Portland Public Schools: PPS Bond Program Receives Prestigious Honor

Portland OR

17 December, 2021

1:19 AM

Description

Press release from Portland Public Schools: December 16, 2021 The Oregon chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIAO) recently honored Portland Public Schools and its Office of School Modernization with the 2021 AIAO College Fellows Award.  The AIAO praised the bond program's accomplishments that include four high schools (Franklin, Grant, Roosevelt, Leodis V. McDaniel), one middle school (Kellogg), and a PK-8 (Faubion) that have now been modernized or rebuilt. It also recognized the many health and safety projects that have touched every school in the district. Projects improved water quality and provided security upgrades, new roofs, asbestos remediation, lead paint stabilization, new fire alarms and sprinkler systems, better accessibility, and seismic retrofits. Even more impressive to the selection committee was the PPS commitment to robust public engagement during the design of the modernization projects.  PPS seeks the input of community members, students, teachers and staff through Design Advisory Committees, Public Design Workshops and dozens of direct stakeholder meetings.  These efforts are more extensive than what any other school district in the region is doing and are reflected in the sense of ownership and support that the Bond program receives from the public. The Oregon AIA Fellows pointed out six key factors that make the PPS modernization program exemplary: The AIAO Fellows urged PPS to continue to incorporate "lessons learned" as each new project is completed, "providing an example to the greater citizenry of Oregon how to execute projects effectively, efficiently and responsibly to honor the trust of the citizens of our city and region in building and re-building our educational infrastructure." A regular process of incorporating lessons learned from all bond projects is woven into the structure of the Office of School Modernization and has helped to keep the many bond projects on track and within budget throughout the life of the nine-year program. "PPS is grateful to be honored, and we wish to thank that voters who support the work we are doing to rebuild our aging schools," said Marina Creswell, Senior Director, Office of School Modernization. "Our project teams work diligently to improve our methods so that we can consistently deliver these vital school improvements that will make a positive impact on students for generations to come." Work on modernization projects continues with the rebuilt six-story Lincoln High set to reopen next August. Benson Polytechnic and a new Multiple Pathways to Graduation building are now in the construction phase. Planning for the modernization of Jefferson High School is set to begin next year, and it will then move into construction a few years later thanks to funding from the 2020 Bond. Learn more at pps.net/bond. David Mayne, Bond Communications Manager This press release was produced by Portland Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author's own.