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News Release Contact:
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School Board Makes School Consolidation Decision For Immediate ReleaseApril 25, 2011 LAKE OSWEGO – At its
meeting on Monday, April 25, the Lake Oswego School Board determined
that it will close and reconfigure schools by phasing the implementation
of Scenario B school consolidation as follows: Palisades Elementary will
close at the end of this school year. At the end of the 2011-12 school
year, the district’s plan is that Bryant Elementary and Uplands
Elementary will close, and the district’s two junior high schools
(grades 7-8) will be reconfigured to middle schools (grades 6-8). The school district, with the assistance of two
citizen committees, has been evaluating numerous school configuration
and closure scenarios as a means of addressing budget shortfalls. Both
committees recommended that the School Board implement Scenario B as a
logistically workable model that would yield the greatest savings. The district is facing a minimum state budget
shortfall of $5.5 million in each of the next two years. Strong
financial support from the community – including a substantial
commitment from the City of Lake Oswego and a highly successful
fundraising effort by the Lake Oswego School District Foundation – will
address a significant portion of that shortfall for 2011-12. This community support has allowed the school board to
consider school closure and configuration in phases as the district
seeks to reduce infrastructure costs in order to fund valued
teacher:student ratios and educational programs. Throughout this consolidation process, the school
board and district administration have emphasized that school closures
are an adaptive option driven by economic necessity. While the phased
approach of closing one elementary school for 2011-12 is possible thanks
to the community support of district schools, there are no assurances
that the level of City and Foundation support achieved this year is
sustainable. In light of this concern, as well as the negative long-term
economic outlook at the state level, the school board has determined
that the full implementation of Scenario B will likely be necessary
beginning in 2012-13. ###
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