenging (for adults and children alike).
“Attention can be confused with a kind of muscular effort,” wrote philosopher Simone Weil. She argued that if you tell a child they must pay attention, they might just tighten their eyebrows, hold their breath, and stiffen their muscles, but that isn’t real attention. “If after two minutes they are asked what they have been paying attention to, they cannot reply. They have not been paying attention. They have been contracting their muscles.”
For Weil, the skill of true attention had to follow truly enjoying something. “The joy of learning is indispensable as breathing is in running.”
If you are looking to support your student in learning at home or school, you can help them find the joy in learning.
Want to help your student succeed in science? Help them have joy in the natural world. Want to help your student succeed socially? Help them have joy in learning to get along and repair friendships that are rocky. You want to help your children learn respect? Help them feel the joy of working in cooperation with others - those great feelings of peace and progress that can come from being on the same “team” as someone else.
You want to help your child feel important and like they belong? Help them have joy in who they are. Give them chances to show off their unique talents. Help them make a video of baking or beatboxing. Help them experience the joy of being themselves.
Please note: I will be hosting a monthly parent seminar on Zoom, starting next week. I will leave time for questions about the school, parenting, and education. Please reach out if there is a topic you would like covered! I'll be discussing social and emotional learning "catch-up" during our first meeting. Save the date - Wednesday, October 27th, 6:00 - 7:00pm.
.General School Announcements.
Library Cards
If you haven’t turned in your Eugene Library Application forms yet, please deliver them to the Eugene Library at this point instead of returning them to the school.
Recycling
Thank you so much for your donations of bottles and cans. If you plan to leave them outside of the school, please make sure that they are in a blue bag. If you need a blue bag, please reach out to Katie Brushett at Community@coburgcharter.org
Talented and Gifted (TAG)
Are you interested in knowing more about the TAG program at CCCS?
Any student in grades K-8 can be referred for Talented and Gifted (TAG). Most students who qualify for identification will fall into one of three categories: Intellectually Gifted, Academically Talented in Math, or Academically Talented in Reading.
To Qualify for Identification: To be identified as Academically Gifted in Reading, Math or both, the student must score at or above the 97th percentile on a nationally standardized test or statewide assessment (such as OAKS or Smarter Balanced). If the available data isn’t definitive, an additional assessment (the TerraNova Assessment of Reading and/or Math) will be administered by the 4J school district, to provide one more data point.
To be identified as Intellectually Gifted, a student must score at or above the 97th percentile on a nationally standardized test of mental ability. In 4J, this could include the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) for students in grades 3-8; for younger students, a more comprehensive assessment administered by a school psychologist. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC IV) is commonly used for this purpose. No single test should be the measure of TAG identification in any area.
TAG testing this year:
Fall testing window: Each elementary school will be offering one testing window open to students recommended by parents, school personnel, or students (self) in the fall. The Building TAG Coordinator will coordinate with the 4j School district for testing days in or early . Both the Terra Nova (Academic) and NNAT (Intellectual) will be given at this time). Kindergarten students will only be tested in the spring due to the norms for the Kindergarten reading and math Terra Nova.
Spring Testing: There will NOT be a spring testing window for students in grades 3-8. Students in grades 3-8 have the opportunity to qualify for TAG in Math or Reading by scoring in the 97%tile or higher on OAKS/SBAC in the spring. Students in grades K-2 will not have SBAC scores, so there WILL be a spring window for students in those grades to take the Terra Nova or NNAT.
If you feel your student would qualify using these guidelines and are interested in having your student referred for evaluation, please let your classroom teacher know by October 26th. If you have questions regarding the referral or identification process, please contact our TAG Coordinator, Kasey Rubash at k.rubash@coburgcharter.org
.Community Corner.
Thank you to our October sponsor, Johnsen Electric!
The Johnsen's have been serving Lane County and Oregon since 1956. They are a third generation electrical company that takes pride in their work. From full installation for additions, remodels and generator installs to a variety of other jobs, they do it all!
Johnsen Electric October Deals:
*free estimates to the local area
*10% off services when mentioning this ad from Coburg Community Charter School
*10% off for veterans
Volunteers needed!
We are looking for six volunteers to help with vision screening on Tuesday, November 4 beginning at 8:30am. Please email Katie at community@coburgcharter.org if you are available and to confirm that you have completed all of the necessary requirements to volunteer.
.PCS Corner.
Hello from PCS (People for Coburg School), the school's parent group! This week’s 3 things to know and help out with…
Get Involved: Hopefully you had a chance to read the PCS eNews last week (attached here). We will be forming teams around our major events starting next week, so please fill out the interest form this week. We are especially looking for class captains (parent rep to help communicate about events) for grades 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Thank you!
Blue Bags: Please use the blue bags when dropping off your bottles & cans. There have been some recent donations left in boxes. And while we greatly appreciate the donation (and don’t mind running them to the donation center), we have to keep the front of the school as safe/clutter-free as possible (so kids don’t get into the bottles). There is a tub with blue bags on the bench that you can simply transfer your bottles & cans into. Thanks!
Volunteers Needed for Coburg Trick or Treat Event: The Coburg Fire District is once again hosting a Community Drive Thru Trick or Treat event - at the fire station on Sunday, October 31st from 2-4 pm. We need volunteers to help set-up/decorate from 9am-1pm and to clean up from 4-5pm. Jenn Fitzgerald (decorating master) will have everything organized, so you just have to show up! Sign Up Here.
Save the date: next PCS meeting is Friday, Nov. 5th after drop off in the cafeteria. Questions or comments? E-mail PCS@coburgcharter.org. Thank you!