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TranslateGrow Your Own Program
Are you a David Douglas student, employee, or community member interested in becoming a teacher, school counselor, school psychologist, or school social worker? Click here to fill out an interest form for our district’s Grow Your Own Program.
GYO Program Assistance & Support
The David Douglas GYO program offers tuition assistance and individualized navigation support to district students, employees, and/or community members who are interested in pursuing a degree in teaching, school counseling, school psychology, or school social work. We connect with and support ALL applicants on their educational pathway. We PRIORITIZE assistance for applicants who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) and/or who speak a language other than English. Why? See our program purpose below.
GYO Program Purpose
The David Douglas School District is among the most broadly diverse in Oregon. We are 64% students of color, including Latinx, Asian, Black, Indigenous, and students who identify as multiracial. Our students speak dozens of different languages from across the world. Diversity is arguably our greatest strength as a school district.
But when we talk about our amazing diversity, we are talking mainly about our students and their families. Only 16% of licensed staff, 27% of classified staff, and 21% of administrators identify as non-White. Though it is slowly growing year after year, our staff diversity does not align with our families.
For the sake of our students, our families and our staff, this needs to change. Research is clear that students benefit when educators better reflect their own demographics. Our GYO program is one step toward that end.
Staff of Color Freedom Dream #3: We want to build a district culture that is unapologetic about hiring staff of color to increase representation of our student population.
GYO Educational Pathways
Do you have a High School diploma or GED? Click above to see our High School pathway.
Do you have some college credit or an Associate’s Degree? Click above to see our Associate’s pathway.
Do you have a Bachelor’s Degree? Click above to see our Bachelor’s pathway.
GYO News
Meet the K-12 Education Graduating Class of 2024!
It is the week before high school graduation and Ms. Wood’s K-12 Education Class is buzzing with energy. The class is part of the DDHS Career and Technical Education (CTE) education program, which provides students with dual credit through Mt. Hood Community College, as well as an internship experience in an elementary, middle, or high school classroom. It is also one of the ways that the Grow Your Own program connects with high school students who are interested in becoming educators and working in our district upon graduation. Meet the graduating class and read their advice to next year’s ED 200 seniors in our June GYO Corner of The Essential newsletter here.
18 GYO Interns Hired for Summer Schools
In partnership with Multnomah Educators Rising, the GYO program was able to hire an unprecedented 18 interns to work in our district elementary, middle, and high school summer programs. The GYO Summer Internship aims to SUPPORT and INSPIRE David Douglas high school graduates and rising seniors to join the educator workforce through a combination of coursework, on the job experience, mentorship and community support. All interns are partnered with a cooperating teacher to provide academic support and lead enrichment activities for summer school students. Meet our 2024 GYO Summer Interns here.
GYO College Partners for a Bachelor’s Degree in Teaching
- Bachelor’s in Elementary Education with ESOL Endorsement
- Evening online classes or hybrid with in-person classes at MHCC
- Program Website
- Informational Flyer
- Transfer Guide for Community College Students
- Contact Angela Vossenkuhl (avossenkuhl@eou.edu)
- Bachelor’s in Elementary or Secondary Education
- Online Accelerated Teaching Degree
- Evening & weekend online classes
- Program Website
- Informational Video
- Transfer Guides for Community College Students
- Contact admissions (admissions@georgefox.edu)
- Bachelor’s in Elementary or Secondary Education
- Evening & weekend online classes
- Program Website
- Informational Video
- Transfer Guides for Community College Students
- Contact Josie Kochendorfer, Admissions Counselor (teach@pacificu.edu)
- Bachelor’s in Elementary or Early Childhood Education
- Online Accelerated Teaching Degree
- Evening online classes
- Program Website
- Informational Flyer
- Informational Video code 7yFp17.b
- Transfer Guides for Community College Students
- Contact Dr. Kevin Spooner (kespooner@warnerpacific.edu) or Katie Vincent (kvincent@warnerpacific.edu)
- Bachelor’s in Bilingual Elementary Education
- Evening in-person classes
- Program Website
- Informational Video
- BA Transfer Guides for Community College Students
- BS Transfer Guides for Community College Students
- Contact Dr. Esperanza De La Vega (delavega@pdx.edu) or Tatiana Nochevnaya (tatiana9@pdx.edu)
- LEEP (Licensure in Elementary Education Program)
- Hybrid (online & in-person)
- LEEP Website
- Informational Slides w/Link to Application
- Bachelor’s in Special Education
- Program Website for Special Education
- Transfer Guides for Community College Students
- Contact Laura Sequeira (laus2@pdx.edu)
GYO College Partners for a Masters Degree in Teaching
- Master of Art in Teaching Elementary or Secondary Education
- In person summer session, then evening online classes
- Program Website
- Informational Flyer
- Elementary Teacher Program Prerequisites
- Secondary Teacher Program Prerequisites
- Contact Janet Frye (jfrye@eou.edu)
- Master of Art in Teaching Elementary or Secondary Education
- Evening & weekend online classes
- Program Website
- Informational Video
- Admission Requirements
- Contact Kipp Wilfong (kwilfong@georgefox.edu)
- Master of Art in Teaching Elementary, Secondary, or Special Education
- Evening & weekend online classes
- Program Website
- Informational Video
- Admissions Requirements
- Contact Denise Ready (dready@pacificu.edu)
- Master of Art in Teaching Elementary or Secondary Education
- Evening online classes
- Program Website, includes admissions requirements
- Contact Dr. Kevin Spooner (kespooner@warnerpacific.edu) or Katie Vincent (kvincent@warnerpacific.edu)
- Masters in Elementary or Secondary Education
- Evening in-person classes
- Program Website
- Elementary Teacher Prerequisites
- Secondary Teacher Prerequisites
- Contact Tatiana Nochevnaya (tatiana9@pdx.edu) or Laura Sequeira (laus2@pdx.edu)
- Master of Art in Teaching Elementary Education
- Evening in-person classes
- Program Website, includes admissions requirements
- Contact Alex Brennan-Arnopol (gseadmit@lclark.edu)
GYO College Partners for a Masters Degree in School Counseling
- Master’s Degree in School Counseling
- In person at Portland Center
- Program Website
- Informational Video
- Admission Requirements
- Contact Lori DeKruyf, PhD (Ldekruyf@georgefox.edu) or Kelly Peterson (counseling@georgefox.edu)
- Master’s Degree in School Counseling
- Evening in-person classes
- Program Website
- Admission Requirements
- Contact Erica Soule (askcoe@pdx.edu)
- Master of Education in School Counseling
- Evening in-person classes
- Program Website
- Admissions Requirements
- Contact Alex Brennan-Arnopol (gseadmit@lclark.edu)
