Catlin Gabel and your family: the inside story

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Every year, Catlin Gabel welcomes about 120 new students from 90 new families to our community. Most of the new stu-dents are either middle and high school age or Beginning School students—pre-schoolers and kindergartners—but stu-dents join us at every grade level from preschool through twelfth grade.

Our new students find a warm welcome in our diverse community of bold learners. With all our variety, what do we have in common? For the inside story, listen to what our families say they value about Catlin Gabel.

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We’re at Catlin Gabel’s campus, five miles west of downtown Portland, and it’s the first day of school. Happy greetings and warm reunions are happening everywhere. The wholecommunity anticipates the coming year’s adventures inlearning with new energy and new ideas. And new students.

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Families are drawn to Catlin Gabel because of our extraordinary curriculum. Parents tell us, “The word is out that a Catlin Gabel education is phenomenal.” As one father put it, “I’m just struck by the sophistication of this curricu-lum. This is what education is supposed to be.” Another par-ent added, “As for outcomes, the college acceptance numbers speak for themselves.”

Curriculum alone doesn’t ignite learning. Parents know that with an educator for every seven Catlin Gabel students, the teacher-student relationship is as important as the content. “Students know that the teachers trust them,” said one par-ent. One of our Middle School teachers said, “Kids learn to take appropriate risks, and we provide a safe place to land.” Catlin Gabel families count on that attentiveness, that safety.

Families want their children to benefit from our progres-sive approach to education. “Instead of competing with others, here a student competes with himself,” said one par-ent. Another: “At Catlin Gabel, my daughter was free to be herself—the intellectually curious one.” Still another: “Kids are still allowed to be kids. Our son wants to know why he can’t come to school on the weekends.”

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Catlin Gabel families are involved with their children’s education. Parents communicate frequently with teachers, and help reinforce good research and homework disciplines. “Teachers are great at spotting problems before they grow,” reported a mother. Many parents help in the classroom and participate in our school’s governance, experiential education, and fundraising activities.

At Catlin Gabel, the love of learning is palpable, and fami-lies know it. A Middle School parent summed it up this way: “The words I would use are radiance and joy.” Another said, “I’ve never seen this kind of energy.” Parents know that teachers are learners, too: “These teachers are constantly re-evaluating their methods,” said one mother, adding, “They teach outside the box, and outside the classroom, too.” As a result, the love of learning becomes self-reinforcing for everyone—teachers, students, and families.

Catlin Gabel’s campus and location are also important to families. Our 60 wooded acres of former farmland are only five miles from downtown Portland. “It’s like a village at work,” said one parent. Our beautiful and functional class-rooms are surrounded by fields and tree-lined walkways, reinforcing the ecology lessons taught in class. Our overall size is large enough to sustain a sophisticated curriculum and its requirements—science labs, athletic facilities, theater, art studios—and small enough to keep the focus constantly on the individual student.

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Time. Catlin Gabel admits students whose families are prepared to support a serious educational program. For all families, that support means helping students get to school on time, reading school and classroom newsletters, encour-aging good study habits, and partnering with teachers as needed. Many parents are also able to help with school pro-grams, participate in our active Parent Faculty Association, and serve on trustee committees. Much of the Catlin Gabel community—students, faculty, staff, and families—supports the Gambol fundraiser. Beyond the necessary minimum of parental involvement in support of learning, we welcome whatever participation is possible based on each family’s situation.

Financial realities. Some of our families are in a posi-tion to pay the full Catlin Gabel tuition. In fact, many fam-ilies contribute beyond tuition, recognizing that tuition income does not meet all our expenses (endowment income and annual contributions help fill that gap; we receive no church or government money). Other families would not be able to send their children to Catlin Gabel without assistance. We awarded over $3 million this year in financial assistance. All our parents value their chil-dren’s education and devote significant family resources to that education; we realize that those resources vary from family to family, and we do our best to include motivated students from a variety of economic situa-tions.

