Board Decision for 2012-13 Reconfiguration

On April 16th the Oregon City School Board voted unanimously to close King and Mt. Pleasant Elementary Schools and move sixth grade to the middle schools beginning with the 2012-13 school year.

Dear family and friends of Oregon City School District:

On April 16th Oregon City School Board voted unanimously to adopt “Option E”, a scenario presented by the Reconfiguration Task Force that will close King and Mt. Pleasant Elementary Schools and move sixth grade to the middle schools beginning with the 2012-13 school year. This was a gut-wrenching decision made to avoid additional cut school days and staff layoffs in the face of another budget shortfall and in the context of excess building capacity. Implementation planning will begin immediately.

Future Transitions
This is a bold and sweeping reorganization—every elementary and middle school will be impacted eventually. However, today began a particularly difficult and heartbreaking period for the King and Mt. Pleasant communities. I know our entire community shares their sense of loss and that the staff and leadership at both of these vibrant learning communities is dedicated to facilitating a positive transition for everyone. We all need to keep them in our thoughts and offer our support. Remember also, that all students, especially those currently in the 5th grade, and parents will naturally experience anxiety and have questions in response to this news today.

Implementation Planning
The timeline for making this happen is nearly impossible, but I have faith in the power of teamwork when our students, staff and community come together. With the work of the Reconfiguration Task Force now complete, an Implementation Team began work this morning. There are many, many unanswered questions and an overwhelming volume of work to be completed for a successful opening of school next Fall. There is a long road ahead with guaranteed bumps! We will need everyone to exercise patience and be prepared to roll up their sleeves as active participants. You will be kept up-to-date as plans are developed.

Next Steps
We know that the first question to answer is “Where will my child attend school next year?” New school attendance boundaries for all elementary and middle schools have been drafted using software in consultation with industry experts in this field. These drafts will now be vetted by administrative staff and a parent focus group prior to being submitted to the public for comment. The Board will adopt new school attendance boundaries at a Boundary Hearing at 6:00pm on Monday, May 7, 2012 at the Jackson Campus. Every student will be provided an opportunity to visit their new school before the end of the year. Building principals are already busy planning these transition activities and you will be kept informed.

Communication
The presentation from the April 16th board meeting as well as other information is available below.  After Wednesday, you can watch a recording of the Board meeting online.  Additional information will be sent to you directly from the district, your building principal, or posted direclty on the district website.

I firmly believe, given our circumstances and despite the enormous challenges ahead, this plan is our best option to serve the children of our community. Thank you to the Reconfiguration Task Force for a difficult job well done, and to all of you for your support and all that you do for ALL children of Oregon City School District. Our ability to navigate this transition will be a testament to the strength of our community.

Larry Didway, Superintendent 

 Additional Information

• April 16th Board Meeting Presentation (PDF)
• April 12th Open House (PDF)
• Middle School Configuration Research (PDF)
• Reconfiguration Task Force Board Report 03.12.12
• Reconfiguration Task Force Board Report 02.27.12 (PDF)
• Reconfiguration Report Summary (PDF)