There are a lot of exciting thing happening at Templeton. 

Garden Project Coming to Templeton

We are working with the before/after school YMCA program to get raised garden boxes put in on our campus.  They are scheduled to be located in the grassy area behind the portable.  We are working to get the raised beds to be constructed out of garden blocks (stones) for aesthetic and longevity reasons.  The YMCA program is providing funding for the materials through a grant with the intent to help maintain the gardens over the summer. 

As part of the garden project, we have an Eagle Scout who will be building a “garden shed” behind the portable right next to the area where the raised beds will be located.  His name is Jake Garcia and he has done a great job taking initiative to make this project “go.”  Part of Jake’s project to build the shed includes acquiring donations (funds) to help pay for the materials.  Please take a look at the below message from Jake and see if you would be able to contribute to the garden shed project donation fund.

Message from Jake (Eagle Scout)

Hi Templeton Community -
My name is Jake Garcia and I’m a former Templeton student. I’m a junior in high school, now working on my Eagle Project for Boy Scouts. I will be building a tool shed on the far side of the portable near the soon-to-be-built raised garden beds.  In addition to building the shed, I also have to raise the funds to pay for it. I remember the Templeton staff and community being so supportive, so thought I might let you all know that any donations you may like to make would be GREATLY appreciated! I will have a donation jar in the main office through the end of the school year if you would like to donate to the project. Thank you all in advance!
Jake Garcia

Thanks Jake for your time, commitment and “giving back” to Templeton through this project.  Thank you in advance to anyone who chooses to contribute any kind of donation.  It is greatly appreciated.

“FunRaiser” for Cancer – Relay for Life

Cancer has touched the lives of many of us.  It is a mystery that continues to inflict and effect the lives of so many.  For me personally, cancer has impacted my own family and to someday be in a place where cancer is no longer a threat, would be a dream come true.  Relay for Life is  an overnight relay style event where teams camp out around a designated track at participating sites and members of the team take turns walking around the track for the duration of the event.  This effort is a fund raiser that brings in needed money for continued cancer research.  The events are family friendly and filled with games and activities. 

The Family Fun Center and Bullwinkle’s Restaurant, on June 2 and June 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., will be hosting a Relay for Life special rates access to families who present the Bullwinkle's flier located in the main office community center for the given day.  Please consider helping fund raise for cancer research by participating for part of your day in a fun family atmosphere with games, food and a lot laughs.

Last Two Days of School Schedule

Please make note as to the below schedule for the last two days of school on Wednesday, June 13 and Thursday, June 14^th.

1)   Wednesday, June 13^th, will be the last day for students who attend the half-day kindergarten program.  There will be no AM or PM half-day kindergarten classes on Thursday, June 14^th.  The last day for students who attend the full day kindergarten program, will be on Thursday, June 14^th.

The last day for all other grade levels will be Thursday, June 14^th, 2012.

2)   On Thursday, June 14, breakfasts will be served at all levels but lunch will NOT be served.

3)   The approximate bus schedule for Thursday, June 14^th will be as follows…

•11:00 a.m.             High School Dismissal

•11:50 a.m.             Elementary School Dismissal

•12:40 p.m.            Middle School Dismissal

End of Year Library Check Out and Book/Material Return Dates

I want to remind all families that Friday, May 25th is the Last day for student library material checkout.  Friday,  June 1st is the date ALL student library books/materials are due.  We will be starting our Library inventory then Monday,  June 4th.

Thanks in advance for assisting in the process of getting all books/materials from home to school and back in the library by that Friday, June 1^st date.

•Friday, May 25^th… is the Last day for student library material checkout.

•Friday,  June 1^st…  is the date ALL student library books/materials are due

As we move toward the final days of the 2011-2012 school year, look for much more information about the end of year reminders, celebrations, and updates leading into the summer months.

TEMPLETON HONORED AND AWARDED THE 2012 PRESTIGIOUS CELEBRATING STUDENT SUCCESS CHAMPION SCHOOL AWARD.

