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Parkside Smile Club highlights OSU science partnership; district outlines community engagement and endowment work
Summary
Parkside Elementary’s Smile Club described its partnership with Oregon State University and student activities; the district also updated the board on community engagement metrics, a new alumni database, endowment discussions with the Redwood Foundation, and kindergarten enrollment trends.
Students and teachers from Parkside Elementary presented the Smile Club, a science program run in partnership with Oregon State University, to the Grants Pass SD 7 board. Teachers said OSU provides science lessons designed by graduate students and Ph.D. candidates; the lessons are piloted in after-school clubs and local feedback helps researchers refine curriculum.
Parkside staff told the board they currently have about 18 students enrolled in Smile Club (with a target of 20–25), and that meetings run Tuesdays from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Busing is provided where needed; OSU provides $1,000 annually to cover busing, substitute pay and field-trip fees. Staff described field trips taken to Wildlife Safari and planned visits to the Smokejumper Museum in Cave Junction and to Southern Oregon University (SOU) in Ashland for together-day campus events.
A student who attends Smile Club told the board she enjoys science and opportunities to meet other students from area clubs.
Separately, district staff updated the board on community engagement objectives. The district has launched an alumni contact form and collected roughly 400 submissions dating from 1954 to 2024. The communications team reported a 9.5 percent increase in social-media followers year over year, a 25.69 percent increase in Instagram reach, eight press releases this school year, and roughly 80 radio, television or print stories generated by district outreach.
Staff and board members also reported conversations with the Redwood Foundation about an endowment for the district. Staff said the foundation could administer an endowment designated specifically for Grants Pass SD 7; the challenge will be fundraising to seed the endowment.
On enrollment planning, staff said Kinder Launch signups rose from 40 last year to 59 this year, and that preliminary projections point to about 389 kindergarten students in the fall. Principals will confirm available seats and the board will receive a transfer/slot recommendation by May 13; final transfer approvals are expected by June 20 and families notified by June 30.
Ending: Board members thanked the students and community partners and encouraged continued outreach to local organizations.