Many Catlin Gabel parents see themselves as much a part of the school community as their students. It’s a diverse community, and that very diversity makes its own contribution to the Catlin Gabel education. Our variety takes many forms:

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Racial, ethnic, cultural, and geographic diversity. Our commitment to diversity is more than statistical good intentions, it is a vision of inclusiveness. The more our community reflects the variety of the world around us, the better prepared our students will be to live in—and con-tribute to—that world. About a third of our familiesidentify themselves as people of color. Over 13% of Portland’s population was born outside the USA, and our own school community includes many first-generation and second-generation immigrant families—from over 30 countries, at last count.

Our students come by foot, car, bike, bus, and light rail, from all over Multnomah, Washington, and adjoining counties, and the Vancouver area. Some students come just for the school hours, while others rely on before-school and after-school care, or take advantage of extra-curricular offerings from athletics to robotics.

The Catlin Gabel

student body lives

in 60 different

ZIP codes.

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If these common values and diverse characteristics make sense to you, please contact us. The information in this booklet may anticipate some of your questions, but we also want to hear your family’s story. And we’d be delighted to give you a tour.

See the following pages for these popular topics:

At Catlin Gabel, the term “progressive” is an approach to education rather than a rigid political ideology. As a nonsectarian school, we welcome believers of all faiths and skeptics alike; in our community, we base our sense of safety on mutual respect, not uniformity.

Curriculum 10

Educational technology 12

After Catlin Gabel 13

Teachers 13

Accreditation 14

Governance 14

Finances 15

Admission 15

Financial aid 16

Knight Family

Scholars Program 17

Transportation 17

Meals 18

Extended care 18

School calendar 19

Communication 19

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Curriculum Our challenging, carefully integrated curriculum combines expe-riential education and community service with the arts, English, history and social studies, math, science, modern languages, health, and physical education. Our three libraries are carefully integrated into the curriculum to develop research skills and good study discipline.

In Beginning School, children and teachers work and play togeth-er, noticing patterns in nature, seeing how rules function in games (and learning how to make up new games), and practicing great ways to ask for and give help. They see how symbols can carry all kinds of information. By the time they are in kindergarten, their class is assembling and publishing a daily newspaper. www.catlin.edu/beginning

In Lower School, students start learning a new language. Modern language courses (Spanish and Chinese) are offered at every grade level starting in first grade. Teachers in the Lower School work closely together: a forestry unit might involve math (statistics), English (journaling), history (the Lewis and Clark expedition), library skills (research), science (botany), and art (modeling).

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At the same time, students are learning how to take and share responsibility, how to make and keep promises. www.catlin.edu/lower

Middle School students begin the transition from a day-long classroom community to the department-centered structure of high school. They’re undertaking the twin adventure of learning more about the world (combining observation with increasing levels of analysis) and more about themselves. They gain crucial life skills of assess-ing risk and finding balance. Their frequently fierce ideal-ism, far from being quenched, is honored and channeled into the hard work of asking good questions and search-ing for answers. www.catlin.edu/middle

Upper School students learn to express themselves with clarity and confidence—in speaking and writing, in fine arts and performing arts, in a second language, in the social sciences, on the athletic field, and in the worlds of mathematics and science. Their program includes advanced honors courses in biology, chemistry, and phys-ics, with more than 80% of seniors choosing advanced science courses and nearly 40% choosing advanced math. Nearly 90% of seniors exceed the 3-year math and science graduation requirements by taking four years of each.Whatever direction they choose, our students are learning what it means to be compassionate and assertive citizens.www.catlin.edu/upper

Languagesat Catlin Gabel

ChineseFrenchSpanish

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In every division, we use teacher-student and teacher-parent conferences, along with written evaluations, to let students and families know how each student is doing. We believe that let-ter grades do not provide an adequate picture of individual accomplishment.

Explore our curriculum online at www.catlin.edu. Our four divisions (Beginning School, Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School) each have their own section on our web-site, with class news, links to newsletters, photos, and much more.

