PDX Parent August 2019

FREE

HEALTH & WELLNESS PICKS, PG.30

for the long days and short years

Plus: + Vaccine Myths Busted, pg. 28

Hop

+ Paddling Hagg Lake, pg. 36

School’s here — let us help you find the right aftercare.

PDXPARENT.COM

PORTLAND | VANCOUVER | AUGUST 2019

FOR KIDS IT’S FREE !

1st SATURDAY of EVERY MONTH 9AM - 10AM Inside the Food Court

Kids will enjoy meeting a new character each month, fun activities, dress up, snacks and more!

2019 SCHEDULE

Events are best suited for kids up to 8 years of age.

August 3rd All about Dogs

October 5th Thomas the Train

September 7th Spider Hero Appearance

November 2nd All About Transportation

December 7th Pictures & Cookies with Santa Claus

Exit 17 off I-84 • Troutdale • (503) 669-8060 • ShopColumbiaGorgeOutlets.com

ISO Teachers........................................................................ 14 Portland-area schools are having a hard time filling teacher and substitute openings — especially with diverse candidates and for

contents

FEATURES

specialty subjects. Is hope on the horizon?

By Sarah Vanbuskirk.

Choose Your Own After-school Adventure............................................. 22 Heads up, working parents: Use our nifty flowchart to find the right aftercare for your kiddo. By Kat Merck.

Busting Vaccine Myths.............................................. 28 Before our kids head back to school, get the facts on immunizations from a local pediatrician and mom. By Whitney Casares, M.D.

PDX Parent Picks: Health & Wellness............ 30 DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Note.......................................................................... 6 Play Room................................................................................ 8 Adorable and functional backpacks for preschoolers, stats on school supplies, and three new albums from local kids’ musicians.

Hands On...............................................................................34 Help the kids make a “hotel” to get a peek

EVE HANSEN

at the wiggly superstars of your garden: earthworms. By Eve Hansen and Amy Bigej.

34

Field Trip................................................................................ 36 Everything you need to know for a family stand-up paddling adventure on Hagg Lake.

By Julia Silverman.

Recipe File............................................................................ 38 Nothing says late-summer refreshment quite like fresh-squeezed lemonade. By Judith Rich.

Time Out................................................................................. 40 Celebrating markets after dark, Washington Park’s roses and the prettiest chickens in Lents.

Parentlandia........................................................................ 42 A comic for parents. By Tom Toro.

RESOURCES Back to School................................................................... 17-21 After School......................................................................25-27 Health & Wellness......................................................... 29-35

* cover stories pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

5

e d i t o r ’ s n ot e

for the long days and short years

You Know Me PDX Parent

I

P.O. Box 13660

n my house, August isn’t just the time my kids go back to school. It also means my husband heads back to the classroom. After a summer of trips to see family, midweek date nights and an equal kid-to-parent ratio, it’s hard to see him go. And being married to a teacher gives me an insider’s perspective on this month’s story about Oregon’s teacher and substitute shortage, page 14. I’ve seen him go to school when he’s sick because he wasn’t able to get a sub — and didn’t want to make colleagues scramble to cover his class. It made me wonder if this was a problem throughout Portland, or just at his school. As writer Sarah Vanbuskirk notes, the insufficient number of teachers and substitutes is part of a nationwide trend that has hit the Portland area particularly hard.

But let me wind it back a bit and reintroduce myself. I’ve been PDX Parent’s managing editor for the past five years before stepping up this issue as editor. (My husband has started calling me “Chief,” and I’m not complaining.) And I’ve been a part of Portland’s parenting community for seven years. You might have seen me at Multnomah County Library’s Book Babies, stridently recommending the parenting book Bringing Up Bebé on the Portland Mamas FB page, volunteering at my daughter’s school, or — let’s be honest — trying to calm down a screaming threenager in the parking lot of Fred Meyer. So, I guess I really don’t have to introduce myself; you already know me.

But I do want to welcome Erin J. Bernard on board as our new managing editor. You’ll know her from her smart and engaging columns on how families are dealing with the lack of affordable housing in Portland, and her features on our excellent kids’ theater companies, which have a strong social justice streak. I’m very excited to have her join the editorial team.

Along with our talented art director, Susan Bard, we’ve started giving the magazine a little refresh. We’ve revamped the way our columns look. And in upcoming issues we’ll be rolling out a few new columns that will keep doing what PDX Parent does best — providing info you can use to make your job as a parent easier, and helping you have more fun with your kids.

Portland, OR 97213-0660 Phone: 503-460-2774; Fax: 503-331-3445 Publisher Rose Caudillo, 503-460-2774 publisher@pdxparent.com Editor Denise Castañon, 503-922-0893 denise.castanon@pdxparent.com Managing Editor Erin J. Bernard erin.bernard@pdxparent.com Art Director Susan Bard Web Director Michelle Carew, 503-914-6151 michelle.carew@pdxparent.com Calendar / Newsletter Editor Amy Conway calendar@pdxparent.com Customer Accounts Manager Christie Kline, 503-810-9817 christie.kline@pdxparent.com Distribution Coordinator Melissa Light melissa.light@pdxparent.com Eastside Account Executive Lauren Wylie, 503-331-8184 lauren.wylie@pdxparent.com Westside Account Executive Jill Weisensee, 503-914-6151 jill.weisensee@pdxparent.com President Keith Goben, 503-460-2774 keith.goben@pdxparent.com For distribution issues, e-mail us at distribution@pdxparent.com For calendar submissions, e-mail us at calendar@pdxparent.com PDX Parent is published monthly by Metro

—

Parent Publishing, Inc., and is copyright 2019 Metro Parent Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

PDX Parent is distributed free of charge throughout the Portland, OR / Vancouver, WA metropolitan area.

PDX Parent reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. Distribution of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services

On our cover: You can feel the excitement bubbling over in this shot that local photographer Cassie Duffle of kindergarten. Zoe was so eager to get to school that

Although every effort is taken to ensure the

those little everyday moments is what inspired Duffle to start her photography business in the first place. Catch up with her on IG and FB @cdufflephoto or her website cassieduffle.com. |

pdxparent.com

basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex or sexual orientation.

So Zoe chose to skip instead. Capturing all the feels from

August 2019

PDX Parent does not discriminate on the

snapped as her daughter, Zoe, headed off to her first day she wanted to run. Duffle and her husband nixed that idea.

6

advertised herein.

accuracy of published material, Metro Parent Publishing, Inc., and its agents and employees cannot be held responsible for the use or misuse of any information contained herein. The contents of PDX Parent and its website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

7

p l ay r o o m

Late-summer

Good Deeds:

Art Encounters

Miles for Mom Lawyers If you’ve read recent news reports

about the conditions in which asylum-seeking children are being detained at the border, you’re probably feeling alternately heartsick and infuriated … and wondering just what you can do to help. (We know we are.) One easy, but significant, way you can contribute: Get lawyer moms to the border. The

organization Lawyers for Good

TOP 5 ...

Government (L4GG) is partnering with Lawyer Moms of America

ROCHFORD STUDIOS 2018

through L4GG’s Project Corazon.

They are funding trips to the

➊ Handmade clothing and art, live music and a kids-only play zone pop up in the Beaumont neighborhood during Fremont Fest, August 3. ➋ Little pickers will go wild over 120-plus booths of flea market finds at Junk Refunk Street Market,

➌ Sate that Old Portland nostalgia at

also August 3, in downtown Canby.

the long-lived Alberta Street Fair August 10, teeming with street buskers and

➍ Get hands-on at Gateway Discovery Park during a free Art Workshop on the Porch August 10, focused on ethnic art designs. ➎ Celebrate

local artisans.

