06 Jul Field Coordinator Update – 7/6/15
This spring, many of our students completely immersed themselves in our local history and environment!
Our third and fourth grades spent the spring trimester studying Portland history, with a special focus on bridges. Both classes went on a walking tour of downtown and toured our bridges from the unique perspective of a jet boat.
Susan’s class learned about Portland history by making timeline books to learn about the critical period in Portland history from 1845 to 1905. To go along with these, students kept journals from the perspective of someone living at that time to reflect on all the changes Portland was undergoing. Among other events, students “endured” the great fire of 1873 and learned about a major flood that affected Portland.
Courtney’s students chose one landmark, organization or business in Portland to study. They researched the history, location and why it’s important to our city. Students created brochures for their places which included maps and pictures, and wrote out and rehearsed final oral speeches which they did for a small group of peers standing in front of their place after they handed out brochures. The class then compiled the videos of presentations into a movie on Portland and sent the kid-made brochures to the locations. Wow!
Third/fourth graders visit OMSI, one of Portland’s landmarks.
Zephaniah C checks out Oaks Park.
Sharon also worked with Courtney’s class to create models of the Portland bridges. Students worked individually to build their truss and do their research, and then worked in groups to present their research and make the bridge models from their trusses. The final bridge models included working vertical lift and bascule draw bridge features! At the end of the unit, the class presented their models of 11 of the 12 bridges, each accompanied by a plaque which displayed student research. Great work!
Third/fourth graders hard at work on Portland bridge models
Final collection of Portland bridges.
Meanwhile, the kindergartners have been visiting Oaks Bottom almost every week this spring to study pond and wetland ecology. They also had an opportunity to play with natural building materials, create scientific drawings of plants, and make maps of the refuge. The class built a model of Oaks Bottom in their classroom, including animal figurines and essential landmarks like the “Troll Bridge.” As a result of this wetlands study, most kindergartner’s can now identify at least several native plants. Go Kinders!
Kindergarten Oaks Bottom map project.
It has been an amazing year for field work and place-based projects at Southwest Charter this year. Looking forward to even more next year! See you in the fall!
My name is Sam Lloyd. I grew up in California and studied at UC Berkeley for my undergraduate degree, I majored in Economics at Berkeley then earned my Master’s in Education at the University of the Pacific in Stockton. I began my teaching career in Oakland, working with 4th and 5th graders for five school years, and about eight years ago, I moved to Portland with my wife and two daughters. Since then, I’ve been teaching middle school math in local private schools.
Growing up in an organic farming intentional community in upstate New York meant spending most of my childhood exploring and learning from the environment around me. After my family moved here to Portland when I was in middle school, my love for learning from the land continued, and while at Cleveland High School I was a regular Outdoor School volunteer. This was a formative experience, and propelled me to pursue teaching science in middle school.
My name is Matthew Gaffney, call me Gaff! I have spent my IT career up to this point doing EdTech and it has been such a rewarding experience. Blending the worlds of technology and education has been a joy to do so far. I strive to make our student’s learning experience the best it can be, and alway try to leave a situation better than I found it. In my free time, I love to go to concerts, explore the wonderful nature of the PNW, and play with my Goldendoodle, Simon. I think every single day is an opportunity to learn something new, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds at Cottonwood. Have the best day 🙂
Stephen Pham (he/him) is an educator, equity strategist, and nonprofit management consultant who works with social impact organizations to refine their strategy, strengthen their DEI lens, and build organizational capacity to achieve equity-driven impact. He partners with organizations across a wide range of stages and issue areas, including research organizations, housing innovation hubs, community foundations, and education nonprofits. Before starting his consulting practice, Stephen was a DEI and nonprofit management leader, supporting sector-wide efforts to scale equity-centered instructional and organizational practices. Stephen’s 12+ years of experience include heading nonprofit operations, talent, and culture at The Learning Accelerator, leading the national innovation strategy for Rocketship Public Schools, serving as a Blended Learning Master Teacher for BetterLesson, and teaching 5th-grade STEM in East San José.
