Current Newsline
Newsline, January 29, 2012
Skyline Rural Watch Newsline
Mailbox: newsline [at] srnpdx [dot] org
Urgent: alert [at] srnpdx [dot] org
Phone: (503) 621-3501
January 29, 2012
PUBLIC SAFTEY:
Crime Report
Entry Way Light was removed from the above the front door and taken from Skyline Grange sometime during the weekend of Friday, January 20. This is the forth incidence of small thefts at the Grange since the fall (previously 2 Oregon Food Bank collection boxes and a rubber front entry door mat were stolen). The Grange would appreciate passersby to be on the alert of suspicious behavior at the Grange and to report it to Multnomah County Sheriff's Office (911 or non-emergency response number at 503-823-3333).
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS:
Scappose Fire District Looking For Recruits
Sandy Newman, Logi Trail resident and Scappoose Fire District Board of Directors member, informs that they will still accept applications for these volunteer positions.
- as published in the January Ridge Runner
Scappose Fire District Looking For Recruits
By Chris Lake, Division Chief - Training
Scappoose Fire District’s “Holbrook Station” is looking for interested individuals to volunteer at that station. The station is significant in that it serves the north part of the Skyline Neighborhood area. We rely heavily on volunteers to provide fire protection and emergency medical services in our Fire District. Unfortunately, we currently have no volunteers serving at that station.
Some facts about the Holbrook Station:
• We have a fire station on Morgan Rd. It is part of the Scappoose Fire District
• It has been inactive for 10 years (no active volunteer personnel)
• This station has a fire engine and quick response vehicle
• It has basic emergency medical equip including oxygen and AED
• We need volunteers to service this community and fire station
• Becoming a volunteer will not only help the community but might also lower home insurance rates
• This station was called to over 60 alarms in 2010 and over 70 alarms in 2011
• We provide all equipment and training to become a EMT or firefighter. All we ask is for your time.
The deadline for applications is Jan. 13, 2012. Spring recruit academy starts Feb. 17, 2012. Pick up your application at the Scappoose Fire Station or online at www.srfd.us.
Skyline Grange News
Outdoor Work Party 2/4: Come enjoy "the party" on Saturday, February 4 from 9 to noon. Pulling ivy and brush removal will be done to prepare for upcoming planting with native species where invasive plants once dominated. For more information, contact Tracy at 503-285-3530. Wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather.
Spring Garage Sale: on Fri. - Sat., March 9-10.
o Donations are tax-deductible. Donations must be clean & in working condition. Please no televisions, computers, large exercise equipment, helmets, or car seats. Drop-Off times are: Sat., Feb. 3 (9-noon); Sun., Feb. 26 (noon - 1 p.m.); Mon., Mar. 5 (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.); Tues., Mar. 6 (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.); and Wed., Mar. 7 (10 a.m. - noon).
Donation deadline is Wed., Mar. 7 at noon.
o Questions, to Volunteer to Help, or to Arrange Drop-Off Time: Email: SkylineGrange894 [at] msn [dot] com or Until Feb. 12, Sharon Barthmaier (503-286-1261) After Feb. 12, Sen Speroff (503-621-3331/503-708-1414)
Community Brunch: Sunday, February 26 (9:30-11:30 a.m)
Tree & Native Plant Sale: on Friday-Saturday, April 20-21. Bareroot fruit-bearing and ornamental trees and shrubs. Native plants. If you would like to volunteer to help or would like to receive a pre-order form for native plants, contact skylinegrange894 [at] msn [dot] com
Raptor Road Trip on Sauvie Island: on Saturday, February 4, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Explore Sauvie Island in search of the magnificent bald eagle, hawks, and falcons that spend the winter on the island. Enjoy bird viewing, sharpen your hawk identification skills, experience naturalists and hawk experts at 4 locations. Begin at Kruger's Farm Market to pick up your map and raptor identification guide. Fee is $10 per vehicle, cash only which includes a Sauvie Island Wildlife Area parking permit. To get to Kruger's, cross the Sauvie Island Bridge, continue straight for 1.5 miles, farm is on right.
