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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 2005)
<Llu |J n rtIa n h CObseruc Page A4 December 7, 2005 Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f The Portland Observer O pinion Learning Standards Prepare every student for college or work by V anessa G aston sessments are firmly in place in schools throughout Oregon. However, it is time for the current high school diploma requirements to be upgraded so that credentials are meaningful tocolleges and uni versities, employers, and the students themselves. These credentials should.confirm that a student has met rigor ous academic and career- related standards and is ready for college or work. We invite any interested Oregonians or Oregon institutions to offer written comments. By No vember 2006, we plan to adopt sig nificant changes to high school graduation requirements and to the state assessment system. We want to hear from you and your participation will help ensure these changes improve the educa tion delivered to our students. We are seeking a wide range of per spectives, and we are asking for input from parents and students, school administrators and teach ers, business and community lead ers, community college and univer sity educators, and interested citi zens. Our goal is to hear about what works in our current policies and what needs to be modified. Please submit your comments by December 16, 2005. Go to our w eb su rv ey online at h ttp :// w w w .ode.state.or.us/search/re- sults/?id=144, read the position paper and fill out the survey ques tions. Another option is to send your co m m en ts to jan.mccomb@state.or.us or mail them to State Board of Education, ATTN: Jan McComb, 255 Capitol Street NE, Salem, Oregon 97310. With your help, the new diploma requirements will make sure that Oregon’s graduates will be ready for the challenges of the 21M century. Are Oregon high sch o o l g ra d u a te s ready for college or work? In order to ensure that students gradu ate from high school better prepared for college and ca reers, the Oregon State Board of Education is reviewing O regon’s academic content standards, cur riculum requirements, credential re quirements, and statewide student assessment system from top to bot tom. We believe that Oregon needs to set learning standards with the expectation that all students can master high levels of knowledge and skills that enable success in postsecondary education, employ ment, and life. That means every high school student graduating with a diplom a should be “college ready.” The skills and knowledge that make high school graduates ready for postsecondary education are also the same skills and knowl edge that make them ready for em ployment. We want to reduce the achieve ment gap that now plagues many low-income and minority students, as well as provide students the opportunity to accelerate their learning with college courses should they have the capability and interest in doing so. The current system was devel oped 14 years ago when Oregon passed the Education Act for the 21 st Century. State leaders directed the Board of Education to adopt high standards for all students and Vanessa Gaston is executive an assessment system to measure director o f the Urban League of attainm ent o f those standards. Portland and a member o f the Or Today, those standards and as egon State Board o f Education. •A iMïiAk’ * '(erp * w 1/ ^5c (866)256-8270 Portland Campus Lloyd Center 2004 Lloyd Center • 3rd Floor Portland, OR APÒLLO COLLEGE A DIVISION OF U S EDUCATION CORP. www.apollocollege.edu 1 I \ P i* CHI?- Od Holidays Bring Alcohol-Induced Stress Have fun and set an example for children by K aren W heeler You can hardly get through the holidays without seeing a news story about the stress that many people experience at this time of year. There’s the loss of loved ones who won’t be gathering around the table. And family members who are forced together even if they’re not on good terms. O r the Aid physicians and other medical personnel as they examine and treat patients. Get Started Today: - *4» '' Mission lACCQMPtKHa? i - Examine a career in Medical Assisting. In less than 10 months you could be a M ed ical A ssista n t Q et ¿ letdown of unfulfilledexpectations. An element of stress that’s often neglected is that which alcohol brings: People already challenged by alcohol tend to overindulge at this time of year. People giving parties where alcohol flows freely are at risk of lawsuits if a departing guest is injured in an auto accident. And there’s the alcohol-induced stress of embarrassing yourself in front of co-workers or family. For many people, alcohol is a subject of New Year’s resolutions: “On Jan. 1, I’ll resolve to do some thing about my drinking.” This year, consider taking charge by resolving now either to become alcohol-free or to use and serve alcohol more responsibly. Even if you’re a parent saying, “I already use alcohol responsibly,” this message may still be for you. That’s because you have a golden opportunity to set a good example for the children and teens in your life. If they don’t abuse alcohol, that will reduce your stress year-round. It’s no small task, in Oregon, many teens make poor decisions about alcohol. Record numbers of eighth- and 11 -th graders report using alcohol and, even worse, 47 percent o f 11 th-graders report dan gerous binge drinking in the past month. I’ll admit it: when I was in high school, a lot of kids drank. But even Are you or someone you know pregnant It ? though that was a poor (and illegal) choice, the amount being consumed was relatively moderate. Today, by contrast, kids have contests to see who can drink the most. Although death is always tragic, w e’re now less shocked by news stories re porting that a teen has fallen victim to alcohol poisoning. What can parents do? If you give an adult party where alcohol is served, make sure it’s done respon sibly. But also consider an alcohol- free party with games, a white-el- Send a frequent, firm and loving message to your kids with your expectations about alcohol and other drugs. ephant gift exchange, fun bever good for us or our kids, we don’t ages and good food; you’ll be de have to buy into it. lighted with the results. We can instead concentrate on If you keep liquor in the house, what the holidays are intended to be sure it isn’t available to your celebrate: Ourfamilies, our friends, kids. In a new survey, 12 percent of keeping promises to our kids, and Oregon eighth-graders reported lots of happy, stress-free memories they got alcohol at home without that didn’t require alcohol to bring their parents’ permission. out the fun. If the kids want their own holi Karen Wheeler is addiction day party, do it with an organized policy manager in the Oregon De youth group or in a home where partment o f Human Services. there will be intelligent parental H e a l t h y B i r t h I n i t i a t i v e c a n h e lp . Healthy Birth Initiative (HBI) is a program for African American women and their families 1 íving in N/NE Portland. H B I o ffe rs : • Transportation to medical and social service appointments • Home Visits • Incentives • Health education classes (free childcare and transportation when attending any HBI group or class) • Information and referrals to community services For more inform ation contact: MULTNOMAH COUNTY Health Department Healthy Birth Initiative 5329 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Portland, Oregon 97211 503-988-3387 x22242 r|,l |Jnrtlanò Gßbscruer Established 1970 USPS 959-680 __________________________________ 4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211 Charles H. Washington E dito r M ic h a e l L e ig h to n D is t r ib u t io n M anager : M ark W a sh in g to n C r e ative D irecto r : P a u l N e u fe ld t O f f ic e M anager : K a th y L in d e r E ditor - in -C h ie e , P ublisher : supervision. Send a frequent, firm and loving message to your kids with your expectations about alcohol and other drugs. The data is conclu sive: Children whose parents do this are far less likely to use alcohol and other drugs. Alcohol is a pervasive part of our society. We conservatively estimate that alcohol advertising amounts to $55 million or more an nually in Oregon alone. Yet like other things that we know aren’t Send address changes to Portland Observer, P 0 B o x 3 1 3 7 , Portland, OR 9 7 2 0 8 Subscriptions are $60.00 per year 503-288-0033 FAX 503-288-0015 news@Dortlandobserver.com subscription @portlandobserver. com ads @portlandobserver. com classjfieds @portlandobserver. com The Portland Observer w elcom es freelance submissions. 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