The Oregon City School Board will appoint a new member Aug. 10, filling a seat that carries immediate oversight of $163 million in bond-funded construction already underway at three elementary schools.

Five finalists will interview beginning at 6 p.m. at Roger Rook Hall at Clackamas Community College, 19600 Molalla Ave. The board's regular session follows at 7 p.m. Board Chair Katie Wilson said at the July 27 work session that the new director will take the oath of office the same evening.

The Position 7 seat opened after Director Pamela White resigned effective June 9. The board accepted her resignation 7-0 on April 27 and launched an application period June 1. Wilson confirmed at the July 27 work session that a rubric-based scoring process produced five finalists from what she called "a strong group of applicants."

Each candidate gets a 20-minute in-person interview with a five-minute break between sessions. Questions were shared with candidates in advance, and a random generator determined interview order. Under Oregon Public Meetings Law, candidates may remain in the room during other interviews. The board also prepared three tie-breaker questions.

What the new director walks into

Whoever takes the oath joins a board overseeing active construction at Candy Lane, Holcomb and John McLoughlin elementary schools. Crews broke ground in June 2026 under the district's Measure 3-616 bond, approved by voters in November 2024. Completion is targeted for August 2027.

The projects total roughly $76.7 million across the three schools: $32.2 million at John McLoughlin, $28.7 million at Holcomb and $15.8 million at Candy Lane (which includes $2 million in state OSCIM matching funds). Each school is getting a new or renovated cafeteria, classroom pods converted to individual classrooms, library improvements, a family resource center, renovated bathrooms and refreshed interiors.

Candy Lane students relocated to the district's King campus for the 2026-2027 school year so construction could proceed safely.

Superintendent Dayle Spitzer reported at the board's July 13 meeting that construction progress across district sites was dramatic. "By week three, the spaces were almost unrecognizable," she said after walking through Gardiner and Tumwata schools during summer work.

The bond program also includes Phase 3 work at Beavercreek, Redland and Gaffney Lane elementary schools scheduled for summer 2027, plus a $5 million career and technical education expansion at Oregon City High School that began construction this summer. State law requires the district to spend 85% of bond proceeds within three years of issuance.

As of Oct. 31, 2025, total bond revenue stood at $184.4 million, including original proceeds, sale premiums, $6 million in state matching funds and $1.8 million in investment interest, according to a Community Bond Oversight Committee report.

The board plans to schedule a retreat after the new member is seated. The Aug. 10 meeting is open to the public.