Press Releases

The West Linn-Wilsonville School Board remains committed to offer the City of West Linn the opportunity to purchase its Oppenlander Property as a community-use park. The School District prevailed in its litigation against the City on claims for breach of contract, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, and declaratory relief.  The appeal window has closed.  Accordingly, the School District will proceed with the sale of the Oppenlander Property.

Oppenlander Property Sale: Current Timeline

In December 2024, the School Board Chair informed the Mayor and a council member that the School District would like to give the City of West Linn another opportunity to purchase Oppenlander Property.  The School District awaits the City’s response.  If the City remains interested in the purchase, the cost and terms of sale will be presented by the School District.  The School District's outreach in December provides ample opportunity for the City Council and staff to explore the offer and prepare a ballot measure for the May 2025 election should they determine that a vote by the community is necessary to meet the new purchase and sale conditions.  Should the City reject the School District's offer to purchase the Oppenlander Property or reject the terms of the new purchase and sale agreement, the School District will open the sale to the public.

Review of Oppenlander Property Sale: Past Timeline

• In February 2021, the School District approached the City of West Linn with a “first right of refusal” to purchase Oppenlander Property if interested.  The City refused that offer, asserting they were not interested in purchasing and maintaining another park. 
• In April 2021, the School District received an appraisal value of $6.5 million for the Oppenlander Property and solicited purchase offers.  The School District received seven offers.
• In May 2021, after receiving public feedback, the City asked the School District to take the Oppenlander Property off the market and re-engage with the City on a potential sale.  The School District agreed to do so. A Letter of Intent was drawn up in August 2021 with a formal purchase and sale agreement (PSA) signed by both parties in December 2021. While the new appraisal was not yet concluded at that time, there was trust that the joint appraisal process would be completed with integrity.
• In January 2022, the joint appraiser issued a report valuing the Oppenlander Property at $120,000.  Representatives from the School District and the City were surprised by this result, which did not reflect the parties’ understanding that the Oppenlander Property should be valued at fair market value. The School District rejected this appraisal and asked the joint appraiser to redo the valuation; he refused. Despite efforts to resolve the issues with the valuation, the City brought a ballot measure before its constituents in May 2022 seeking approval from voters to issue $3.5 million in bonds to cover both the purchase of the Oppenlander Property, capital improvements, and associated bond costs. The School District had no choice but to file a lawsuit for termination of the contract to contest the valuation and protect its interest in the Oppenlander Property.
• In August 2024, following an eight-day jury trial, the School District prevailed. The jury unanimously found that the City had both breached its contract and its duty of good faith and fair dealing in multiple ways.  Evidence at trial revealed that the City attorney had communications with the joint appraiser without the School District’s knowledge.

While the School District was forced to litigate this dispute to eliminate the tainted appraisal and move forward, the School Board remains committed to working with the City Council if they remain interested in purchasing the Oppenlander Property for community use.

-###-

Dear WLWV Parent/Guardians,

As parents prepare for enrollment decisions this Fall, West Linn-Wilsonville School District wants to alert families of the discontinuation of the “choice zone” areas starting Fall 2025, in an effort to improve bus route efficiency (on time), associated costs, and reduce fuel emissions in our neighborhoods.

District Phases Out Choice Zone Areas, Fall 2025

The current district “choice zones” allows some families to choose between two schools and receive bus transportation for either choice. This results in the district often sending 2-3 buses into the same neighborhoods causing redundancy, congestion, and associated costs for additional buses and drivers. Upon the opening of the new primary school located in the Frog Pond development area of Wilsonville in Fall 2025, the District will discontinue the “choice zone” boundary areas for school attendance. 

Starting in Fall 2025, students residing in their primary school boundaries will be assigned middle schools and high schools, unless they receive an approved In-District Transfer Request to attend a different school. The WLWV school district is generous with its In-District Transfer Requests as long as there is space and capacity available at the requested school. Bus transportation, however, would only be available within the residing and assigned school area.

WLWV School Attendance: Starting in Fall 2025
Primary School Boundary	Assigned Middle School	Assigned High School
Boones Ferry PS Lowrie PS	Inza Wood MS	Wilsonville High School or Riverside High School
Boeckman Creek PS New PS at Frog Pond	Meridian Creek MS
Cedaroak Park PS Trillium Creek PS Sunset PS	Rosemont Ridge MS	West Linn High School or Riverside High School
Bolton PS Willamette PS Stafford PS	Athey Creek MS
Note: Parents may request an In-District Transfer to any other school outside their primary school boundary or secondary school assignment depending on school capacity. Transportation is not included with transfers.

Adjustment in Fall 2025 Improves Bus Route Efficiency, Costs & Eco-Responsibility

By discontinuing the “choice zone” areas, the District will be able to significantly improve bus route efficiency, budget management, and ecological responsibility. 

Sincerely,

Kathy Ludwig, Superintendent

The Long Range Planning Committee held a quarterly meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at West Linn High School. The Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC), which also serves as the district’s Bond Oversight Committee, reviewed the 2019 Capital Bond Quarter Three Report and continued ongoing conversations about district-wide properties. 

