Category — Marshall

The post below originally appeared on December 4, 2010.    It’s now almost a year later and time to look back at what was promised and what’s been done.

Student Representative Henry Li’s Student Representative’s report being distributed at Monday’s board meeting (11/28/11) states ”Students related how, at both Madison and Franklin, TriMet buses were the main way for students to get to their new schools. The buses are so packed that some have to wait for two or three more buses to come before they can arrive at school or home. Some students who live closer to Franklin have to attend Madison instead, and vice versa – because the school district apparently transferred students to their new schools by cohorts: Renaissance Arts, BizTech, etc.” and “at Franklin, students described crowded conditions such that students must sit on windowsills in class.”

Yes, after spending who knows how much on hiring a firm to determine school closures based on enrollment and neighborhood demographics, PPS moved kids based on cohorts not proximity.

And Franklin student, Jazzmine Alcala commented this morning “First of all.. there has been no effort to monitor the former Marshall students’ well being other than the occasional ‘how are you doing?’ from a former Marshall teacher.  I can promise you the number of former Marshall students even attending class is not being monitored because I see that number depleting everyday myself.”  She asks “How many more students does PPS plan on losing, now that even more students will have a harder time finding their way to school?”

From 12/4/10:

A Marshall parent (Kelly McGrath) serving on the Marshall Transition Advisory Committee posed the following questions to PPS.  Their responses are included below:

What’s going to happen with the millions in grant funds that were obtained for Marshall? Will the funds follow the students? How will the district’s funding formulas be changed to address the increased needs of the schools?

A. Some grants were designated for the district and the district decided which schools could benefit. In those cases, money can be moved from one school to the other. Some grants have restrictions on the populations or usage, and they are being reevaluated this year to see what can move with the students. We will not know our funding/budget for several months. The general fund money that pays for many of our employees is expected to be less than this year considering the economy of the state. At this time no funding formulas have been confirmed for the 2011-12 school year.

Q. What is the plan for the 11 Marshall Project Return Homeless Youth students that fall under the McKinney Vento Act?

A. Those students will maintain their Title X status and continue with their present support system when they transfer to Franklin or Madison.

Q. Does the program for teen parents with infants/toddlers move to both Madison and Franklin? What happens to other incoming new or to be parents in the district when Marshall closes? Will they continue to receive TriMet passes?

A. As part of our capacity analysis, we are looking at the feasibility of placing the childcare at Madison where we are anticipating the likelihood of placing Marshall Night School. It is our hope to continue with two district-wide childcare facilities that will serve additional students (one will be at Roosevelt). The district and TriMet are in negotiations. We are advocating for all of our high school students and asking that the free bus passes continue next year.

Q. Will the night school program transfer to both Franklin and Madison? How does the closure affect those currently enrolled?

A. If the night school moves to Madison, we do not anticipate any break in their education.

Q. What are the plans for special education students and ELL concerns?

A. Students who are on an IEP and go to the resource center rooms for support will continue to do that at both Franklin and Madison. They will go to their assigned school based on which small school they are presently attending, exactly the same as non-special education students. We have not yet determined the placement for students who are in our special education self-contained classrooms. This cannot be done until the new boundaries are voted upon by the school board. Where the students live will be a significant factor in their new placement. ELL students will continue to receive the appropriate level learning supports regardless of their placements at Franklin or Madison. Both schools are adequately staffed.

Q. What happens to the MESD Health Clinic and the SUN program? Will Franklin become a SUN school?

A. This is another capacity issue. We have to make certain that there is room for additional programs at both Franklin and Madison. Madison has a health clinic, and Franklin would like to have one if capacity and finances allow for that addition. Madison will maintain its SUN program and Franklin would like to have it at their school if space allows.

Q. Is there any flexibility in school choice for displaced students, especially when programs aren’t currently offered at their new school?

A. The superintendent’s decision regarding school assignments included an option for students to enter into a lottery for the other assigned school. If students are still displeased with the final outcome, they can go through the lottery process with the rest of the district in February.

Q. How do teachers follow students? Will certain science, art, business teachers follow groups of students into each new school?