CONGRATULATIONS TEMPLETON!  If you are not aware, I want to announce an awesome piece of news about your kids, our staff, our efforts over the past few years and this learning community all rolled together.

On Friday, April 6 I received a phone call from the Oregon Department of Education State Superintendent’s office.  I was informed that Templeton Elementary School had won the 2012 Celebrating Student Success Award.  I was told to keep it “under my hat” until I received the official press release following a press conference held on Tuesday, April 10^th.

When I received the press release, I was free to share the news.  I called staff together on that Tuesday afternoon for a stand up staff meeting.  Superintendent Rob Saxton and Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Dan Goldman were present to help share the news.  Staff exploded into applause upon hearing the news as this prestigious award honors and validates a ton of hard work over the past few years that is yielding amazing results for our kids.

Over the past five years we have seen our learning community change demographically in many ways and with those changes came an intentional, focused effort to take our delivery of instruction to the next level in order to meet the needs of all students and especially working to reduce the achievement gap that exists between different sub groups of kids attending our learning community.  That hard work continues to be a focus and drives our continual improvement plans.

Below is a portion of the press release that gives additional information as to the award and includes statements from our State Superintendent, Susan Castillo.

Press Release, Tuesday, April 10^th

Oregon Schools Honored for Progress in Closing the Gap

(Salem, Ore) – This morning at a press event at Atkinson Elementary in Portland, State Schools

Superintendent Susan Castillo announced the recipients of the 2012 Celebrating Student Success Awards.

This awards program, now in its eighth year, recognizes high poverty and/or minority schools that have made

significant progress in closing the academic achievement gap that so often separates traditionally underserved

students from their peers. This year, seven schools from across the state were named 2012 Celebrating

Student Success Champions.

“As we look at what it takes to transform our education system, these schools serve as inspiring examples of

what is possible when teachers, administrators, parents, students, and communities come together behind a

shared vision of excellence for all,” said Superintendent Castillo. “Where some might see challenges, these

schools see opportunity. Through dedication, a commitment to high standards for students and staff alike, and

a ‘no excuses’ attitude, these schools are doing what it takes to turn things around and increase student

achievement for all kids regardless of race, income, disability status, or home language. These schools are

showing us, that we can, and we will, close the gap.”

The following seven schools are the winners of the 2012 Celebrating Student Success Awards:

2012 Celebrating Student Success Champion Schools:

· Atkinson Elementary School, Portland Public Schools

· El Puente Bilingual Elementary School, North Clackamas School District

· Franklin High School, Portland Public Schools

· Lincoln Elementary School, Corvallis School District

· Lincoln Elementary School, Grants Pass School District

· Templeton Elementary School, Tigard-Tualatin School District

· Washington Elementary School, Pendleton School District

“This year’s winners represent a wide range of schools both, small and large, urban and rural. They share a

common commitment to using data to drive their decision making, engaging parents and communities as

active partners, and providing strong, shared leadership and a focus on high quality instruction,” said Castillo.

“Many of these schools are also utilizing proven strategies such as Professional Learning Communities,

Response to Intervention (RTI), Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and Courageous

Conversations among others. Despite the differences from school to school, they share a focused and

intentional approach to improving achievement and that focus is producing results.”

Schools were selected for this award based on a comprehensive review of student achievement data,

evidence of significant gains by historically underserved student subgroups (minority groups, students with

limited English, special education students, etc.), and review of a narrative application by a Blue Ribbon Panel

composed of educators, education stakeholders, and community members. The applications for winning

schools are available online at: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=3585. One page stories and a

brochure on these schools will be added later this school year.

Audio Clip - Quote from Superintendent Castillo on Celebrating Student Success Awards:

http://video.orvsd.org/ode/12-04-04-Susan.mp3

In recognition of our growth and accomplishments, we will be receiving a $3,000 unrestricted cash grant award and a trophy for our school.  As part of an effort to share our success with schools around the state, Templeton will be recognized on the Oregon Department of Education website and you may have seen the Oregonian ad in the April 15^th edition of Sunday paper.  Templeton will also be highlighted in a brochure that will be shared with educators around the state as a school demonstrating best practices.

