April and May 2024 Community Update

Welcome to the latest edition of the NSSD Community Update! We're excited to connect with our families and community partners to share the wonderful things happening within your school district! We are thrilled to see how many folks have been reading our updates and seek to keep expanding our reach. If you know someone who might enjoy learning about NSSD, please pass this along!

If you missed previous editions, you can find them below.
March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

The fitness center is taking shape! Generous discounts from Santiam Heating & Sheetmetal, Taylor Metals, and Stayton Builders Mart are taking care of the roofing, siding, underlayment, and installation. Work on fencing and the interior walls has begun, and doors should arrive this week! Eagle Country continues to come together to make miracles happen. It is way ahead of schedule and likely will be ready for use by our students this fall. If you'd like to leave your mark on this amazing project, please contact staytonboosters@gmail.com. Go Eagles!

Keep an eye out on the Stayton Booster Club Facebook page for more updates!

We're excited to welcome Melissa Glover as the new Director of Special Programs at North Santiam School District. Melissa will join us on July 1st and brings extensive experience in education and a commitment to supporting students with unique learning needs. With a background spanning from teaching to leadership roles, Melissa is dedicated to collaborating with educators to enhance educational services. We're excited to have Melissa join our team!

Learn more about Melissa here!

Each year, the Stayton Rotary sponsors the Future First Citizen award, which is presented during the annual Stayton Sublimity Chamber of Commerce Awards banquet. School staff are tasked with choosing who they think most embodies the characteristics of the ideal community citizen. Principal Vicky Storey remarked, "When our administrative team pulls together annually to select a student to be our Future First Citizen, we consider who embodies our mission and core values, and more so, who we believe will embody them in the community once they have left our system. This year, our team quickly came to a unanimous agreement. Quite simply, our recipient is the kind of person we would all like our own children to be friends with.”

In his acceptance speech, Diego thanked staff members from Stayton Middle and High Schools and noted that many have supported and guided him to reach his full potential, both in and out of the classroom. In particular, he acknowledged Megan Schiedler, Vicky Storey, Corrie Boock, and Darren Shryock. He stated, "They all have pushed me to be the best version of myself and have never given up on me. They have helped me to get to where I am and have influenced me to attend college and pursue my bachelor's in the Science of nursing to become a full-time nurse practitioner."

He reports that winning the award was a great experience. He was humbled to share the stage with the other outstanding winners, especially fellow senior Noah Koenig, who was selected as the Future First Citizen from Regis/St Mary's School.

It's hard to believe it is already time to start talking about graduation and promotion ceremonies. We've included the dates, times, and locations for these upcoming events so you can add them to your calendar. We've also included information about two family fun nights coming up this month!

Tuesday, May 14th 6:00pm-7:00pm: Please join Mari-Linn students and staff for Family Literacy Night! Enjoy games, activities, popcorn, and a good book and learn more about Mari-Linn's Title 1 program.

Friday, May 17th from 5:00-7:30pm: The community is invited to join Sublimity staff and students for the Second Annual PTC Family Fun Night. There will be bingo, raffles, silent auctions, food trucks, and live music by The Wandering Outlaws!

Mari-Linn School 8th Grade Promotion: June 4th @ 6:00 pm in the school gym

Stayton Middle School 8th Grade Promotion: June 6th @ 7:00 pm in the high school main gym

Sublimity School 8th Grade Promotion: June 6th @ 7:00 pm in the school gym

Stayton High School Graduation Ceremony: June 7th @ 7:00 pm in the Salem Armory

While Willamette Career Academy (WCA) is not technically a district program, it is an invaluable partnership for our students. It harnesses the power of connection and collaboration to be a regional hub for career and technical innovation. WCA serves students and business partners across Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties and provides innovative programs to prepare high school students for high-wage, high-demand careers in Oregon. WCA's principal, Alan Kirby, may look familiar to you as he spent over 18 years with NSSD as a history teacher and principal of both Stayton High School and Options Academy prior to taking over the helm of WCA in 2023.

"The WCA is a great opportunity for NSSD students to work towards their future plans. As someone who lives and worked for many years in the NSSD community, I'm proud to be part of a program that allows regional students to explore direct, hands-on pathways towards employment in high-need areas of the workforce. We work to offer the best programs possible to students from 20 different schools in the area, to connect students and industry, and to help students find their path. Students can choose to go right into the workplace having earned necessary skills and certifications, can earn college credits, and can gain knowledge in employability skills to help them find success after high school.", said Alan Kirby.

