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Monday 9am - 4pm Tuesday 9am - 4pm Wednesday 9am - 4pm Thursday 9am - 4pm Friday 9am - 5pm

The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science

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Portland, OR
The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science

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Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science, Nonprofit Organization, 2510 SW First Avenue, Portland, OR.

✨K-8 tuition-free public charter school
🎒place-based education
🌲SW Portland, OR
💚mission= provide a creative learning environment where students develop a sense of place and become stewards of the natural world and active citizens within our community.

10/21/2026

🏆 WE’RE #1! 🏆

We are thrilled to share that The Cottonwood School has been ranked #1 in MULTIPLE categories in the newly published 2027 Niche Best Schools rankings! 🎉✨

🥇 #1 Best Public Elementary & Middle School Teachers in Oregon

🥇 #1 Best Public Elementary & Middle School Teachers in the Portland Area

This incredible recognition is a direct reflection of the heart, creativity, and dedication our educators bring to the classroom every single day. Huge love and appreciation to Cayla, Jen, Kimberley, Kailieah, Joe, Jeff, Dillon, Sam, Aidan, Daniel, Gail, Vinh, and McLean! 💛

If you see them around campus, be sure to give them a high-five, a fist bump, AND a huge thank you for all they do! 🖐️👊✨

🔗 Check out our full profile and rankings on Niche via the link in our bio!

10/18/2026

WE DID IT! 🎉🎨🏃‍♂️

Thanks to our amazing Cottonwood community, we officially smashed our Move for the Arts goal!

💰 $16,355.13 Raised
🏃 867 Laps Completed
📍 216.75 Miles Covered

Every step, lap, and donation helps support vibrant arts programming for our students. A huge thank you to all the runners, families, donors, and local sponsors who made this possible!

10/18/2026

Join us for our Fall Open House on November 7th to tour our campus, meet our Executive Director, and learn how we nurture curious, connected learners!

At Cottonwood, the natural world and our local community are at the heart of everything we do. Through our place-based curriculum, students explore local ecosystems, engage with real-world community projects, and build deep connections to the world around them.

We currently have limited mid-year openings in select grades for the current school year-
• Elementary: Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th & 5th
• Middle School: 7th & 8th

🗓 Date: Saturday, November 7th, 10-11:30am
📍 Location: Cottonwood School
2510 SW First Ave, Portland, OR 97223
🚗 Free Parking is available in our lot or at the OHSU Crossings Campus garage, located across the street from Cottonwood (keep your entry ticket)
🔗 Apply Today! https://thecottonwoodschool.org/enrollment/

*The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science is a tuition-free public charter school authorized by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), operating independently of Portland Public Schools.

10/17/2026

Last week, our teaching team took a quick trip to Pendleton, Oregon, for the Oregon Science Teachers Association (OSTA) Conference!

It was an incredible opportunity to learn alongside fellow educators and showcase the place-based work happening every day at Cottonwood. This year’s conference focused on themes core to our mission: belonging, hands-on science learning, and deep connection to place and community.

We were especially proud to have our staff present three distinct sessions:
🌲Our Middle School Cascadia Project: Exploring how students investigated the region’s interconnected natural and cultural systems.
🌲 Building a Culture of Care & Curiosity Through Plant Teachings: How our Plant Teachings program nurtures belonging and environmental stewardship.
🌲Reciprocal Education – How to Connect to Place: Sharing ways education can build meaningful, reciprocal relationships with local communities and ecosystems.

We’re so proud of our team for sharing Cottonwood's innovative work on a statewide stage—and excited for all the fresh ideas they brought back to our students!

10/11/2026

A huge thank you to Orangetheory Fitness Pearl District () for sponsoring our run this year!

Their generous $500 contribution to Move for the Arts directly supports our students. We are so grateful to have partners in our community who understand the vital role that movement and the arts play in public education! 🧡

We are so close to the finish line! Donate today to help us reach our goal and support public arts education!
🏁 DONATE HERE: Tinyurl.Com/CSCSMFTA

10/11/2026

WE ARE SO CLOSE!!!

Can you $10? 20?? We know this community can help push us over the finish line strong! 🏁

Remember, ALL donations are tax-deductible!!

DONATE HERE: tinyurl.com/CSCFTA

10/05/2026

We are just $287 short from reaching 75% of our goal!

And, we're officially announcing the whole-school prizes if we reach our fundraising goal of $15,000!

If, and only if, we reach this goal...
For students in grades K-5...a school dance party with a DJ!

For students in grades 6-8...a cruise along the Willamette River aboard the Crystal Dolphin!

DONATIONS ARE DUE October 30th, so keep 'em comin'!! WE CAN DO IT!!

✨🤸 DONATE HERE: tinyurl.com/CSCSMFTA

10/02/2026

10/02/2026

06/30/2026

Education that extends beyond the four walls of a classroom is at the heart of what we do at The Cottonwood School Civics and Science.

We know families explore multiple options as they determine the best fit for their students to thrive. As families make final enrollment decisions, a few openings have become available for the 2026–2027 school year in Kindergarten, 2nd, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades!

That means an exciting opportunity to welcome a few more students who will thrive in Place-Based Education!

Cottonwood is a small, tuition-free public K–8 school in Portland’s Lair Hill neighborhood. We believe that healthy communities are created by engaged, informed and compassionate citizens, and that children learn best when participating in authentic, hands-on learning experiences that are closely tied to the community. Through service, integrated curriculum and experiential learning, we provide opportunities for our students to actively build relationships locally, inspiring them to become catalysts of change in a global community.

If that sounds like the right fit for your student, we would love to meet you!

Apply Today!
🔗 thecottonwoodschool.org/enrollment
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Address

2510 SW First Avenue
Portland, OR
97201

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.thecottonwoodschool.org/

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