Chris (he/him) has been interested in birds and wildlife since he was a child. Chris grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area where he first started to make observations of the natural world. He received a BS in Zoology from The Evergreen State College where he was able to get hands-on experience in ornithology, marine mammalogy, and tropical ecology. Upon graduating Chris worked for Audubon South Carolina where he participated in ongoing prothonotary warbler studies and led kayak and canoe tours through a swamp. Realizing the importance of science communication and education, he would go on to receive his Masters in Environmental Education from Western Washington University. After graduating, he spent three years as an Interpretive Park Ranger with the National Park Service, working at North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, and Saguaro National Park.
As an artist and educator, I believe the foundational tools for learning and engaging in creativity are play and humor. I look forward to putting this into practice as the art teacher at Cottonwood School.
Contact Paola: 
e is Krystle. I found my love of working with children in 2012 when I was hired for a temporary position in a preschool classroom. Since then, I have worked with children of all ages within the daycare setting until 2017 when I was hired for my first job as a behavior coach. I spent a little over 3 years working with school-age students, mostly within the school setting. I moved on in 2021 when I moved to Oregon and prior to joining Cottonwood, I worked as a Behavior Specialist for City View Charter School in Hillsboro. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Teaching from Western Governor’s University. I am also currently in the process of re-enrolling at WGU to go back for my Master’s degree.
Hello! I am Daniel McArthur– I joined Cottonwood community in 2024 as Middle School Humanities teacher. I’m a passionate educator with a love for history and writing. I’ve been lucky enough to work with students in a wide range of settings, from an all-girls Catholic school to a homeless youth resource center to public high schools in Detroit, Michigan. In my roles, I’ve seen my students do amazing things when compassionate teaching meets high-expectations. I am originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, where I developed a deep love for mountains and lakes. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy reading, running, and hanging out with my cats. I am always looking for a new book or park recommendation. Let me know if you have any suggestions!
Cayla first joined our school community in 2023 as the before and after school Site Director. Then in 2024 as the 2/3 Teacher Assistant and is thrilled to step into her new role as a Co-Teacher in the 2/3 classroom. During her time at Cottonwood, she has deeply valued building meaningful connections with the students and Cottonwood community. Cayla is passionate about place-based education and creating an environment where all children can thrive and be supported.
I’m Abby Manzano, and I’ve loved getting to know our wonderful 2nd and 3rd graders as a co-teacher and I’m thrilled to be back at Cottonwood as a 2/3 classroom teacher!
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 and loves working with a team of creative teachers, committed families, and inspiring students at Cottonwood.
Born in Japan, Yuri came to the U.S. to study recreation and play, inspired by a deep passion for community, place-making, and experiential learning. She brings a rich background in organizing hands-on 
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.
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.
Sara was born and raised in Montana where she grew and nurtured her love and curiosity of learning from and about the natural world with the guidance of her parents and her community. She moved to Oregon in 2007 and attended Pacific University where she earned a BA in Environmental Studies. She left undergrad feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world, and sought out education as a way to foster empathy, critical thinking and creativity in the next generation. Post college, she worked on a ranch in Montana, rode her bicycle across the country and traveled to far away places just like her childhood story hero, Miss Rumphius. She spent some years working in various educational settings such as the Bird Alliance of Oregon, and then decided to pursue her graduate degree in Education at Portland State.
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.
McLean is thrilled to return to Cottonwood this year in a new role, as the P.E. Teacher/Specials and Middle School Teacher Assistant, after spending the past year traveling through New Zealand and Indonesia. He began his journey at Cottonwood in the fall of 2019 as a student teacher in one of the 4/5 classrooms, later stepping into the role of Middle School Humanities teacher, where he taught for four years. McLean brings a passion for integrating music, storytelling, theater, play, and outdoor learning into his teaching, and he’s excited to weave these elements into his new position! Outside the classroom, you’ll find him camping, playing music, gardening, watching and playing sports, and exploring the world.
Kimberley spent ten years teaching preschool through third grade at Trillium Charter School and has spent the years since teaching grades K through 2nd. 
Amanda, a longtime educator and leader in Oregon’s public charter school community, returns to The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science. She believes passionately in teaching youth to care about their community through hands-on learning, so they have the tools and enthusiasm to become active and informed citizens.