ORCA’s Summer Preview: Teachers, Students, and Families Gear Up for Fun

June marks the end of another amazing school year here at Oregon Charter Academy (ORCA).  Summer break is not only a great chance to rest and recharge but also to find adventurous ways to learn beyond the classroom. This year, we're celebrating everyone's hard work during the 2023-2024 school year by highlighting how our diverse community of teachers, students, and families will spend their breaks.

Our Teachers Have BIG Plans

ORCA teachers are ready for summer break, with their plans reflecting the varied and dynamic interests they carry into every school year. From hiking, camping, and outdoor fun, along with trips to national parks, and even tropical destinations, this group knows how to make the most out of their summer.

  • Karen Rothery: "We go camping every summer!"

  • Melissa Halter: "This summer, we will be camping, going to summer camps, and going to Hawaii!" 

  • Bridget Villanueva: "I am excited to spend time outside with my daughters this summer, hiking, swimming, and getting ice cream!"

  • Katy Naylor: "My family and I are going to Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando." 

  • Amy Lee: "I am headed to Houston, Texas, with three students for the HOSA-Future Health Professionals International Leadership Conference. Then I'm headed to Paris to watch the Olympics!"

  • Dr. Beth Washak: "Unplugging and spending as much time as I can in the sun with family!"

  • Laurie Cantu: "I am taking a big road trip to drive down to Southern California to see my 89-year-old mom (she's amazing and lives on her own in a two-story house). I'm also going to Disneyland and Joshua Tree while I'm down there (have you seen a Joshua Tree?)."

  • Jenny Tompkins: "I plan to spend time with my children, get projects done around the house, get together with friends, and enjoy the great outdoors!"

  • Rebecca Hammer: “Family reunion, time with friends at the beach, and spending time quilting."

  • Mark Cralen: "Doing organic chemistry research at Portland State University."

  • Dorrie Board: "I plan to swim, go to the gym, read, hang with pals, and pretty much do whatever I want!"

  • Elizabeth Schaefer: "We are hosting an Italian exchange student for a month and are excited to show her around the Pacific Northwest, as well as take her to Disneyland."

  • Rachel Kazmierski: "My husband, John, and I will be traveling to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to celebrate 15 years of marriage!"

  • Katie Alikin: "Family trip to Yellowstone and Jackson Hole! Backpacking, camping, house projects, and relaxing."

  • Paula Leifer: "We will be taking our annual trip to Sunriver in July this year and having some small family trips prepping for my husband's year-long deployment."

  • Nikki Coleman: "We're going to Maui for our ten-year wedding anniversary!"

  • Jill Johnson: "My family and I will be camping and hiking in Glacier National Park and Banff and Jasper National Parks in Canada."

  • Megan Murphy: "Big Island of Hawaii for 2.5 weeks!"

  • Tiffany Harden: "I will spend a week in Sunriver, Oregon, with family and friends. We will also be taking a trip to visit family in New York. When not traveling, I'll be relaxing and spending time outside with my husband, daughter, son, and dog."

  • Steph Imig: "I am kicking my summer off with a race (naturally) — the Wild Woman Half Marathon at the base of Mount Adams. In the beginning of July, we are headed to Las Vegas for an Aces game and to bungee jump off the Stratosphere. Later in July, we will squeeze in some climbing at Smith Rock."

  • Michael Rodriguez: "My family and I are going to become nocturnal for a few days to attend the Oregon Star Party in Ochoco National Forest. Ochoco is within the newly designated Oregon Dark Sky Sanctuary — the biggest one in the world! A star party involves lots of amateur astronomers aiming their telescopes at various objects like galaxies, globular clusters, supernova remnants, and planetary nebulae and giving everyone else a chance to look through their telescopes. There are also workshops and seminars you can attend."

  • Lily Fuchs: “I will be camping in The Gorge (two different trips!) towards the beginning of summer. After that, I will be spending as much time outside as possible. My birthday is in July, so that is always a summer highlight! I also want to read more books this summer."

  • Lisa Rollot: "My family and I are attending the Summer Olympic Games in Paris!"

  • Jim Keehn: "Travel with my children to North Carolina to attend a celebration of life for my aunt."  

Students Maximizing their Summer Break

Our students are just as adventurous and diverse with their summer plans. With camping, travel, and summer jobs in store, this group will be ready when the new school year begins. 

  • Samuel Dudley: "Going to Vancouver Island, Canada."

  • Remington Vassallo: "Lots and lots of camping and swimming!"

  • Faith Yarbrough: "101 road trip to Coos Bay, two weeks as a learning assistant at an equine facility in Idaho, youth camp, and a summer job."

Families Won’t be Left Out of the Fun

Of course, ORCA families also deserve a little rest and relaxation during the summer months. A few of our students’ families shared their plans, which include international travel, kayak camping trips, and even video games!  

  • Michelle Colvin (Taylor Colvin): "Family vacation in Canada! We're going to Banff and Calgary — enjoying the sites.”

  • Eileen Gilbert (Lucas Gilbert): "We are traveling to Belize! We are going snorkeling with nurse sharks, zip lining, seeing the sting rays, and cave tubing. Looking forward to exploring the country!"

  • Shaun Olinger (Andica Olinger): "Andi and I are taking our 17-foot touring kayaks on an 80-mile, ten-day trip down the Lower Columbia River water trail. Mom is not up to it, so she will be running shore support and resupply halfway through the trip. It's gonna be AWESOME!!! Kiddo has been out there in waves she can't see over the top of and riding waves off of 700+ foot cargo ships."

  • Tish Beavens (Jacob Beavens): "We plan on fighting the summer slide with ORCA education tools, as well as being as active as possible with lots of swimming, biking, hiking, and a few small trips, and, of course, downtime with playing Pokemon, Mario Kart, and other fun video games.”

Fighting the Summer Slide

Tish Beavens is correct in highlighting the importance of combating the summer slide in her vacation plans. Students’ skills naturally deteriorate when they don't practice reading and math over the summer. According to one study, "most students lose two months of mathematical skills every summer, and low-income children typically lose another two to three months in reading." These losses are cumulative, so by the end of a student's career, uncorrected summer slides could leave them 2.5 - 3 years behind their peers. 

Fortunately, fighting the summer slide doesn't have to interfere with summer fun. Caretakers can mindfully make learning part of their students' daily routine by reading together, playing games, or visiting local museums. Any activity that stimulates a child's brain will help them stay in a learning mindset and make the transition back to school that much easier. 

As Tish mentioned, ORCA has plenty of resources families can use to help their children fight the summer slide. Reach out to your student's teacher, and they'll be glad to help.

Wrapping Up an Amazing Year

As we close out another incredible school year at ORCA, we celebrate the vibrant group of teachers, students, and families that make our school so dynamic. From adventurous summer plans to creative ways to combat the summer slide, everyone is gearing up for a well-deserved break. But our work doesn't stop here. We're excited to continue engaging with our community throughout the summer. Join us during the summer months for a virtual information session to learn more about our approach to education!

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