Oregon’s colorful heritage at the eclectic Oregon City Festival of the Arts August 10-11. — Erin J. Bernard

Gear Guide:

detainment centers at the border for lawyers who are working pro bono to help migrant families who have

been separated. Here’s how you

can help: Pledge to donate your airline miles for their travel. Go to lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/ donatemiles and fill out the form.

Someone will contact you when your miles are needed. — Denise Castañon

Pint-Sized Packin’

Pre-K jitters, begone! Your preschooler will stand just a little taller in one of these back-to-school pack picks, which riff on big-kid sensibilities but are designed with smaller bodies — and that bright-and-busy preschool color palette — in mind.

A backpack and a clunky

Havoc-prone kids will

Discerning preschoolers

Battling backpack resistance?

lunch bag? That’s lots for

love the compact, built-

will dig the sleek-and-

Coax your kids into cozy animal-

small hands to manage.

to-last Tough Traveler

simple STATE Mini

Lighten the load with the

Kiddy Pack. Parents

Wildkin Pack ’n Snack, featuring a food-friendly insulated front pocket.

packs, which can endure

$32.99. Available

for decades. $46.

at Target and

Available at

sing the praises of

bright color palettes lend

They might never agree to

these American-made

fashion-conscious pre-K

take them off again. Matching

kiddos some serious

bottles and lunch bags available.

8

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

statebags.com.

E.J.B.

STATE BAGS

$20. Available at skiphop.com. —

TOUGH TRAVELER

toughtraveler.com.

hipster cred. $60.

Available at

SKIP HOP

Zoo Collection, but beware:

WILDKIN

wildkin.com.

themed bags from Skip Hop’s

Kane Backpack, whose

Ask Dr. Doug

Q

Playlist:

Portland Rocks!

:M y sixth grader is begging me to get a smartphone. Some of her friends

A

had iPhones when they were in elementary school! I have also read recent news reports that kids who use social media are more depressed.

I worry about what she could be exposed to, and I’m not sure how to handle it. What do you usually recommend?

Let’s just go ahead and call it. Portland has the best independent music scene for kids in the country. This month we’re looking at three new albums from local artists.

: First, congratulations on thinking this through. Too often, the introduction of

smartphones and social media is a knee-jerk decision without considering the risks and benefits.

Smartphones and social media are not going anywhere. And I think we all would agree there are many benefits to them, including being able to connect with friends and family. Fretting about new technology isn’t new — from TV to video games to AOL Instant Messenger, every generation has worried about what new technology the next is using, and if it might be harmful.

At the same time, there are real risks to unlimited smartphone access. There is good evidence that screen use impairs our sleep (us included). The “always on” mentality of having to post and comment means many kids struggle with anxiety around use.

(FOMO is real — some of us just get better at caring less as we get older.) Kids who already struggle with anxiety and depression, and who may not have as many social supports offline, tend to struggle with social media use and may suffer through cyberbullying.

Here is what I usually advise thinking about. First, wait if you can. A few extra years of not having an Instagram account are not going to irreparably harm your child. A great resource for this is Wait Until 8th, (waituntil8th.org) an organization that encourages delaying introducing smartphones until kids are ready for high school.

If using screens at home with younger children, parental controls are a must.

Unsupervised access to YouTube is a bad idea, regardless of how much they love the latest star. As parents, we want to be able to have discussions with our kids about more mature topics at the right pace, when they are developmentally ready.

Once kids get to eighth and ninth grade, they can probably get around our controls — remember watching horror movies at your friend’s house after your parents had said no? It’s important to start before then with open-ended discussions about how they would handle certain situations, including bullying and healthy body images. Lay the foundation that they can talk to you about these topics, and stress the values that are important in your family. They will roll their eyes, but I assure you they are listening.

Adolescents’ developmental tasks center on trying out new identities and starting to figure out “who am I?” That means separating from parents, and that means privacy.

I think it’s reasonable at this age to expand the highway from two lanes to four, but keep the guardrails up. And state that technology is a privilege, not a right.

Rather than ban all social media, be curious and ask them to show you how they use Instagram and Snapchat. If you have an older high schooler, ask them what a finsta is! Give them examples of how nothing is ever really private once shared.

Thinking through consequences is not the strong suit of the adolescent brain.

Teens crave connection with peers, and that’s not a bad thing. Let’s help them connect in ways that are healthy and help them grow while teaching them what we value and what’s important.

nature plays heavily on the album Can You Feel It? from newcomers Jessa Campbell and the Saplings. And tracks Waltz of Trillium and Ant and Goodnight Pacific Northwest speak specifically to the flora and fauna in our particular neck of the woods. (Shout out to local treasure Paul Brainard for his dreamy steel guitar on that last track.)

Campbell, mom to a 2-year-old son, delivers pure and enchanting vocals on each song, all of which she also wrote and arranged.

Catch Jessa Campbell at Pickathon, and Know Thy Food on Mondays at 10:30 am.

From the rollicking GO! to the slow-tempo groove of Dark Divide, the album Amongst the Tall Trees from Pointed Man Band is “kids’ music” that grown-ups can enjoy as much as their tiny counterparts.

Also, Pointed Man Band is the epitome of Portlandness — a little quirky and crunchy, but ultra-cool. And nature and hope are big themes on the album and collide perfectly in the song Eagle Creek.

Catch Pointed Man Band on the second Saturday of the month at Mississippi Pizza.

From the outdoors to ... robots. Ants Ants Ants recently released The Robot EP, with four tracks that your bot-obsessed kid will love. The super fun songs have a techno/ disco feel with lyrics about robots snoozing, dreaming and cutting a rug. Catch Ants Ants Ants Thursday, August 1, at 10:30 am at

DR. DOUG

Dr. Doug Lincoln practices general pediatrics at Metropolitan Pediatrics in Happy Valley. He is board certified in both pediatrics and preventive medicine, with special interests in helping parents meet their breastfeeding goals, caring for neurodiverse children with behavioral health needs, and advocating for children via teaching and policy. As a dad of two boys, he understands the joy and hard work that comes with parenting. Find out more about Dr. Doug and Metropolitan Pediatrics at metropediatrics.com.

Connectedness to

Sellwood Library. — D.C.

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

9

p l ay r o o m

Bookshelf: Graphics to Grab Don’t call ’em comic books! With their amazing illustrations and compelling storylines, graphic novels are a true treat for readers of all ages. Here, Kim Tano and Madeline Shier, the children’s book buyers at Powell’s, Portland’s favorite independent bookstore, pick their favorite new graphic novels for kids.

Pilu of the Woods

Glitch by Sarah Graley

A gorgeous first

illustrated by Janet K. Lee

to play the new version

published by Oni Press,

of Dragon City. When

the Woods explores how to process

Izzy grows impatient waiting for Eric and starts playing alone, she finds herself

feelings (which manifest for Willow

in the middle of the video game! Can

in the form of little monsters), which

she save her friendship in the real

can grow and take over if we don’t

world and defeat the boss battle in

confront them. For ages 8 and up.

the video game world? For ages 8 and

$12.99.

up. $14.99.

This Was Our Pact

Festival, townspeople

signature charm are

SCHOLASTIC

MACMILLAN PUBLISHERS

Fans of Telgemeier’s earlier books and

grumpy rescue cat, Cap’n Bill, are saved

by Sea Sirens and taken to their incredible underwater kingdom. But danger awaits: who lurk in the darkest deeps. For ages 8 and up. $20.99.

Just Jaime

by Terri Libenson Middle school is tough

sure to fall in love with Guts, but it’s perfect for

river. Five boys on bikes swear this

new readers, too! Raina’s fifth grade

will be the year they discover where

year is marked by anxiety: she’s afraid

the lanterns end up. As the evening

of throwing up, scared to eat anything

enough as part of a closeknit clique. But when your best friend texts you that you’ve been voted out?

