Resources for Summer Activities:

Thanks to the Autism coaches for putting together the list of resources below:

Parks and Recreation:
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/39830

Local Summer Camps:

Full list of resources can be found here: 

What Do Kids Want in an Educational Environment? A survey of 68 NE Portland, OR students

We asked 68 students (k-5) what they wanted in an educational setting.  This is what they said:

Question:  What kind of space would you like? Rating scale from 1-10 (1 = no interest, 10 = most interest)  The results below show the most popular aspects of a desired space.  

Below are the some of the comments from students:

I want to and like to:

Stanford Study: Research shows Later startng Kinders (6 year old in K) are Better Able to Self-Regulate

Stanford research show regulation benefits for late entry Kindergarten. 

February 23, 2017

By Carrie Spector

GSE faculty explore ways to help students take on the challenges of the kindergarten classroom.

It’s that time of year for families of preschoolers: kindergarten enrollment. This milestone can be fraught with uncertainty for parents who question whether their child is prepared—socially, academically or otherwise.

What does being ready for kindergarten look like? Researchers at Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE) have investigated this issue from all angles, offering strategies for parents and teachers to help make the transition a smooth one.

Clear expectations

First, it’s wise for parents to get a handle on what exactly will be expected of children in their particular classroom.                                                                                                                       

Full article found here: https://ed.stanford.edu/news/ready-or-not-stanford-researchers-weigh-kindergarten-preparedness

Can Kinders Catch Up?

Can a child who starts kindergarten with few reading or math skills catch up?

Teacher Maryellen Whittingham was worried about Giuliana Tapia, 5, who entered her kindergarten class at the Telesis Academy in West Covina far behind other students, unable to recognize letters or sing the alphabet.

(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

By TERESA WATANABE

NOV. 27, 2016

 

8:25 AM

Giuliana Tapia was way behind her classmates.

She was just 5 years old, starting kindergarten at Telesis Academy of Science and Math in West Covina.

At a kindergarten screening two months before her first day, she happily chattered about her dog Toodles, her favorite color pink, her Santa Claus pajamas, her nickname Gigi, her outings with dad to see SpongeBob SquarePants movies.

But many of her 21 classmates already knew most of the alphabet, colors and shapes. Two of them could even read all 100 words — at, the, there, like — that kindergartners are expected to know by the end of the year.

About half had been to preschool; Giuliana had not.

“I don’t know,” she said when she was asked to identify letters on a sheet of paper. 

Kindergartner Giuliana Tapia struggles to write her name on the first day of school in Maryellen Whittingham’s class at the Telesis Academy. 

(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times )

Then, anxiously, “But that’s OK, right?”

Giuliana is not atypical of Latino children, who have the lowest rates of preschool attendance among all racial and ethnic groups. A 2015 UC Berkeley study of 4,550 children nationwide found that although Latino children showed roughly the same level of language comprehension as their white peers at 9 months old, four-fifths had fallen up to 5 months behind by the time they were 2.

The study found that only 28% of the Mexican American mothers who spoke English at home, as Giuliana’s mother does, read to their children daily, compared with 59% of white mothers.

No preschool. No daily stories read out loud. Could Giuliana catch up?

To read full story follow this link:  http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-kindergarten-expectations-adv-snap-20161109-story.html

Article: Benefits of movement in schools

http://www.creativitypost.com/education/the_benefits_of_movement_in_schools

NPR News: Supreme Court Ruling: Implications for Public vs Private Education

Guide Dogs in PPS

Opinion Piece: PPS Bond Survey an Opportunity for improved Accessibility and Safety

   Recently, PPS released a bond survey to get community input on what issues it should prioritize when allocating the 1.6 billion dollars in current and potential bond funds.  The implications for the allocation of these funds are substantial.You can find the survey link and my response below.  

https://docs.google.com/a/apps4pps.net/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVR-tOuKH6vc8YtvBf6Yil_qK8wD5LjXyazu0NsZQsT8F08A/viewform

What questions do you have about this bond process?

How will you be able to maximize the tax payers money to make schools safe and accessible?  I could imagine millions of dollars could be saved if the right (really smart) people figured out a way to maximize efficiency without compromising safety or cutting corners.  I am also curious about what the plan is to deal with the lead in the water.  My understanding is that lead levels are at legal and safe levels if the people ran the water for a few seconds before drinking.  Rather than replace the entire plumbing infrastructure, couldn't plumbers install a water catch timer system that would functionally do this (let the water run) prior to being available to drink?  I'm not a plumber or engineer but would love to see some updates on different proposals for creative and cost-effective problem solving by our best plumbers and engineers.  Thanks for the survey.  

Can PPS incorporate a timed water flush system into our infrastructure to save millions?  Please respond in the comments section if you are a plumber, hydraulic engineer, or have expertise in this area.

What would you like the Board of Education to consider when deciding on a bond package to refer to voters?

I think making the water safe to drink again may be the most pressing issue that voters will most likely support.  However, almost as important are access and universal design considerations (ex: wheelchair, stroller, bi-pedal can all use ramps/curb cuts).  

Is there anything else you’d like to share about the bond proposals?

After safety and access issues are addressed I would love to see some funds allocated to build safe, accessible, and fun school playgrounds.  While some playgrounds are accessible, there are very few that are fun and accessible (see Harper's Playground as an example).  I would love to see Harper's playground design team incorporated into future development of schools and playgrounds. 

Pete Carpenter  MOT, OTR/L  (and father of two)

Affordable magnetic mounting systems

http://www.buythebest10.com/top-10-best-magnetic-car-mounts-review/

One hand shoe laces

http://quickshoelace.com/#/