The Race to Better Portland Public Schools

Candidates for Zone 4, covers parts of N. Portland and St. Johns

(replacing Steve Buel)

Rita Moore

Occupation: Policy analyst, Oregon Health Authority

Governmental Experience: PPS 2012 Bond Campaign; PPS Community Budget Review Committee; Superintendent’s Advisory Committee on Enrollment and Transfer; Jefferson Cluster Visioning Committee; Bureau Advisory Committee, Portland’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement

Priorities: Careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars; equitable access to enriched educational opportunities for all students; healthy, safe schools serving the whole community; partnership with the City and County on housing and social services; providing children the stability they need

Endorsements Include: State Sen. Lew Frederick; Paul Anthony (PPS Board); Portland Association of Teachers; Portland Federation of School Professionals; BerniePDX; Steve Buel (PPS Board); Siobhan Burke (MESD Board); Greg McKelvey (Portland’s Resistance)

Jamila Singleton Munson

Occupation: Institute Director, Summer Teaching Institute, Teach for America

Governmental Experience: Oregon workgroup, College & Career Readiness; co-founder, Community for Equity PDX

Priorities: A clear vision, with accountability for reaching it; stronger partnerships with the community; reach all parent and student populations; healthy and modern school facilities; culturally relevant approaches to learning

Endorsements Include: Tom Koehler (PPS Chair/Board); Amy Kohnstamm (PPS Board); Pam Knowles (PPS Board); Deborah Kafoury (Multnomah County Chair); Mayor Ted Wheeler; Nick Fish (City Commissioner); Dan Saltzman (City Commissioner); Andrew Colas; Stand for Children, Inc.

Candidates for Zone 5, covers parts of N. Portland and NE Portland

(replacing Pam Knowles)

Scott Bailey

Occupation: Economist, teacher

Governmental Experience: Citizen Budget Advisory Committee, Portland Bureau of Buildings

Priorities: Fixing the management issues in central office; developing an educational vision and strategic plan for PPS; redrawing school boundaries to balance enrollment; finishing the conversion to middle schools in NE and SE; no more teaching to the test; expanding language immersion programs

Endorsements Include: Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council; Portland Association of Teachers; Portland Federation of School Professionals; State Sen. Michael Dembrow; State Rep. Alissa Keny-Guyer; Stand for Children, Inc.

Virginia La Forte 

Occupation: Account supervisor, The Marketing Arm

Governmental Experience: 2017 PPS Bond Stakeholder Advisory Group; Oregon Department of Education workgroup (to improve district-wide school complaint process); PPS TAG Advisory Council

Priorities: Student safety and equity; accountability and fiscal responsibility; rebuilding trust in PPS; stabilization of lead-based paint in PPS

Endorsements Include: Paul Anthony (PPS Board); Julia Esparza Brown (PPS Board); Stephen Griffith (former PPS Board); Pamela Knowles (PPS Board); Amy Kohnstamm (PPS Board); Bill Scott (former PPS Board); Carol Turner (former PPS Board)

Traci Flitcraft

Occupation: Senior business analyst, Salesforce; board member, Portland Rugby Club; marketing consultant, Venture 2 Impact

Priorities: Bring focus back and put PPS at the center of a strong, productive Portland; create a sustainable educational system; advocate, collaborate, and communicate a clear vision that encompasses community support and maximizes student achievement

Governmental Experience: NEW Leadership of Oregon, 2005

Endorsements Include: None mentioned

Candidates for Zone 6, covers parts of NE Portland and SE Portland

(replacing Board Chairman Tom Koehler)

Trisha Parks

Occupation: Public school teacher, 25 years

Governmental Experience: Atkinson Elementary PTA President; Oregon Education Board of Directors; teacher representative, Oregon State Board of Education; Beaverton Education Foundation Board; Basic Right’s Oregon PAC

Priorities: Smart use of resources; parent/community access; new inroads for equity; literacy focus

Endorsements Include: None mentioned

Julia Brim-Edwards

Occupation: Senior director of operations, world headquarters, public engagement, Nike

Governmental Experience: OSU Board of Trustees; former chair/member, Portland School Board; Oregon Education Investment Board; Oregon Child Care Commission

Priorities: Eliminate lead, asbestos, fire hazards from all schools; hold central administration accountable for more effective management of our schools; academic supports for struggling kids; increase graduation rates, prepare students for college and career; push for smaller class sizes; more college prep courses, art, music, PE, career technical education

Endorsements Include: Former Governor Ted Kulongoski; Deborah Kafoury (Multnomah County Chair) Stand for Children, Inc.;  For Our Children's Future; State Rep. Alissa Keny-Guyer, State Sen. Kathleen Taylor; Tom Koehler (PPS Chair/Board)

Zach Babb

Occupation: Principle mobile engineer, moovel North America

Priorities: Update vision for PPS; smaller classrooms; more access to technology; better training for teachers; increased student equity

Governmental Experience: None

Endorsements Include: None mentioned

Ed Bos

Occupation: Senior district executive, Portland youth development agency

Governmental Experience: Precinct committee, Oregon’s House District 45; enlisted experience in the military; former intern, US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Preparedness and Emergency Operations

Priorities: Increase graduation rates; bond measures; facility maintenance; redistricting; health and safety issues

Endorsements Include: None mentioned

David Morrison

Occupation: Health advocate

Governmental Experience: None

Priorities: Review the many thousands of peer-reviewed scientific studies and act accordingly to ensure the health of school children whatever that entails

Endorsements Include: None mentioned

Joseph “Josie” Simonis

Occupation: Data scientist and instructor, DAPPER Stats; expert language editor, Edanz Editing

Governmental Experience: Cornell Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association (Board); Rose City Rollers Training Committee (member); USFWS Kingfisher Recovery Committee (member); Lincoln Park Zoo Research Committee (member); Windy City Rollers Training Committee (Chair); Cornell Library Advisory Council (graduate student representative); Cornell BEB Graduate Seminar Committee (Chair)

Priorities: Address inequities among PPS students, especially with regards to race, language, ability, and socio-economic status; center the needs of Black, Native, disabled, and transgender students.

Endorsements Include: None mentioned