Providing an exceptional education for all students in the context of community beliefs and values is the work of the Molalla River School District.  It is also the responsibility of the Molalla River School District to provide adequate educational facilities in which learning is to take place.  Long-range planning is essential in providing the effective use of resources to meet both current and future student learning needs.

Beginning in September of 2013, the Molalla River School District Board of Directors began considering the steps necessary to provide long-term direction for programs and facilities in the District.  To that end, the Board interviewed several organizations that might provide assistance.  These included Hill International, Dick Withycombe and Associates, and Solid Ground.   As Hill International had demonstrated success supporting similar work in districts like Molalla River, the Board voted at their business meeting on January 9, 2014, to have Hill assist with the process. 

District priorities are an important foundation to the entire process.  These Board adopted priorities are embodied in these measurable objectives:

• Student Achievement - Provide instruction and opportunities that assure ALL learners achieve their maximum potential every day 

• Human Resources - Recruit, hire, develop, support and retain the very best educators for our students 

• School Climate - Establish and maintain positive, safe learning environments in every school 

• Community - Assure effective communication, positive relationships throughout the community and active engagement of our public 

• Stewardship - Maintain responsible stewardship of all public resources

Because community engagement is a top priority for the District, the Board began with an inclusive process.  Board members and administrators recommended citizens to serve on a Long-Range Planning Committee.  The Committee was appointed at the Board work session on February 26, 2014, and it was comprised of members from each “community within the community,” as well as representatives of the District’s employee groups and principals from each level. 

In the attached report, you will find a complete statement of the Committee’s adopted priorities, values and beliefs.  For now, it is important to understand specific elements of the Committee’s vision as it was adopted by the Committee.  It should provide the reader with a sense of the foundational thinking behind the final recommendations:

The Molalla River School District inspires and engages students so all may learn to their greatest potential every day. 

In order to achieve this on behalf of our students and our community, we must provide safe facilities and practices, maximize our effectiveness with the resources we have by providing for efficiencies with each decision, and continue providing the highest quality of instruction in every classroom.

The Committee prepared a series of recommendations based on the best information available about the condition of our present facilities, enrollment projections, community needs and keeping in mind current and future instructional needs for students.  The below document is a starting point for decisions that will be made over the coming years. 

We believe the actions recommended in this report will require significant effort, and we expect the Board may wish to reconvene the Long-Range Planning Committee or commission other committees to determine how to involve the community in proceeding with any of these recommendations.