Parents worry school could be targeted for closure
PORTLAND, Ore. – A potential school overhaul in North and Northeast Portland has some parents fighting back.
Portland Public Schools will announce its final options for balancing enrollment in the Jefferson cluster on Monday. That has parents in the neighborhood worried that Chief Joseph Elementary School might be shut down.
The district thinks the school has too many students and wants others in the area to have more. Shutting Chief Joseph down is one of the options on the table.
A group of parents calling themselves the Chief Joseph Bucket Brigade met Saturday to organize their message to the district.
“What we all want is a better school system for our kids,” said parent Kerri Melda. “We want to know that PPS is doing more than just shifting around people and they’re actually doing something to improve our schools.”
“This cluster, this neighborhood has been systematically dismantled by PPS,” said parent Kelly Bawden.
The district claims that enrollment is lopsided now and will hurt students in the long term, citing research for its recommendations. Research parents said the district has not shared with them yet.
Nooo! My son went to Pre-k there and loved it. Â Would have stayed if we didn't move away.
Why would they close a school that attracts students and seems to be working?
Again, if parents quit claiming the child tax credit and actually paid their fair share they could quit trying to raise others' taxes and might be more inclined to hold the SB accountable.
The school board wont listen once they make their minds up. Ask the parents in the Marshall cluster. Oh wait...you cant anymore!
Complete audit of Portland Public Schools
by an OUTSIDE party.
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That would be a good start to fixing the
never ending ills of this mega money school district.
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Until this happens, just say no to higher taxes at election time.
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As a parent of former PPS students - with 15 years of PPS experience, I have this to say. Â Go to where it is working - and find out why. Â COPY THAT - and put it in place at the other schools. Â If there is overcrowding at a school it usually means it is desirable to attend........dismantling it is ludicrous and ill-conceived. Â
Shouldn't PPS be looking at what makes Chief Joseph an awesome school, instead of trying to kill it? The school board can learn many things by getting off their backsides and going into the different schools NOT of their jurisdiction, and see what makes them work so well.Â
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Good grief! No wonder Portland hates families that do well! They want to make sure that nothing works well!
There are many goo points. from herman's 'taxed out' to davejpdx 'mindless idioncy'. Homeowners are taxed out from libratry funds to school bonds. Continually taxing homeowners isn't the answer. Soon, they too will be forced to take drastic measure ( i.e. bankruptcy, foreclose, etc). The administration of PPS system is failing us with mismangement. As well, while I believe teacher do a awesome job, work hard and pay for many things out of pocket and deserve what they get paid for and more, like so many Americans, they too need to take a pay cut during these hard times, not pay raises. There is equal blame all alround and those suffering are the children, parents and the homeowners.
Don't worry, we'll soon have some more bike lanes in Portland!
If it saves money , close the school. I'm taxed out !!!
 @herman This isn't a case of raising taxes... UNLESS you think of how much your taxes go up to support all that you need in the neighborhoods that families leave to find better school districts.  PPS has not promised any changes to taxes for closing a top performing school.
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Everyone near Chief Joe should ask, how's your house value done in the last ten years? Â This school, Chief Joe, is attracting families to the district. Â Without this school you lose neighbors. Â What's your house value look like when there's no good schools, lots of houses for sale, and no attraction for families with upgrades in businesses? Â
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Fred Meyer rebuilt, adidas located here, New Seasons built and K. Worth, Kenton and Lombard has prospered attracting businesses to this area that actually pay more taxes into the system. Â That's overflowed into Mississippi, Alberta and St Johns as this area became more attractive.
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Arbor Lodge circa 1990 wasn't something to aspire to - don't think backwards.
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And don't think about smarter kids creating better high schools, creating better colleges, creating better cities with higher overall wages.
The only way to keep schools open is RAISE your TAXES otherwise during this depression we are all going to have to make do until the economy recovers. your choice more taxes or close some government down.Â
@32jim2 you want to cut government, sure. Lets start by cutting the defense budget in half, let's continue with killing ALL subsidies to profitable companies. There's 680 Billion cut out of the annual deficit from just two sources.
 @Ramsesthegreat  @32jim2 Subsidising these huge corporations
is corporate welfare, plain and simple.
 @Ramsesthegreat  @32jim2 From which body orifice did you pull those numbers? And would those subsidies include all the labor unions Barrack bailed out?
Everyone I know loves, loves, loves Chief Joseph. Â It's inspiring how this group of parents have come together to influence the process.
Years ago, PPS closed our wonderful neighborhood school in SE Portland, claiming it was too small, and was inefficient. Now they are going to close down a wonderful neighborhood school because it is...too large. Sheesh. People come, and people go, but at PPS, the mindless idiocy continues despite it all.Â