With NSSD being one of the initial school district partners, we are excited to see student interest grow. There are currently 19 students enrolled, and that number is expected to more than double next year, which will likely fill all the slots that are set aside for NSSD students. WCA currently offers programs in Health Services, Freres Manufacturing, Construction Technology, Cosmetology, IT/Computer Science, PAPE Diesel Technology and, starting in 2024-25, Dental Sciences! Students begin their high school career in their resident school and are eligible to participate in the WCA program in 11th or 12th grade. While the path looks slightly different for each student, most spend half the day at school completing core courses like Language Arts and Math and the other half at WCA earning elective credits in their chosen program.

Gwen is an NSSD student enrolled in the Health Services program and says, “WCA is fun, a place where you can expand your knowledge past what high school offers and gives so many hands-on experiences.”

We are proud to have supported the WCA since its inception in 2021. We believe providing multiple pathways for our students to find their way in the world, live their dreams, and be successful is crucial. WCA provides opportunities for students who seek an alternative to a college/university to find a career that fulfills them and allows them to reach their fullest potential.

Diane Rannabargar has been a familiar face at both Stayton Elementary and Stayton Inter/Middle School for over 10 years. She began volunteering when her student was in school and has continued to help even after they graduated!

She has a real heart for the youngest of our learners and has recently spent much of her time volunteering in Julie Laugle's Kindergarten class at SES. Julie had this to say about Diane's impact in her room, "Ms. Diane is one of the kindest, most thoughtful, and patient people I have been lucky enough to know! Before volunteering, she was a preschool teacher- so when she is in our room, we have TWO teachers for the children. I love how she cares so deeply for the kids' social and emotional well-being​...asking how they are, finding out about their likes and dislikes, and really listening to them. Ms. Diane is passionate about art and has volunteered two mornings a week in my classroom for the last 9 years. We are very lucky and love having her be part of our team!"

Thank you, Diane, for continuing to give your time and your heart to improve the experiences of our students!

In April, members of the NSSD administration participated in a valuable statewide conference focused on student and staff safety: The PACE Day Conference. The keynote address featured FBI Special Agent Alayna Colburn, who shared best practices for protecting against cyber threats. We are committed to staying ahead of the curve on cybersecurity issues and will implement new strategies based on these insights in the coming months.

The conference also provided important information on additional topics:

• Employee Accommodations: Ensuring our staff can fulfill their roles while receiving necessary accommodations. We're dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment that supports everyone.

• Liability Dangers: We learned valuable information about managing liability risks within the school district. This knowledge will help us continue to create a safe learning environment for all.

• Title IX Updates: Staying informed about changes to Title IX regulations ensures equitable treatment for all students. In the coming months, we'll share some of these key updates with our staff to maintain a safe and inclusive school community.
  

By attending this PACE conference, our team gained valuable knowledge that will directly benefit our students and staff. We're committed to continuous improvement and appreciate your trust in our efforts to create a safe and positive learning environment.

In addition to addressing virtual threats, the district is pursuing ways to increase the physical safety of students and staff. A few board members and administrators joined with the Stayton Police Department for a live demonstration of a product to make glass more resistant to bullets. Representatives from Safe Haven Defense demonstrated how a laminate film can increase protection against breakage due to forced entry when applied to existing glass windows and doors. While it doesn't make the glass "bulletproof," it can significantly delay the intruder and allow law enforcement time to arrive on the scene.

Attendees watched as treated glass panels were repeatedly hit with a metal baseball bat and shot with multiple caliber pistols and remained intact within the pane. The flattened bullet that was extracted from the treated glass was in stark contrast to the bullet that went straight through the untreated panel. The district is currently gathering cost estimates and additional information to present to the board at a future meeting.

We were honored to host the Stayton Sublimity Chamber of Commerce Business Network at our district office in March! Attendees had the opportunity to discuss our ongoing strategic planning process with Superintendent Loving and one of our board members, Laura Wipper. The conversation focused on how our schools can help prepare our future graduates to be contributing members of their communities. The business owners shared a list of characteristics they value in their highly effective employees.

