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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1994)
u d g e t W o n ’t S l o w S c h o o l P r o g r e s s F unding Jssues will not stand in the way to im proving Portland public schools. The district took $24 million in cuts to .balance it's budget this year, but continues on a schedule to produce the best educated stu dents in the nation. District spokesman Lew Frederick said its a matter of willpower. “W e’re not going to be spending a lot of tim e talking about the budget,” Frederick said. “O ur vision is to provide the best program s with or w ithout the Lew Frederick Volume \ . \ I V Number3K m oney." The potential for more cuts next year is devastating. Under the fifth and final year of a prop erty tax limitation measure, Portland public schools could be forced to trim $50 million next year, which would mean the loss of a third of its teachers, class sizes jumping to 40 children per teacher and no athletics. “That’s what were facing,” Frederick said. But the district has chartered improve ments and new learning techniques with a very clear vision for children. And under Oregon’s Education Act of 1991, schools statewide are working to pro duce the best students nationwide by the year 2000 and a workforce equal to any in the world by the year 2010. One of the m^in benchmarks, to meeting these goals is w hafs being called outcome- based education. As students move though school, they will be tested to make sure the subject matter is learned. Certificates of mastery will be required for graduation. To get into college, instead of students just enrolling ir\ two years of French, for example, they will show they can speak French, Frederick explained “Wha, you’re going to see happening in high school is courses so tough, parents won't even want to take them,” Frederick said. Under the school reforms, students not making progress at certificate of mastery years, would see intervention on their behalf to provide additional services either in school or at another site. Early childhood education is another cornerstone of the reform process. ▼ Continued to page A7 S aving the community through cultural diversity Scplem bci 21, 1904 er 25# Haiti Door Opens To U.S. Army Portland Launches Envirocorps aves of U.S. troops entered Haiti this week as peace keepers, rather than invaders because of an agreement reached by a team of U.S. negotiators. W Former President Jimmy Carter, Gen. Colin Powell and Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., struck the deal just as U.S. troops left Fort Bragg, N.C. to invade the tiny Caribbean nation. A key element turned out to be the respect Haiti’s military officers had for Powell, America’s former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and first African-American to head the U.S. military. “It could not have been possible without the superb respect that the Haitian military leaders have for Gen. Colin Powell,” Carter said. “They see him as a fellow officer whose global reputation is unexcelled." Powell said he appealed to the military chiefs to put their nation’s interest above their own. Persuaded the U.S. negotiators were honestly try ing to broker a deal and knowing that an invasion was underway, the Haitians finally decided to take the proposed agree- High Speed Rail Moves Ahead High speed rail for the Willamette Valley received a big shot in the arm Friday when the Legislative Emergency Board approved $9 million for track im provement, better grade crossings, and some special projects. “This is gdeat news,” said Sen. Bill McCoy, D-North and North east Portland. “Improving transportation is the main thing that will keep Oregon livable and economically healthy in the years to cöin^." The money will pay for running a high-tech high-speed train be tween Portland and Eugene next spring as a three-month demonstration. Mt. Rainier train service between Eugene and Seattle is scheduled to start in October, thanks to earlier funding by the Emergency Board. Public Radio KPSU Launched ▼ Gov. Barbara Roberts, Metro commissioner Ed Washington and an AmericaCorps representative at the Portland kick-off to a community service initiative created by President Clinton. Portland State University begins op eration of radio station KPSU Oct. 1 at 1450 khz on the AM band. The frequency formerly was occupied by KPBS, the Port land public schools radio station at Benson High School, cut from school district fund ing this year. "We believe that our station will fill a programming void and allow students to learn about the business of broadcasting," said KPSU Station Man ager Don Nasca. From its production stu dioin Portland State’s Smith Center, KPSU has the potential to reach over 1.5 million listeners daily. Airing from 5 p.m. to mid night, programs will be free from com mercials. Volunteers Needed For Reading SMART (Start Making A Reader To day) is looking for volunteers to read with kindergarten, first and second graders in 13 Portland public schools. Each volun teer meets for an hour each week to read, one-on-one, with students. The program has helped schools incréase student atten dance, self-esteem and reading skills. This year's effort starts in mid-October and runs through April. Call the literacy line at 1-8OO-322-8715 or the Oregon Children’s Foundation at 221-2012. Second Portlander Elected To Black Tourism Board Community Service