Two of my daughters attend Alberta Rider Elementary, and like so many families in our community, we are devastated by the news that our school may be closing.

Alberta Rider is more than just a building. It’s where our children have made friends, built relationships with teachers, and become part of a community. We understand that the Tigard-Tualatin School District is facing financial challenges and declining enrollment. We aren’t ignoring those problems. But we have serious questions about whether closing Alberta Rider is the best long-term solution.

Closing a school doesn’t necessarily solve declining enrollment. In fact, it could make things worse. Some families may choose to leave the district, homeschool, or pursue charter or private school options rather than move their children to another school. That could mean even fewer students and less funding for the district.

We’re also concerned about the impact on the remaining schools. How will larger student populations affect class sizes, staffing, resources, and the quality of education? What will happen to the relationships and support systems our children have already built?

And what about the community’s trust in the district? Families volunteer, fundraise, support school programs, and vote on school bonds. When major decisions like this happen without enough time for meaningful community involvement, that trust can be damaged.

Perhaps one of the most frustrating parts of this process is how little time families have been given to respond. We learned about the proposed closure on Thursday afternoon, November 5, and the first board meeting is already Monday, November 9. That’s four days, including a weekend, to process the news, research the district’s plans, connect with other families, and organize.

That’s not enough time for a community to have a meaningful voice in a decision this important.

Alberta Rider also just welcomed a new preschool program this school year. We want to understand how that investment fits into the district’s long-term planning and why alternatives that could help maintain or increase enrollment aren’t being given more consideration.

We are asking the Tigard-Tualatin School Board to:

• Give families more time to participate before any final decision is made.
  Provide clear financial data showing the projected savings from closing Alberta Rider, including the costs of relocating students. 
• Explore alternative boundary changes that would allow Alberta Rider to remain open.
• Consider other cost-saving measures and opportunities to increase enrollment.
• Evaluate the potential loss of students and funding if families choose to leave the district.
• Meaningfully involve parents, teachers, and community members in exploring solutions.

We aren’t asking the district to ignore its financial problems. We’re asking to be included in finding solutions before our school is taken away.                                                                                                  

Our children deserve stability. Our families deserve answers. And our community deserves a genuine opportunity to help shape the future of our schools.

Please sign this petition to show the school board how many families and community members want Alberta Rider to remain open and all reasonable alternatives to be explored.

Thank you for supporting our students, our teachers, and our school community.