On Aug 5-6, 10 West Linn and Wilsonville high school students received the opportunity to partner with 10 Portland State University undergraduate students as part of the Microscopy Society of America Annual Microscopy and Microanalysis national meeting. Sponsored by the conference Education Committee, student scientists worked alongside WLWV International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Program Coordinators Dr. Jennifer Wells and Danielle Grenier, as well as PSU’s Dr. Erik Sanchez to pilot a program that will introduce students to the world of professional conferences and advanced microscopy and digital imaging.

On Aug. 4, students engaged in a pre-conference electron microscopy workshop in the Portland State University Nano Development Laboratory to learn key concepts and technical language. Nanoscale microscopy is the technical field that uses electron microscopes capable of magnifications up to 10 million times in comparison to light microscopes that are limited to below 200 times magnification.

On Aug. 5 and 6, students attended and participated in the first two days of the Microscopy Society of America National Microscopy and Microanalysis Conference at the Oregon Convention Center. Students participated in the Plenary Session and visit the Exhibit and Vendor booths.

Each West Linn-Wilsonville student was paired with a PSU undergraduate student, allowing for collaboration and learning throughout the conference. West Linn-Wilsonville students then presented their International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) project poster to conference attendees. During the two-day conference, students learned about the latest in Microscopy and Microanalysis from some of the field’s top scientists and researchers.

The West Linn-Wilsonville School District is proud to announce Dr. Michelle Jensen as the next principal at Boones Ferry Primary. Dr. Jensen was selected for the leadership position on Friday, Aug. 2 following an extensive interview process that included an exemplary field of candidates. 

Dr. Jensen was selected following three separate panel interviews comprised of teachers, classified staff, administrators, and parents in addition to follow-up interviews with Superintendent Dr. Kathy Ludwig and District administrators. Candidates explored questions about leadership and instructional practice, culturally responsive teaching, and collaborative school culture among other important topics.

Dr. Jensen is a seasoned principal coming to the West Linn-Wilsonville School District from Hillsboro School District where she’s been a primary school principal since 2016. Dr. Jensen has also worked as a Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives and a lead counselor in Hermiston School District. Dr. Jensen received her doctorate from Oregon State University and has demonstrated a broad knowledge and understanding of instructional practices and culture-building during her career.

Welcome to Boones Ferry Primary and the West Linn-Wilsonville School District, Dr. Jensen!

The West Linn-Wilsonville School Board unanimously approved a resolution during an Aug. 5 meeting authorizing the placement of a $206.8 million capital bond on the November 2019 ballot.

The ballot title includes a $7.19 million OSCIM Grant that was approved by the State in July. The additional revenue will only be awarded to the District if the bond passes during the 2019 November election.

The capital bond, if approved, would fund several major construction projects across West Linn-Wilsonville including:

• Safety and security projects, including the building of secure entryways and limited-intrusion glass, at all WLWV schools;
• Relocate and expand Arts and Technology High School to the Athey Creek Middle School site to accommodate enrollment growth and increase Career and Technical Education opportunities;
• Relocate and build Athey Creek Middle School to the District-owned Dollar Street property in West Linn;
• Build a Performing Arts Center at Wilsonville High School; 
• Safety upgrades to the stadium and the building of additional parking at West Linn High School;
• Build a new primary school on the District-owned Frog Pond property in Wilsonville to accommodate enrollment growth;
• Technology Upgrades District-wide; and
• Additional capital improvements and facility upgrades across all 16 West Linn-Wilsonville schools.

The bond, which is not expected to raise the current tax rate of West Linn-Wilsonville residents, will placed on the ballot in addition to a local option tax levy. The local option tax levy was last passed in 2014 and is set to expire following the 2019-20 school year. The local option tax levy currently funds approximately 80 teachers across the school district. That tax levy is not expected to raise the current tax rate experienced by voters. 

The Board approved the resolution following the recommendation of the District’s Long Range Planning Committee in June and more than a year of work and discussion. The Long Range Planning Committee reviewed the West Linn-Wilsonville School District’s recommendations for addressing West Linn-Wilsonville school and safety following the advisory committees’ reports and incorporated them into the capital projects provided to the Board. The Board also utilized the WLWV Superintendent’s High School Study conducted during the 2017-18 school year as well as a 10-year enrollment forecast conducted by Flo Analytics in 2018.

Additional information regarding the 2019 capital bond, including a more complete list of projects, can be found on the district website.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, which is exactly what Wilsonville High School Sophomore Hanna Rizo hopes to achieve with her photography. In fact, storytelling was one of many reasons she was excited to begin a photography internship through the Wilsonville Public Library this summer.

