More New Portable Photos

More photos of the completed new portable. As of August 12, 2009.










As you can see, it's parallel to, but set back a classroom from, the first portable.










Is it possible that they will extend the deck a little?

Email to Congress

After the jump, I set out the email I sent to Senators Wyden and Merkley, as well as Rep. Wu, addressing the risk to the school reconstruction funds in the federal stimulus bill. See this post. I'd encourage similar emails...

Dear Senator Wyden/Sen. Merkley/Rep. Wu:

Please ensure that Primary and Secondary School Reconstruction funds (section 9301, $14B) remain a part of H.R. 1. Based on my reading of tonight's news, I understand that the "compromise" reached with Republican senators may well include a decision to eliminate the $14B in reconstruction funds for primary and secondary schools. I strongly believe that such a move would be a mistake.

The decision to eliminate these funds seems short-sighted and contrary to the purpose of the overall stimulus package. As you are well aware, the states have long struggled with ensuring that their public schools are the child-safe, environmentally-friendly, and technologically-advanced kinds of schools that will take us through this next century. Most school districts, including Oregon's, have fallen far behind. Portland Public Schools, for instance, has identified $270 million in immediate investments that are "shovel ready" and that would provide not only the immediate jobs that will get us out of the current economic mess, but the kind of long-term investment that will help keep us on track to future economic growth -- growth in the hands of our children.

So keeping this part of the package makes sense. On the other hand, dropping these funds from the stimulus package reinforces the concern that many people have that the entire package will risk our children's future. When so much future economic burden is being placed in their hands in order to get us out of the current mess, shouldn't we be taking particular care to ensure that in return they receive tangible benefits that will last throughout their lifetime? The school reconstruction funds are necessary, appropriate, and important, and should remain in any stimulus package ultimately enacted by Congress.

Thank you for your attention to this, and for your long hours in D.C.

... yes portable ... but storm clouds

OK, so if anyone else feels a little whipsawed, I concur.

First, Rieke Parents got an email on Tuesday entitled "Portable for Rieke," in which Principal Russell told us that despite the news from last month's PTA meeting, and despite concerns regarding the general fund, the stimulus package was yielding results (see my post below)

I'm very happy to let you know that Rieke will receive a new modular unit (portable) with two classrooms for the 2009-2010 school year. Earlier in the winter, we were told we were not getting a portable, but funding for PPS capital improvements was re-prioritized due in part to the addition of federal stimulus funds. ... For now, we can celebrate the addition of more classroom space.

This was great news, and yet ... Congress hadn't actually agreed to the stimulus money. Indeed, hints abounded that maybe things weren't as certain as one might have hoped. First, despite the extra space, there were suggestions that the school would take no transfers (though that was perhaps partially alleviated by the Principal's suggestion at K roundup that there might be possibilities for transfer spaces).

And now, the suggestion from DC is that the "compromise" reached Friday night that will allow the stimulus package to pass the Senate included an agreement to "cut nearly $20 billion proposed for school construction." (See this New York Times piece.) While we've yet to see the final bill, this almost certainly means cutting the $14B for primary and secondary school reconstruction as well as cutting $6B for higher education capital improvements.

So that's not so good, even if it doesn't directly lead to effects at Rieke. To be sure, this will have to go to the Conference Committee in which the House bill (with the $14B) and the Senate bill (without) will have to be reconciled. So it could get in (or stay in). But given the mood, I'm not entirely hopeful.

In any event, it might be time to call or email Senators Wyden and Merkley and encourage them to keep those school construction funds in the mix. I'll post later whatever I send.

... or no portables

Despite the below post, Charlene announced at the January PTA meeting that apparently PPS is now -- something out of the blue, from my perspective -- considering not providing an additional portable at Rieke next year. The budget gaps are part of the problem, of course. Obviously, such a decision, if it holds, would be fundamentally inconsistent with the District's endorsement of the Rieke growth plan. Based at least on our observations of the surrounding neighborhood, it will be a full kindergarten class next year, and it wouldn't take much to fill three K classes once again. But if we don't have another classroom -- i.e., if we don't have enough space to add the third 2nd grade class (as well as three 1st and K classes) -- there's nowhere to put the kids while maintaining space for enrichment.

So that means probably no transfers -- and limited growth. Depending on the numbers, it may even be that it will mean that we can't guarantee a full day K. We'll see how this plays out over the next couple of months.

Rebuilding / Prioritization Delay; Portables?

As I discussed in this post, the School District is currently working on prioritizing the "21st Century" school rebuilding projects. That prioritization was originally expected in late winter of this year; the School Board now appears to have decided to put that decision off until the District is finished with its comprehensive review of the high school system in the district. (See here for more information from the Finance committee.) So the prioritizing won't be happening for at least another year.

On the "good news" front, the Finance committee and staff also presented the district with a budget for "short term / interim" facility expenditures. Both the long and the "short list" of those expenditures includes two portables for Rieke (at $320K each) -- consistent with the belief that the school will continue to grow. (BUT see the next post up...)