Portland Public Schools Supt. Vicki Phillips to Speak at City Club Sept. 16

September 3, 2005 -- At its weekly Friday Forum luncheon on September 16, City Club of Portland welcomes Portland Public Schools Superintendent Vicki Phillips in a presentation titled “Taking Stock and Moving Forward.”

A lot has happened during the past year since Portland Public Schools Superintendent Vicki Phillips first addressed City Club. Shortly after taking the reins to Oregon’s largest school

Check out EduKick Year-Long Soccer Boarding Schools in Europe! Call toll free today to discuss at 1-866-338-5425!

 system in 2004, this no-nonsense leader closed several schools and reorganized others in an attempt to save money. She was praised by many in the community for streamlining operations, but the firing of the former human resources chief ended up in arbitration, costing the school

Check out EduKick Year-Long Soccer Boarding Schools in Europe! Call toll free today to discuss at 1-866-338-5425!

 system $263,000. And while more district students met state standards in every grade tested in both reading and math, one-fourth of Portland district schools failed to meet federal requirements for yearly improvement, a result attributed to the tough requirements of the No Child Left Behind law.

The coming year will be no less of a challenge. The state Legislature has put up $5.24 billion for public schools over the next biennium, but Multnomah County’s I-Tax will soon sunset, leaving many to wonder if more school closings are inevitable. On Friday, Sept. 16, Supt. Phillips will take stock of lessons learned over the past year and address the future of public education

Educational (language Immersion) Soccer Programs Worldwide! Check out EduKick's Education & Soccer Camps!

 in Portland.

City Club’s Friday Forum, which is open to the public, will be held in the Governor Hotel (614 S.W. 11th Ave.). Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Program begins at 12:15 p.m. and concludes at 1:15 p.m. Luncheon reservations must be made online at www.pdxcityclub.org or by calling 503-228-7231, ext. 103 or 102, by 2 p.m. Wed., Sept. 14 (members only may call 503-241-9242). Luncheon tickets are $20 ($16 for members of City Club). Coffee/tea table tickets are $5 at the door. General seating, available at the door, is $5 (free for members of City Club).

A NOTE TO MEDIA
Media are encouraged to attend and are invited to sit in general seating. Please sign in at the registration table on the day of the forum. For broadcast media, an audio press patch will be available, and a riser for videotaping can be provided with advance notice. Contact Tim Krause at 503-228-7231, ext. 102.

ABOUT CITY CLUB OF PORTLAND
City Club of Portland is a nonprofit, nonpartisan civic affairs organization that promotes civic engagement and active citizenship to build a stronger community. Through unbiased research and compelling programs, City Club connects citizens with ideas and issues that affect our community. City Club is open to everyone who wants to interact with other citizens and shape the future of our city and state. For more information about City Club of Portland, visit www.pdxcityclub.org or call 503-228-7231.