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Cottonwood School of Civics and Science Place-Based Fieldwork
We are so grateful that our 6th and 7th grade students experienced a full week of in-person outdoor school this spring. Below are overviews from the two teachers who accompanied students’ daily adventures at Audubon’s wildlife sanctuary in NW Portland.
7th graders took part in Outdoor School this week at the Audubon Sanctuary and it was pretty awesome! I am so grateful that we got this opportunity to participate in outdoor school in person this year, after they missed out on the experience last year, and just to spend five days with the students, in person, out in the woods, under the forest canopy with the sounds of the birds and away from a computer (with no signs of Zoom, Google Classroom, or email) was pretty special for me too!
Each day of the week had a different outdoor education theme, led by our dynamic instructors, Abby and Tim.
Monday was “Soil Day,” where the students became acclimated to their “classroom” for the week and learned about the three main types of rocks, the different layers of soil, and soil and geology of the Columbia gorge.
Tuesday was “Water Day,” in which we tested the PH level, temperature, and oxygen levels of the creek, created our own watersheds with paper, markers, and tiny spray bottles, and searched for macroinvertebrates in the water to help inform us about the health of the creek.
Wednesday was “Plant Day,” where we took a plant walk through the woods, learned to identify various native plants, tried some edible ones, and did some leaf rubbings and investigations, focusing on the different parts and characteristics of a leaf.
Thursday was “Animal Day.” We got to handle and identify different mammal skulls and pelts and talked about bird adaptations, studying different wings, feet, beaks, and feathers of a range of different birds.
And Friday was a mixture of Wilderness Survival Priorities, where we learned about the “Ten Essentials” of what to bring camping and hiking and the “Rule of 3” of human wilderness survival, and did a couple of blindfolded walk activities through the woods, focusing on using our other senses, and learning to “fox walk.” We also played a Wolf Survival dice rolling simulation game that compared a wolfpack’s chance of survival with and without human interference. All in all, the week was filled with a great mixture of fun activities and educational lessons on the outdoors.
Other highlights from the week Included:
Huge THANK YOU to our parent chaperones throughout the week and for all of you for transporting out to the Audubon Sanctuary each day, and of course, our instructors, Abby and Tim, for an informative, fun-filled, and memorable week of Outdoor Education that we will no doubt think fondly upon for a long time! Again, I am so grateful that we were able to do this in person this year!
Outdoor school with Audubon was magical. Not only were Tim and Abby phenomenal instructors who really got middle schoolers and really really knew their stuff, they were so organized and chill and set a wonderful tone for our whole week. They were truly moved by all the really sincere thank you cards the kids made.
Each day began with a greeting and a game, followed by a theme day. The first day was all about soil and we went on a scavenger hunt after learning about what makes soil healthy.
Day 2 was the plant day- we went on a hike to find edible plants and learned a ton about the structure of plants and how to id them. It was also our downpour day and honestly, it made me so happy to see the entire class enjoy the rain. I mean really enjoy it! We were all soaked in the best way and Abby was really impressed by all the positive attitudes. No one- I did not hear a single complaint or sour face about the rain. I really do think it illustrates the power of Cottonwood- weather does not faze us.
Day 3 was our water day, ironically! It was also a beautiful dry day that allowed us to search for macroinvertebrates in the creek and do some testing of Balch creek to see how healthy it is. The pH was neutral, it had great dissolved oxygen levels, the temp was perfectly cool, and there were many types of macroinvertebrates.
Day 4 was our animal day and we were thrilled to investigate actual skulls and pelts, learning about adaptations and learning about types of birds. The students even invented their own birds! So many cannibals! LOL!
The last day was about ecosystems and we learned all about wolves in Oregon and how they are a keystone species. We also went on a blindfolded walk through the foliage and met a tree with partners. We played so many fun games including the flock of a feather, the rock/paper/scissors/evolution game, and our favorite, the animal greeting game.
Each day ended with a bead ceremony where students nominated others to receive certain color beads symbolizing traits. Blue for kindness, purple for courage, red for teamwork, green for nature awareness, yellow for curiosity, orange for respect, and only on the last day did we all receive a black bead for completeness. One of the last things we did was to share an appreciation for nature and we held a rope after sharing, and at the end, we all leaned back supported by the rope, symbolizing how we all are interconnected and can rely on each other.
I was so moved by being able to see everyone face to face and to laugh and play and I was so impressed with their caring and honest appreciation of everyone in the group. And an extra extra special shout out and deep thanks to Jered Spencer for volunteering for the entire week. We really would not have been the same smooth experience without you.
By: The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science Teachers and Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
In-person, place-based learning returned to Cottonwood every Thursday (K-5) and Friday (6-8) this spring! The majority of our students joined their teachers in Willamette and Sellwood parks to connect, learn, and enjoy the outdoors. Parent volunteers helped to create over 200 “sit-upons” (squares of tarp, trimmed with duct tape), teachers created teaching carts full of materials and supplies to bring to their weekly park day, and we have all learned a lot about how to bring school into a public outdoor space.
We were also fortunate to host several guest teachers on our park days and continue many of our community partnerships. Below is a list of individuals and organizations we worked with this spring to extend place-based learning opportunities to our students.
It has been a welcome opportunity to spend time with our students in parks this spring and we look forward to bringing lessons learned from this experience into the coming years at Cottonwood.
By: The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science Teachers and Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
Over the past year, our fence facing Bancroft Street has attracted much attention. Last summer, many students and families showed their support for our Black families by posting homemade signs. These cardboard and paper messages filled the fenceline and elicited responses from the greater community, some hostile, but mostly encouraging.
This experience taught us that we have a powerful teaching platform that we were unaware of until now: our fence! We realized that we can use our fence as a way to bring student learning into the community in a natural and effective way. Our first installation was posted at the end of April. 6th grade students in Lisa’s class researched and wrote biographies about influential Black people from American history and their work is now hanging for all to see. We regularly observe neighbors and visitors to the South Waterfront reading the biographies and snapping photos of the artwork. The students have become the teachers! Thank you to them for sharing their work with the community.
Below is the statement that accompanies the student work on the fence. Stay tuned for a new installation soon!
At the Cottonwood School, 6th graders become historians and investigate the past as historians do. By reading and analyzing primary source documents such as photos, government documents, interviews, maps, and more, the students pieced together how America was formed and how it has changed over time.
What you see here are short biographies (around 250 words) written by the students meant to answer the question “Why should we know and care about …..?” We met and worked with several professional historians who guided our research.
Finally, students put their visual art skills to work as they explored several ways to highlight a person’s face and created a portrait of the person they wrote about.
We hope you enjoy these little views into history and perhaps learn more about our past and are inspired by the resilience and courage of these powerful Americans.
By: The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science Teachers and Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
This fall the kindergarten class explored family diversity through close examination of people, place and time. We focused our study by looking closely at identity: What are the characteristics that make us who we are and how closely are they related to the place we live, the people we come from, history, historical events and the time in which we live? The kindergarteners considered the elements of self-identity and discussed how our beliefs, ideas, interests and appearance influence our sense of self. We then “traveled” to the Portland airport where we looked closely at the PDX mural entitled A Place Called Home to explore cultural, racial identity and diversity. We traveled in time through the creation of family trees, timelines, family artifacts and artistic representations of “identity” at The Portland Art Museum. The kindergartners shared how their families are unique through “family gifts,” recipes, and special places. We discovered diversity within our small kindergarten community and learned that the “Beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people.”
– Kindergarten Teacher, Kimberley Bonder
This Fall, the 6th graders were gifted a free ride to the University of Colombo Medical School. In this hands-on unit, the students explored what it means to be human, looked deep into the organs and tissues that make us up, created cell models and analogies, bred marshmallow insects to explore genetics, and even dissected at home. The students taught each other about each body system to prepare for the MCAT (a tough exam on all the body systems). It was a proud moment when all the hard work paid off!
– 6th Grade Teacher, Lisa Colombo
This fall we took an extensive look at the system of extraction and deposition we call “trash.” We started with the foundational fact that just by being alive we naturally produce byproducts, like any living organism. We looked at how humans are different from other organisms around the planet in how we use what is around us. We then explored the definition of “trash” and how it can change based on who is looking at an item. We extended this concept in our exploration of the Honorable Harvest through Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book Braiding Sweetgrass. Students read passages from Kimmerer’s book about the topics of Honorable Harvest and gratitude. Each time students seamlessly made connections between how we live and what we end up throwing away.
We also looked at the amount of trash in each of our neighborhoods by taking walks for three different days in the same areas to see what litter we could find. We were able to understand this data better through graphing and discussion. We used online resources from Metro to explore their transfer station, watch videos about what happens to trash after it is picked up from the curb, and even welcomed a Master Recycler as a guest speaker. Students took their foundational knowledge and created their own questions which drove 90% of our talk with Master Recycler, Colleen Johnston. Students really appreciated how Colleen was able to answer all of their questions! Using this experience students then created surveys about trash and recycling to learn more about how our community deals with these essential parts of being alive. The culmination of the unit had students analyzing the results of those surveys and presenting that data to each other.
Students also looked at the concept of Fast Fashion through our partnership with artist and author Nina Montenegro. Nina presented on how Fast Fashion creates a plethora of negative impacts, from the working conditions of those who are making the materials and clothing we buy, to the environmental impact of waste water from where the cloth is dyed, to actual clothes and how they are thrown away once the next fashion comes out. Nina also presented the concept of Slow Fashion as a response to the overproduction and wasteful practice of fast fashion. By reading excerpts from Nina’s book, Mending Life, students learned the concepts of mending and were tasked with mending an article of clothing as a small action project to reduce the impact of clothing waste. Our last class of the term students presented the results of their mending, their data from the surveys, and reflected on what they learned about trash and our part in the system.
– 7th/8th Grade math and science teacher, Chris Wyland
The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science Teachers and Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
This fall our 4th and 5th grade students are learning all about how water moves, including the water cycle and how watersheds work.
Earlier in the trimester, students created informative and beautiful diagrams demonstrating different stages of the water cycle.
