Keeping All Students On PACE!

This year, our fund-a-need focus is on enhancing learning opportunities for all students at St. Agatha by continuing and growing our educational support program. We have been blessed as a school to be able to partner with the University of Portland PACE program to provide additional aide support in the Learning Support Center. Ms. Cynthia Oceguera has been our PACE teacher since 2013, but as each PACE placement is only a 2 year placement, Ms. Oceguera will be leaving us after this year. She will stay on board in the fall to help with the transition and training for our new PACE teacher. She has done an incredible job working with Ms. Stephens and Ms. Davidson in the LSC to improve student support at St. Agatha- from working one on one with students who needed extra support, to teaching small groups of students. She has been an integral part of strengthening the LSC over the past two years.

With your support, we will be able to continue funding the PACE program and also provide enhanced learning support for every student at St. Agatha. Your donation will go toward:

·         Ongoing funding of the PACE program to work with students and staff on implementing best practices with Reading Instruction at all grade levels, and supporting students with additional needs.

·         Expanding the role of the PACE specialist to include work with high achieving students or address additional areas of need based on parent feedback from the Accreditation surveys and our commitment to meet the needs of all learners.

·         Providing materials such as iPads and Peer Tutoring materials that are available to all students through check-out.

·         Continuing, through pull-outs and push-ins with the PACE teacher, embracing a learning model that lowers the student to teacher ratio and allows greater opportunities for differentiation in the homeroom classrooms, benefiting all St. Agatha students. 

·         Providing additional classroom teacher professional development to improve differentiation and better meet the needs of low, middle, and high achievers in every class.

The PACE instructors bring up-to-date educational methods, commitment to making a difference in children’s lives, and faith-based idealism that are completely aligned with the mission of St. Agatha.  PACE instructors spend two full years serving and teaching in Catholic elementary and secondary schools. During this time they put their current coursework into practice, with the ongoing support they receive from their building principal, in-school mentor and University Supervisor.  Because it is part of their instructional program, the PACE program is financially supported in part by the University of Portland – allowing St. Agatha to reap the benefits of a full-time teacher at a fraction of the actual cost. However, we cannot continue this program without additional funding support. Your generous donation will allow the PACE program to continue and will support the continued growth of a broad and rich educational program that benefits all students at St. Agatha.