August 28, 2013
Tïortlanb (Pbserucr
Page
Opportunity Knocks Campaign
Outreach
workers invite
students back
Teachers, outreach workers, staff
and community members are turn­
ing out Saturday Sept. 14 to knock
on the doors of students who are
not in school and invite them back
to the classroom as part of Portland
P ublic S chools th ird annual
Reconnection Campaign, a key dis­
trict initiative to get more students
to graduation and beyond.
The outreach builds on efforts
that began in fall 2011 as part of the
PPS Reconnection Services, a team
of outreach workers who contact
students who have left school to
get them reconnected.
This year, three students who
got reconnected to school will be
part of an advertising campaign
along with their PPS outreach work­
ers in an effort to inspire more youth
to reconnect to their future. Look for
their photograph on the sides of
TriMet buses in September.
Sebatian Rojas, 16, reconnected
at Rosemary Anderson High School, men make a smoother transition into
one of PPS' community based alter­ high school. A next step is identify­
native schools. Patrick Stupfel, 21, ing students who are falling behind
enrolled at and graduated from Al­ and at risk of dropping out and
liance High School, an in-district intervening.
alternative program, and is now a
The Reconnection Services of­
student at Portland Community fice was launched in 2011 to take the
College and working part time for additional step of locating students
state Rep. Alissa Keny Guyer. And who have dropped out, making a
Kervencia Limage, 21, graduated personal connection with them and
from Portland Night High School, working to get them back into a
located at Benson High School and school that works for them.
also an in-district program, in June.
Reconnection staff work all year,
She plans to enroll at Portland State tackling the list of students who
University.
have left school - calling them and
The reconnection work is part of showing up at their homes. Each
a spectrum of efforts to keep more fall, they make a special push to
students on track to graduate.
knock on students' doors.
The efforts start with prevention.
Last Sept. 15, staff and volun­
Such summer programs as Ninth teers knocked on 121 doors and
Grade Counts helps incoming fresh­ made face to face contact with 58
families, 48 of whom requested and
received follow up from an outreach
worker. Thirty-seven students had
either moved out of the district or
they turned out to be enrolled in a
GED program, online school or com­
munity-based alternative school.
When no one was home, door knock­
ers left information and outreach
workers followed up.
Portland Public Schools encour­
ages community members who know
of a student who has left school
without graduating to get in touch
with PPS Reconnection Services at
503-916-3956or reconnect @ pps.net
to find a school that fits and reinvest
in success.
Portland Public Schools out­
reach workers Jeremy Kingsbury
and Cheryl James with students
(seated, from left) Patrick
Stupfel, Kervencia Limage and
Sebastian Rojas pose for a
media photo. The adults and
youth will featured on TriMet
bus ads starting in September
as part of a campaign to get
more students to graduate.
Trinity
L u th e ra n
S chool
Academic Excellence. Inspired By Christ Since 1891
• Small Class Size*Family Centered
Best Buy Colleges Named
Oregon State University is among
41 "Best Buy Schools" named in the
2014 edition of "The Fiske Guide to
Colleges.”
This is the second time in two
years that OSU has made the list.
Only two other Pacific Northwest
schools made the list, the Univer­
sity of Oregon and Evergreen Col­
lege in Washington.
"At Oregon State, we recognize
that the rising cost of higher educa­
tion is a concern among students
and their families,” said OSU Vice
President of University Relations
and Marketing Steve Clark. “That's
why we are working hard to control
costs, as well as increase scholar­
ships, grants and tuition waivers for
students.
“In fact, this past year, approxi­
mately 85 percent of all students
attending Oregon State received
some form of financial assistance,”
Clark said.
Schools included on the list are
ranked as inexpensive or moder­
ately priced, and have four- or five-
star academic ratings.
Estimated tuition and fees for the
2013-14 school year for resident
undergraduates at OSU is $8,538.
Challenging Curriculum • Diverse Student Body • Computer Lab • Spanish
Sports • Music • Dance Team • Drama • Art • Licensed Extended Care
7a m -6 pm
Arianna Perez-Wolfe • Class of 2013
“The Trinity teachers encouraged me through my journey of education, taught me how to become
a hard-working student, and taught me the importance of being a good role model to others.
The small class sizes allowed me to learn in a comfortable environment and I was able to
learn more things. If I was confused about something I could easily ask my teacher questions
and have it explained to me without feeling that I was a burden. Small class sizes also allowed
me to become very close with my peers. Our group experienced everything Trinity had to offer
and therefore we quickly became family and will continue to be."
Ento/I fi/ouj Eot- Ehe. EûJ/!
503.288.6403 • TrinityPortland.org • 5520 NE Killingsworth« Portland