001All right, let's get started. Hello everyone. This public listening session of the board of education for December 8th, 2025 is called to order. This meeting is being streamed live on PPS TV services website. Good evening and welcome. Thank you all for being here tonight to provide your feedback on superintendent's proposal for an assignment area for Jefferson High School. Before we get started, I wanted to ask each board member to take a moment to introduce themselves. And we can start with director Englesman. >> Hi, I'm zone 6 director Stephanie Englesman. >> Virginia for uh zone 5 northeast Portland. I'm Christy Split, zone one, southwest Portland, but lived in this neighborhood for 12 years before I got trapped moving closer to Salem and I missed it a lot. So, it's good to be back in my old
002neighborhood. >> Michelle as board vice chair. Um, I actually attended Jefferson in the late 70s and I live in the neighborhood. >> Eddie Wong, PPS board chair. Thank you. >> Ian RTorto, student representative and I'm a senior at Roosevelt High School. >> Michelle Chase Miller. I grew up in the Jefferson neighborhood. This is my hood. Glad to be in the house tonight. Kimberly Armstrong, superintendent. Just a couple notices before we begin. Uh we have child care available this evening. If you would like to use the service, please check in at the table outside the doors to the auditorium and someone can direct you to a correct location. We also have interpreters this evening who are stationed at the back of the auditorium. Uh I would like to ask all of them to please come down
003and introduce themselves in their language. My number is Patricia Cardias. Somalian. >> Awesome. Thank you. Thank you. Right. Next up, I'll like to turn this over to Principal Sheldon. >> Cool. Thank you all. Thank you. So, um I just wanted to welcome you all. Thank you for coming, um out to listen to and and have conversations around the dual assignment. Um we've been at this for a while now. Um and you know, I just want to say this is a big win and exciting time to be a demo. Um to get [cheering] >> [applause] >> to have your support, to have your presence, to come here and obviously give public comment to the board means a lot to our community. Um, it is a special time to be here. We are doing some amazing things
004in our school and we're so happy to welcome these new families aboard to come on and be part of the demo life. So, I'm going to say demos I say and the responses, you know. So, here we go. Let's see how WE DO IT. DEMOS, I SAY. >> OKAY, let's do it one more time. That was really, really, really good. But we got to set the mood cuz this is the demo house and we are a community school. So part of being in this community is knowing the chant, right? Knowing the response. So you get to be you you future demos get to have this response put down. So here we go. DEMOS, I SAY. >> You know, >> that was perfect. That was perfect. Thank you all. Thank you. And I'm going to turn
005it back on to Chair Wong. Thank you. Turn this back on. All right. Um good evening. Uh before we start tonight, um we have cameras here. We have some people here. Uh I want to say offer a few words about uh last week our Tuesday board meeting. Uh when I say this I would like to kindly ask the board to stand up in solidarity u because this comes from all of us. After Tuesday night's board meeting, the board took time to reflect honestly and without excuses on what unfolded in that room. We agreed that parts of the meeting did not reflect the level of respect, clarity, or care that our community expects from its elected leaders. For that, I want to offer a sincere apology on behalf of the entire board. This is a new
006board still learning to govern together. Healthy debate is part of public service, but the way we show up from one another and for you matters just as much as the decisions that we make. We acknowledge that public disagreement, healthy debate can coexist with respect. We also know we fell short in tone, in empathy, and in clarity. Some moments Tuesday night left members of our community feeling dismissed, unheard, or undermined. Some comments were experienced as microaggressions. That is not the environment that we intend to create and is not who we want to be. As chair, the responsibility to set the tone of our meetings rests with me. I take that very seriously and I want you to hear directly from me. We will and we can do better. I stepped into this role because I believe
007deeply in public service. My background in education taught me that leadership is measured not by how loudly we speak, but by how consistently we honor the people we serve. I am committed to fostering a culture where disagreement is welcomed, but disrespect is not. Where accountability is embraced and not avoided, and where every person who walks into our boardroom, student, family, staff members, or community member, feel safe to speak and safe to be heard. To those who experience harm on Tuesday night, I hope you will allow us the opportunity to repair it. Every constituent, regardless of their perspective, is a valued part of our community. Your voice matters in shaping PPS and we are committed to rebuilding trust through actions not words alone. I also want to be clear about something that extends beyond any single
008meeting. Threats, harassment, online ting taunting and targeting targeted attacks against board members, district staff or our superintendent have no place in a healthy public dialogue. [applause] Thank you. Accountability is essential and we welcome it. But we must reject behavior that endangers individuals or erodess the very democratic processes that we rely on. We understand there is work ahead. We are committed to doing it together. We commit to better conversations, better listening, better action, and most of all to serve Portland's children with the dignity, care, and hope they deserve. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for caring about this district and thank you for giving us the opportunity to reflect, learn, and lead with greater integrity. So, thank you very much. [applause] Now that I've uh hit my quota for words this evening, I would like
009to hand this over to Dr. Armstrong. >> Great. Thank you. Thank you, Principal Shelton. Good evening, directors and community. I'm excited to get into this opportunity to hear from community. First though I have with me Margaret who Calvert who will partner with me in this presentation and really I'm going to do the opening which is coming up here soon. Um but that's okay. While we ceue up let me just since you all are in the space Jefferson High School where the theater program and the dance program has the opportunity to perform. I just want to share a little piece of history in that this theater is the only place that allowed black play production and that's why it matters so much to the community. The size of this space, this space is the heart of
010the theater and dance program and as Mr. Dan Coffee said that and the way that he put it is it's a place of love and joy and work. This will be the LA largest auditorium out of the three builds and we're super excited and I just want to acknowledge all those who have graced this space. [applause] So really there's just three things that I want to talk about the why now why scenario C and why your voice matters here tonight. So first why now? So we are committed to a healthy high school system. Stabilizing Jefferson strengthens our entire system. This recommendation demonstrates our commitment to providing students wellresourced learning environments close to where they live and returns Jefferson to a vibrant neighborhood school built on its rich history. Our longstanding bond commitment ensures that every
011PPS student will graduate from a modernized high school and that they will have access to academic programming and learning environments where they can flourish and demonstrate their excellence. So why scenario C? Right? Many folks have asked, Dr. Armstrong, we're here at this session where we're supposed to provide feedback and you already introduced a recommendation. Well, when we took the three scenarios out for public engagement, each were viable options that performed well on some of the factors that we have to consider as well as highlighting the trade-offs between the factors. Scenario C balances proximity, enrollment feasibility, and long range planning. this scenario to a path for all four high schools to have student enrollment that is projected to meet the minimum for stabilized academic programming and it ranges between them and will increase programming. Um, one
012thing I do want to say is that the engagement with the board over the next couple of weeks through this listening session, through the teaching, learning and enrollment committee, and then through the board work session creates opportunity now for the board to grapple with what you share tonight, what you've shared in emails. And when you've showed up and expressed your voice and share or vo voiced your opinion and uh shared your concerns, all of that will be part of the board's deliberation and they take final action either on this recommendation, modifications to the recommendation, or something entirely different in January. So, the process is still open, but we wanted to have something to let you all know where we're landing and what my recommendation is to the board so that we can just start that
013conversation. So, that also brings in why your voice matters. We brought this recommendation forward so that the board can hear from you to help them make their decision. Which of the factors are most important to you? What are you seeing as a strength in the recommendation? how could it be improved? We look forward to hearing from you tonight. We look forward to hearing from you at the teaching, learning, and enrollment committee on Thursday for comment in the board work session on December 16th prior to the board vote on January 13, as well as submitting your comment via email and you will receive QR codes and information on how to do that. So, we're excited to get this going so that we can hear directly from you. But before that happens, I want to turn it
014over to Margaret Calbertt to share a little bit more on scenario C. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Armstrong. That was too close. Sorry about that. Um, my name is Margaret Calvert. I'm one of the assistant superintendents uh here in Portland Public Schools. This place is um near and dear to my heart. I've spent many uh an evening at a dance recital. Anybody been to one of the Jefferson dance recital? It's if you haven't uh ever been to one, they are community events. It's a lot of call and response and dance and it's a really joyful evening. Um I've spent time celebrating seniors and senior award assemblies and hearing um folks uh share their uh hopes and dreams for the future. We've been here with uh plays and student assemblies and all sorts of pieces.
