Parents urge PPS to notify families about room clears and adopt stronger bike‑and‑walk policy

At public comment on March 10, Portland parents and staff urged the school board to address school safety and active‑transportation policy.

Kevin Boudreaux described repeated violent incidents in his child’s kindergarten class at Beverly Cleary, saying 13 room clears occurred this school year and that families were often not notified when incidents required students to evacuate. He asked the district to implement a same‑day room‑clear notification system similar to other PPS schools. Jennifer Anderson Kapke, a parent and trained educator, said classroom teachers have also been physically assaulted and that reporting and follow‑through have been inconsistent; she called for accountability and external review when necessary.

Superintendent Armstrong said district staff would make sure the family was contacted after the meeting and that the administration would continue follow‑up. The board acknowledged the testimony and asked staff to coordinate with families.

In a separate comment, Edward Thomas LeClaire urged the district to adopt a more robust bike‑and‑walk policy to encourage bike trains and reduce car drop‑offs. He described barriers parents face (requirements for insurance, waivers and nonprofit formation) and asked the board to give principals clearer encouragement to approve parent‑led active‑transportation programs.

The board did not take immediate policy votes on either request; staff committed to follow up with the concerned families and to bring information back as appropriate.