Marysville K-8 reopens January 7

Marysville students, staff and Principal Lana Penley bid good-bye to their temporary Rose City Park building and will start their new year in the newly rebuilt Marysville. Photos by Katharine Kimball

On Nov. 10, 2009, Marysville K-8 School caught fire. Students and staff followed safety protocols and escaped without injury, taking shelter in the Holgate Library. But their school was rendered unusable. They were relocated to the once-shuttered Rose City Park building, where they have remained since.

Investigators ruled the fire's cause as inconclusive but ruled out the school's electrical system.

Staff worked with community members to determine whether insurance proceeds should be used to partially rebuild Marysville School, or to make improvements to nearby Kellogg School. Based on the community input, the board decided to proceed with the rebuild work at Marysville.

Construction was completed on time and on budget. On Dec. 8, families and staff got a tour of their renewed school, a modernized version of the school they fled three years ago.

On Dec. 13, the students' last day before break, they sang their school song. Then they filed out to join their teachers and Principal Lana Penley, who led the school through the fire and the relocation, district leaders and school board members in waving good-bye to their temporary home.

The students boarded their busses and the teachers waved them off, just as they waved in welcome to the students when they arrived for the first time, just days after the fire, to their temporary Rose City Park home.

At Portland Public Schools, this is our goal: By the end of elementary, middle, and high school, every student by name will meet or exceed academic standards and will be fully prepared to make productive life decisions. For more information on Portland Public Schools, call 503-916-3304, e-mail us at pubinfo@pps.net, or visit www.pps.k12.or.us. Portland Public Schools is an equal opportunity educator and employer.