What to do this Saturday? We have some ideas!

Posted on December 11, 2012 by King Neighborhood Association

Portland Playhouse presents a panel discussion:
THE WORLD OF KING HEDLEY II

King Hedley II is August Wilson’s majestic rendering of hope in desperate times. The play’s characters struggle to build community in a context of urban poverty during the Reagan era. Join area scholars from multiple disciplines to reflect on the complexities of this period, ask what the play says to us today, and discuss the literary force of this modern tragedy.

Join us for this FREE event to hear from:

Pancho Savery, Professor of English and Humanities at Reed College and a noted scholar on African-American literature
Karin Magaldi, King Hedley II Dramaturg and Chair, Department of Theatre and Film, Portland State University
Brett Burkhardt, Assistant Professor of Sociology in the School of Public Policy at Oregon State University, whose expertise centers on the US prison industry and labor market consequences of felony convictions, among other issues.
Moderated by Ruth Wikler-Luker, Portland Playhouse / Boom Arts

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Or you can join the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhood’s Safety and Livability Team for some grounds-keeping at the King Facility building, next to King School! NECN’s Safety and Livability Team (SALT) has decided to head outdoors to work on a little landscaping project, removing weeds and assessing the area for future plantings in front of our building.

Join SALT volunteers at 10:30 am on Saturday, December 15th to dig thistles and other invasive plants out of the ground.

If you plan to join us, please bring work gloves, hoes, rakes and shovels if you have them. Also, dress appropriately for wet, cold weather.

What: SALT December Work Party
When: Saturday, December 15, 10:30am – Coffee and snacks provided!
Where: NECN, 4815 NE 7th Ave.
What to Bring: Work gloves, weeding tools, weather-proof clothing

We will provide some tools from the tool library plus coffee and snacks!

School Change Scenarios Released, Feedback Sought

Posted on December 11, 2012 by King Neighborhood Association

Portland Public Schools has released six scenarios of suggested changes to schools in parts of North and Northeast Portland that have priority enrollment to Jefferson Middle College for Advanced Studies. This enrollment balancing process is tasked with resolving issues due to overcrowding at some schools and underenrollment at others.

King PreK-8, with 290 students in grades K-8 is the second smallest school in the cluster now that Humboldt was merged with Boise-Eliot and Tubman Young Women’s Academy was closed. A major consideration is whether to convert some schools back from K-8 to K-5 and add one or two middle schools. Some schools may be closed or merged, or be converted to split campuses, with different elementary grades in different buildings. While not necessarily intended as final options, the six scenarios were distributed to garner feedback from the public to help craft the final solutions. These, more refined proposals will be mailed to parents over winter break and posted to the PPS Enrollment Balancing page.

The deadline for feedback is this Wednesday, December 12th. The feedback form is available on the PPS site and can be returned to any PPS school or feedback can be emailed to enrollment-office@pps.net.

After winter break, public comment will be taken in January. Then, the Superintendent will make a recommendation to the school board who must approve the changes. If there is not a delay, the changes will take effect in fall of 2013.

A facebook group was begun to give parents, community members, and some school board members a forum to discuss the proposals and the larger issue of educational quality, programming, leadership, and transfer policy in the Jefferson Cluster. You can join in at: http://www.facebook.com/groups/291158914333031/

December KNA Board Meeting Agenda

Posted on December 10, 2012 by King Neighborhood Association

King Neighborhood Association – Board Meeting
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 6:30pm
Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods
4815 NE 7th Avenue, Portland, OR

Agenda

6:30 Introductions, approval of agenda and minutes

6:40 Discussion and Vote on Sherriff’s letter regarding immigration enforcement

6:50 Two Plum Park Kickstarter update

7:00 Open discussion of potential projects/initiatives for 2013

7:30 Community outreach strategy

Discussion around how to gain more participation from the community
Paper Newsletter

8:00 Adjourn

Support Holiday Meals in our Neighborhoods

Posted on December 6, 2012 by King Neighborhood Association

The Northeast Backpack Lunch Program, which serves needy students at Northeast Portland’s King, Harvey Scott, and Woodlawn schools, is seeking donations to provide families with turkeys and hams for the holidays.

The program, in its fifth year of operation, puts two lunches in the backpacks of needy children every week of the year to ensure they will have something to eat on Saturdays and Sundays. Volunteers have collected donations and packed lunchsacks to provide to children who are on the free or reduced price school lunch program; for some, the weekday school lunch is the only substantial meal they normally receive.

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Later this month, the Backpack Lunch Program hopes to provide each family that is part of the program with a ham or turkey. If you are interested in donating a turkey or ham, or would like to make a cash contribution to cover the cost of a turkey ham, please contact Alan at Fremont United Methodist Church, the sponsoring organization for the program. Donations are tax deductible; the church’s telephone number is 503-284-4647.

Emily Wilson writes us: We are raising funds to have a bench installed in Two Plum Park!

Posted on December 6, 2012 by King Neighborhood Association

Hi neighbors, we are working to have a bench installed in Two Plum Park to make it easier for everyone to enjoy the Park. Two Plum is in the King Neighborhood, between NE Shaver and Mason, NE 6th and 7th Ave, in Portland, Oregon.

Two Plum Park already has a lot to offer: a swing set, a play structure, a streetlamp, a mural… but no place to sit.

Maybe you want a place to sit and watch the kids while they play. Maybe you would like a place to sit and chat with a friend. Maybe you’d like a place to sit and read, enjoy your lunch, or just relax outside. You can help us make this a reality in the Park.

Our project team has approached Portland Parks about a bench for Two Plum Park and they recommended we use their Commemorative Bench Program to get a bench installed.

A Commemorative Bench with a plaque costs $5,200 and we are raising $6,000 to cover all our fees.

We’ve already raised most of the funds for a Bench, we want to raise the last bit with your help!

In the late 1990’s Two Plum Park was a vacant lot overgrown with weeds. Neighbor Joe Martin lived at the end of the block and decided to start mowing the grass. Soon other neighbors were helping to cut the grass and clean up the lot. As they continued their improvements they decided to work with the City to make the space an official Park. In 2001 the garden became Two Plum Park.

We plan to dedicate the bench to all the neighbors who cared for the space and worked to create Two Plum Park.

Please visit our Kickstarter campaign to raise the remaining funds needed, at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/818065431/a-bench-for-two-plum-park. Many thanks to all of our contributors and supporters!