PAGE A4, KEIZERTIMES, SEPTEMBER 8, 2017
KeizerCommunity
KEIZERTIMES.COM
CCMS principal about joy of learning
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
Aaron Persons knew he’d
be a good fi t as the new prin-
cipal at Claggett Creek Mid-
dle School when he received
his fi rst Panthers t-shirt with
the words “integrity” and
“grit.”
“That’s what I try to en-
courage kids, to be a part of
something special though
hard work,” Persons said.
“That’s the reputation
Claggett has, we get good re-
sults, hard working kids that
achieve a lot. The staff has
the same reputation, we’ll do
whatever it takes.”
Persons was born and
raised as one of nine children
in Stayton.
After high school, he went
to the University of Notre
Dame with plans to be a
doctor.
However, Persons’ career
path changed when he trans-
ferred to Willamette Univer-
sity and discovered he en-
joyed spending time with his
mentee through Big Brothers
Big Sisters of America and
coaching his younger siblings
in basketball more than vol-
unteering in the emergency
room at Salem Hospital.
Persons started teaching
science at a middle school in
Beaverton.
When his own kids were
born, Persons has four, ages
6-16, he transferred to Les-
lie Middle School in Salem,
where he taught half time
along with being a behav-
ioral specialist for the depart-
ment of education.
“That’s where I got my
fi rst bug,” Persons said.
“There were a couple of
principals that I worked
with, Steve Nelson and Mike
Miller, and they gave me
some leadership opportuni-
ties. That’s the fi rst time I re-
ally thought about education
leadership.”
Persons’ fi rst job in ad-
ministration was as an assis-
tant principal at a Title IX
middle school in Beaverton.
After four years, he was
hired as the principal at an-
other middle school in Bea-
verton, where he served for
fi ve years.
Persons then spent the
2016-17 year as the principal
at Walker Middle School in
Salem, which got him much
closer to his home in Stayton.
“I probably would have
stayed there a long time,”
Persons said of Beaverton.
“I loved it and the school
is great but driving to Bea-
verton, I spent three to four
hours in the car everyday
for nine years. I didn’t think
about it at the time but that’s
crazy. You get used to it. You
get attached to the commu-
nity.”
As principal at Walker,
Persons got to know the
community in west Salem by
participating in Rotary and
other local groups.
He looks forward to doing
the same in Keizer.
“I want to get to know
everybody,” Persons said.
“Talk to parents and fi nd out
what we’re good at and what
we need to get better at.”
AVID strategies were
used at his previous schools
and Persons has attended the
summer institute the past six
years, which should help him
at Claggett Creek, which
became just the third AVID
National
Demonstration
middle school in Oregon last
spring.
“Obviously they’ve done a
lot of things really well here,”
Persons said.
“I’m going to come in and
be supportive. I want to fi nd
out the history and all the
work that went into it, which
is kind of what I’ve been do-
ing here now. You can see it
from the staff. They’re re-
ally excited. When they talk
about teaching, they know
what they’re talking about.
They talk about best prac-
tices and the AVID strategies
that really work.”
As a demo school, CCMS
becomes a learning lab where
schools all over the coun-
try can visit to see AVID at
work. Three large showcases
are scheduled this school
year.
Persons also wants the
Keizer community to be
aware of all that’s going on at
Claggett Creek.
“I certainly want the com-
munity to know as much
about us as visitors across the
state do,” Persons said.
“We’re partners with ev-
eryone. We’re looking for
ways to help the community
and ways the community can
partner with us. That’s a big
thing for me.”
Persons wants to make
learning fun and be sure that
every student feels connected
to the school.
“I kind of have the same
philosophy for students and
teachers and the whole team,
when people are having fun
and loving what they do,
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
Aaron Persons is the new principal at Claggett Creek Middle School in Keizer.
they get better results,” Per-
sons said.
“I focus on the joy of
learning for our kids. My
goal is high levels of achieve-
ment for every kid but feel
connected. Make sure we’re
connecting every kid in
some way to their school.”
Persons is replacing Rob
Schoepper, who is now the
principal at McKay High
School.
Magic comes to senior center
The Keizer/Salem Area Se-
nior Center is hosting a Fall
Magic Dinner Party Sunday,
Sept. 24.
In addition to a meal, the
night includes entertainment
by Dan the Magic Man and
music by Jeff Blythe. A raffl e
for a stay at Three Rivers Ca-
sino will also be held.
Doors open at noon and
dinner will be served at 12:30
p.m.
The event will run to 4
p.m.
Tickets are $12 in advance
or $15 at the door, 930 Plym-
outh Drive N.E.
The event is one of many
regular fundraisers for the se-
nior center.
ALL INCLUSIVE
Membership
options
starting at
$
FIT
MEMBERSHIP
10 00 /mo.
$
39 99
/mo.
+ 1 Time Enrollment
Get rid of fertilizer, chemicals
September is the time of
the year to get rid of any emp-
ty chemical and fertilizer con-
tainers you may have in your
garden shed or garage.
The containers, including
jugs and buckets, must
be
stripped of any label books,
lids, caps and bucket handles.
OVS Salem will collect the
containers from 8 a.m.t o 4
p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, at its
location at 3526 Brooks Ave.
NE. There is no fee to the
public.
NOW IN YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD!
NEAR GOODWILL & BI-MART — IN KEIZER
3850 RIVER RD N • 503-584-1950 • physiqfi tness.com
Change Your Life With Us.
Where do you get waxed?
KEIZER STUDIO NOW OPEN!
View our Full Waxing Menu
and Book Online at
www.CherryCityWaxworks.com
Keizer - 4833 River Rd N • 503.385.8337
Salem - 695 Commercial St SE, Ste 113