Serving Lyons, Mehama, Stayton & Sublimity
There are many reasons to choose NSSD!
- This is a great place to grow and belong!
- You will be known - Our District Leaders and Building Principals, including our Superintendent, Lee Loving, are in classrooms daily. Our principals prioritize the well-being of our entire staff. They actively champion teachers and support staff, fostering a collaborative school culture where everyone feels valued and that they belong. They are committed to building strong relationships with each team member to strengthen the sense of community for everyone. In addition, Mr. Loving makes it a priority to be in each teacher's classroom at least twice each year. These leaders work hard not to forget what it is like working with students every day in the classroom, which helps all decision-making be about what is best for students.
- Our Teacher Support Programs:
- Mentor Program - We support first and second-year teachers with experienced and highly effective mentor teachers who will work alongside their mentees to support their professional growth.
- Teaching & Learning Institute - Educators new to the district are encouraged to participate in our Teaching & Learning Institute to continue to develop and refine their instructional practices through systematic and explicit support using the BERC Instructional and Evaluation Tool, which includes the Four Habits of Teaching & Learning. Participants are eligible for additional compensation and graduate-level credit through a local university partner.
- Tuition Reimbursement Program - We have a highly effective and easy-to-use program for tuition reimbursement to further our teachers' education and help them move across the salary schedule.
- Our evaluation rubric is logic-based and supports effective teaching. - We use the “Four Habits of Teaching & Learning” based on how kids’ brains learn. The four habits are: 1. Environment & Differentiation (Ready to Learn), 2. Purpose & Expectations (What to Learn), 3. Questions & Discussion (Talk to Learn), and 4. Concepts & Processing (Model to Learn).
- PERS contribution - We support our staff in building for retirement. The NSSD pays the employee portion (6%) of the required PERS contribution. Many PERS-eligible employers do not pay this portion. This benefit really adds up over time.
- Professional Development - We offer ongoing professional development opportunities to support staff learning throughout the year. We encourage our team to continue growing while supporting one another!
- Class Size - Our K-12 class sizes are small compared to many Oregon school districts, with an average of 21 students per class. These class sizes will support you in building deeper, more positive relationships with your students and positively impact their learning and experience at school.
- Our kids! - Our students are fantastic! We have writers, readers, athletes, actors, musicians, artists, welders, and students with all sorts of other talents and aspirations. We have kids with great hearts who need strong, positive role models in those they see and interact with at school. They need YOU!
- Staff Feedback- Our staff have many talents and strengths, just like our students. We love kids! We are a collaborative group that holds ourselves and each other to a high standard! We believe in the work we do. Our recent Oregon Statewide Educator Survey (OSES) results reveal that:
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91% believe school leaders support them and they receive meaningful feedback about their performance
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90% of teachers reported that the NSSD is a place they enjoy working
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91% feel that they have autonomy in making instructional choices
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- Community partnering - Our superintendent has a monthly "Soup with the Supt" event where families and community members are invited to sit down casually with him, enjoy a good bowl of soup, and give feedback and ask questions directly to District Leadership. Sessions are held in English and Spanish.
- OUR DISTRICT:
- We are AVID District-wide (Advancement via Individual Determination program): AVID supports students as they develop skills and strategies that ready them for life after high school, whether that means being trade school-ready, college-ready, military-ready, and/or career-ready through engaging, rigorous, student-centered learning environments. Regardless of a student’s life circumstances and experiences, AVID supports every student in the district in overcoming obstacles and achieving success. Our students graduate and attend college at higher rates. Still, more importantly, when they walk across that graduation stage, they are skilled in thinking critically, solving real-world problems, collaborating with their peers, and setting high expectations for themselves.
- The Numbers - We serve approximately 2,100 students and 280 employees (144 Licensed and 116 Classified). Four (4) of our six schools are in Stayton, with two K-8 community schools located in Sublimity (Sublimity School) and Lyons (Mari-Linn School).
OUR COMMUNITY
Stayton is 20 miles east of Salem along Highway 22. We are centrally located between the beach and the mountains and have a small-town atmosphere while offering activities for all ages. We have a local swimming pool, movie theater, library, and many beautiful city parks.