Division 1, Grades 1 - 5

1st Place: Ryan Ibarra, Morrow County
2nd Place: Jessica Carter, Grant County
3rd Place: Lilly Daggett, Umatilla County
4th Place: Ashley Switzer, Malheur County

Division 2, Grades 6 - 8

1st Place: Kaitlynn Linnell, Morrow County
2nd Place: Holly Lougee, Umatilla County
3rd Place: Zack Clark, Malheur County

Division 3, Grades 9 - 12

1st Place: Vallen Sipes, Malheur County
2nd Plac: Samantha Greif, Grant County
3rd Place: Presley Pahl, Umatilla County

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

admin IMEF Info

ACADEMY is a week-long experience allowing talented and highly motivated students to explore a broad range of classes, lectures, cultural events, and recreational activities. The SOU summer ACADEMY program, which is entering its twenty-seventh year of operation, has long been recognized as an outstanding educational opportunity for students in the Pacific Northwest. Students selected for each residential session on the Southern Oregon University campus in Ashland interact with peers of similar abilities while being challenged by creative, imaginative instructors and activities.

Student applications are available at the SOU Academy Website.

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Bob Valiant IMEF General TAG, youth programs

• Would you like to increase your understanding of the new core math standards and new diploma requirements?
• Would you like hands-on training that will increase your ability and confidence to teach mathematical strategies?
• Would you like to develop your role more fully in helping all children at every grade-level get ready for algebra?
• Would you like to learn high quality professional development strategies you can share with other teachers?

Read more…

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Bob Valiant Staff Development

Pilot Rock Team

The first 2009 Eastern Oregon Knowledge Bowl Competition happened on February 19th. High School competitors from around the region converged on Echo High School for a battle of the brains smackdown! Results for the competition can be found in the forum. A slide show for the event can be viewed by clicking on the photo above.

Bob Valiant IMEF Events

The news has been out for some time that our neighbors to the North, Washington State, will soon replace the WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning). This test was almost universally derided by everyone in the state except for the educational  bureaucracy and the business community. Even with the deep pockets of such supporters as Bill Gates, the overwhelming outrage of Washington State parents finally prevailed. The masses are demanding that the Education Accountability Movement put up or shut up. Goodbye Terry Bergeson and Huzzah for the grass roots!

Unfortunately, replacing a really bad test test with a somewhat less bad test isn’t good enough. Randy Dorn, the new Superintendent of Public Education, acknowledges that the WASL has problems, but does he understand the nature of those problems? Can a valid test even be constructed? Does it even matter? In an article in the Seattle Times, Gerald Bracey writes:

But the bigger validity question is: Does the test make any difference? Are college professors more pleased with students who have passed the test? Are employers? The answer is a resounding, “We don’t know.” States are afraid to ask this question because, if the answer comes up, “No,” they will be seen to have spent millions, even billions, of dollars for nothing.

Read the whole article here: Replace the WASL but do it right

Bob Valiant IMEF Info accountability, assessment

The funding prospects for public education look bleak. Despite incessant prognostication from policy makers and pundits, no one really knows exactly how bad it will get, but it’s likely the eventual financial situation will fall somewhere in the range of “very bad” to “awful.” Cost reductions are a certainty. Already in Oregon, districts are considering, or have decided to reduce instructional days to save money. The savings will come (of course) from reducing paid days for teachers. Children will pay through a reduction in instructional time. In tough times, everyone must bear a burden. Read more…

Bob Valiant Commentary

The IMEF website has been updated with a new look and a new integrated forum. One login now provides acces to the blog, pages, and discussions. Hopefully, this update will make collaboration online a little bit easier!

Bob Valiant IMEF Info

As goes the collapse of global capitalism, so goes the collapse of our federal education system. Just as the captains of financial and capital empires almost weekly admit failure by seeking government bailouts — anathema to capitalist dogma — so do our educational leaders and policy makers accept roll-backs and delays in cherished accountability programs, new testing regimes, and bureaucratic systems for generating and analyzing meaningless data.

The educational standards and accountability movement has failed.
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Bob Valiant Commentary

You can view over 100 photos taken by the IMEF’s resident photographer, Helene Burns, by clicking on the following link:

2008 June Jam Photos

Bob Valiant IMEF Photos June Jam

Due to lack of interest, the following workshops were cancelled by the UBESD:

• Creating Wonderful Readers & Nothing Less
• Humor & Communication Workshop
• Touch Math Training at UBESD

Please contact the UBESD if you havve questions.

Bob Valiant IMEF General cancellations, ubesd, workshops