• Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — On Wheels!
• Spread the Word: Time to Register for Kindergarten
• Breakfast in the Classroom Reaches Participation Highs
• Custodian Named Finalist in National Contest!
• Student Achievement Night set for May 31
• Dental Screenings Start This Week
• News from the Superintendent
• Upcoming Events
• Recent News
• Job Postings

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — On Wheels!

BHSD hosts STEM trailer, bringing equipment and learning opportunities to Curry

"... In a world that’s becoming increasingly complex, where success is driven not only by what you know, but by what you can do with what you know, it’s more important than ever for our youth to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to solve tough problems, gather and evaluate evidence, and make sense of information … All young people should be prepared to think deeply and to think well so that they have the chance to become the innovators, educators, researchers, and leaders who can solve the most pressing challenges facing our nation and our world, both today and tomorrow."

US Department of Education (Source)

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (often called “STEM”), has become a priority area to improve curriculum and student outcomes across the nation in recent years.  

The Oregon Coast STEM Hub promotes integrated science, technology, engineering and math education and serves coastal teachers, students and communities.

According to the Hub, employment opportunities along the Oregon Coast have been growing in fields such as scientific research, marine technology, natural resource management, and eco-tourism. To prepare local students for jobs in these and other STEM fields, and to help improve STEM literacy among all citizens, the Hub seeks to expand and improve the opportunities for students and teachers to engage in STEM learning. (Learn more)

In 2014, the Oregon Coast STEM Hub asked teachers and informal educators what materials they needed to make STEM learning meaningful and successful for their students. Not surprisingly, one common response from educators was that they needed access to more STEM materials.

The Hub invested about $80,000 and purchased three trailers and stocked them full of materials that coastal teachers identified that they needed. The trailers were stationed at campuses on the north, central and southern Oregon Coast; with Coos Bay serving as the original host for our region.

This Spring, Brookings-Harbor School District is excited to have the southern Oregon Coast’s STEM Trailer on our local campus!

The trailer includes items such as rain boots, microscopes, scales, water quality kits, magnet kits, Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) kits and more — everything teachers might need in the classroom, out on a field trip, or to host a family science night.

Kalmiopsis Elementary fifth grade teacher Carol Leonard is serving as the resource manager for Curry County — coordinating with other district’s such as the Central Curry School District in Gold Beach when supplies are requested there.  Teachers, volunteers, preschools and homeschool programs can all use the trailer for educational programs as well, according to Leonard. They just need to go to the website to set-up an account in order to reserve and  access the equipment library.

“This allows for easy access to science without worrying about the how your going to get the supplies. The only thing we ask is that participants return the materials in the same condition they checked them out and if something needs replaced to let us know,” Leonard said.

In addition to being able to easily access the new equipment, Kalmiopsis Elementary School staff will be participating in a Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) training on April 24 with Regional STEM HUB coordinator Ruth McDonald.

This summer, for educators that want more in-depth training, the Oregon Coast STEM Hub is again partnering with The Oregon Computer Science Teachers Association to bring the FREE SuperQuest Workshop, July 24-26, 2018, in Newport.

The Hub leverages the assets of schools, nonprofits, businesses, civic leaders, and others to drive innovation and improvements in STEM learning at a systems level. Examples from the lengthy list of partners include: Oregon Coast Aquarium, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Bureau of Land Management, NOAA/NMFS/Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Marine Advanced Technology Education Center, Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center, Oregon Forestry Resources Institute and Oregon Hatchery Research Center.

“The most exciting part of having the STEM resource is putting science theory into practice with the kids,” Leonard said. “The hands-on science allows for deeper discussions and it gives educators what they need to make STEM learning meaningful and successful for their students.”


(Source for Images: Oregon Coast STEM Hub on Facebook)

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Spread the Word: Time to Register for Kindergarten

Will your child by 5-years-old by Sept. 1, 2018? Each year, our district hosts a “Kindergarten Round-Up” event to pre-register the incoming class of kindergarteners. This year, the Kindergarten Round-Up will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, May 17, in the Kalmiopsis Elementary School Gymnasium.

At the round-up you and your student can meet our kindergarten teaching team and other important school staff. Your child will take a simple assessment with a teacher, and you can get your questions answered while you fill out the required paperwork. Parents or guardians should be sure to bring your child’s immunization records and birth certificate.

You can boost your child’s kindergarten readiness over the summer by exposing them to the sounds the letters of the alphabet (sing the “ABC” song), and help them count objects up to 10 and practice rote counting up to 100. You can also have them practice writing their first name “kindergarten-style” with an uppercase first letter and lowercase for the rest.

These academic skills will give them a head start, but are not required before they start school.

Even more importantly, you can equip your child with good social skills. Playing with friends and learning the value of sharing, waiting their turn, saying please and thank you, covering their cough, blowing their noses, and putting on their own shoes and jacket will serve them well in class and is in fact more difficult to teach than letters and numbers.

