Jefferson backers urge students to stay put Jefferson High boosters urged families Thursday to stay in the neighborhood and stick with Jefferson rather than transfer to a higher-performing school this fall.

Frazzled board takes a breather
Schools rethink strategy after superintendent search comes to nothing The Portland school board’s yearlong superintendent search was wildly successful — for a few. It probably helped the former Charlotte, N.C., superintendent land an almost unheard-of $300,000 salary to become superintendent in Annapolis, Md. Tribune 7/29/02

Schools: Scherzinger planning a hard line in teacher negotiations Jim Scherzinger says the public can't lose faith in schools, and he's more concerned about long-term funding problems than threats of a teachers' strike this school year. Oregonian 7/29/02

Data supporting layoffs were flawed At the dramatic Portland school board meeting on July 8 in which 300 permanent custodians were effectively fired, a few of them wept in public testimony. Acting Superintendent Jim Scherzinger, a widely respected and competent administrator, was asked if the district was willing to continue negotiations with custodial workers, and he replied, “That was up to HR.” Tribune 7/17/02

Extreme financial pressure led to cut of custodians The budget just approved for Portland Public Schools challenges my nature, questions my hope for our state and threatens the hopes of our youngest Oregonians. It cuts $36 million — or about 10 percent of the budget for next year. Tribune 7/17/02

Get Portland schools out of limbo The Big Three of operating any school district are leaders, teachers and money. All three are in limbo in Portland Public Schools right now, putting education at risk. Oregonian editorial 07/16/02

Superintendent search called off The Portland School Board suspended its national search for a superintendent Monday and named interim chief Jim Scherzinger as superintendent for the coming school year. The Oregonian 7/16/02

Schools Pay for Boy Scout Recruiting Portland schools and state officials have been ordered to pay more than $100,000 to lawyers who successfully argued that the district discriminated against atheists by allowing the Boy Scouts to recruit during school hours. KGW 7/12/02

No Portland superintendent on horizon The prospect that Portland Public Schools will have a new superintendent when classes start in September looks remote as front-runner Diana Lam is under increasing pressure to stay in Rhode Island. Oregonian 7/11/02

School Board Meeting Commentary Members of SEIU, Jobs With Justice, the teachers union, and many other community members crammed into the PPS district office to protest the proposed budget cuts last night. The nearly four hour meeting was highlighted by impassioned speeches from many people who will be impacted by these cuts. From Indymedia 7/10/02

School board decides to lay off custodians Portland school custodians will be laid off and replaced by lower-paid private workers under a widely ridiculed deal the school board sealed Monday night. Oregonian 7/9/02

School Custodians Lose Portland Jobs Custodians for Portland Public Schools watched their jobs disappear last night, as the school board tried to eat away at a $36 million budget shortfall. KGW 7/9/02

7 Oregon schools score so low students can transfer Families at seven Oregon schools, including three Portland high schools, can send their children to a higher achieving school in the same school district this fall -- with the district paying the transportation costs. The Oregonian 7/2/02

Budget flux has schools guessing Oregon educators don't know if they're better off today than they were three weeks ago because they're not sure what to make of the complex budget package that ended Oregon's 19-day legislative special session. The Oregonian 7/2/02