That’s world-shattering. It’s the last day of

passes, some turn back. But Ben and

that might upset her stomach, and

Nathaniel stick together to embark on

nervous about her classmates finding

seventh grade, and Jaime is alone — or is

a magical adventure in this cinematic

out she goes to therapy. That anxiety

she? Maybe she has more friends than

graphic novel, reminiscent of Miyazaki

won’t magically disappear, but Raina —

she thinks — friends who don’t need her

films and Japanese folklore. For ages

along with her readers — can learn to

to be anything but Jaime. For ages 8 and

10 and up. $14.99.

manage it. For ages 8 and up. $24.99.

up. $12.99.

Chalkboard: Back-to-$chool BUCK$ $510 average total spent by national parents on back-to-school shopping $210 spent on average for new

clothes and accessories

98% of households plan to spend

money on school supplies

$112 spent on average for school supplies $27.6 billion total spent nationwide

on back-to-school items

$425 average spent by

local teachers on supplies for school, classroom or student use over the year SOURCES: DELOITTE CENTER FOR INDUSTRY INSIGHTS AND SCHOOLHOUSE SUPPLIES

10

features a Vietnamesesweeps surfer Trot under, she and her

by Raina Telgemeier

On the night of the

lanterns down the local

underwater Wizard of Oz)

The Sirens are at war with the Serpents,

Autumn Equinox float their paper

adventure (akin to an

American protagonist. When a giant wave

Guts

by Ryan Andrews

This beautifully illustrated

HARPER COLLINS

novel publisher. Pilu of

SCHOLASTIC

ONI PRESS

by Amy Chu and

friend, Eric, can’t wait

graphic novel a Portland graphic

Sea Sirens written

Izzy and her best PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE

by Mai K. Nguyen

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

Kids. They’re expensive. And back-to-school is one of those times of the year when you feel

it most acutely. According to the Deloitte Center for Industry Insights, parents are spending more than $500 on basics like pencils, markers and paper, as well as on new clothes and shoes.

Meanwhile, teachers are also spending to prep classrooms and buy extra supplies for students who cannot afford them. The local nonprofit Schoolhouse Supplies helps teachers offset the upfront cost of a new school year by holding “shopping sessions” at its Free Store for Teachers. Educators from districts including David Douglas, Portland Public and Reynolds can gather everything from binders to notebooks to art supplies, for free. Schoolhouse Supplies also offers a list of resources for parents who need help filling their children’s school supply list. Families in the Wilson cluster can register for the Grauer Back-to-School Project at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church.

And kids who need new back-to-school duds can “Shop with a Cop” through the Sunshine Division. Visit schoolhousesupplies.org for their full list of resources. — D.C.

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

11

12

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

13

ISO Teachers A

nyone who has been paying attention to our schools — and likely even those who haven’t — knows that education in Oregon faces huge challenges. While we have many wonderful schools and exceptional educators, the past few decades have brought a compounding litany of troubling issues, including: decaying, neglected buildings; chronic underfunding; growing equity concerns; lead in the water; turmoil at Portland Public Schools (PPS); unacceptable achievement gaps; increasing class sizes; severe budget shortfalls; short yearly instructional hour requirements; year after year of bond measure requests; and the looming PERS funding crisis. An issue that we don’t hear much about, however — and which is a byproduct of all of the above — is the troubling trend of teacher and substitute teacher shortages.

There is good reason to think some of these problems are finally beginning to turn around. PPS is under new leadership, graduation rates are slowly improving, equity issues are starting to get their due, buildings are being rebuilt, and our budget crisis has been partially addressed by the new $2 billion school funding bill HB 3427. (Truly confronting the ballooning PERS costs continues to be put off.) However, our growing teacher shortage demands immediate attention.

Exact numbers are difficult to pin down because they aren’t comprehensively collected, but we know schools are struggling to fill teaching positions and maintain a ready supply of substitutes, which points to a shortage. Districts across the state report significant drops in the numbers of applicants for jobs, particularly for the hardesthit areas, which include special education, math, science and specialty topics, says John Larson, president of the Oregon Education Association (OEA). Additionally, it’s even more difficult to attract culturally diverse or multilingual educators.

“I did a story in 1977 about the teacher shortage and how to recruit more minority teachers in PPS and Beaverton,” says Oregon State Sen. Lew Fredrick, a former reporter and PPS teacher, and a current member of the State Board of Education. “It’s over 40 years later and we’re still working on it.”

Anecdotal experiences, such as my fourth grader coming home last spring from his eastside PPS elementary school excited to tell me his principal was his teacher for the day, and his teacher’s comment that finding subs is a common problem for PPS, don’t immediately set off alarm bells. But when you start asking around, a disturbing pattern of stories emerges, from teachers who report coming in when they’re sick because a sub couldn’t be found to schools receiving just two applicants for a job that used to draw 100.

Teacher Burnout “Teaching has become increasingly difficult nationally and specifically in Portland,” explains Suzanne Cohen, a teacher in PPS since 2002 and current president of the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT).

“Teachers can get really bogged down and need a schedule that supports the workload.”

What can we do to reverse these trends?

“I wish the solutions didn’t always come down to more money but they always do. More supports mean more money,” says Cohen, expressing a viewpoint repeated by just about everyone else I interviewed.

All the metro districts I spoke with agreed that elementary fulltime classroom positions were the easiest to fill, while finding bilingual, bicultural, STEM, racially diverse and special-education teachers was becoming more and more of a challenge. “It comes down to pay, support, respect,” echoes Sen. Fredrick, who is on a mission to recruit more teachers of color and believes that revenue from the new school funding package might finally start to turn the tide.

A Nationwide Problem Portland metro’s teaching shortage reflects statewide and nationwide trends, with districts across the country taking drastic measures to recruit more teachers — from slashing licensing requirements to importing teachers from abroad. Educators across the country are taking to the streets in record numbers to protest substandard teaching environments, lack of support, lack of respect, lack of autonomy, lack of funding, and lack of pay, in demonstrations like the Oregon teachers’ walkout on May 8, which closed schools and called for increased education funding.

SUZANNE COHEN

14

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

Portland’s schools are contending with a chronic shortage of qualified teachers. What’s driving them away — and how can we win them back? BY SARAH VANBUSKIRK teachers in the state not teaching. “We’re seeing teachers quitting mid-year. The first, third and fifth years are big ones for teachers to leave the profession,” says Cohen. Unfortunately, burnout has become all too common. “A lot of teachers are really stressed out,” agrees veteran Grant High School social studies teacher Don Gavitte.

Particularly new ones, he says, who don’t have the deep reservoir of experience, skill and colleague relationships that most veterans do.

DEBBIE EBERT

Tough Shoes to Fill

“I can tell you that we have some pretty big pockets of need around special education and bilingual education,” says Debbie Ebert, a former elementary school teacher and principal, and current Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD) human resources director. “It has been really, really difficult to fill those positions.”

There are huge issues in culture and discipline, limited resources, higher class sizes, and mounting paperwork. “We need to help teachers feel supported and manage caseload,” says Cohen, so that they can put more attention on the job of engaging kids in learning.

Other concerns echoed by OEA, teachers, administrators and policymakers include: plummeting respect for the teaching profession, fewer professional development opportunities, higher stress levels due to lowered resources coupled with greater workloads and more demanding classes, lessened autonomy in how curriculum is taught, too much testing, curricula that seem to change every few years, and growing safety concerns about dilapidated buildings, disruptive behavior, and the threat of school shootings.

This looming crisis may not get the press of the PERS predicament or the contaminated-water scandal, but statewide teacher and substitute teacher shortages are just as impactful.

