Portland High SchoolBeautification Committee Meeting
Minutes: Meeting held Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at Portland High School Lower Café from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Parent Connection Meeting: The larger PHS Parent Connection group met and broke into smaller subcommittees including: Beautification, Fund Raising, Public Relations, Special Event and Technology. Each group met in a different part of the room with interested participants.
Beautification Committee Members: Jeri Chapman, Nancy Litrocepes, Jane O’Connor, Cathy Peabody, Carol Schiller, and Judy H. Violette.
Meeting Outcomes:
The Beatification Committee group decided to focus their attention on the exterior campus. They discussed ways to make the PHS campus friendlier and more accessible to students, faculty and the community. They envisioned an open green park like setting that makes a visible statement that PHS students are apart of a community that cares about them and generates community pride. The group developed the concept to create Community Parks and or Green Space Community Centers around the PHS campus including the front, back and interior courtyard. The green user friendly environments will serve as outdoor classrooms, places where students can relax, enjoy lunch, get closer to nature, and enjoy entertainment and educational events, etc. In addition the group discussed funding sources including Lowe’s Grant, Portland Trails, and the City of Portland’s Community Development Block Grant Program. The group talked about developing a vision, moving forward and brainstormed the following ideas:
Build collaboration and community ownership by involving students, faculty and community stakeholders.
Organize design charrettes.
Create a sense of place using Portland’s historic elements such as bricks, cobblestones; Plant trees, shrubs and flowerbeds; Install lighting, sculpture, murals, art; Design seating to accommodate a variety of uses including outdoor classrooms, social, entertainment and academic events. Create quite seating spaces for lunch and relaxing and for nature appreciation. Design colorful banners/flags to celebrate PHS’s diverse student community.
Remove cement barriers and replace with large plant containers and relocate wrought iron fence.
Install movie projector & audio system for movie nights, concerts and dances.
Next Steps:
Carol Schiller will meet with Mike Johnson, PHS Principal and Amy Grommes Pulaski, HCD Program Manager this week to review City of Portland Community Development Block Grant Program. Carol will report back to subcommittee.
Parent Connection Meeting Wrap Up:
All the subcommittee participants reassembled back into one large group and committee organizers shared their group’s work. The Beautification Committee presented a vision summary for a Community Park and shared brainstorming results mentioned above with the larger Parent Connection group.
Reminder: Wednesday, November 14th the Beautification Committee will plant 100 daffodils around PHS campus. Jeff Tarling, City of Portland donated the bulbs. All volunteers are welcome to join the fun! Meet at 3:30 p.m. in front of PHS. Bring garden gloves, shovels, kneepads, and bulb digging tools. Thank you in advance for your help and a big thanks to Jeff and the City of Portland!