015And as Dr. Armstrong said, this space holds a particular place in the history of Portland. Um and the size of the uh auditorium in the modernization. It's really critical. We heard this loud and clear during the conceptual master planning and then through the planning process that there is a belief that this space is a community space and that it has served the uh particularly um uh our black community very well when other spaces did not. And so moving forward, this we're very excited to say that uh the modernization piece uh has an uh the largest of the modernized auditoriums will be here at Jefferson. I'm going to be brief uh and and because really we're here to hear from you. Um but I will take us through a couple of things about scenario C. I'm
016going to go back um and see if we can get back to this previous slide just as a reminder of where um Dr. Dr. Armstrong said we were in the process. This process is we started um in June with the first sort of signaling of this with the board. So this is our fourth uh time in front of the board in various forms. Um so this started in June 10th. We've been in front of the teaching learning and enrollment committee on September 16th. We were there again um on November 13th. We are here tonight. We will be at teaching learning committee on Thursday. and then a work session next week prior to a bo board vote. So there'll be a seven different times that there information about sensit dual assignment zone will be in front
017of the board. We released the recommendation last Thursday. We held an open house here on Saturday for three hours. A lot of people came through. I really appreciate the conversations that people had in the space. Um and then we're here tonight with a listening session. Skip forward where I'm sorry. I apologize we'll get so where are the pieces around the engagement? So there have been strategies that we wanted to make sure we uh heard from the community in a variety of ways. So there was initial outreach that was happening at uh back to school nights. We went through six formal community engagement sessions um where we uh welcomed over 400 families and community members into conversation. Uh we've received over 200 comments in the form. Uh many many more emails as well. I would say
018probably in the hundreds at this point with that. We're in the midst of student engagement. We've been to um Oley Green to Harriet Tubman. Uh we're going to be and in Fabian. We are going to be back here at Jefferson on Friday working with the freshman and sophomores talking about what their vision is. Uh and we are planning to go to Vernon. Um we're just cons you we're finalizing that date uh pro probably tomorrow we'll have it worked out. The goal is to have engagement in a number of ways. So this was a piece some of it's in person some of it's been online um and then we were really committed to making sure that we had the website up so that there was if there was exchanges or questions that were asked it was
019shared out to the whole community. A mailing went out. Some people have received a postcard in the in their in their mailboxes um that went to over I think 40,000 families that have addresses within the Jefferson uh dual dual assignment as well. So with this piece um there is in the lobby and in the foyer there is a map that shows the um dual assign the the proposal to sunset dual assignment. This is scenario C. So scenario C has um Jefferson with uh the feeder patterns coming from um the students coming from Woodlon Sabin Chief Joseph Beachch Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boise, Elliot, Humbult, Fabian, and Vernon. It does scenario C does have Irvington continuing to Harriet Tubman and then going on to Grant. You can see that um Jefferson's boundary is in blue
020up here, Roosevelt's in uh yellow, Grants is in green, and McDaniels is in red. part of what we heard during uh the engagement session there was quite a back and forth and some discussion about how do we determine proximity. So one of the pieces that we looked at was a transit analysis about how students get to school and how long it takes. In addition, there was a question about like what do we really mean about proximity? What is close? And I want to thank uh I think director Englesman for asking, hey, can't we just make some concentric circles and look at what the actual distance is. So what you have here are um the inner circle is a mile uh and it's in green and then the outer circle is a mile and a half
021and they're centered around each of the high schools. So, we went through these are only what you see on this map are just the students that live within a mile or a mile and a half of a high school. So, we were able to look closely at the places. You'll see that across the four high schools, Roosevelt does not have very much overlap with other schools and we know that that is in part due to the ge geographical isolation relatively speaking. And then Grant has a lot of overlap with both McDaniel and Jefferson. So this was a second part of what we were looking at um when we when we were looking at some of the factors. So the superintendent recommends scenario C that it is implemented starting in the fall of 2728 with incoming
0229th graders and that it will be fully phased in by the 203031 school year. This scenario provides a path for all four high schools to have student enrollment that is projected to meet the minimum um uh enrollment to for stable academic programming and ranges between them that will increase programming parody. Right now the difference in um between the largest and smallest comprehensive high school and this in right now in northeast Portland is over 600 students. So this will bring the par across all the campuses to closer to um a range around 350. It's a little bit more than that um when it's fully phased in in 3031. It also has um a a plan that all of the students that are historically underserved and we defined that in this particular scenario um and process as
023black and native students and um students who are uh multilingual learners. And in this scenario, all of the students will be in schools that are well resourced. That is that they are above um 1100 students. The vast majority of students uh w here also will have um uh will be able to attend a high school that's within a mile of their house. The vast majority will. So the timeline that we have and we projected about um 2728 provides stability and access to academic programming for current students as well as future students at Jefferson and time for thoughtful implementation. So the timing of when staffing and budget this is to make this decision and come to the um uh a statement in January allows staffing and budgeting to be in place and in sync so that
024programming can be designed and uh clearly articulated when students uh the first class of students come in the fall of 2027. So this gives us um time to get in sync with the budget and um and staffing process. This is um just a zone in a zoom in on Jefferson. The number of students that live within a mile and a half and a mile of Jefferson. And again, a large number proportion of students fall within that uh part portion. This does not show all the students that live in the Jefferson catchment. As I said before, these only show the students that live within a mile and a half and a mile. You will see the peninsula falls outside of a mile and a half for both Jefferson and Roosevelt. And in this scenario, Peninsula would
025continue to Olay Green and then on to Roosevelt. You'll also notice in the upper right hand corner that Fabian also falls outside of a mile and a half of any high school. And so, while the this is a generalized way of talking about proximity, we also need to acknowledge that there are parts of every catchment that fall outside of a mile and a half. So the general pattern as we said before is that Peninsula and Beach D Spanish DLI program would continue to Olay Green but then move to Roosevelt for high school. That the school um that would go to uh Tubman includes uh Martin Luther Dr. from Martin Luther King Jr. um elementary the DLI program there Boise LA Humbult Sabin and Irvington would go to Tubman but then Irvington would continue on to
026Grant and the rest would come to Jefferson Fabian and Vernon all the students would come to Jefferson and then the last piece here is that um you'll see that uh Chief Joe um Woodlon and I'm I'm missing my glasses here. Knock on me. And beach. Thank you. Beach neighborhood. Go to uh Jefferson. I need Yeah, thanks for the offer, Chief Kapori. My glasses will not work entirely well, but I appreciate the offer. Um um the other piece about when we look at the factors, so proximity is one piece. strong uh and stable feeder patterns that have students move together to high school or from elementary to middle school um is also one of the considerations. So one of the pieces that happens with this is that we were in the scenarios uh a has the
027strongest um move of students moving together through all levels. So this is where we said there's a trade-off. Where is that with um split feeders? How many split feeders do we have in the district? What does that look like? So this is where the board is going to weigh two different parts of factors and so that's part of what is going to surface as we go through the scenario. The other part about this is that um we talked about the parity and stability of programming and so this is where the size of the schools and where how they get to the a specific size is important. when we went through uh the analysis of the scenarios, we acknowledge that we need to pay very close attention to both Jefferson and Roosevelt that Roosevelt has um
028a it's fairly isolated geographically and we have to really pay attention to the numbers as we are moving forward through this process. And then at Jefferson, you know, what we want to see is how does this play out in terms of support for students that are currently here and how do we grow and build culture that is going to be intentional and supportive. The final piece, as I said before, is that there's a way of measuring program parity. And so part of what that looks like is the size of the schools, the number of students um is reflective of the breadth of the programming and the depth of the programming. So, while we don't get to, you know, we're not going to have exactly evenly sized high schools, but this does get us closer so
029that across Norththeast Portland, regardless of where you live, you should have access to programming that's fairly similar. The other one of the other factors is around um school utilization. When this is complete, all of the uh high schools, these four high schools will all have been modernized. And uh when we look at the enrollment uh in this particular scenario all the schools will have uh utilization rates between 70 and 90% which then is another factor that we need to pay attention to um in in terms of what is in board policy. The final piece in board policy asks us to think about which students are impacted and how many. And part of what we see with this is when we make this change every student that's in the dual assignment zone is going to be
030impacted. So there's regardless of the scenario, everyone is going to experience some difference. When we look at the growth over time, this is one of the pieces that uh Dr. Armstrong spoke to, which is how do we both see an increase in students at Jefferson and also mitigate the impacts on McDaniel Grants and Roosevelt. You'll see the first yellow box is the first year that we see an um increase in enrollment at Jefferson and we this would be the current class of uh seventh graders. When we look at this change in class in the number of students, you have to think of this as the number of students are entering our freshmen. So we are having an ability to build out programming based on freshmen as they come in. The next year it would be
031freshman and sophomores would be the new then it would be freshman, sophomores, juniors. and by the time we're at 203031, we'll have four years of students that will have um made this adjustment. So, we're cognizant both of the increases at Jefferson and also on thinking about what are mitigating the impacts and talking specifically about what are the impacts at Grant McDaniel and at Roosevelt. The other piece that we pay attention to is what are what happens with with the demographics at all the schools. And when we see this the um the changes in here uh the the largest impact is here at Jefferson. So this is one that we have seen before um for folks that have been through various sessions. There's been a uh we heard a lot about what is academic planning for
032Jefferson. This is going to there will be more details at the teaching learning and enrollment committee later uh this week. There are four uh pillars that we're building on that honor the legacy of what's happening here at Jefferson while also expanding opportunities. So we'll look at college preparatory coursework and we'll build on dual credit that is here. Um and that we have processes here where do both at the junior and senior year where it's dual credit for all similar to what happens at grants in the sophomore year um with AP um US history and then also at McDaniel they have um uh there there's or AP human geography excuse me I think is that grant so there's similar things that we're building there'll be a connection of CTE pathways to some historical pieces here at
033Jefferson Uh there'll be connections with visual performing arts and CT pathways and that will be built out in conjunction with the modernization and then of course we want to continue with partnerships and learning through collaboration where students can apply their learning in real life um situations. Uh an example would be um our partnership with OHSU and the Ontar program. So there are some planning milestones I just want to make sure we talk about and then I will wrap up my comments. Um this winter we will be looking at uh we'll be focusing on course offerings and um for the fall and looking at what are the places that we can launch a visual and performing arts as well as partner engagement. We're working with our CTE program and our central office team to look at
034um student surveys about uh youth science and looking at what uh both students are showing interest in and propensity to help shape what is the CT programs that we'll be looking at going into this spring. We'll continue with career and technical um education and middle school transition activities over the summer. There'll be a focus on staff development and partner engagement. professional learning to for the new academic pathways to confirm roles for partners. In the fall for 2026, we'll do family orientation and programming launch where we'll do family engagement, come back and get some um feedback from students and families about uh how this build out of uh initial programming happens so that we are ready for a full implementation with the freshman class in 2027. The again there will be more details about this at
035the teaching learning and enrollment committee on Thursday and I'm sure we'll be talking about this during the work session as well. So with that I just want to say you know this is where we are at the timeline. We're at a point where we're in a board listening session. I'm going to stop so we can listen to you. I'm just very excited to have everybody in the house um for us to hear from you. And then there's a uh teaching learning committee on Thursday. There will be a board of work session next Tuesday and working our way towards a vote on January 13th um tenatively scheduled at this point. I just want to thank everybody for your engagement. It is great and heartwarming to see so many people in the house and we look forward
036to hearing from you. Thank you very much. [applause] Thank you Dr. Calbertt or I think people around here like to call her Dr. MC. Uh, next we are starting our public comment segment. Uh, just a couple things before we begin. First, the board would like to thank you all for taking your time out of your day to attend this meeting and providing your comments. Uh, we do have a very long list of public commenters today. Uh, over two hours worth. So, um, hopefully you brought your popcorn. Um, how this is going to work, uh, we'll be calling people up in groups of five. And if you notice right behind this podium right here, which is where people will be giving their comment, there are six chairs that are labeled as reserves. You may sit there.
037That's for you. For public commenters who have been called up. Uh, when your name is called, please come forward. Go ahead, be comfortable. Unless you're the first one, make it your way up to the podium. When you begin your comment, please clearly state your name. and your school community that you come from. Because of the uh really long list of people who sign up for public comment today, we are limiting public comment to two minutes and it'll be a hard stop at two minutes. So when you're up at the podium, there'll be three lights. When the green means go, >> really? >> Yes. And yellow in this case doesn't mean slow down or try to stop. It it means you have 30 seconds left. And when the red hits, it's a hard cut off. two
038minutes. Uh this is so that we can get everyone who signed up a chance to speak tonight before it gets too late and our brains go dead. All right, so let's get started. Would you like uh could you call up the first five? >> Yes. Sophia Lively, Grove Tolson, Lily Fogerty, Jessica Moss, and Laura Westwood. [applause] And any of you can start whenever whoever wants to go first. >> [applause] >> My name is Grove Tullson. I go to Vernon, and I think every student deserves a comprehensive high school experience. A comprehensive high school offers a wide range of electives, AP classes, a well-resourced sports program, and many after school, many after school clubs, and an overall amazing high school experience. However, to be a comprehensive high school, Jefferson needs,00 students, and it currently only has
039459. I and many other students at Vernon and Fabian want Jefferson to be comprehensive as soon as possible so we can have this experience. For me personally, a well-resourced sports program, especially soccer, would be greatly appreciated. Jefferson currently has a JV2 team, and I want to play varsity soccer in high school. Scenario Causes Tubman Middle School to split up into two groups along racial and economic lines, breaking up friendships and stopping them from starting between students that went to Sabin, Boise, Elliot, or MLK and students that went to Irvington. The neighborhood a student lives in shouldn't determine whether they have access to a comprehensive high school or not. For all these reasons, I support scenario B. Thank you. [applause] Hello. Thank you so much for all your effort on this work. Um, my name is
040Jessica Moss. My family lives in this funny pocket of Portland. Wriggler is half a mile away. Bumont Middle is just seven blocks, but my fifth and sixth graders are assigned to Vernon. To get there, Margot and Cooper travel 30 minutes on foot and by bus, and we call it character building. Some group of people at some point in time made what seems like an arbitrary decision to send our street to Vernon. I presume it served the best interest of the community. For so many reasons in today's debate, the location argument is problematic and making it the central rationale for scenario C has the appearance of elevating real estate privilege over equity. [applause] The superintendent's decision is disappointing. Scenario B is the clear choice. Scenario B offers the strongest feeder pattern to Jeff. It does not
041divide Tubman along racial and economic lines and it gives this community confidence. The district will do what it takes to ensure that Jefferson is truly rising. Not because today's Jeff students need us, but because on the path to a modernized Jeff, the first cohort and all future cohorts need access to comprehensive programming, the same access as their peers. So, let me be clear on what that means. If McDaniel or Grant has textiles, product design, or podcasting classes, our students deserve equivalent options. If McDaniel or Grant have three coaches for varsity soccer, and three days of practice a week, our students deserve the equivalent. If McDaniel or Grant have AP offerings in computer science, African-American studies, or calculus, our students deserve credentialed educators teaching equivalent dedicated classes, not hybrid versions. We all know funding follows students.
