TheDallesChronic
le.com
The Dalles
Entertainment
Update | A3
upda nm t en e t
Snowboard
Chronicle
E N T E R TA
en te rtai
INMENT
Wednesday,
January 22,
Party at Rivert
ap Jan. 24
Live music
Friday, Jan. coming up at Riverta
Snowboard 24: Monster Hutch p:
prize giveaw Video Premier Party, presents the 2020
featuring music,
ays,
Sunday, Jan. 5-11 p.m.
raffle and
26: Sunday
Black Trio, 6:30-8:3
Night Jam featurin
Rivertap, 703 0 p.m.
g The Reddy
E 2nd St, The
Dalles; 541-296
-7870.
Gorge Winds
seeks condu
The Gorge
ctor
new volunte Winds Concert Band
from Februa er Conductor. Perform is currently seeking
Applications ry to July, and Septem ance schedule runs a
ber through
gorgewindsba close Feb. 14. For more
December.
nd.org/conduc
inform
tors/2020-con ation visit www.
ductor-search.
Cascade Singe
rs meet; conce
Cascade Singers
rts planned
choir rehears
meet Sunday
als for all interest
Streets, in The s at Zion Lutheran Church
ed singers
on Thursdays Dalles, 7-9 p.m. One-ho , 10th and Union
Upcoming at 7 p.m. at First United ur work sessions
meet
March. For performances are schedu Methodist Church
more inform
.
led for Februa
milesmansfield
ation
93@gmail.com contact Miles Thomin ry, and
g-Gale at
.
Kit Garoutte
Countryside
at
Tarwater, Feast
Join guitaris
Thursday, t Kit Garoutte and
Salmon, with Jan. 23 and Jan. 30: friends at a venue near
Feast
you:
Tuesdays pianist Tim Mayer, 5:30-7:3 Market, White
0 p.m.
Flemming, at Tarwater Tavern (White
5-7 p.m.
Salmon), with
Ann
Pat Stilwell
Band at Zim’s
Live music
Jan. 25
Friday, Jan. coming up at Zim’s:
Saturday, 24: Big River Blues Band,
7-10 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 25: Pat Stilwell
Kenny Olsen, Jan. 28: Tuesday Taps Band, 7-10 p.m.
& Tunes with
7-9 p.m.
Zim’s Brau Haus,
Al Hare and
604 E 2nd St.,
The Dalles;
541-296-2368.
Ride plays
The Eagles
Lodge in The
Dalles Jan.
Place, The
25.
beginning Dalles) hosts the Region
and presen Saturday, Feb. 1, at 1:30 al History Forum series
Free admiss tations from top local p.m. featuring lecture
and regiona
From Radica ion; donations accepte
l historia s
(Janice Dilg); l Idea to Ratification: d. Saturday, Feb. 1: ns.
Social ‘Influen Saturday, Feb. 8: Women’s Voting Rights
Saturday, Feb. cers’ of Their Day The Women of Sorosis
(Denis
:
15: Rufus and
e Dietrich Bokum
End World
the
Finding the War II (Cal McDermid); Army Camp that Helped );
Wire Trail:
the Gorge (Dave
Early Instant Saturday, Feb. 22:
Saturday, Feb. and Helen Wand Communication
and Larry McGin in
29: Famous
Dinner? (Rodge
r Nichols). Visitors: Guess Who nis);
Came to
‘Ronnie & Mega
Mardi Gras
n’ at
Submitted
Photo
2020   A3
Sutton-Lott
takes first at
tourney | A9 ▶
Midweek
$1.00
January 22, 2020
The Dalles, Oregon
www.thedalleschronicle.com
White Buffa
Transport
On Thursday,
Feb. 8
lo Jan. 23
Jan. 23, from
at the Columb yourself to the French
instrumentalist
6-8
Celebration ia Gorge Discovery Quarter of New Orlean
guitarist Megan and singer, teams- p.m. Ronnie Ontiveros,
Center
Saturday, Feb.
s
jazz music and
Buffalo Wines, Alder for a fun and up with singer/songwr
8, 7-11 p.m. ’s Mardi Gras
iter/ 21 and
endear
profess
4040 Westcli
Authentic food,
ff Dr., Hood ing duo. White
over only. The ional Tarot Card reading
live
River; 541-386
Discovery Drive,
Colum
s. Tickets
-5534.
The Dalles. bia Gorge Discovery Center, $20.
541-296-8600,
5000
www.gorgedis Open daily from 9 a.m.
