Gresham HS principal enlists help from education leaders amid safety concerns
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — After the Gresham-Barlow Education Association voted no confidence in Gresham High School’s principal and district staff over their handling of school safety concerns, Principal Erika Beddoe Whitlock announced plans to increase her “visibility” in the school and bring in help from other education leaders.
In a May 9 letter to parents, obtained by KOIN 6 News, Beddoe Whitlock said the high school is working with the school district to address safety concerns, as reported by The Oregonian.
The letter comes after the GBEA called on the school board to replace Beddoe Whitlock and asked the district to “engage with reality” about the struggles the school is facing earlier in May.
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“We are partnering with other education leaders who have experience working in schools facing similar challenges. These individuals will observe and review school operations and systems, seek input from students, families, and staff, provide guidance on student behavior management processes, and develop recommendations that will ultimately guide our action plan,” the letter stated.
A spokesperson for the Gresham-Barlow School District told KOIN 6 News so far, they have contracted with Ken Parshall — a leadership coach and school improvement consultant, according to a biography provided by the district.
The bio states Parshall has nearly 20 years of experience as a principal at Crook County Middle School, McNary High School, McKay High School and Warm Springs K-8 Academy and has served as a superintendent in Jefferson County.
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The district said they are also working on a contract to enlist the help of another educator.
Beddoe Whitlock said there are some short-term changes she’s making in the meantime to address school safety based on feedback she’s received.
“These include: increasing my visibility to students and staff by being in the halls and common spaces more often; increased communication and documentation about student incidents that is visible to staff; improvement of written and verbal feedback loops regarding student incidents; prioritizing the clearing of hallways toward the end of passing time with increased adult presence; and working alongside staff to do a thorough evaluation of the student management referral systems, making changes where it is not working. In addition, I am working closely with district administrators to identify any immediate changes we can make to improve safety at GHS,” Beddoe Whitlock said.
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“The feelings surrounding school should never produce doubt about safety or instill fear and anxiety. Our campus should be a positive atmosphere that cultivates feelings of care, belonging, and security. We acknowledge the trust you put in us to ensure the safety of students and staff. That is why we take this responsibility incredibly seriously, striving to fulfill it diligently every single day,” the principal continued.
Beddoe Whitlock said she will provide weekly updates to staff and three updates to families through the end of the school year on May 17, May 31, and June 14 through Parent Square.
“We are committed to creating a learning community that is caring, fosters belonging, and promotes safety. We look forward to working with students, staff, families and our community in making Gresham High School a community of lifelong learners empowered by academic excellence, inquiry, and discovery which will lead them to positively contribute, and facilitate future opportunities, in both the local and global society,” Beddoe Whitlock concluded.
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The letter to parents comes after the GBEA teacher’s union blasted school safety after their no confidence vote, which received 97% support from the union’s members, according to the GBEA.
The union said the vote came “after nearly two years of their school becoming less safe for students and staff to the detriment of student learning and support.”
“Gresham High School educators believe our students and families deserve the highest quality of education in a safe environment. We deeply care about our students and do not hold them at fault for their adolescent behaviors and the extraordinary stressors in their lives beyond school. Student behavior and lack of safety for students and staff are the result of broken systems, not the cause of those broken systems,” Gresham High School educators previously said in a statement.
“Gresham High School Administration, especially the Principal, is largely absent and does not hold students accountable for negative behaviors, address safety concerns, maintain consistent school-wide expectations, provide clear consequences, or transparent communication.”
The union highlighted several safety concerns including school hallways being crowded by dozens or hundreds of students skipping class without consequence, students bringing weapons to class to defend themselves against other students with weapons, and increasingly brutal fights “as administration sits idle,” the union claimed.
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