042In a school with only 700 students, can you offer an experienced French instructor to a classroom of 10? Low registration is not a lack of interest. It's a lack of enrollment. Equal programming and breadth and depth should be one of, if not the defining metric of equity. Only scenario B comes close to leveling the playing field. >> To offer anything less is to continue a troublesome path. >> You need to stop. Sorry, we have we have a lot of people. I really appreciate your comments. Thank you. [applause] Next up. [applause] Hello, my name is Sophia Lively and I currently go to Da Vinci Arts Middle School. I don't think that going to Jefferson would be the best idea. I think that every single PPS student should be able to have a enjoyable high school experience.
043I believe that Jefferson will be a great school one day, but throwing a bunch of people into one school at a time after a long thing of co is not the best idea in the world. It will split up friendships. It'll split up small communities and I don't think it would be the best idea. I think maybe later on would be a good better idea to make Jefferson a better place. But I also think that every student should be have the right to choose what high school they have to go to for their needs. Example, if a student needs calculus, they should probably go to Grant because Grant has an excellent calculus class. Jefferson isn't there yet, but it will be there one day. Thank you. [applause] >> Hi, my name is Lily Fogerty and
044I'm a middle schooler at Vernon. I've always wanted to go to Jefferson. It's been my dream high school since I was in kindergarten. There are lots of reasons why I want to go to Jefferson, but the main one is the programs, including dance, basketball, and theater. Last year, my friends and I were talk were talking about high school, and they all said they wanted to go to McDaniel. I was so sad and I was starting to have second thoughts about going to Jefferson. After this switch, all of my close friends are going to Jefferson, which I was really happy about because I get to stick with all of my friends. Jefferson has been my dream school for so long, and the fact that I get to go on this journey of high school with my
045best friends is what makes it a dream. I hope this school board keeps this dream alive for other middle schoolers who don't get to go to high school with all their best friends. [applause] Good evening. My name is Laura Westwood, an Irvington parent, Grant alumni, and lifelong Northeast Portland resident. Scenario C is the most balanced of the three proposals, but even it leaves problems unresolved. Maintaining Sabin and Irvington with Grant, scenario F is not just reasonable, it is the most responsible and sustainable option. [clears throat] First, the data used to rule out scenario F is not reliable. PPS dismissed it because they projected Jeff at 1,54 students in 2030, just below the 1100 target. But using PPS's own formulas correctly, the projection should be 1,087, a gap of only 13 students. And that number shifts
046dramatically depending on capture rates. Grant is modeled with an unusually high 93.6% rate, inflating its numbers, while Jeff is assigned a much lower rate. Our independent community modeling shows Jeff at 1,195 by 2030. Anchoring decades of boundary decisions to inconsistent methods is not sound planning. Second, SA and Evan in Irvington are essential to Grant's long-term stability. These neighborhoods have never been part of Jefferson's um historic boundary and anchor Grant's enrollment. With grant projected to decline due to demographic shifts, removing them would further destabilize the school when reliable enrollment is most needed. Third, the diversity impacts matter. Removing Sabin reduces black, native, and Latino enrollment at Grant without increasing it at Jefferson, meaning both schools lose lose ground on equity. Finally, disruption carries real costs. Is a temporary 13 student difference worth dismantling a century old
047pathway and fracturing a long-standing community? Scenario F meets district targets, honors community history, protects diversity, and supports long long-term stability. I urge the board to question the data, and choose the option that strengthens our schools rather than destabilizing them. Thank you. [cheering] [applause] [cheering] >> Thank you. Can you call up the next five? >> Josh, Josh Josh Moss, Kristen, Jesse, you unic. Nope. Sorry, I lost my spot. Uh Michelle Deubberry, Lane Flynn, and Jason Greenblat. Hello, my name is Josh Moss. I have a son and daughter at Vernon, fifth and sixth grade. Uh, I think I want to focus my comments on the 10%. So, Senoc is about 10% over the threshold of 1100. And I think what we've been living in Vern in is something when you're too close to a line, when funding
048follows students, there is a huge chance to lose it. Recently, Vernon lost its IV status because we felt below a a certain line that was dictated. Okay. Our middle school program right now is underfunded and our our daughter who's in middle school has a single teacher teaching three courses even though that's not their core competency. So they're losing out on a middle school program. And I think our fear in general for scenario C is that puts us in the same boat, right? Okay. When you're within 10% and and you fall below that line, then all of a sudden we don't get the extra extracurricular activities. We don't get the sports programming. We don't get the non-core academics that we all want that Grant has that McDaniel has. And so when we talk about this, it
049really feels like there's only two choices for the board. One is amend scenario C. So these are guaranteed for scenario C, all these programs that are equivalent to Grant, equivalent to McDaniel, or you have to go back to the drawing board and reject it to give us a guarantee to have that equitable experience for all of our kids. Thank you. [applause] >> [applause] >> Good evening. My name is Kristen Jesse Ugan and I'm a mother of an eighth grader at Tubman and two fourth graders at Sabin. The past few months have been really tense with a lot of uncertainty and strong emotions, not just in the Sabbin community, but across Northeast Portland. These proposals have sparked really tough conversations and friction between neighbors and friends. My family is at our own version of this uncertainty.
050Our eighth grader, Lola, is among the last class eligible for dual enrollment, and the decision of which high school she'll attend has been really difficult. She weighed the strengths and drawbacks of two schools, and she has decided to attend Jefferson next year, [applause] but reclaiming my time. But it's not easy. Most of her classmates are opting for grant while it still remains a choice. Keeping Tubman students together is a big reason why I support scenario B. While I understand the importance of proximity, I truly believe in the community that we have built at Tubman together. I also believe that scenario B sets Jefferson up for timely growth and stronger programs, both of which are long overdue at this school. As someone with privilege and a strong supporter of public schools, I feel a responsibility to
051advocate for a system that works for all families, not just those whose experiences are familiar to me. That said, I respect Dr. Armstrong's recommendation of scenario C, because I trust our leaders are acting with good intentions even when I don't agree with every decision. I hear the fear and discomfort from many of my neighbors. Change is hard and these feelings are natural, but I'm also troubled by the level of anger and distrust directed at PPS leadership. I don't think it serves our kids, our schools, or our community. We can disagree, but we owe it to each other and to our children to approach this moment with openness, grace, and a willingness to move forward together. If we support each other and hold our district accountable, compassion, and high expectations, we can build a stronger Jefferson
052and a better Northeast Portland. Thank you very much. [cheering] >> Thank you. [applause] >> Good evening. I'm Eileen Mama at Sabin and Tubman. I want to start clearly. Jefferson students deserve a plan that finally gives them stability and support. They've waited far too long for that and I believe that deeply and I respect that. Alongside that, I would like to respectfully acknowledge what this recommendation asks of Sabin. A uniquely heavy burden as the only elementary school being permanently reassigned and asked to absorb a true historical boundary change. It's happening after more than a decade of district driven disruptions. Sven was removed from Bowmont, converted to K to 8, converted back to K to 5, access placed and removed and multiple pathway changes. No other school in this cluster has absorbed this volume of change. Now,
053I recognize Saven is not a monolith. There are wonderful Saven families here that hold different views. But more than 200 Sabin supporting families have raised the same concerns in a letter sent to all of you. Most notably, unsafe and unrealistic travel routes and glaring absence of Sabin's feedback in the engagement process. Even PPS's own engagement summary recommended deeper analysis of Sabin's safety concerns and a revisit of its alignment. Yet the final recommendation is unchanged from the earliest drafts. On a personal level, my Saven family lives within one mile from Grant, a walkable neighborhood aligned route under PPS's own criteria. Under this plan, my children would instead travel 2.4 miles across the MLK Prescott high injury corridor. [snorts] Once a district knowingly assigns children to a longer, more dangerous commute when a safer, geographically aligned option
054exists one mile from their home, that decision stops being logistical. It borders ethically indefensible and deeply irresponsible. It's how it feels. Tonight, I'm asking you to consider a revised recommendation that reflects real geography, real safety commutes, and real community input. Jefferson deserves to win without a doubt. Jefferson deserves a strong plan and all of our children deserve a plan built for the lives they actually live. Thank you. [applause] >> Good evening. My name is Jason Greenblat. I have a first and fourth grader at Sabin and a seventh grader at Harriet Tubman who will be part of the first class integrated into Jefferson under the current recommendation of scenario C. I want to start by saying I support the investment for a strong Jefferson High School for the existing and future students. The modernization is essential
055and every student in North Portland deserves excellent facilities, comprehensive programming, and a nurturing community that creates a sense of belonging. I believe we can still strengthen Jefferson and reach its enrollment goals without unnecess unnecessarily disrupting the established Irvington and Sabin community. where our kids already have a strong sense of belonging. Historically, Saven and Irvington students have moved through school together. Under scenario C, that community gets split for the first time. Irvington students continue to grant Saven go to Jefferson. Our kids will be leaving their neighborhood peer groups at a moment when those relationships matter the most. In this plan, Sabin is the only neighborhood being separated from both its historic pathway and its peer community. Every other school maintains their established pathway and community connections. So why has SA been the exception? Grant is just
056one mile away from us. A safe walk, 10-minute bike ride. Under scenario C, our kids would face a 45minute commute, two public buses each way to reach Jefferson. The ability to have our children attend a high school in our neighborhood where they can walk or bike with friends, where school feels like an extension of our local community, that matters to us. I'm asking you to consider whether there's a path forward that still strengthens Jefferson while keeping our historic Irvington saving community pathway intact. Thank you for your consideration and what this decision means to our community. Thank you. [applause and cheering] >> Thank you. [applause] Call up the next five. Haley Hatfield, Ena Patel, Mike Wesling, Todd Johnson. I'm Haley Hatfield. I'm a lifelong Northeast Portlander. I attended Sabin and Irvington, Bumont Middle, and Grant, class
057of 03. In a recent meeting of the TLE committee, the assistant superintendent noted that Jefferson is more than a building. It is people. I could not agree more, but I would add respectfully that so is Grant High School. It is people like my grandmother, Sharon Hatfield, a teen mother herself who found meaning and purpose working at Grant as an EA and track coach. I remember when she was in hospice, how she showed me a letter from a former student, how much about how much care her care had meant to him. I'm proud of that. It's people like my friend Sam Verison who despite being bound to a wheelchair with cerebal palsy became a legendary member of the Grant wrestling team and later a coach. We tragically lost Sam this year too soon but his memory
058lives on in the halls that he once rolled. Grant is people like me who grew up in that school even before we attended it. participating in Bruce McDonald's community plays, learning to swim at the pool, running on the track, watching my sisters and cousins performances and sports games. It's people like my kids and their many friends who are the children of alumni, third, second, third, and even fourth generation generals who have been raised in this community and are so excited to continue the tradition. These multigenerational friendships are not a culture and a context that we can replicate elsewhere. I know so many families where the grandparents, the parents, and the kids are all friends, even best friends. The ability to send our kids to Grant is a huge part of maintaining that community and a
059connection to those [snorts] that we have lost and who were a part of it. Sabin and Irvington kids are a part of grant just as important as Alama and Laurelhurst kids. It's not okay to cut them out. >> Thank you. Thank you. [applause] Hi, I'm Bina Patel, a Sabin parent and my kid's a seventh grader at Tubman and a fourth grader at Sabin. Have you ever walked into a room and scanned whether anyone else looks like you, has melanin in their skin? I moved to Sabin so my children wouldn't feel like the only brown kids in a sea of white. This proposal changes that. Pulling Sabin out of Grant significantly reduces diversity at both Grant and Jefferson. Grant would become the whitest high school in Portland. While at Jeff, the number of black and native
060students will plummet from one in two students to one in five students, dismantling a long-standing black school. If you've listened to nice white parents, you know how quickly good intentions can disenfranchise black and brown communities. Portland is about to recreate that story. And let's be clear, Sabin is the only school being redistricted away from its historic neighborhood feeder pattern. No other community is asked to give up its generational high school connection. Only Saven. That alone should give us pause about equity and fairness. We chose Grant for real reasons. Community safety and the ability for our kids to walk and bike with lifelong friends. Rerouting saving kids forces them to cross MLK and Prescott, roads with recent multiple fatalities. Equity cannot mean telling one group of kids that their safety, their community, and sense of belonging
061are expendable. This isn't about racism or privilege. It's about love, dignity, and basic safety. True equity lifts kids up. It doesn't weaken one community to strengthen another. Saving kids deserve to stay in their neighborhood high school just as Jeff de kids deserve to stay in theirs. I speak as a physician who works in equity every day. We are facing epidemics of childhood obesity, depression, and anxiety. One of the simplest protective factors is allowing kids to stay grounded in their communities. Walking, biking, and moving through neighborhoods with peers who know and support them. Let's do right by both communities. Honor compact boundaries. Honor safe transportation. Honor the relationships that help adolescence thrive. Do not make Sabin the only community asked to sacrifice what every other neighborhood keeps. Our children deserve better and they're watching. >> [cheering]