“I was exhausted and no matter how much I worked to learn and improve, the job seemed to get harder and harder every year,” explains Sarah Pemberton Kastrup, who taught in PPS for 12 years as a classroom teacher in elementary and middle school before switching careers. “With 33 kids in my class that last year, it was impossible to meet all the kids’ needs, and I was really frustrated to be working so hard, to never actually be finished with the work, and to still know that kids were falling through the cracks.”

Which brings us to the trickiest thing about this topic. It’s not that there aren’t enough licensed teachers to fill the jobs, it’s that many of these educators are simply choosing to leave the profession. In fact, during the 2017-2018 school year, there were 26,659 licensed

Overworked teachers are also squeezed by a shortage of substitutes available to fill in for them when they can’t make it to class.

“Not having a substitute doesn’t just throw off your class; it has a ripple effect in the whole building,” explains Terri Harrington, longtime Oregon teacher and current substitute in the TTSD. Gavitte reports having been asked to fill in for other classes at Grant, at the last minute, five or six times last year — a big uptick from when he began teaching 19 years ago.

Where did the substitutes go? “If you are trying to make a living, being a substitute is a difficult way to do it. The work is incredibly unsteady and relatively low-paying and there is no incentive to take the hardest placements,” explains Harrington, who went back to subbing when her husband lost his job. Also, a strange dichotomy exists: TERRI HARRINGTON While schools report trouble getting enough subs, subs report having trouble getting on lists, noting that if jobs aren’t grabbed “instantly” they will be taken.

Lower pay, inconsistency and ineligibility for unions and health insurance (in some districts) also contribute to teachers’ reluctance to work as substitutes.

“There is a lot of pressure, it’s not easy and you get a lot of flak. It really is harder now,” says Linda Ingalls, a veteran PE teacher who has taught in Oregon at all levels for over 40 years, and has subbed for the past 12 in Wilsonville and Oregon City. Behavior issues are of particular concern. “It can get a little scary,” she says. “Sometimes you worry, ‘Oh my gosh, he could come back with a gun.’ I never thought about anything like that before.”

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

15

This issue stays relatively hidden because the bulk of it plays out behind the scenes, with administrators scrambling and teachers shifting to fill spots, and the problem is even more acute when it comes to specialty substitutes. Within PPS, the rate for filled regular classroom substitute jobs hovers around 96 percent, while coverage for paraeducator positions plummets to an average of 61 percent, with some schools dipping as low as 20 percent. “This is why many educators don’t stay home even when they should,” notes Harrington.

Still, some are staying home a lot: PPS teachers are absent an average of about 16 days per year, a rise of 13 percent over the past five years. This amounts to a lot of days to fill and points to teacher burnout and excess job stress. Unfilled substitute jobs rose just 3 percent in the past five years, but the total number of absent days quadrupled from around 400 to 1,600. This picture was even more dire in special education, where about 4,500 jobs were left unfilled.

What Teac

Percentage of Oregon teachers who say they need more professio

Retain and Recruit Another challenge compounds the shortage of both subs and full-time teachers, and it’s a geographic one: Just to the north of us in Vancouver, teachers are paid more and have smaller class sizes, which shrinks our pool of potential teachers. We also see the same disparity playing out in our state with the better-funded, betterperforming schools attracting the most applicants. This leaves schools with larger historically underserved populations and higher levels of need adversely affected, such as in the TTSD, where students of color make up 42 percent of students and students learning English 30 percent.

So there is as much a pressing need to recruit new teachers as there is to retain the experienced teachers who burn out, look across the river for work, or decide to pursue more lucrative, less demanding jobs outside of education. “At the end of the day it all comes back to money, because in a booming economy educators have other options,” says Cohen, who also blames Portland’s high cost of living as a reason for teachers switching professions. According to a recent study by the Economic Policy Institute, the ratio of teachers’ wages compared to the wages of other college graduates is consistently lower: They earn just 77 percent of what their nonteaching peers earn.

The Group Joint Committee on Student Success, which spoke with hundreds of students and teachers across the state, also noted the ballooning impact of mental health issues, reports Sen. Fredrick.

Student anxiety, homelessness, PTSD, language, economic and social issues, and special education are just a few of the considerations teachers now take on and need much more help to effectively tackle.

“Social and emotional learning pieces are a brand new addition to the teaching profession, which makes it a lot harder,” echoes Hilda Rosselli, Ph.D., college and career readiness and educator advancement policy director at Oregon’s Chief Education Office.

“Now, there is a lot more inclusion, and I’m totally for that, but it makes teaching a lot more challenging,” notes Ingalls, who says this is why the extra teacher support and consistent, schoolwide

16

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

43%

in their content area

57%

on differentiating instruction

59%

on special education (students with disabilities)

52%

on special education (gifted and talented)

49%

Englishlanguage learners

disciplinary guidelines are so vitally needed, as well as strong, supportive administrative leadership to back up educators.

“As a state, we care deeply about having teachers that mirror the demographics of students,” says Rosselli, who reports that 38 percent of students in Oregon are ethnically diverse versus 10 percent of teachers. “We’re working on adding state funding to support a dedicated amount for mentoring and the support of educators at every stage of their careers.” Plus, she says there is added focus on “paying careful attention to how we recruit, hire and support educators of color and inspiring people to pursue the profession.”

‘Let us build it’ When it comes to the future of education in Oregon, Otto Schell, Oregon PTA’s legislative director, is hopeful: “After 30 years of cutting programs, laying off educators and disinvesting in our schools, this new funding would help to open doors of opportunity for all Oregon students — allowing us to recruit and retain a diverse group of teachers and school support staff.” Over the past few years, Oregon has implemented more recruitment and scholarship programs, such as the Portland Teachers Program and the Diverse Educator Pathway Program. In 2015, Oregon’s Department of Education launched its Teach in Oregon website (Teachin.Oregon.gov), which operates as a one-stop shop for prospective teachers, even offering information on available scholarships such as the $5,000 grants available for diverse teaching candidates.

BACK TO SCHOOL

chers Say

onal development in the following areas to teach more effectively.

59%

closing the achievement gap

38%

methods of teaching

55%

integrating technology into instruction

32%

classroom management

47%

using culturally responsive curriculum and pedagogy

Lisa Morawski, Gov. Brown’s interim press secretary, points to the governor’s newly created Educator Advancement Council, which “will deliver these supports, to diversify the educator workforce and foster teacher leadership in achieving student success in our classrooms and in every school community.”

But much work still needs to be done. According to the 2018 Teaching, Empowering, Leading, and Learning (TELL) survey, which approximately 54 percent of Oregon’s 36,092 educators took part in, 60 percent of teachers feel the key to strengthening recruitment and support of educators is to include the voices of classroom teachers in decision-making regarding professional learning priorities, educator supports, and policies impacting teachers at the school, district, region and state levels. The majority of Oregon teachers also want more professional development. (See What Teachers Say, above.)

“The job can start to feel like a machine,” explains Gravitte. Instead, teachers want more agency. “Hand us the basic curriculum, but let us build it.” He also suggests moving back to a department-head model, where experienced teachers can take novices under their wing.

“That’s where the money really needs to go to help young teachers thrive. The focus should go back to what really matters — that kids are engaged and learning.”

Sarah Vanbuskirk is a writer and editor based in Portland. She is the mother of five kids: Violet, 16, Charlie, 14, Hank, 12, Noah, 10, and Walter, 7, and is currently working on a memoir.

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

17

BACK TO SCHOOL

18

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

BACK TO SCHOOL

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

19

BACK TO SCHOOL

20

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

BACK TO SCHOOL

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

21

Seeking an after-school program that fits your family to a T?