We are very excited about this recognition, honor and validation of continued hard work and will be planning a school-wide celebration in May. 

OMSI Night a Huge Success

I want to start by thanking the Templeton community once again.  On Tuesday, April 17 over 800 of you were able to come to OMSI Night.  We were able to fill four shuttle buses with families who were able to leave their cars at Templeton (reducing our carbon footprint just a little) and everyone had two full hours of free OMSI fun that provided an evening of science, community, and family memories.  I am very proud, as principal of this amazing learning community, to have been approached by the OMSI administrators who were overseeing the evening event who said to me, “Your families are the kindest, most respectful group that we’ve had come through and this is one of the largest groups we’ve had.”  Way to go Templeton families.  Doesn’t surprise me in the least!  Myself and my boys had a fantastic time and we are now in process of completing a “mother-in-law suite” out of Legos inspired by the Legos exhibit at OMSI. 

Templeton kids continue to do great things...

I have a few things I want to share with you in this Blog post.  Don't hesitate to share the information and/or direct your other Templeton families to my Blog as a way to stay informed.

1)   2012-2013 Budget Meeting:  The Tigard-Tualatin School District’s proposed 2012-13 budget will be the subject of an “information and listening” session on Wednesday, March 21 between 7 and 9 pm at Hazelbrook Middle School, 11300 SW Hazelbrook Rd. in Tualatin.  Supt. Rob Saxton will present the latest information about school funding for 2012-13.  He and other school officials will then open the forum to hear public comments and suggestions about budget proposals for the coming school year.
If you can find the time to join Supt. Saxton, I think you'll find it very informative and worth your time in gaining insight into the budget picture for next year and what it means for program offering to and for our kids.

2)  Instructional Rounds...  This year elementary principal professional development has focused on the practice of providing the best observation and feedback to teachers that will assist them in educating your child.  The method for doing this has been an indepth study using a process called "Instructional Rounds."  The idea is much like the process the medical field uses when doctors gather in a team and do "rounds" that utilized expertise, observation, and feedback from a group of doctors pertaining to patients that are being cared for. 

As elementary principals, one of the most important roles we have is as an instructional leader.  This includes coaching and working with teachers on a regular basis to assist and support them in their efforts to become the absolute best instructor they can be.  One of the ways to do this is to hone our skills as administrators to provide the most relevant and timely feedback though observations both formal and informal.  

How Do Rounds Work?  Instructional Rounds, the work we are doing to inform our practice and ultimately affect your kids, looks like this...

• Elementary Principals are grouped to form a "network".  (Currently all 10 elementary principals, the Director and Associate Director of Curriculum and Instruction and the Superintendent make up the network).

• A host school provides the network with a Problem of Practice (PoP) that is based on student data showing an area that the school is having a more difficult time "moving" or "changing".  This PoP is very focused and specific.

• The network comes to the host school and observes in classrooms for no less than 20 min. per class and practices looking for and recording specific evidence in terms of what your kids are doing and saying (the tasks) that relate to the host school's Problem of Practice.  (the larger network breaks up into small teams as they go into classrooms).

• Following multiple visits in different classrooms, the network comes back together to filter out observations that are very evidence based and cluster that observation data into patterns and themes.  

• As patterns take shape with the different evidence/observations, the network then makes predictions.  The predictions revolve around two questions based on what they've seen your kids doing...

-If you were a student in this class / school and you did everything the teacher told you to do, what would you know and be able to do?

-If you were a student in this class/school and participated in all the activities, what would you know and be able to do?

The observations and the feedback always look at the task(s) your students are doing.  "Task predicts performance."  The network then shares the predictions with the host principal who listens, records, and asks any clarifying questions.  

• The network finally moves into the "Next Level of Work".  This is where the host principal gets specific recommendations, perspective, and feedback from the network participants as to where to go with the work already being done around the problem of practice.  

