Clackamas River Elementary News

Student-led conferences begin today, April 1st, at 12:00pm until 7:30pm and then tomorrow, April 2nd, from 8:00am to 3:30pm.

Hi, I’m Jennifer Behrman, Estacada’s Director of Teaching and Learning. Today, I’m happy to share with families that we will be hosting another education conference in our schools this spring. Last year, we had the honor of being asked to host educators from around the nation, and we have been asked to do so again this year. This conference is a great opportunity for our children to share their learning journey with others and demonstrate leadership and presentation skills. This event is also something our students can be proud of. It reflects their hard work and the great things that are being achieved in our schools.

Join us from the comfort of your own home to get your school bond questions answered. I encourage everyone that lives in this community to take advantage of this opportunity to learn the facts, ask questions, and make an informed voting decision.

On May 23rd, the Estacada School District will be conducting a reunification exercise with all Estacada Middle School students, staff, and families several hours prior to the end of the school day. Mark your calendars.

I’d like to ask you to do one thing: and that is learn more about this bond package and ask questions if you have them. We want to ensure that every member of our community has a good understanding of this important matter. I believe that together, we can create a stronger future for our kids, and for the Estacada community. For more information, watch the video below and go to estacadaschoolbond.org. 

Today I want to celebrate a big win for our community and schools. You may have heard that graduation rates for the Class of 2023 were recently announced. Estacada High School’s Class of 2023 achieved an outstanding 89 percent graduation rate. This is eight percent above the state average, demonstrating that Estacada’s kids are achieving at significantly higher levels than Oregon as a whole. Watch the video below...

We had a great turn out at the recent Town Hall. We appreciate all the construction questions and your partnership in this great community. If you want to watch the town hall please CLICK HERE. And please go to estacadaschoolbond.org for more information. 

The Estacada School District is happy to announce the appointment of Ryan Rosenau as the new principal of Estacada High School. With a career in education spanning over 20 years, including successful tenure as a high school assistant principal, Rosenau brings a wealth of knowledge, insight, and new talent to the Estacada School District.

Throughout his career, Rosenau has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to improving classroom instruction and creating an environment that fosters educational excellence. His extensive experience and expertise align perfectly with Estacada’s mission to provide a premier education for all students.

The selection process for Estacada High School’s principal was extensive and comprehensive. It incorporated the valuable input of various stakeholders including staff, students, and parents. Their voices were integral in shaping the interview process, ensuring that the new principal would truly resonate with EHS's needs and values.

"I’m very happy to welcome Mr. Rosenau into the Estacada School District" stated Superintendent Ryan Carpenter. "His wealth of experience and passion for public education, as well as his dedication to instructional improvement make him an excellent fit for EHS. The thorough search process allowed us to identify a principal who not only possesses the qualifications and experience but also aligns with the initiatives and values of our school system and community."

As Rosenau begins his role next month, he is eager to collaborate closely with the school's dedicated staff, parents, and community partners to provide an exceptional educational experience for all students. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Ryan Rosenau. With his leadership, experience, and passion for educational excellence, we are confident that Estacada High School will continue to see growth and ensure success for each child served.

The Estacada School District is happy to announce that Sarah Shields has been hired to serve as principal at Estacada Middle School. With a strong commitment to continuous improvement and an unwavering “students first” focus, Sarah Shields has the mindset and skills to lead Estacada Middle School to new levels of achievement. 

Shields brings to the Estacada School District a wealth of knowledge and expertise acquired during more than 25 years in education. Most recently, Shields served as the Assistant Superintendent of Instruction for Seaside School District, and she has previously worked in various roles as a principal, vice principal, and classroom teacher. Sarah has an outstanding track record of achievement in closing achievement gaps with student populations, leading staff engagement efforts, and putting change agents in place to improve each organization and school that she has been a part of. The Estacada School District is confident that Estacada Middle School will benefit from her expertise. 

Shields will step into the role officially in July, and notes that she “could not be happier to be a part of the Estacada team and the tremendous work that is being accomplished in the Estacada School District.” District Superintendent Ryan Carpenter met several times with Shields throughout the intensive interview process, and says that “there is no doubt that Sarah has the skills and experience necessary to thrive in this role. What excites me most about this hire though, is how “all in” for our district she is. Sarah is passionate about continuing the work being done in this district, and is committed to serving our unique community. She will be a great fit for our kids, and for Estacada as a whole.” 

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Sarah Shields as she joins the Estacada School District as the principal of Estacada Middle School. The district looks forward to seeing the growth, innovation, and achievement that will occur during her tenure. 

The Estacada School District has undergone a website transition for all school websites. The new sites will be available at the same web addresses, and will also be available at www.estacadaschools.org. The new site was launched in an effort to provide staff with an easy, streamlined platform to update web information.

The district looks forward to providing the community with a resource to more easily find reliable, updated information about their local school district. The newly launched site is mobile-friendly, accessible to the visually impaired, and has improved translation services. District staff are excited to continue to showcase stories of our students and community via this platform. 

On October 19th, the Estacada School Board participated in a tour of classrooms throughout the Estacada School District. Students had the opportunity to engage with these community representatives and explain how they are taking ownership of their learning. Both children and adults found value in explaining how goal-setting data tracking has helped students achieve success both inside and outside of the classroom. Staff also noted that they are seeing kids adjusting learning strategies based on what the data is telling them. 

School board members described the experience as a positive indicator of the good work that is occurring in our classrooms every day. The district looks forward to opening our classrooms to additional community stakeholders in the near future.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

The Estacada School District has once again been awarded the Top Workplaces 2022 honor by Oregonian Top Workplaces. This is the third year in a row that the district has received this prestigious honor. The Top Workplaces distinction is earned based on the results of an anonymous third-party survey that measures employee feedback. The employees of the Estacada School District have once again ranked the Estacada School District among the echelon of top workplaces within the state of Oregon. 

"This recognition is a great honor, and is evidence of the intentional efforts we have made to continuously improve in the ways that we support our staff, and integrate their voice into the work that we do," says school district Superintendent Ryan Carpenter. "Our district leaders have also done a terrific job of collecting input and using that feedback to make the changes and improvements needed to serve our employees and our students." Over the past year, the district maintained an industry-leading 92% retention rate, and continues to strive to recruit and retain talented staff to serve students and the community.

The Estacada School District is committed to maintaining a Top Workplace environment, and looks forward to continuing to recruit and retain talented educators and employees. View our current employment opportunities here: https://estacada.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx.

A representative from each grade level at Clackamas River Elementary School recently made a trip to visit the district Superintendent to share their school's goals. Students of all ages worked with their classmates to identify goals that they would hold themselves accountable to. Some of these goals included statements such as "do the right thing even when no one is watching" and "use a growth mindset."

These statements will be signed and agreed upon by all students in the district. The children of Clackamas River Elementary School are working collaboratively to improve the atmosphere and culture within their school.