They followed instructions to conduct different experiments at home. In one experiment, students created a water filtration system using a bottle and material like rocks, soil, and leaves. In another experiment, they evaporated warm salt water in a bowl to make it condense on the cool plastic above, before it precipitated fresh water back down into a smaller bowl. Students also created models from crumpled paper to research how water can travel off of a watershed.
To support both the teacher-directed and hands-on learning, Morgen’s and Daniel’s class welcomed guest speakers from Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services and the Portland Water Bureau to share knowledge about our local watershed. As a culminating activity, students are molding and painting their own watershed models out of salt dough using materials from the most recent supply kits. We’re looking forward to seeing how they turn out!
As part of their geology investigation, 3rd graders picked up kits in October with several hands-on activities.
Students conducted a fun experiment using Starburst candies to see how rocks transform from sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous. They went on to create diagrams to show their understanding of the rock cycle.
Students adopted a pet rock! They used research materials and a series of clues to determine what type of rock they had adopted.
The class hosted a presentation by OMSI where students learned about different types of rocks through a series of tests conducted by the presenter.
Students are now working on a digital geological timeline research project that will be displayed on the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals website. We are thrilled to continue this partnership despite remote learning this trimester. Thanks, 3rd graders!
– Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
The days are getting shorter and colder, but the plant study for our 1st and 2nd grade students is still going strong! This fall they have been learning about all things plants: how they work, their parts, the gifts they give us, and all the ways we can help care for them. At home, students are sprouting herbs and watching roots, stem, and leaves slowly emerge from a bean seed that germinated in their window. In art, students are creating above-and-below ground veggie paintings, and in literacy, many read-aloud books further student understanding of plant biology and cultural connection. Children are becoming well-versed in the lingo of botanists, learning such terms as photosynthesis and gravitropism. Students searched for seeds in their neighborhoods and several families were able to take advantage of the optional field trips suggested by teachers, such as to local farmer’s markets or Luscher Farm in Lake Oswego. The classes are especially looking forward to the upcoming visit from Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer- a plant scientist! Thank you teachers and families for supporting this fun and essential place-based learning.
– Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
Over the course of this year, students have been learning about and exploring the lives of the indigenous people of this land throughout this nation’s history. Fourth and Fifth graders have learned about different indigenous tribal communities, how their lives have been forever changed by the arrival and expansion of European settlers, and how these communities have continued to be resilient despite everything they have endured. Over the last few weeks, students learned about the indigenous tribal communities currently present in Oregon by researching the nine federally recognized tribes called the Nine Confederated Tribes of Oregon. Each student was assigned one of the nine confederated tribes, and completed an independent study and project on their assigned tribal group.
During the spring trimester, students:
– Morgen
6th grade has adapted quite a lot to at-home learning. Students have been exploring algebraic patterns and geometry with easy to find materials.
Students put their math skills to work in their utopia projects. After reading The Giver, a phenomenal Dystopian novel, the students began working on their ideal world, deciding on the government, economy, family structure, housing, and geography. They created floor plans of a Utopian House and found the area and perimeter of each space. Soon to come are the maps of the world, a persuasive presentation, and detailed descriptions of what makes it a utopia.
Sixth-graders also explored a topic of interest in an independent learning project. Many chose cooking but other projects ranged from Chemistry to Urban Planning, Japanese to Georgia O’Keefe.
– Lisa
The 7th and 8th graders have been looking outside for their place-based project this trimester. They learned about Victory Gardens–both WWII and 2020–as they investigated potential growing spaces inside and outside of their homes. They observed and mapped outdoor spaces, collected data on different spaces around their houses, and grew herbs from seed, tracking growth of seeds that they sprouted between paper towels. They constructed their own planters from recycled materials, and they’ll continue to cultivate these herbs throughout the summer! In addition to working on their own growing project, 7th and 8th graders investigated food-related topics relevant to our community, including Portland’s Blanchet House, an organization dedicated to providing resources for our city’s houseless and food insecure members. The director of the Blanchet House shared data with our students, including how many meals they served each day, each week, and for each meal; students turned this data into graphs and charts which were then shared back with the Blanchet House.
– Emily
– Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
School in the spring of 2020 is for Cottonwood students as it is for children all over the world: different. For the past six weeks, our small school has worked to negotiate the contradictory concepts of “remote learning” and “place-based education.” The scope and scale has become hyper-local for our families: the home, the yard, the neighborhood. Teachers are working hard to stay connected with all of their students, keep them on track to meet learning goals, AND offer experiential activities to help kids further explore and consider their specific place and our collective place (city, state, country, planet). For this update, we are highlighting projects from kindergarten through 3rd grade this spring at Cottonwood.
The kindergartens are focusing on the concept of change. They are using their homes, backyards and neighborhoods to explore change in this place called Portland. Students observe leaves as they emerge and grow, hunt for patterns in nature, learn the basics of the water cycle, and share other changes they notice at home. The guiding theme of change has them thinking about the natural world and how they themselves are changing from day to day and year to year.
Our 1st and 2nd grade students are experiencing their spring place-based unit as planned! Teacher Nesa reports: ¨The first and second graders are learning about Oregon forests in a collaborative and engaging way. Individual plants and animals that the kids drew were printed out and put on a large forest landscape made by their teacher. Over the next month, the landscape will have things happen to it like lighting striking a tree, so that the kids can learn about forest fires and other life cycles in the forest. The project will also include information writing about specific forest animals.” Research on Pacific Northwest forests and animals is complemented by suggestions to “adopt-a-tree” near their home to visit and observe throughout the spring. Check out these photos of the evolving forest-scapes!
Over the past several weeks, 3rd grade has continued the study of Northwest plants used by Native peoples. Teacher Fawn continues to make project work a daily part of the learning plan and integrates it into literacy and math whenever possible. As part of the current unit, students engage with Confluence’s web library of personal narratives that connect to plants, water, and lifeways, and go on virtual field trips to places that we intended to visit this spring such as the Grand Ronde cultural center and Camassia Nature Preserve. Students make connections to their neighborhood through plant walks and activities related to the plants they have already studied: conifer trees, nettle and now camass. Through our grant from the Gray Family Foundation, we are providing native seedlings and bulbs for students to plant in their home gardens and extend the learning to their whole family.
Next month: remote place-based learning in grades 4-8! Stay safe and hope you are finding a way to love your place.
– Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
It’s winter break already and many of our classrooms are wrapping up this phase of their fall place-based projects. Here’s what happened this trimester at four different grade levels.
For over seven weeks the 7th and 8th graders trekked to Oaks Bottom wildlife refuge to collect data about the ecosystem. Focus groups concentrated on topics spanning from waterfowl presence to the quality of the water to vegetation. The work is a partnership with Portland Parks and Rec to document to impacts of a culvert renovation to the reservoir in Oaks Bottom. PPR’s ecologist, Laura Guderyahn, trained students in bird ID, and environmental educators from PPR gave a hands-on class about the role of decomposers in the Oaks Bottom ecosystem.
Student teams presented their findings on December 10th to parents and partners, comparing data taken two years ago by former CSCS students to the same data they took this year. This has been an amazing project that has allowed our students to do real science. The added bonus is that students have also gained an appreciation for how human efforts can impact an ecosystem for the better. The unit will culminate in a celebration at Sellwood Riverside Park on December 20th, where the students and other students from Portland will release Salmon they raised in the classroom this fall through Multnomah 4-H into the Willamette River.
This fall the 4th and 5th grades have been laying the foundation for a year-long study of American History through an Indigenous lens. They began by examining the federal holidays and examining the history and reasoning behind all of them. Students specifically considered Columbus day and its significance as a jumping off point for learning about the time period when European American began to colonize the Americas. Daniel’s class delved deep into the story of Columbus, the Taino tribe, and the standard set by Spanish conquistadors for relations between Europeans and Americans. Morgan’s class is researching several different Indigenous tribes across North America to gain perspective on the sheer diversity of Native Peoples. For fieldwork, both classes visited the Confluence Landbridge in Vancouver guided by Indigenous educators and interpreters from Fort Vancouver National Park. There will be more fieldwork to come in the winter, when this unit flows into local history.
Geology is the place-based focus for 3rd grade in the fall. Students learn about the geologic history of the Pacific Northwest and gain a fundamental understanding of rocks. To help with this learning, students visited OMSI to take a class on fossils and a class on the rock cycle. They also traveled to the Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Hillsboro, took a tour of the Columbia River Gorge, and explored a fossil kit on loan from the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. This year, we are happy to partner with Portland Parks and Recreation for the culminating project: students will be creating educational materials to help the city’s environmental educators lead geology-focused field trips at Mt. Tabor. We are excited to complete the project in January and hand the work over the PPR. Thanks, third graders!
After completing their classroom mapping project earlier this fall, kindergarteners have been exploring the topics of identity, family, and art. Supporting fieldwork has included a trip to the Portland Art Museum, a visit to the Oregon Historical Society, and three voyages on the MAX Orange Line to examine public art. When looking at art and artifacts, students considered the questions: “What story does this tell? What does it tell you about the person who made it? What does it tell you about this place?” IIn the classroom, students have made self portraits and engaged in “family sharing.” This unit will extend into the first part of January with one more visit to the Portland Art Museum and more classroom visits from students’ families to share artifacts and traditions.
– Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
What is a neighborhood? What is a community? Are they the same thing or are there differences? These are just a few of the questions our 1st and 2nd grade students are exploring this fall. Both classrooms have built neighborhood models and are busy adding buildings, streets, and characters. To inform their classroom work, students have been out and about in the city to learn more about important elements of neighborhoods. They toured Gray’s Landing, the apartment building across the street, and Mirabella retirement home. They traveled to OHSU on the aerial tram and journeyed downtown twice to visit a Portland fire house and see behind the scenes at Umpqua bank. Charlene Zidell spoke in the classroom about the history of her family in the South Waterfront, and next week the classes will visit the Central Library for a tour. In each location, students are asking about how different agencies or business help the community. They will use this research to consider how they can help their community and create their own service projects. This unit lays critical groundwork for our students by establishing a working understanding of community and their role as a community member. Civic education in action!
