Breaking News: Hillsboro, Oregon 5:22 PM – 12-22-2024
UPDATE: Almost 5,000 people have read this story. We have just been notified that the two Board Members covered in this story have resigned. In addition, the Executive Director candidate has withdrawn his application. This is not a joyous ending, but parents and staff have pointed out that this was the reaction they needed and wanted. City View Charter School is a CREW, and they stood together and will be a more substantial, better school as a result. Here is a screenshot of the message parents and teachers received in their email today.
Original Story- 12-22-24
As of this hour, 166 people have signed an online petition posted on Change.org aimed at the immediate recall and removal of two of the Board Members of Hillsboro’s City View Charter School. The only Charter School in Hillsboro, City View has crossed the 20-year mark and has been heralded as a model educational opportunity for local children. The school is known as EL school. Defined by one source as:
EL School is a school reform model that emphasizes active learning, character growth, and teamwork to help students achieve high standards. EL stands for Expeditionary Learning, and the model was developed through a partnership between Harvard Graduate School of Education and Outward Bound, USA.
From the City View Charter School website:
City View Charter School was started by a group of passionate parents in 2004 as the only charter school in the Hillsboro School District. Founding families decided upon the EL Education (formerly Expeditionary Learning) model to fill a need for a unique approach to hands-on, project-based education in the Hillsboro School District. The first year, City View was comprised of 65 students, three teachers, and several parent volunteers in blended-grade classrooms.
As we go to press, the school’s website still lists Amber Martell as the Board President and Adam Trainer as the Treasurer. If the petitioners get what they want, these two will be gone immediately and removed from the Board.
What we know-
A meeting was held 12-02-2024 online for 2 hours to offer a Q and A with the new/proposed Executive Director, Cody Miller. The Board has either hired Miller or is imminently being hired to replace the beloved longtime Director, Nicole Kopacz, who plans to leave soon. The Herald sourced a job posting on the City View website, which seeks applicants and asks them to contact Martell with their resumes regarding this position.
The Herald has the meeting transcript, which you can review here. New Executive Director Community Forum with Cody R. Miller, Ed.D. – 2024/12/02 16:29 PST – Transcript
Reading through the transcript is a window into what appeared to be a very warm and friendly exchange of questions and answers between Miller, Moderator Mark Luther, Amber Martell, and students and parents. Nothing but a pleasant 95 minutes of introductions, history about Miller, and talk of how to grow the school. Even pizza and coffee and the weather were all on the table.
Then, when the interview ends at 01:35, things change and take what reads as a dark turn. Believing the meeting had ended and the mics were off, Board President Martell and Cody Miller waited as Board Member Adam Trainer joined for a follow-up discussion and review of how things went during the meeting.
01:35 from Transcript
Adam Trainer: It was great. I’m hesitant to say too much, but I think the roller coaster, depending on how you perceived it, Cody, will pay us dividends hopefully with I think the direction we’re all trying to aim for. So,
Cody Miller: Yeah. Yeah.
Cody Miller: Yeah. No, it was good. there were some challenging questions and it’s education, so there’s challenging questions in education. I think Nicole’s question was a good one. and she knows as well as I do, there’s not an easy answer when you have really challenging kids in the classroom. we all do everything we can to try to address that, but there’s no one-sizefits-all. There’s no perfect answer. So, and I know she’s outgoing, but I know her opinion matters to some people.
The group immediately starts discussing “challenging kids in the classroom.” Then comes Miller’s statements about his Texas experience and Martell’s statements about “red-flagged” kids. She does not define that, but what she is saying seems obvious.
Cody Miller: So, we’ve had those situations here and I’ve had kinder, first, and second graders that really needed to go home. They needed to be sent home, but we couldn’t do it because our legislature says, “Nope, that kid gets to stay at school no matter…
Adam Trainer: Hey,
Cody Miller: how absolutely awful they behave.” And so then we don’t really make progress with them till they get to third grade because then in third grade we could say, “Okay, now go home.” and so now we’ve had three years of holy terror with some kids, but our legislature is that’s their creation. So, I think finding out what kinds of restrictions have been put in place, if any, is kind of an important first thing. and I think one of the questions that I have too and I feel I really need to get there to kind of figure out some of the answers is understanding what happens when a kid gets to the point of alternative school is there a place for them to go because in some states there’s not and in some states there is and there’s an Oregon
01:40:00
Cody Miller: place where a kid can go to alternative school. Is that a place? so is an expulsion going to lead them to an alternative setting or is an expulsion go home and be gone.
