Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Dual Language Family Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents and teachers urge Woodburn board to restore dedicated Russian family‑engagement contact
Summary
Multiple parents and a program coordinator told the Woodburn School District board that a position originally intended as a Russian homeschool contact has been repurposed and reduced to part time, asking the board to reinstate or convert it to full‑time to address equity and workload concerns.
At the Woodburn School District board’s November regular meeting, several parents and a Russian‑language coordinator urged the board to restore a dedicated homeschool contact role for the district’s Russian dual‑language program.
Parents and staff said the position, created in March 2023 to support Russian‑speaking families, was later shifted into a broader parent‑involvement specialist role and is now being performed part time. Lyudmila Orlik, a parent and member of the Russian program parent committee, told the board the change “defeated the reason for this position to be created in the first place” and described the current arrangement as “not sustainable,” saying one part‑time employee is being asked to cover essentially two jobs.
The plea framed the change as an equity issue: Orlik noted Spanish‑speaking families have dedicated contacts at every school, while Russian‑speaking families are served by a single, overstretched part‑time position. Anya Underwood, who identified herself as a parent of two students in the Heritage Russian program and an alumna, said the role builds trust with families and asked the board to restore “a half‑time homeschool contact” or otherwise provide comparable support.
Alexander Kitchtofen, the Russian program coordinator, read a parent statement saying the workload requires a full‑time role. He said, “I respectfully but urgently ask the board to reconsider the current status of this position and transition it to the full time role,” and described the position as foundational for family engagement and student success.
Board Chair noted that the board’s role during public comment is to listen and that follow‑up, when warranted, will be handled through the superintendent’s office. No formal action on staffing was taken at the meeting; speakers said they have raised the issue with the superintendent previously and asked the board to step in to address the disparity.
The superintendent and staff were asked to track parental concerns and follow up through established personnel and privacy procedures. The district did not commit to a staffing change during the meeting; board members signaled they would review the matter through the superintendent’s office.
