In 2025, Canby School District applied for and received a Technical Assistance Program (TAP) grant for long-range facility planning from the State of Oregon. The grant is designed to help districts plan for capital improvements and ensure school facilities meet the educational vision of the community, now and into the future. It requires meaningful community involvement in four areas:

• Determining the educational vision of the local community
• Reviewing the costs of identified improvements
• Prioritizing those improvements
• Identifying potential sources of funding

The process culminates in a long-range facility plan, submitted to the State, that describes how the District will address its facilities over the next ten years. The plan also draws on population projections by school age group, collaboration with local government planning agencies, a review of any buildings on historic preservation lists, the changes needed to bring facilities to a “good” or “excellent” educational adequacy rating, and alternatives to new construction or major renovation.

The Board has asked the Committee to convene regularly and deliver its final recommendations on or around December 3, 2026, reporting progress to the District and School Board along the way. The Committee’s recommendation must:

• Identify facility needs, prioritizing the most urgent capital needs first
• Leverage data and findings from the District’s 2025 Facility Condition and ADA Assessments
• Make every effort to ensure student and staff learning and teaching environments meet current standards
• Address safety considerations
• Include short- and long-term considerations in a comprehensive 10-year facility plan
• Consist of pragmatic solutions that promote longevity and durability and lower long-term maintenance and upkeep costs

The Committee’s work centers on one question: what improvements do Canby’s school buildings need, and in what priority, to address the District’s aging infrastructure? The Committee’s work is separate from the District’s school consolidation review being led by the School Board.

The Committee and School Board jointly launched a community-wide survey at the October 8 meeting. The survey has two parts:

• Part 1 — Input for the Long-Range Facility Committee. Stakeholder feedback on facility priorities that will directly inform the Committee’s work. Results will be reviewed by the Committee at its November 5 meeting.
• Part 2 — Input for the School Board. Information for the Board to consider as part of the school consolidation review it is leading.

The survey is available at https://tejoin.com/scroll/933575615 or by scanning the fQR Code:

The first meeting focused on building a strong foundation for the work ahead. Members introduced themselves and shared their connections to Canby schools, reviewed the TAP grant and the Committee’s charge, and discussed draft operating norms covering how the group will show up, listen, work together, make decisions and communicate outside the room, including a commitment to advance what is best for all Canby students.

Members then worked in table groups through a “Know-Wonder-Hope” activity, sharing what they already know about Canby’s facilities, what questions they want answered, and what success would look like. Those themes will help shape the information brought to future meetings.

“The members of this committee don’t need to arrive with the answers. Their experience and perspective are what make a plan like this credible to the community it serves. Pairing that voice with solid facility data and community involvement is how Canby will arrive at a plan people can trust,” said Dr. Wade Smith of Consertus, who is helping facilitate the Committee’s work.

The Committee’s tentative meeting dates are as follows and will take place at district schools from 4:00 - 6:00 pm. Campus tours will be provided prior to each meeting for Committee members, and their meetings are open to the public. Meeting locations will be announced on the district’s website once they are finalized.

Date: October 8, 2026 (held)

Focus: Introductions, TAP grant and Committee charge, operating norms, Know-Wonder-Hope activity, community survey launch

Date:October 22, 2026

Focus: Ninety-One School

• 3:30 school tour
• 4-6:00 pm meeting

Facilities assessment and ADA review; enrollment and capacity analysis

Date: November 5, 2026

Focus: Location TBD

Stakeholder survey results; high-level cost assumptions; capital funding and financing overview

Date: November 17, 2026

Focus: Location TBD

Project prioritization and draft plan development

Date: December 3, 2026

Focus: Location TBD

Prioritization and plan deliberation; finalize Committee recommendation