Author: Tazwell Brandabur

Tazwell Brandabur is a Sophomore at Alliance Charter Academy and Editor in Chief for The Charter. Outside of school, he enjoys Irish music and military history.
COVID-19, features

NWEA Warns Of COVID Learning Slump

Tazwell Brandabur The Charter Features 5/5/20 Educators worldwide have been scrambling to keep kids engaged and learning during the ongoing lockdown, with mixed results. New research from the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) forecasts that this extended disruption of conventional schooling will create major educational hurdles that could continue to trip students up years down the line. “NWEA is widely used and proven for growth and … Continue reading NWEA Warns Of COVID Learning Slump

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COVID-19, news

Defunct: Live Updates: Coronavirus, April 23rd — May 24th

This Page is no longer updated– it will be superseded by The Charter’s reopening live updates page. Tazwell Brandabur The Charter News Last updated 5/24/20 at 4:30 PM PT The Pandemic At a Glance: Cases: Deaths: Jump to: Latest: Worldwide: 5,453,399 345,077 Current Policy On May 15th, Governor Kate Brown allowed almost all Oregon counties outside the Portland metro area to U.S. 1,673,678 98,831 State … Continue reading Defunct: Live Updates: Coronavirus, April 23rd — May 24th

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COVID-19, news

OCSD Bans Most Forms Of Communication Between Students And Teachers.

Tazwell Brandabur The Charter News 4/22/20 ACA, like all Oregon schools, has been operating virtually in response to the ongoing pandemic since March 16th. In the weeks after the closure, instant messaging like Hangouts Chat and video conferencing services like Zoom and Google Hangouts quickly became a fixture of ACA’s distanced learning strategy. That changed on April 13th. A memo released on April 10th by … Continue reading OCSD Bans Most Forms Of Communication Between Students And Teachers.

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COVID-19, News Brief

A Straight-Up DIY Mask Update:

The CDC says go ahead and make one. Tazwell Brandabur The Charter News 4/9/20 After several months of discouraging the use of masks by the general public, federal health officials now recommend that citizens wear improvised masks while “in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.” The announcement came from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on April 4th. … Continue reading A Straight-Up DIY Mask Update:

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COVID-19, news, News Brief

COVID-19 Updates– Defunct

Everything you need to know about the Coronavirus, updated daily. Tazwell Brandabur The Charter News 4/21/20 The ongoing outbreak of the SARS-CoV2 virus has given rise to an information storm, as news organizations, social media platforms, and governments scramble to keep the public informed. Much of this coverage has proven false.  This page will be updated daily to include the most recent, accurate information about the … Continue reading COVID-19 Updates– Defunct

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features

Tough Love Grading Practices Produce Results

Tazwell Brandabur The Charter Features 3/15/20 Teachers themselves determine how students are graded, creating a spectrum of severity as complex and varied as the teachers themselves. This spectrum may lead to long-term consequences. A study published by the Fordham Institute in February, 2020, found that the way teachers grade students dramatically affects the students’ long term academic success. Students in classes with higher grading standards … Continue reading Tough Love Grading Practices Produce Results

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features

Milwaukie Declares Climate Emergency. Where Does Oregon City Stand?

Tazwell Brandabur The Charter Features 3/15/20 “NOW BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Milwaukie, Oregon, that a climate and ecological emergency, which threatens our city, region, state, nation, civilization, humanity and the natural world, is hereby declared.” This statement is part of a resolution passed by the Milwaukie City Council in January, 2020. The resolution, Council Resolution No. 7-2020, … Continue reading Milwaukie Declares Climate Emergency. Where Does Oregon City Stand?

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Chartered Territory

Is College Worth it?

Tazwell Brandabur Chartered Territory 1/22/2020 With rising tuition and increased competition, a debate is raging on both sides of the political spectrum over college. News outlets from the New York Times to Fox have questioned the worth of a degree. The Charter asked parents, teachers, and prospective students around ACA about their college experience, and whether they felt any higher education they’d received was worth … Continue reading Is College Worth it?

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editorial, opinions

We Are The Only Ones Who Can Fix This.

The Student Debt Crisis in America & What You Can Do About It. Tazwell Brandabur For The Charter Editorial Board 1/22/2020     Higher education has long been touted as a way out of unemployment, poverty, and into the modern world, but roughly forty percent of students are skipping college entirely, or enrolling in a trade school.  One major reason is the cost.  Institutions vary wildly … Continue reading We Are The Only Ones Who Can Fix This.

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features

Is ACA Safe?

Tazwell Brandabur The Charter Features 12/21/19 Charter schools have long been the center of an intense debate at the local and national level– a debate that’s intensified with the coming presidential election. At this point, the three frontrunning Democratic candidates, former Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Senator Elizabeth Warren, have openly called for a ban on charter schools. Sort of. Daunting as … Continue reading Is ACA Safe?

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news

Underused Power-up Hiding in Plain Sight

It’s noon, and most of ACA is going on break. Ann Heppner isn’t. Instead, she’s preparing for what many ESes describe as a “tremendously helpful” class, one that can be “miraculously beneficial” for students’ grades. Mrs. Heppner walks into the classroom and greets her  two-person class. This is business as usual for any one of ACA’s “Lunch and Learns.”  The Lunch and Learn program has … Continue reading Underused Power-up Hiding in Plain Sight

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news

Astrobiology Brings Strange Visitor To ACA

Tazwell Brandabur The Charter Features 21 Oct. 2019. On October 21st, Mr Holland’s PE class found the gym invaded by a faintly humming silver dome, 20 feet in diameter and 10 feet high. Fortunately, this was no alien invasion of ACA, but rather the Starlab, a mobile observatory and planetarium, brought in by Mr. Lancaster’s Astrobiology class to teach constellations and planetary science. “Constellations serve … Continue reading Astrobiology Brings Strange Visitor To ACA

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Chartered Territory

What advice would you give new students and families this year?

Donna Larson, an ACA parent, declined a photo, but said: “I’d say new families should remember to volunteer- it helps get you used to what’s happening around the school.” Raymond Kennedy: “Take Mrs. Whittet’s math class.” Jilene Modlin: “Make sure you show up with plenty of time to find parking.” Logan Scott: “Have fun, even if you aren’t having fun.” Chris Stilwell: “When I see … Continue reading What advice would you give new students and families this year?

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news

Student Planners: So Far, So Good

Tazwell Brandabur The Charter News 9/30/19 Much of success, both in school and later life, depends upon a set of critical skills known as executive functioning. These skills include scheduling, time management, and prioritization, which are all essential for staying organized.  With this in mind, ACA hired Karin Bright, an executive function coach based in Portland, to help students, and to help teachers help students. … Continue reading Student Planners: So Far, So Good

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