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A ugust 2 8 , 1996 • T he P ortland O bserver
Educa tien
Law school prepares new breed
Most o f tom orrow ’s law school
graduates will spend less time in the
courtrotjm, and many won’t practice
law at all.
Changing trends in the court sys­
tem. the practice o f law and the job
market mean changing needs for to­
day’s law students At the University
o f Oregon School o f Law, Dean
Chuck O 'K elley says students, who
began classes last Wednesday, Au­
gust 21 st. will find an education fine-
tuned to the future with more empha­
sis on problem-solving, mediation
and dispute resolution.
Preparing fo r changes
in the legal system
"According to the Oregon Su­
preme C ourt's 2020 report, the court
system will function very differently
in the future and a courtroom will be
a last resort," says O ’Kelley. "W e
will need to be more open minded
about ways to resolve disputes and
will likely be seeing more mediation
and resolution centers.”
O 'Kelley says the UO law school
is training its students to be collabo­
rative problem solvers with skills
that are valuable assets to whatever
graduates choose to do with their law
degrees, and many are choosing ca
vu
reers other than law In 1995, for
example, 16 percent o f UO law grad­
uates sought and found employment
in fields other than law’ practice.
Law graduates
choosing different careers
"A law degree, or JD, is the MBA
o f the next century,” says O ’ Kelley.
“ It provides people with analytical
skills that cut across disciplines and
prepares graduates for business and
have the ability to negotiate, I know
how to research issues and I'm a
much better writer and communica-
to r-n o t to mention what it did for my
self-confidence.”
Susan Walsh decided to use her
law degree to help troubled youth.
The UO law school Class o f ’92
alumna is working with two local
programs. Networking for Youth and
Bolder Options, in an effort to find a
“ Having clerked for a local judge, I
saw how difficult it can be for
youngsters to get the help they need
to make positive life changes,"
_____
-Susan Walsh, UO Law School ’92 alumna
public service.”
“ I couldn’t agree more,” says
Hillary Johnson, a 1994 UO law
school graduate who currently over­
sees recycling and waste reduction
programs for Lane County.
“ I saw this jo b as an opportunity to
use my legal skills to do something
positive for the environment,” says
Johnson. "Thanks to my law school
education, ivan
I can think
tuuvouuii,
uiitiK analvticallv
anaiviicanv. i
more productive course in life for
youngsters w ho’ve been in trouble
with the law.
"Having clerked for a local judge.
I saw how difficult it can be for
youngsters to get the help they need
to make positive life changes,” says
Walsh. “ I’m using my law degree
and know ledge of the legal system to
help affect policy change, which I
believe
e n e fit th
e s e voiinesters.’
oeiieve will b benefit
these
vounesters ”
Walsh is currently working on a
Ph D in special education at the UO,
studying anti-social behavior in
youngsters.
Diversity a key f o r
law sch o o l’s entering class
Diversity is a continuing trend at
the UO law school Preliminary fig­
ures show that I996’s entering class
will be comprised o f approximately
55 percent women and 15 percent
minorities. The law school will meet
its enrollment target with a first-year
class o f approximately 160 students.
Meanwhile, administrators says
that the UO law school was the only
institution out o f the 178 schools
accredited by the American Bar As­
sociation to see an increase in appli­
cations.
The UO say a three percent rise in
applications while law schools in the
Northwest saw a nearly 15 percent
downturn.
O Kelley attributes the increase in
part to the school’s growing national
reputation for excellence and diver­
sity Earlier this year, U S. News &
World Report ranked the UO law
school as one o f the best law schools
in the west—tops in Oregon and No.2
in the
the Northwest.
Northwe1
in
Second chance
to shine
The Portland Street Academy be­
gins it fourth school year on Tues­
day, September 3. New students are
bemg recruited for the alternative
school based at the Urban League
o f Portland.
Orientations for students and par­
ents will take place at the Urban
League on August 29 from 8:30 to
11:00 am and on August 30 from
2:30 to 5:00 pm. Both new and
returning students need to register
and attend orientation.
For enrollment and other infor­
mation about the Academy, contact
Ms. Christy Hauff at (503) 280-
2635.
The Academy accepts junior and
high school age students who have
left Portland public schools. The
school serves up to 65 students in
day sessions.
Grieving in the classroom
A child who has suffered the loss
o f a loved one over the summer will
return to school in the fall a changed
child.
