Springdale Archives - 91��Ƭ��

Construction in Full Swing at Springdale School: Board Votes to Finish the Project by Randy Trani

Randy Trani — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 16:50:24 +0000

Construction is moving along at an amazing pace at the Springdale School. Most of the major demolition has been accomplished including removal of the old garage. Excavation continues to provide a suitable rock base for the parking lot area. New plumbing is being installed by the local for the fire suppression system. The rear wall of the auditorium has been removed and is being reconstructed.

The Board after considering the project intently for more than a year decided to complete the entire project this summer. Although the board was split on the final decision the thought by the majority was that it would be cheaper in the long run to finish the project now, and take out a low interest loan to fund the project rather than spend down cash reserves. Additionally, I mapped out a plan to pay of the interest bearing loan in as short a time period as allowed by the loan requirements (5 years is typically the shortest call).

Mrs. Luna and Board Member Oneal Inspecting the Auditorium

Auditorium Ceiling Removed: All Timbers and Posts in Good Shape

Future Home of CAPS at Springdale School

Garage demo complete, preparation for 12 inches of crushed clean rock for parking area under way.

Insulation Found in All Walls of the First 5 Class Rooms: Attic Insulation has all been abated and will be reinstalled. Wall insulation non asbestos containing.

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Springdale: Imagining the Possibilities, Apply NOW! by Randy Trani

Randy Trani — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:16:08 +0000

Imagine

This morning I walked through the Springdale School building. The sun was shining through the windows, I played a few chords on the old piano that still sits in the building, looked at old school maps hanging in front of chalkboards and my mind’s eye was quickly filled with images of students entering the newly refurbished building to attend their first year in Corbett Arts Program with Spanish (CAPS) at Springdale School next year. It is really exciting to be building something while other places are struggling with cuts.

CAPS applications close May 17

Corbett families are excited too. Parents and students are eager about the Spanish portion of the CAPS program. Students in grades K-8 at the CAPS program will get Spanish instruction every day that supports the curriculum they are learning the rest of the day. If K-2 students are studying community they will be learning vocabulary associated with community in Spanish, if 3-5 students are exploring simple machines Spanish language related to that topic will support their science instruction, and if 6-8 students are learning about the weather Spanish will focus on those terms.

Images of students spending their daily “Studio Time” practicing guitar, painting a piece of pottery, rehearsing the lines to a play they have created, constructing a set, or working on the perfect amount of shading on their drawing all serve to build excitement amongst parents and students. Parents and kids are also excited about how “the arts” are going to be infused across the curriculum to support instruction in the core topics. Dance, drama, painting, drawing, pottery, voice, strings, poetry, to name a few areas will be integrated across the curriculum. It is fun to imagine the possibilities.

CAPS Design

Designed to foster connections, relationships and learning across all core subjects through a unique artistic lens, the Corbett Arts Program with Spanish (CAPS) exists thanks to the powerful partnership and vision of staff, community and students.

Our mission at CAPS is to create an insatiable hunger for learning while exploring and perfecting students’ gifts and talents through a wide array of visual, performing, technical and language arts. Through a unified effort of family, staff and community involvement, CAPS students will become confident, vibrant citizens prepared to experience life on both an artistic and global stage.

CAPS at Springdale School: An Asset for the Community for Generations

The foundation of the CAPS educational program is the complete integration of visual, performing, technical and language arts with 91��Ƭ��’s standards-based curriculum. Leveraging the success of Corbett Grade School’s place-based education –which approaches learning through the lens of the Columbia River Gorge– the CAPS program uses visual, performing, technical and language arts as the context for the school’s curriculum. The arts are diverse and powerful, so students who apply to the CAPS program will not need to have a specific interest in any art form to thrive in the school.

Classroom teachers and visiting artists will provide rich experiences that enable students to explore all art forms and integrate learning experiences in other disciplines. Arts can be explored as both the subject matter and the lens through which teachers will communicate core academics. For example, CAPS teachers will incorporate language arts into the teaching of dramatic works, and vice versa. Speaking, reading and writing skills will be embedded in the creative expression of stories, mathematical challenges or social studies themes. Students will be able to learn to dance, sculpt, paint, act, play an instrument and read music, while at the same time they learn about these art forms in both a historical and cultural context. In this manner CAPS students will be able to reflect on their own artistic work and that of others with respect for one another’s work.