Educational technologyTechnology supports teaching and learning at every grade level. Teachers in the Beginning School model the use of tech-nology as they document each child’s work and stories. Lower School students learn keyboarding, word processing, and research skills, and create their first multimedia presenta-tions. The Middle and Upper School curricula include website design, podcasting, statistical analysis, and collaborative writ-ing exercises. The Upper School also offers a series of comput-er science classes and art classes that use technology as their primary tool. Computing facilities include a Lower School mobile laptop cart, two Middle School mobile laptop carts, one Upper School cart, and a comprehensive Upper School 1:1 student laptop program. The school is a dual-platform campus, supporting both Macintosh and Windows computers. The whole campus has wireless access to the Catlin Gabel network. Students and teachers share work with each other using color laser printers, electronic whiteboards, multimedia data projectors, screen-sharing software, and interactive course websites. Three distinctive programs—robotics, media arts, and electronic music—underscore our commitment to creative uses of educa-tional technologies. www.catlin.edu/technology

Athletics at Catlin Gabel

baseball (boys)basketballcross countrygolfracquetballsoccertennistrackvolleyball (girls)

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After Catlin GabelOf our seniors, 100% are admitted to four-year colleges and universities. The college counseling program focuses on help-ing students find the best fit in a college, and we are gratified that students apply to and are admitted to a wide range of col-leges and universities in the U.S. and abroad.

25% of the class of 2012 were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship program as scholars or commended scholars. In addition, when taking the SAT, 100% of the class of 2012 earned a high score of 600 or better on at least one section of the test, 67% scored 700 or better on at least one section of the test, and 14% of the class scored a perfect 800 on one or more sections of the exam.

For more details on our students’ test scores and where they go to college, please visit the college counseling web page at www.catlin.edu/upper/college-counseling.

Teachers Our student-to-teacher ratio is 7 to 1. All teachers participate in professional development programs, and 73% hold advanced degrees. Faculty members have received the Presidential Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics and Science three times. Catlin Gabel coaches have received regional and national coach of the year honors. Faculty profiles are avail-able at division web pages.

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Accreditation Catlin Gabel is accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and by the Pacific Northwest Associationof Independent Schools.

Governance Catlin Gabel’s head of school is Lark Palma, Ph.D., who came to our school in 1995 after leading the Upper School at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, South Carolina.

An independent board of trustees sets policies for Catlin Gabel, reviews their implementation, and chooses the head of school. An Upper School student serves on the board of trustees; in addition, several students, staff members, and parents serve on board committees.

The Parent Faculty Association includes all parents of chil-dren enrolled at Catlin Gabel and all members of the faculty. The PFA facilitates communication among parents, teachers, and the staff; and encourages parents’ involvement in school activities; and works cooperatively with the faculty and staff to strengthen the Catlin Gabel community. www.catlin.edu/parents

To learn more aboutindependent schools, visit www.nais.org

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Finances Catlin Gabel’s annual budget is $17 million, and its endow-ment is approximately $21.9 million. We receive no tax or church monies; nearly all income is from tuition, voluntary contributions, endowment income, special events to benefit financial aid funds, and the Gambol auction in the spring to support professional development.

Admission If you believe that your child is eager to learn, would thrive in a diverse community, and would make good use of our school’s resources, we want to meet you. Choosing an inde-pendent school is a major decision—a Catlin Gabel education requires motivated families as well as motivated students—and we are as invested as you are in reaching the right deci-sion. Although our admission office is open year-round and is always ready to answer your questions and begin the getting-acquainted process, we encourage you to schedule a tour of our school in the fall. The admission section of Catlin Gabel’s website, www.catlin.edu/admission, provides details on dates and deadlines, tuition costs, and financial aid. Applicants submit their applications online.

2012-13 Tuition

Beginning School Preschool$18,350

Kindergarten$19,950

Lower School$21,550

Middle School$23,850

Upper School$24,750

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Financial aid About one in every four Catlin Gabel students benefits from financial aid. Our financial aid is awarded in the form of grants, which do not have to be paid back. Financial aid grants can be used for tuition, books, lap-tops (Upper School), tutoring, school trips, athletic fees, and Catlin Gabel extracurricular programs.

Our need-based financial aid program is based on each family’s financial situation. To determine your need for financial aid, we start by asking applicants to submit a Parent Financial Statement to School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS). We also ask for tax information and other documents to help us understand your fam-ily’s particular financial profile. To request financial aid, please indicate your interest on the admission application form.