Countryside
covery.org.
to 5 p.m.;
Ride at Eagle
Countryside
s Jan. 25
Saturday Jan. Ride returns to The
classic country 25, at 7 p.m. Break Dalles Eagles Lodge
Pride Book
out
on
Club
by
your
the
dancing boots
meets Feb.
nals—with
The
stars and Countr
pedal steel biggest
13
with 7:30 Pride Book Club meets
The Eagles Lodge,
and twin Telecas
yside
p.m. to
Thursday, Feb.
ter guitars origi-
2006 W. Seventh
an Americ discuss “Becom
13,
St., The Dalles. in the mix. is open an Family,” by Amy ing Nicole: The transfo from 6:30-
rmation of
to all pers
Ellis Nut
party
Vol. 229, Issue 7
D21 board: dual
language program
feels rushed
Cecil
■ By The Neita
Dalles Chronicle
School board members had
tough feedback Jan. 15 for propo-
nents of starting a dual language
immersion program, saying
they liked the concept but the
process felt rushed and lacked
communication.
Backers, meanwhile, said the idea
has proven popular with parents,
and of 190 surveyed, 70 percent
(132), said they would enroll their
child in the program. Another 18
percent (35) said they might, and
only 13 percent (25) said no.
They emphasized it would start
small, in just one school in one
or two kindergarten classes, and
would grow one grade level per
school year.
The plan as it stands calls for
starting the program next fall—at
a school site to be announced Feb.
27—with one or two kindergarten
classes made up equally of native
Spanish speakers and non-Spanish
speakers, who would be chosen
by lottery. Lessons would be 90
percent in Spanish, and would
gradually become an equal mix of
English and Spanish by the end of
elementary school. Another grade
would be added each year, and
would ultimately go through 12th
grade.
Comments from the North Wasco
County School District 21 board
came after teachers and other
speakers were similarly critical of
the process at the beginning of the
meeting. (See related story.)
Superintendent Candy
Armstrong said via email after the
meeting that the dual immersion
committee would meet to review
the board’s feedback and determine
what to recommend.
She said, “The location is a major
concern and the committee has
definitely not determined a recom-
mendation on location.”
Colonel Wright teachers told the
board in December they heard their
site was being considered and they
said it would force non-Spanish
speaking teachers to be relocated
to another school and the tight-knit
Colonel Wright school would no
longer be a neighborhood school
but a destination school.
D21 board member Solea
Kabakov said, “I completely support
the program, it’s the process to get
there that feels flawed.”
She said the committee studying
it seemed small and didn’t repre-
sent enough groups.
Board Vice Chair Jose Aparicio
said that nobody who would ben-
efit from the program was on the
committee, “or even in the room,”
he said of the 40-strong meeting
crowd.
Committee members include the
superintendent, the principals of
all three elementaries, the district
human resources director, English
Language Learner (ELL) teachers
Barbara Pizzola walks the red carpet to the stage after being named Woman of the Year at the Distinguished Citizens
Awards Banquet Jan. 16. The banquet is hosted by The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce.
Mark B. Gibson photos
Teachers
criticize
process
Dual language
program a good
idea, but needs
more input
Cecil
■ By The Neita
Dalles Chronicle
Teachers and parents told the
D21 school board Jan. 15 a pro-
posed dual language immer-
sion program was a good idea
whose time has not yet come.
Still needed, they said, was
more communication with
both staff and the community.
Joel Vaught, a Colonel Wright
parent whose spouse is an
educator there, said adding
a dual immersion program is
as long lasting a change to the
district as the district’s facilities
planning process.
Vaught said the North Wasco
County School District 21’s
ongoing facilities planning
process has been “open, honest
and collaborative,” and the
public has been invited to par-
ticipate because the communi-
ty has a stake in it.
In contrast, he said, the dual
language immersion (DLI) pro-
cess has been “secretive, closed
and exclusive.”
He said several Colonel
Wright staff asked to be in-
volved and were told no. “Those
pushing this DLI implemen-
tation do not seem to have
the same idea that the entire
community has a stake in this
process.”
The D21 board itself was also
critical of the planning process
for the program. (See related
story.)
