School Board

Student Achievement

The Board will support proven strategies to increase achievement for all students.

• Advocate for and support a culture of achievement.
• Establish and support high standards and expectations for ALL students.
• Establish and support high standards and expectations for educator effectiveness.
• Adopt evidence-based practices.
• Effectively implement new Common Core State Standards.

Strategic Goal: Deliver the optimal education experience for each student to prepare knowledgeable and productive citizens for a successful life.

Strategic Objectives:

• Keep students engaged in the classroom and achieve 100% graduation rate.
• Provide additional opportunities for students who are not 2 or 4-year college bound.
• Integrate technology literacy to meet future workplace demands.
• Prepare for the needs of the future classroom by continuously identifying trends, modifying practices and developing new models.

Stewardship of Resources

The Board will ensure fiscal responsibility and stability

• Provide greatest value with available resources to effectively attract, educate and retain students.
• Focus on economic sustainability.
• Define short-term and long-term fiscal health.
• Align forecasted population and facility needs with real property portfolio.
• Provide oversight and direction to contract negotiations for fair, competitive and sustainable agreements.
• Support and seek resources to sustain facilities and technology.

Strategic Goal: Establish and execute a plan for the sustainable long-term financial health of the District.

Strategic Objectives:

• Control net operating cost growth through increasing revenue and decreasing expenses.
• Renew capital bond prior to 2021.
• Create a lifecycle plan for all facilities and assets and dispose of unneeded assets, including real property.
• Identify future curriculum and technology needs and set aside funds to support them.
• Adopt a board policy that allocates a percentage of the budget exclusively for capital expenditures, maintenance, and repairs.

Communications

The Board will improve communication and community engagement.

• Engage, educate and inform stakeholders, especially parents.
• Make information easily accessible
• Connect to community values.
• Promote and market strengths of Oregon City School District.
• Increase internal and external communication efforts.
• Increase visibility in schools and departments, parent organizations, education foundation, community groups and advocacy at state/local levels.

Strategic Goal: Provide opportunities for community engagement and information on District activities and accomplishments.

Strategic objectives:

• Demonstrate to the community that we can meet our mission with their children.
• Maintain and improve our local competitiveness with other educational providers.
• Increase district support for communications.

Strategic Positioning

The Board will pursue long-term objectives to achieve the District’s vision.

• Plan for full-day Kindergarten pilot in 2013-14.
• Increase enrollment.
• Attract and retain quality staff.
• Expand online educational opportunities.
• Develop succession plan for senior staff retirements.
• Build relationships and new partnerships with strategic partners.

Strategic Goal: Take integrated steps to strategically position the District for short and long-term success in student achievement, financial stewardship and communications.

Strategic objectives:

• Full day Kindergarten, including 2013-14 pilot program at Jennings Lodge.
• Increase enrollment.
• Attract and retain quality staff.
• Expand online educational opportunities.
• Succession planning for senior staff retirement at all levels.
• Build relationships and partnerships with strategic partners.

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)

 February School Board Agenda (PDF)

Video and summary will be posted by 2/17/12. 

Budget Planning Calendar (PDF)

Budget Development Guiding Principles

The budget development process will be:
* Aligned with District mission and Board priorities
* Engaging for stakeholders and transparent

Negotiation processes will be:
* Collaborative
* Attentive to fiscal sustainability
* Attentive to employee engagement & morale
* Mission driven
* Fair and competitive

Employee Negotiations Target Outcomes
The target outcomes for 2013-14 employee agreements will be:
* Full contract year
* A collaborative culture
* Maximized resources
* Fiscal sustainabilitiy 
* Competitive agreements

Goals for Process Improvement
Employee negotiation processes will be improved by:
* Increasing communication
* Adopting a clear plan
* Thinking long-term

Chair:  Chris Storey, term expires 6-30-15
503-819-5087
chris.storey@orecity.k12.or.us

Vice Chair: Michele Beneville, term expires  6-30-13
503-557-7535
michele.beneville@orecity.k12.or.us

Bryant Fraley, term expires  6-30-13
503-742-0119
bryant.fraley@orecity.k12.or.us

Tim Frisius, term expires 6-30-15
503-657-3043
tim.frisius@orecity.k12.or.us

Cameron Seward, term expires 6-30-15
503-318-2606
cameron.seward@orecity.k12.or.us

Carol Sturman, term expires  6-30-15
503-919-0846
carol.sturman@orecity.k12.or.us

Mike Swyter, term expires 6-30-13
503-341-1827
mike.swyter@orecity.k12.or.us

School Board Meeting Adgenda (PDF)

January School Board Agenda (PDF)

January 17th Board Meeting Summary

• Carol Sanders provided the board with an update on the Common Core State Standards.
• The following "Good News" items were shared with the board:
  • City of Oregon City Library Partnership and Barnes and Noble Holiday Book Drive – Jan Snyder
  • Bare Necessities Gift to H.O.P.E. – OCHS Student Representative Tanner Burke
  • Holiday Fair and Oregon City Resource Center -- Debbie Cole and Mary Ellen Winterhalter.
• Superintendent Larry Didway thanked the Board for their service while recognizing them for January's "School Board Appreciation Month."
• Wes Rogers shared a Budget Development Update, the current projected shortfall for 2012-2013 and the preliminary work being done for the budget process. Rogers also shared the information on the 2010-2011 Audit Report.
• Chris Mills reported on the CLASS Design Team Evaluation Pilot.
• Mike Hyder reported on the renewal of Springwater Environmental Sciences School Charter.
• Superintendent Didway discussed the school calendar and inclement weather days and how furlough days would be added back in to the school year should there be weather closures. Didway also shared who and how decisions are made to hold or cancel or postpone classes. See more information on the district's web site.
• Superintendent Didway, First Reading, Policy JECB, Admission of Nonresident Students, allowing the board to determine school capacity levels.
• The Board unanimously approved the Consent Agenda. The Board unanimously approved Policy EEAE, Student Transportation in Private Vehicles and Charter Buses. The Board unanimously approved the Renewal of Springwater Environmental Sciences School Charter and the Clackamas ESD Local Service Plan.