The Beginning

This beginning isn't kind. It's cruel.

Our school district is faced with a gap of $27.5 million.

And when principals from all around Portland are faced with a gap of $27.5 million, they do the only thing they can. Cut jobs, increase student-to-teacher ratios, try to do more with less (at least, that's the hope). They also rely on parents. Thankfully, at our school, that's a hope that feels solid and concrete. Yes, we can count on each other.

And so it happened recently on a rainy day when only three parents showed up for our monthly Parent Coffee that we got to talking. And talking. And talking. And it felt like one hour had passed when it was more like two. And by the end of our meeting, we had talked ourselves into an idea.

Sure, why not?

Of course, there are millions of reasons to disengage. It's easy to blame someone else and to shake our fists at the economy and bureaucratic inefficiencies. But we have to consider our children. And if it weren't for them, things might have ended differently, but it didn't. Because this is the beginning.

This is the beginning of our hope.

This is the beginning of our zine.