On February 21st, Templeton was the host school for our first Rounds experience in a TTSD elementary school as a network.  The work was invigorating, thoughtful, and extremely relevant to our efforts.  I shared feedback and reviewed process with staff at our Thursday, March 15th staff development day and "The Next Level of Work" continues as we push to engage and challenge you kids on a daily basis.

3) Save the date… OMSI Science Night for Templeton Families Only  On Friday, March 23rd, we are sending out a flyer attached to the Tidbits that gives information about an upcoming OMSI Science Night for Templeton families only.

As part of our efforts to provide families and our kids opportunities to experience learning together while building community, our Site Council has done the leg work to plan and organize a fantastic experience at OMSI.

On Tuesday, April 17^th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., OMSI is reserved and is free to all Templeton families.  Doors will be closed to the public.  Take a look at the flyer and we ask that you RSVP, returning the bottom portion, with the information filled out that is needed for us to be fully prepared.  Note that we will provide transportation with shuttle buses leaving from the Templeton parking lot and for those who choose to drive, parking at OMSI is free as well.

Again, this is a unique opportunity for our families to experience OMSI and all that has to offer.  The planetarium, Omnimax and submarine will not be available.  We will have access to all of the other amazing exhibits.

Please consider saving this date and attending this event reserved just for Templeton families. 

                                                                              

Templeton Families,

As an Oregon Green School, Templeton students are engaged daily in the practice of Reducing, Re-using, and Recycling.  

Reducing:  We are reducing waste in our cafeteria by recycling milk and juice cartons, composting all vegetables and fruit peels and remains, and all appropriate paper products.  This effort has allowed us to scale back in the number of garbage pick-ups per week/month and in turn has reduced our garbage production from 12 -15 large garbage bags per day going into the land fill to an average of 3-4 per day over six grade level lunches.

We are also reducing by getting in the habit of turning off all lights and computers in empty rooms and areas of the building not being used at different times.  This effort has assisted in yielding almost $4000 in energy savings this year. 

Recycling:  We are recycling, as mentioned above, all appropriate paper products, tin, fruit and vegetables remains, and  milk/juice cartons produced during our six grade level lunches each day.

Each classroom has recycling bins along side their trash cans and kids are differentiating between trash and recycling with great success.

Re-Using:  We’ve been re-using by changing from throw away plastic “sporks” to the use of re-usable (washable) forks and spoons in our cafeteria.

Staff and students are re-using paper for note tablets, journals, scratch paper, rough drafts, and other projects that has already been used on the other side.  The blank side allows for total use of the paper before it is recycled and allows for the resource to be utilized completely.

Our Green Efforts are going to be enhanced through a garden project on campus this Spring/Summer. 

Gardens Coming to Templeton

Our YMCA before and after school program has been awarded a grant of about $2000 to put in raised garden beds on campus.  I am in process of working with the director to make this happen sometime in the Spring.

Included with this garden project is the building of a garden shed that will enhance our gardens and allow for our tools, etc. to be housed right by our gardens.  An Eagle Scout, Jake Garcia, is taking on this project as part of his Eagle Scout program.  The shed should be completed by July.  Thanks Jake.

Finally, our plan is to use the compost that we get from the fruits and vegetable remains we collect and put in our composting bins purchased by our PSO, to enhance our soil in the gardens.  We plan to build a rain collection system as well, to capture rain water and sustain the gardens utilizing this natural resource.  The food items produced in the gardens, ideally will be made available for consumption by our staff and students.

These efforts are exciting in that they are giving our kids an opportunity to develop great habits by actively participating in reducing, re-using, and recycling daily.

Family Project: Please email or write to me with a brief description of the how you and your family reduce, re-use, and/or recycle at your house.   If you can include a picture of your child or family “doing” (reducing, re-using, or recycling) that would be great. I will collect all descriptions and any pictures sent in and make a large Green Team bulletin board showing all of the efforts families are making.  Please send to me anytime prior to Friday, March 23rd.  I look forward to your stories/brief descriptions and possibly accompanying picture. My email address is…  trobson@ttsd.k12.or.us or if you’d like to mail it to me, our school address is… 9500 SW Murdock St.   Tigard, OR  97224

Hope you are able to enjoy a three day weekend as a family...

