The following information is copied from the information that the candidates themselves submitted for VOTE411.org. All candidates were invited to submit their biographical information and to answer our questions.
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Position 1
Jeff Dominitz, Economist. In addition to answering our questions, he has a statement on page M-56 of the Multnomah County Voters’ Pamphlet.
Portland, OR 97219
Questions
1. Even before COVID and the transition to online learning, school districts struggled with disparities in academic achievement. Educators fear even greater gaps upon their return to classrooms. What strategies will you consider to address these increased disparities?
Jeff Dominitz: The pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated many challenges facing our educators and school districts. We must make it a high priority to reduce disparities in educational opportunities, but some disparities in achievement will remain despite our best efforts. We should focus on learning and growth, with respect to both academic and social-emotional learning. We should target those students most adversely affected by the pandemic, but not to the exclusion of those kids who show less “learning loss.” As I have found in my own work, adversely affected students may be found anywhere across the spectrum of academic achievement. To most effectively address these issues, we need to learn where kids are when they return to school, identify strategies to get them back to where they would have been (and beyond!) but for the pandemic, give our teachers and families the resources to get them there, and track student progress and update our educational strategies over the months and years ahead.
2. COVID has shown us the importance of family support in facilitating students’ education. How will you build on this understanding to increase the role of parents in decision making and promote parental involvement in schools?
Jeff Dominitz: For too long, our School Board has appeared unwilling to involve parents in decision making, or to even attempt to be upfront and transparent about decisions that were being made. With new members on the School Board, this approach will change for the better. We will not always get it right, but we’ll do our best to be clear about what we’re doing and why, and to acknowledge our mistakes and rectify them. After a tumultuous year, we need to start the healing process and bring our community together. I join the call from candidates Allison Williams and Michele Rosenbaum to form advisory committees to which the Board will look for information and guidance. The School Board should welcome opportunities for community members to bring valuable input to our decision-making process, and parents should make sure to focus on constructive participation recognizing our shared interest in improving the education of our kids.
3. What is the impact of the pandemic on school budgets and spending priorities? How do you propose meeting these new challenges?
Jeff Dominitz: I believe that Riverdale has the resources we need to respond to the challenge. What we have lacked is the willingness and the vision to take it on in full force. We need to identify what we want to be and then determine what we need to do to get there. Vision, clarity, and determination. I have no doubt that we can do it.
Position 3
Carrie Outhier Banks, Chair Riverdale School Board. In addition to answering our questions, she has a statement on page M-57 of the Multnomah County Voters’ Pamphlet. She was also interviewed for our Video Voters’ Guide. She is a current board member.
Portland, OR 97219
Michele Rosenbaum, Creative Director at Elizabella, Inc. In addition to answering our questions, she has a statement on page M-57 of the Multnomah County Voters’ Pamphlet. She was also interviewed for our Video Voters’ Guide.
Questions
1. Even before COVID and the transition to online learning, school districts struggled with disparities in academic achievement. Educators fear even greater gaps upon their return to classrooms. What strategies will you consider to address these increased disparities?
Carrie Outhier Banks: After 7 months of CDL, our teachers and staff are pivoting once again to meet the new 3 foot spacing requirements; preparing classrooms for our students to return safely. Our K-8 will be near full-time April 19th and our HS will be returning on the 19th and our Administration is exploring neighboring buildings to address our spacing issues and expand our in-person instructional time when possible.
Our teachers have taught, our parents have motivated and our children have learned, but we all know that in-person learning is preferred. Riverdale will be participating in the standardized testing which, with strong input from our teachers, will help address where students may need additional support.
We have secured grant money that we will use to create a summer school program. Our teachers will quickly address any educational gaps and impacts as a result of being away from in-person learning so that our students can start the fall strong.
Michele Rosenbaum: Assessing and surveying our students and parents will determine needs in learning and development. These results can guide educators in a comprehensive action plan. Offering trained specialists will assist Riverdale students in their overall well-being and transition into our classrooms. Students deserve educational opportunities and full-time instruction. Using ODE’s Continuous Improvement Process will also correct disparities. This philosophy supports us in building on success while asking the hard questions about what needs to change. For example, independent Riverdale High School learning projects have accelerated achievement and justify development and continuation. On the other hand, our Riverdale Grade School kids have experienced challenges this year as some have done better than others during online school. As students come back to school, individualized support and planning will create educational equity and help students accomplish their unique academic goals.
2. COVID has shown us the importance of family support in facilitating students’ education. How will you build on this understanding to increase the role of parents in decision making and promote parental involvement in schools?
Carrie Outhier Banks: The Riverdale community always answers the call. Whether it be teacher needs, technology needs, charity drives or power outages, our parent group and community members give what they can. This year with Covid-19, we have seen many examples of our parent community stepping up and pitching in to support our teachers, staff and – most importantly – their students. The restraints of Covid protocols has impacted our community negatively. I take pride in having answered every email and answered every call about Board issues over the past two years. I will continue to listen and work to increase community engagement. I know more can be done to expand involvement.
As current Chair of the Riverdale School Board, I recommend the school board engage in a new extensive Strategic Planning process garnering input from all constituents leading us to a more unified district and community with clear direction and vision for the next 4 years. This will allow input community wide – every voice heard.
