Woodburn School District names Oscar Moreno Gilson superintendent, starts in July

The Woodburn School Board has picked Oscar Moreno Gilson as the soon-to-be superintendent of the Woodburn School District. 

Coming from Portland Public Schools, Gilson has 22 years of experience as a bilingual teacher, principal and district-level administrator.

His contract — approved by the board Thursday — begins July 1 and extends through June 20, 2023. His annual salary starts at $170,000. 

Following the retirement of Chuck Ransom in June, 2019, Bill Rhoades has been serving as the district's interim superintendent,

Gilson said he'll first focus on building relationships with students, families, educators and community members. 

Woodburn schools serve more than 5,500 students, 83% percent of whom identify as Latino/Hispanic, along with 31% of the district's teachers.

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More than 95% of the district's students are considered to be living in poverty, meaning they qualify for free and reduced-priced meals based on household incomes. 

Yet the district achieved an 88.5% four-year graduation rate in 2018-19, almost 9 percentage points higher than the statewide average the same year.

"Woodburn is a high needs district," Gilson said. "We need to make sure (the students) know the world is theirs."

Bringing his experience to Woodburn

Gilson earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education degrees from Portland State University, an English for Speakers of Other Languages/bilingual endorsement from Lewis and Clark College, and a continuing administrative license from Portland State.

He began his career as a bilingual elementary school teacher, working for eight years in Portland Public Schools and later in the Forest Grove School District. His first served as principal at a K-8 school in Corvallis.

Gilson currently works as a district administrator supervising principals in Portland Public Schools.

"We can see Oscar as a role model to youth in Woodburn and as a focused, inspiring leader who will view our educational enterprise through a social justice lens," said Linda Reeves, chairwoman of the Woodburn School Board.

Gilson said he's always been drawn to schools and students who face the greatest challenges, especially from working in Title I schools.

After becoming a teacher, he realized the impact he could have on 30 students. He began to wonder if he could make that same difference leading a school of 300, then maybe 3,000, and so on. 

Gilson said he's been able to close the educational gap between black and brown identifying students and their white peers, which he plans to do in Woodburn as well.

Woodburn has especially low rates of students in third and eighth grade who are meeting state standards for English language arts and math standardized tests, for example, with white students performing better than any other racial or ethnic subgroup. 

"(When we're) able to close the opportunity gap, everybody benefits," Gilson said.

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Serving as a role model, mentor

Growing up as a Latino immigrant, Gilson said he only saw people who looked like him working in fields or as cleaning staff. He'd settled with the idea he was meant to work at a gas station.

But after reaching out to a Latino leader in Hillsboro, Gilson was able to see someone from his community in an educational setting, shake his hand and visualize himself in that same place. Gilson said it "gave (him) a glimpse that it could be done."

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He knows many may not go out of their way to find someone with a similar background. He wants to be that mentor or coach for those who need it.

"I struggled to believe in myself," he said, adding he believed he may never learn English because he thought he was "too dumb." 

Now, he goes to work every day, dressed in a suit, working to ensure "kids see themselves as being able to do whatever they want to do." 

Gilson's number one goal is to educate kids and prepare them for the future. To do so, he'll start by listening to key stakeholders in the district, including parents and students. 

"The work that any leader needs to do first is embrace relationships," he said. "If we don't have that, nothing else will happen."

Gilson has provided the school board with a 100-day transition plan for when he takes office, as well as plans for his first year in the position, mainly focusing on engaging with the community.

He plans to align his work closely with the school board and district's five-year strategic plan, of which they are in the second year. 

The district is known for its dual-language offerings and career technical education programs. Gilson said he wants to first build trust and relationships with the community so when changes are made, they know where he is coming from and decisions are communicated clearly. 

Gilson has been married to fellow educator Kirey Gilson for 22 years. They have two children in middle and high school.

The family has moved multiple times, Gilson said, but they are now able to provide the children more consistency. As a result, they are still deciding whether to move so he's closer.

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Regardless, Gilson said he won't let that affect his commitment to the school district.

"The community is going to see me there, whether it's a.m., p.m., the weekend," he said. "They're going to see me super involved. I'm going to make the Woodburn community my community."

For more information, go to www.woodburnsd.org or call 503-981-9555.

Contact education reporter Natalie Pate at npate@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6745 or follow Natalie on Twitter @Nataliempate or Facebook at www.Facebook.com/nataliepatejournalist.