Amber Martell: I don’t know
Amber Martell: how Hillsboro works. Do you? No.
Amber Martell: But here’s my thing with that, and I know this is a controversial way to handle certain things. our charter school in Vegas did this, and I disagreed, but agreed. So, it was kind of hard. they always said when you’re opening a new school or a building, it takes three years to get the kids that you want. And I think I’ve shared this with you before, three years to get the kids that want in there. So they also had a lottery. but those kids that had those behavior issues were kind of red flagged. And so every year, even though you were already in the school, you would have to reapply for the lottery to get in. So those red flagged kids, because they had to reapply, they wouldn’t get through on the lottery. And that was their workaround on how to do that. Do I agree with it?
Reading that, it seems she is indicating to both Miller and Trainer that she is outlining an experience she was a part of to deny returning “red-flagged” kids from making it back to City View. And she stated it “takes three years to get the kids you want”. What kids are those? Does that mean only good kids, smart kids, or kids who fit some sort of norm? What does that statement mean?
Miller didn’t object to her statements. He didn’t ask her to expand or retract the exclusions she stated she had agreed to during her time in Las Vegas. Neither did Trainer. Everyone just kept chatting – no one flinched.
Talking remotely, Miller stated he was unfamiliar with the procedures here in Oregon on more than one occasion. He dove into the issue of the Hillsboro School District and how they provide funding to City View. He also openly states that he and Miller have discussed a complete separation from Hillsboro. He also wants to hold Hillsboro’s (school district) feet to the fire.
1:40 from Transcript
Cody Miller: I know you and I had talked a little bit, Amber, about possibly complete separation from Hillsboro so that we get a better chunk of that funding and really have a little bit more control over those pieces that they’re currently responsible for that we can manage those ourselves. but in the meantime, we need to make sure we’re holding Hillsboro’s feet to the fire so that the things that they’re responsible for, they’re doing because that’s part of the contract. It’s not just a one-way thing. It’s got to be a two-way agreement,…
City View Charter School is a Hillsboro-sanctioned/approved school, which it has to be to receive funding from the State of Oregon. According to Wikipedia, the Hillsboro School District and City View Charter School entered a 10-year agreement in 2015 to approve the school receiving about 80% of the state allocation per student. The Cascade Policy Institute states that Oregon spends just over $17,000 per student annually. Students’ families pay a bridge tuition fee to make up for a small shortfall in the budget every year to keep the school viable. They now serve over 425 students. Miller would be hard-pressed to keep City View going if it were to go private and break off from the Hillsboro District.
Miller takes shots at the School Board here, and Trainer and Martell agree.
From 1:45 in Transcript
Cody Miller: I’ve been on a school board I’ve been to hundreds of schoolboard meetings and so I feel like I have a really good clear feel for how they should go and when I get there it’s going to change. That’s all I’ll say.
Adam Trainer: Yeah. and…
Amber Martell: I can’t wait. I’m sorry.
Cody Miller: Just got to give me a date.
Amber Martell: I know.
As the meeting ended, the transcript clarified that these two Board Members intended to hire Cody Miller but that the deal had not been done yet. There is mention of some public comments and then an Executive Session where the job, pay structure, and details will be worked out. Then, this little tidbit.
From 1:55 in the transcript
Amber Martell: But we can talk in executive session about offering it, pay start all that kind of stuff. yeah. And then in the public session,…
Cody Miller: Okay. That sounds good.
Amber Martell: that’s when we would go forward.
Cody Miller: I texted you earlier out of my texted Amber and just wanted to make sure it was okay with you all for me to start joining those meetings publicly and not with my kids’ name like I did last time.
Cody Miller: So I’ll start doing that, now that we’ve kind of gotten past tonight and, it’s a little bit more public. So, okay.
