Q:  When does the board meet?

A:  Wednesday evenings, as follows: 
 

Business meetings are typically held on the first Wednesday of every month, starting at 7 p.m.

Work sessions are also held on Wednesday evenings, starting at 6 p.m. 

Planning sessions are held in February and August, generally from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  (There are no other school board meetings in August.)

Schedule of Board Meeting Dates - Adopted 07-06-22 (pdf)

Note:  The 2023-24 board meeting schedule will be adopted in July 2023.
 

Q:  Where does the board meet?

A:  Business meetings are held in the Council Chambers of the Public Safety and Schools Building,
      unless otherwise announced.  The address is:

Gresham-Barlow School District
1331 NW Eastman Parkway
Gresham, Oregon  97030-3825

      Work sessions are held in the Partnership Room at the Center for Advanced Learning (CAL),
      unless otherwise announced.  The address is:

Center for Advanced Learning (CAL)
1484 NW Civic Drive
Gresham, Oregon  97030-5564
 

Q:  Are board meetings open to the public?

A:  Yes. 
 

All school board meetings are open to the public, with the exception of executive sessions.  (See "What does the board do in executive session?" below.)

Q:  What does the board do in executive session?
             

A:  Pursuant to ORS 192.660, the board may discuss confidential matters in executive session, such as personnel, negotiations, litigation, expulsions, exempt records, and real estate transactions. 
 

Board members cannot make decisions or vote in executive sessions. 

Executive sessions are not open to the public, and they are limited to specific topics and guidelines as defined by state statutes.

Q:  Are school board meetings televised?

A:  Yes.  The school board's business meetings are live streamed and televised via a free service provided by MetroEast    
Community Media.  Viewing information is provided below, or by visiting www.metroeast.org.

Live Stream:

•  Business meetings are live streamed on the Gresham-Barlow District website. 

•  The link to the live stream can be accessed from the district news section of the homepage during the meeting. 

Television:

•  Business meetings are aired LIVE on Comcast cable channel 27, and Frontier cable channel 35. 

•  Reruns are aired at 7 p.m. on the following Monday, and 4 p.m. the following Thursday. 

•  For the Damascus area, they are shown via cablecast on channel 23 the following Saturday at 1 p.m.

Video Archives:

•  Visit metro.east.peg.tv and type Gresham-Barlow into the search field.
 

Q:  What is the board's role?

A:  The seven-member school board is responsible for:

• providing an educational program for the district's students;
• setting district policy and planning priorities upon which all administrative actions are based; and
• hiring and evaluating the superintendent.

In turn, the superintendent is responsible for carrying out board decisions, providing educational leadership, and managing the district's budget and staff.
 

Q:  How are school board members compensated?

A:  School board members are elected officials and serve without pay / compensation.
 

Their service is voluntary, and they do not have offices in school district buildings.

Q:  How can I speak at a board meeting?

A:  Complete a request form (pdf), bring it with you to the board meeting, and give it to the board secretary before the meeting is called to order.

Request forms (pdf) will also be available at the meeting; they can be found on a table near the entrance where copies of the meeting agenda will be provided. 

Currently, the board is only accepting written comments at the board meetings. Please complete a request form and submit it to the board secretary at avery4@gresham.k12.or.us by 4:00 p.m. the day of the board meeting. Submitted comments will be included as part of the public record for the meeting. The request form is provided in a fillable format, however, you will need to download and save the form to save your progress. 

For more information, please contact the superintendent's office at (503) 261-4555 or avery4@gresham.k12.or.us

Q:  Are interpretation services available?

A:  Yes. Spanish interpretation is available during the school board's business meetings. To request other forms of interpretation, please call the district office at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.  

Spanish Interpretation:

•  Join the meeting using the Zoom meeting link. 

•  Click interpretation and select the Spanish language channel. 

•  The meeting audio will be broadcast in the language selected. 

Q:  Where can I find school board meeting agendas?

A:  At the "School Board" drop-down menu above, or at this link:

Agendas are also available at school offices.  A copy is posted on the bulletin board at the district office, and copies will be available at the board meeting.
 

Q:  Are there other ways I can express my views?

A:  Yes!  Options are listed below:

• Call or write a school board member
• Email the board; email addresses can be found under the school board drop-down menu above
• Talk to a board member or administrator following the board meeting or during a break
• Call the superintendent's office at (503) 261-4555
• Call the director of communications and community engagement at (503) 261-4557
• Write to the acting superintendent:

James Hiu
Gresham-Barlow School District
1331 NW Eastman Parkway
Gresham, OR 97030-3825

Q:  Where can I get more information?

A:  Some options are listed below:
 

Superintendent's Office .................... (503) 261-4555
         avery4@gresham.k12.or.us

Communications and Community Engagement ................... (503) 261-4557
          vadnais@gresham.k12.or.us
        
Receptionist at the District Office .................  (503) 261-4550

Q:  How do I become a school board member?

A:  The links below will direct you to resources provided by the Oregon School Boards Association:
 

How to become a school board candidate (html)

School Board Candidate Guide   (pdf)

Gresham-Barlow School District Board Zone Map  (pdf)