CAPS Open in 2012-2013 For K-8 Students

In addition to mastering academics within the context of the arts, CAPS students will also have the opportunity to work in a wide array of artistic genres and perform in special events that help to strengthen school spirit. Leveraging local and visiting artists, as well as the school’s gifted staff, CAPS will rely on a foundation of strong family support to maximize the breadth of artistic perspective.

Apply Now

More than 115 students have already filled out the application to attend CAPS next year in two K-2, two 3-5, and one 6-8 classrooms that will mark phase one of the CAPS program. The last day to apply on-line for the CAPS program is Thursday May 17^th. The application is at the top of the district home page in the upper right hand corner or at the bottom of this article. If there are more applicants than we have space we will do our best to balance gender, and grade level in each grade and each level. All resident students and transfer students are free to apply for the CAPS program.

Feel free to drop me a line or phone if you have any questions!

Randy Trani

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Why are the numbers #74, #3, #2, #1, and $150,000 all good things for Corbett? by Randy Trani

Randy Trani — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:32:09 +0000

#74 and #2

Recently US NEWS and World Reports conducted an independent survey of more than 20,000 high schools across the country to determine their “Best High Schools Rankings”. Unlike the Washington Post’s AP Rankings that should come out in a few weeks US NEWS looked at numerous factors in determining their list of the best high schools in the United States to include student achievement on state tests, the achievement of traditionally undeserved groups, college readiness, and teacher to pupil ratio. While the Washington Post targets a more precise measure of schools, US NEWS uses a broader approach in assessing schools.

Corbett School: Makes US NEWS list of Best High Schools

Based upon the US NEWS criteria Corbett School has been identified as a Gold Medal school and ranked #74 in the United States and #2 in Oregon! The satisfying part about these types of announcements is that the hard work of students, staff, and their families is shared publicly. I want to extend my thanks to all of the folks that work hard to make Corbett School a wonderful place.

Follow this link to find the US NEWS article about Corbett School:

(Last year, in response to their employee, the author of their AP Rankings, leaving Newsweek to work for the Washington Post, Newsweek launched a new Best High Schools list. Corbett School was overlooked last year and we believe that it was because we were a K-12 School. This year I made sure that Newsweek allowed us to participate in their new school valuation. I do not know when the Newsweek rankings will be published.)

#3 and #1

Corbett Choir: 3rd in State!

Corbett Symphonic Band: State Champions!!

All Hail Mr. Killgore and his high school Choir and Band students! Dynasty is not a strong enough word to describe what is happening with our music program at Corbett. Beginning in Kindergarten and progressing through 8th grade Mrs. Swanson builds a love of music in our students that propels them into band and choir at the older grade levels.

Mr. Killgore Hard at Work!

Mr. Killgore continues to work with those students and the combined results of their efforts show year after year. I believe that this is the third State Championship in band for Mr. Killgore and his students. He has posted more than a decade of top five finishes.

This may sound like a broken record….but I have to say. The satisfying part about these types of announcements is that the hard work of students, staff, and their families is shared publicly. I want to extend my thanks to all of the folks that work hard to make our Corbett music program stellar!

$150,000

As you know the Board and I have been working for almost two years to answer the question “What do we do with Springdale School?”. With the CAPS (Corbett Arts Program with Spanish) as a vision multiple volunteers and many school staff have been working hard to open the building for five classrooms next year. The efforts of volunteers Bob Buttke, Charlie Oneal, Eric Stevens, and Eric Kneeland have been invaluable with regard to the technical aspects of the construction process.

Last week because of the work of the grant writing firm PARC, and volunteer help from Rebecca Gandy and Gary Law of the SSCA the Ford Family Foundation voted to award 91��Ƭ�� $150,000 to help complete the auditorium in the Springdale School!

CAPS at Springdale School

Interest in the programming offered at Springdale is palpable. Resident students and transfer students who are in grades K-8 next year can apply to the program by following this link until May 17th. At last check about 90 resident and transfer students have already applied! Feel free to contact me or Lori Luna with questions about the programming at CAPS. rtrani@corbett.k12.or.us AND lluna@corbett.k12.or.us

It is invigorating to be working to build something that will provide more choice for resident students, provide a much needed positive source of revenue for our district, reduce class size in grades K-8 and turn a liability into an asset that can be shared with the community for decades to come!

Once again I have to say…..The satisfying part about these types of announcements is that the hard work of staff, and incredible volunteers can be shared publicly. I want to extend my thanks to all of the folks that have been working hard to turn Springdale School back into a place where the laughter of students will soon fill the halls and community events that have been struggling to find a home can once again take place in a building that holds so much history for our community.

Enjoy the Sun!

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