Did you know that The Cottonwood School has a whole class of medical experts? Another group of 6th grade students have entered the University of Colombo Medical School and have recently passed their MCATs. They are on their way to becoming specialists and presenting their knowledge to a panel of professionals at the grand rounds later this trimester. To prepare for med school, students conducted a few fieldwork trips. The class visited the Oregon Zoo to help their understanding of primate evolution. A trip to Portland State University’s Natural History Museum gave students the opportunity to observe dozens of mammalian skeletons. In September, the class visited the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) for a guided garden tour and to learn about the medicinal properties of plants. In November, they will revisit NUNM for a class on naturopathic medicine, and in December, the class will journey to the OHSU primate lab to learn more about the field of medical research. In addition to field studies, students will have many hands-on experiences in the classroom (no spoilers!) that make for a completely memorable unit. Best of luck!
– Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
As the school year came to a close, students stayed busy with their place-based community projects. Here are just a few highlights from the past two weeks.
This past weekend our 3rd graders ran an exhibit at the Portland State University Archaeology Roadshow. The theme this year was “Daily Life,” which student applied to their studies of the Chinookan Peoples. To prepare for the exhibit, students met with several experts. An archaeologist came to the classroom to talk about what an archaeologist does and answer questions. The class traveled to the Portland Art Museum to learn about Chinookan art from contemporary artists and even learned how to make paint from clay. Students traveled to two different ecosystems– Tryon Creek Natural Area and Camassia Natural Area– to learn about the importance of native plants and seasonal rounds. Students also visited the Oregon Jewish Museum for a “behind-the-scenes” tour of how to make a good exhibit. Finally, students were able to create and present. This is the fourth year our 3rd graders have participated in the Archaeology Roadshow, and as far as we know, we have the only exhibit that is run by students younger than college level. So proud of them!
As a companion project, the 3rd graders have also been researching the possibility of our school adopting a land acknowledgement statement. Students worked in groups to write several different drafts and presented them at a staff meeting.
This spring, students explored the scientific method, properties of matter and phase change, periodic table, chemical reactions, and looked at how these concepts can be explored through food. Last week, the class presented a science fair for the school community to teach others and explore science concepts. To prepare for the exhibition, students created a testable question and hypothesis, wrote a detailed procedure, performed the experiment (multiple times for some) and collected data in order to confirm their hypothesis or not. Topics ranged from Dry Ice Ice Cream to the Effect of Yeast in Bread, to Phase Change through Jello. According to Teacher Lisa: “The students really rocked out on the science fair. It was so great to see how many parents came and students were really proud of their work.” Thank you for teaching us, 6th grade!
Once again, our 7th and 8th grade students undertook Project Citizen as their final work for the school year. Through Project Citizen, students identify and research local problems, propose a policy-based solution, and put in place an action plan. This year, our eighth graders focused on the sanitation needs of Portland’s homeless community, and our seventh graders learned more about challenges facing small businesses. Students spent the spring reading, interviewing, surveying, and meeting with expert guest speakers to refine their projects. A highlight for the eighth grade class was being invited to testify at the commissioners at City Hall so students could ask the city to include several mobile sanitation units in next year’s city budget. Dylan spoke for her class and elicited a round of applause and commendations from Commissioner Hardesty.
Both classes presented their final projects to a panel of judges in Salem last week, where they were able to view projects from other schools around the state. Thank you to the Classroom Law Project for supporting a program that provides so many avenues for civic education and engagement!
Lastly, we held our first place-based symposium on Thursday, May 30th. All classrooms hosted parents, community members, and partners for mini-presentations on place-based projects completed this school year. Student presenters shared slideshows and 3-D models, performed plays, and led participants in activities. The evening was a great success, culminating in a lively round-table discussion for interested guest educators. We’re looking forward to next year’s symposium!
It has yet again been a busy year for fieldwork and place-based studies!.Thank you so much to all of the parents, community partners, and teachers who make it possible for us to live our mission. See you in the fall!
– Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
This spring, the 7th and 8th grade classes took a 4-day, 3-night trip to Smith Rock State Park. Led by Northwest Outward Bound, the trip was meant to get students to step outside their comfort zone, make new connections, and build awareness of themselves and their surroundings. Here are some of the reflections that our students wrote upon their return.
By: Andrew Cortes
One time during the Smith Rock trip we were able to participate in something called repelling. Repelling is where you get attached to a harness on a really steep cliff and you have to slowly reach to the bottom until you touch the ground. There is also an instructor helping you with everything from the start to the finish of the whole activity. When I was first introduced to this I was really scared because I had never done anything like this in my life and I was also a tiny bit scared of heights. In the beginning I was scared, but I took a really big step out of my comfort zone.
While I was waiting for the other people to try it (I was number 10 out of 13), I got a bit nervous. Some people came up saying it was super easy while others only just got strapped in. When it was finally my turn I came up to the instructor. He explained to me everything that I needed to know and I fully understood. I finally got strapped in, leaned back, and took the first step. I thought it was easy and traveled down a tiny bit more. It was hard at first but I got a lot used to it. My original goal was to get strapped into the harness and take a couple steps but I wanted to go further.
While on the really steep cliff I looked down and realized I had a long way to go. At the one fourth mark there was this part that made my body feel really uncomfortable and I wanted to go back up. We couldn’t really make that happen though so I had to go all the way down. I positioned myself to the right way and felt way more comfortable. I then began climbing down more and more. There was also this one part where my legs didn’t have contact with the rock and I felt really scared. I just pulled myself down thinking everything was gonna be okay. In the end I completed all of it and went past my comfort zone! I felt really proud of this moment and I will always remember this.
By: Soren Nilsen-Goodin
One moment from the Smith Rock trip that was special to me was the circle we had in the night. Our group went out to the edge of this cliff, and we all sat in a circle as we reflected on our day and told stories. The stars were out that night and it was such a magical feeling looking up at the stars. I could see the city lights at a distance and the feeling of being there, the feeling of solitude, the feeling of wondering was so perfect in that moment of time.
Our instructors past out M&Ms and each color corresponds to one story we could tell. I shared three rules I would like to live by in my life. One was to live in the moment. Two was to always do what I feel. And three ways to make the most of my life while I have it. I will remember the walk back to our tents as well, talking with my friends and walking through the dark night was such a great feeling. I hope I do something like this again with friends.
By: Zoe Carcia
One thing from the Smith rock trip that will always be funny everytime I think of it is when Dylan, Aurora, Sage, and I were in the bathroom getting ready for our sweet dreams in the freezing cold tarps. There was this riddle we were telling Dylan and she was not getting it. You say, “So listen, if this trash can is a stick, this paper towel is a stick, and the water faucet is a stick, are you a stick?” and the answer is yes because you say “so listen” at the beginning and if you don’t say “so listen” at the beginning it’s no, and Dylan wasn’t getting it and we were all taking turns telling Dylan the riddle and we were all laughing and thought it was so funny. I thought that was a time I really had fun with people I don’t really talk to.
It is perfectly normal to be nervous about going on this trip. I was so nervous about going I tried to convince my parents to let me stay home but they made me go and I had a amazing time. Yes you will be stepping out of your comfort zone but if you don’t let that bother you you will be having an amazing time. I was too afraid to go on the scramble and the repel but I went rock climbing and it was so fun seeing how high everyone can go. Some advice I will give you is to bring layers, bring so many layers. It was so cold the first night. There was frost on the tarps and my toes were numb when I woke up. And bring snacks for both the bus rides there and back because I got so hungry on the bus. It is natural to be nervous. All I say is that you go and see how much fun you will have.
By: Esme Pearl Barsh
A moment I stepped out of my comfort zone was definitely scrambling (squeezing through a cave). It started with my entire group sitting maybe about 5 ft away from a cliff in the blaring sun, we were all waiting for our turn to tunnel through the entrance. I was excited but also very scared because of all the videos I had watched online of people getting stuck inside caves and not being able to get out of tight spaces. As I made my way through the cave there was a few tight spaces that were a little bit of a struggle to get through, but otherwise everything was going smoothly for myself, but maybe not for Brian. Brian, Owen’s dad, got stuck in between 2 rocks at the last small space. I was a little nervous, especially because since I was in front of him I was expected to help him through the small space by telling him the best way to get through. Luckily, our instructor Ralph helped him get through the tight space.
Once we got out and the rest of my group went through the tunnel, we got to sit on a ledge made out of large rocks and enjoy the view of the trees, cliffs, mountains, the rock climbing group, and the beautiful river. Ralph took a picture of all of us and don’t get me wrong, it was amazing up there but I was very ready to get back onto flat ground. Little did I know I had to go through the cave again–but backwards. As everyone started making through way back into the cave I realized I was going to be one of the last people entering, which just put more pressure on me because of the fact if I take too long I would be holding everyone up. I made my way into the cave, through the small spaces, and wiggled up the upward tiny spaces. And before I knew it I was out of the cave back into the blaring sun I started in.
By: Talus J. Miller
Heart pounding, mind racing, and adrenaline pumping all from excitement. As we approach the scrambling site we do a trust activity. We all partner of into pairs and choose one partner to close their eyes and the other to lead, and we place our hands one on top of the other then I lead my partner through the outstretched claws of the sagebrush and dusty sand revealing hoof and paw prints. Hands clammy in the heat of the sun, we laugh and joke and blindly walk towards the unknown fun ahead. We get to the gear pile. Standing sheltered from the sun by juniper trees we listen the guides rhythmic accent surrounded by the smell of sagebrush and juniper and the sound of birds chirping, frogs croaking, and the nearby Crooked River rushing and lapping.
After instructions it’s time to go. With help we spring across a gap with a bone breaking, jaw dropping, and heart skipping thirty foot drop we land with a sigh of safety on the cool moist rock on the other side. As we wait murmuring to each other we look at the flooded Crooked River and our other classmates climbing on the other side of the river. As soon as everyone has made the jump we try not to fall asleep as the sun warms our backs and we listen to more rhythmic instructions from our guide. Then we enter the unknown.