 Google Apps for Education at School Permission Forms Reminder

I want to remind all parents of 3rd - 12th graders to sign the parent permission form to allow your child (grades 3-12) to use Google Apps for Education at school.  At Templeton, we have the second highest sign up rate among the other elementary schools.  Most of our kids in grades 3-5 have signed up but this is to remind anyone who may need to take that next step for their child so they can participate and benefit along side their peers as this tool is used within the classroom.

Sign up HERE:http://www.ttsd.k12.or.us/google   

With this permission, students can continue their work towards obtaining necessary educational technology skills in the classroom and at home: demonstrate creativity, communicate and collaborate, conduct research and use information, think critically and learn to use technology effectively.  For more information on Digital-Age Learning, please see the National Education Technology Standards (NETS) for students (http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.aspx).
 

Thank you for your continued support of our schools, as is evident in the passing of the May 2012 bond. Within this bond was dedicated funding for technology across the District.  This funding will allow students and teachers to have greater access to technology resources and a stronger technology rich education both now and in years to come.

Kindergarten Round Up - March 6th at Templeton from 6:00-8:30 p.m.

Please help us spread the word to any and all who may have an incoming Kindergarten student for next year.  Our Kindergarten Round Up will take place on March 6th, 2012 here in the Templeton cafeteria from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Kindergarten Round Up is our way of giving all parents with an incoming Kindergarten student an opportunity to register their student, meet key staff, get some additional information about Kindergarten, and ask any questions they might have.  The number of registered students we get to come through our doors on March 6th, will really assist us in determining how many sections of Kindergarten we may need and thus assist in potential staffing projections.  Not only that, but for everyone we get to register on March 6th, they will become a part of our mailing/email list and start getting Templeton correspondence right away and throughout the summer leading up to the start of school.

The more we can get the word out via our parent community, the better.  Please share this information with neighbors and friends and help us spread the word.  Thanks.

Tuesday, February 7
•I want to let everyone know that I am going to be exploring how I can tap into the FaceBook page that our PSO currently has up and running.  My intent then is to include the information I am sharing on this Blog on a "Principal" section within the PSO FaceBook page so there are different options to access information I'm putting out for families.
So, if you have gone into my current FaceBook page, that will be changing to the PSO page.  I will be working with our PSO and our Tech. staff to make this happen very soon.

•I want to remind everyone that this week (February 6-10) is National Counselor Week.  To show our appreciation for our amazing Counselor/Psych, Ms. Weider, the office staff will be providing her with a special "Lunch of Appreciation" on Wednesday.

The work that Ms. Weider has done with and for our kids and families in the Templeton community has been so positive, relevant, caring and valuable.  She has come into the position that combines two jobs (counselor and school psychologist) with a work ethic that is second to none and a commitment to students and families that includes support on so many different levels. 

I encourage you to team up with your child and show Ms. Weider your support through acknowledging her and her great work this year. 

This might include...
•A note of appreciation
•A card
•A plant or flowers
•Some treats
•A phone call to say thanks
•Other... ?

The random acts of kindness that you provide during the year but especially during this designated week of recognition will be so appreciated by Ms. Weider.  Thank you for considering.

Thanks,
Mr. Robson
Principal




 

Templeton Families,
I want to welcome and introduce you to my Blog.  My Blog will be a place where I will be sharing many different kinds of information and communications regarding all of the amazing things happening at Templeton Elementary School.


I also invite you take a look at my new FaceBook page and Twitter page located on the Templeton website as well.  The FaceBook page, which is under construction, will contain the same information as my Blog but will give families options as to different ways to access school information that I share through these format choices.

The Twitter page, with a limited character count, will allow me to include daily and/or weekly "snippets" of information that you can follow very easily.

My goal is to provide families with timely, relevant, and interesting information about the amazing things happening at Templeton.

Have a great weekend and be sure to tune into my Blog, FaceBook page and Tweets.

Todd Robson
Principal