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Voice Newsletter

Updated August 27, 2010

Upper School students and OES alumni served as counselors in the summer AASK day camp, as well as former AASK participants who are now counselors.

News From Jordan Elliott

Dear Upper School Parents,

As the summer winds down and we prepare for another excellent year in the OES Upper School, I wanted to welcome new families to our community and greet returning families by passing on some useful information.  Below you will find introductions of our new faculty, plans for nurturing the partnership between parents and the school, and details on a number of other topics.  As usual, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

I want to start by introducing new members to the school.  We welcome:

Dara Berger, Academic Support Specialist - Dara will manage the Learning Center and coordinate academic support for US students.  Dara comes to us with 23 years of experience working with students; she received her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt and her Master’s in Arts from Teachers College, Columbia University. 

Jacqui Gardner, Math Teacher - Jacqui Gardner joins the Math Department as the new Calculus BC and Honors PDM teacher.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from the University of Virginia and has eight years of experience teaching in independent schools, most recently at Cincinnati Country Day School. 

Michelle Zhao, US and MS Mandarin Teacher - Yuan “Michelle” Zhao most recently taught at the Dalton School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in French from Barnard College and a Masters of Education in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language from Teachers College, Columbia University. 

There will be other faces new to you in the US this year and we invite you to join us to meet them and to learn about your child’s courses at Back-to-School Night on Wednesday, September 29, from 6:30-9:00 p.m.  Please join us!  I also encourage you to add this year’s Homecoming celebration to your calendar for later that same week.  We have exciting events planned for Friday, October 1, including girls’ and boys’ soccer games.

I recently met with this year’s Parent Association Link (PAL) representatives to prepare for the opening of school and plan our partnership for the year.  I want to welcome Joan Kritschgau, Becky Obletz, Cindy Plummer, and Annalisa Ferguson who have volunteered to be PAL reps.  Throughout the year, parents from each grade level meet on Monday mornings from 8:00-9:30 a.m. to discuss issues pertinent to their child’s class.  A complete schedule of the meetings for parents of your child’s grade is posted online in the US Events section of the OES calendar and I hope that each and every one of you are able to join us monthly or sometime during the year.  Please feel free to contact the representative at your grade level if you have any topics of interest for our monthly meetings.

9th Grade -

10th Grade -

11th Grade -

12th Grade -

Ninth grade parents, please mark your calendars for our Parent Partnership Morning on Thursday, September 7, from 1-3:00 pm in the MS Commons.  I strongly encourage you to join me as I present an overview of the US and introduce faculty and staff members that will play a prominent role in your family’s US life.

Throughout the year, you can anticipate a variety of communications from the Upper School.  In addition to occasional emails, the Upper School Voice will be updated semi-monthly and posted on the OES webpage.  You will also receive periodic e-Gathering emails that summarize the content of thrice-weekly student and teacher Gatherings.  You will also receive information about improvements to our information technology systems and tools for communication.

I look forward to a wonderful year and am eager to have students back on campus.  Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Calendar of Upcoming Event

• Aug 29: Dinner for new dorm families, 6 pm, Dining Hall
• Aug 30: 10th Grade pack check, 7 pm, Drinkward Center
• Aug 30: Dorm Host new families dinner, 6 pm, DH
• Aug 31: Orientation for new 10, 11, 12 grades, 11 am
• Aug 31: 9th Grade orientation (2-5 pm)
• Aug 31: 10th Grade on campus, 12-4 pm
• Aug 31: 9th Grade Stu/Par Dinner, 5 pm, DH
• Aug 31: Tech workshops, various times, MS Commons
• Sept 1: First Day of School; All US Trips Depart
• Sept 3: 9, 11, 12 trips return, 3 pm
• Sept 4: 10th grade trip returns
• Sept 6: Labor Day, no school
• Sept 7: US Classes begin
• Sept 7: 9th Grade Parent Partnership Mtg, 1pm, MS Commons
• Sept 8-10: Rosh Hashanah
• Sept 8: Dorm Family Dinner, 6 pm, DH
• Sept 14: New Parent Science Research Program Mtg, 7 pm, Rm 122

NEW ALL SCHOOL HANDBOOK ONLINE NOW (New)

A downloadable PDF of the 2010-11 version of the OES All School Handbook is available on each division homepage, or click on the link below for instant access:  http://www.oes.edu/OES%20Handbook.pdf

ALL SCHOOL DIRECTORY UPDATE
Your hardcopy of the new Directory will be available mid-September. Please use your parent portal to access any contact information you need before the printed directories arrive.