As I enter the dark ominous crack in the rock, the cold air surrounds and sends small daggers through me. As I crouch legs shaking perched on a small ledge I wait. My small friend in front of me makes a small hole look smaller. She looks back at me and a bright smile filled with excitement, nerves, and anticipation breaks across her face persuading a smile from mine. My heart thuds at the thought of such a small space and the possibility of getting stuck. As I swallow my fear and allow my curiosity and excitement to surface, I tell myself, “This is an awesome opportunity and will be a great experience,” then I proceed. I slither through the small hole and walk along between two rocks and through other small cracks and holes.
Out we come inching along a narrow ledge pressed tight to the rough surface of the rock to keep from falling off. When we get to the end we peel off the rock one by one and step lightly onto the boulders where we sit and wait for everyone to come out. As we wait we look at the beautiful muddy brown river flooding its banks and spitting water spray over rocks and logs, and we wave to our fellow students waiting for their turn to climb as we clamor about the repelling to come later that day and the rock climbing the next day. We take a couple group pictures as we are perched precariously on rocks and ledges and over small gaps between the rocks. Then after more instructions we head back.
One by one we press ourselves close to the cold rough surface of the rock wall and inch our way slowly across the narrow ledge then scramble up a two-foot gravel-covered ledge. As I make my way up feet slipping and hands clawing for hand holds, I hear the murmured chatter of my group and the words of encouragement from my friends ringing out. I wiggle past a rickety old latter and then go head first through a small gap in the rock wriggling and squirming my body to get through. A few more steps and I duck down head touching my knees to get under a rock then a sharp corner a big step up to a little sip of rock covered in moss and gravel. At the next part I pass mapping out the way I’m going to get up the three feet of nothing to get to the precariously placed wobbling elevating rock. I press my back hard against one wall and my feet firm against the opposite boulder shifting my weight I wriggle and worm scuffing my back against the wall behind my my feet. Scuffing the other wall I put more pressure on my back and put one foot down onto the untrustable wiggly rock levitating above a ten foot drop. With a hop I put both feet down and bring my torso of the wall and above my shaking legs. My friend and I laugh as we walk to the next part of the course. The small hole my feet against the bumpy rock behind me and my head and shoulders squeaking and scraping through the hole, my feet pushing me through on my stomach. Up we come blinded by the hot sun, and with eyes squinting we scramble over the slippery moss like it’s nothing. A hop, skip, and jump, and we’re back on the sand and dirt path.
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
Now that the days are warmer and dryer, many of our students have been out and about learning from the natural world. Below are some place-based education and fieldwork highlights.
Observing the new growth of spring is a great time for our youngest students to learn about life cycles. These last couple of months, Teacher Noelle has connected the kindergartners to three different hands-on projects related to the topic.
Students incubated chicken eggs in the classroom, with support from Maureen Hosty and Multnomah County 4-H. Children learned about the different stages of embryo development, learned the skill of “candling” (holding a light to the egg to see inside), and recorded observations in their egg journals. All viable eggs hatched in the classroom and the student had a week to spend with the chicks before the little guys were adopted by one of the classroom’s families.
Parallel to the chick hatching, students made two visits to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge to observe tadpoles and baby salamanders in the frog pond. The first visit was led by a Portland Park and Recreation educator and the follow up trip allowed for students to monitor frog/salamander growth.
Lastly, students raised caterpillars in their classroom and watched as they spun chrysalises and emerged as butterflies. To support these observations, traveled to Willamette Park to visit the Butterfly Garden and once again meet with a Portland Parks and Recreation educator to learn about the lives on these most beautiful insects. The kindergarten classroom also housed ladybug larva, courtesy of Multnomah County 4-H, watched as they transformed into adult beetles, and released them into an ideal outdoor environment, with lots of aphids nearby.
What is a river? What makes a river healthy? What is it like to be a salmon? These are just some of the questions our 1st and 2nd graders explored this spring, focusing specifically on the life cycle of salmon. In the classroom, the students built a “frieze” of a river on the classroom wall, adding elements such as native animals and vegetation. Each student added a salmon egg to the frieze, which changed every week- first developing an eyeball, then hatching with the yolk-sac still attached to their bodies, and then growing into a juvenile fish, preparing for the long journey to the Pacific. At times, the salmon encountered obstacles (added to the frieze by the teachers), such as garbage in the water, leading the students to generate solutions to the problem. With every development on the frieze, students drew and recorded events in their journals.
To support classroom learning, students made many forays into the field. Most memorable was the trip to the Clackamas Fish Hatchery, located in Milo McIver State Park. Children had the opportunity to hold real fish eggs, see tanks of young fish, and even witness an osprey catching a steelhead from the river! Both classes visited Tryon Creek Natural Area to learn about what a stream needs to be healthy and Angie’s class traveled to Smith and Bybee Lakes in North Portland to explore an important stop-off point for salmon traveling up the Columbia River. Additionally, the classrooms hosted three guest speakers: the head of the Northwest Steelhead Association, a representative from the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, and an educator from Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Science. All of this learning will be valuable background knowledge for potential river and stream play this summer!
After some initial instruction in oceanography, the 4th/5th grade unit on Oceans was really launched by their overnight trip to Newport. While there, students had the opportunity to play on the beach, fly kites (the first time, for some!), observe seals at Yaquina Head (some students even saw a seal give birth!), and learn from an educator from the Oregon Coast Aquarium about new strategies for cleaning plastics from the beach. Students spent the evening at the Aquarium, learning and exploring, and retired for the night in the shark tunnels.
Upon return from Newport, students dove into the issue of plastics in oceans. The documentary and supporting website, “The Plastic Ocean,” has served as a guiding text. Children applied their learning to create educational posters which will be on display at the symposium at the end of the month. Students also plan to write letters to lawmakers, urging them to limit plastic production and pollution.
As a final culmination project to the 4th/5th graders’ year of water education, students worked for an entire week with Yakama artist Toma Villa on a mural depicting the Columbia River watershed, from Mt. Hood, to the Pacific. Each student had the opportunity to work in a small group with Toma several times over the week. We are so grateful to both Toma and the students for this amazing piece of artwork that will grace the walls of our school for years to come. Thank you so much to the Confluence Project for funding this project!
– Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
Middle School Overnight Trips
If you noticed that the school was a little more quiet earlier this month, that’s because our middle school students all had overnight trips in April.
The 6th grade class ventured to outdoor school soon after spring break. From teacher Lisa: “The 6th graders, courtesy of Outdoor School for All funds, spent 3 days in Fossil, Oregon at OMSI’s Camp Hancock. They spent a day learning survival skills including firemaking, shelter building, and finding and purifying water. Students played teambuilding games, went on a night hike to experience adaptation skills and learn about triboluminescence, hiked to the Hancock tree to learn about rocks and minerals and the local geology, and observed plants during an ethnobotany class. Highlights for sure were the campfires, the food, and the squirrely dance.”
Sounds like so much fun and definitely something for the fifth graders to look forward to next year!
Meanwhile, the 7th and 8th graders journeyed to Smith Rock for a four day rock-climbing camp led by Outward Bound. Students set up their own sleeping tarps, survived a cold, rainy night exposed to the elements, and enjoyed the beauty of Smith Rock while learning rock-climbing basics. From Teacher Chris:
“In our final closing circle our director asked the group if they had fun in Smith Rock and the group overwhelmingly yelled ‘yeah!’ A few students have come up to me during this trip to say that they didn’t want to come before the trip but they are so glad they came. All students seem able to articulate how cool of an opportunity this was for them. Giles, our Outward Bound director, finished out by talking about transference. This is where you take lessons learned on this course and transfer it to your life. After the climbing wall the instructors asked students “Who belays you in your life back in Portland?” Many students listed parents, friends, pets etc. they were thinking about people/beings who support them through challenging situations. Many students expressed overcoming hurdles they thought were insurmountable. At the evening meeting I attended last night, the whole group identified how everyone deserves to feel proud because of how they supported each other and overcame personal challenges.”
Thank you to everyone who make these invaluable trips possible, including Outdoor School for All, Outward Bound, parent chaperones and drivers, and those who supported the fundraising bake sales. These trips are an important element of our school culture and we are grateful that we are able to provide such lasting memories for our students.
Adopt-A-Place
Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Willamette Park. Tryon Creek Natural Area. Willamette Greenway and Cottonwood Bay. What do all of these local natural areas have in common? They have all been “adopted” by our classrooms as part of our Adopt-a-Place program. Through this program, every class visits their adopted place several times over the school year. Some of those visits are exploratory, some are related to classroom curriculum, and a couple are focused on restoration efforts to help maintain the site, such as planting, mulching, or pulling invasive species. The purpose of the program is to foster connections between our students and our natural areas by providing time for them to play, learn, and care. We have also built meaningful relationships: Portland Parks and Recreation and Friends of Tryon Creek two of our longest standing partners. Thank you to parent chaperones who help us maintain the program by chaperoning our visits- we couldn’t do it without you!
Place-based Art
When you walk down the hallway between our 4th/5th grade classrooms and the kindergarten, you have certainly noticed and appreciated the student artwork hung by k-5 art teacher, Melissa Allen. Melissa brings many topics and themes into student projects, such as holidays, families, art history, and she also connects to our place-based themes. Examples over the winter include animal crowns as part of the “Animals in Winter” unit in kindergarten, mountain portraits in the 1st/2nd grades, and etchings of the trickster god Raven as part of the 3rd grade unit on the Chinookan People. Melissa has collaborated once again with Sean Z Becker Real Estate in the South Waterfront to host a student art show. Please come on May 7th, 3-6pm to support our budding artists!
– Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
What stories do mountains tell? Our 1st and 2nd grade students explored this question all winter through a variety of investigations and learning activities. Both classrooms built model mountains in their classrooms and gave them names: Angie’s class model is Mountain of Dragons and Nesa’s class has Mount Snowy Top. Students learned the different ways that mountains are formed, with a special focus on volcanology. This dovetailed into a visit to Mt. Tabor to explore the Portland Park’s volcanic past. Back in the classroom, students researched plants and animals that live on mountains and discovered that they live in different zones depending an altitude. Plants and animals were then added to the class mountains. A mountaineer visited the classrooms to share stories of climbing northwest mountains and Amanda McAdoo shared her experience as a witness to the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. Students went on to visit Tryon Creek Natural Area to investigate the impact of erosion, which they also applied to their own classroom mountains.
Alongside the scientific facts uncovered through research, students also found other stories emerging. The classes read Indigenous stories about mountains and volcanoes and even hosted a storyteller who shared stories about local places. Drawing from both science and stories, students then wrote plays about mountains which they performed for families this week. As another culminating event, Mount Hood National Forest hosted both classes at Timberline Lodge. Students toured the historic lodge, learned about the native history of Wy’East, and had a fun time in the snow!
This winter the third grade have considered the question “What is culture?” as a jumping off point for the investigation of the Chinook. This investigation led to more questions: How do geography and the environment influence the way the Chinook meet their needs? How can we makes connections between our culture and to that of the Native American? How do daily routines, rituals, and structures show what a culture values? We were able to borrow the Cathlapotle Plankhouse trunk, put together by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for an entire month to access several teaching resources specifically about the Chinook. An educator from the Museum of Natural and Cultural History (part of the University of Oregon) led a hands-on presentation in the class about “Oregon’s First Engineers” and storyteller Will Hornyak visited the classroom to share stories from the Chinook and other Indigenous peoples. One of the most special events of the unit was a trip to Tryon Creek Natural Area led by three Indigenous educators on the topic of cultural biology and seasonal rounds.
An undercurrent to all of these explorations are the questions: Should Cottonwood School officially recognize that we are on Indigenous Land? Why would we do this? Is acknowledgement important? These questions and lessons on the Chinook with continue in the spring as the third grade prepared for their 4th PSU Archaeology Roadshow (June 1st!)
Also this winter, third graders raised trout as part of our partnership with 4-H and released the fry in Commonwealth Lake.
Is Portland a progressive city? Why is Portland primarily white? What power do I have and how do I exercise that power? How can I be courageous in my own life? Once again our 6th graders have explored these questions as part of their unit on the history of Portland, focusing on the experience of our Black community. The unit begins with a delve into the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s, where students learned about significant leaders and events. To support this part of the unit, students viewed the film Selma at the Clinton Street Theater and brought the Selma march to life through their own day-long walk through downtown Portland. When it came time to learn about Portland history, students practiced being historians by observing dozens of primary source documents and thinking critically about the stories they tell. Students worked in expert groups to teach the rest of the class their part of the history. Subtopics included: exclusionary laws, red-lining, gentrification and displacement, Vanport, the Albina community, police relations, and school segregation.
Throughout the research process, several speakers visited the classroom to share their knowledge and experience. Guest speakers included Ed Washington, former Metro council-member and Vanport resident, JoAnn Hardesty, City Councilwoman, Kimberly Moreland from the Oregon Black Pioneers, and Randy Blazak, head of the Oregon Coalition Against Hate Crime. Students also toured the new permanent exhibit on Oregon history at the Oregon Historical Society and visited the police accountability office at City Hall. As always, the most notable event of the unit was the all-day scavenger hunt where students traveled around the city in small groups to visit and learn about significant historical places. Highlights included a guided tour of Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church and lunch at Black-owned businesses. The class is currently discussing possible culminating projects, to be completed this spring. Ideas include a podcast, a book with each chapter from a different perspective (like Seedfolks), a website, and/or online map embedded with primary sources.
– Sarah K. Anderson, Fieldwork Coordinator, The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science
Stay tuned for more updates of Place-Based Education (PBE) adventures at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science.
Laine is a 4/5 teacher, and no stranger to CSCS! Laine first worked with our students in grades K-8 as a math intervention teacher. They completed their student teaching in both 3rd and 5th grades at Chapman Elementary. They also completed two years of public service as a math teacher through AmeriCorps doing interventions with 7th and 9th grade students. Prior to their teaching career, Laine spent 10 years as a fundraising professional supporting cultural preservation for Alaska Native tribes. With the desire to be “on the ground” in direct service and with a passion for culturally responsive education, Laine pursued a Master’s in Education from PSU. At PSU, Laine was part of the arts integration cohort, where they developed lessons that included arts standards in core curriculum. Laine has a Bachelor’s in Music from University of Alaska and has personally experienced the empowering nature of including the arts in primary education. With their interest in social justice and creative expression, they are committed to helping students explore and discover how they can use what is uniquely special about themselves to make meaningful contributions to their community.
Aviva (Shannon) McClure is a dedicated and experienced artist and educator, recognized for her contributions to experiential curriculum development, racial equity, and community building in educational settings. With a dynamic career spanning over two decades, Aviva has held numerous roles that underscore her commitment to fostering inclusive and engaging learning environments.
Aviva holds a Master of Science in Educational Leadership and Policy from Portland State University (2012-2014) and a Bachelor of Science in Art Education K-12 from Bowling Green State University (1998-2002). She holds both an Oregon Administrator & Teaching License with a focus in the Arts. She has played a pivotal role in charter school foundation and leadership in Oregon, restorative justice leadership in Portland Public Schools, neighborhood safety plans in North Portland and school sites. Her early career includes roles as K-8 class teacher, lead art teacher, and vice principal in Portland Public Schools.
Aviva is a single mom of a rad OSU senior, founder of Our Turn PDX, former director of The Cascade Festival of African Films, and co-chair of Tisch PDX. In her time away from Cottonwood, Aviva climbs mountains, watches films, makes art, and plays with her Dog named Dave on the beach.
Email: avivamcclure [at] thecottonwoodschool.org
I have always been drawn to creativity and design and I am so excited to be the Art Teacher at Cottonwood. My background and training is in drawing, painting, printing-making, fiber arts, multimedia, and digital arts. I like to guide students with foundational questions that gradually lead to more complex themes and skills, instilling confidence in the face of challenges and autonomy in creative processes.
Before coming to CSCS, I taught K-3 Science at Arbor School and worked as the Equity and Inclusive Advocate at NWRESD’s Outdoor School. I received my BFA in fashion design at WashU in St. Louis and earned my masters in teaching at Lewis & Clark College. When not at school, I love collecting beads, shells, and fabrics; exploring new places on my bike; and eating strawberries.
Anni grew up in Portland, but was born in Beijing, China. Her approach to teaching is experiential and relational. She became interested in working in the classroom at a young age as her mom was a K-2nd grade teacher. Anni is passionate about creating safe and inclusive spaces for learning. When she isn’t in the classroom, you can find her outside exploring, playing music, cooking, or biking and hiking with friends and family.
I have been teaching for 5 years at Chapman Elementary School in the Portland Public School district. I was a 5th grade teacher for 3 years and I have been a 3rd grade teacher for the last 2 years. Cottonwood’s mission and values align with my own as I create community-based classrooms with a diverse lens. I am excited to be a part of your community!
My name is Carrie Brown and I am excited to join your community at Cottonwood School of Civics and Science. I enjoy teaching and the creative process. I have a BFA in Visual Arts from the University of North Texas and a MAT from Concordia University, Portland and am also Montessori certified.
For the past 9 years I have taught in Portland Public Schools and for 8 of those years have taught at PPS Indian Education Native Montessori. Most recently I have been teaching third grade in PPS and am over the moon to teach a blended second and third grade class at CSCS! My teaching practices honor integrated learning, centering student interests, and incorporating both western and Native perspectives. In my free time, I enjoy hiking and visiting the Portland Art Museum. Thank you for this opportunity to join your CSCS community. I am so excited to meet all of you!
I’m excited to start my first official elementary classroom with you. Two truths and a lie about me…I sang jazz at a memory care facility on Friday, I climbed Mt. Hood this season, and my favorite genre is sci-fi.
My educational career background includes teaching environmental education in Appalachian Ohio, as well as one summer stint at Tryon Creek, and working in several Portland districts subbing and as a paraeducator- but my favorite way to teach is truly in the natural world. I’m a semi-recent graduate from an MAT program in 2022, and have one official year under my belt teaching 6th grade math. The happenings of a school building in action never fail to fascinate me, and I know the Cottonwood microcosm will deliver. As I look for a vintage commuter bike to live out my Danish dreams pedaling to work (finally no long drive) I anticipate meeting you as well. Also, my favorite genre of literature is not sci-fi, but I need to read more of it!
For over 25 years Laura has been serving youth and their families as a transformational leader, curriculum writer, trainer, educator, and advocate. She brings diverse experience working across sectors in schools, non-profits, athletics, mental health, and community based organizations. Lovingly committed to a growth mindset and educating the whole child she is excited to join a team of creative teachers, committed families, and inspiring students.
Laura has a passion for providing brave learning spaces for youth and adults while creating healing centered, culturally relevant, and accessible content for a wide variety of intersectional communities. She is a champion of our most vulnerable working to uplift and empower others by focusing on strengths. Laura recently moved from Oakland, CA to Portland with her partner of 21 years and amazing cat family. In her free time she has been exploring waterfalls, attending live events, swimming, coaching volleyball, and cooking up new recipes in the kitchen. She is most drawn to working at The Cottonwood School because of the supportive community, unique curriculum, commitment to DEI work, and the deep care for students and their sense of belonging.
Alicia Moody is a passionate, thoughtful and value driven HR leader with experience providing strategy and HR consultation to business leaders supporting initiatives that impact and enhance organizational culture and business results. She has efficaciously supported leaders with specific focuses on recruitment, employee relations, talent development, operations, organizational design and program management while serving on leadership teams for over 13 years.
In her current role as an HR Director, she now supports a leading Medical Device company and leads the HR function. She previously functioned as a Global HR Director for Commercial Process & Operations and Legal, Sr. HR Manager primarily partnering with Global Field Service Engineering, HR Manager in drug product manufacturing supporting Quality, Engineering, Finance and EHS after completing an HR Leadership Development Program. Prior to completing her HR Leadership Development Program, Alicia served in various positions specializing in Recruitment, Program Management, Operations, Talent development, Strategy consultation and Deployment for the federal government, real estate, and education industries both within the United States and in China. Alicia received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Georgia State University, Master of Science in Human Resource Management from Troy University and holds an Executive Juris Doctor from Purdue University Global.