For College ollege students will help pay tive trails and exhibit areas, and the training back government support and mentoring of high-school youth. Two for their education and learn full-time team leaders will round out the new skills by working to restore program. the health of the Columbia Slough in “This program is really a prototype of North and Northeast Portland. what PSU as an urban university wants to C be,” said Barry Messer, EnviroCorps educa- The EnviroC orps team is being launched from a $199,288 grant from AmericaCorps, a community service ini tiative created by President Clinton and approved by Congress. The Portland program, based on the Portland State University campus, will pro vide learning and labor opportunities for 20 young adults in the metropolitan area. EnviroCorps will center around envi ronmental and public access improvements to north and northeast Portland's Colum bia Slough. Metro regional government and the U.S. Soil Conservation Service are partners in the project. Officials said the recruitment for EnviroCorps participants is under way. Ten part-time and eight full-time members are needed for a variety of community service projects, including restoration of natural resources, construction of interpre- Bottles and Cans To Help Homeless Portland Commissioner Gretchen Kafoury and former mayor Bud Clark have announced a plan to collect bottles and cans for programs that help the home less. Kafoury said it may seem like a nickel-and-dame approach, but each year over $20 million is redeemed in the metro area from bottles and cans. The civic leaders are asking grocers to set up recy cling stations where shoppers can donate their bottles and cans to help homeless people Nature’s grocery stores are the first outlets to help out. Continued to page A7 benefits. Full-time members completing a year of service will receive a $4,725 educa tion award to be used to continue education and job training or to repay existing student loans. Part-time participants receive a $2,363 education award. Amy Spring, EnviroCorps recruitment This program is really a prototype of what PSU as an urban university wants to be. ” Barry Messer, EnviroCorps education director tion director. Messer has coordinated other service learning projects at PSU’s Center for Urban Studies. He says the program is a means of opening education opportunities for young people while providing valuable service learn ing experiences for potential and existing college students. Full-time members will receive a single year living allowance of $7,600, while part- time members receive $4,023. All members will be eligible for health care and child care coordinator, says about 50 percent of the job duties will be in the field Other work could include creating partnerships with neighborhood associations to gain volun teer help or sharing work experience with students. Written reports and assessments of the work accomplished will complete the duties of the job. The application deadline is Sept. 28. In-the-filed training and project work is scheduled to begin Oct. 14. For more infor mation, call Spring at 725-5582. Moose Withdraws Resume For Federal Job ortland Police Chief Charles great deal of consideration and discussion Moose has changed his with his wife, Sandy. mind, w ithdraw ing his The couple recently moved into a house application to direct federal crime in the King neighborhood of Northeast Port bill legislation. land. setting example of efforts to improve P Moose said it was important for him to continue as the chief of police in Portland and continue his work with neighbors to solve community problems. He said the decision was made after a the livability of inner-city neighborhoods. Moose was appointed police chief 14 months ago by Portland Mayor Vera Katz He was one of three finalists for the federal position to direct the administration of the crime bill’s provisions relating to the hiring of 100,000 new police officers. Tom Potter, a form er Portland police ch ief is still be co n sid ered for the position. Both police officers are nationally recognized authorities on community po licing. M oose pledged his support to the im plem entation o f crim e bill program s and for federal law en forcem ent e f forts. Peggy C. Ross, President/Ross Development and newly elected national board member of the African American Travel and Tourism Assn. Region 5, which governs Oregon, Washington and six other states. On the heels of the recent election of Portland's Roy Jay as national vice president of the African American Travel and Tourism Association, came another Oregonian to the board of directors for Region 5. Peggy C. Ross was unanimously elected as one of seven regional board members for the organization Ross, who heads Ross Busi ness Development Group in Portland will be the national board member which governs Oregon, Washington and six other states. Ross has been involved in various as pects of the minority convention and tourism development program and assisting Oregon Convention and Visitor Services in various marketing approaches. “She has worked tire lessly, behind the scenes, sometimes volun teering until 2AM and 4 AM on various ATTA organization projects" said Roy Jay. Although Ross was not present at the national election held in New Orleans, the Continued to page A7 EDITORIAL A2 HEALTH A5 HOUSING A6 METRO BI SPORTS B2 ENTERTAINMENT CLASSIFIEDS B3 B6