062[applause] >> Uh my name is Todd. I have a eighth grader and a sixth grader at Fabian. Um I came here planning to say uh that Jefferson has to have a comprehensive program. Um, but despite the fact that there's adults in here saying that some students shouldn't have AP classes so their kid doesn't have to walk across MLK, I think you guys all get that. [applause] So, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt on that and just highlight one more thing that I haven't heard talked about except maybe briefly one of the person's name. Uh, schools like Fabian. So, my my student is an eighth grader at Fabian. His first year at Fabian was the first year of the new Fabian. as a kindergartener. Uh his class was enormous. They had the
063highest enrollment for a single class I think Bobby's ever seen. It's dropped off steadily every year since then um because people uh they were excited about the new building and they they liked the Concordia program, but they quickly reverted to the sort of um feelings people have about the northeast neighborhood schools, especially Fabian and Jefferson and Vernon. Um and Wiggler um >> sorry. So, uh, I worry under scenario C specifically that even though Jefferson is just over the limit for comprehensive education that you, uh, may not be counting a low enough capture rate for Jefferson specifically. Um, that's so like I think B looks good, C looks good. Honestly, if your numbers are accurate, I I'm happy with C, but I think you should definitely make sure you're considering that people are going to opt
064out of Jefferson um, at a much higher rate than other schools. We see that in the elementary and middle schools. Um, it's just a fact. Thank you. [applause] >> First, just want to thank you for having uh this at Jefferson tonight. It's really great to be in the auditorium with you all. Uh my name is Mike Wesling. I'm the parent of a third and a fifth grader at Fabian, and my family could not be happier to be assigned to Jefferson for high school. [cheering] Uh to put Jefferson in the best possible position to serve students through this transition for the next 50 years and longer, I strongly encourage you to adopt scenario B. Scenario C would leave Jefferson with fewer students in the grant, which means less overall state funding and fewer family resources, which
065we know do matter to support athletics and other extracurriculars. No matter where the boundary lands, it's vital that you commit now through an amendment to this boundary decision to ensuring that Jefferson students have access to the same class offerings, programs, and extracurriculars as their peers at other high schools starting on day one. As we make these important decisions, we should be considering the needs of community in the broadest sense. We live in challenging times, and our sense of community has been fractured by technology, a pandemic, and failed federal leadership. by media that tells us we're bad parents if we don't do everything possible to make sure our kids have a leg up over everyone else. By a culture that tells us they're going to be left behind. I know the natural response is to go
066into our bubbles where it's comfortable and familiar, where things don't change, where reality meets our expectations, where we have control. But that's not what our kids really need. What our kids need right now is a community that embraces them and gives them the opportunities they deserve. and they deserve a comprehensive high school that offers the academics and extracurriculars at the same level as their peers across the district. And the best way to do to do that is for all of us to go to Jefferson together. I also I have a little bit of time. I was fast. I want to tell you one quick story. My mother-in-law Donna went to Fabian in the 19 I don't want to age her too much 50s. Um and then at that point she was district for boundary for
067Grant. Um, a couple years later they moved the lines. Turns out some of these boundaries haven't been there for 100 years. She uh those boundaries changed to Adams. Adams has an interesting history. You should look it up. Um, and then now that address is boundaried for McDaniel. Um, so lines change. [cheering] >> Thank you. [applause] Our next set of people is um are attending virtually. We have Sarah Schultz, Michelle Dubberry, Stephanie McBride, Mishka Willis, Abdul Rahimi, and Michael Leard. Larity And whoever's ready can go first. >> Mr. Maybe could you just call who go first? Just make the call. >> How about Abdul? You have your hand up. We can't hear you. >> Abdul, >> we can't hear you. For what it's worth, I'm not sure if you can hear us that we can't hear
068you, Abdul. >> Yeah, it's coming up on closed captions, but we can't hear you actually. So, I don't know what that's about. We think it's on our end. So, hang on. Abdul, can you please try again? >> Hello, my name is Abdul Raheem. Uh, I go by the Heeries. Um, and good evening and thank you for your work for our students in our city. Um, I'm asking that dual assignment remain in place until Jefferson is a school families choose because they believe in it. I want Jefferson to become a thriving neighborhood high school, but we must build that foundation first. Many of us supported modernization because we wanted Jefferson to succeed. We did not expect that that would mean suns setting dual assignment before trust is rebuilt. Families want a school that is safe and
069academically strong. New buildings will help, but parents choose schools for safety and learning first. A modern campus alone does not rebuild confidence. Modernization is great for students, gives them a healthier learning environment, but it is not what makes families choose a school. They choose based on safety, trust, and strong academics. Jefferson has about 400 define students today. A comprehensive program needs more enrollment, but families do not stay when they feel forced or unsure about safety or academics. They stay when they see growth and believe their children will thrive. Enrollment follows trust. Trust follows results. It is a chicken and egg problem. Enrollment drives programming, but trust in academic gains drive enrollment. The path towards forward is to strengthen the school first, then let enrollment grow through confidence. We have seen what happens when boundaries move
070faster than trust. In the 80s, several schools and programs were closed or consolidated and boundaries and boundaries shifted. Jefferson's enrollment went up for a time, but academics and safety did not improve enough and families left. Growth without trust does not last, and I agree Jefferson needs more students, but families enroll when they feel safe and see academic progress. If we move too fast, we risk losing families entirely. Uh, we cannot assume families will attend by default. If confidence is low, they will opt out. History proves this. Safety and academics still need work. In 2022, two students were shot outside the school. They survived, but parents remember events like this. Only one in five students remain ma meet math expectations and about 40% meet English benchmarks based on a Oregon state assessment scores. Families want to
071see progress. Modernization lays groundwork for improvements, but campus will take years to finish and trust and acts must grow before families enroll. Suns setting dual assignment now asks families to trust what they cannot yet see. Sunsetting dual assignment does not build trust. Trust must come first. When trust grows and enrollment grows on its own. Thank you. [applause] [cheering] >> Sarah Schultz. >> Hi. Um I'm a PPS parent with twins at Vernon and fourth grade. Um Keith and Lauren. We previously attended Sabin so we [clears throat] kind of know people at both schools. Um we live in a spot that's not really close to any elementary school and although we're actually very close to Grant, it's right down the hill from us. Our boundaries don't reflect that. So when I hear that the priority is placing
072students close to schools they attend, I struggle with that because the boundaries don't always put us at our closest schools. And when people say historically this neighborhood has always gone to this certain school, I also want to say historically women weren't doctors and we segregated people by race, history isn't a reason to continue. We all see that Grant's feeder pattern concentrates wealth. And while some say that simply chose to live there, the truth is that many families, including mine, simply couldn't afford that choice. These neighborhoods weren't accessible to everyone. Portland claims to value equity and inclusion, but when it comes to taking actions, even when kids of color, kids with disabilities, families facing hardship are impacted. Too often, we don't follow through. We keep things separate. We preserve advantages for some at the expense of
073others. So, when I look at Jefferson, I want to ask like whether we are making the best decision for all students. And if we redirect students there, how do we reach the enrollment needed to offer full comprehensive programming? By PPS's own criteria, Jefferson reaches reaches those numbers best under plan B. And keeping Tubman students together as they move to Jefferson seems like a logical stabilizing choice. Oh, also Boise Elliott was a grant feeder and nobody's mentioning that, but they are they previously were. So, Sabin's not the only school that's been moved. Um, I guess what what also saddens me is the narrative that Jefferson is not good enough for kids who expected to attend Grant. The message is painful and it's familiar. [cheering and applause] >> It reinforces the idea that >> Thank you. I
074think I think that's time. Can you finish up? >> Okay. Is that Oh, okay. Um because that's what we've always had. So, um years ago, I heard an African-American principal explain her priorities. She said she put her resources towards marginalized and disabled students. So, when someone >> Thank you. Sorry, we have to move on. Thank you. We appreciate your time. [applause] Michelle Deubberry. >> Hi, good evening. Um, I'm the mom of two seventh graders at Oley Middle School, Aley Green Middle School. Um, and I want to express my support for um, scenario B. Um, for years, dual assignment has siphoned resources and students away from Jefferson, and we have an amazing opportunity to make real amends. I am so grateful to PPS leaders and the board for taking this on, and I am excited for
075my kids to be part of the transformation. One of the most surprising things about listening to the public debate about this is the number of times I have heard people talk about real estate. people who bought their houses with an expectation that their kids would attend a certain high school. So, no one's home comes with a guarantee that school boundaries will remain fixed. School districts need to be able to respond to demographic shifts. When I bought my house in 2011, I did not have an expectation that nothing in my neighborhood would ever change. Public education is one of the best ways we have to combat inequality. And even better, we know that schools with socioeconomic diversity are better for all of our kids, both in terms of academic and socioeconomic uh or socioeotional outcomes. Um
076to the parents who are concerned about safe transportation for your kids. I totally get that. Um I am the mom of a child who was killed in traffic violence in 2010. Um, I would invite you to join organizations like Families for Safe Streets. Um, join us in this important work of making Portland safe for all children, no matter where they go to school. I don't think this is the place for that conversation. Um, [applause] I am excited about the possibility of a comprehensive high school in our neighborhood. I am worried that it will not work if we allow carveouts for certain privileged families. Please do not let the loudest voices in the Irvington and Sabin catchment undermine this effort. Thank you for all you do for PBS students. [applause and cheering] [applause] Mishka Willis. >>
077Hi everyone. >> What's that? Good evening. My name is Spech Willis and I very much wanted to attend tonight but I'm just not able to. I'm disabled and a solo parent to three children, one of which is attending Grant and the other two younger ones are hoping to follow in her sister's in their sister's footsteps. I'm autistic and neurode divergent and I rely on clear data when evaluating complex decisions. I'm also a parent coach grounded in relational neuroscience, supporting families through stress and change. I'm mostly speaking on numbers tonight and speaking because Sabin is the only neighborhood school being asked to change its long-standing high school assignment and the district's own data shows that this change is not necessary. Families in Sabin have al also have varied circumstances. Many of us, including my own family,
078are navigating disability, financial strain, and limited capacity. Some of us, like myself, are fighting for closure. These changes don't impact all families equally. According to the projections PPS posted, when Irving and Sabin feed to Grant, both Jefferson and Grant would exceed 1100 students, meeting the district's target for a viable, comprehensive high school. But by modeling Jefferson with only the 70% capture rate and using a 93.6% capture rate for grant, it's the numbers are being manipulated. It um sorry, one second. Scenario C assigns eight different elementary schools to Jefferson and only four to Grant, moving far more students than are needed. This own your own modeling shows that Jefferson does not need sabin to reach viability. Also from a relational neuroscience perspective, unnecessary transitions carry real costs for children. After the profound disruption of the pandemic,
079stability and continuity support emotional regulation, learning and well-being. When the data shows the goals can be met without uprooting Sabin, preserving stability is the healthier choice. Practically speaking, my children must get themselves to school, often with each other's help. Grant is accessible through safe neighborhood bikeways that they already use. I my oldest and my middle will be needing to take my youngest to school to save. So my request is simple. Choose the option that meets district goals with the least disruption. Your own projections show that Jefferson thrives without saving and granting the swap. Please keep safe and assign a grant. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you, [applause] >> Stephanie McBride. >> Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yes. Okay. Um, I'm a grandparent. Um, and I really think that kids I like I
080like the clause where you have children who live within a mile of their of a high school allowed to go there. I think one of the things that makes Portland special is that we advertise neighborhood schools. And I've heard a lot of people advocating for that on this meeting tonight. Um I think that's um paramount to who we are and uh there are also people who you know need to stay in that in that community within a mile of the school. So, um I'm not I like I like uh option C, but my main concern is kids going to school close to their homes. Thank you. [applause] Okay, we'll come back to in person. Liz Thorne, Amy Favver, Paul Pharaoh, Sarah Dylan, Bren Simons. Good evening. My name is Liz Thorne and I am the
081parent of a current seventh grader at Da Vinci Arts Middle School and a fourth grader and we live in the Fabian community and our proud future demos. I want to strongly advocate for scenario B. This scenario gives Jefferson the strongest enrollment numbers, keeps Tubman students together, and enhances socioeconomic diversity at Jefferson, a key factor that decades of research has shown to promote upward mobility, stronger academic outcomes, and healthier communities for all students. Scenario C appears to prioritize physical proximity to high school. But let's be clear on whose proximity is being prioritized. where I live and most of Fabian Catchman is more than one and a half or two miles away from any high school. So, how can physical proximity be held up as a deciding factor in this decision, seemingly in contrast to other stated
082KPIs like keeping middle schools together? However, I would be in support of the board approving scenario C if it was accompanied by a written amendment that requires a clear implementation plan with associated funding and resources for academic programming set to begin in fall of 2027. We know that building AP programs, additional electives, and all of the components to make a comprehensive high school experience is not a light switch you can just turn on. It takes time and it cannot wait to happen when students arrive in 2027. We need a clear commitment that parity in academics will happen not in words but in action. How can the district frontload investment and resources into Jefferson now during this critical building stage of programming? Can staff be hired next year in anticipation of student enrollment increasing in 2027?