Michele Rosenbaum: Parents have advocated for their students and asked to participate as schools plan for in person instruction. At Riverdale, families have offered to assist our administration with resources and invaluable creative solutions. I recently collaborated with fellow parents at our high school and grade school through committees and advocacy for our students. Considering parents as allies in educating students will transform our culture into one of collaboration and transparency. Thoughtfully planning and recognizing the needs of our different families through each phase of returning to school will build involvement. Valuing community support and voice in decision making through action will create the best outcomes for our students. This means open calls for committee participation and the creation of opportunities for effective engagement. Simultaneously offering online and in-person options in the fall will empower our students and parents and allow schools to pivot if needed.
3. What is the impact of the pandemic on school budgets and spending priorities? How do you propose meeting these new challenges?
Carrie Outhier Banks: Under the supervision of our Interim Superintendent, our spending has remained solid during this year. We have used all of the grants afforded to us as well as the SIA funding to support needed culture changes in our High School while still supporting the technology challenges that CDL created. Plans will need to be made to ensure that we are able to have all of our students full time in the fall if spacing requirements stay the same. This is a high priority for me. Continuing the work for diversity and equitable learning for all of our students whether they be TAG, SPED, BIPOC or out of district, it is critical to keep improving to serve all of our students in an individualized manner – which is a unique Riverdale experience.
Since we hired our new business management company, our predictions and accuracy of our financial health is solid and is poised to continue down that road. I am confident that we will continue to spend in a student-centric manner.
Michele Rosenbaum: As the school year and pandemic has evolved, our administration found online learning to be less expensive than first anticipated. With transitioning back into classrooms, funds have been spent on extra support and teachers. While this is temporary, we need to be thoughtful about spending over both the short and long term. Our administration and board need to be financially prudent, attentive and supportive. Opening our high school and grade school full-time in the fall is imperative to sustaining our enrollment and funding. Access to opportunities and unique curriculum make our Riverdale schools exceptional. We must reinstate the educational programs that have been cut needlessly. Furthermore, missing in person days in school will not be an immense issue if lessons and resources are available online to all of our students. The pandemic has created a rare opportunity to apply the lessons we have learned into long term investment in the future of educating our amazing scholars.
Position 5
Kevin McPherson has not yet responded. However, he has a statement on page M-58 of the Multnomah County Voters’ Pamphlet. He was also interviewed for our Video Voters’ Guide. He is a current member of the school board.
Allison Williams, Attorney. In addition to answering our questions, she has a statement on page M-58 of the Multnomah County Voters’ Pamphlet. She was also interviewed for our Video Voters’ Guide.
Portland, OR 97219
Questions
1. Even before COVID and the transition to online learning, school districts struggled with disparities in academic achievement. Educators fear even greater gaps upon their return to classrooms. What strategies will you consider to address these increased disparities?
Kevin McPherson has not responded yet.
Allison Williams: Riverdale School District must engage in a conversation to identify the best tools available to assess every student’s academic and social-emotional needs and quickly offer needed interventions. Academic specialists must be offered to students lagging academic standards and counseling services must support social-emotional learning. Students who worked ahead in the last year are also entitled to a challenging education. Support of our district’s underutilized TAG program will provide the means by which advanced students can maximize their potential. For students who are academically behind and those who are ahead, collaboration between families and educators to assess correct overall or subject-specific grade placement may be necessary. Educational equity demands we embrace individualized education. We must invest in resources that train and enable teachers to meet the needs of all students in a classroom, particularly those with achievement gaps and SPED/TAG designations.
2. COVID has shown us the importance of family support in facilitating students’ education. How will you build on this understanding to increase the role of parents in decision making and promote parental involvement in schools?
Kevin McPherson has not responded yet.
Allison Williams: Riverdale families are our biggest resource. Over the last year, families have asked time and again for opportunities to engage district leadership in meaningful dialogue to and give input on decision-making. Many have experienced frustration at the lack of public, two-way conversation. Our district will only excel when we solicit frequent, public community involvement and show appreciation for diverse viewpoints. I will place top priority on creative thinking, collaborative innovation and an attitude that seeks to utilize the talents and resources of the Riverdale community. Opportunities for parent involvement can be increased by publicly posting open committee positions, scheduling special meetings or setting aside time in regular Board meetings for dialogue with families and installing permanent School Board Advisory Committees, including one designed to elevate the voices of transfer and tuition families, and one focused on fostering excellence at Riverdale High School.
3. What is the impact of the pandemic on school budgets and spending priorities? How do you propose meeting these new challenges?
Kevin McPherson has not responded yet.
Allison Williams: Nearly half of Riverdale students attend our schools as transfer or tuition paying students. Enrollment is down compared to statewide averages and without full-time, in person school by the fall, many students will choose other schools. Our financial stability depends on maintaining adequate enrollment. With an eye toward creative problem solving and fiscal responsibility, we must budget the funds necessary to fully open both schools for in person education and remedy impacted academics and emotional health. Next we must turn our focus to spending that will spark the innovation that will differentiate Riverdale schools as programs of national academic excellence. With community input, we must examine the methods of the best schools in the country and apply those successes to our schools. The Board must work with the community to set goals for the district, budget conservatively to maximize the value of each dollar spent and support administrators in implementing change.