Superintendent's Update

Winter weather has been top of mind the last couple of weeks. I want to express my appreciation for the flexibility of our community as we have navigated early release, closure days, and a two-hour late start recently. I want to offer particular gratitude to our bus drivers for their efforts in transporting students home as record snowfall levels and continued to accumulate throughout the afternoon last Wednesday.

And despite inclement weather closures, key operational functions continued to keep our District running safely. For this reason, I also want to thank our maintenance and custodial staff for their efforts to ensure parking lots and walkways were clear and safe for students and staff this week, as well as our payroll staff for ensuring our employees received their paychecks on time. Care, commitment, and collaboration are strengths of the Centennial community and something for which we can all take pride.

I am thankful for those of you who participated in our recent Strategic Plan 2027 Virtual Family & Community Forum in January. Part of our strategic planning process includes the development of the portrait of a graduate, which represents Centennial’s vision for the knowledge, skills, and dispositions students should have when they graduate. The portrait of a graduate serves as a compass, providing strategic direction for the design of the overall educational experience for students. Participants at the virtual forum had the opportunity to provide input on the developing this portrait, as well as drafting District goals and measures of student success.

Centennial’s Strategic Planning process involves several interconnected components. This is hard work. Students, staff, family, and community members have served on various subcommittees to provide input into the overall process. This investment of time, within their already busy schedules, is appreciated and important to us.

The exciting part is that we are nearing a point where we soon will have products of this process to share with our community. We continue to refine and finalize our work and align our strategies and resources to support these priorities with a plan to present the draft framework to the Centennial School District Board of Directors on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. I look forward to showcasing the work we have been doing!

Sincerely,

James

• Centennial Classified School Employees Week - March 6 - 10

• Women's History Month

• National School Breakfast Week - March 5 - 10

• National School Breakfast Week - March 5 - 10

• National School Social Work Week - March 5 - 11

• Free Food Pantry
  

• 2020 Bond Updates

• Centennial Health Center

• Food For Families

Centennial Employees are the best! Our district runs thanks to the tremendous work they do at every level in every department. From the moment the buses start early in the morning, the lights turn on, the bills are paid, the building cleaned and our students taught....EVERY Employee makes a difference. Join us in celebrating Classified School Employee Week!

To celebrate our classified employees, celebrations will take place throughout the week across the district. We look forward to connecting with you as we celebrate your work!

Join us as we celebrate Women's History Month (WHM) across Centennial School District - A time to celebrate their contributions to history, culture and society.

We are proud to celebrate the lives of ALL the influential women who work at Centennial School District. They inspire all of us through their continued dedication for our students, families and peers.

Did you know WHM has been observed annually during the month of March across the United States since 1987? WHM 2023 takes place Wednesday, March 1 - Friday, March 31.

Women's History Month celebrates the often-overlooked contributions of women to the history of our country. A timeline of women’s history milestones stretches back years, encompassing ALL WOMEN who inspire students at Centennial - from Abigail Adams to Rosa Parks and Frida Kahlo to Harriet Tubman to Susan B. Anthony and Celia Cruz.

Stay tuned as we share as many employee profiles through the month of March of the many women who work at Centennial School District.

National School Breakfast Week celebrates the importance of a nutritious school breakfast in fueling students for success. This special observance during the first week of March celebrates the national School Breakfast Program and the many ways it gives kids a great start every day.

Be on the lookout as we share student photos enjoying their favorite breakfasts throughout the week!

#NSBW23 will take place March 6-10, 2023.

The School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) is proud to promote National School Social Work Week, held the first full calendar week of March (Sunday - Saturday). Join us as we celebrate our social workers for the vital role they provide our students, administrators, teachers, educators, parents, and the community!

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The theme for National School Social Work Week 2023 is “We Rise.” School Social Workers rise up - supporting their students, families, and school communities. School Social Workers rise to share hope. They rise to listen and understand. They rise to challenge inequities. They rise to support all students.

Enjoy and hope you have a Happy School Social Work Week!!!

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#WeRise2023 #SSWWeek2023

Pleasant Valley Elementary School brick laying is now complete! The project is part of the seismic improvement grant the District received from the State of Oregon. Centennial was awarded a $2.5 million Oregon Seismic Improvement Grant for Pleasant Valley to rehabilitate the original structure to meet current seismic safety standards. This grant was coupled with other masonry repair bond dollars to improve safety at the school. The design included engineer-testing of the foundation. Construction activity started during the spring 2022. Much of the building's brick and roofing was repaired or replaced, but the architecture largely remained the same. Centennial selected a similar color pattern and texture as close to the original brick as possible.

Additional work continues across our other Centennial elementary schools too - including floor abatements at Meadows, Parklane, Butler Creek, Patrick Lynch, Powell Butte and Pleasant Valley. Meadows received a much needed lighting system across the school's interior. Patrick Lynch now has an improved parking lot. Pleasant Valley received new lighting, an updated gym floor, and most importantly, needed replacement and repairs to the school's roof. And as Oregonians we know how much a strong, leak-proof roof are with all the rain and strong winds we have in the area!

Dozens of projects are now complete, and others continue to progress or are near completion.

Visit the Centennial 2020 Bond page here for more details.

The Centennial Student Health Center (SHC) is one of nine operating centers in high schools throughout Multnomah County. The center is a successful partnership between the Multnomah County Health Department, the Centennial School District, and the Centennial community.

The Student Health Center is open to all youth ages 5-18 with no out-of-pocket costs; youth are seen with or without insurance. Students don’t have to attend Centennial High School to receive services.

Services include but are not limited to:

• Regular exam
• Mental/behavioral health counseling
• Illness/injury care
• Sports physical
• Immunizations (including those required for school)
• COVID-19 testing & vaccine
• Routine lab tests
• Prescription medication refills
• Vision and blood pressure screenings
• Health education, counseling, and wellness promotion

In-person, phone, and video appointments are available. Call 503-988-5488 to schedule an appointment for your child.

Find more information about Centennial’s SHC at www.csd28j.org/shc or Multnomah County SHCs at https://www.multco.us/health/student-health-centers.

Do you and your child(ren) reside in the Centennial community and have limited access to food?

Food 4 Families distributions are the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. at Centennial High School in the south parking lot. The bus/pantry will be parked near the traffic light on 181st. Visit the https://www.food4families.net/ website for the distribution schedule.

What is Food for Families?

Food for Families is a 501(c)3 mobile food pantry/market that provides groceries to families and is a partner agency with the Oregon Food Bank. Food for Families was started by Centennial High School students who were members of the academic organization Future Business Leaders of America. The students wrote the business plan, developed the business model, and learned essential business concepts.

To learn more or view a list of the most frequently asked questions, visit the Food for Families website at www.food4families.net.

Parents, guardians, and community members: Learn about what makes Centennial School District a great place to work! We offer rewarding career opportunities such as a Teacher, Education Assistant, School Secretary, School Bus Driver, Dining Services Technician, and more!

Visit our careers page to see our position openings: www.csd28j.org/careers!