083And let's be clear, we are not adding to the total number of students in the district. It will result in staffing shifts at other northeast high schools. I urge district building and building leaders to intentionally recruit staff to Jeff who are just as excited and invested in continuing the strong legacy of Jefferson that we are. Our family is ready and eager to put our heart and effort into building the next great chapter in Jefferson's legacy. But we need you, the board and PPS leaders to meet us. Invest in Jefferson now and guarantee parody and programming for our students. Thank you. [applause] >> [applause] >> Hi, my name is Amy Faver and I'm the parent of a seventh grader at Olay Green and a fourth grader at Woodlon. My family is so happy and appreciative that
084the school board has finally decided to make the difficult decisions necessary to end the Jefferson dual enrollment zone and to ensure that Jefferson is a comprehensive neighborhood high school again. In my community, I hear widespread support for ending dual enrollment. I also hear a lot of questions and concerns about the timing of the change, what the programming will look like at Jefferson, and whether PPS can guarantee that our students will have the same options available to them at Jefferson as they would at other high schools. In order to ensure robust programming at Jefferson, I urge the board to adopt scenario B. This is the only option that makes sense if you're going to end dual enrollment before construction is complete. Inevitably, there will be some families that choose to leave PPS because of this decision.
085We will not be one of them, but others may. And I fear that the projected numbers for enrollment in the years before construction is complete when my daughter will be starting at Jefferson are optimistic and will not be sufficient to ensure the diverse array of electives and extracurricular activities that our current sixth and seventh graders deserve. Relying on the PCC partnership is not sufficient. It's not a comprehensive high school experience if students have to leave campus to get the full array of programming. Carving out entire elementary schools from this Jefferson catchment will only make this challenge harder. I understand that the Jefferson community is strong today and will get stronger with these changes and I'm excited about that. Option B gives the highest opportunity for success. But whatever you choose, the board needs to make
086a commitment to today's seventh and sixth graders that they will not have less than they would have had at another high school. If the board is comfortable asking families that currently have the option to attend Roosevelt or McDaniel schools that have vibrant communities and robust programming to int attend Jefferson instead, then you must make the same ask of families currently attending Grant. Uh their situation is no different. [applause] Thank you. [cheering] >> [applause] >> Hi, my name is Sarah Dylan. Um, thank you for your work and commitment to rebuild Jefferson, ensuring the school's future as a comprehensive neighborhood school. I support scenario B because I'm worried that scenario Z clo uh places Jefferson too close to the 1100 bubble. I'm the parent of two kids at Fab and a fourth grader and a sixth grader.
087and my oldest daughter started middle school sports this year and is excited to be part of the Jefferson community. As you know, at Fabian, we were previously looking at a choice between a two-mile commute to Jeff or a fivemile commute to McDaniel. Either would have been okay, but I prefer a neighborhood school. I do wonder that some parents lack of enthusiasm for Jefferson is driven by the same fears that got us here in the first place. I also wonder that some parents possibly didn't grow up in Portland or aren't familiar with Jefferson's historic legacy. I grew up in Southwest Portland in the9s and I remember Jefferson as a school with an amazing reputation, incredible performing arts, incredible sports, culture, and school spirit. We must hold community goals above individual family preference and ensure that Jefferson
088has a student population to support robust comprehensive programming. As the parent of a sixth grader, I hope that Jefferson has the ro enrollment to support comprehensive programming right away. And it wouldn't be fair to Jeffo kids, especially the sixth and seventh graders, if Jefferson did not have access to the same classes as their PPS peers. Again, I urge you to please ensure that Jeffos have an um comprehensive high school experience from day one. Otherwise, we'll be extending the legacy of disinvestment from the Jefferson community, and that is unacceptable. The Jefferson community is already strong and will only get stronger. It has a reputation as one of the region's best high schools, and we need to remind people of this. Thank you so much for sharing your time and energy with the kids across the district.
089>> [applause] >> Do I wait for it to turn green? Oh, all right. Cool. Hi. Uh, my name is Ren Simmons. Uh, as the parent of a sixth and second grader at Vernon K8, I personally was discouraged to see the recommendation for scenario C. Um the rationale that was shared behind that metric was one of proximity. Um and that one mile radius felt newly and perhaps arbitrarily defined to me. Uh nearly every student in ver that goes to Vernon and Bobby today will travel more than a mile to get to Jefferson and every single one of them will cross MLK to get there. The Sarinio C recommendation runs counter to another KPI, one of keeping middle school cohorts together. Um, and this has clearly been defined at 100% since the beginning. Scenario C divides divides
090the Harriet Tubman student body. And not only does it divide them, it divides them along stark racial and wealth lines. And sending only the wealthiest and whitest students to grant further entrenches racial and economic segregation in northeast Portland. [applause] Uh, we are living a reality of declining enrollment in PPS and we at Vernon are experiencing this acutely today. Scenario C leaves Jefferson much more vulnerable to enrollment fluctuations and potentially not sustaining the 1100 student threshold long term that PPS has set for comprehensive programming. So I urge a vote against the scenario C recommendation and scenario B is the only option that aligns with PPS's stated equity goals and fully supports Jefferson in continuing to be a cultural cornerstone of Northeast Portland. I urge you to also amend whatever final scenario is adopted to include language
091that it guarantees parody of athletic, academic, and extracurricular programming from day one. I ask that you hold PBS accountable to true par and not just check boxes on paper or hybrid models. For many students in Northeast Portland today, including my children at Vernon, they already have a less than experience for elementary and middle school, including the loss of our IB programming. And thank you >> [cheering] >> Thank you. [applause] Dr. Carmen Thompson, Bethany Gumper, Sean Fogerty, Eloise Kohler, and Aaron Brazil. Hi, my name is Bethany Gumper. I'm the parent of a second grader and a fourth grader at Vernon K through8. I have closely followed the debate over Jefferson boundaries and I'm here in favor of scenario B. very excited to join the Jefferson family. Um, with the plan to transition Jefferson to a neighborhood
092high school, I have some serious concerns after hearing Superintendent Armstrong's recommendation for scenario C. Um, Jefferson's modernization seems like PPS's chance to do right by the Jefferson community. But Jefferson can only thrive if it has the enrollment to support full programming for a comprehensive high school from day one. Electives, arts, and athletics. As we've discussed tonight, PPS has stated that a minimum enrollment of 1100 students is necessary to sustain these offerings. Scenario B offers the most viable path toward robust enrollment. Scenario C continues a longstanding pattern of concentrating students and wealth at Grant, which already has the advantage of enrollment and stature as a comprehensive high school. I personally am struggling with a school district peeling off the wealthiest, whitest kids and sending them to Grant while sending the rest of them to an underprogrammed
093school. [applause] Jefferson has an inherent enrollment disadvantage compounded by construction and historical disinvestment. Without a strong feeder pattern to Jefferson, the school will not have the population to fund the programs its students deserve. As a Vernon parent, my kids have an elementary experience that lacks developmentally appropriate programming, limited or no access to language, middle school athletics, choir, band, and orchestra, and comprehensive electives. We should ensure that all students have a high school experience that it is not another point of loss or inequity. If PPS is serious about equity and excellence, scenario B is the best option. And if the superintendent's recommendation of scenario C moves forward, I urge you to amend for comprehensive programming from day one. Thank you. >> Thank you. [cheering] [applause] >> Hello, my name ready to go. It's still showing red.