A. The assigning of teachers to Franklin and Madison will depend on seniority first. The teachers’ contract has a provision for mergers and closures of schools. There are enough students going to a particular school that teachers will follow them depending on their seniority in the district and what courses are taught at the new school.

Q. Are Marshall students going to be able to get the classes they need to continue their tracks?

A. Courses that are required for graduation are offered at the new schools. There may be unique courses offered at Marshall that are not offered in the new school. That does not mean they could not be offered in the future. Please note, that by attending a school with a larger population, students will actually have more course offerings from which to select.

Q. Will Marshall students have priority in the new schools when registering for classes for 2011-12?

A. Probably not. They will be students of their new school and treated on an equal basis with all other students who are new to the building or already attending.

Q. What is the outline for the cohort program? Based on small schools, location, grade level?

A. The superintendent decided that students of small schools will travel together to their newly assigned high school. There is no Marshall cohort within the new schools.

Q. When will new core programs be revealed in all schools?

A. Entering freshman will have access to the defined core program by the time they graduate. This includes advanced courses (IB or AP), two world languages, career preparation programs, visual and performing arts, and supports, such as ninth grade academies, additional literacy and numeracy support and online credit recovery options. Because ninth graders have very few electives and being off-track in ninth grade is predictive of not graduating, schools will first focus on ensuring that basic supports are in place at all schools for ninth graders; additional elective programs will be phased in over the remainder of students’ careers. However, Madison and Franklin, already offer the vast majority of the core program. For example, both Madison and Franklin offer 9 or more AP courses, at least two world languages and visual and performing arts programs.

Q. What additional resources and supports will PPS designate in Franklin and Madison for former small school students use to a personalized teaching model?

A. It is our hope to have the support services of SUN and Step up at Franklin, and it already exists at Madison. There is a mentor/academic support model at both schools. Every school that has such supports in our district has developed a unique program. As you visit the school, that would be a good question to ask for specific answers.

Q. What happens to Senior Inquiry for current Marshall juniors?

A. The Inquiry classes are not funded under PPS general funding sources. Title I funds were no longer covering this budget item. The Deputy Superintendent, Mark Davalos, used one-time stimulus funds this year to enable the classes to continue. Those particular federal funds will not be renewed to our knowledge. Both Madison and Franklin offer dual credit and AP College credit possibilities which could make up for Senior Inquiry.

Q. How does consideration for scholarships, valedictorian, varsity sports, etc. transfer to the new schools? Athletics – letters of recommendation from Marshall coaches for inclusion in sports?

A. Since all courses on transcripts will transfer over to the new schools, scholarships and opportunities for honors would not be hindered in any way. The school athletic directors and the district athletic director, as well as the coaches, will be meeting to discuss the sports questions and the Marshall students.

Q. How do we monitor Marshall students’ progress through 2014?

A. The school administration and the district Research and Evaluation department have a variety of evaluation instruments to measure student progress. This is done for all students in the district. PPS, through the input of principals and the Marshall Transition Advisory Committee, will also develop measures related to ensuring a smooth transition for Marshall students as well for the High School Design project in general. The Board will be holding the High School Design project accountable to these metrics on a quarterly basis.

Q. How do students receive credit recovery?

A. Both schools presently have credit recovery courses, including online options, and are expecting to continue with them.

Does it sound to anyone like PPS has a plan for Marshall students?

PPS announced in early July that Marshall will be used as a professional development site for the 2011/12 school year.  Do you think PPS administrators will also use the site for their administrator meetings rather than renting hotel space?

Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:49:13 -0700
Subject: Marshall Prom Photos & Acknowledgements

From: amcgill@impactnw.org

Dear Marshall Friends,

Our final prom that was held this last Friday was a great success!  Over 230 students attended the prom and 50 were served at Project: Prom! 

The SUN staff wanted to acknowledge the incredible community support that made it possible and share some of the pictures we have (see link below).

In all, our students received approximately $23,000 in donated prom tickets, clothes, and support on the day of prom.  

Donations for tickets came from alumni from every decade of Marshall’s history, former teachers, neighbors of the school, parents from Franklin, and community members who just care about our students!

We are SO grateful for the help of the PPS, Marshall & Impact NW staff that stepped up to help us pull this off! Thank you for your time, donations and encouragement along the way!

