Slough School
Overview
Slough School is the educational program of the Columbia Slough Watershed Council, serving students in Kindergarten through college. It provides hands-on programs for students to learn about the history and ecology of the watershed, its organisms, and the human effects on the area.
Program Structure
Slough School programming is free for students in grades K-college who live or attend schools within the Columbia Slough Watershed. We offer a wide variety of academic programs, including classroom lessons, field programs, and stewardship projects at sites along the Slough. Interested in working with us? Fill out this form!
Geographic Area
A watershed is:
An area of land
Where all the water flows
To a common point
(such as a river, lake or slough)
The Columbia Slough is 60 miles of lakes, wetlands and slow-moving channels in the southern floodplain of the Columbia River. On this map, when water hits the ground anywhere in the green area, gravity takes it to the Columbia Slough. If your school is in the green area, you qualify for free programs!

The Columbia Slough Watershed includes schools and communities in the St. John’s area, North Portland, and parts of Northeast Portland, Parkrose, North Gresham and Fairview. It reaches from Kelley Point Park in the west to Fairview Lake and the headwaters of Fairview Creek in the east; from Marine Drive in the north to the Alameda Ridge in the south. Slough School activities take place at field sites and classrooms across the watershed.
Location
Slough School is based out of the Council offices at the Whitaker Ponds Natural Area, at 7040 NE 47th Ave in Portland, Oregon.
Teachers and program coordinators, if you are interested in creating a plan of study with the Slough School, contact:
Jennifer Starkey, Education Director
Phone: (503) 281-1132
email: jennifer.starkey@columbiaslough.org
Partners
Slough School is made possible by
Funding from: The Gray Family Foundation, Boeing, and the Ralph & Adolph Jacobs Foundation
Partnerships with: City of Gresham, City of Fairview, Portland Water Bureau, Clean Rivers Education, and Portland Parks and Recreation.
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Volunteer with Slough School
Slough School volunteers assist with the delivery of all Slough School education activities under the supervision of our excellent educators. We’d love to have you! Find details and application instructions in the position description at the bottom of this page.
Educación: Slough School
Resource | Description |
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Slough School Education Volunteer |
Slough School Volunteer Position Description
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