094So, okay. Hello, my name is Dr. Carmen Thompson. I'm here um a former Jefferson High School student and yes um my goal is to talk about the historical aspect of this conversation. Um there's a lot of racial overtones to what is being said here in the room and um race is how we got here in the first place particularly how it is that the black community um has um been um in the crosshairs of the school district historically and Jefferson has been the brunt of that history beginning back when they did the reconstitution all those of the school those many years ago sending many of the top teachers um out of Jefferson and many in the black community have felt that there has always been this agenda within uh Portland public schools to um be
095able to um take away resources from Jefferson. has always had a vibrant community, a vibrant alumni, and so often um decisions that have been made by the district, including this dual enrollment system, are things that have um appeared intentionally to take enrollment away from Jefferson so that Jefferson can either be um um you know, given to PCC um or closed in some kind of way. It's been impacted severely by gentrification. And so so many decisions that have happened outside of of uh Jefferson's control has been done against them from the school board. And so I personally am for whatever scenario that tilts that advantage back towards Jefferson and captures [applause] most of the students, even over capture some to account for undoing some of the work that historically has been done [applause] to give Jefferson
096a bad reputation. So I think they deserve the benefit of the doubt and they deserve to have more representation than maybe what some of these numbers have said. Thank you. >> Thank [applause] you. >> [cheering] >> Good evening. My name is Eloise Carler, um, an Irvington and Tubman mom. Last time I spoke, I asked you to listen to Jefferson families to hear what they needed to feel safe, supported, and seen. Since then, Dr. Armstrong, you recommended scenario C. And I wonder if you weighed the enrollment Jefferson deserves under scenario B against the way Irvington's advocacy reflected racial bias, class privilege, and long-standing patterns of exclusion in this district. So, I understand why you might be supporting scenario C. I heard parents say, "Jefferson is not good enough for my child." I wish people had said,
097"I don't know that much about Jeff. Let me show up and learn more. I heard parents sign a petition that echoed the long and painful history of white flight. I wish I had heard families acknowledge that talking about Jefferson means talking about a majority black community with a documented history of systemic disinvestment. And and I want to be accountable myself. I did not always interrupt these narratives. I am complicit in this culture and I have work to do. Also, the movement against Jefferson often said, "If you don't agree with me, I don't want to talk to you." It encouraged distrust of each other and created exclusive groups that became echo chambers. This is not how community works. And let me be clear, advocating for Grant was not the problem. The harm came when the advocacy
098centered fear and exclusion toward Jefferson instead of clarity about what some families wanted. With whatever scenario the board chooses, PPS has a responsibility to ensure a well-resourced transition for Jefferson. So, I'll steal the wording of amending B or C with with more money. Uh to my own community, I hope we do not gaslight ourselves into believing we did not cause harm. We did. Many voices from our community are missing. Notice this. >> Thank [cheering] you. [applause] [applause] >> Uh, I'm gonna make this a little taller. Sorry, there we go. Good evening. Uh, my name is Sean. I'm the parent of a sixth and a fourth grader at Vernon, and I've lived in the Vernon area for over 20 years. Most of that time, I've served as a a firefighter and later a lieutenant at Fire
099Station 24, which protects Jefferson and the students and staff here. The station members proudly wear a Demo's logo on the back of our uniform hats. We uh we are in this school to serve when fire, injury, and illness strike. And on duty, I've attended countless games, health, and career fairs, and other events at the school. I actually fondly recall bragging to then principal Margaret Calvert while we attended a football game uh that my daughter was born and I had a future demo. I've seen behind the scenes how this school is the heart and soul of this area in this community. And I've watched with admiration and awe as the community rose up to prevent the school's closure not too long ago. I'm here tonight, though, to talk about my 12-year-old daughter. She's the one who
100took her first steps on the bay floor of Fire Station 24 while I was on duty serving this school. She's the one who decided at 5 years old that she wanted to be a Jefferson dancer. And she's the one who held strong that she still wanted to go to Jeff even as dual assignment would likely pull many of her friends to McDaniel. She's also the one that was brave enough to tell her own story tonight. Nice work, Lo. Uh much of my adult life has been dedicated to this community and I've chosen to locate my family here along with my wife. Literally all of my daughter's life has been proudly rooted here. Um though she's not enrolled yet, she's a demo to her core and in her heart and I couldn't be more proud. She
101and so many other students and family are counting on this board to get the transition right. The transition that kid the transition kids that are currently in sixth and seventh were the ones that were sent home from kindergarten one Friday afternoon in 2020. And they're the ones who proudly stood next to their teachers on the picket lines uh losing a part of their fourth and fifth grade as well. Now, they're going to be attending a high school that's going to be a construction site. But I trust that this board will be thorough and thoughtful in your support of these kids and ensuring the best possible fully resourced high school experience for them. They deserve nothing less. Thank you. Go Demos. [applause] I don't think my name is also Bethany and I just >> Gina Lavine
102Maria Hine Eloise Grouts Coler Chris Boyce, Daniel Um, Gina, do you want to go first? >> Sure. >> Hello, my name is Gina Lavine and I'm a PPS parent with fifth and seventh graders at Fabian School. The PPS materials for Jefferson is rising make two priorities unmistakably clear. Number one, Jeff must have the enrollment needed for full comprehensive programming. And number two, PPS must not repeat a history of giving North and Northeast students fewer opportunities than their peers. Scenario B supports these commitments and scenario C undermines them. And a public recommendation from our superintendent last week before listening sessions are finished feeds a growing mistrust. Families who have stayed committed to PPS through COVID, through the teacher strike, through budget deficits are once again being asked to trust a shifting process. and we're showing up
103and we're participating and what we see is a recommendation that doesn't reflect input. This approach is counterproductive. Like, why are we here? Why did you send a postcard to my house to come and get feedback if it's already been decided? I also want to address the transition years. Many of us have fifth through seventh graders who will attend Jefferson while it's still under construction. This is a heavy ask and if the district expects families to make that leap, PPS must make real concrete commitments to those students with additional funding to ensure no electives or core classes are dropped due to temporary underenrollment and with clear unified communication on what programming Jefferson will actually offer and how that will be implemented during the transition years. Will students have AP? Will they have IB? Will PCC continue
104to be a choice? with sports, arts, and clubs have full practice and compet um competitive opportunities. Right now, every PPS representative seems to answer differently. That inconsistency is a major source of confusion and frustration. You can't build a comprehensive high school on uncertainty. And let me be clear, we're asking for an explicit amendment to fully fund and support Jefferson through the transition years as part of your scenario vote. No vague promises, no aspirational language, a real guarantee that students entering Jeff over the next several years will receive the full equitable high school experience that they deserve. Thanks. [applause] Good evening. My name is Maria Hine. I'm here representing the Sabin community. I moved into the Sabbin community in 1979. I enrolled my first student there in 1985 in the prek. There was no PTA. So
105I and another two moms went about founding it. In the next 11 years that I had children at Sabin, I served in every capacity that a parent volunteer could serve in. I continued to be involved in Sabin through my neighborhood association and my service on the land use committee of the neighborhood association. I'm committed to Northn Northeast Portland. I grew up in North Portland. My dad was a Jeff graduate. Most of my cousins were Jeff graduates. I want nothing more than to see Jeff succeed. But I also want to see my community respected. And over the years and my experience as a parent at Sabin, what I have seen does not give me trust in PPS because Sabin was the poor stepchild of our cluster over and over and over again. And guess what? Sabin
106was the most diverse school of our cluster. So, you know, draw your own conclusions. I can give you many examples but really I just want to go on and say that there's a historic precedent for the community as it exists with Sabin as a part of the Grant community. My husband's cousins went to Grant over 50 years ago. They lived a block from where I live now. Others have said, you know, well, things change, but there is a historic precedent. Our kids learned to swim at Grant High School. Our kids are involved in junior soccer, football, baseball, have you, with Irvington teams, Irvington and Alama teams. That is their community. That is what they know. And the other thing that I want to reiterate that I have heard over and over and over again tonight,
107and it goes back to my distrust with the district over the years of promises that say that were not kept at Sabin. I want to see you promise that those students who are going to come to Jefferson will get a full and comprehensive program. And if that means that option B is the best package for them, then that's what I want. The last thing I want to say is that if you do this, you will create Lincoln East at Grant High School. And that's it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good evening board members. My name is Danielle Moser and I'm a parent of a second and fifth grader at Fabian School. I appreciate the opportunity to provide comment tonight and to you to listen to all of us and all of our input. And while
108my preferred scenario is scenario B, um I do think that scenario C can be sufficient with comprehensive programming, resources, and the support that is needed to ensure this transition. As proud members of the Fabian community, we are so grateful for the opportunity to be at a school with such a diverse and engaged community. It matters a lot to my family and it's the reason we go there and we've stayed there and we will continue to bring that dedication and passion and connection to community when we attend Jefferson and we're excited to do so. Like any parent in PPS, we want to ensure that kids who attend Jefferson, including my kids, have access to the same academic, extracurricular, cultural, and all the important options that other PPS students have been afforded for many years. And so
109I look forward to working with you together to ensure we can achieve this for Jefferson and for all students across Portland. Thank you. [applause] Hey, my name is Chris Boyce. I have a seventh grader at Tubman and a fourth grader at Sabin. And honestly, I've been scribbling notes all night because my clear thoughts have completely fallen apart as I've heard everyone's statements and I really appreciate everyone coming out and what they've been saying. Um, and I appreciate the tone of um, we can disagree, but we shouldn't disrespect each other. And I think that's really important going forward. [applause] Um what I would like to speak to is I feel like the engagement process for the changes has been functionally uh fundamentally flawed. Rather than true community engagement, we were presented with three predetermined scenarios and
110told to choose between them. When community members took the initiative to develop an alternative scenario that we called scenario F. It was dismissed outright, compared against uh a reject already rejected plan um and wasn't given fair consideration. This process uh was reflect sorry the process reflect troubling pattern in the olden in the district's own engagement summary report uh where it noted feedback does not comprise uh representative samples. Additional data needs to be collected. There's disrupted trust and dissatisfaction in the engagement process and a fundamental lack of clarity. Additionally, there was discussion on Facebook by a board member that we need some flex in the attendance areas south and east of Jefferson High School when elementary school consolidation occurs. Uh this is this statement is critical. It means more upheaval is coming. We are making attendance
111area changes now when consolidation is on the horizon. I appreciate that you have made a commitment to academic programming that that will be discussed further this week. Uh, and I want to end with a statement that declining enrollment in North and Northeast high schools is a real issue that deserves thoughtful solutions. Change is needed to address Jefferson's low enrollment. Change that is long overdue. But we need to develop authentic partnerships among all of the high schools in North and Northeast Portland, communities, and the neighborhoods. Partnerships built on trust and collaboration. Instead, this rushed process uh and the approach is lacking adequate engagement has created further division among the very communities it claims to serve. >> Thank you. [applause] >> Kate Lefco, Addie Hbert, Bethany Wford, Maria Lai, and Courtney Crowe. I have to sit there.