Izetta Smith, co-creator o f the Me,
Too. & Co. process curriculum, says a
child may return feeling "different "
He or she may not want to talk
about the death and just want things
to be "norm al.” Or, a child may wish
to express feelings about the death.
Smith says a parent can help by
informing the child's teacher and
counselor that a death has occurred
and make the child’s wishes known
about whether to tell classmates.
The teach er can support the
c h ild ’s wishes and offer alterna­
tives such as:
♦ Telling classmates with or without
the child present
♦ Not telling classmates
Both parents and teachers need to
be aw are o f potent ial academic chang­
es. Smith says, "The processofgriev-
ing is so intense both emotionally
and physically that it actually pro­
duces changes in the brain.”
Smith says a grieving child may
suffer from a short attention span,
lose the ability to focus, or have
memory and logic impairments.
A teacher can help by negotiating
homework and expectations on an
on-going basis.
G rief takes a lot o f energy and just
as it takes time for adults to re-adjust
to returning to work, it will take time
for a child to return to his or her
previous level o f performance in
school. Be patient.
Children grieve differently and in
their own time. It’s important to trust
the child’s own abilitv to heal.
New grants for Art education
The Oregon Arts Commission is
awarding grant funds through a new
program designed to recognize and
support innovation in Art Educa­
tion.
"The program acknowledges the
Com m ission’s belief that the arts
can make an invaluable and unique
contribution to the educational pro­
cess, helping students develop prob­
lem solving and creative thinking
skills as well as improved communi­
cation skills,” said Christine D ’Arcy,
director o f the Oregon Arts Com ­
mission.
The grants will help educators in
the initiation o f innovative strategies
in arts curriculum development and
support programming.
The Arts Commission seeks pro­
posals which will help it collaborate
with educators and organizations
statewide in identifying how the fu­
ture arts education needs o f Oregon
can be better met.
Grants for Innovation in Arts Ed­
ucation are available to educational
service districts, regional arts in ed­
ucation programs, non-profit arts
organizations, community colleges
and local arts and community arts
o rganizations for arts education
projects.
Colleges and universities may ap­
This year will include an em pha­
sis on school-to-w ork transition
courses. Facilities include fourclass-
rooms, a computer lab and a multi­
cultural reference library.
The Academy is located in the
Urban League’s main building, pro­
viding students with easy access to
other Urban League programs such
as employment services, counsel­
ing, computertraining, and the Male
and Female R esponsibility P ro­
grams.
“The Street Academy helps stu­
dents find a way to continue an
e d u catio n that will help them
achieve their dreams,” said Urban
League Education Director Brian
A. Black. Street Academy students
can remain at the Academy or tran­
sition back into one o f Portland’s
public schools.
Investigate This!
Criminal justice and corrections work is one
o f the fastest-growing fields in Oregon. It’s a
good profession for those w ho like contact
with people, varied challenges, and strong
com m unity involvem ent.
Many new jobs in corrections projected to o p e n up in
O reg o n o v er the n ex t few years
Program m eets entry-level qualification for police or
corrections officer
G o o d earning potential; pay increases w ith experience
Work can include investigation an d patrol duties, crim e
p revention program s, data p ro cessing an d m ore
G o o d for career-changers
Find out more!
Portland
Community
College
Call 978-5317
h ttp ://w w w .p c c .e d u
ply if they are planning projects that
incorporate strong community partic­
ipation in planning and involvement
from their local K-12 population.
Applications will be accepted un­
til a deadline o f October 1, 1996.
Grant requests must be for activi­
ties and projects occurring between
November 15, 1996 and August 30,
1997. Request an application form
from the Arts Commission office,
775 Summer Street NE, Salem, OR
97310. (503)986-0088.
G uidelines may also he accessed
through the Arts Commission s Home
Page on the Internet: http://www. das.
state, or us/oac/
e o.y
Learning 3 R’s with Kindermusik
Rhythm, reasoning and reading
music along with social interaction,
motor skill development and simple
musical concepts are some o f the
learning experiences that Kinder­
musik fo r the Young Child classes
provide for children.
Beginning September 16, 1996,
“ Let’s Begin with Music” located at
Rose City Presbyterian Church, NE
44th & Sandy Boulevard and St.