See LANGUAGE, page A4
See TEACHERS, page A4
Visionaries of our Time
Awards banquet honors
outstanding citizens
Gibson
■ Mark
The Dalles Chronicle
A host of citizens and business-
es were recognized as “Visionaries
of Our Time” during The Dalles
Area Chamber of Commerce’s
Distinguished Citizens Award
Banquet at the Fort Dalles
Readiness Center Thursday. The
event also featured the Mid-
Columbia Health Foundation’s
philanthropy awards, previously
awarded at a second annual ban- Jim Wilcox puts his hat back on as he returns to his table after being named Man
quet hosted by the foundation.
of the Year during the annual chamber banquet at the Fort Dalles Readiness
The banquet is a Chamber
Center.
kick-off for the coming year, and
Connie Ford of Zim’s Brau Haus
was introduced as the Chamber
board chair for 2020, receiving the
gavel from former chair Andrew
Myers. The seventeen board mem-
bers were also introduced, as were
14 chamber ambassadors.
Outstanding Awards
Lisa Farquharson, executive di-
rector of the Chamber, announced
each of the Chamber’s eight
‘distinguished citizens,’ noting
that the theme of the banquet was
“Visionaries of Our Time.”
“When we think visionaries, we
think of someone who thinks about
the future or advancements in a
creative or imaginative way. When
you are in the presence of a true
visionary, you can feel their power
because they are focused and
present. Tonights honorees are a
great example of ‘visionaries’ in our
community,” Farquharson said.
Eunice Denudt, left, is escorted to the stage after being named Volunteer of the
Year for 2020 at the Distinguished Citizens Awards Banquet. For more images
from the event, visit www.thedalleschronicle.com.
peace.
“She decided that when she had
regained her speach, and her ability
to walk, she was going to make sure
that others would receive that same
Volunteer of the Year
gift in the hope it would give them
comfort,” Farquharson said.
The 2020 Volunteer of the
For over three years now, Denudt
Year award was given to Eunice
Denudt, who was described as one has been crocheting blankets for
the welcome baskets at Columbia
who “does not sit idly and always
Basin care center. She has cro-
has the need to serve others.”
Farquharson explained that in
cheted over 150 blankets, and each
recent years, Denudt had suffered resident now has one.
a stroke that left her, temporarily,
“She never forgot the wonderful
unable to walk or talk. As she was
feeling to gave her to have some-
learning again how to walk and
thing handmade, just for yer during
speak, “an act of kindness spoke
her rehabilitation and the many
to her and gave her comfort and
moments of feeling down and
frustrated,” Farquharson said.
Youth of the Year
Honored as the Outstanding
Youth of the Year was Jacob Field.
“I had the honor of meeting our
student of the year a few years ago,
and was impressed with his level of
collaboration, leadership, ingenu-
ity and creativity on a team,” said
Farquharson.
Field is working to make sure
elementary students, fellow high
school students and the commu-
nity have the opportunity to learn
about STEM (science, technology,
See AWARDS, page A4
Teacher decries unpaid hours, excessive demands
Cecil
■ By The Neita
Dalles Chronicle
Chenowith Elementary teacher
Mary Tyree told the D21 board last
Wednesday she felt undervalued,
unappreciated and exploited as a
teacher.
She said she sent out a sur-
vey to district teachers and 120
responded. She said on average,
they worked 10 extra hours a week
outside their paid teaching hours.
Also, half of the respondents had a
second job.
She brought a board that listed
the various places in town where
teachers held second jobs.
She said the extra unpaid 10
hours a week averaged to 400 hours
a school year. “That’s 50 addition-
al 8-hour days not spent with my
family. Fifty days doing work for
this district and not resting, doing
hobbies, seeing people we love and
taking care of ourselves. We are all
INSIDE
Senior News
Entertainment
Obituaries
hardworking people and as teach-
ers expect to give of ourselves, but
this has gone too far.”
North Wasco County School
District 21 Board Chair John
Nelson, a retired teacher, said
the same issues have plagued
the profession for decades. He
recounted being given a blan-
ket years ago at one school he
worked at, so he could stay warm
on the nights he worked late, past
the time the building heat was
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turned down.
“There’s never enough money
to reward teachers with the money
they deserve,” Nelson said.
Tyree listed 40 initiatives, pro-
grams, committees and responsibil-
ities she had, ranging from creating
resources for lessons to grading
papers to doing plays to remember-
ing student health issues and which
kids need more food, sleep, clothes,
and love.
“The list goes on. I haven’t even
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asked anyone else,” she said.
“I feel either you pay me to do all
of this work or you stop asking me
to do all of it. I’m not ‘drowning,’
as we like to say, I’m done. Twenty
percent turnover in the district
shows most people are.”
She said, “there are so many
programs, initiatives, new ideas, etc,
happening now. You can’t pay as
much as Dufur can. The district has
nowhere near the reserves it should
have in the budget.”
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