PRIVACY NOTICE
The OES All School Directory is for official School use, and for individual communication of a personal nature between members of the OES community. Use of the directory for any other purpose, including, but not limited to, reproducing and storing in a retrieval system by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying or using the addresses or other information contained in the directory (or PCR Parent Portal) for any private, commercial, or political mailing, is strictly prohibited.

How to Log in to the Parent Portal
Click on “Log in to OES” on the upper right corner of any page of the OES website. Click the green “Parents” button and then enter your username and password. If you have forgotten your password, you can request it there. If you have forgotten your username or don’t have a username and password, or if you have any questions about the Parent Portal, please contact registrar@oes.edu.

Winterim 2011 (New)

Welcome to OES or welcome back. Winterim (March 10 to March 17, 2011) planning began last Spring and continues apace!

We have published part of the catalog on our website. For more information you can access the Winterim website via the OES Homepage. The direct link is: http://www.oes.edu/about/winterim.html. There is a link to the catalog at the bottom of that page. Please note that only “Big Trips” for 2011 are planned and presented. Big Trips are the most expensive and we publish them early so families can plan a little for their expense. Because Big Trips compose only about 10% of the Winterim courses, last year’s catalog remains up to give you a flavor.

There are two immediate dates of which you need to be aware:

1) Monday, September 20 at 7:00 pm will be a meeting for any interested or new parents who would like to know more and to ask questions. The meeting will occur in Room 60, off the Great Hall (for 9th grade parents, Room 60 is the Humanities Room). Typically that meeting lasts between 60-90 minutes.

2) Wednesday, September 22 : the final date to register for a Big Trip. Any offering with fewer than the minimum number of students will be cancelled and all deposits will be returned in full. Deposits are typically 33% of the total cost. Each trip description includes the cost. Check Big Trip 2010 descriptions at http://www.oes.edu/about/winterim.html.

More information will be published each month. I look forward to seeing many of you on September 20. Questions? Contact , Winterim Coordinator

College Counseling (New)

College Visits at OES: Many colleges will visit OES this fall to meet with interested students. We encourage juniors and seniors to keep a close eye on the college visit schedule in Naviance (connection.naviance.com/oes). We will also post the schedule on the College Admissions Bulletin Board in the library and the college counseling page on the OES website (although Naviance is the source of the most up-to-date schedule). This is an excellent opportunity to learn about a wide variety of colleges (juniors) or specific colleges of interest (seniors). The schedule in Naviance is updated throughout the fall as visits are added. Most colleges come between September and mid-November. Students are encouraged to sign up for visits on Naviance, as they will automatically be sent a reminder close to the date of the visit.

Opportunities to Visit Colleges: Seniors, keep in mind that you have some opportunities to visit colleges this fall on the October 8 Professional Day and during Octoberim (October 13-15). For seniors involved in sports, keep in mind that there are athletic events scheduled during this time that may limit your travel. On Wednesday and Thursday the college counselors will be available to assist students who stay on campus with college applications and essays.

SAT/ACT Tests: Seniors, please note the following test dates and registration deadlines. Please enter the school code when you register (380915) and if you are taking the ACT, it is best to include the optional writing test. There is a late registration deadline and standby option for each test date that requires an additional fee. See the testing websites for additional information.

Test	Date	Reg. Deadline
SAT	October 9	September 910
SAT	November 6	October 8
SAT	December 4	November 5
ACT	September 11	August 6
ACT	October 23	September 17
ACT	December 11	November 5

 

Junior College Decisions Retreat: Following our retreat with juniors (the first week of school), we will be in touch with parents of juniors about our activities at the retreat and what we encourage juniors and their parents to be doing and keeping in mind this fall in relation to the college search process.

PSAT: Sophomore and juniors families should note that this year the PSAT will be given the morning of Wednesday, October 13. All sophomores and juniors have been automatically registered and will take the test at OES. We will send details in a later email, and students will receive practice materials at school.

Science Research Projects (New)

An informational meeting for parents will be held Tuesday, September 14, in the Physics Lab from 7-8 pm. The meeting is not required and is primarily for parents of new science students, but is open to all parents. An overview of the research process will be presented along with the philosophy behind this component of the science curriculum. The research calendar for the school year will be online later this month.. Questions? Contact .

Service Learning (New)

September is a great time for students to get going on service learning hours. Students should be reminded to check the Service Learning website (https://sites.google.com/a/go.oes.edu/service-learning/) regularly for announcements about dozens of opportunities to serve, on and off campus. They can also check the bulletin board outside the Service Learning Office, conveniently located in the Great Hall.

Parents are invited to suggest great service ideas. If your neighborhood, club, church, or other organization has a service project, maybe OES students can get involved! For information on requirements and opportunities, or to suggest a project, call or email , US Service Learning Coordinator, (503) 416-9308.

