Logo
Do Jump
ISSUE #33.37 • NEWS • COLUMN
Q & A

Connie Van Brunt


The new executive director of the Portland Schools Foundation talks about her race—to help kids.

Social bookmarking | Permalink
Email | Print | Rate It! | 5 comments
Recently in "Q & A"

October 3rd, 2007
Last Kiss1 comment

September 19th, 2007
Terry Shanley | Former real-estate developer makes a SMART move to help Oregon’s youngest students.4 comments

September 12th, 2007
Nydia Velázquez | A congresswoman’s first trip to Portland is the latest in her long line of more important firsts.1 comment

September 5th, 2007
Carol Cushman | The president of the League of Women Voters of Portland defends “voter-owned elections.”0 comments

August 29th, 2007
Barbara Ehrenreich | The Nickel and Dimed author wrote the book on lousy jobs.2 comments

August 22nd, 2007
Rep. Brian Baird | A Democratic congressman who opposed the Iraq War now supports the surge and thinks discussing withdrawal is stupid and irresponsible. What the...?1 comment

August 15th, 2007
Elaine Calder | New Oregon Symphony president sounds off on classical vs. gospel and fundraising.2 comments

August 8th, 2007
Alan Espasandin and Darrin Taylor | Double shot: Two longtime OLCC officers are now consultants to bar owners.4 comments

August 1st, 2007
Paul Swangard | Despite dogfighting, steroids and suspect refs, a UO sports marketing expert says the games will go on.1 comment

July 18th, 2007
Matthew Rothschild | One man's peace and impeachment recipe for progressivism.0 comments



IMAGE: cameronbrowne.com
BY BETH SLOVIC | bslovic at wweek dot com

[July 25th, 2007]

It's noon on a recent Thursday, and Connie Van Brunt pulls her glasses down her nose to reveal the tired eyes hidden behind them.

That morning, while much of Portland was still asleep, Van Brunt had attended a 7:30 am welcoming breakfast hosted by the Black Alliance for Educational Options. Just 12 hours earlier, she'd been flying back from the education conference of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle. And that was just one 24-hour period in Van Brunt's second week on the job.

Since her arrival in Portland July 9 as the new executive director of the Portland Schools Foundation, Van Brunt has been meeting leaders from the Urban League of Portland to interim Portland Public Schools Superintendent Ed Schmitt.

Her pace in Portland appears to match the urgency of her mission at the private foundation that raises money for Portland Public Schools—to boost student achievement in a district where tests show it's improving, but not fast enough. "There's no time to fool around," says Van Brunt.

A storyteller and self-identified "nerd," Van Brunt was a founding editor of Ebony, Jr.! magazine in 1973 and directed educational programs for a charter school organization in Chicago before coming to Portland.

WW : Does Portland live up to its progressive hype?
Connie Van Brunt: The African-American community had a welcoming reception for me. It was totally multicultural. They were saying they hadn't really done this type of thing, and that they were really happy to do that.

What does that say about Portland?
I was thinking, "There's a reason that they're doing this." Maybe the reason is me. But I'm humble. A lot of people grew up on Ebony, Jr.! magazine. But I think it was more than that. I think it was an affirmation of "We really want to see this work done, and we want to see it done well."

How does your race play a role in your job?
When I was interviewing with the staff, I said, "While you're checking me out, I'm also checking you out. Is the fact that I'm African American critical to how you feel about me, one? And, two, are you just looking for a figurehead?" Some organizations sometimes hire a figurehead of color, and that won't work with me. They were so funny and so candid. One woman said, "You're really qualified, but it helps that you're black." [Van Brunt laughs.]


















icon Story continues below

advertisement

advertisement

What do you see as the role of a private foundation with respect to Portland Public Schools?
It seems as though it's evolving.... Things are in a good place now, in terms of school funding.... That gives the schools foundation a big opportunity to be engaged in community work.

What's that mean?
Just from my talk with Vicki Phillips [the former superintendent of Portland Public Schools, whom Van Brunt met for the first time at the recent Gates Foundation conference] it seems as though the schools are really on the right track on some of the things that they're pursuing, like the K-8 initiative [merging some elementary and middle schools]. The foundation is really on the right track with its role re-engaging kids who might be distant.

Shortly after wweek.com reported your hiring, retired educator Terry Olson raised questions about your work at a charter school organization in Chicago on his blog, joesschool.blogs.com. Had you ever been blogged about?
All the time.... But I'd never been blogged about critically. I take it as an open discussion instead of criticism. I was happy to be part of the discussion. I didn't think there was a clear understanding of me.

Some in Portland think charter schools threaten neighborhood schools. Why did you work for a charter school organization?
Here's the thing about charter schools. When I went there, [the CEO] said, "We have low-income children of color, and I know that's your deal." I said, "Yes, that's my deal." She said, "Our achievement profile isn't what we want it to be. We don't have a problem with money. If you had the funds to do what you think is most critical, what would you do?" I took the job and said, "In two years, we're going to move from this performance profile to one that's truly college preparatory."... That's a good thing. That's not a right-wing scheme to privatize public education.





Raised in California, Van Brunt is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The Portland Schools Foundation has an annual budget of $5.5 million to spend in a district with an annual budget of $400 million.

 

Rate This Story
Be the first to rate this story.

 
read all 5 comments | add your comment
 

RECENT COMMENTS ON “Connie Van Brunt”

2

I think it's short-sighted to assume that everything is rosy with school funding. Despite what the school board claims, cuts to programs (and services) are still occurring in Portland. Consider Benso...

Terry, Jul 25th, 2007 11:42am
3

I've had the chance to work with Connie on other projects in Chicago. She is most dedicated to the children themselves, not simply any "-winged agenda." I do not claim to know the intracac...

Robert F., Jul 25th, 2007 11:28pm
4

"Just from my talk with Vicki Phillips [the former superintendent of Portland Public Schools, whom Van Brunt met for the first time at the recent Gates Foundation conference] it seems as though t...

Zarwen, Jul 26th, 2007 8:35pm
5

Mr. Robert F...First of all, Chicago is not Portland. Our schools are in pretty good shape, except for the many closures and K-8 reconfiguration mess instigated by Phillips. Oh, and also the numerous ...

megs, Aug 2nd, 2007 6:49am
 
 
 




Frighttown
Ad

Ad

Ad

Sponsored Links: WW Personals
Musician's Market
Snowboard Jackets


Recently in Willamette Week
October 15th 2008WW Voters’ Guide, November 2008 | Tough choices, no brainers: Our endorsements for the general election.
October 15th 2008Unlucky Strike | The Oregon lottery is going into detox—and our state budget is along for the smoke-free ride.
October 15th 2008Jail Junkies | Who knows more about stopping property crime: Kevin Mannix or an ex-addict who stole 1,000 cars?
October 15th 2008Shipracked | Judy Shiprack wants to be your next county commissioner. Here’s what she doesn’t want you to know about a real-estate deal gone bad.
October 15th 2008Señor Smith | Low-wage Latino workers keep Sen. Gordon Smith’s family business humming. Not all of them are legal.
October 15th 2008OMFG IT'S MFNW!
October 15th 2008Sometimes a Great Lawsuit | Ken Kesey’s last prank pits his widow in a court battle with his best friend and a Playboy model.
October 15th 2008Sliced Bread, Beware | A better fire hose, a poker aid & a foldable clipboard—meet six Portland inventors whose big ideas are the best thing since, well, you know.
October 15th 2008How to Live Cheap in Portland | Throwing too much money away on food and shelter? here’s WW’s Recession Survival Guide.