91视频

Since the May 17 failure of a bond measure that would have provided $548 million for school upgrades, Portland Public Schools has not presented an alternative way to pay for several promised construction projects, and some community members are becoming frustrated.

Most of the planned projects were renovations and structural upgrades, but eight schools were slated for full reconstruction. One was Marysville School, a K-8 school in Southeast Portland that was destroyed by a fire in November 2009.

When PPS announced that funding for the Marysville project would be included in the bond measure, some parents were wary.

鈥淚 had a gut feeling that the Marysville rebuild should not have been contingent on a bond meant for broader investment in our schools,鈥� said Dee von Entress, a mother of two Marysville students. 鈥淚 was in full support of the bond in its effort to update Portland schools, but I remember asking what would be the plan B for Marysville (if the bond failed) and they had no answer.鈥�

Plans for Marysville are still unclear.

鈥淭he board had been working on the operating assumption that the bond would pass,鈥� said C.J. Sylvester, PPS’ chief operating officer. 鈥淲e were counting on the bond to provide the main funding source for the (Marysville) project as desired and as designed. With it not passing in May, we may not be in the position to do that.鈥�

The desired project referenced by Sylvester is based on construction drawings that DLR Group completed before voters rejected the construction bond measure. DLR’s plans accommodate complete reconstruction that would cost approximately $21 million. According to Matt Shelby, public information officer for PPS, the district commissioned the design work before funding was secured so that construction could begin immediately following the election.

PPS has already spent $734,538 on work for Marysville, according to Shelby, mostly for DLR’s design of the new school. Some of the money went toward construction of a temporary roof over the burned portion of the building to protect it from winter weather.

鈥淲ith the Marysville fire and subsequent insurance money, we had the opportunity to start work on a modernization project that would be fully funded through the bond,鈥� Shelby said. 鈥淲e were looking at it as a more efficient use of money in the sense that if you’re going to go in and do a major amount of work in half the building to rebuild the burned portion, it makes more sense and is more efficient to redo the entire building at once.鈥�

The bond measure did not pass, however, so the school board and superintendent are again discussing options for Marysville. The total insurance payment from the fire is estimated at $4.6 million, and Shelby said the remainder (after the $734,538 spent) of the money could go toward fixing the burned portion of Marysville, although all options are still on the table.

Meanwhile, community members continue to wonder how much longer the approximately 400 Marysville students will be attending classes at the Rose City Park building on Northeast 57th Avenue.

Von Entress said the commute from her home in Southeast Portland is generally about 30 minutes, and noted that the distance is partially to blame for a dramatic decrease in parental involvement with the school.

鈥淚t hasn’t been as possible to keep our community involved in a school that’s across town, and that really affects our kids and the education they’re getting,鈥� said von Entress, who is a member of the parent-teacher association.

Nancy Wilgenbusch, who has served as chairwoman of Marysville’s advisory council for more than a decade, pointed out that many of the parents in what she called Marysville’s 鈥渄istressed neighborhood鈥� do not have easy access to transportation.

While part of the advisory council, Wilgenbusch was involved with the construction of a state-of-the-art playground and community park adjacent to the school. Work was completed in 2009 with the help of pro bono work from MCM Architects.

鈥淲e were trying to help the neighborhood become more of a mature neighborhood by making the school a central point, a place that would help anchor the students and broader community,鈥� Wilgenbusch said. 鈥淣ow (after the fire), we’re ripping our kids out of the neighborhood and busing them up to 45 minutes away.鈥�

The Marysville community publicly expressed some concerns at a school board meeting on Monday night. Von Entress, the only parent to testify before the board, emphasized the need for a plan of action with a sense of urgency.

鈥淚’m not willing to sacrifice my girls’ early development and early education while we are waiting,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have a 5-year-old and a 7-year-old 鈥� and one year for them is not the same as one year for you or for me. So where are we now? Are we going to rebuild or not?鈥�

Becky McAlister, a second-grade teacher at Marysville, expressed disappointment in the board’s seemingly empty promises. 鈥淎ll along you’ve said the right things 鈥� your intention was to rebuild our school,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut words are no longer much comfort; after 20 months, the words sound hollow.鈥�

Shelby said the district is planning to send a letter to families this week.

鈥淲e don’t know any details,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut we want to reassure the community that the school board and superintendent are indeed working on this.鈥