Middle School trips last week were wonderful! From our sixth graders at the coast learning to come together as a community, to seventh graders camping and learning about the geography of Mount St. Helens, to our eighth graders out in Sandy learning how to nurture healthy relationships, students were deepening their learning and their friendships. While there is always learning happening in our hallways and classrooms at OES, we know that the chance to connect over meals, in tents, and on hikes beyond the OES campus offers a unique opportunity to connect and grow as a community.

All of the knowledge that students gained on their trips will continue to extend into our classrooms. Sixth graders have been writing reflections on their trip experiences, seventh graders will continue to build their science knowledge in the science classroom and in experiential learning, and eighth graders will build on their learning about healthy relationships in their Health and Wellness classes. The teachers planning and running these trips put amazing care and intention put into the trips to ensure that they are part of an integrated experience that builds from one year to the next. We can’t wait to see where this learning last week continues to play out for our whole community!

Middle School Parent Partnership Meeting
We look forward to our first Middle School Parent Partnership meeting next week on Tuesday, October 1 from 8:15–9:15 a.m. We’ll meet in the Middle School library and online on Zoom at this link, which you can also find on the OES public calendar. This is an important meeting to attend in advance of our first quarter parent/teacher conferences to learn more about how the Middle School provides feedback on student growth with a proficiency grading system. Laura Todis will also share our approach to Restorative Practice in the Middle School. We hope to see you all in person, but understand if you can only join on Zoom. We will also offer a recording of this meeting.