These three did not know they were being recorded. But tonight, many of the parents of City View Charter School can be thankful that it was. From the review of this entire situation, there was a 3-way discussion that possibly included violations of the State laws and the Charter, By-Laws, and anti-discriminatory policies of City View. It also appears Board President Martell and Member Adam Trainer made a hiring decision and were going through the motions.
One does not sort out kids in a publicly funded school, decide who gets “red flagged” and who gets gold stars, and then manipulate the lottery to get the “kids you want”. Unless extensive explanations are offered, anyone with a kid in the City View Charter School better stand up and do it fast.
One teacher at City View has messaged the Herald that there has NEVER been any manipulation of the lottery at the school at any time. The admissions FAQ can be found right here.
The Petition – Here is a link to the recall petition
This petition supports sending the below letter to the City View Charter School Board of Directors demanding the resignation of the current Board President and the Board Treasurer for repeated incidents of unethical and/or illegal behaviors.
Parents Speak-
Samantha Reddy is a very concerned parent and committed enough to speak to and share this with the Herald.
“Parents and staff are asking for the resignation of Amber Martell and Adam Trainer from the City View Charter School Board for their unethical behaviors, which are outlined in our petition. We also ask for any offer–formal or informal– to Cody Miller for the position for Execute Director starting next year to be withdrawn immediately and proper interview process be started. Including new candidates. We also ask for full transparency on all school matters moving forward and proper protocols always be followed to keep our school thriving. Our school motto is “We Are Crew, Not Passengers”. This includes parents and staff. We need to keep acting in the best interests of all students.”
The Herald thanks her for her statement and her bravery in coming forward. She is one of three parents who have contacted the Herald to get this story out. They want the school in good hands and are hoping for immediate action.
Sandi Stout –
I want to stress that Cityview has not and will not EVER rig the lottery. We are trying to prevent this from happening.
Absolutely. This is a key point. This discussion occurred with two board members and a proposed future director. Any comments about red-flagging or the lottery to attend City View were there doing. No parent, teacher, administrator, or student has engaged in anything along those lines, and by all reports, the current system is and has been fair and per the organization’s rules.
The school’s website has a clear anti-discriminatory statement: https://www.cityviewcharter.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=4392795&type=d&pREC_ID=2609967
Anti-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, City View Charter School is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
How Amber Martell’s comments are not discriminatory to children with various levels of abilities is impossible to see. Neuro-divergent students or those not performing as well, or who may have outbursts, might be who her comments targeted. We have officially emailed her for an official statement.
Closing thoughts-
I have been inside City View. We considered enrolling one of our boys there 15 years ago. I liked the format. Since then, we have seen them overcome significant internal struggles to grow to over 400 students. It is concerning that this hot mic incident might be the tip of the iceberg. How many texts and phone calls have these same Board Members used to communicate with this proposed hire? What other ideas or policies have been discussed between them? Have they pressured teachers? Contacted students? Tracked “red flagged” students to alter the lottery picks next year? Communications have to be limited and monitored – Board or no Board. Questions must be asked, and an investigation may likely follow.
- Another parent stated that the Board Members have resigned as of tonight- to be verified.
- These parents took action– it appears this hot-mic incident allowed these parents to take the upper hand. They are to be commended, and they deserve immediate action and resolution.
- The Herald sent questions for comments to Board Members Amber Martell and Adam Trainer. No responses have been delivered yet; we will update this story if we hear from them.
- The Herald also Messaged the current Executive Director for comments; we will update you as we hear from them.
- The Herald is sending an email for comment to the Hillsboro School Board and District about what they are prepared to do here. City View is a public Charter School under the scrutiny and sponsorship of the HSD. That could be taken away- and that should not happen over some bad actors who need to resign or be removed.
