Schools Shuffle Administrators Portland Public Schools last week hired Larry Dashiell as Jefferson High School principal, and installed Jefferson High School vice principal Carla Randall as principal of Wilson High School. Bonnie Hobson, now principal of Roosevelt High School, will transfer to the principal’s job at Gregory Heights Middle School.

Schools Shuffle Administrators Portland Public Schools last week hired Larry Dashiell as Jefferson High School principal, and installed Jefferson High School vice principal Carla Randall as principal of Wilson High School. Bonnie Hobson, now principal of Roosevelt High School, will transfer to the principal’s job at Gregory Heights Middle School.

Portland interviewing new candidate for schools chief Eric Smith, superintendent of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district in North Carolina, will visit Portland next week to explore his interest in leading the city's public schools.

Amato’s style has board in quandary
Community response to sole superintendent finalist is mixed. The Portland Public Schools board this week seemed on the precipice of offering its superintendent’s job to Anthony Amato, the current superintendent of schools in Hartford, Conn. Tribune 3/22/02

New principal to sign on at Jefferson High Over the past four years, Portland's Jefferson High School has had five different pricipals...now they're getting a sixth. KEX Mar 21, 2002

School Board Ax Falls Hard Portland district OKs deep budget cuts, layoffs, site closures. Skanner 3/02

Portland cuts days in school One schools. Oregon's economic downturn has cut revenues, and lawmakers voted to reduce spending rather than raise taxes. "As distasteful as it is, it is what I have to do," said board member Lolenzo Poe in approving the $360 million budget. Oregonian 3/19/02

Budget would cut school days Portland's 54,000 public school students will get the fewest instructional hours in the nation next school year as part of massive budget cuts the Portland School Board was expected to approve Monday night. Oregonian 3/19/02

St. Paul's pleas, needs hold onto schools chief Patricia Harvey pulled out of Portland's superintendent search Monday, saying she has unfinished work in the St. Paul, Minn., school district she's led since 1999. Oregonian 3/19/02

Portland Public Schools Budget Cuts Voted On It's no secret that major cuts are in the works for Portland Public Schools, and on Monday night the board voted on the $36 million in cuts publicly. KPTV 3/19/02

District Closes Schools, Cuts Hours to Save Money In the final push to balance Portland's school budget, the board decided to close two elementary schools and also cut back hours at the remaining schools. The board was facing a $36 million shortfall. KGW 3/19/02

Harvey Withdraws as Portland Schools Superintendent Finalist One of two known finalists for the Portland schools superintendent's job withdrew her name from consideration late Monday afternoon. KGW 3/18/02

Benefits burden school budgets Jim Mangan loves teaching fifth-graders at Chapman Elementary School in Northwest Portland. Oregonian 3/18/02

Portland Public Schools in crisis The Portland Public School system is in trouble. Anyone with a modicum of familiarity with the Northwest's largest district knows that this has been the case for nearly a decade. Yet today, Portland's 55,000 students are facing proposed cuts and staff layoffs as never before. IndyMedia 3/17/02

Amato: Master of the turnaround - But success, critics say, comes at a price, that of openness to other ideas. Tribune 3/15/02

Harvey: Accountability enforcer - Her school ‘probation’ policy is seen as both a strength and weakness. Tribune 3/15/02

Finalist for superintendent runs the interview gantlet Patricia Harvey, a Minnesota superintendent seeking the top schools post in Portland, spent Thursday urging recruitment of bilingual teachers, the need for stronger literacy in early grades and encouraging business people to visit schools to build support for education. Oregonian 3/15/02

Two vie for top schools job Two urban school chiefs with reputations for improving low-performing schools in Connecticut and Minnesota were named finalists Thursday to become the next superintendent of Portland Public Schools. Oregonian 3/8/02

Oregon's 'too short' class time may shrink Oregon requires less teaching time than any other state, resulting in an average of only 171 days a year that aren't vacation days, teacher planning days or other academic down time. Oregonian 3/3/02

Many factors spur $36 million school shortfall Portland Public Schools has recommended deep budget cuts to balance its budget next school year, and the school board will vote on a new budget March 18. The Oregonian asked interim Superintendent Jim Scherzinger to explain the budget crisis. Oregonian 3/1/02

Signature drive to recall board member shelved Jeff Muir dropped his recall effort against Portland School Board member Derry Jackson on Thursday, saying he lacked the signatures, cash and political support to send Jackson's name to voters in May. Oregonian 3/1/02