John McLoughlin Elementary School

We had such a great last week of school! The fifth graders had their Chapin Park field trip, we had a groundbreaking ceremony as we prepare for a remodel of our school, field day fun and our fifth grade clap out! What a terrific way to round out this school year! Have an awesome summer Superstars! 😎

🚧 Shovels in the ground at John McLoughlin Elementary!

This morning, we broke ground on the renovation work made possible by our 2025 bond. From better acoustics to improved cafeteria space, these upgrades will make a real difference for JME students and staff for many years ahead. Thank you to our community for making this possible. The best is yet to come! 🏫✨

This week we welcomed back former JME Superstars that are graduating this year! The clap out was so fun for the Seniors and staff and students here. Congratulations to the class of 2026!

📣 We have an opening on our Board of Directors — and we're looking for someone who cares deeply about students and our Oregon City community to fill it.

The Oregon City School District Board of Directors guides policy and governance for our schools, serving our community's students. This appointed position runs through June 30, 2027, with regular meetings twice a month.

To be eligible, you must live within OCSD boundaries, be registered to vote there, and have resided in the district for at least one year. You also may not be a current district employee or officer.

Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Download the application at the link in our bio, then email it to Executive Assistant Holly Beck or our district office.

Questions? Connect with Holly Beck, or call our district office. Paper copies are available at the district office. Learn more on our website: www.ocsd62.org/page/application-for-school-board-position

Kindergarten has been learning about bees! We had a beekeeper come and visit our classroom. We were buzzing with excitement!

Our 3rd Grade Field Trip to TMK Creamery: Where Science Meets the Farm!

Our young scientists took their learning on the road this week with an exciting visit to TMK Creamery in Canby! This wasn’t just a trip for treats; it was a hands-on exploration of how the biological principles we’ve been studying in class—heredity and selection—function in the real world.

Bridging the Classroom to the Pasture

In class, we’ve been diving deep into how traits are passed from one generation to the next. While natural selection focuses on survival in the wild, the students got to see artificial selection (selective breeding) in action.

The experts at TMK explained how they carefully select specific "cowlebrities" for breeding based on genetic traits like milk quality, temperament, and health. This process mirrors the evolutionary concepts we’ve discussed, showing how humans can influence the inheritance of desirable traits to create a sustainable and productive farm.

Highlights from the Day

The "Cowlebrities": Students got up close and personal with TMK’s world-famous cows, seeing firsthand how physical traits (phenotypes) differ even within the same herd.

The Science of Selection: We learned how data and genetics are used to make breeding decisions, ensuring the next generation of calves is even stronger than the last.

A Sweet Reward: To top off the educational experience, everyone enjoyed some of TMK’s famous farm-fresh ice cream—a delicious byproduct of all that careful genetic planning!

4th grade students had an opportunity to practice engineering skills today by building their own robots! Students from CAIS designed the entire activity—from aligning to grade level standards, planning materials, and implementation. They even showed us their competition robot. Thank you, CAIS!

Today our fifth graders went on a field trip to Oaks Park. They had a very fun day rollerskating and learning about sound waves!

In 5th grade, our classes explored the positive aspects of ourselves and talked about how important it was to be proud of who you are, both inside and out by reading the book The Best Part of Me by Wendy Ewald. Students then used their knowledge of figurative language and descriptive words to share a part of them that they are proud of.

Today was perfect for our Color Run! We had such a fun time getting sprayed with color and making laps around the track. Thank you to our amazing PTSO for sponsoring this and making it so much FUN!