112>> Can I get start? Hi, my name is Kate Kur Lefco and I'm the parent of students at Beach Elementary in Olay Green Middle School. I'm also the president of the Olay Green supporters, Oley Greens PTA, and the school social worker at Peninsula Elementary. I am excited about the future of Jefferson and my children having the opportunity to be part of a school with a rich cultural history, strong school pride, and a sense of community. We are a family currently in the Jeff Grant dual assignment who is excited to be zoned to Jeff. Thank you. I felt inspired when I attended the Jefferson modernization meeting and learned about the ways the design and build team were integrating this rich cultural history of Jefferson, its legacy as an anchor to the black community, and things like
113a sense of family, school pride, and vibrancy into the design. I appreciated what principal Shelton shared at this meeting about both preserving the cultural feel of what makes Jeff Jeff while also welcoming new students and families to the school with the resoning. At the same time, as the parent of a seventh grader, I hope the district invests in ensuring as smooth as a transition as possible for this new expanded cohort. We are already asking a lot of current sixth and seventh graders to be in a building next door to construction. They also should not receive subpart elective options or haphazard last minute teaching teachers added to staffing. The communication thus far about the transition has not left me feeling like there's a clear plan in place yet. I'm asking for a clear plan which should
114also include qualified culturally responsive teachers excited to be at Jeff for the additional staffing here. Do things like pay for an extra PD day for new staff to join with established staff to create a cohesive team and sense of community for these incoming students. This is just one example of investment. I want the district to stand firm in offering at a minimum the same level of electives, extracurriculars, and advanced classes as other comprehensive high school. The middle school college option is amazing, but it might not be the right fit for students who don't want to take classes with adults or off-campus. I've heard from Jefferson staff and students that Jeff is a strong community today, and I hope that it will only get stronger as the student population grows and academic and extracurricular activities grow
115with it. Thank you. [applause] >> Um, hi, my name is Addie Hbert. Um, and I have a seventh grader at Oley Green who is very bored right back there. Um, and I appreciate him coming tonight. Um, we are thrilled that the dual enrollment options are going away. Um, and we are thrilled to be a Jeff family and to have his friends from Oley likely going there too. I think it's a wonderful choice. But I would like to use and I would I would urge the board to um to make the changes in a manner that do not give unfair weight to the most powerful and privileged voices in the proverbial room here and elsewhere. Um I would also like to use some of my time to speak to other parents especially those who like me
116have a variety of privileges racial, social, economic that afford them school choice and also make their voices often louder in these discussions. Um, simply put, if your kids end up going to Jeff, they're going to be fine. They are going to be fine. [applause] They will find community and they will experience joy and they will have all of the ups and downs that all high school all high schoolers are going to experience. And there are going to be challenges along the way because this is public education and it's PPS. and you will use your very powerful voices to fight for staffing and funding at both state and local and school level. And that work will benefit not just your kid, but a community that has been desperate for resources for decades. [applause] I see this
117as a very unique parenting opportunity. Personally, it's one where we can show our kids with our actions, not just our words, that we know them to be resilient. That we believe our children can change course and still thrive. That they can join an existing school community with grace and compassion and self-reflection and humility. And through that work, they will become better students, better people, better neighbors, better classmates, better citizens. That work is important. Community is important. Our neighbors are important. Jefferson is important. The voters in the community have made very clear that they want Jefferson to continue to exist. Given that reality, I think as a community, we have a responsibility to come together and make that happen in a fair and equitable way. And those conversations, that work, it starts in your home talking
118with your family and especially with your children. Thank you. >> Thank you. [applause and cheering] >> I don't want to follow that, but good evening. My name is Courtney Crow and I'm the parent of a sixth and fourth grader at Vernon K through8. I've lived in this area for nearly 20 years and I feel both excited and apprehensive about Jefferson's transition to a neighborhood school. I've followed and been disappointed by the delays and mismanaged promises made to a community that should have been at the front of the modernization line, particularly given the fact that dual assignment created the complicated enrollment mess that we find ourselves in today. I'm here to ask the board to bravely choose scenario B. Scenario B best addresses the historical inequities in North and Northeast Portland, advances enrollment to establish a
119truly comprehensive high school, and ensures that all Jefferson students receive the educational opportunities they deserve. If the superintendent's disappointing recommendation of scenario C procedurally prevents that, I urge you to amend scenario C by including language that guarantees parody of academic, athletic, and extracurricular programming from day one. Our daughter and her middle school peers will be among the first to attend Jefferson as a neighborhood school. Thankfully, as you heard, our daughter has always known she wanted to be a Jefferson Democrat due to the school's strong presence in the Northeast community and her aspiration to be a Jefferson dancer. The end of dual assignment is something she looks forward to because it means that she will be able to advance to high school with her close-knit Vernon community, and we see great value in keeping middle school
120cohorts together instead of separating children along racial and socioeconomic lines. Our Vernon students have already experienced limited or no access to diverse programming available at other K5 and standalone middle schools. And our school recently lost its IB status. What we cannot accept is for Jefferson students to face construction and a challenging transition while also being deprived of the comprehensive programming available at the other PPS high schools. Jefferson High deserves parody in programming and anything less is unacceptable. Go Demos. Thank you. >> [applause and cheering] >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MARIA Lai and I'm the parent of a fourth and first grader at Vernon K through8. We are proud to be part of a supportive and thoughtful community and are excited by the future our children might have at Jefferson as a comprehensive neighborhood high
121school. First of all, I'm concerned with the superintendent's recent endorsement for scenario C because it is not doing the most to increase the pool of students for Jefferson, putting programming at risk. It feels as if an exception is being made for Irvington based on socioeconomic rationale rather than anything substantive for the greater good. Not to mention that Irvington feeds into Tubman and option B would keep the middle school cohort together. The fact that Irvington peels off in that scenario feels glaring. Honestly, proximity has been brought up as a reason, but you know, I can speak to this personally. Our home is closer to Grant High School than it is to Jefferson, and currently we're dual enrolled for McDaniel, and Grant is so much closer than McDaniel, but that's just not the situation for us like
122many other families. And you deal with it because that's those, you know, presumably those changes were made, those lines were drawn for a reason. And we're in that same situation right now. Similarly, our home is equidistant between both Sabin and Vernon. Yet, we knew Vernon was our school district and have embraced that as our community once we had school-aged children. Um, we know that drawing lines is difficult, but all members of all neighborhoods have to deal with this, not just saving and Irvington. Um, C seems to make concessions for families that cannot comprehend a scenario for their high school to be anything other than Grant, while other communities and neighborhoods are expected to sacrifice. There shouldn't be any sacrifices for anybody who attends Jefferson. All of those students should get the same that other students
123in PPS are getting at the high school level. Thank you. [applause] >> Hi, good evening school board members and Dr. Armstrong. My name is Bethany Waford and I'm the parent of an Aley Green seventh grader and a former Woodland Wildcat. As a side note, I myself was a military brat, so I just never knew what school I was going to go to next year and lost my friends every year. And I somehow survived all of that. Our our family is so glad that our daughter had the opportunity to attend a neighborhood school with dedicated educators in a supportive, engaged community, and we hope to continue that trajectory with Jefferson High School in 2027. I'm here today asking you to do what we elected you to do and make the best decision for the whole community
124of students in North and Northeast Portland. Your responsibility is to implement the scenario scenario that provides the best chance of success for all students by ensuring that all of our high schools including Jefferson have sufficient enrollment to support a robust and comprehensive program of academics and extra extracurricular activities. I do not believe it is your job to make decisions based on the desires of individual families, no matter how loud and persistent their voices may be or emotional their stories. In particular, I ask you not to be influenced by the expectations of homeowners who may feel entitled to being zoned for a particular school, but rather to raise all our schools to the level that we can be all be proud of our students being a part of. [applause] I do think it is [cheering] critical
125for the board to consider the historic disinvestment in Jefferson and the obligation PPS has to ensure that Jefferson has the resources and commitments to the community that has maintained their connection and loyalty to the school. It appears to me that because of mistakes made in the past that enabled the downturn in enrollment at Jefferson, the board should make a clear and concerted effort to elevate the needs of Jefferson compared to other high schools in the district that benefited from rebuilding and enhancements years before Jefferson. In conclusion, I ask you to use the data and your knowledge to choose the enrollment scenario that will provide the best possible outcome for our students and not to start out the new chapter at Jefferson by carving out parts of the boundary in ways that will undermine the future
126of the school. Our family looks forward to being part of the continuing legacy of excellence and community at Jefferson High School, [applause] Nate Appy, Robin Rom, Nina Sana, Elizabeth Osberger, Jesse Matthew, Okay. >> Hello, I'm Nathan Oppy. I have a seventh grader and a fourth grader at Vernon. My grandmother graduated from Grant High School in 1939 and my family lives closer to Grant than to Jefferson. But none of that matters because that is not the issue. The issue is that Portland's public schools don't have equal resources or equal programming. I was on a Zoom call that covered the various options for Jefferson and it was concerning because it sounds like we have one school that's considered a great school um and it has a lot of resources and affluent families are flocking to that school
127and at the same time we have another school and that's considered a not so great school and it doesn't have the same resources and some parents are very upset and protesting to keep their kids out of Jefferson because they're deeply distressed that their kids' experience will be drastically worse. And after that Zoom call, it was very clear to me that we're dealing with systemic inequality, class issues, and race issu issues. And dual assignment has created a dual standard. We cannot ignore this inequality. We should not allow this situation to divide us. We have a real opportunity here to address inequality and bring our community together. Instead of an auditorium of individuals arguing to do what's best, me for my child and you for your child. Let's take this opportunity to do what's best for our
128children. [cheering and applause] Whatever plan we choose needs to ensure that all of our schools are on the same level from day one. If it is true that equal enrollment is the only way to ensure equal resources and programming, then the only solution is equal enrollment. And so I support scenario B. [applause and cheering] Good evening. My name is Elizabeth Osberger and I'm a Vernon K8 parent and proud to be a Jefferson demo someday. I urge you to adopt scenario B for the Jefferson enrollment plan. PPS repeatedly stated that this boundary redesign would avoid perpetuating the harm of splitting communities. Yet, scenario C does exactly that. Pulling Irvington out of the Jefferson boundary fractures the Harriet Tubman feeder community and contradicts PPS's equity commitments. It repeats the same patterns of division that have historically harmed
129north and northeast Portland communities already shaped by redlinining displacement and decades of inequitable investment. As a Vernon parent, I also need to highlight that our K8 model already provides fewer opportunities, fewer electives, limited arts, little access to world languages, and fewer academic opportunities. The very least PPS can do is ensure that our students enter a fully resourced and truly comprehensive Jefferson High School from day one. Scenario B is the only scenario that ensures Jefferson has the enrollment, economic integration, and long-term stability needed for strong academics, arts, electives, and athletics. Scenario C jeopardizes this by sending higher income, majority white communities away from Jefferson and weakening the enrollment base necessary for comprehensive programming. And it does more than that. It removes families who often bring resources, time, and social capital to advocate for continued investment. Historically,
130underresourced schools, communities like Jefferson have long been denied those advantages. Concentrating privilege elsewhere only deepens in inequity. If PPS is serious about equity, then there must be accountability. Accountability to provide Jefferson students with the same comprehensive high school experience available across the district and accountability to avoid choices that further racial and economic ine inequities. Scenario B is the only choice that honors PPS's mission, supports long-term stability, and ensures equitable access to comprehensive programming for all students in North and Northeast Portland. Thank you for your time. [applause] My name is Jackie Hatfield. I have been part of the Grant community for over 40 years. Our family association with Grant spans four generations. My mother-in-law Sharon taught in the IED program and coached at Grant for many years. My husband coached Povaled Grant for 23 years, sending
131many athletes to state with three becoming state champions. He had been planning to assist in coaching again when our grandchildren and their friends, all aspiring generals, inner grant high school. Many of their parents, including my three daughters, are Grant alums. These kids have grown up running at the on the track at Grant, swimming and playing in Grant Park, attending soccer and football games and track meets in the Grant Bowl. They know the fight song. They chant you should have been a general along with the current student body. Now the question is, will they get the chance? I understand the value of community. The Grant community has enriched the lives of my family and friends in immeasurable ways. I expect and remi admire that generations of Grand of Jefferson families feel the same passion and commitment
132for their community. Jefferson deserves a wonderful new school to serve its residents. That community should not include Sabin and Irvington, great schools which have historically been part of the grant cluster. schools my three daughters attended. We should all have faith that each community is strong enough to thrive and excel without taking students away from their historical neighborhood schools. I hope that future generations of Jefferson students will be proud to be Democrats and that the children in the Grant community will realize their dream of becoming grant generals. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Good evening. My name is Jesse Maraththew and I'm the proud parent of a Boise Elliot fourth grader and a Tubman seventh grader. Right now, my seventh grader is at the gym in Tubman Middle School and he's playing basketball with his basketball team.
