Portlands Alder Elementary - the nation's first dreamer school ribbon cutting celebration

The Dreamer School will serve as a new educational and community change model

Alder Elementary Students, Parents and Staff at Teddy Bear Parade on 9/25/10

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The "I Have A Dream" Foundation – Oregon has selected Alder Elementary School as the First Dreamer School in the nation. Please join us for the ribbon cutting ceremony, on October 5, 2010 from 1 to 3pm at Alder Elementary, which is located at 17200 SE Alder Street in Portland. The welcome tour will begin at 1 pm. A ribbon cutting with remarks from Senate Mark Hass, Chair of the Senate Education Committee and Mayor Sam Adams will be begin at 2pm.

The Dreamer School model will build on "I Have A Dream" Foundation-Oregon's past success. Outcomes from the original model include a doubling of high school graduation rates. Expanding the model from serving third graders through college to a model that serve children from a birth to career focus will dramatically increase the impact from 300 to 3,000 kids per year over the next decade.

The Dreamer School will serve as a new educational and community change model to increase post-secondary completion rates for low-income students. Alder Elementary is a school is located in the Rockwood neighborhood and serves approximately 600 students from diverse backgrounds, 92% of students are enrolled in free or reduced-price meal programs.