Choose Your Own Aft Is your boss a paragon of passive-aggression if

START HERE » YES

commute that would’ve made Buddha himself

– I need regular, consistent care until 6 pm.

» Portland’s Boys & Girls Club has a variety of centers around the metro area offering arts, sports, homework help and more.

Does your family need financial assistance in addition to the above?

YES

Transportation from some schools available; programs for grades one through six and seven through 12.

» SUN Community Schools is a low-cost

» Camp Fire

program available at a wide variety of schools

Columbia offers kids

and offers many assistance programs, such

a safe, positive space

as homework help and a food pantry.

to hang out after

» Many YMCA centers, which operate on a

school two to five days a week, offering

sliding scale, offer both traditional child care

help with homework

and enrichment classes like sports, LEGOS

as needed, and

and cooking.

financial-aid options.

» KinderCare/

» Portland Parks and Recreation offers

CAMP FIRE COLUMBIA

Knowledge Beginnings has multiple centers around town

offering transportation for kids ages 5 to 12.

low-cost after-school programs at many community centers, such as SOAR at St. Johns.

Would your kid like to? moving after a

full school day

» The

Children’s

Lose some of that schoolroom pallor and learn outdoorsy skills to boot

» Trackers Earth offers archery, outdoor skills and blacksmithing for grades one to six; transportation from a handful of schools only and subject to change; check website for details.

Gym offers fitness classes

from a handful games, martial

transportation

arts classes

from a handful

and homework

of schools only

time until

and subject to

6 pm.

change.

TRACKERS EARTH

pdxparent.com

Heart martial

of schools for

days per week,

|

» One With

transportation

time one to five

August 2019

moves from

LEGO Ninjago

arts offers

and homework

22

Master the

YOGA PLAYGROUNDS

Get their bodies

Follow our flowchart.

BY KAT MERCK

ter-school Adventure you clock out any time before 5:01 pm? Or maybe you have a

shout the F-word?

NO

–

I don’t need care until 6 pm — I just need two hours to go shopping in peace. And quiet. At Target. With a venti latte in hand.

Do you mind driving your kid someplace after school?

YES, I MIND.

NO, I DON’T MIND.

Check in with your individual school; many of them allow vendors to offer short, once-aweek, on-site programs such as Mad Science

and EG Robotics. Some options below.

Does your child have a flair for the dramatic?

» Northwest Children’s Theater offers once-a-week drama clubs on-site at many schools,

Does your child gravitate toward anything artsy?

» Portland Child Art Studio offers after-school art clubs once

a week for different age groups. Owl and Bee Clay Academy features once-a-week clay classes for ages 5 to 12.

» The Saturday Academy holds after-school workshops with arts and STEM themes from professional stage makeup to programming, mostly on campus at the University of Portland, but occasionally at individual schools.

introducing budding

Would you rather have your kid bouncing

thespians to

off someone else’s walls?

everything from script

LUMBERYARD

While also on a bike?

» Echo Theater Company offers once-

writing and

a-week after-school classes in trapeze,

character creation to

NORTHWEST CHILDREN’S THEATER

improv and pantomime.

» The

acrobatics and more.

Lumberyard

» Portland Rock Gym holds rock-climbing classes for kids ages 6 to 17.

Build gadgets better than Dustin from

Stranger Things?

popular on-site after-school programs for science-oriented kids, with instruction in mechanical, electrical and software

after-school “shred”

» Oregon Gymnastics Academy in

(old-person

Beaverton lets kids get the wiggles out

» EG Robotics features one of the more

offers 10-week

translation:

with after-school tumbling and “artistic

BMX bike)

gymnastics” for girls or boys.

sessions on

» Lil’ Kickers features one-day-a-week after-

your choice

school soccer classes for kids up to age 9.

of day.

engineering.

Need some post-classroom zen?

Are you one of those rare unicorn families where the kids will still eat “adult” food so long as they’ve made it themselves?

YES

» Yoga Playgrounds brings the calm to many metroarea elementary

NO

Do you want to be one of those families?

» Check out The Merry Kitchen in Northeast

or middle schools

Portland, which offers creative after-school

with its focused

cooking classes from sushi rolling to

stretching and

“homemade Happy Meals.”

mindfulness activities.

THE MERRY KITCHEN

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

23

More tips to find after-school care

NOTE: In Portland Public Schools, flyers for afterschool activities were once distributed via email through communications tool Peachjar.

However, this was discontinued in March 2018 due to equity concerns, so you’ll have to ask at the front office how information on after-school program info is disseminated at your particular school. (Though many suburban districts still use Peachjar.) The following tips can help guide you through the process of finding after-school care.

1. Many programs start at first grade, so know that if you have a kindergartener, it could be a very long year for you. (Source: I had a kindergartener last year.)

Make sure to call first to confirm eligibility.

2. Check with your school’s PTA, as some of them compile an after-school programming directory. Otherwise, connect with your school or school’s PTA on Facebook and ask other parents what programs they personally recommend.

Find out more about each program’s offerings Lil’ Kickers: lilkickers.com/location/

oregon/portland/portland-indoorsoccer Northwest Children’s Theater:

nwcts.org/drama-club One With Heart:

onewithheart.com/after-schoolkung-fu-program Oregon Gymnastics Academy:

ogagym.org/recreational/ school-age/

Owl and Bee Clay Academy:

owlandbeeclaycompany.com/ clay-classes Portland Child Art Studio:

PORTLAND CHILD ART STUDIO

portlandchildart.org/sign-up-forclasses

Boys & Girls Club: bgcportland.org/join-the-club/

Portland Parks and Recreation:

Camp Fire: campfirecolumbia.org/ programs/before-and-after-school The Children’s Gym: childrensgym.com/after-school-care

Portland Rock Gym:

portlandrockgym.com/afterschool Trackers Earth:

trackerspdx.com/youth/after-school

The Saturday Academy:

saturdayacademy.org

3. Consider having your kid sign up for activities with a friend — that way you’ll have pick-up backup in case things run late at work or Portland’s Friday traffic does its thing.

4. Don’t be afraid to choose activities based on your schedule — if your daughter wants to do ballet but it’s halfway across town, sign her up for that cooking class several blocks from work instead. Afterschool activities can be a lowpressure way for kids to expand their interests and try things they might not have otherwise have known they liked.

portlandoregon.gov/parks

SUN: multco.us/sun/

sun-community-schools The Lumberyard:

lumberyardmtb.com/afterschool-program The Merry Kitchen:

ECHO THEATER

themerrykitchen.com

Echo Theater Company: echotheaterpdx.org

YMCA: ymcacw.org/

programs/after-school/

EG Robotics: egrobotics.com

child-developmentcenters and

KinderCare/Knowledge Beginnings: kindercare.com/ programs-curriculum/additionalprograms/before-after-schoolprograms

ymcacw.org/programs/ after-school/enrichment-classes Yoga Playgrounds: yogaplaygrounds.com

YOGA PLAYGROUNDS

Kat Merck is a freelance writer and editor in Camas, Wash. She’s also mother to a soon-to-be first grader whose after-school energy could power a medium-sized city for several days.

24

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

AFTER SCHOOL

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

25

AFTER SCHOOL

26

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

AFTER SCHOOL

an accessible and inclusive directory

pdxparent.com/ umbrella a digital directory for the thousands of families throughout the Portland/Vancouver area that require specialized services for their children

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

27

Busting Vaccine Myths Immunizations keep kids healthier, in the classroom and beyond. A local pediatrician and mom breaks down the science of why. BY WHITNEY CASARES, M.D.

O

regon’s recent measles outbreak brought national attention to the Portland-metro area and a renewed focus on making sure our school-age children are well-protected against future preventable illness epidemics.

