Take Action!
Be sure to check Action Alerts for any issues that need immediate attention.
There are many ways you can get involved with the city-wide effort to improve our schools for all students. Here are a few ways you can make an immediate impact.
Write a Letter
The first and easiest thing you can do is write an e-mail to the PPS board of education and the superintendent. Whether you have children in PPS or not, the school board needs to know we are not happy with the way they’ve balkanized our schools.
Even if you can’t get involved, for whatever reason, please take a few minutes and send a quick e-mail.
Here is a sample letter:
To the Superintendent and Board of Education:
I am a Portland Public Schools [parent, teacher, community member, etc.], and I am writing you to express concern about the state of our school system.
It is fundamentally unfair that comprehensive high schools are located exclusively in our wealthiest neighborhoods. It is also unfair that the comprehensive middle school option is not available in every cluster.
I am further concerned about the lack of a uniform primary school curriculum in music, art and P.E. Every child deserves these subjects as part of their core educational experience.
No student should have to leave their neighborhood to receive a comprehensive education. Please correct the policies that have led to such obvious inequities in our public school system.
Sincerely,
[your name]
Here is a link to e-mail the school board and superintendent.
Here are the individual e-mail addresses:
| Name | e-mail address |
|---|---|
| Director Ruth Adkins | radkins@pps.k12.or.us |
| Director David Wynde | david.wynde@pps.k12.or.us |
| Director Bobbie Regan | bobbie.regan@pps.k12.or.us |
| Director Dan Ryan | dryan@pps.k12.or.us |
| Director Sonja Henning | shenning@pps.k12.or.us |
| Director Trudy Sargent | tsargent@pps.k12.or.us |
| Director Dilafruz Williams | dilafruz.williams@pps.k12.or.us |
| Superintendent Carole Smith | superintendent@pps.k12.or.us |
Remember to keep your communications with the school board civil and focused on policy. School board members are volunteers, and commit countless hours to their positions.
Volunteer at Your Neighborhood School
This may be the best way to make an immediate impact on the education of our children. All of our schools need your help. Call your neighborhood school and find out what volunteer opportunities they have. Even an hour or two a week can make a big difference.
Speak to the School Board
Any citizen can speak during a regular school board meeting. Meetings are usually held the second and fourth Monday of each month in the auditorium of the Blanchard Education Service Center (BESC), 501 N. Dixon St., at 7:00 p.m.
There is a sign-up sheet available before each meeting, and you can also sign up by calling the school board office in advance: 503-916-3741.
Citizen comment is limited to three minutes, and there is no discussion from the board (though they will occasionally comment on things during their own discussion). Print your comments out in a large typeface, and practice in front of a mirror with a stop watch. Try to keep your comments focused on one or two main points, and trim out anything that doesn’t directly support those points. As with e-mail, keep your remarks civil and stick to policy issues.
Three minutes is plenty of time if you keep your message simple and direct.
