Proud To Be NCSD

In this episode, meet our district's Director of Transportation, Kathy Calkins. Every morning and afternoon, the perpetually positive leader is always right out front of the Transportation hub, calling every driver by name and waving them off with a smile and lots of encouragement. Now she's getting a little name recognition of her own…recently named the nationwide 2026 Administrator of the Year b...

Why were Clackamas and Rex Putnam basketball players and fans rooting for each other earlier this month? In this episode, learn how Unified Basketball brings together student athletes with and without intellectual disabilities and proves it’s less about points on the scoreboard…and much more about encouragement, opportunity, and inclusion. It’s heartwarming hoops talk with Unified coaches Brandon...

When it comes to career paths, NCSD educators are often empowered to take a leap of faith: Some may choose to switch classroom locations, switch grade levels, or even switch to different schools throughout their career. But in this episode, we meet several teachers who took perhaps the biggest leap of faith possible— they switched to totally new careers by choosing to teach in our district . Meet...

With the school year now in its third month and Parent-Teacher Conferences approaching, it must mean that all NCSD teachers and support staff can simply follow their lesson plans and everything moves along on Cloud Nine, right? Wrong. Many factors, including student behavior outbursts, can quickly turn Cloud Nine into a perfect storm of classroom disruptions that can frustrate teachers and hinder...

In this inspiring debut episode of Season #4, we track down Superintendent Dr. Shay James as she wraps up her districtwide tour of every NCSD school within the first six weeks of the year.  Joined by Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ivonne Dibblee and Executive Director of Teaching & Learning Tammy O’Neill , Dr. James details what impressed her the most during her visits, especially when it comes...

In 1924-25, the world surrounding the North Clackamas School District looked very different. In fact, NCSD itself wouldn’t exist for nearly another 50 years. Homes didn’t have microwaves, refrigerators, or even bathrooms. But that same year, a brand-new school opened in Milwaukie , becoming a cornerstone of local education that still welcomes smiling students and staff members (in a beautiful new...

Ask anyone who works in the wonderful world of kindergarten, and it’s no secret that teaching reading and vocabulary to a lively group of feisty five- and six-year-olds is certainly rewarding, but never easy! Especially with varied learning levels in classroom, how do teachers make sure ALL students understand new words and how to incorporate them into conversations? The answer: a structured and s...

Admittedly, sometimes NCSD students spend more time talking in class than working on assignments. But what about those students who have all the words in their head, but can’t quite get them to sound correctly? That’s where our amazing NCSD Speech & Language Pathologists come in! in this episode, we hear the voices of five NCSD SLPs: Stephanie Gaslin (Milwaukie High) , Ambyr Henderson (Spring...

There’s quite a buzz happening each week in our Sabin-Schellenberg’s Cosmetology program , and it’s not just the electric clippers snipping the final touches on a perfect haircut. Fridays in February are Client Days , when NCSD community members make appointments with Cosmetology students getting hands-on training in haircuts to highlights and perms to pedicures. In this episode, we make an appoin...

Forget pressure-packed athletic events or attending first prom dances, many NCSD students say their stomachs start to churn most when facing their first-ever job interview. But thanks to unique College & Career courses required for 9th and 11th graders, NCSD students are more confident than ever answering tough interview questions and planning for careers after high school. In this episode, we...

If you know any young readers, you’ll want to keep sliding your tray along into this week’s episode! Our story begins once upon a time in the Oak Grove Elementary library, where staff can’t seem to keep up with orders for Lunch Lady , a set of popular graphic novels in which the school Lunch Lady solves captivating cafeteria capers. That’s until NCSD Nutrition Services managers Kris DeHut and Raim...

You may hear music in a mall or snow projections in a weather report, but the first true signs of winter in NCSD are heard in all of our high school gyms, in pools, and on the wrestling mats. December means the tip-off of the Winter athletic season! Ever wondered who hires all the coaches, arranges the busses, and schedules all the practice and game times? It’s our four high school Athletic Direct...