Alicia passionately serves in diversity, equity and inclusion, as a mediator in her local community, and on the steering committee of her current company Black Employee Network ERG.
Julia is a parent to two Cottonwood students and wanted to get involved with the school to build community and help continue the efforts of place-based education.
Professionally, Julia is a lawyer with over a decade of experience prosecuting financial crimes. She has also been lucky enough to travel and teach prosecutors and judges domestically and around the world about financial investigations, asset forfeiture, and illicit uses of cryptocurrency.
Gail grew up in the state of Vermont, and takes their love of nature, outdoor education, and environmentalism into their instruction and educational methods. They moved to Oregon in 2018 and worked as the Garden Coordinator at Sabin Elementary school before joining the Cottonwood team.
They have years of experience in outdoor and field education, and love being goofy in the woods both with and without students. They worked in the Bahamas as an environmental educator before moving to Oregon and would love to share their adventures if you catch them in the hallway or on the playground! They love the outdoors, backpacking, and playing soccer. Their love for education is deep and fostered by the fun that they bring into the classroom! They’re excited to join the Cottonwood team as the 8th grade Homeroom Teacher and the Middle School Field Work Coordinator!
Jill is a parent at Cottonwood with her youngest son entering 2nd Grade. She currently works as a Lactation Consultant while homeschooling her eldest son and has served on several non profit boards both here and in the UK. Jill worked as a Mental Health and Addictions Nurse for 10 years, working in both the community and supporting students in Higher Education. She also has personal experience with neurodiversity and learning challenges in children.
Jill joined the board because she is passionate about the school’s values. She hopes to bring her experience in the field of mental health and neurodiversity to help steer the school towards their goals of supporting children to participate in authentic, hands-on learning experiences that are closely tied to the community.
Matthew Claudel is the founder of Field States, a benefit company based in Portland, Oregon that uses a unique design process to discover place-based potential and create new forms of value for people and the planet. He is a visiting assistant faculty member at University of Michigan’s Taubman School of Architecture and an affiliate faculty member of Portland State University’s Geography Department. Matthew was previously the Strategic Design lead for a national healthcare company called Curative.
In 2016, Matthew co-founded MIT’s designX program, where he was the Head of Civic Innovation and an instructor for four years. Matthew has co-authored two books, Open Source Architecture (Thames & Hudson) and The City of Tomorrow (Yale University Press), and published articles in peer reviewed journals, book chapters and speculative fiction pieces, primarily surrounding the issues of technology, design, and cities.
Matthew served on the jury for the Canadian Federal government’s $50M Smart City Challenge, and supports the continuation of the program as a strategic advisor for the Community Solutions Network, through Open North. Matthew was a Futures Fellow at the Purpose Foundation in 2021 and a Public Policy Fellow at the Boston Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics in 2018. As an undergraduate, he studied architecture at Yale, and received a Master of Science in Urban Studies from MIT. Matthew has a doctorate in Advanced Urbanism from MIT, where his work focused on the emerging practices of urban experimentation as they relate to civic value.
Kristin is Cottonwood’s School Counselor where she supports student social emotional learning, academic engagement and access, and mental health and well-being at school. She is invested in integrating social emotional learning and wellness across our curriculum at Cottonwood. By teaching students to connect with themselves, each other, the wider community and the earth, we can build a more equitable world.
Kristin has worked with students for over 20 years ranging from preschool through 12th grade. She is passionate about co-creating a community where everyone can shine, learn, grow, and find balance. She loves people, communication, learning, and unlearning. When she is not at school, Kristin enjoys cooking, walking through trees, swimming in the river, learning about plants, and spending time with her family and appreciating simple things.
Amanda joined the faculty at Southwest Charter in Fall 2010 as the kindergarten teacher, during the 2014/15 school year she began her transition into administration, becoming the Executive Director in 2016. After being away for 22 years, Amanda returned to her hometown of Portland in 2008 to raise her two boys. Amanda received her Master’s Degree in Education from the Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, California in 1992. With her degree in hand, she has taught in a number of small alternative schools, designed a successful children’s clothing line using recycled materials, and started her own Place-based school in rural Montana. Amanda believes strongly in the power of Place-Based Education and getting children out from behind their desks and into active, hands-on learning! She loves children and is enthusiastic about the outdoors, her community, family, cooking, and crafts.
Email: amandamcadoo [at] thecottonwoodschool.org
Sarah K. Anderson, was previously our 7th/8th teacher specializing in language arts and social studies, was originally lured to Oregon by its waterfalls. She spent most of her childhood exploring rivers and forests near her rural Vermont home- experiences which provided inspiration for a passion for nature and all things wild. After graduating with a degree in American Studies from Bard College in New York, Sarah served as an AmeriCorps volunteer for Metro Parks and Greenspaces in Portland. Since then, she has worked as a crew leader at an educational farm in Vermont, a Teacher Naturalist in the California Redwoods and a Middle School Humanities teacher at The 
Key School in Annapolis, Maryland. Sarah received a Masters of Education from Antioch New England Graduate School, where she specialized in integrated and place-based education. In addition to exploring the local neighborhoods and environs with her zany middle-schoolers, Sarah enjoys knitting, hiking, pickling, reading good books, and climbing waterfalls.
Sarah has written a book about Place-Based Learning and The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science, titled “Bringing School to Life: Place-based Education Across the Curriculum.” Learn more about the book here .
Email: sarahanderson [at] thecottonwoodschool.org
Susan joined the teaching staff of the Cottonwood School in 2012. She has over 15 years of teaching experience spanning grades two through six in both public and private schools. In 2018 she joined the administrative team as Academic Director and is enjoying supporting staff and students in this new role. Susan received her Masters of Education from the University of Pennsylvania and found her way to Oregon as the result of marrying a native Oregonian. She spent most of her childhood living outside the United States. She was born in Brazil, completed high school in Belgium and as an adult has also lived in Russia. These international experiences have helped her develop a strong appreciation for other cultures and viewpoints. When not at school, she enjoys travelling to new places whenever she can. She is an avid reader and helps to promote this with students through participation in Battle of the Books.
Email: susanhathaway [at] thecottonwoodschool.org
Kimberley has spent the last ten years teaching preschool through third grade at Trillium Charter School and spent the past three years in a K/1 blended classroom. Kimberley is committed to relationship-based education and inclusive classroom practices. She became interested in place-based education while working with a colleague who did their student teaching at The Cottonwood School. The next year Kimberley devoted her time to a year long study with her students of Washington Park and the importance of this place to the Portland Metro community. Kimberley has a BA in Early Childhood Education and Human Development from Washington State University. In her free time, Kimberley loves spending time with her daughters, friends and family, reading, hiking and riding her bicycle.
McLean came to Cottonwood in the fall of 2019 as a teacher candidate in Morgen’s 4/5 classroom, before moving to the middle school. He recently earned his Masters in Education from Portland State and works to incorporate music, theater, and storytelling in the classroom each day. Prior to his time at CSCS, McLean served as a classroom assistant and after school teacher at The Ivy School, a summer camp instructor/Earth Mage at Trackers Earth, after school care bus driver, field educator at an environmental non-profit, and Expressive Arts Program Coordinator. Originally from Juneau, Alaska, McLean enjoys backpacking, playing the guitar, looking at maps, creating art, sports, video editing, playing board games, long road trips, and crossword puzzles with his morning coffee.
Nancy joined the Cottonwood Special Education team as a half-time learning resource teacher in the Fall of 2020. Over the years, she has evolved as an individual that sees great value in education. In her generation, there were no additional supports for students to develop their areas of weakness. She was a high school drop-out that yearned to be equal. Throughout her life, she strived daily with small challenges that propelled her forward.
Nancy graduated from the Cinema, Television, Stage, and Radio Arts program at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology with a Practical Arts Degree, as a writer/producer for television.
She also studied the fine art of printmaking at Northern Virginia Community College and became a professional printmaker.
She pursued interdisciplinary studies in education, art, and psychology at George Mason University. Her Masters in Education is from Regent University; with an Adaptive Endorsement from George Mason University.
She is also a proud mom of two, who both had learning challenges throughout grade school, one of whom is now a veterinarian.
Liza joined the Cottonwood staff in 2018 as the full-time special education teacher. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and a dual Master’s degree in Reading & Special Education from the University of Michigan. Liza grew up in a large family in the Northeast that included a special needs sibling. Before getting her masters, she worked in administrative positions at schools in Boston and Southeastern Michigan. After grad school, she and her husband relocated to the Northwest for access to all of the outdoor activities in the Cascades and Oregon coast. In Portland, she has taught special education at Beaverton High School, Peninsula Elementary and Portland Village School. She is thrilled to be at Cottonwood where she appreciates the close knit community of staff & students along with the school’s place based education mission. In her free time, Liza enjoys spending time with her family in the mountains or at the coast, buzzing around in her EV, and enjoying the many great coffee houses in the Northwest.
Sara joined the CSCS in the fall of 2021 after working as a substitute in PPS and then teaching a small cohort of 1st graders during the 2020/2021 pandemic year. Sara has always felt connected to being an educator. After completing her undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies, she worked as an educator for the Portland Audubon, and as a wilderness instructor for a nonprofit in Montana. Feeling eager to bring the outdoors into a classroom, Sara then decided to pursue a Masters in Education at PSU. She loves the challenge and artistry that comes with a teaching career and especially enjoys fostering wonder and compassion in children. When she isn’t teaching, Sara enjoys gardening, paddleboarding, hiking and backpacking, seeing live music, creating art with friends, traveling to tropical places, foraging for mushrooms, and diving into a good book.
