February Newsletter

February is Black History Month—a time to honor and celebrate the achievements, contributions, and resilience of Black individuals and communities throughout history. At MESD, we celebrate this month as an opportunity to reflect, learn, and engage in meaningful action to advance equity and inclusion in education and beyond.

In this edition, we’re proud to share resources and initiatives that uplift Black voices and inspire our community to deepen their understanding. Explore the 2025 OSBMCC Student Voices Project, which amplifies diverse student perspectives, find tools to celebrate Black History Month in your classrooms and communities, and more!

Here are some resources to get started:

• Teaching Tolerance Resources for Black History Month: Lesson plans and activities to integrate Black history into education from Learning For Justice.

• Black Artists of Oregon Exhibit: Visit the Portland Art Museum's exhibit showcasing over 200 works by 69 artists, capturing the Black diasporic experience in the Pacific Northwest.

• Recommended Reads: Check out Multnomah County Library’s curated list of events and books celebrating Black history and culture.

• Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH): Established on September 9, 1915, the ASALH are the Founders of Black History Month. The 2025 Black History Month theme, African Americans and Labor, focuses on the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds—free and unfree, skilled, and unskilled, vocational and voluntary—intersect with the collective experiences of Black people.

• Portland Business Journal features our very own Dr. Coakley this month. Portland Business Journal is celebrating the leaders who are shaping our communities and inspiring change. We want to collaborate and elevate our local leaders: their achievements, their impact, and their stories with profiles in “People on the Move.”

Thank you for partnering with us this month and every month. Let’s continue building a future where all voices are heard, valued, and celebrated.

Enjoy reading!

In this special episode of Leaders Build Leaders, Dr. Coakley takes the podcast on the road to the AESA Conference in Orlando to interview Dr. Joan H. Wade. With over 30 years in public education, Dr. Wade brings a wealth of experience as a library media specialist, technology coordinator, and distance learning director in Wisconsin school districts. She also served as a Wisconsin State Representative from 1998 to 2001 and has been the Executive Director of the Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA) since 2016.

Tune in to hear her incredible journey, insights into leadership, and her vision for the future of educational service agencies:

• Spotify

• Apple

• Amazon Music

• I Heart Radio

• Pandora

• Blubrry

• Subscribe by email

During the winter months, we often see an increase in illness, and we want to remind you of how we manage illness and work to prevent the spread of contagious diseases to keep everyone safe and healthy.

How We Keep Everyone Safe:

• Monitoring Health: If there is a rise in illness or if an individual has been diagnosed with a reportable communicable disease, our Communicable Disease team is notified and collaborates with the Multnomah County Health Department (MCHD) to notify families (as needed).

• We offer notifications in multiple languages, including MESD’s five supported languages: Spanish, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, Somali and Russian.

• Sending Sick Individuals Home: If a student or staff member shows symptoms listed in the Symptom-based Exclusion Chart, we send them home to prevent spreading illness.

• Promoting Healthy Habits: We encourage everyone to practice these important habits:

• Wash hands frequently

• Cover coughs and sneezes

• Stay up-to-date with vaccines

• Clean and disinfect shared spaces

What You Can Do:

• Check For Symptoms of illness before leaving your home each day.

• Stay Home If You Are Sick: Students and staff members should stay home if they have the following symptoms:

• Fever

• Cough that interferes with school activities

• Shortness of breath

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• New rash or sores

• Red eyes with drainage

• Report Illnesses: Students and staff members should let the school know if they are sick so we can monitor for increased illness.

• Wash Your Hands: or use hand sanitizer often, rubbing for at least 20 seconds.

• Do Not Share: food, drinks, or personal items.

• Cover Coughs and Sneezes: with a tissue or by completely covering your nose and mouth with the inside of your elbow.

• Stay Up-To-Date On All Vaccines: this may include COVID-19 boosters and influenza.

• Avoid Close Contact: with anyone who is sick.

• Clean Common Areas: regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home.

If symptoms last longer than 24 hours, consult with your healthcare provider. If your student does not have a primary healthcare provider they may get care at a Student Health Center.

Thank you for your help in keeping our schools safe and reducing the spread of illness!

From the MESD Communicable Disease Team

Multnomah Education Service District (MESD) is proud to share the results of the independent audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. This annual audit highlights our dedication to financial accountability and transparency.

Key Findings:

• Clean Audit Opinion: Talbot, Korvola & Warwick, LLP, the auditors selected by the Board, issued an unmodified (“clean”) opinion on the MESD’s financial statements. This indicates that the financial statements are presented fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

• Strong Internal Controls: The auditors did not identify any material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting.

• Successful Single Audit:

• The Single Audit of Federal Expenditures resulted in three identified deficiencies in internal controls over compliance.

• These deficiencies have been corrected and will be addressed by the incoming Grant Manager.

• There were no questionable costs identified.

• The Single Audit received an “unmodified” or “clean” opinion.

Continued Excellence in Financial Reporting:

For nine consecutive years, MESD has earned recognition for financial integrity, including:

• The GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

• The ASBO Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting.

The 2023-24 report is under review for continued recognition.

The full, independent auditor’s 2024 report is available online on MESD’s Reports Page under "Annual Financial Reports."

Congratulations to Shannon Adams for being accepted into the prestigious BreakFree Teacher Fellowship! This program is designed specifically for educators working in juvenile justice facilities and focuses on the theme of "Engage, Empower, Elevate." Through a combination of virtual and in-person opportunities, the fellowship supports teachers in developing engaging, meaningful, and relevant classroom projects that empower students to succeed. Shannon’s participation in this paid fellowship reflects MESD’s commitment to innovative education and creating pathways for student success in all learning environments.

Nominations are still open for the next Oregon Teacher of the Year. Nominate an exemplary educator in your life today! But hurry, the deadline is February 6th, 2025. For more information about Oregon Teacher of the Year eligibility requirements, please see the Oregon Teacher of the Year website.

The 2025 Oregon School Board Members of Color Caucus (OSBMCC) Student Voices Project is officially underway. This is an incredible opportunity for students to make their voices heard and actively participate in this impactful initiative.

Student Voices Project Information Packet: To make it easy to get involved, we are sharing a comprehensive information packet that includes:

• Session Overview: Detailed insights into the OSBMCC/ETC Student Voices Project.

• Event Flyer: A shareable flyer to help spread the word.

• Registration Link: Everything participants need to sign up.

MESD is committed to supporting immigrant students, families, and educators. We have launched a new Supporting ALL Students Resource Page, designed to assist students, families, and staff by providing access to essential services and information.

Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has recently released research-based information on managing cell phone use in schools. This guidance helps districts create policies that limit distractions, improve academic outcomes, and support student well-being while considering diverse needs.

Regular attendance is key to student success, from reading on grade level in elementary school to staying on track for graduation in high school. Learn more about how attendance impacts learning and find support attendance support resources from ODE.

Every Day Matters - School Attendance Campaign