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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 2020)
Wednesday, January 15, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon BOARD: District will get new school buses through grant Continued from page 3 greatly reduced price through grants, including from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation grant and the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act which encourages the replacement of old <dirty- fuel= buses with more effi- cient and cleaner new buses. <In essence,= said Superintendent Curt Scholl, <we are getting three buses for the price of some finance charges.= we are getting three buses for the price of some finance charges — Curt Scholl The federal government reimburses school districts for about 70 percent of the cost of student transportation, and these grants help cover the rest of the cost for these three buses. Board Chairman Wilkins thanked Ryan Stock for his work on helping to obtain the grants. The ground for the new bus transportation center being built near the SPRD property is cleared and con- struction should be underway soon, according to Scholl. Students from Rima Givot9s biology class made a presentation on the Trout Creek Conservation Area (TCCA) in lieu of a regu- lar report from high school Principal Joe Hosang, who was out of town. The TCCA is 160 protected, forested acres behind Sisters High School owned and man- aged by the Sisters School District. The property came to belong to the school via a land swap around 2003 and is used for educational pur- poses. The students shared a slide presentation depicting the studies that have been tak- ing place on the TCCA over the past decade or more. The area is home to some rare and protected species including Peck9s penstemon, the white- headed woodpecker and the flammulated owl. Over the years students have accumulated data on plant, animal and insect spe- cies living in the conserva- tion area. Students expressed heightened concerns about protecting the area given the Hayden Homes project that features the construction of hundreds of homes directly adjacent to the property. Joan Warburg, Sisters Elementary School principal, used her time to highlight the music program led by teacher Sara Miller, who orches- trated the annual Veteran9s Day assembly along with December9s holiday perfor- mance called <An Americana Christmas.= Miller is now working full-time at the elementary school after her position was expanded from half-time. <We even had grandpar- ents come from out-of-town and many visitors expressed how touched they were by the way our school honored them,= she said. Superintendent Scholl officially acknowledged <School Board Appreciation Week= before giving a report on enrollment and an update on the Mission/Vision project. Enrollment is up from what the District had projected, so adjustment in the report to the state is being made. Given that school funding is largely based on enrollment, increased numbers of students equate to more money in the District9s budget. Scholl also gave a brief update on the Student Investment Account (SIA), which refers to the fund- ing under Oregon9s Student Success Act (SSA), which amounts to about $200 mil- lion statewide for helping schools in four areas, includ- ing expansion of instructional time, addressing student health and safety (including mental health, social emo- tional well-being and behav- ioral health), reduction of class sizes and caseloads, and ensuring a well-rounded edu- cational experience from kin- dergarten through 12th grade. School districts acquire money from this fund through a grant process. Estimates for Sisters School District expected funding under SIA/ SSA are not finalized yet, but may be upwards of $750,000. How this money will be distributed in the District is under discussion among teachers and administration. The remainder of the meeting consisted of second readings of 12 board poli- cies that have been modified or updated for adoption on topics including nondis- crimination, equal employ- ment opportunity, workplace harassment, license require- ments, personal electronic devices/social media, report- ing suspected abuse of a child, public complaints, and hazing/harassment/intimi- dation/bullying/menacing/ cyberbullying. The next School Board meeting is set for Wednesday, February 5 at 5:00 p.m. at the Sisters School District Administration building. TAIKO: Drumming event is set at The Lodge in Sisters Continued from page 13 January 19 at The Lodge in Sisters, 411 E. Carpenter Ln., just opposite the post office. At noon, participants will gather for refresh- ments. The workshop itself takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. To register, email maesie. speer@calderaarts.org or call 503-937-3075. Local schools and kids throughout Central Oregon, including Sisters, are served by Caldera programs. The arts center also provides artist residencies, bring- ing a diverse array of artis- tic and literary voices to Sisters Country. They share their work at AiR (Artist in Residence) open studio events, free to the public. Details are available at www. calderaarts.org. Speer noted that all the presenting organizations involved with the taiko workshop are working to reduce isolation and build bridges. <Drumming and story- telling will get us into our bodies and hearts, where real connection happens,= she said. PHOTO BY ED SCHMIDT The Lodge in Sisters will host a taiko drumming workshop next weekend. Home Health a th & Wellness Start Here! Hot Tubs, Automated Covers, Spa Maintenance Services Traditional & Infrared Saunas Swim Spas • Essential Oils Wood Stoves • Pellet Grills Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. & Evenings by Appt. aquahott h ub.com b 541-410-1023 • 413 W. Hood Ave. SISTERS SHOOTOUT #1 JANUARY UARY 1 18-19 8 19 Life is better when it’s POWERED by a Breakfast Burrito... 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