TRANSPORTATION & PULIC SERVICES:
January 23rd - Newberry Road Update:
Recently we inquired about the status of road repair at the bottom of Newberry. On January 23rd, Brian Vincent (brian [dot] s [dot] vincent [at] multco [dot] us) replied:
"We haven't forgotten about this repair just have been sidetracked fixing the NW Thompson Rd slide. Because we were able to maintain 1 lane of traffic on Newberry, we focused on Thompson as it was completely closed to traffic. Now that Thompson is done and we were able to accomplish under budget, we are shifting our focus to Newberry. We have a couple of proposed solutions we need to spend a little more time on before we can comment on repair timeframe. Newberry is a bit challenging with all the fractured rock on the hill and very limited room to work."
He welcomed any further questions we may have.
Brian Vincent brian [dot] s [dot] vincent [at] multco [dot] us
January 27th - NW Thompson Road closure update
A short section of NW Thompson Road remains closed between NW Cornell Road and NW Skyline Blvd. due to a landslide that occurred in 2011. Multnomah County has completed the landslide repair and repaved the road in the repair zone. However, more tasks need to be completed before the road can be reopened:
- Re-plant the slope on the downhill side of the road to add stability and return it to its natural state
- Rebuild the drainage ditch on the uphill side of the road
- Place protective concrete barriers on the outside shoulder
- Put down temporary lane striping
We had hoped to reopen Thompson Road by the end of this month. However, last week's severe storm created new urgent tasks for our road crews that will impact the reopening schedule for Thompson Road.
- Several culverts under Thompson Road a half mile east of the slide were damaged and are being dug out and replaced
- Crews have needed to respond to storm damage elsewhere on our road system, including downed trees, landslides, and washouts
We estimate that Thompson Road will reopen in the next one to two months. The main factor impacting the schedule will be weather conditions. Good weather will allow our crews to catch up on storm repairs and complete the Thompson work.
We regret the inconvenience this road closure has created for neighbors and road users. We will send you an update on the reopening schedule as soon as we have new information.
Mike Pullen mike [dot] j [dot] pullen [at] multco [dot] us | Multnomah County Communications
Office | 503-988-6804 | newsroom http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/news/ | twitter http://twitter.com/multco |facebook http://www.facebook.com/MultCo
Public input sought on Multnomah County roads
Release: January 27, 2012
Contact: Mike Pullen, Communications Office, 503-988-6804, mike [dot] j [dot] pullen [at] multco [dot] us
Multnomah County would like to know what you think about county roads. Results from a short online survey (www.multco.us/roads/survey) received by February 29 will be used to evaluate customer satisfaction of road services. County staff work to balance customer satisfaction against the road system needs and available revenue. Input from road users helps determine how and where resources are used.
Multnomah County has jurisdiction of 263 miles of roads in unincorporated areas (such as Sauvie Island, Corbett, Riverdale and the Northwest hills) and 27 miles of urban roads in Fairview, Troutdale and Wood Village.
Road maintenance includes paving, vegetation maintenance, lane striping, drainage, signage, mowing, snow plowing and emergency response.
Public input has helped shape county road services in recent years. When funding levels declined in 2008, public input was used to re-prioritize road service levels. For example, roadside mowing was reduced in some areas and administrative cuts were made. These changes helped the county increase its road paving and chip seal program the last two years.
To take the survey, visit www.multco.us/roads/survey. Road maps are included to help identify Multnomah County roads. For more information, visit www.multco.us/roads.
Mike Pullen mike [dot] j [dot] pullen [at] multco [dot] us | Multnomah County Communications Office | 503-988-6804 | newsroom http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/news/ | twitter http://twitter.com/multco | facebook<http://www.facebook.com/MultCo
GOVERNMENT:
From Mitch Greenlich, State Representative
January 26, 2012
The MitchMessage https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPublic/id:9971.11617153754/rid:a2b2efdd961f14c7de671348c68b0f58
I have scheduled three town hall meetings. The first, a joint meeting with Rep. Chris Harker will be on Sunday, January 29 at 1pm in the upstairs meeting room at the Cedar Mill Community Library, 12505 NW. Cornell Rd at NW. Saltzman Rd. The next two will be on Saturday, March 10. The first of these will be at 10 am at Friendly House, 1737 NW. 26th Ave. at Thurman. This will be a joint meeting with newly appointed State Senator Elizabeth Steiner-Hayward. The second will be a joint meeting with Senator Steiner-Hayward and Rep. Chris Harker and will be held at 2pm on the 10th at the Cedar Mill Community Library.
