August 2, 2017 The Page 3 INSIDE Week in Review page 2 This page Sponsored by: ‘Education has Value’ Retiring leader on increased access to early learning O PINION pages 6-7 page 9 M ETRO by Z aChary s enn t he P ortland o bserver One of the most influential edu- cators in Portland Public Schools, Dr. Harriet Adair, has entered re- tirement after a 47-year career in which she successfully increased educational access for minority and disadvantaged communities, especially for critical early learning programs. Adair’s career encompassed nearly every level of educational work in the district. She started as a middle school teacher in 1970, and most recently served as the Assis- tant Superintendent in the Office of Early Learners, Schools and Stu- dent Supports. The Confederation of Oregon School Administrators recognized Adair with its President’s Award in 2014, and a number of substantial policy shifts in education practic- es across both the city and state can be traced to her dedication to high-quality schooling for all Ore- gonians. Adair, who herself attended Portland Public Schools beginning at the age of four, says that she per- sonally knows the power of early learning programs. She says that her mother attempted to enroll her at the age of three, but the district wouldn’t accept a child that young. Both of Adair’s parents were ed- ucators who had earned Master’s degrees outside of the Northwest. When her family first moved to Portland from San Antonio, how- ever, Adair says that her mother wasn’t allowed to work in Portland Public Schools due to her race. She Retiring school administrator Dr. Harriet Adair is credited with increasing educational access for minority and disadvantaged communities during her 47-year career in Portland Public Schools. eventually landed a position teach- ing at Boise/Elliot Elementary School, however. When she grad- uated from Madison High School, Adair says that she was one of only five black students out of her entire graduating class. Adair then went on to earn her Bachelor’s degree at Portland State University, a Mas- ter’s degrees from the University of Oregon and a Doctorate from Brigham Young University. Her own academic experiences instilled Adair with a passion for furthering educational achieve- ment for disenfranchised students. “I come from five generations of people with Master’s degrees,” Adair said. “Education was some- thing that I grew up valuing.” Throughout the course of her career, Adair says that there a sev- eral achievements that she is most proud to have played a role in. While she was the principal of Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, Adair says that she over- saw the implementation of the first ‘Dreamer,’ class in the state of Or- egon. The ‘I Have a Dream,’ pro- gram seeks to provide students in poverty-stricken schools with bet- C ontinued on P age 4 Heat Wave Brings Safety Precautions Arts & ENTERTAINMENT C LASSIFIEDS C ALENDAR pages 8-13 pages 14 page 15 The Portland area began to heat up on Tuesday for a re- cord-breaking heat wave that wasn’t expected to ebb until later this weekend. Temperatures were forecast to hit 100 and above for at least three straight days. Multnomah County and other jurisdictions responded by open- ing up public buildings as cool- ing centers for elderly and dis- abled residents to stay safe and hydrated. The Walnut Park Building, containing the Multicultural Se- nior Center and other public of- fices at 5325 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. will be hosting one of the cooling centers in Multnomah County. The others will be located at the Hollywood Senior Center and the Mult- nomah County East Building, in Gresham. Ride Connection will be pro- viding free transportation to the centers. To arrange a pickup, call 503-226-0700. Health Department officials recommend that everyone drinks lots of water and other non-al- coholic, non-caffeinated bever- ages during the heat spell. They also advise to staying indoors throughout the hottest parts of the day, and warn individuals to never leave children, pets or the elderly inside a parked vehicle during the heat wave.