We feel so fortunate to have such a connected and engaged business community who support our schools and seek to collaborate on ways to help our students reach their full potential and, in turn, improve our communities as a whole.

As of January 1, 2024, Stayton High and Sublimity School joined the rest of our schools under the federal Community Eligibility Provision umbrella, which provides one free breakfast and lunch to all students. We've seen the number of meals served grow significantly since then, which means the program is having an impact! Comparing the first three months of 2023 to 2024, we saw a growth of 1,609 more breakfasts and 4,799 more lunches served at the high school and 947 more breakfasts and 970 more lunches served at Sublimity!

Our Nutrition Services teams have really stepped up to the plate by preparing all these extra meals that help fuel our students' learning while potentially saving families up to $125/month per student! We know fewer hungry kids means fewer classroom disruptions and visits to school offices.

According to research reported by Education Week, "universal lunch appears to support many of the factors that make for a positive school climate, such as reducing discipline rates, tamping down on bullying, improving attendance, and alleviating the stigma for students from low-income families." This finding was echoed as researchers found that Oregon schools with universal free meals, ​saw a decrease in suspensions of 15-20%, as reported by KGW. A study by the University of Washington also points to universal school meal policies can help curb growing childhood obesity rates.

We applaud our Director of Nutrition Services, John Barnes, and his assistant, Jennifer Longfellow, who worked countless hours with officials to qualify our schools for free meals through the 2026-27 school year! The impact on our students and families is immeasurable.

During the months of January-May, board members abandon their usual meeting space and travel to schools to connect with building staff, students and their families. These are special times for board members because they choose to run for office and give their time and energy to help improve outcomes for our students. Getting to watch the impact of their efforts up close and personal is inspiring and rewarding.

Sophia Duerst hosted her first board meeting as the new principal of Mari-Linn School for 2023-24. She was joined by students, staff, and PTA members, who all played a special part in the presentation. First, teacher Andy Rasmussen and a few of his 8th-grade students shared their experiences this year as Mari-Linn has begun a new partnership with Stayton High School to empower and prepare their Hornets to transition into Eagles. The student testimonials were impactful, and it is apparent that regular and consistent interaction with SHS staff, during their monthly visits, is easing the anxiety and uncertainty that can come with entering high school.

Later, a few students from Renee Gilbreth’s 4th-grade class shared their tribal history dioramas. In addition, the PTA put together a presentation about some of their activities this year. If you'd like to hear more, go to the meeting link and fast-forward to the 5:00 mark.

Principal Ryan Westenskow was joined by classroom teachers Mandi Elmer and John King and Reading Specialist Danielle Angus to share some of their strategies for preparing elementary students for future success. These strategies include career awareness and exploration, academic intervention, and connecting academic learning to real-world applications. They emphasized the importance of starting these efforts early and highlighted the value of hands-on experiences and field trips. They also stressed the need to address professional skills like perseverance and teamwork alongside academic achievement. To watch their presentation, please visit this meeting link and fast forward to​ the 6:00​ mark.

There have been multiple opportunities for engagement recently! Stayton City Counselor, Jordan Ohrt, came to speak with the 8th grade about local government. Also the "If I were a Mayor" contest winners from Stayton and Sublimity were recently announced. Leah Robertson was selected by Sublimity City Council and Abigial Whieldon was selected by Stayton's Council. Their essays were submitted to the statewide contest with the Oregon Mayors Association. We're proud to see these students participate in leadership and support their communities! There is also an article under Sublimity School about an amazing town tour hosted by city officials so please check that out as well.

We're proud of our SHS musicians! Both our Concert Band and Competition Concert Choir took first place in their leagues' competitions and the Concert Band is headed to OSU for the OSAA State Championships! Here's a recording of the Competition Concert Choir's performance if you'd like more music in your day.

Congratulations to the Scio Stayton OHSET team for showing their horsepower at their recent meet. Several athletes qualified for the state championships including Freshman Jada Franken who secured a spot in all of her individual events in her first year of competition! Great work everyone!

The SHS class of 2024 got the opportunity to practice their future-ready skills by participating in mock interviews with community volunteers. The volunteers reported back that SHS students have strong resumes and present themselves with confidence and poise! We'd like to thank the community volunteers that helped made the mock-interviews possible.