SCHOOLS:
Skyline students' guaranteed enrollment at East/West Sylvan Middle School Ended
Dear Skyline community -
Last night, the PPS School Board unanimously adopted the Superintendent's recommendation to end Skyline students' guaranteed enrollment at East/West Sylvan Middle School. (Likewise, the Board ended Sabin K-8 students' guaranteed enrollment at Beaumont Middle School, and approved several boundary and configuration changes to four Northeast Portland schools.) You can see the full text of the Board's decisions here: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/news/6939.htm. The implications for Skyline are as follows:
* Skyline-area students currently enrolled at East/West Sylvan can remain there until they have completed 8th-grade. For these students, the Board directed "phasing out" bus transportation from the Skyline attendance area to Sylvan, "utilizing the most efficient centralized routing system possible." I await additional information from Transportation about the proposed timeline for this "phase-out," and about opportunities for Skyline families to have input on this process. I will let you know as soon as I hear more.
* Skyline-area students currently at Skyline (including this year's 5th-graders) who wish to attend East/West Sylvan in Fall 2012, will need to enter the PPS School Choice lottery on the same basis as other PPS students. Information about the School Choice lottery can be found here: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/departments/enrollment-transfer/schoolchoice.htm Interested students must apply between February 10 and March 9. The specific number of "slots" available at East/West Sylvan is currently being finalized.
* The Skyline Middle Grades team and I will lead a Skyline Middle School Information Night in February -- at which we will highlight our IB Middle Years Programme, our commitment to community service, and the rich opportunities for community-building and interdisciplinary planning that come with a K-8 model. We will notify you of the date within the week.
I will provide additional updates to the Site Council on February 1st about our planning for this change. I welcome your input on this decision, and look forward to sharing with this community our plans for a strong, adaptable, internationally-minded Middle Grades program at Skyline.
Please stay in touch.
________________________________
David J. Wood
Principal, Skyline K-8 School
Portland Public Schools
11536 NW Skyline Boulevard
Portland, OR 97231
phone: (503) 916-5212
fax: (503) 916-2765
Principal Hiring - Community Meeting
February 7th 6:30 p.m. at Skyline
Dear Skyline Community -
You are invited to a Community Meeting about Principal Hiring for 2012-13 – February 7th, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., at Skyline.
As many of you know, I was asked to serve as Skyline’s interim principal for 2011-12 late in last spring’s principal hiring process. I have loved my time at Skyline this year, and I write to let you know that I do intend to apply for Skyline’s "permanent" principal position for 2012-13 and beyond. The Skyline community – families, students, and staff -- deserve full participation in this important decision. Therefore, you are invited to a Community Meeting on February 7th, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., to participate in the first step in the principal hiring process.
Because I will be an applicant for the position, I cannot participate directly in this community process. Instead, the Director of Administrative Hiring, John Blanck, and our Region Administrator, Sascha Perrins, will come to Skyline to hear what you think is special about our school, and what qualities you are looking for in Skyline’s “permanent” principal. Following are the questions that guided the conversation at last year’s Community Meeting:
1. What do you see as the greatest strengths in your school?
2. What do you see as the greatest challenges, which might require a new approach or increased focus?
3. What is unique or special about your school? Is there something you believe the school district should consider in making the selection, or that candidates should know if they want to work at our school?
Following is additional information about the forthcoming Community Meeting from John Blanck:
“At the meeting we will also take time to explain the full hiring process. We will explain two main possibilities: a) how the Community Meeting information may be used with the Deputy Superintendents to place a current Principal because of a great match between the school and that Principal, or b) if a match is not selected by the Deputy Superintendents, applicants chosen will go through a rigorous process to be selected for interviews. Since this process happened so late last school year, we’ll have the input from last year for you to refer to, as well. If you cannot attend that evening, I will have other ways to provide information (on-line and paper surveys, emails, etc.). If you have questions, please feel free to contact me – John Blanck, Director of Administrative Hiring jblanck [at] gmail [dot] com<jblanck [at] gmail [dot] com (mailto:jblanck [at] gmail [dot] com)> or 503-916-3239.”