Understanding what’s myth and what’s fact is important as you make choices around your child’s safety and health, particularly when it comes to vaccines.

MYTH

#1

Vaccines aren’t necessary once my child reaches school age.

MYTH

#3

There are still a lot of safety concerns about vaccines.

FACT: Thank goodness we’ve significantly reduced FACT: Just like any other mom, I’m a skeptic about how many vaccine-preventable illnesses physicians what I put into my kids’ bodies. When it comes to see yearly in Oregon over the past century. Just because vaccines, though, the evidence is clear: The risks of not diseases are rare, though, doesn’t mean they don’t exist — even vaccinating far outweigh the very small risks of giving vaccines.

Of course, vaccines can cause harm — all medicines can — but in populations of healthy, low-risk, school-age kids. If we stop no vaccine currently recommended by the Centers for Disease vaccinating because we stop seeing a disease in the community, Control has been found to cause more harm than the disease it’s that disease will return. Take our recent measles virus outbreak, protecting against. for example. With relatively low vaccination rates in our area, measles was able to make a comeback, affecting previously healthy children. If we want My child will be protected from Getting educated to prevent future invasions from diseases like MYTH vaccine-preventable illnesses as about common vaccine measles, we have to reduce the number of cracks long as everyone around him in our metaphorical fortress walls, making it misconceptions is gets vaccinated. harder for vaccine-preventable illnesses to important for your FACT: Herd immunity is real. When break in. child’s health, but it most people in a community are vaccinated against a disease, it makes it harder for that disease to also matters for the Vaccines are just a way for spread, protecting the few people who did not health of everyone MYTH pharmaceutical companies to receive immunity or, more importantly, who around you. Vaccines make money. couldn’t (such as infants, pregnant women and keep serious diseases FACT: Pharmaceutical companies other immunocompromised patients). However do make a lot of money on the products vaccination rates must be extremely high for herd out of our community, they manufacture — it’s a trillion-dollar, worldwide immunity to work. For diseases like measles and allowing our kids to industry — but hardly any of that money comes pertussis, almost everyone in the community has to focus instead on from vaccines. In fact, vaccines only account be vaccinated — 90-95 percent — for non-immune growing, learning for 2-3 percent of pharmaceutical sales. Drug people to be protected. Our vaccination rates companies make the vast majority of their money in Oregon are nowhere near those benchmarks, and thriving. selling drugs that treat, not prevent, diseases. putting us at high risk for outbreaks.

#4

#2

Whitney Casares, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P., is a mom to two young girls and a pediatrician at Pediatric Associates of the Northwest. Every day, she tries to balance taking care of work, her kids and herself, laughing at the craziness of the early years with young ones. She developed modernmommydoc.com to inspire, educate and encourage moms and dads so they can win at parenting without losing themselves.

28

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

29

PD X

S CK

R ENT P PA I

Health & Wellness 2019

Stay healthy for the start of school with our readers’ picks for the best in family Health & Wellness. See full results from our readers’ poll at pdxparent.com/pdxparentpicks.

OPTOMETRIST

BEST DENTIST FOR KIDS

Top 5

Top 5

Oregon Elks Children’s Eye Clinic at the Casey Eye Institute, OHSU

Hollywood Children’s

Child Eye Care Associates

Dentistry

Alberta Eye Care

Dr. Pike Dentistry

Hawthorne Vision Center

for Children

Myoptic Optometry

Sprout Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics Little Smiles Pediatric

Winner

WORLD OF SMILES

EyeHealth Northwest,

Dentistry

multiple locations, ehnpc.com

Fox Kids Dentistry & Orthodontics Winner

World of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry

11790 SW Barnes Rd., Beaverton. visitworldofsmiles.com Between the lack of fluoride in Portland’s water supply and the ever-increasing rate of Tooth Fairy inflation around these parts, childhood dental care is no laughing matter. Fortunately, the wizards at World of Smiles are around to help. They recently upped their game by adding a station for tweens and teens, complete with classic arcade games to play while you wait. And available evening appointments are perfect for busy working parents.

Clear sight enables kids to do their best at school and also promotes safe and strong physical development. Enter the pediatric eye doctors at EyeHealth Northwest, who are trained in early detection, and can help you get in front of childhood vision problems long before they slow your little one down.

KID - FRIENDLY YOGA Top 5 Yoga Playgrounds Yoga Shala of Portland Bhaktishop Yoga Center Woodstock Wellness Center Roseway Yoga & Movement Winner

Imagination Yoga, multiple locations, imaginationyoga.com In a town bursting with yoga options, Imagination Yoga gets the nod from our readers for its focus on children. The benefits yoga offers kids are well documented — it helps with mindfulness and focus, and IMAGINATION YOGA

teaches kids to be OK, even grateful, for silence in an increasingly noisy world — not to mention it’s a terrific workout for flexibility, balance and strength. Fun fact: Imagination Yoga was born in Portland, and is still headquartered here, but now its curriculums and teacher trainings can be found across the country, and in Europe and Asia.

30

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

S CK

PD X

R ENT P PA I

Health & Wellness 2019

PEDIATRICIAN Top 5 OHSU Sellwood Medical Clinic Brave Care (previously known as Pacific Crest Children’s Urgent Care) Broadway Medical Clinic Pediatric Associates of the Northwest Winner Metropolitan Pediatrics, LLC,

METROPOLITAN PEDIATRICS

multiple locations, metropediatrics.com In a city full of excellent pediatric practices, Metropolitan Pediatrics stands out for its accessibility (five strategically placed locations around the metro area, including a newly opened Bridgeport Village outpost); access to providers at any time, day or night, via phone; and the willingness of doctors to take as much time as needed to get the important questions answered. (Just consider our very own Dr. Doug, whose advice column runs every month in the magazine’s Play Room section!)

PHYSICAL/OCCUPATIONAL/ SPEECH THERAPISTS

MAMA & BABY FITNESS/SPA

Top 5

Top 5

Groundplay

Zenana Center for Wellbeing

Therapy Works

Luna Wellness Hike It Baby

Therapy

Baby Boot Camp

Solutions for

Barre 3

Kids Children’s

Winner

Intensive

Fit4Mom

Therapy NW

multiple locations, fit4mom.com

Gather and

With classes in Southeast

Grow PDX The Hello Clinic

SENSORY KIDS

Portland, Southwest Portland and Happy Valley, Fit4Mom has fans all over town, who love the

Winner

no-judgment, we’re-all-in-this-

Sensory KIDS LLC

together approach to getting back

1425 N Killingsworth St., sensorykidsot.com Many of the children who go see the caring and skilled therapists at Sensory KIDS don’t see their sessions as a chore. This is pure fun, facilitated by a team of therapists who patiently focus their entire attention on individual kids coping with sensory processing disorder, autism and other challenges. Kids might play with shaving cream, swing on a trapeze or thread beads on a necklace, gaining confidence and skills as they go.

to a fitness routine after giving birth. But don’t be fooled — this is a serious workout that will leave you sweaty. Unlike at those other gyms, though, you can do the whole thing with your stroller at your side or even stop to take a breast/bottle-feeding break mid-workout, as needed.

32

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

hands on

For more kid-friendly projects, visit: pdxparent.com /hands-on

Be a Worm Watcher!

Construct a quick-andeasy “earthworm hotel” and dig into the mysteries of the worm kingdom.

BY EVE HANSEN AND AMY BIGEJ

W

orms can be squiggly and a little icky to us humans, but they are fascinating creatures that do a lot of important work. Those wiggly little guys are a major part of our ecosystem, constantly digesting, composting and enriching the nutrients in the soil. They ventilate soil by moving through it. They are also great recyclers. They break down raw material by digesting it and turning it into compost, which they leave behind in what are called castings. They also help incorporate leaf litter into the top layers of the soil, which encourages fungi and bacteria to do the rest of the work and decompose the material. If you want healthy and happy plants, your soil should contain lots of worms to keep it healthy. It is usually hard to see earthworms doing their job because they work underground, in the dark. Making an earthworm hotel gives you and your kids a window into the fascinating process.

