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Superintendent reports summer program enrollments, $813,000 in ODE grant support and warns of state grant cuts
Summary
Superintendent Owens told the Centennial School Board that summer learning programs are operating with several hundred students supported by $813,000 in ODE 2025 state summer learning grants; the district expects substantial reductions to student-success grants under the recently passed state budget and is proceeding with facilities work and policy planning for a statewide executive order on personal devices.
Superintendent Owens reported July 9 that Centennial’s summer learning programs are underway with combined enrollment across grade bands and program pathways and that the district has secured $813,000 in Oregon Department of Education 2025 state summer learning grant funding to support evidence‑based programming.
Owens said the district’s summer programming includes K–5 literacy and math camps, middle‑school and high‑school pathways such as credit recovery and a ninth‑grade transition program, and that staffing includes Centennial educators and partner providers. She reported enrollment figures for the summer programs and described a new educator pathway tied to employing diverse high‑school students as educational assistants; when asked by a board member whether the high‑school assistants were paid, a district staff member replied, “Yep.”
The superintendent also cautioned that the recently passed state budget (referred to during the meeting as "senate bill 55 15" in the transcript) anticipates significant reductions to the student success plan grant funding beginning in July 2025; she said the district is still determining what those cuts will mean in practice for programming and that current multiyear grants remain funded through June 2025.
On facilities, Owens said the district completed an RFP and issued an intent to award to DLR Group on July 3 for long‑range facilities planning, pending the close of the required protest period, and expects to bring a contract to the board at the July 30 retreat. Projects underway this summer include seismic improvements at Oliver Middle School, renovations at Park Lane Elementary and playground and painting work across the district.
Owens also notified the board about Governor Kotek’s executive order on personal electronic devices (quoted in the meeting as "25 0 9") that requires Oregon school districts to adopt aligned policies by Oct. 31 and reach full implementation by Jan. 1, 2026. The district plans local engagement, will review ODE guidance and sample templates and intends to bring a policy through the board for consideration this fall. Merritt Miller, who participated in recent ODE office hours, said districts are still working through implementation details and enforcement approaches, including restorative processes and how that will look in practice.
The superintendent’s report included recognition that Centennial’s dining services received a national healthy meals innovation award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Action for Healthy Kids; lead nutrition coordinator Pia Watsik was named during the presentation and staff members were invited to attend a fall summit.
The board had no formal vote tied to the superintendent’s report but directed staff to continue planning and to prepare the policy and contract items scheduled for July 30.