Regardless of the hiring process, I value your direct and honest feedback about how I’m doing as your principal this year, and how we can build on Skyline’s outstanding potential as an IB World School. My door and email box are always open for that feedback. I look forward to sharing my vision for Skyline in 2012-13 and beyond, and to building on this school’s strong community foundation.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
David
_________________________________
David J. Wood
Principal, Skyline K-8 School
Portland Public Schools
11536 NW Skyline Boulevard
Portland, OR 97231
phone: (503) 916-5212
fax: (503) 916-2765
RECYCLE YOUR STYROFOAM
Feb 11, 9 am to noon.
Styrofoam recycling fundraiser at Skyline School, 11536 NW Skyline Blvd. We will be accepting CLEAN hard block styrofoam and CLEAN styrofoam peanuts. No food trays or soft styrofoam. PLEASE BAG BLOCK STYROFOAM AND PEANUTS SEPARATELY, THANK YOU! A donation of $5/carload or $10/minivan or pickup truck load is appreciated. This fundraiser benefits Skyline School PTA. Please email skylinegreenteam [at] gmail [dot] com with any questions. Thank you!
Volunteer Help Needed @ Lincoln
From: Peyton Chapman peytonc [at] pps [dot] net
Do you have time to volunteer at Lincoln High School? We need your help!
We are currently looking for additional help with the following:
1. Parents at lunch to help supervise school wide lunch activities (Parents on Site REALLY needs you! Contact lorilwebb [at] comcast [dot] net, POS schedule http://www1.mysignup.com/parents_on_site) We need more adults to keep our campus SAFE.
2. Bilingual “Padres en la Escuela” to help first generation college bound Latino students with homework, advocacy skills, college applications, etc. This could be at lunch, during FLEX or after school from 3:30-5:00
3. Math retake management (“Math Retake “secretary”?) and math tutors
4. Individual mentors for students struggling with organization, finals prep, content mastery...
5. Classroom improvement PAINTING projects. (If we have classrooms with no natural light we can at least paint them in more vibrant colors and hang functioning white boards for students to get up and move to solve problems.
Please e-mail or call now to volunteer. Your time will be very much appreciated. Make a difference in a student's future now!
Forest Park Conservancy: http://www.forestparkconservancy.org/
Resource Directory:
As a service to neighbors, SRN publishes a listing of local government agencies and businesses in the Skyline Resource Directory. Follow the links in this section to view its contents and learn how to add a business or agency listing.
Listing of organizations and businesses herein does not imply any endorsement of SRN nor does it imply a lack of endorsement for similar organizations or businesses not included.
About the Newsline:
Skyline Rural Watch Newsline is a part of Skyline Ridge Neighbors (SRN) and has been produced since June 1994 as a means to communicate neighborhood information. The Newsline is produced by Laurel Erhardt (editor) with help from Miles Merwin, Libby Merwin, Sharon Barthmaier, and Sen Speroff.
The Newsline depends on you as a source of accurate information about local crimes, upcoming events, and other news pertinent to the area. If you have information you would like considered for the Newsline, you may do so by e-mailing the information to newsline [at] srnpdx [dot] org, or leaving a message at (503) 621-3501. Urgent, timely items (crimes, lost pets) should be emailed toalert [at] srnpdx [dot] org.
If you would like more detailed information about any item on the Newsline, request that information & SRN will e-mail it to you if available.
You can subscribe to the Newsline at the Skyline Ridge Neighbors Website, SRNPDX.org. Tell your neighbors about this free Newsline service.
About Skyline Ridge Neighbors:
SRN is a neighborhood association serving much of unincorporated northwest Multnomah County and some adjacent areas within the city of Portland. SRN is registered as a neighborhood association within Multnomah County, registered as a non-profit public benefit corporation with the State of Oregon and approved as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization under the IRS Code. SRN is operated by volunteers and with donated funds entirely.
If you would like to donate to SRN in support of its activities, such as this free Newsline service and the publication of its quarterly Skyline Ridge Runner, send your donation to “Skyline Ridge Neighbors”, c/o Karen Garber, 16238 NW McNamee Rd., Portland, OR 97231 Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