Before coming to CSCS, Dan spent most of his career teaching and writing curriculum for outdoor and environmental education programs. In that time he saw the way experiential education inspired a love for learning and became passionate about finding ways to incorporate those lessons into the classroom. He received a Masters of Teaching from Oregon State University, worked as an educational aide in the supported life skills classroom at Centennial High School, and taught in a 5th grade classroom in the Beaverton School District. When he’s not teaching, Dan loves woodworking, spending time in the wilderness with his partner and two step-sons, and travelling by motorcycle.
Katt will be supporting our K-3 students in the area of literacy. She has been an educator since 2001, making this her 20th year of teaching. Much of that teaching was done in classrooms, mental health facilities, and students struggling with math and reading. She has recently graduated with her MSE in Curriculum and Education, and has a Professional Teaching Certificate, along with her Reading endorsement.
Katt has also been part of the CSCS community since her first child was in Kindergarten, almost 8 years ago, and also has a student currently at the school. She is thrilled to be a part of this staff and looks forward to working with our youngest readers.
Born in Japan, Yuri originally came to the US to study recreation and PLAY to follow her passion. She has a background in organizing experience-based recreational, educational, and cross-cultural programs and place-making projects both in the US and Japan. In Japan, Yuri spearheaded the creation of a community nature school, where multi-generational community members can gather and share their traditions, knowledge, and stories in and near the sacred forest. Yuri is a trained playworker and a board member for the nonprofit organization, Portland Free Play, which provides creative play opportunities for underserved communities and public school recess programs with recycled scrap materials. At the Cottonwood Adventure Play, children are provided a safe environment with open-ended “loose parts” that empower them to create, collaborate, explore and thrive through this unique program. Yuri has been a school parent for the last 6 years in the Cottonwood community. Outside of school, she enjoys cooking, gardening, designing, and being in nature.
Hey Parents…my name is Spencer Rubin. I am a Beaverton resident…and one of you: A parent.. We began Play.Fit.Fun to provide kids…parents…families opportunities for: More Fun! More Play! More Activity! Plus…empowerment, confidence, respect, socialization, leadership, teamwork, interaction, after school care for kids with working parents…or for parents who simply want their kids to have 1-3 hours of Fun-Activity…in an organized curriculum and positive environment, while socializing with kids their age interpersonally. No Electronics Allowed!
Cinzia (pronounced “Cheen-tzee-uh”) Ballantyne joined Cottonwood in the fall of 2021 as our math interventionist. She is currently our math interventionist and 7/8th grade math teacher. Cinzia hails from Boston, Massachusetts, but has lived in 6 states and 2 countries! She has a degree in biostatistics and biology from Simmons University in Boston. Her background is in insect and plant ecology, but has also been tutoring and teaching in learning centers between field research seasons since college. She loves to bring her experience using math outdoors and her statistics knowledge into the classroom! When she isn’t teaching, Cinzia enjoys cooking Italian food, hiking, photographing nature, watching documentaries, and spending time with her wife and her mom’s dogs.
Gina joined CSCS in fall of 2019. She comes with experience of working as a community support specialist assisting adults with varying physical and mental abilities, and as a preschool teaching assistant that cared for children between 3 months and 6 years old prior to that. Growing up in New Jersey has exposed her to many different cultures and social classes which gives her the tender ability to see things from many different angles. As a person who has worn multiple hats since graduating Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s of Science in 2013, she understands that there are infinitely many ways of thinking and viewing the world. This understanding helps her guide those who may deviate from the standard towards discovering their strengths, so that they can develop the skills to eventually pursue their education independently. As a person who came to Portland with next to nothing and found a way to summit mountains, ride 200 miles to Seattle via bicycle, and build a stable and successful life, she knows that everyone around her is way more capable than they realize and it is her mission to show them that potential.
Sade joined the CSCS community in 2017 when her oldest was in kindergarten at Cottonwood; now she has three children attending. Cottonwood’s place-based curriculum and passion for civic engagement was the foundation for putting her kids at CSCS. Sade has joined the faculty this year after being a stay-at-home mom, and student all while serving on the board and the DEI committee the past two years. Sade recently graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor’s in Communication. She also has an Associate Degree in Business Administration.
Sade believes every child from a diverse background should have someone advocating for them in the school system. Growing up, Sade lived all over Portland and Vancouver, and as a person of color, she understands first-hand how challenging a school system embedded in systemic racism can be. The experience of being unnoticed and forgotten by an education system rooted in systemic racism inspired her passion for DEI work. The passion she has for DEI comes from her own lived experiences and raising four black children in the public-school system. Her philosophy is that all schools should foster a culture of difference, hold individuals accountable for equity, and challenge preexisting notions and misconceptions. This work in making CSCS a more inclusive environment is something she believes the school is committed to doing. In her free time Sade enjoys writing poetry, listening to music, dancing, and spending time with her family.
Elizabeth is the new 4/5 teacher at CSCS in 2022. Before coming to CSCS, Elizabeth taught for years at a Reggio-inspired preschool. Her work leading this inquiry-based program was foundational in the development of her teaching philosophy, which centers children’s innate need for engaging learning environments that make meaningful connections to the greater world.
Elizabeth grew up in rural Oregon, earning her undergraduate degree in psychology at Reed College and her Masters in Education from Portland State University. When she is not working or volunteering with children, Elizabeth loves playing the guitar, hiking and biking around, and cooking for family and friends.
Daniel is a soccer fanatic, having grown up in England and his weekends generally consist of waking up early to watch the English Premier League before heading out to play in or coach a game or two. He studied Sports Development at University and has a vast background in sports coaching, exercise and the leisure industry in general.
Daniel first stepped foot in Portland in 2014-15 as a traveling soccer coach, coaching soccer camps throughout the country. He then did an 18 month working holiday in New Zealand and Australia before he made a permanent move to Portland in 2018. Since that date as a licensed coach in both the UK and US, he worked for 2 Soccer Organizations in the city before beginning his PE Teacher role at CSCS in 2022. He is passionate to give the children a positive experience in physical activity that will resonate with them for the rest of their lives. He is known by his friends as an explorer with interests such as hiking, camping, cycling, sports, visiting National Parks and paddling on one of the many lakes or rivers in Oregon.
Joe is a lifelong self directed learner, an artist, a nature lover and parent to a vibrant eleven year old child, Loraine. He believes passionately in the power of playful, experiential (doing “real stuff”), feminist, learner led education. Joe began building puppets from discarded and natural materials as a six year old child in Memphis, Tennessee. Since then he has developed a personal, creative practice in which he uses music, puppetry and theater to share social and emotional ‘strategies’ and to discover, together with children, new ways to critically interrogate and dis-organize from systems of oppression. Joe loves to ride his bike and to collect rocks with his daughter.
Joe has more than 20 years of professional experience teaching children in preschool and school age classrooms and as a community organizer. He currently serves on the board of two youth focused nonprofits: Portland Free Play and Poetic Justice Foundation. He is a founding member of the PDX Childcare Collective and until recently, he operated a radical preschool out of his home called Air/Plane Cottage School. Joe built an adventure playground in his backyard from recycled materials. This is an evolving, interactive collaboration between children and adults as well as a playful exercise in hopeful worldbuilding!
When not working with kids Joe plays music with his band(s), hosts events with his collective house of queer artists, volunteers with racial justice and houseless advocacy groups and avidly reads poetry, history and political theory.
Stevie started their Cottonwood journey back in 2009 as a student in middle school. After receiving their Eagle Scout award and graduating high school, they eventually continued their journey by earning a B.S. in Anthropology and minor in History from Portland State University.
2023-24 is Stevie’s first year with the Cottonwood School of Civics and Science as an assistant teacher and their end goal is to gain the opportunity to step up and teach history to the next generation of students.
Kyle (he/him) is a parent of two Cottonwood students and brings passion for finding ways to build space for neurodiversity into the fabric of welcoming communities. He has experience serving as an officer and director of local and state level nonprofits in Oregon and New York. He has worked in healthcare revenue management and in social services, in small business consulting, and is currently starting a small local aviation business.
Kyle is excited to build relationships here, work toward more diversity and inclusion in our community, watch Cottonwood continue to grow, watch his children thrive, and see what new things come.
Jonathan Moore (he/him) is the father of two students at Cottonwood and is the CTO of SpiderOak.
Jonathan joined the board to support the school community bringing his experience in listening to needs and working as a group to meet goals. This experience comes both from his crear as well as his work in arts and community organizations.
Karissa was born and raised in Longview, Washington and she now lives in southeast Portland with her husband, Ian, their three year old son, Ragnar, and their two big dogs, Lulu and Yogi.
Karissa and Ragnar are enrolled in the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. She served for 15 years as an elected member of the Cowlitz Tribal Council and has served on many different Tribal boards and committees. In recent years she’s transitioned her volunteer work to organizations in the broader community, and she was excited for the opportunity to serve the Cottonwood School and learn more about this wonderful school community.
Karissa’s professional background has focused on Tribal governments and services and on philanthropy. She currently works for Oregon Metro as the program manager of the Nature in Neighborhoods community grants program.
Lisa joined the teaching team at CSCS in 2007. Prior to teaching at SWCS, she worked with the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) where for four years she developed science curriculum and taught students of all ages around the state. Her love of science and exploration began back in Michigan where she and her sister would explore their neighborhood, looking for insects and tinkering in their father’s work shed. That interest would take her to study at the University of Michigan where she discovered she had a talent for teaching and received a Bachelor of Arts in Education with High Distinction. She recently completed her Master’s degree at Concordia. She has taught in a variety of educational settings from large group assemblies, which encouraged a love of theater, to small group classrooms, where she can give individualized attention. Her strong science background is accented by a passion for storytelling, folklore & mythology from around the world. Inspired by those tales, she creates visual art, plays with the Stumptown-Jugthumpers as a washboard player, and is learning how to make puppets. Lisa brings her enthusiasm and talents to share and loves discovering and honing the talents and skills of each of her students.