I do not know any of these Board Members or Cody Miller. I think maybe they should let things get out of hand. But the transcripts are the record, and the record is clear. Let me tell them all you need to do better. The exchange you all had was not okay, and it was way over the line on the issue of red-flagging kids. Some of the most innovative and productive people in the world are the kids who struggle to sit still, who don’t fit in, who are damaged as little kids and need more from their school than to be labeled. As far as I can see, you two on the board are not educators. But I am sure you are parents. And I am sure you love your kids and are good parents. Maybe your kids are perfect? No? Well, neither are most of ours. Some of us have kids with IEPs or autism who rely on good people to help them. They rely on a loving, caring school board and administrators to bring them along. Parents and grandparents do as well. This School Board stuff, though? Not for you.
Teachers have a tough job- and so do school admins. But they didn’t ask about red-flagging anyone. And I bet they sure did not think they would work hard for 3 years and then get the “kids they want.” They teach and inspire whoever comes and sits in their classrooms. You know that. And they do it every single day.
Lastly, let me lend my Opinion here for the greater good. Cody Miller is not capable of taking City View into the future. If he has been hired without parent input, that process must end. He allowed this red-flagging discussion to go on. He said not one word. Then he expounds wanting to take the School Board on. He is not even here yet. Using his kid’s names to sit in on a meeting to discuss hiring a new Executive Director, a position he is up for? How in the world could he be relied upon to manage Charter View? He can’t. He probably needs to realize that Hillsboro is not Texas. I say thank God to that.
This will pass- and it is almost Christmas- but it was too important to let this sleep. I encourage you all to read the transcript, read the petition, and review the information. Please comment below. Please keep it civil, and every opinion will be posted.
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My husband and I appreciate the dedicated work of the teachers and staff of CVCS. I hope this mostly negative article won’t reflect badly on them or hurt the school’s ability to get the provisions it needs. The charter school has been a significant improvement for the learning experience and opportunities for our daughters. It took six years of lottery for us to get in. I hope that it was truly random and children aren’t being unfairly kept out.
Most of our story is 100% republishing the transcripts of the hot-mic incident. And I indicated several places that the school is valued, important, and needs to continue. I strogly complimented the parents who came forward. And I mentioned we had a positive experience with the school. The hard thing about journalism and writing a column is that we don’t get to hide the truth. We don’t get to pretend that things like this do not happen. Would it have been better if no one said anything and the footprints of this incident echoed down the hallways forever? Things that happen have to be dealt with in the light of day. It is not pretty, nor fun. But it is important to the success and growth of great organizations like City View that they confront the storms. City View has had some real challenges over the years including embezzlement in 2008 and threats of being closed by the HSD. But great organizations can grow and become stronger from adversity. If the school does not survive this it isn’t going to be because some local reporter published the facts.
As a dad of two students who attended City view. I must read the entire story but not surprised at the attitude of the board members. The desire is to provide teachers with the “best” students is understandable and I could also understand to fixing the lottery for admission. Very awkward and opens a can of worms!
I want to stress that Cityview has not and will not EVER rig the lottery. We are trying to prevent this from happening.
I know that and I think people know that. Someone discussing it far from the staff and the parents does not represent the school community. I am happy to add your comment right into the article and will do so now for emphasis. Thank you, Sandi.
As a proud City View staff member and former student, I deeply appreciate the power of our Crew when we come together. I want to thank the dedicated parents and staff members who have put in countless efforts to support our community and have our Crew’s back. I’m grateful to the writer of this article for shedding light on this issue, and furthering our voices. I have never been prouder to be part of a community. My coworkers and our students’ families are supportive beyond measure—I would be lost without them.
Thank you, Cat. And you are so right. This is a proud moment for City Viee…a defining moment I might say. From this point forward you all can correct any holes in the procedures and policies. And the communications and meetings rules can be tightened up. For instance, no Board members should meet ever without each other present. And perhaps a parent anf teacher representing those parts of the crew should be present. You will all figure that out. I am a product of Hillsboro Schools, as are my wife and some of my kids and grands. So we are all in for our kids and teachers. Happy Holidays and thank you for the nice comment. I have had some nastiness come my way since it went live, and that I have to live with.
Happy Holidays!!
Dirk
I am a new parent (2nd year) to City View, and to see the community rally and work with integrity and purpose has been nothing short of inspiring. I was so proud to see so many teachers, staff, and the leadership of City View support what’s best for this school moving forward. Thank you Dirk for writing this and bringing this to light, and looking forward to moving forward together as a crew. Want to shout out the strong and strategic leadership from Nicole, who yes, is so beloved but also a deeply experienced, highly compassionate, incredibly smart teacher –> now executive director. City View is a nationally recognized EL school under her leadership.