EVE HANSEN

Care for Your Earthworm Hotel • Place your worm hotel in a dark spot out of direct sunlight.

MATERIAL S

Do not cover the top.

Empty 1- to 2-liter soda bottle

• Observe your bottle every day

Scissors

and notice the changes in the

Tape

soil. After three to four days,

Sand

you’ll see that the worms have

Soil

been very busy; even though

3 to 4 worms (The fun way to get these is to dig them up. If you can’t find any, you can also buy them at most stores with a fishing section.)

you didn’t move the bottle, the worms have traveled all around and mixed all the EVE HANSEN

INSTRUC TIONS 1. With grown-up help as needed, cut the top off of the plastic bottle.

2. Use tape to cover the jagged edge at the top of the bottle.

Pro tip: Check out the monthly Kids’ Club events at all Al’s Garden Center locations.

3. Pour 1 inch of sand into the bottom of your bottle.

August 2019

|

• Continue to watch the worms explore for a few days, but after that, be sure to return them to their natural habitat.

4. Pour 1 inch of soil on top of the sand layer.

5. A lternate between layers of sand and soil, making four to five layers in all — until the layers come within 1 inch of the top. (The very top layer should be soil.)

6. Dampen the bottle with some water.

7. N ow for the worms. Place them right on top. They will begin to burrow their way into the soil almost immediately.

34

layers together.

pdxparent.com

Amy Bigej is the education coordinator and Eve Hansen is the event manager for Al’s Garden & Home. The two love collaborating on fun, educational and gardening-themed kids’ projects for their monthly Kids’ Club.

Especially if worms are involved.

H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

35

field trip

t

What’s SUP?

here are so many ways to get out on the water with your kids — canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, rowboats, jet boats, good old-fashioned inner tubes — and we’ve tried them all, at lakes and rivers and bays and inlets all around Oregon.

But stand-up paddleboarding (or SUP), not so much. I had always considered it bettersuited to the toned, super-fit women in the Title 9 catalog, who were photographed stroking effortlessly through the waves off the Hawaiian coastline, while laughing over their shoulders.

I hadn’t reckoned with my 10-year-old son, who has always had preternaturally good balance. (No training wheels on the bike for that kid!) We’ve rented stand-up paddleboards for him over the years during day trips to Lost Lake and overnights at Black Butte Ranch in Central Oregon, and he always made it look easy.

So easy, in fact, that I figured he shouldn’t have all the fun. So on a recent sunny Saturday, his twin sister and I set out for Hagg Lake Park in Washington County to try it out for ourselves, with Ben in tow to give us some pointers.

Hagg Lake, for the uninitiated, is about 45 minutes from downtown Portland. It’s a huge manmade lake that’s got hiking trails, disc golf, big grassy lawns for spreading out and — most importantly for our purposes — a boat rental concessionaire (though you can also just bring your own). It’s good for swimming as well, though a bit murky.

I had called ahead to reserve our SUPs, and they were waiting when we got there, along with life jackets. I was expecting some kind of instruction or guidance, but none was forthcoming, so we gulped and headed out, rather ungracefully managing to launch ourselves from the boat ramp with the help of a kind passerby. Note that half the lake is a “no-wake zone” but there are motorboats and Jet-Skis zipping around the other half, which periodically sends small waves lapping across the entire body of water.

Now, I’m a confident kayaker/canoer, thanks to years in summer camp as a kid, so I know my way around a paddle. But I hadn’t considered the need for balance, and core strength, both of which are necessary when you’re upright on what’s essentially a sturdier version of a surfboard, trying not to veer wildly to one side or another.

Spoiler alert: I did not look like the women of the catalog.

For more ideas for fun outings, visit: pdxparent.com/ field-trip

Getting schooled on stand-up paddleboarding with the kids STORY AND PHOTO BY JULIA SILVERMAN

36

STAND

AND

Needless to say, Ben was already to the middle of the lake before I could manage to get more than 10 feet from shore, though to be fair, I had Elly kneeling on the board in front of me, panicking that we might tip over.

Pro tip: So if you’re trying stand-up paddleboarding for the first time, it may be best not to have a slightly nervous child crouched at the foot of your board. Just a thought.

If you have some paddling experience, it’s not difficult to figure out how to control the board, and you have to work hard to fall off, though Ben accomplished that. (It may have been on purpose.) It’s definitely a good workout, too, and it can even be peaceful — Ben told me after our hour was up that his favorite thing about being out on a paddleboard is “getting out to the middle of the lake, then lying down and looking up,” which sounds good to me.

I never got quite that far, though. I think if we were to try this again, I’d put Elly on her own board, and get us both lessons. (See Stand and Deliver below.) In the meantime, when our hour was up, I rented a canoe, and we paddled happily across the lake and back, not quite as catalog-ready, perhaps, but much more serene, and no balance needed!

IF YOU GO: Robinson Family Lake House is at Boat Ramp “C” at Henry Hagg Lake Park, 50250 SW Scoggins Valley Rd., Gaston.

Open Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 am-7 pm. Stand-up paddleboards and canoes are $20/hour; there are also one-person kayaks available for $15/hour.

DELIVER: MORE PLACES TO TRY SUP

Lost Lake Resort is a gorgeous lake in the Mount Hood foothills that is well worth the hour-and-45minute drive from Portland. (Stop in Hood River to break up the trip.) The lake is smaller than Hagg Lake, and there are no motorized boats to navigate around, though paddleboarders will have to watch out for swimmers on crowded summer days. SUPs are $22/hour.

Next Adventure, the trusty gear shop in Portland, offers quick-start SUP lessons at Sellwood Waterfront Park. They’ll help with all the things I couldn’t figure out, like how to go from kneeling to standing and back again, and the right way to launch and land your SUP. Lessons are $50 for 2 hours.

Julia Silverman is PDX Parent’s former editor. She plans to stick to canoes and kayaks from now on.

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe offers SUP lessons for beginners as well, at George Rogers Park in Lake Oswego. They promise to teach you all the basic strokes you’ll need to know, plus students even practice deepwater rescue. $59 per class.

recipe file

Main Squeeze

Beat the late-summer heat with this classic thirst quencher.

STORY AND PHOTOS

BY JUDITH RICH

I

got the idea to make our own lemonade when my daughters decided to break their lemonade stand out of the garage. The recipe is really simple and only uses three ingredients. But you can also get fancy and add fresh herbs such as rosemary, basil or mint. (Unless your kids aren’t into green stuff!)

My daughter Edie loves to get her hands dirty, and her favorite part of making this drink is “pouring in the sugar and squeezing the lemons,” she says. You don’t have to let the lemonade sit overnight, but it tastes even better if it does. Pro tip: You can also make a grown-ups-only drink out of it with a splash of bubbly water and some rosé or white wine. Cheers!

Homemade Lemonade

Directions

Makes 5-6 cups

1. Slice lemons into ½-inch rounds and put them in a large bowl.

4 ripe lemons 1 cup sugar 4 cups water 3 fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)

2. Squeeze lemons with hands until you get all the juice out. Let the kids help!

3. Add sugar and keep squeezing until the sugar dissolves.

4. Strain the liquid and place into a pitcher.

5. Add 4 cups of water and 2 cups of ice.

6. Add a few rosemary sprigs (or other herbs), if using and mix with a wooden spoon.

7. Serve immediately or chill overnight. .

Loo

kin

gf or mo re kid

-fr

ie

nd

ly

re ci

pe

s?

