March 2016
NEWS
The Southwest Portland Post • 7
School boundary committee revises recommendations after Wilson forum
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
The first set of recommendations for
West Side schools was presented to
Portland Public Schools Superintendent
Carole Smith in mid-February.
The District-wide Boundary
Review Advisory Committee, which
formed almost two years ago to
address overcrowding and under
enrollment issues, made a revised set of
recommendations after a mid-January
forum held at Wilson High School.
The original recommendation redrew
Rieke Elementary School boundaries to
send some Rieke students to Bridlemile
School, some Bridlemile and Rieke
students to Hayhurst School, and some
Ainsworth Elementary students to
Bridlemile and Rieke.
But the boundary committee
decisions came with a divisive tone
after comments made by Hillsdale
Professional and Business Association
president Mike Roach which set off a
chain of reactions from the Hayhurst
community.
Representing Rieke Elementary
school that night, Roach spoke out
against the proposed boundary
changes saying it would create a traffic
nightmare in the Hillsdale town center
caused by parents taking their children
to their new school assignments.
News stations ran Roach’s
comparison of the traffic situation to the
“carmageddon” seen in Los Angeles.
Roach did not clarify that he was not
speaking for the business group. His
comments didn’t sit well with Hayhurst
parents since they were in favor of the
proposal. Angry Hayhurst parents
wrote Roach and many threatened to
boycott Hillsdale businesses. Roach
apologized to the Hayhurst community
for the misunderstanding.
Dr. Kirsten Carr, a parent who plays
an active role on the Hayhurst strategic
planning committee, commented that
the proposal did not sit well with the
Rieke neighbors.
“Adopting Roach’s proposal,” Carr
said, “would make Hayhurst under-
enrolled since the Hayhurst Odyssey
program will either move to Jackson
Middle school or a renovated Smith
Elementary School.”
The boundary committee took
Roach’s words to heart and revised
its recommendations, now called 2B.
It now includes no boundary changes
for Rieke and only a small boundary
change from Maplewood to Hayhurst
retained from the previous scenario. It
shifts around Ainsworth so Rieke isn’t
impacted.
“These results alleviate overcrowding
at Hayhurst without creating enrollment
imbalance,” Carr told The Post.
“They do not fully understand our
specific predicament and obviously
want to protect a perceived integrity
of their own school community,”
Carr commented referring to Rieke
School. “We felt the need to voice our
displeasure.”
The Post was not able to reach Roach for
comment for this story. However, Roach
did send an email to Hillsdale Business
Association members and apologies
to Hayhurst for misrepresenting the
association.
“I suggested other Hillsdale business
owners would oppose a change in the
boundaries,” Roach’s email continued,
“about which Rieke parents were
extremely upset and opposed to.”
Roach’s email stated that the business
association has no official position on
proposed changes and is unlikely to
have one in the future.
“Each business owner is (of course)
free to express their opinion, if they
dare!” Roach wrote.
Hayhurst has long been intertwined
with Rieke. Over the years the two
schools have seen growth and
contraction as generations
of families moved into the
neighborhood as young families
and out of the neighborhood as
retirees.
Although Hayhurst is large
enough for almost 600 students,
due to the inclusion of the
Odyssey program, the building
is out of room to accommodate
growth.
“In the 2017 school year,” Dr.
Carr said, “we are expected to
be even larger through natural
growth of the neighborhood.
But, we are out of room and will
need space for two additional
classrooms.”
Brian Unflat, a Rieke, Gray, and
Wilson parent, has been meeting
with Carr and others to come up Dr. Kirsten Carr, parent of a first grader at Hayhurst
Elementary School, continues to testify on issues
with an alternative scenario.
“One possible solution,” concerning West Side school boundary issues.
Unflat wrote, “is that the (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)
Rieke leadership support families in
families certainty about their school
Rieke, Bridlemile, and Maplewood
assignments a year in advance.
neighborhoods to opt into Hayhurst
Planning, staffing, and building
to help keep them at right-sized
improvements will then take place
enrollment.”
to prepare for K-8 reconfiguration by
Carr said that a recent survey shows
the 2017 school year. There will be
50 percent of the parents are in favor of
opportunities for additional public
looking into these boundary options.
comment.
This month, Superintendent Smith
To learn about other local changes,
makes final recommendations to the
visit www.pps.net and click “Growing
school board who will then deliberate
Great Schools.”
and vote. In the spring, the
boundary committee will
reconvene to assist the
Portland school district
in setting boundaries and
feeder patterns for the
reconfigured K-8 schools.
The school board will
consider and vote on
those recommendations
as well. The decision is
expected before the end
of the school year giving
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