~ report and video by Becca Bartleson

About 150 people showed up at Jefferson High School Saturday morning to participate in the last Portland Public Schools meeting on district wide restructuring. The meeting was held in North Portland after public outcry that no input was solicited from the Roosevelt and Jefferson community, two schools likely to be affected.

An uncommon diversity of age and racial demographics was present, fitting well with the community and administration’s focus: equity among schools.

A gathering of about 30 Roosevelt supporters met at PCC Cascade before the meeting to discuss strategy.  Organizers voiced their desire to be heard by the school administration about possible changes to Roosevelt, especially their opposition to the transfer of Roosevelt principal Deborah Peterson.

Mike Verbout is the president of the Roosevelt Alumni Association. He said he wasn’t sure how the meeting would pan out but was determined to have his say, with or without an official comment period.

“If there isn’t one I’m sure that we will make sure there will be,” Verbout said.

The meeting was moderated by PPS Chief of Staff Zeke Smith. Pamphlets and handouts were dispersed among the participants detailing current school statistics and the three “Big Ideas” presented by the administration.

Smith asked community members to discuss their ideas within small groups, situated around round tables. He asked leading questions to help guide the discussion. Smith kept comments within the “Big Ideas” framework, saying outside public comment would have to wait until the end of the process.

But this disgruntled many participants.

One community member interrupted to say that before the process can successfully continue the air must be cleared. She said the mistrust between the community and school officials needs to be addressed, and for the district to apologize for a long history of mistakes.

Superintendant Carole Smith spoke to this, saying it was impossible to make a fresh start in just one meeting. She said though it was important to recognize the past, it was equally important to move on with a more equitable restructuring.

After the groups met to discuss the “Big Ideas,” each table presented their discussion and school officials took record of everything said by community members.

The administration reserved time at the end of the meeting to meet with members of the Roosevelt High School Boosters, a Roosevelt-centered community organization, who were there protesting the transfer of their principal.

Laura Day was with the Boosters and said they hope to convince the district to keep a principal and vice-principal for all three Roosevelt schools. She said the current plan is to have three principals, one for each school. Principal Deborah Peterson was not present at the meeting.

Zeke Smith said the meeting this morning is the last step in the community input process. From here officials will decide on a plan to submit to the superintendant. If she approves it will go before the school board.

He said the final plan would not be implemented for at least another school year.

“There’s a lot of work between now and the fall of 2010,” he said.

The PPS “Big Ideas” plan has three different options on the table. The first involves special focus campuses where large neighborhood schools are prevalent and the school sizes are larger. This plan practically guarantees some school closures.

The second “Idea” includes neighborhood high schools and district-wide magnet schools. Students would have guaranteed enrollment in their neighborhood schools, but could not transfer unless it was for a magnet school.

Finally, the last option centers around large schools and small theme-based schools in the same neighborhood. Education would be more dependent on students traveling from school to school to attend their preferred classes.

Smith said he hopes the final proposal will be submitted by June 26.