Kathy Price, a former preschool teacher, has been working with CSCS since the opening in 2007 (as Southwest Charter School). In addition to teaching preschool, Kathy has worked with Neighborhood House’s SUN program teaching after school classes to grades K-8. Kathy has a coached many sports over the years including soccer, basketball, gymnastics and dance. Outside of school, Kathy enjoys reading, hiking and long walks on the beach. Kathy has lived in Portland for most of her life and is proud to be bringing up her son in the same neighborhoods in which she grew up. Kathy has taken great joy in raising her teenage son and is grateful she gets to spend time with the amazing kids of CSCS.
Marisela (Mari) Van Sickle (she/her) has been on the board since 2022. Mari and her husband, Ben, live in SW Portland with their two kids, a 2nd grader at Cottonwood, and a preschooler. Mari joined the board as a way to be active in the community and to bring perspectives as a Woman of Color, BIPOC parent, and a mental health advocate.
Mari brings 10+ years of experience working in child and adolescent mental health and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Currently, she has a private practice in SW Portland and has previously worked in various levels of care ranging from outpatient community mental health to psychiatric inpatient mental health.
My introduction to this wonderful school was as a parent back in 2009. My child grew up and now is a college student. The mission of CSCS has always been dear to my heart, and I returned in January 2022 to work in the school office.
Paola joined CSCS in the fall of 2021 after being a stay-at-home parent to her twins. She graduated with a B.A. in Liberal Studies from San Francisco State University and worked as a Reggio inspired preschool teacher until she transitioned to the role of stay-at-home parent. When her children were toddlers, she started a chapter of Free Forest School in order to connect young children and families to nature. Once her children were of preschool age, she co-created a forest school program in Sacramento, CA. Paola enjoys gardening, food (cooking and seeking out new local options), and exploring Portland with her family.
Janelle joined CSCS during the 2021-2022 school year. Before teaching, she was a field scientist in Alaska working for the USGS (United States Geological Survey) and a private consulting firm. Her degree is in Earth Science and Outdoor Studies with a K-8 teaching credential and endorsement in geoscience. Between her science years and teaching years, she also taught outdoor education in California and led wilderness therapy trips in Alaska and Oregon. She enjoys being outside and being a part of the land and feels it is important to instill a sense of place in our students by educating them on who was on this land prior to European colonization. She recently moved up to Oregon from California with her family and their tiny house that they built during the pandemic.
Emily is a passionate explorer… of places, ideas, and what makes people tick. She has been working for the past few years as a Career Coach, helping job seekers navigate the sticky terrain of finding a career fit and snagging their next job opportunity. Before transitioning to career coaching, Emily worked for fourteen years as a university instructor, mainly in the field of World Regional Geography, where she and her students traversed the concepts of human and environment connections in various manifestations across the globe.
Outside of paid employment, Emily enjoys spending time (preferably outdoors) with her two daughters and husband, Billie; some of the family’s favorite outdoor activities are backpacking, canoeing, sailing, hiking, and camping. Emily also deeply appreciates stories, is an avid reader and an occasional creator of illustrations.
Emily is excited to be joining the Cottonwood Board where she hopes to put some of her lifelong interests and skills to use to serve the Cottonwood community.
Amy (they/them) is the CEO of NTEN, a Portland-based capacity-building nonprofit that ensures missions and movements are successful through the skillful and equitable use of technology. Amy is also a Cottonwood parent with a daughter in kindergarten.
Amy is driven by a belief that schools, organizations, and communities can be movement-based forces for positive change. Their prior experience in direct service, policy, philanthropy, and capacity-building organizations has fueled their work to create meaningful, inclusive, and compassionate community engagement and educational opportunities for organizations around the world.
Prior to joining the Cottonwood Board, Amy’s had the privilege to serve on numerous boards and advisory committees for organizations with missions including youth civic engagement, digital equity, and emerging technology. Amy is also the chair of the Open and Accountable Elections Commision in Portland.
Jake comes to us with great experiences and passion that directly relate to this diverse position. Over the years, through work with Playworks, at a Montessori school, Outdoor School and with the Boy Scouts, Jake has gained experience in teaching games, delivering lessons, and actively keeping kids engaged in fun, physical movement. He has had the opportunity to build skills that support children’s social emotional well being alongside their physical health.
Joe joined the staff as a long-term substitute in the Winter of 2020. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University, and his Master’s of Art in Teaching from SUNY Cortland in 2010. He is a passionate reader, writer, and outdoor adventurer who has been teaching and exploring the Pacific Northwest for the past ten years. In addition to several years working with underserved and homeless youth in downtown Portland, Joe has also taught at an American International School in Guatemala City. Joe feels that successful educators must be constantly searching for newer and better ways to connect with and engage their students and be willing to meet and interact with young people in the spaces that they find comfortable. This means being tech savvy and culturally aware, but it also means simply having the confidence and the integrity to treat all people with respect, and approach every learning opportunity with an open mind. He is looking forward to learning more about place-based learning as the year proceeds.
Daniel has a Masters in Education from Portland State University. He spent last year in a 4/5 classroom at MLC where he gained experience with this age group, used the Storyline Method during several projects, infused the school day with music, and more. He is passionate about incorporating the arts into each school day; He plays guitar for the children every day and has begun a novel writing project with the class. He has been hard at work building solid routines in math and other areas of classroom life.
Her teaching journey actually began at our school as a student teacher for Sarah Anderson while earning her Master’s in elementary education at Antioch University. While there she specialized in integrated learning with an emphasis on science and environmental education. She has spent the last four years teaching a blended 2/3 class at Trillium Charter School where she has been committed to creating engaging and relevant projects that connect students to their place. She is passionate about building strong relationships with students and creating a collaborative and inclusive classroom community. We are glad to have her back at our school.
Emily Conner joined Southwest Charter in 2016 as our 7/8 Humanities teacher. Emily has a Masters in Teaching at Lewis & Clark, where she focused on social justice education and promoting an inclusive and inquiring classroom community. Her interest in place-based education began when she lived in Alabama, working toward her MFA in creative writing and farming in Coker on weekends. In her free time, Emily likes to bake bread, doodle, and go on long walks with audiobooks and her dog Ellie.
Chris joined the staff as the 7/8 Math and Science teacher in 2014. Chris received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology Education from Ithaca College. He has completed Master’s level work in Educational Technology at Walden University. He spent four years teaching Middle School science at Lower Manhattan Community School in New York City. Chris feels that every interaction and situation presents an opportunity to learn. He has a passion for outdoor education and learning through community. Chris believes that knowing the children we teach is as important as knowing the content we teach.
Natalie recently graduated from Oregon State, grew up in Coos Bay, and is an avid horsewoman. We are excited to have her with us full time as a PE Teacher and Recess/Classroom Aid.
Morgen came to CSCS in 2016 from the Creative Science School in Portland. Prior to her time at Creative Science, Morgen received her master’s degree in Education from Portland State University and had the opportunity to teach in a variety of educational settings as a substitute teacher for Portland Public Schools. She has experience with the Storyline method and strives to find authentic and engaging ways to integrate grade level content across the curriculum. An avid fan of the game of soccer (football), Morgen enjoys playing weekly on her adult co-ed team and also looks forward to attending Portland Timbers games with her husband and son. As a native Portlander, she also loves a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, biking, and snowboarding.
Elizabeth joined CSCS in 2016. She recently graduated with a MAT from the Arbor Center for Teaching in conjunction with Marylhurst University. As part of this program, she had the privilege of co-teaching for two years in a K-1 classroom at the Arbor School of Arts and Sciences, as well as teaching language arts and math units in a 5th grade at Stafford Elementary in West Linn. When she’s not in the classroom, you can this native Portlander singing in choirs, cooking, gardening, writing, and hiking.
Melissa studied early childhood education before having her own children and moving from California to Oregon in 2012. She worked for several children’s art companies including Kiwi Crate where she designed over 400 of their art tutorials and wrote for their child centered art blog. Melissa’s oldest child started at CSCS her kindergarten year in 2012 and Melissa naturally fell into the art program of CSCS by volunteering in a parent-led art program for two years before coming on board officially as the k-5th grade art instructor in 2015. When she is not teaching art at school and hanging art throughout the halls, Melissa leads a girls group, enjoys cooking, painting and spending time with her family. Coming from a family of 9 siblings she thrives around the energy and the children at CSCS.
Angie 2017-18
Angie joined CSCS in fall 2016 and came to us after teaching a first, second, and third grade blend at The Ivy School in Portland. Originally from Southeast Idaho, Angie moved to Portland in 2005 and later earned her Masters of Education from Portland State University. Angie has held a variety of roles in education from coaching to being an instructor at Mad Science, but has especially enjoyed working with young children. She loves their strong sense of curiosity and contagious joy for life. Angie’s commitment to crafting learning experiences that are hands-on and require creative thinking have found a natural fit in place-based education and the Storyline method. When not teaching, Angie loves to fill her time with reading, painting, kayaking, and catching up with friends and family.
Noelle joined Cottonwood in the fall of 2017. In the six years prior, she taught pre-k thru third grade in both public and private school settings. Noelle also teaches acting classes at Oregon Children’s Theater. Noelle received both her BA and MAed from Portland State University. When she isn’t teaching, she spends her time acting on stage and in film, camping, backpacking, hiking, and adventuring with her dog, Lady Bird.
Nesa joined the teaching team at CSCS in fall 2014 and has loved being a part of this amazing community ever since! Nesa is passionate about Place-Based Education and has been working on the grant committee to help other teachers learn about and implement PBE curriculum. She also uses the Scottish Storyline method, an integrated approach to teaching, in her classroom which leads to many engaging activities such as building a volcano and creating a restaurant in the classroom. Nesa received her B.A. in Drama from Vassar College in New York and incorporates her love of performance into the classroom by allowing her students to explore creatively and learn by doing. Originally from Eugene, Nesa returned to Oregon after living on the east coast and received her Masters in Education from Portland State University. Nesa has loved being a teacher of young students immensely. She loves getting to know her students, discovering their strengths and talents, and overcoming challenges together as a classroom and school community. Outside of teaching, Nesa enjoys being in nature, traveling, Balkan folk dancing, dancing in general, and 90s sing-along parties.