Clackamas ESD To Relocate Heron Creek Program To Bolton Primary School Campus (Photo) - 05/19/26

New location will provide students with expanded school amenities and a supportive learning environment

Clackamas Education Service District (CESD) has reached an agreement with West Linn-Wilsonville School District to lease Bolton Primary School in West Linn as the new location for Heron Creek Therapeutic Program, a CESD program serving K-12 students with social-emotional and behavioral health needs and academic abilities.

“At Clackamas ESD, our work begins with children: their strengths, their needs, their dignity and their future,” said Larry Didway, CESD superintendent. “Heron Creek students deserve a learning environment that supports safety, belonging, growth, and success. This move gives students access to a more complete school environment while keeping their individualized needs at the center.”

Heron Creek provides therapy, social-emotional support, communication services, individualized small-group instruction, and therapeutic and behavior support as part of a strong educational experience for students who have not succeeded in traditional school settings. The program assesses the collective strengths of students, families, schools, and the community to develop collaborative plans that help students and families build the skills they need to transition to a less restrictive school setting. In the 2024-25 school year, Heron Creek served 104 students from throughout the region, including seven students from West Linn-Wilsonville School District. 

The Bolton campus, located at 5933 Holmes Street in West Linn, provides a school environment that better supports Heron Creek students’ academic, therapeutic, social-emotional, communication, and recreational needs.

The move will provide students with access to amenities Heron Creek does not currently have, including a gym, library, lunch room, and playground. These spaces will support movement, regulation, social connection, reading, routine, recreation, and play. 

While the location will change, Heron Creek’s mission will remain the same: to provide individualized education, therapeutic support, and a safe, structured environment for students who need a specialized setting.

“Heron Creek students thrive when they have structure, connection, and spaces that support their whole day at school,” said Stacey Sibley, CESD assistant director of therapeutic programs. “The Bolton campus will allow us to strengthen the academic, therapeutic, and social experiences we provide while continuing to honor each student’s individual needs, strengths, and readiness.”

Heron Creek is currently located at Marian Hall at Marylhurst Commons, on the former Marylhurst University campus. CESD is grateful to the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary for their partnership and support of Heron Creek students, families, and staff.