Sure, you might see them outside the front doors in the morning greeting families…or roaming the hallways throughout the day checking in with students… but have you ever wondered what a day in the life of an NCSD principal really looks and sounds like? In this episode, host Curtis Long keeps the microphones rolling as he spends an entire Friday as the substitute principal at Spring Mountain Elemen...

If your family has a student older than second grade, you likely know about the annual Oregon State Assessments administered to students across the state each spring in English/Language Arts and Math. Although results are down statewide, NCSD’s Rowe Middle School is one of the only middle schools in Oregon where students showed growth in both English/Language Arts and Math at all three grade level...

Since Oregon state policy says students need to be five years old before entering public kindergarten, none of our schools in North Clackamas enroll students younger than that, right?  Well, not exactly …did you know that in one NCSD elementary school, you’ll find one colorful classroom where thriving three- and four-year-olds playfully paint, sing, and even snooze as they learn to be a part of a...

Nearly everyone can relate to the feeling of being a new student at school…the nerves, the uncertainty, with maybe even a little excitement mixed in. But what if you were brand new to a school… as the principal?   In this episode, meet two new NCSD administrators who felt all the emotions of not only being new to their school, but also new to the principal position. We start with Katrina Edwards ,...

In the past, NCSD has canceled school days because of icy road conditions or poor outdoor air quality…but never extreme heat during a school year.  That is, until Friday, September 6th…as temperatures crept toward triple digits the previous afternoon without major cooling in the overnight forecast.  In this season’s debut episode, we sit down with Superintendent Dr. Shay James, NCSD Chief of Opera...

If you have students in school, you’ve probably heard your share of school-related acronyms, including I-E-P .  An Individualized Education Plan serves as a vital connection between schools and families with students who need a little extra help with academics or behavior.  But what exactly is an IEP, and how does the legal document help foster a trusting bond between families and school personnel...

Why did three enthusiastic team members from the Clackamas Trader Joe’s recently pay a very special visit to a Mt. Scott Elementary classroom?  It turns out they received a unique request in a persuasive letter written by third grader Xander Sievers , then responded in a way students in teacher Liz Maxwell’s classroom won’t soon forget!  In this episode, learn why Xander’s letter now proudly hangs...

When thinking about famous Tigers, some might think about an icon in professional golf…or the Grrrrrreat spokesperson of a favorite breakfast cereal…but did you know that NCSD has its own team of Tigers roaring past all competition in the annual Oregon Battle of the Books ?  Spring Mountain Elementary’s Midnight Tigers are a gifted group of five fabulous fifth graders who recently outperformed sch...

All in one day, more than 1,400 NCSD high school juniors boarded busses for a field trip to downtown Portland’s Convention Center to participate in the Northwest Youth Careers Expo…and this episode of the “Proud To Be NCSD” podcast follows them from start to finish!  As you’ll hear, this was certainly not “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off!”  Students from Milwaukie , Rex Putnam , Clackamas , Adrienne C. N...

Since launching nearly two years ago, we've featured some very special guests…from NCSD’s Superintendent to extraordinary teachers and students who have captivated us with amazing stories from their school communities.  This week, we take a very unique approach to celebrate the podcast’s 40th episode...as three students from the Rowe Middle School Podcast Network (8th graders Jose-Angel Barraza, K...

When our students face changes and challenges both inside and outside school walls, where can they turn to confess their concerns, discuss their doubts, and shout out their successes?  NCSD school counselors are always there to make sure ALL students feel seen, supported, and most importantly, celebrated for who they are.  In this episode, it’s a conversation full of compassion as we’re joined by...

Although January is Oregon School Board Recognition Month , a certain ice storm put the freeze on our first try at coordinating calendars to record this appreciative podcast.  Now that the ice has melted away, we’ve made a new motion to honor the seven superheroes who tirelessly volunteer on our NCSD Board.  In this episode, get to know two of our newest Directors, April Dobson and Paul Kemp , as...

As the first round of final exams wraps up in NCSD high schools, we shine the spotlight on three amazing Rex Putnam High School students whose journey through NCSD schools has looked (and sounded) a little different than most of their peers.  These high-achieving high schoolers have been a part of the district’s Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program since elementary school, meaning they’ve spent p...