Riverdale voters elected Michele Rosenbaum four years ago on her commitments to restore learning to our students who were losing out due to the pandemic and ensure that district leaders became responsive to parents and families. Michele is proud of what has been accomplished in her first term and she is committed to continue this work .

 

Looking Ahead to the Next Four Years

 

Stability Will Restore Riverdale

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• Riverdale had six different superintendents between 2018 and 2022. 

• Leadership instability prevented long -term planning and left the district unprepared to manage a crisis like the pandemic. 

• During Michele’s first term, Riverdale recruited its first full-time superintendent in five years. 

• This year, she led the successful negotiations to renew our superintendent’s contract for another three years.

• Michele will fight to ensure continued high caliber, stable executive leadership. She forged a collaborative and constructive relationship with our transformative superintendent and will continue the momentum in the district.

 

K-8 Needs to Be #1 in Oregon

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• Thirty years ago, our community came together and succeeded in preserving our district by establishing its high school.

• This year, Riverdale was named #1 public high school in Oregon. 

• Riverdale Grade School must be next.

• Riverdale has done better than other districts in Oregon at recovering from the very real pandemic learning losses, and Michele will continue to fight to ensure our students excel in all subjects.Michele is helping to pursue International Baccalaureate qualification not just for the high school, but also our middle school grades, so that Riverdale students are competitive wherever they may go.

 

Fiscal Responsibility Means School Excellence

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• In 2018, Riverdale’s acting superintendent declared that Riverdale’s habit of deficit spending was a “foundational problem.”

• This year, when neighboring districts run multi-million dollar deficits and are cutting staff, Riverdale passed a balanced budget.

• Responsible fiscal management depends on prudent management of taxpayer dollars. 

• Fiscal prudence allows Riverdale to be the best, through maintaining small class sizes; preserving music, language, and arts; investing in math, science, and technology; and continuing to offer exceptional experiential learning through Field Studies.

• Michele’s leadership has protected small class sizes, restored French language at the high school, helped enhance the technology lab at the high school, and brought back Field Studies. 

 

Exceptional Neighborhood Schools Attract Families

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• Portland is losing families. Between 2020 and 2023, Multnomah County lost more than 27,000 residents, with Portland losing more than 22,000 people. 

• Today, only a third of Dunthorpe households have children under the age of 18. 

• Population losses are showing up in declining public school enrollment.

• Riverdale must be a beacon of school excellence in a neighborhood setting.

• During Michele’s first term, when Portland schools saw enrollment declines in the double-digits, Riverdale bucked this trend, with only a 2% reduction in enrollment. 

• Riverdale must manage the demographic headwinds facing our region by remaining a sought after choice for district families and those outside our district who prioritize the best education for their children.

• Michele is also committed to restoring the Pre-K program that was shuttered in 2020, so that families can begin their school journey right here.

 

Board Onboarding and Professionalization

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During her tenure, Michele identified the absence of a formal onboarding process for Riverdale Board members and took initiative to address it. Drawing on her experience with other boards, she has partnered with the Superintendent to develop a comprehensive, codified onboarding manual.

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• This effort mirrors broader professionalization initiatives in the District, such as the full policy review and creation of an HR manual completed under recent Superintendents.

• Michele’s work ensures that future Board Directors and leaders are well-prepared, aligned, and equipped to serve effectively from day one.

 

Michele brings a proven track record of results—one that sets the stage for Riverdale’s next success milestone. In a time when stability, collaboration, and strategic thinking are more important than ever, experienced leadership matters. Michele continues to grow in her role, lead with intention, and remain deeply engaged with the needs of our schools and community. She is reenergized by the opportunity to serve Riverdale/Dunthorpe and build on the strong foundation of the past four years. Michele would be honored to earn your vote on May 20th.

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For a deeper understanding of Michele’s accomplishments during her tenure, please continue reading Achievements or Excellence.

 

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