133That team is made up of a diverse array both racially and economically that doesn't exist hardly anywhere else in this country. They're all wearing the uniform of the Jefferson Demos. The board follows the superintendent's recommendation. He and most of his teammates along with 400 or so other kids will be going to Jefferson High School in the fall of 2027. Two of his teammates will not be going to Jeff because these kids live in Irvington and the superintendent is recommending that these students be segregated out from the rest of the Tubman community to attend Grant. I think that's a poor decision, but it is ultimately not my problem. I am not the one who will have to explain to these kids why they have to go to a different high school than all their friends or
134attempt to make teams where they have no relationship with the coaches or the school. I am mostly concerned about the superintendent's recommendation because of what it pretends for the second step of this well-worn playbook. The first step is to come up with rules that allow the wealthiest, widest parts of our community to attend to to avoid sending their kids to Jeff. The second step is the insidious step, and that's when the resource decisions are made. And if we follow the same playbook that we followed for the last 70 years, Jefferson will once again get less resources than the other schools in this community. We could choose to do things differently this time. We could choose to recognize the biases that led America's schools to continue with de facto segregation 60 years after Brown versus Board
135of Education. We could choose to acknowledge that the basketball team practicing in the gym of Tubman Middle School right now is a different, more optimistic view of a future for our community. And we could choose that future. We could choose a future where kids from a wide array of economic and racial backgrounds work together as a team for a common goal. Or we could choose to do the same things we have always done. That is up to you. [applause] Katherine Stoutman, Alexandra Gibney, Ben Loftess, Mamal Changi, Uh, hi. My name is Ben Loftess and I have kids at Vernon. Um, I'd like to, uh, express my support for scenario B. Uh, uh, really, I think, you know, we fast forward to what Jefferson is going to be. Uh, and it is going to be the
136flagship school that PPS shows other school districts what we're able to do. And I think to not include the Irvington school and those kids that are going to be going to the same middle school but have to divert back to Grant when all of the data that we've seen and been presented uh by the the Portland public school uh Jefferson and rising information that scenario B meets more of your own goals. I really think that you should be asking yourself that question. Why would you deny the kids at Irvington the opportunity to come to a school like Jefferson? >> Thank you. [applause and cheering] >> Hello, my name is Alexander Gibney. I am the parent to a fourth and second grader at Vernon K through 8 and to two younger preschool age kids. My family
137is excited and proud to be future Jefferson Democrats. I'm excited to join the already vibrant Jefferson community. I'm excited for my kids to continue their education with their friends and classmates at Vernon with whom they have deep connections. I'm excited for them to go to school with their neighbors that they've met through sports and other extracurricular activities. Um, and I'm excited for my kids to attend a school in a neighborhood that we already spend a lot of time in. And I'm really excited for the new building. I think it's going to be amazing. Um, I think Jefferson will be a great school because it is a great school already. Um, and but it does not have but I do have some concerns. Um, first I'm concerned that uh of how PPS is going to ensure
138parody between Jefferson and the other comprehensive high schools from day one. Um, I agree with others that have proposed a suggestion of an amendment to scenario C, if that's what's happening, um, of ensuring that there's funding and an investment made on the front end for these students to get the same educational opportunities as the students at Grant and McDaniel and Roosevelt and everywhere else. Um, and I just I do want to respond to some comments that I've heard tonight. Um, I think having deep historical ties to a school is a privilege, not a right. Our students have a right to the same wonderful education that everyone has has access to. Deep historical ties to a school don't exist for people when their community had an interstate built on it. When the school was this dual
139enrollment that made students pull away from Jefferson. So those sort of um heartstring arguments that have been made on the other side, I think really um gosh, there's just something missing there. Um, and by looking at the map of the schools that will attend Grant, Irvington, Alama, Laurelhurst, Beverly, Clearary, it seems tonedeaf at best for those to be the schools feeding into Grant, the richest, whitest neighborhoods in Northeast Portland and intentionally entrenching um, sort of this divide at worst. And I don't know, [applause] Katie Leathers, Josh Wendro, Jennifer Duncan, Nina Lewis, Natasha Coleman, You can go ahead. >> Are we good? Okay. >> Hello. I'm a second generation Mexican immigrant and my children will be fifth generation generals living just 6 miles from Grant and 3.1 miles from Jefferson. I have heard the rhetoric over
140and over again that Irvington schools is fed by solely affluent families. But that's leaving out the experience that [clears throat] many students who live in many apartments and multif family homes that make up a large part of [clears throat] the population of Irvington catchment. Thank you. [applause and cheering] I am deeply saddened by the lack of community outreach from the district to Sabin and Irvington where our history and roots are similarly as deep as those in the Jefferson community. Scenario C leaves Grant with just four feeder schools versus eight at Jefferson. Scenario B cripples Grant with only three feeder schools and bumps Jefferson to nine. Scenario B is far from balanced. This is about numbers and common sense proximity. I have spent 10 years working in the school attendance offices in both K8s and high
141schools in the district. And there are two things I can speak to. One, [clears throat] high school is a melting pot. Kids are coming from everywhere and the overall impact to splitting them is minimal. Even helping to make Portland feel like a small town because you get to know kids from all over the district. actually quite a gift. The second thing I can speak to is attendance and I can tell you with certainty that there is a direct connection to proximity and showing up on time, if at all. I [clears throat] also have to ask, what are you doing to court back the families that have not only left the Jefferson community, but have left PPS to fill the halls of Central Catholic and De La North? Is it just prayer or do you have
142a plan? Thank you. [applause] >> Excuse me. Excuse me, >> ma'am. >> Yes. >> I didn't know who's speaking. >> The one who just spoke. I didn't catch your name. >> Oh, >> thank you. Hello. My name is Jennifer Duncan. I went to school here 64 to 68. I taught here 1998 to 2014. I have been a member of the community the entire time. I have seen Jefferson um with over 2,000 with about 2,300 students and many services, activities, things that students loved and enjoyed. And I've seen where there were only 400 students when I was teaching and the disservice that we had. So I am for um sunsetting this um I am I didn't come prepared to speak but I decided to. I agree that we must sunset the dual assignment of Jefferson and
143and I vote for the C pro project. It's a disservice not to allow our neighborhood students to attend. It's a disservice not to enrich the student population with a diverse group of people who have close proximity to the school. with um the program that we would get from the C pro from the um C enrollment um project. We would be strengthening diversity. The benefits of a greater population. The services are more available. There's a greater variety of subjects. Easy access to the community school and children stay where there are greater offerings. I have seen this firsthand where even our uh rally there were like 200 students. There were service clubs. There's all sorts of things that you can offer when you have a comprehensive school that you cannot offer when there are only 400 students.
144And so for that reason, I would like you to consider and make sure that we have C and a comprehensive school. Thank you. [applause] >> Am I supposed to wait for this little thing? >> No, you can go right away. Earn some extra. >> Thank you, Mr. B. You know. All right. So, my name is Natasha Coleman. I have two high school graduates from Jefferson. I have a junior at Jefferson and I have two first graders at Boyisee Elementary. I came to listen tonight and I was not going to speak. But why I chose to speak is because all night I have heard them, they, us, all I've heard is, the descendants of those who created and initiated gentrification complain because their children will not be able to walk outside and go to school across
145the street or they'll have to cross the street somewhere else. I haven't heard anything about community even though everyone who has used equity in their speech is now gone because this auditorium is empty. So what I wanted to say is regardless to what scenario is chosen I do think that C is a great option and I do know that the community who is mostly impacted by these schools voted on it and I am one of them. I stood up here tonight to say that what I am misunderstanding is how the entitlement of the cauacity and for those who don't know what that means that means entitlement of Caucasian people. Now don't get me wrong I got some white people who coming with me when it's time to go but everybody can't. And so that's what's
146not fair is because that's how we got here is because those who believe that they are above us and that they live in Sabin and Vernon and they go to Grant because they've put theirselves in a income restricted area now feel like how dare they district ask my children to go over there to that community or over there across that street which is ridiculous. So, I just wanted to say that we need to be very careful and pick and choose what we need to talk about and the importance because regardless to where your children learn to swim, that's not teaching them life skills. Regardless to where your children go to school, doesn't matter. I've been walking and catching the bus and crossing maxes and everything else since I was born. And I am 45 years
147old. So, all of this whining and crying that I'm hearing, I'm done. Have a good night. >> Thank you. [applause] >> Good afternoon. Thank you, Tasha. Um, we're definitely legacy and generational. Um, when we we speak, I too felt compelled and did not prepare and I say came to listen. My name is Na Lewis. Um, I'm a Jefferson alumni, class of 1998. I have a senior here at Jefferson, and mind you, my senior at Jefferson went to Central Catholic for two years. I am a generational legacy. I am a third generational homeowner on Rodney and going and I have um neighbors who send their kids to other schools as well. As Tasha mentioned, we have been crossing MLK for generations. We have been doing the We have walked the walk. We have Our communities have
148sacrificed. We've been bust out. We've been shipped out. We've been all of those things. And so, we're asking for you to return the favor and be in community with us tonight. I don't care if you go to Sabin, Urban, it's time for you to leverage your social economic power and make this community a stronger community. Because a win for Jefferson is a win for all. A win for Jefferson is a win for the Portland community. Your kids will be the kids that grow up and be our police officers. They'll be our firefighters. They'll be our people that are serving. And so when they pull over a young black man, what is that relationship if they can't sit in a classroom with them? What does that look like? And so we're asking for you to shift
149the burden. We're asking for you to understand that there is a a need for us to want to shift the narrative from being underserved to serve to from being underrepresented to represented. I work too hard to not be served. Right? I went to Jefferson. I went to Louiswis and Clark College. I have a masters from WAMIT. What makes your kid not safe around me and my son? Right? Like why can't your kid cross MLK with my kid? >> [applause] >> So Portland nice and all of those things that has to go. Like you want to say you want Jefferson to win, but the only way for you to do that is for you to stand up and walk with us across this line. And I don't care what option it is. >> Thank you. [applause]
150[applause] James Robertson. Last one. >> Uh hello and uh thanks for everyone for being here tonight. U I'm James Robersonson. Uh I moved to Portland three years ago. um a mile from the school. I walked over, began to talk to folks about this school. Wow, Jefferson. And then I heard stories. I was like, "That's a small school. Why is it so small? I have no idea. What? 2,000 kids at one point? Uh the best school in in a district at one point? And yet 394 students." Huh. Someone dropped the ball there. Oh, gentrification. Yeah, that hurts. Moving people out. Yeah, that hurts. And now we have an opportunity to say, how do we re-resource that school? And it's tough when you're used to these schools. I mean, I went to US Grant in Oklahoma City.
151I went seven miles away. My sister went to Northwest Classin within walking distance. We made the switch. We were bust. It was hard, scary. Uh but we learned, found new friends, found new connections. Still has connection with my neighborhood, my sister and her school. But I had this other thing going on. But it is scary because uh believe it or not uh Jeff is a black school. Black culture, black community. We we we embrace people. I've been a wrestling coach here for three years. Volunteer. Been a track coach here. Volunteer. I ain't got a kid. I'm on PTSA and I'm 66 years old. Is that crazy? I found joy in the school. Uh the options, I can't tell you which one's the best, but I do want it to be a great opportunity to reinvest
152in the school. Let's come together, forget our biases, support this school as we go forward. Thank Thank you. [applause] >> [applause] >> That concludes who I have signed up for public comment. >> All right. Thank you. [applause] >> Before we end today, I just want to thank everyone who took the courage to share their thoughts and their ideas and their um this public comment. It improves our work and we are really happy that all of you are here tonight. I just want some a couple announcements before we end. Uh the board will have a work session on this proposal next Tuesday on December 16th. The board is scheduled to vote on an assignment area for Jefferson High School on the in the January 13th board meeting. Again, thank you all for being here and hopefully
153we got you out at a reasonable hour. So, thank you. This meeting is adjourned.