The Quarter Three report showed the 2019 Capital Bond Program forecasted over/under was reduced by more than 4$ million during the past quarter. Bond Manager Remo Douglas shared that the construction industry continues to experience challenges stemming from material procurement, labor shortage, supply chain issues, increasing fuel costs, and rising labor and material costs. The district is continuing with its cost management work, however, and is encouraged by recent trends.

As of the Quarter Three Report, the District had committed more than 77 percent of current funding, with a total of $105.5 million spent thus far. The bond program is on track to fulfill state requirements for spending 85 percent of funds within 36 months of receipt, with the sale of remaining bonds on track for December 2022. 

WLWV staff provided progress updates on the 2019 Capital Bond’s major projects, all of which are on schedule. In particular, LRPC members reviewed the district’s new Athey Creek Middle School project and Wilsonville High School Performing Arts Center. The Wilsonville High Performing Arts Center is on track to open in January, while the exterior walls of the new middle school are going up in early November. 

LRPC members also toured the recently-completed West Linn High School stadium and parking lot project, which has been enjoyed by students and community members during the fall athletic season. The Long Range Planning Committee will next convene on January 18, 2023. To review the Q3 Report, please visit the district website. 

-###-

West Linn-Wilsonville School District NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

August 12, 2022

CONTACT: Andrew Kilstrom, Director of Communications; kilstroa@wlwv.k12.or.us

West Linn-Wilsonville School District Receives Clean
2020-21 Financial Audit

The audit company, Pauly, Rogers & Co., presented the completed 2020-21 audit during the August 11 School Board Work Session. 

The completed audit reported no issues or exceptions in any of the audit findings, giving the district a “clean” opinion without reservations. Pauly, Rogers & Co. conducted their audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. 

“I can share that your staff were highly cooperative and knowledgeable about their duties and accounting standards,” said Senior Partner Roy Rogers in a written statement to the West Linn-Wilsonville Business Office. “The audit went smoothly with no particular issues. As you might know we audit more School Districts than any firm in the state so we have a very good lens of comparison with other Districts. You can rest assured that your staff were competent in completing their duties. … Congratulations to you all.”

The West Linn-Wilsonville School District hired Pauly, Rogers & Co. to complete an audit for fiscal year 2020-21 in April after terminating its existing contract with TKW Accounting due to long delays and uncertainty regarding completion.

The favorable results of this audit are consistent with every annual audit conducted of the school district’s finances and financial practices. In February of 2022, the West Linn-Wilsonville School District was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020. The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting is awarded by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada and is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. 

The recorded presentation by Pauly Rogers & Co to the School Board as well as the summary of results of the 2020-21 audit can be accessed through the Board Meeting district webpage. 

-###-

 

On Thursday, June 9, Wilsonville High School Senior Jair Gamez-Carrasco walked across the graduation stage to receive his high school diploma. He celebrated with friends, family, and the rest of the Class of 2022 — an opportunity that wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the life-saving measures of West Linn-Wilsonville staff and a Wilsonville Police Department School Resource Officer (SRO) just a few days prior.

On May 31, during an outdoor wellness class, Jair collapsed unexpectedly and began experiencing cardiac arrest. Immediately, West Linn-Wilsonville staff and SRO Officer Zach Keirsey jumped into action.

West Linn-Wilsonville Maintenance Member Lance Entzel, Wilsonville High School Teacher Laura Beko, and Nurse Mary Groh began administering CPR before SRO Zach Keirsey arrived to take over. Assistant Principal Tate Olson and Sergeant Matt Swanson were on scene just moments later with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to restore Jair’s heartbeat. All Emergency Response Team (ERT) trained, the group of staff members and law enforcement traded off administering life-saving measures while paramedics and other first responders arrived on site.

Jair was transported to a local hospital where he received immediate treatment, eventually undergoing surgery to receive a pacemaker. Jair remained in the hospital for multiple days before getting the all clear to return home. On June 8, just days after his traumatic experience, he returned to school to finish his high school career.

“I want to share with other families just how important it is for the schools to have people that are trained and have access to defibrillators for these situations,” said Jair’s mother, Maria Gamez. “The cardiologists were impressed with how fast the school and police officers acted because there was no time. From their experience, if it would have happened even 3 minutes later, he could have had brain damage or could have died.

 “They went above and beyond to save my son’s life. It was amazing and we’re just so grateful for everyone that responded.”

Now a Class of 2022 graduate, Jair has plans to attend trade school to become an electrician.

“I can already notice a difference in him,” Maria said. “It’s almost like he has a new outlook on life.”

Both West Linn-Wilsonville staff and Wilsonville Police Officers are ERT trained in CPR and the use of AED. District staff and local first responders meet regularly to partner on school safety topics and initiatives. To learn more about emergency preparedness and response, community members are encouraged to visit the West Linn-Wilsonville and Clackamas County Sherriff’s Office websites.

The City of Wilsonville contracts with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office to provide law enforcement services to the city.

-###-