If your family can’t attend this year’s round-up, but your child is starting school next fall, please contact the Kalmiopsis Elementary school office. The staff there will assist you through our district’s online enrollment process. We look forward to seeing you at Kindergarten Round-up on May 17! 

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Breakfast in the Classroom Reaches Participation Highs

Starting in Fall 2017, Kalmiopsis Elementary began a new program of hosting breakfast in the classroom, rather than in the cafeteria area in advance of the school day.

The new arrangement has been met by praise from parents, teachers and students and spurred a huge increase in the numbers of students participating in the morning meal program.

On a typical morning in Kalmiopsis Elementary, students can be seen pulling wagons of breakfast foods into classrooms. The wagons, pre-packed by the district’s Food Service Employees, contain a simple breakfast buffet with items such as yogurt and graham crackers; breakfast burritos; or french toast bites, with milk.  

Teachers start the day sharing a meal with their classroom, and can be reassured that students have the fuel to face the day. Parents have one less thing to squeeze into the morning routine.

At this time in the previous school year, just over 20,000 breakfasts had been served to students through the elementary school cafeteria in the minutes before each school day. This total included the sum of paid, free and reduced meals sold. A full-price breakfast costs $1.25.

According to Food Service Director Cindy Badger, as of April 5, 2018, the district has served more than 54,500 breakfasts to elementary schoolers in their classrooms. The numbers already far outpace last year, even with the delayed start to the school year last September caused by the Chetco Bar Fire, she said.
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Point in Time Comparison
Kalmiopsis Breakfasts Served

                             2016-17 / 2017-18

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Starting next fall, the Brookings-Harbor School District plans to participate in the USDA Food and Nutrition Service Provision 2 Lunch and Breakfast Program.

Assuming the district’s applications are approved, this means that all students at Kalmiopisis Elementary School will be provided breakfast and lunch free of charge starting in Fall 2018, Ms. Badger explained.

Although the meals will be free, the district will still be required to maintain careful record keeping of students that fall into the “free”, “reduced” or “paid” meal categories, and how many meals are served during the first year of the program. Ms. Badger hopes “ALL” parents or guardians, regardless of household income, fills out a meal program application for their student(s) at the beginning of the school year to help proceed with the free meal program.

On a related note, two students in the high school’s Youth Transition Program plan to promote the “Egg On: No Kid Hungry Breakfast Nudge” this spring. This national campaign works to overcome barriers that prevent kids from getting the food they need to thrive, learn and be happy. The program cites food insecurity in many households and reluctance to participate in school meal programs due to social stigma. Ms. Badger sees this as another positive step forward.

“Making breakfast part of the school day, just like lunch, is one way to ensure all kids get the food they need,” Ms.Badger said.


Images: Students in Ms. Schofield's Second Grade Class at Kalmiopsis Elementary pick up their "breakfast wagon" before the first bell rings; share a meal at their classroom desks; and return the wagon to the cafeteria at the start of a recent Tuesday. 

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Custodian Named Finalist in National Contest!

Local Kalmiopsis Elementary school janitor, Frank Hernandez, has been named a finalist for a nationwide Janitor of the Year contest. Sponsored by Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: CTAS), the contest aims to recognize the best-of-the-best in school janitors and custodians. “Mr. Frank” is one of 10 finalists competing for a $5,000 cash prize along with $5,000 in Cintas and Rubbermaid products and services for his or her school—not to mention bragging rights.

The Janitor of the Year Contest is open to janitors and custodians of educational facilities of all levels—elementary through college. In its fifth year, the award shines a spotlight on those who work behind the scenes and often go unnoticed.

“When we started this contest, we were looking for a way to honor those who work so hard year-round to make schools a safe, healthy, clean place for our children to learn,” said Jillian Bauer, Marketing Manager, Cintas. “But what we learned was that there is so much more to a janitor’s relationship with their students and staff than we ever knew. These janitors truly are a beloved part of their school.”

To cast your vote for Frank Hernandez, or to read more about the other nine finalists, please visit www.cintas.com/JOTY. Voting will close Friday, April 20. #JOTY

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Student Achievement Night set for May 31

The community is invited to the first-ever Student Achievement Night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 31, at Brookings-Harbor High School.

The new event replaces the traditional Student Awards Ceremony and will be an interactive night when families and community members can visit classrooms to see demonstrations and hear presentations from students what they have learned throughout the year.

There will be awards, music, classroom displays and the coffee shop will be open. Stay tuned for more information!

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Dental Screenings Start This Week

Kalmiopsis Elementary School will have it's annual Dental Screening from April 9 to April 12 and from April 17 to 19. Advantage Dental provides the screenings.

Earlier in the school year, The Lions Club completed their annual vision screenings, and the South Coast Educational Service District provided hearing screenings. 

District Nurse Trish Walker has done follow-up letters and calls to all the students that didn't pass their vision screenings and encourages families to take action to address any vision problems that were found in their child's screening.

"Visual health is important to learning, if families need assistance with exams and/or glasses please contact me for a form to complete, and return to me," she said. Some services are available free of charge through The Lion's philanthropy.

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