Catlin Gabel was the first school in the Pacific Northwest to receive a Malone Family Foundation endowment grant. Income from this $2 million grant strengthens our financial aid program and fulfills the Malone vision “to improve access to quality education—particularly at the secondary school level—for gifted students who lack the financial resources to best develop their talents.” www.catlin.edu/admission/affording-catlin-gabel

$3 million

Total annual value of financial assis-tance

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Knight Family Scholars ProgramFunded by a multimillion dollar gift by Nike chairman Phil Knight and his wife Penny, this innovative program is designed to bring a cadre of academically excep-tional students with notable potential in leadership, athletics, and service to the Catlin Gabel Upper School. Students applying for admission to the 9th and 10th grades can be considered for this program by completing the program’s applica-tion supplement. In the program’s first year, over 100 students inquired, over 50 students applied, and ultimately five students were selected as Knight Family Scholars. We are seeking students who have demonstrated achievement and poten-tial to excel in academics, athletics, leadership, and service for this unique offering. Highlights of the program include an innovative seminar, summer opportunities, and comprehensive financial aid based on merit for all Knight Family Scholars. If you are interested, please visit www.catlin.edu/admission, or emailknightscholars@catlin.edu.

TransportationWe encourage families to use Catlin Gabel’s own buses which have operating routes throughout the Portland metro area. In addition, about two-thirds of our students arrive by car, usually dropped off at our designated drop-off place under our close supervision. Among the remaining students, some arrive on foot or by bike. Others arrive by public transportation: TriMet’s bus route 20 stops right at our main entrance on Barnes Road, and also links us with the Sunset Transit Center, a major transfer point for bus and light rail, less than a mile from our campus.www.catlin.edu/parents/bus-service

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Meals The Barn is a community center and snack bar and serves as a supervised lunchroom for all but the youngest students (Beginning School students bring lunch and snacks from home and eat them in their classrooms). Students may bring lunch from home or buy snacks and lunch from the Barn’s food service. This historic build-ing is a link to our past: our present-day campus was once Honey Hollow Farm.

Extended care Before-school care and after-school care are a vital part of the community life for many families. Before-school care, from 7:15 a.m. until school starts, is included in the tuition for Beginning and Lower School students. Extended day and after-school care in several flexible arrangements are available for Beginning and Lower School students until as late as 6 p.m. and families are billed monthly. The after-school-care staff also provides super-vision, at no additional cost, for Middle School students who remain on campus after school.www.catlin.edu/after-school-care

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School calendar and scheduleCatlin Gabel’s calendar generally follows Portland Public Schools’ and the Beaverton School District’ s plans. Classes start between 8:00 and 8:20 a.m., depending on the grade.

Communication We know that you are vitally interested in your child’s well-being and progress in school. We report frequently to all our families—for example, each of our divisions, from Beginning School to Upper School, has its own online newsletter, in addition to the All-School News, and the community magazine, the Caller (also on the website). Some grade levels and individual classes also have news-letters or online bulletin boards of their own.

The Catlin Gabel website www.catlin.edu provides news updates as needed. We schedule special meetings, forums, and other gatherings to address topics or transi-tions of general interest. In addition to written evalua-tions and conferences, teachers and staff members do not hesitate to contact parents whenever concerns or commendations arise, and we welcome the same direct contact when parents have concerns.

Class hours

Beginning School Preschool8:20–1:30PS Extended Day(optional)1:30–3:00

Kindergarten8:20 – 2:50

Lower School8:10 – 3:10

Middle School8:00 – 3:15 Upper School8:00 – 3:15

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Admission detailswww.catlin.edu/admissionTelephone 503-297-1894admission@catlin.edu

Links to tuition and financial aid informationwww.catlin.edu/admission/affording-catlin-gabel

We look forward to getting to know you! Please contact the admission office at any time if youhave questions.

www.catlin.edu

8825 SW Barnes Road Portland, Oregon 97225503-297-1894 fax 503-297-0139

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