URGENT!! *Outdoor School Funding* URGENT!!
First, the funding outlook.
Next school year, Portland Public Schools (PPS) faces
a $57 million shortfall. The School Board and
Superintendent have developed a two-part strategy:
Netting $33 million from one-time budget decisions and
making $24 million in cost reductions THAT ARE
SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG RUN.
The PPS superintendnet, Vicki Phillips, says that PPS
can use $12 million of its reserves to put towards $33
million. She is requesting that the city, county and
businesses provide $21 in one-time stopgag funding.
That leaves $24 million less than needed, and that is
the amount Vicki Phillips is proposing to cut, and
that money will come from cutting staff and programs.
ODS will be cut is the current feeling and likelihood
for next year; PPS will not buy it from the MESD.
(PPS will save about $1 million by not going to ODS.)
I attended a HOPE (Help Out Public Education) meeting
today and I talked with PPS Board Co-Chair Bobbie
Regan and others who have been involved with HOPE
(Regan co-founded it). It was not an encouraging
talk.
At that meeting today, it was apparently decided that
HOPE will support the plan by the superintendent,
though definitely they wouldn't mind getting more
money from the city, county and businesses. But, TIME
IS OF THE ESSENCE, because in the NEXT 3 DAYS, the
Portland city Councilmen, and the Multnomah County
Commisioners will have to decide if they'll offer up
any money to schools, and if so, how much.
We need to get as many people as possible in the next
3 days to contact, via phone or email or letter, the 5
Portland city Counsilors and 5 county Commissioners,
to support schools in general and OUTDOOR SCHOOL IN
PARTICULAR with $$$money$$$.
HERE is what our message to them should be:
-Support schools by meeting Vicki Phillips' request
for money.
-REQUIRE that some of the money be used to maintain
PPS' participation in the 6-day Outdoor School program
next year, in full....
...Imagine if hundreds or thousands of people called or
emailed the government of Portland and Multnomah
County and told them that they want some of the money
to be earmarked for ODS! I'm sure that would make a
huge impression, and it is entirely possible.
Combine that with the media coverage ODS will get in
the next week from the Capt. Bogg and Salty benefit
concert at the Crystal Ballroom on Sunday the 12th,
and the meeting this week of the 8 district
superintendents with "Teal" and their revelations as
to their intentions for next year (whether they will
go to ODS or not). It could be all the difference we
need to convince the government of this area that
money should be specifically earmarked to ODS from
their one-time stopgag funding....
...Please email or call the our local government NOW. Or
at least by Wednesday, March 8th!
Remember, tell them to give schools money and some of
it should be for ODS as a requirement.
Here is a list of contact info:
City Council:
Tom Potter: mayorpotter@ci.portland.or.us
503-823-4120
Erik Sten: erik@ci.portland.or.us 503-823-3589
Randy Leonard: randy@ci.portland.or.us 503-823-4682
Dan Saltzman: dsaltzman@ci.portland.or.us 503-823-4157
Sam Adams: commissionersam@ci.portland.or.us
503-823-3008
County Commissioners:
Diane Linn: mult.chair@co.multnomah.or.us 503-988-3308
Maria Rojo de Steffey: district1@co.multnomah.or.us
503-8=988-4435
Serena Cruz: serena@co.multnomah.or.us 503-988-5219
Lisa Naito: district3@co.multnomah.or.us 503-988-5217
Lonnie Roberts: lonnie.j.roberts@co.multnomah.or.us
503-988-5262
CONTACT THEM NOW!!!!!!!!!!
Next school year, Portland Public Schools (PPS) faces
a $57 million shortfall. The School Board and
Superintendent have developed a two-part strategy:
Netting $33 million from one-time budget decisions and
making $24 million in cost reductions THAT ARE
SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG RUN.
The PPS superintendnet, Vicki Phillips, says that PPS
can use $12 million of its reserves to put towards $33
million. She is requesting that the city, county and
businesses provide $21 in one-time stopgag funding.
That leaves $24 million less than needed, and that is
the amount Vicki Phillips is proposing to cut, and
that money will come from cutting staff and programs.
ODS will be cut is the current feeling and likelihood
for next year; PPS will not buy it from the MESD.
(PPS will save about $1 million by not going to ODS.)
I attended a HOPE (Help Out Public Education) meeting
today and I talked with PPS Board Co-Chair Bobbie
Regan and others who have been involved with HOPE
(Regan co-founded it). It was not an encouraging
talk.
At that meeting today, it was apparently decided that
HOPE will support the plan by the superintendent,
though definitely they wouldn't mind getting more
money from the city, county and businesses. But, TIME
IS OF THE ESSENCE, because in the NEXT 3 DAYS, the
Portland city Councilmen, and the Multnomah County
Commisioners will have to decide if they'll offer up
any money to schools, and if so, how much.
We need to get as many people as possible in the next
3 days to contact, via phone or email or letter, the 5
Portland city Counsilors and 5 county Commissioners,
to support schools in general and OUTDOOR SCHOOL IN
PARTICULAR with $$$money$$$.
HERE is what our message to them should be:
-Support schools by meeting Vicki Phillips' request
for money.
-REQUIRE that some of the money be used to maintain
PPS' participation in the 6-day Outdoor School program
next year, in full....
...Imagine if hundreds or thousands of people called or
emailed the government of Portland and Multnomah
County and told them that they want some of the money
to be earmarked for ODS! I'm sure that would make a
huge impression, and it is entirely possible.
Combine that with the media coverage ODS will get in
the next week from the Capt. Bogg and Salty benefit
concert at the Crystal Ballroom on Sunday the 12th,
and the meeting this week of the 8 district
superintendents with "Teal" and their revelations as
to their intentions for next year (whether they will
go to ODS or not). It could be all the difference we
need to convince the government of this area that
money should be specifically earmarked to ODS from
their one-time stopgag funding....
...Please email or call the our local government NOW. Or
at least by Wednesday, March 8th!
Remember, tell them to give schools money and some of
it should be for ODS as a requirement.
Here is a list of contact info:
City Council:
Tom Potter: mayorpotter@ci.portland.or.us
503-823-4120
Erik Sten: erik@ci.portland.or.us 503-823-3589
Randy Leonard: randy@ci.portland.or.us 503-823-4682
Dan Saltzman: dsaltzman@ci.portland.or.us 503-823-4157
Sam Adams: commissionersam@ci.portland.or.us
503-823-3008
County Commissioners:
Diane Linn: mult.chair@co.multnomah.or.us 503-988-3308
Maria Rojo de Steffey: district1@co.multnomah.or.us
503-8=988-4435
Serena Cruz: serena@co.multnomah.or.us 503-988-5219
Lisa Naito: district3@co.multnomah.or.us 503-988-5217
Lonnie Roberts: lonnie.j.roberts@co.multnomah.or.us
503-988-5262
CONTACT THEM NOW!!!!!!!!!!