Thank you for your voice, Kerry. Happy Holidays!
My name is Nancy Shull, and I have had the privilege of working as a substitute teacher for City View over the past two years. You won’t find a more dedicated, attentive, and caring group of teachers and staff than those at this school.
Having worked directly with students who have challenges” I can confidently say these children are simply young individuals with big hearts who need a little extra care and support. City View provides that and so much more, going above and beyond for every student in every situation.
Having also worked at other schools throughout the Hillsboro School District, I can firmly say that City View stands out as the most dedicated school in the district. It has been both an honor and a privilege to be part of such a remarkable team.
Thank you, Nancy! Your hard work with the children of Hillsboro and at City View is a blessing to all. Happy Holidays!
Dirk
City View is an amazing school. There are waitlists for a good reason. The fact that the parents and staff fought so hard is proof of its success. The actions of a few individuals is not a reflection of the school at all. The unity to perserve it is.
Hi Dirk,
Thank you for sharing the article. I wish I had seen it earlier, as it offers important reflections about our time at City View School.
We were former City View parents and overall had a very positive experience at the school, especially with the teachers and support staff. The educators are exceptional, always showing dedication, care, and respect for my child. We were also fortunate to witness our child’s growth and success, including graduation, thanks to their hard work. The support staff from Hillsboro School District was equally helpful, and their commitment to the well-being of all students was evident in every interaction.
Despite our overall positive experience with the school, we made the difficult decision to leave, primarily due to concerns regarding the handling of our child’s special education needs. While I fully understand and respect other parents’ perspectives, I believe the challenges we faced were largely influenced by the leadership approach of the Executive Director, rather than issues with the board.
During our meetings with the support staff, we often felt that our concerns about our child’s needs were not fully addressed, largely due to the involvement of the Executive Director. On several occasions, interactions with Nicole, the Executive Director, felt dismissive and, at times, even confrontational. While the staff and teachers consistently treated our child with care and respect, the leadership approach created an uncomfortable environment for our family. This ultimately led us to the difficult decision to seek an alternative educational setting for our child.
Based on our experiences and discussions with other families who have faced similar challenges with the executive director, I believe the concerns raised by the board are likely symptomatic of broader leadership issues by the current executive director, rather than isolated incidents. It is unfortunate that we did not recognize sooner that other families were experiencing the same frustrations, as understanding this earlier could have helped us feel less isolated in our concerns.
We also feel that there has been a lack of clear accountability with the Executive Director, and it has been difficult to find a transparent process for addressing our issues. Moving forward, we hope to see more proactive leadership and a more structured approach to resolving concerns in a timely and effective manner.
That being said, we remain strong supporters of the school’s mission and the invaluable work of its teachers and staff. We hope that, with either a change in leadership or renewed direction from the new Executive Director—whoever they may hire—the school will receive the support and guidance necessary to thrive.
Thank you again for your time and for considering our perspective.
I have heard this from some others. I am not sure the lottery is free from defects ….and I suggested that the school moving forward make sure that nothing taking place with the school goes unnoticed or unchecked. Thank you for your comments!
Hi Dirk,
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I appreciate your candid reflection on the lottery system and its potential shortcomings. As we look ahead, I’m curious to hear your perspective on how we can ensure that the actions of the Executive Board and the Executive Director remain subject to rigorous oversight. Specifically, how do you suggest we prevent a situation where the Executive Director could potentially stack the Board with individuals who may be inclined to simply follow their directives, rather than advocating for what is genuinely in the best interest of the school? It’s a delicate balance to strike, but crucial if we’re to foster a truly accountable and transparent environment.
Hello Jennifer, I wanted to clarify that the Execute Director does not choose the board members. Rather it is the other way around: the elected board members hire (interview and then choose) the Executive Director. There are improvements in the works for increasing the connection, communication, and support for teachers and staff with a focused, board driven, sub-committee. All good improvements ahead!