And, please remind your son or daughter to turn in those Service Learning forms from any service hours completed over the summer. New 9th graders may use any work they did during the summer as part of their Service Learning requirment.

Dorm News (New)

The energy around the dorms is building as we prepare for the new school year. We’re gearing up to welcome 56 students from around the world. We are excited to be sharing our community with students from Afghanistan, Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Mexico, Rwanda, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, United States and Zimbabwe. We’re also excited to welcome two new dorm parents into our community; Scott and Julie Robison. We’re looking forward to a great year. Please consider dropping by the dorms, we are eager to share our community with the broader OES community. Questions? Contact , Director of Residential Admissions, or , Dean of Residential Life.

FOESL Meeting– September 15 at 8:05 a.m. (New)

Friends of OES Library (FOESL) hopes everyone had a fabulous summer! We are looking forward to having our first meeting on Wednesday, September 15 at 8:05 a.m. Please come join FOESL in the Guild Room to discuss volunteering and Book Fair opportunities! Everyone is welcome and we are always excited to add friends to our special and fun-loving group! FOESL meets once a month, Wednesday mornings from about 8-9:30 a.m. If you have any questions, please contact the FOESL Co-Chairs: Diane Polscer or Kim Bissell

Music Notes (New)

From Sue Jensen, Music Department Chair PreK—12

Welcome back to another exciting year ahead in MUSIC at OES!

The PERFORMING ARTS calendar will soon have a current list of 2010-11 music performances and theatre events. It will be updated with field trips and off-campus events as information becomes available. Please check it often!

PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS:

Details for PRIVATE LESSONS can be found in the Special Programs/After School Class section of the OES website: http://www.oes.edu/ls/afterschool/private.html.

If your child wishes to study violin, cello, bass, piano, jazz piano, voice, guitar, trumpet, trombone, oboe, flute, clarinet, saxophone, harp, drumset, percussion, harpsichord or organ, sign up for lessons! Please contact Joan Lowe in the After School office, 503-768-3145. Parents and siblings are welcome to sign up too! Lessons begins the week of Sept. 20.

INSTRUMENT RENTALS: If you are interested in renting a STRING instrument, please contact Neil Hollister, Vicki Gunn Pich, or Sue Jensen. If you are interested in renting a BRASS or WOODWIND instrument, contact Derek Sims, Adam Steele, Nancy Teskey, or Sue Jensen.

LOCKERS: All MS and US instrumental students will be assigned a music locker to store their instrument. If you do not have a locker—please let Derek Sims, Nancy Teskey, Vicki Gunn or Sue Jensen know—and we will get your child a locker. Please remind your child to store their instrument in their locker and to put a nametag on their instrument case.  If your child has lost their instrument, please contact your music teacher or Sue Jensen. Have a fabulous year of music-making!

Books and Breakfast Next Year

As part of Books and Breakfast series hosted by the Community Diversity Committee, we will be reading and discussing the following two books during the next school year. More books will be announced during the year.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
It is about African American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s. The stories of three maids intertwine to explain how life in Jackson, Mississippi revolves around "the help"; yet they are always kept at a certain distance because of racial lines.

My Abandonment by Peter Rocks
My Abandonment is inspired by the true story of a veteran and his daughter who lived undiscovered for four years in a tarp-covered, wood-framed structure in Portland's Forest Park.

Contact info for the Community Diversity Link Committee
Co-Chairs: 503.961.2731 and 503.936.2383

Class Notes

Freshman Class
9th Grade PAL First meeting is October 4 from 8-9:30 am in the Drinkward Center Volunteer Room. Future dates: 11/1, 1/3, 2/7, 4/4, and 5/2. Questions? Contact .

An important reminder to 9th grade parents: On Thursday, September 7, we are asking you to attend our very important 9th Grade Partnership Morning in the MS Commons from 1-3:00 p.m. at which time we will orient you to high school and try to answer all questions you might have about the years you are about to embark on here at OES. We will finish by 3:00 pm.

Sophomore Class                                                                                                          10th Grade PAL First meeting is October 11 from 8-9:30 am in the Drinkward Center Volunteer Room. Future dates: 11/8, 1/10, 2/14, 4/11, and 5/9. Questions? Contact .

Junior Class 
11th Grade PAL First meeting is September 20 at 8-9:30 am in the Guild Room (church basement).  Future dates: 10/18, 11/15, 1/24, 2/22 (Tues), 4/18, and 5/16.   If you have any questions please contact .

Senior Class
12th Grade PAL  First meeting is September 27 at 8-9:30 am in the Guild Room (church basement). Future dates:  10/25, 11/29, 1/31, 2/28, 4/25, and 5/23.  Questions?  Contact .

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To submit information for the Voice, please email in the Upper School office when you have items to include.