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Russell principal outlines 2‑acre green‑infrastructure project, says $174,000 grant funds installation and three‑year maintenance
Summary
Russell principal Megan Russell told the Parkrose board the school is converting roughly two acres of underused lawn to native plantings and outdoor learning spaces, supported by a grant she described as roughly $174,000; volunteers and students already have planted several hundred plants, and staff expect main planting to finish by March.
Megan Russell, identified in the transcript as the principal at Russell, told the Parkrose School District board on Nov. 24 that her school is turning unused lawn into native plantings, outdoor learning centers and low‑maintenance habitat space.
Russell said the project will use about two acres of the school’s 5.8 acres (not including athletic fields) to expand tree canopy and native plantings, with an emphasis on drought‑tolerant species and low maintenance for district staff. "The grant that we've had funded is close to a $174,000," Russell said, describing the award as the largest funding project in the state of Oregon for an elementary student (as stated in the meeting). She said volunteers and students helped install 200–300 plants during a recent community planting day and that nurse logs and boulders were placed to support soil health and habitat.
The project is pitched as both an ecological improvement and a classroom resource: Russell said she plans to integrate outdoor learning with existing science, math and reading curricula and described partnerships with community groups to bring native‑plant expertise. She said the planting will avoid athletic fields, will not use chemical treatments, and the team intends to complete planting by March. Russell also described a three‑year maintenance plan included in the grant.
Board members asked about supervision and whether students will be able to access the site during school hours; Russell said designated paths and flagged routes will guide visits and that staff and volunteers will supervise student access. Trustees also asked about sourcing for logs and plant material; Russell said the material was repurposed debris and not from active removals.
Russell left printed handouts for trustees and invited board members to visit the site. She emphasized the project's community engagement, saying parents, students and neighborhood volunteers have been active in planting and maintenance so far.
The district did not provide written contract or bid details during the presentation, and Trustees did not vote on the project at the Nov. 24 meeting. Next procedural steps were not specified on the record.
