Petition to Retain Lindsay Ruoff as SUN Site Manager at D. A. Grout Elementary

On May 23rd the Portland City Council and Mayor voted in favor of a budget which will cut 50-60 positions from Portland Parks & Recreation. Lindsay Ruoff (aka Teacher Lindsay), Grout’s Portland Parks and Rec. (PP&R) site manager could lose her job to another employee whose position is cut within the Parks department. We, the Grout community, feel like the real losers in this scenario. For over 10 years, Lindsay has worked with Grout students and staff as a PP&R SUN instructor and Portland Public Schools education assistant at Grout before becoming the site manager here. Her work has had an extremely positive effect on countless students and families. During that time, Lindsay has welcomed new Grout families into their school community, taught countless classes in SUN after school and SUN summer camp, and has worked in-depth with students to support their academic achievement during the school day.

Because Lindsay has been part of Grout for so many years, she knows our families and staff well and has worked with many of our children, brothers, and sisters of varying ages. In her first year as SUN site manager, she has worked to build a staff that reflects the diverse student body. This includes hiring a new SUN instructor who was a 5th grader at Grout during her first year as a SUN instructor in 2009, which is a testament to her long-term dedication to our school. She acts with a focus on equity, intention, and collaboration to make SUN a program that celebrates the Grout community.

Lindsay has worked tirelessly to support our students and families, and we ask that you let her continue her work. Grout Elementary School loves and supports Lindsay Ruoff and asks that she retains her position as Grout’s SUN site manager.

How can you help?

• Sign the petition at school or online (https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keep-lindsay-at-grout-petition)
• Write a letter of support.
  • Letters can be delivered to the main office or the SUN school office
  • Email letters to keeplindsayatgrout@gmail.com
• Spread the word! Know past or future families of Grout? We would love their support.

Please submit all letters by Thursday, June 6th as we will be submitting them on June 7th.

Petition and Letters of support will be shared with PP&R administrators and supervisors as they do the hard work of meeting the needs of our community and navigating the layoffs due to budget shortage.

Video in Support of Keeping Lindsay at Grout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGEdX5UOlD0

"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members." – Coretta Scott King

Thank you for your support.