The school year is wrapping up this week. The last day of school is June 5th instead of June 12th, due to the sudden PPS budget shortfall this Spring. The final week of school will be filled with finalizing projects, cleaning desks and lockers, 5th and 8th grade promotions, and end-of-year celebrations. Starting June 6th, the park and playground will be open to the public until school is back in session at the end of summer. Feel free to grab a snack from the garden while you are there—at least up until August 21st. Don’t forget to check out the outdoor learning space that was designed by our amazing middle school students! It’s a great spot to sit and eat your garden snack.
Get Tech Out of PPS
A new SES group is forming to petition PPS to restrict the adoption of AI tools and generative AI. PPS is spending millions of dollars on technological adoptions, while data shows that analog learning has higher success rates. This is especially concerning when the PPS school district is in the middle of a $54 million budget shortfall and is in the process of cutting teacher positions, closing schools, and raising class sizes. Many advocates of public education feel that PPS is spending money in the wrong areas. If you are interested in supporting this effort you can send an email to [email protected].
Storyline
Did you know that SES uses Storyline methodology as part of their English Language Arts curriculum. In great part due to the hard work of the SES Site Council, grades K-5 used Storyline this year. Storyline begins with an anchoring phenomenon such as, in the case of SES 4th graders last year, learning about Celilo Falls through a visit from Linda Meanus, a Warm Springs elder. Her stories sparked a line of questions from the students that later directed their research. The unit culminated in the 4th grade classes visiting the Senate Appropriations Committee and presenting cases in defense of Celilo Falls at the committee meeting. This type of education is what is so special about SES. Learning that is based in real, and current topics that are student-led stretch beyond the classroom and enhance student engagement.
Drive Safely
Please remember to drive safely and slowly around the school. This is especially important at the beginning and end of the school day as there are many students who walk and bike to school. There have been some close calls in the recent weeks. Be vigilant, drive slowly and follow the rules. Please pay attention to the crossing guards and the parking signs. Last month volunteers painted the curbs around the school yellow to promote traffic safety. Since many children play at the school during the summer months it’s always best practice to slow down in school zones and be vigilant when driving through crosswalks.
Have questions about SES? Email [email protected] and maybe I’ll answer them in a future column!