Hanna has spent her summer vacation photographing various Wilsonville Public Library events, providing marketing materials for the Library while building awareness of the many exciting opportunities it has to offer Wilsonville residents. In addition to experience and work she can add to her portfolio, Hanna will also get the chance to learn from a photography mentor in local photographer Kim Elliott. [READ ALL ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY ON CREST'S WEBSITE]

Incoming eighth- and ninth-graders from all three West Linn-Wilsonville high schools are putting their science skills to the test this week during the 2019 WLWV Tech Summer Camp. Students spent the week experimenting with drones, coding robotics, and learning graphic design skills. The diverse summer science camp aims to integrate incoming high school students into the many science opportunities available in WLWV high schools while preparing students for college and career. A second week-long camp will be offered July 29-Aug. 2. To sign up for the free summer camp, students can access the following QR Code.

On June 10, West Linn-Wilsonville Superintendent Dr. Kathy Ludwig and Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Dr. Jennifer Spencer-Iiams gave a special presentation alongside members of FACT Oregon, highlighting the changes in special education in the State of Oregon. Speaking in front of members of the Oregon Senate Committee on Education in Salem, Dr. Ludwig and Dr. Spencer-Iiams highlighted the importance of Inclusive Practices in Oregon schools. Specifically, they shared the dramatic impact Inclusive Practices have had on West Linn-Wilsonville schools and students in recent years.

Even before Inclusive Practices were first implemented, the West Linn-Wilsonville School District’s mission statement was to create learning communities for the greatest and most thoughtful people for the world. And for the better part of the past decade, that mission has included Inclusive Practices. Congruently, the District has experienced a great deal of growth during that time, as the District has collected data, monitored student outcomes, cultivated school cultures, and refined Inclusive Practices.

[READ THE REST OF THE STORY AND ALL ABOUT RECENT WLWV INCLUSIVE PRACTICES UPDATES]

The West Linn-Wilsonville Internship Pathways Program launched this summer, connecting WLWV high school students to career-based learning opportunities in the local community. One such work-based opportunity comes through the Metro Native Plant Center, whose collaboration has allowed three students to gain first-hand environmental science experience this summer.

Through a youth work-based learning program, students have already begun working at Metro’s Native Plant Center in Tualatin, located just down the road from Athey Creek Middle School. Students have hit the ground running, gaining perspective on the vital purpose the Metro Native Plant Center serves in the Metro Region while learning valuable work skills. Read more about the exciting partnership program at the CREST website.

As the West Linn-Wilsonville School Board prepares to place a possible Capital Bond on the November 2019 Election Ballot, the District continues to complete some of the final projects of the 2014 Capital Bond thanks to the continued generosity of WLWV residents.

With well over 90 percent of the 2014 Capital Bond funds spent on pivotal projects such as the construction of Meridian Creek Middle School and Sunset Primary School. This summer, work includes new carpeting at Cedaroak Park Primary, tennis court resurfacing at Wilsonville and West Linn high schools, track replacement at Wood Middle School, a new music room at Bolton Primary, performance lights at Willamette Primary, a new playground and portable classrooms at Boeckman Creek Primary, and general site improvements across all 16 schools among other projects.

Work will continue through the summer, finishing in time for the start of the 2019-20 school year in August. Thank you to our community for continuing to invest in WLWV school facilities! Learn more about the possible 2019 Bond.

CREST Farm Foodies Summer Campers had a blast on July 3, selling CREST-grown foods to the Wilsonville community. Students sold blueberries, basil, asparagus, raspberries, other herbs, and even kale chips they made themselves.

Farm Foodies is a new CREST summer camp offering this year, allowing students to experience agriculture and farming first-hand while learning about where food comes from. Middle school-aged students have spent the past three weeks planting, weeding, and harvesting produce, as well as experimenting with cooking using ingredients they grew themselves. Students visited school gardens across West Linn-Wilsonville, learning about the importance of healthy soil and ideal growing conditions, and spent time making tasty items such as raspberry jam, kale chips, and other healthy foods.

Stay tuned for the next session of Farm Foodies Campers, who will sell additional produce this Wednesday, Aug. 10!

The Oregonian Cup is arguably the best indicator of success in high school athletics in any given school year. The Oregonian Cup is given to the high school who demonstrates the most cumulative success across all sports in any given year based on a points system. Schools are also awarded points for academic success, meaning student-athletes need to demonstrate well-rounded abilities to earn the top prize.

The final results were tallied and 2018-19 winners were announced on June 17, showing that Wilsonville and West Linn high schools have some of the best athletes the State of Oregon has to offer. Wilsonville High School finished first in all of 5A while West Linn High School finished second in all of 6A.

Wilsonville earned a total of 3,662.5 points over the course of 2018-19, finishing a whopping 565.75 points ahead of second-place Crescent Valley among all 5A schools. Of note, Wilsonville High School's boys basketball team won a state championship, earning 200 points, while the football team finished second, girls basketball finished third, and many other teams turned in tremendous seasons. It was the first time Wilsonville has won the Oregonian Cup since 2002.

West Linn High School finished second in all of 6A, trailing only Jesuit High School. West Linn student-athletes thrived in a number of sports, including football, boys and girls soccer, volleyball, girls basketball, track and field, baseball, girls golf, and more. Congratulations to the many successes of our 2018-19 student-athletes!