Phi I ip the Deacon Episcopal Church,
120 NE Knott Street, will offer
Kindermusik fo r the Young Child
classes to area children ages 4 1/2
through 7 years old, as wel I as classes
for children from birth to 4 1/2 years.
"K inderm usik has opened the
doors to the world o f music for Joe.
He has an understanding o f music
theory and process that I didn’t ac­
quire until I became an adult. And,
most important, he loves the class!”
said parent Melissa Powers-Piucci
of Portland. Kindermusik fo r the
Young ( 'h d d is based upon pedagog-
ically sound and developmentally
appropriate activities. Meeting each
week, children explore the world o f
music and movement in a process-
based learning environment, where
they perceive the classes as play.
Children learn about composers
such as Mozart and Bach, and they
are encouraged to compose music
and play a variety o f musical instru­
ments. Typical concepts presented
include reading and writing musical
notation, distinguishing tempo and
discovering how sound is produced.
In Kindermusik fo r the Young Child,
children also encounter the instru­
ments o f an orchestra, participate in
various ensembles and move expres­
sively to music from across the world.
Parents can call Anne Clark at
282-1839 for details.
Clark has more than 30 years o f
experience teaching children music
and she offers age appropriate music
and movement classes for children
from birth.
A licensed Kidnermusik educator
since 1991, Clark holds a bachelor's
degree in music education. She is a
member o f the Early childhood Mu­
sic Association, Chorister’s Guild,
the American Guild o f Organists,
and Kindermusik Educator’s Asso­
ciation. In addition to her children’s
music classes, Clark does musical
birthday parties and story hours, is
organist at Emmanuel Presft^erian
Church, W est Linn, and directs four
children’s choirs. Prior to starting
“ Let’s Begin with M usic”, Clark
owned Gingerbread House Preschool
for 18 years. She developed a music-
based curriculum for the school.
Open House and demonstration
classes for all age levels will be held
at Lakewood Arts Center, Thursday,
September 5th, 10:00 a .m , and Rose
City Presbyterian Church NE 44th
and Sandy Blvd., Friday, September
6th, 10:00 a m.
H eadquartered in G reensboro,
N.C. Kindermusik International pub­
lishes acclaimed music and move­
ment curricula for children in the
early stages o f life.
Internet access to school test scores
Oregonians with access to the
Internet can find out how individual
schools fared on state tests.
The Oregon Department o f Edu­
cation has introduced a web site (http:
/www ode state or.us) which con­
tains results o f the 1996 tests along
with other information about educa­
tion
Local school reading, math and
writing scores are posted
"We re excited to be able to give
many Oregonians instant access to
c ritic a l in fo rm a tio n a b o u t our
schools,” said State Schools Supt
Norma Paulus.
Paulus wants to use the Depart­
m ent's web site to reach the educa­
tion community and general public,
especially parents who serve on
school site councils which steer
school improvement.
Steve Hill, a parent who serves on
the site council ofC edar Park Middle
School in Beaverton, welcomes the
access.
“I am delighted that each school’s
test scores will be available to all
citizens on the Department o f Educa­
tion’s web site," Hill said. “ It is pre­
cisely this type o f information that
empowers us as parents and taxpay­
ers to objectively gauge the progress
that our schools are making toward
excellence, and if not, to ask the
question, “ Why not?”
or
Michelle
contribute.”
Scott and her son
With Lottery dol­
F
Nick, the sun shines brighter,
lars providing the financial foun­
and the grass is greener.
dation, the JOBS program’s training and
Low in confidence and tired o f living
hand-to-m outh each
m onth, Michelle
guidance gets people off welfare and into
the workforce. Each month, an average of
entered Mt. Hood Community College’s
1,400 program participants find jobs, with
Steps To Success program eighteen short
an average wage of $6 an hour. Plus,
months ago. Part of Oregon’s statewide Job
80 percent of those people are still off
Opportunity and Basic Skills (JOBS) pro-
welfare a year and a half after finding work,
gram, the Steps program provided Michelle
Today, Michelle is a Marketing Support
with the opportunity to build her skills and
her self-esteem. "Steps gave me the founda
Coordinator with a national marketing
firm s Portland office. "I am doing what I
tion to succeed,” said Michelle.
love and love what I do. Steps helped
“Before, I would have given up.
Now I feel I have something to
me get to where I am and I couldn’t
OREGON
LOTTERY
It Does
Good Things
have done it without them.”