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Parents and teachers urge St. Helens SD 502 board to restore off‑campus field trips and add classroom adults
Summary
Multiple public commenters at the Oct. 8 meeting asked the St. Helens SD 502 board to reverse restrictions on elementary off‑campus field trips, increase in‑class adult support and improve safety training and resources for staff.
During the Oct. 8 public comment period, parents and teachers told the St. Helens SD 502 board that limiting elementary off‑campus field trips and shortages of classroom support staff are harming student engagement and learning.
Britney Sanders, who identified herself as a McBride Elementary parent, told the board, "Field trips have a substantial benefit to students of all grade levels," and said field trips can be the only chance some disadvantaged children have to leave Columbia County and experience new learning. Sanders said the McBride Elementary PTO raises money for trips and asked the board not to restrict a school that has the funds to pay for transportation.
Patrick Berkeley, who identified himself as a St. Helens resident and a third‑grade teacher, said that state ELA assessments include writing and keyboarding skills as well as reading and warned those skills affect proficiency results. "ELA doesn't only include reading. It also includes writing," he said, and urged the district to consider the full scope of skills the assessment requires.
Amanda Howie, who said she is president of Columbia City and also works at Lewis and Clark, urged more adult support in classrooms. "We just need more adults in classrooms," she said, and described teaching multiple grade levels without an aide as stretching teachers and special‑education staff thin.
Other commenters raised related concerns including student safety during altercations, resuscitating building safety committees, the importance of community sponsorships to fund trips and a brief, unnamed speaker saying a tentative agreement with the district had been reached by teachers.
Board members did not take action on the public comments at the meeting. Several commenters asked that the board allow schools that can privately fund transportation to proceed with off‑campus trips and requested more district support for classroom staffing, in‑school interventions, and safety training for staff dealing with student altercations.
Ending: The board moved on to its action items after public comment; commenters will have additional opportunities to raise these issues at future meetings and through district staff channels.