V

is

it:

pd

xp

ar

en

t.c

om

/ re

cipe

-file

Judith Rich creates kid-inspired recipes and writes about her family’s dining-out adventures in and around Portland at her blog, Eaty Pie. Find her at eatypie.com.

38

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

Whether your child is entering kindergarten or high school, find the right school for your family with PDX Parent’s Education Guide!

Coming October 2019 issue.

THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

in our the

education

2018-2019

guide. pdxparent.com

|

October 2018

37

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

39

time out

Explore one of Portland’s most family-friendly neighborhoods at Sellwood-Westmoreland’s Summerville event. Think martial-arts demos, crafts for

40

walking, there’s a free trolley. The party starts at SMILE Station, 8210 SE 13th Ave. Saturday, August 3, 11 am-4 pm.

music in the woods The stellar lineup of kids’ music at this year’s Pickathon includes all of your family’s favorites such as Red Yarn, Mo Phillips and Mr. Ben, but also new-to-you artists like [E]mpress, Snake Farm Family Band and Hearth & Hymn. Beyond the stages, the family-friendly music festival offers a vast array of kids’ programs including dropoff imaginative

Frolic among the season’s last rose blooms during the Washington Park Summer Festival, a four-day global art, music and dance extravaganza. Kidfriendly offerings include: storytelling of the African diaspora, performances by a Native dance company and hands-on art activities galore. Pro tip: Skip the parking pain and take the MAX or the free Washington Park Shuttle. Thursday, August 1, Rose Garden Amphitheater. Free.

rockhounds, unite It’s a good month for rock lovers, with the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals the site of two stellar events: First off, SummerFest, Saturday and Sunday, August 3-4, includes geode cracking, panning for gold and other fun activities for the whole family. Plus live music, food for purchase, and many tempting, shiny rocks to buy. 10 am-5 pm. $6 for ages 5 and up. And Saturday, August 10, future paleontologists will delight in the fun to be had at the NW Fossil Fest. Kids can use dental drills to chip away at real fossils, win prizes, play games and more. 10 am-4 pm. Free admission. Both festivals also include admission to the museum’s cool collection.

play workshops from Cedarwood

community connection

Waldorf School, nature play time at the Learning Landscapes Adventure Play Area, and a DIY,

HEATHER BINNS

Get social with us!

! /pdxparentonline

( @pdx_parent

% /pdx_parent/

$ /pdx_parent/

kids, terrific food and fabulous sidewalk sales — Oodles 4 Kids, we’re looking at you. And if the littles get tired of

coming up roses

cigar-box guitar station at the BSD Future Bus. New this year: Trackers Earth Village. Oh, and there’s plenty of music for grown-ups, too. Friday-Sunday, August 2-4.

Pendarvis Farm, 16581 SE Hagen Rd., Happy Valley.

Visit pickathon.com to purchase tickets. Kids 12 and younger, free.

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

PORTLAND PARKS AND RECREATION

summer in sellwood

Go. Play. Explore.

Celebrate the presence, resilience and strength of Oregon’s Pan African (African, Caribbean and African American) population at the Pan African Festival. Enjoy music, food and dance — plus a generous dose of community empowerment.

Along with its artsy offerings, this festival showcases local organizations forging solutions to challenges faced

by Portland families, from health education and financial literacy to career-awareness training. Saturday, August 10, noon-8:30 pm, Pioneer Courthouse Square. Get more info at panafricanfestivalor.org. Free.

DENISE CASTAÑON

SELLWOOD MORELAND BUSIENSS ALLIANCE

August 2019

a real stinker

hen party

Spice? Herb? Vegetable? Call it what you will; this fragrant bulb is the belle of the ball at the 22nd Annual Elephant Garlic Festival. Garlicky delights at this long-lived festival range from classic — pickled garlic and mashed potatoes — to downright strange — garlic ice cream, anyone? March in the garlic parade, and don’t miss a hidden festival gem: the Friends of the North Plains Library book sale, boasting cheap children’s titles LENTS CHICKEN BEAUTY CONTEST

What we really want to know about the Lents Chicken Beauty Contest: Is there a swimsuit competition? Probably not, but you can come vote for — or enter — the prettiest cluckers in Southeast Portland at this annual pageant. All entrants receive a goody bag stuffed with organic chicken feed from Foster Feed & Garden. The beauty contest is part of the larger Lents Street Fair. Sunday, August 11, 11 am4 pm. Winners announced at 3:45 pm.

9330 SE Harold St. (The contest is on the east side of 92nd Avenue, just north of Zoiglhaus Brewery.) Register your chicken at lentschickencontest.com. Contests for kids and adults. Free.

galore. Friday-Sunday, August 9-11. (Hours vary; check funstinks.com for times.) Jessie Mays Community Park, North Plains. Free admission.

gone squatchin’ Trek to Troutdale’s third annual Oregon Bigfoot Festival for a raucous lineup of bigfootcrazed speakers, experts and

Get the feeling of being in a true night market without the pricey airline tickets to Hong Kong at two local late-summer markets.

Westsiders can stroll the booths at the Beaverton Night Market, Saturday, August 17, 5 pm-10 pm. 12725 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton. And on the eastside, the Jade International Night Market operates two Saturdays, August 24 and 31, 5 pm-10 pm.

Portland Community College Southeast Campus, 2305 SE 82nd Ave. Both markets feature vendors slinging food from all parts of the world, cultural entertainment and kids’ activities.

aficionados, plus food carts, exhibits, merchandise and games.

You might even encounter Bigfoot himself — or at least a guy in a convincing costume — lumbering about. Saturday, August 17, 10 am-5 pm, Glen Otto Park, Troutdale. (The Oregon Bigfoot Conference happens onsite from 11 am-12:30 pm.) $5 suggested donation. Kids under 12 free. Find out more at oregonbigfootfestival.com.

oi, romeo!

cheap thrills

Picture a soccer bout crossed with an improv show and you’ve got the gist of the performances Original Practice Shakespeare Festival delivers. (There’s even an onstage referee complete with striped shirt and whistle.) So, yes, it’s Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing, but instead of sticking to the script, the actors research their characters, receive onstage cues, and blast out physical, fast-paced shows brimming with audience participation — kinda like it was in Shakespeare’s day. And this format will probably be much more interesting for kiddos, too. Saturday and Sunday, August 17-18, 4 pm at the Shakesbeer Festival at Say Ciao, 2501 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver, Washington. And Sunday, August 25, 1 pm at downtown Park Blocks. Visit opsfest.org for more info.

On a back-to-school budget? Pioneer Courthouse Square is your jam come late summer. The Noon PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE

Tunes Summer Concert Series, featuring lunchtime TIFFANY GILLY

CITY OF BEAVERTON

up past bedtime

performances from local and regional musicians, runs Tuesdays at noon through August 27. Flicks on the Bricks offers Friday-night showings of classic and contemporary films through August 23.

(This one’s better suited to older kids!) Don’t forget your blankets and picnic baskets. Free. Check thesquarepdx.org for the full schedule.

pdxparent.com

|

August 2019

41

pa r e n t l a n d i a

Tom Toro is a freelance cartoonist and writer whose work appears in The New Yorker, Paris Review, American Bystander and elsewhere.

His collection of Trump cartoons TINY HANDS was published in 2017 by Dock Street Press. His fiction writing has been shortlisted for the Disquiet International Literary Prize. Tom is currently developing an animated TV show, and finishing a graphic memoir about becoming an artist during turbulent times. He lives in Portland with his wife, preschooler and cat. To see more of his work, visit tomtoro.com.

42

August 2019

|

pdxparent.com

Presented by