 Businesses and community members that came forward to support our students included:
-      Paul Mitchell School, Aveda Institute, Aesthetics Institute, Clarinscosmetics and volunteers from around the city who provided hair, make-up and manicures for 50 students before prom
-      Pastini Restaurants provided dinner for 50 students and our pre-prom volunteers
-      ImpactNW employee Kate Blackmore generously volunteered her time to provide free photographs for students before prom
-      A Formal Affair Tuxedos provided a large number of tuxedos for students to wear to prom and keep afterwards
-      Karen Knutson, Marshall class of 1988, and her 2 children brought and served refreshments for the students receiving Project: Prom services.
-      Cathy Bradach (aunt of Danny Bradach) provided desserts for the students and floral arrangements that decorated the venue
-      John Browning coordinated and cooked the catered meal at prom.
-      Food was provided by Darin Parise, owner of Aloha Produce, and Karen Truax, executive director of Avamere Living at Berry Park, who donated
the kitchen for meal preparation as well as food and supplies for the meal.
-      Jennifer Lehi of Moondust Design(www.moondustpdx.com) provided corsages and boutonnieres for any student who wanted one.
-      Nadia Ly of Creations by Ly (www.creationsbyly.com) spent the weeks before prom pulling together an incredible set of resources including all of the following:
o  Stephanie Major of Petalos Floral Design (www.petalosfloraldesign.com) donated floral arrangements for the prom courts for all three Marshall dayschools
o  Erica Hartman (www.ericahartmanphotography.com) provided photography services taking candid photos of all of the amazing things that happened at prom
o  Green Light Creative (www.greenlight-creative.com) provided specialty lighting
o  Panache Weddings (www.panacheweddingspdx.com) provided made to order Italian Sodas in collaboration with Olive Garden at Mall 205
o  Simply Sweets (www.simplysweetsbyjen.com) provided custom cupcakes
o  Fliptography (www.fliptography.com) provided free flipbooks for each student in attendance
o  In addition, Nadia’s company provided floral centerpieces for the tables and was an amazing resource on the day of prom assisting with set-up and breakdown.

The following link leads to our online photo album for prom photos.  The professional photographers that were onsite are still editing their
photos, so we will be adding lots of photos after spring break. Students will have the opportunity to order a set number of prints for
free from these photos once they have all be uploaded.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=100981043054895929091&target=ALBUM&id=5584353289065001393&authkey=Gv1sRgCOKB-sSnruOaQw&feat=email

Thank you also to all of the staff who supported our efforts and who
stopped by to support our students!

Amber & Katie
Katie Lauderdale
SUN Community Engagement Specialist
Marshall Campus
Phone: (503)916-5240 X71251
Fax: (503)916-2703
klauderd@pps.k12.or.us

–

Amber McGill

Impact NW SUN Site Manager

Marshall Campus

3905 SE 91st Ave. Portland, OR 97266

971-570-1384

Hey everyone!

For those of you in Portland and the surrounding areas, hope you were able to enjoy the snow this morning. For those of you still in school, hopefully you are able to enjoy a day off of classes as well!

Marshall is having an earlier prom than usual this year- and there are a lot of students who need help getting there. Volunteers and donations are needed the day of prom to help students get ready for the big night on March 11th. Can you donate your time (styling hair/doing makeup/etc), makeup, hair accessories, clothing, corsages, or purchase a prom ticket for a student in need?

Check out this article by Jennifer Anderson in the Portland Tribune for more details. Thank you!

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=129850621260334700

I just received an urgent message from my state representative.  He wants to hear your school story.

Marshall students, parents, staff and community members: Please share your “I don’t have a school anymore where were you Ben Cannon story.”

Hi friend,

 

Within the Capitol, discussions about budgets and policy can get pretty abstract pretty quickly. It is easy to lose sight of what a budget number means in real terms for real people. It can be difficult to understand the large impact that a seemingly small change to the law can produce.

 

Moreover, our system doesn’t exactly make it easy for people with busy lives to tell their stories. Traveling to Salem on a weekday to testify in front of a legislative committee on short notice just isn’t a realistic option for many people.

 

In advance of the big pro-schools rally here next Monday, I am interested in hearing your story – or your child’s story – about education in Oregon.