Channeling their best Mr. Rogers impression, SIMS recently hosted some special visitors of their own for 7th and 8th graders to learn about potential careers available to them in their own communities. Students had the opportunity to learn more about what it takes to be a fire fighter, a certified nursing assistant, and work in the fields of heating & cooling and cleaning & restoration. We are so fortunate that we have businesses and organizations willing to give of their time and energy to help our students find their future career paths!

The 2nd grade classes took a dyno-mite trip to OMSI in March. Students explored the different areas of the science museum and engaged in hands-on learning activities in all aspects of science. Some student favorites were the exhibits on Tyrannosaurus Rex, Animal Habitats, and the Turbine Hall, which houses several hands-on science labs and natural disaster simulators. Students got to see real axolotl salamanders and a two-toed sloth and experience what an earthquake feels like in the earthquake simulator.

Field trips spark curiosity and ignite students' imaginations by exposing them to new ideas, experiences, and environments. They encourage exploration, inquiry, and critical thinking skills, motivating children to ask questions, seek answers, and make connections between what they learn in school and the world outside. We thank all the parents who brave long bus rides and wrangle groups of kids they may not know to enable these experiences to happen and memories to be created!

Sublimity third graders were fortunate to receive a guided tour of Sublimity by some local community heroes! Former school principal Missy Riesterer started them off with a brief history of Sublimity School. Then they toured the cemetery with Mayor Jim Kingsbury, who also talked with them about city duties and responsibilities which included how parks are created and maintained. Long-time residents Ron Etzel and Randy Cranston, along with Vangie Ripp from the St. Boniface Archives, helped provide more historical knowledge of the city.

They also visited Chief Hume at the fire department and Postmaster Charlie at the Sublimity post office and ended their tour having lunch with Marion Co. Deputy, Tom Barber. Special thanks to K's Koffee for the free cup of hot cocoa to go along with it! There were too many great photos to include here so if you'd like to see more, please visit Sublimity School Facebook Page

Mari-Linn's 8th-grade class hosted a pancake breakfast to fund their promotion and had a great turnout. With the help of donations and volunteers, the Promotion Committee raised $1,819! These proceeds help fund the promotion ceremony festivities as well as a final bonding trip to Bullwinkles before they all leave the hive to officially become STAYTON EAGLES.

We thank everyone who donated their time and supplies and to the community, who brought their appetites, to help make this event so successful!

The Advanced Band students at Mari-Linn got to fine-tune their skills during a visit from SHS Band Director Stephen Fulks!

In other music news, Mari-Linn and Stayton Middle School's Honor Bands were invited to participate in the Oregon Music Education Association All-State Middle School Concert. After rehearsing among other middle school students from around Oregon, they all came together in the evening for a fine performance!

Mari-Linn 6th graders showed their metal at a memorable week at Outdoor School! The OMSI Hancock Field Station welcomed the students as well as Mr. Rasmussen, Mrs. Hall, Mr. Springstead (and Opie!), and Mrs. Pantovich for an experience full of learning and adventure! Shanna Hall captured some wonderful photos– find more on Mari-Linn's Facebook page!

Below are items or people the district is currently "ISO" (in search of).

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

• Special Education Teaching Positions: Lifeskills (K-3)
• High School Teaching Positions: Advanced Math
• District Office: Special Programs Coordinator
  
• Classroom Assistant Positions: multiple
• Middle School Coaching Positions: 7th grade Football Assistant
• High School Coaching Positions: JV Volleyball, JV II Volleyball & Dance Team
  

To learn more about these positions and to Apply, click the link.

DONATION OPPORTUNITIES

• Mari-Linn 8th graders continue to collect bottles and cans for their Promotion After-Party. These (clean) items can be dropped off at the school between 7:00 am - 3:00 pm.

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Our fantastic schools are a reflection of our community. We sincerely appreciate all the community engagement, volunteers, and sponsors who make our district a great place to learn and we seek to build deeper relationships for the success of our students and the future of our communities.

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Do you have suggestions of things you'd like to hear about or other comments to share? Please email them to communications@nsantiam.k12.or.us

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Phone: 503.769.6924

Address: 1155 N 3rd Ave, Stayton, OR 97383

Email: communications@nsantiam.k12.or.us