 

Do you have a short story to share with me about our schools?  I am especially interested in stories that help illustrate ways in which the system, for example …

 

… fails to provide adequate resources to meet student and teacher needs,

… struggles to attract, support, and retain enough of the best teachers,

… is overly reliant on standardized testing, or

… achieves remarkable results in spite of the obstacles.

 

A story can be powerful tool for helping persuade a colleague — as well as the public — to step up to the difficult task of improving education in Oregon.  I hope you would be willing to share yours by clicking reply to this email, or by joining me at TaborSpace on Saturday for an informal discussion of issues facing the state. And as always, feel free to call our office at 503-986-1446.

 

 

 

State Representative Ben Cannon
900 Court St NE
Salem, OR 97301
rep.bencannon@state.or.us
www.repbencannon.com
(503)986-1446

Marshall alumni beat Marshall students 33-20 tonight.

The Portland Tribune has a story in today’s paper about the most dangerous intersections in Portland.  

The overall crash leader is Southeast Powell Boulevard, with 5,345 crashes, including nine pedestrian deaths. In fact, the intersection of Southeast Powell and 82nd Avenue is the city’s single most dangerous intersection, with 356 car crashes during the past 10 years.

Marshall High School is just a few minutes away from the 82nd and Powell intersection.  Seven of Portland’s 20 most dangerous intersections are located in the Marshall cluster where many students will be walking and taking buses to their newly assigned schools.

Kids from Marshall High School got screwed in the high school redesign so that kids across the city could have more.  They continue to get screwed every day that PPS moves forward on the high school redesign because the district is going back on what they had agreed to earlier. 

Do you remember when the district announced Marshall’s closure and said that the school was selected because it would be the least disruptive in terms of commute?  Now, the district is recommending a cohort transition.  Marshall students would be assigned to their new schools based on which school they’re in at Marshall, NOT ON PROXIMITY. 

Smith and crew don’t have a problem at all exposing Marshall students to Portland’s most dangerous intersections.

In September, I wrote about PPS receiving a $6 million Voluntary School Choice grant that targets Marshall, Roosevelt and Jefferson high schools.  I’ve read all of PPS annual reports on the Voluntary School Choice grant.  None of those reports mentioned that PPS had proposed closing Marshall. 

Last week I learned about 2 more grants that target Marshall.  One grant is small ($31,796) but the other is large $7 MILLION:

Serving students attending Marshall and Roosevelt High Schools and their nine feeder middle schools, School District 1J Multnomah County’s Partnership for Graduation project will implement early intervention, prevention, and reentry supports to help students get on track and stay on track to achieve high school graduation. The project will implement a new early intervention strategy to better match supplementary services to students who have been identified as being at greatest risk of dropping out. Camp Fire USA Portland Metro Council will implement a new intensive after-school program for at-risk middle school students that will include academic skill building and guidance in developing social and life skills. The project will extend the Step Up ninth grade transition support program at Marshall and Roosevelt into the tenth grade, focusing on students who do not earn all of their freshman core academic credits. Grant funds also will be used to enroll more students in two of the district’s most successful re-entry programs, Open Meadow Alternative Schools and Mt. Scott Learning Centers. Both programs currently have waiting lists.

Roosevelt has been given a fresh start got a fresh start through a transformation model grant.  Smith chose not to apply for the transformation grant for Biz Tech even though the school was eligible.  If she was planning on closing the school last year, why was she applying for grants for Marshall?  Where will Marshall’s share of the $13 million go now?

Bobbie Regan’s prepared statement for the Marshall school closure vote was nothing more than grandstanding.  First, it shows citizens that their comments don’t mean shit.  You may have signed up to speak but she already had her speech written. 

Bobbie’s statement also contained a lie.   She said ”it was stated from the start that we needed approximately 400 students per school to offer a viable small school experience.”  Parents and staff disagreed with her statement so I checked it out. 

From Small Schools, Big Goals by Steven Carter of the Oregonian (April 30, 2004):

Each school will occupy two wings of the Marshall campus and have no more than 250 students to start with, with a cap of 300.

She might want to spend more time doing her homework before she votes on issues affecting the lives of thousands of children.