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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (April 30, 2020)
8A — THE OBSERVER DISTANCE Continued from Page 1A from my computer,” Cahill said. He would prefer to be moving, though, and he is not alone among edu- cators suddenly teaching remotely from their homes. La Grande Middle School health and physical education teacher Melinda Becker-Bisenius shares this sentiment. “I’m used to being more active. I was taking 15,000 steps a day and now I’m taking 1,000,” Beck- er-Bisenius said. The health and phys- ical education teacher said she misses the fast-paced, activity-filled days she is accustomed to at the middle school and thinks many students also want to return to the more invig- orating traditional school experience. She noted even students who did not appear to like school are indicating they are bored and want to be come back. Becker-Bisenius is asking her students to keep daily exercise logs, which they are turning in online. She and Doug Schow, also a PE and health teacher at La Grande Middle School, are hoping to make online exercise presentations for students later this spring. Exercise is something March wants to get more of during her long days as a distance educator. “I am not living a healthy lifestyle. I am not walking around,” said March, who anticipated she would be taking many more breaks than she has been. Going online is ‘crisis education’ The switch to distance education has given La Grande High students more flexibility, but March said this has cost them some stability. “They now have to organize their days. Before, we (the school) organized it for them,” the Spanish teacher said. As an educator, March is striving to remain upbeat in the face of a challenging situation. “We are surviving, (but) it is definitely not a career highlight,” she said. “I have not heard anyone say they love it.” Chris Leavitt, the choir teacher for La Grande’s middle and high schools, echoed this sentiment. “Online crisis edu- cation is not the same,” Leavitt said. “You cannot compete with face-to-face instruction.” Still, Leavitt, like his JONES Continued from Page 1A colleagues, is working hard to make the best of difficult circumstances. He is conducting audi- tions online for the high school’s wind ensemble and has arranged for renowned jazz musician Dmitri Matheny of Cen- tralia, Washington, to pro- vide an online workshop for his students. Matheny had been set to meet with Leavitt’s students in late May until the stay-home restrictions were imposed. Online education bringing out sensitivity Carla Arnold, Central Elementary School’s music teacher, is becoming accus- tomed to looking at a sea of young faces on her com- puter screen as she leads classes in song and con- ducts practices for the school’s fiddle club, which does so several times a week. The Google tool Arnold uses allows a stu- dent to receive special attention, such as for tuning a ukulele, from another music educator while tem- porarily disappearing from the main screen. Students are muted during class sessions, but those who raise their hands are un-muted and immedi- ately can speak to Arnold. Often the children do so to request a favorite song for Arnold to lead them in. “It is sweet,” she said. The Central teacher, like many of her colleagues, agreed that teaching online is more taxing. “By the end of the day, my eyes are so tired,” she said La Grande Middle School teacher Klel Carson said he has been struck by how understanding teachers and students have been with one another in the midst of the tempo- rary switch to distance education. “I feel there is a lot of grace both ways for teachers and students,” Carson said. The LMS teacher noted tech-savvy students have been quick to assist teachers with computer issues. “The kids have been amazingly helpful,” he said. Carson said he is looking forward to incor- porating some of what he is learning about technology into his classroom when traditional school classes begin again. Technology has its benefits, but Carson said it will never top a tra- ditional classroom. “No online school in the world can create one-to-one relationships (like a class- room setting can),” Carson said. Continued from Page 1A for spending-cut proposals now envisions a total of $1.847 billion to cut. In practice, the ending bal- ance is never zero, though in the 1981-83 downturn, it got down to $3 million of a general-fund budget of just under $3 billion by the end of the cycle in mid-1983 — and that was after the Legislature raised personal income taxes to balance the budget. Potential offsets The request for spend- ing-cut proposals do not take into account some other factors: • State reserve funds, which total just under $3 billion, about 14% of the general-fund budget. Only the Legislature can tap those funds — a gen- eral reserve and a lottery reserve earmarked for edu- cation — and lawmakers are barred from spending all the money in a single budget cycle. • Oregon’s $871 mil- lion share of $150 billion that the federal CARES Act allotted to the states. The state total is actually $1.6 billion, but it includes money for Portland, Mult- nomah County and Wash- ington County — all with populations exceeding 500,000 — that they can seek directly from the U.S. Treasury. But the law, and recently released Treasury guidelines, bar states from using the money to offset projected shortfalls — only to cover expenses con- nected with the pandemic. However, Congress is con- sidering more aid to state and local governments in a future relief plan. • Options affecting employee pay, such as salary freezes and unpaid furloughs. State budget officials said in their memo that recommendations would be considered on a statewide basis, not by agency. Also, although the request by budget officials calls for cuts amounting to 8.5%, the reductions are unlikely to be across the board. The state cannot reduce debt repayments or some services mandated by law, although such services can be reduced to a speci- fied minimum. While Brown has the authority to cut across the board, only the Legisla- ture can approve selective spending cuts. A special session for that purpose, whether called by the gov- ernor or legislators them- selves, is likely to await the May 20 forecast. On Brown’s behalf, Merah concluded: “... In this time of crisis, Oregonians rely on state services more than ever, so cutting critical state ser- vices will be a last resort.” Limited exemptions Although Brown has ordered a partial hiring freeze, it does not affect such agencies as the Oregon Health Authority or the Employment Depart- ment, which is raising the number of claims-pro- cessing employees from 100 to 800 to handle a deluge from unemployed workers. Some agencies are exempt from the request because they fall out- side the governor’s budget authority. 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Trademarks referring to specific providers are used by Miracle-Ear for nominative purposes only: to truthfully identify the source of the services about which information is provided. Such trademarks are solely the property of their respective owners. The aids must be returned within 30 days of delivery pursuant to terms of your purchase agreement and 100% of the purchase will be refunded. 541-605-2109 541-239-3877 AT THESE PARTICIPATING MIRACLE-EAR HEARING BAKER CITY AID CENTERS ONLY! 2021 Washington Ave. Mention Code: CALL FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT! Baker City, OR 97814 20AprLosing MOD0001727501-01 important,” she said. “I want the community to understand what’s going on learning–wise in the school, from science classes to music to recess. If people don’t know what’s hap- pening, they don’t know what to celebrate.” Jones also said she values school activities, such as music and intra- mural sports, that keep stu- dents engaged and com- municating and gives them opportunities for leadership. She views school security as another important issue that goes beyond fences and locked doors. “It’s partly how as a staff you train, how you train the students, and how to be aware,” she said. One of her highest pri- orities is to continue plan- ning Wallowa’s school ren- ovation project and the upcoming bond. Her expe- rience includes passing three bond measures, a number of levies and work on planning a new school where she became the prin- cipal. Community involve- ment is critical in such proj- ects, she said. Planning for the school, she said, took meeting people in their homes and listening to them. “My strength is bringing people together and devel- oping relationships and a community,” she said. “We can be leaders in the county.” CUTS MOD0001727501-01 energy and is a real people person. She seems to be the right person for the job.” Jones’ background includes a bachelor’s degree in special education for the hearing impaired, a master’s degree in ele- mentary education and reading, and certification for principal and superin- tendent positions through University of Oregon and Lewis and Clark College. She earned her doctorate in educational leadership from Concordia Univer- sity, Portland. Jones starts in the local superintendent role July 1 and said she looks forward to piloting the Wallowa School District through the challenges that lie ahead. “I’ve been really aware of Wallowa County, and especially the schools, for a long time,” she said, “My family lives here. What I saw in Wallowa was a very well-rounded school system that was focused on the children. The school really is all about kids and community relationships.... It should be at the heart of the community, and that’s what I noticed here.” Jones said she wants to keep the community informed about what’s going on in the school. “Communication is THuRSday, apRil 30, 2020 LOCAL (Add locations, expiration dates, Phone 541-239-3782 numbers, etc..) *Hearing test is always free. Hearing aids do not restore natural hearing. Individual experiences vary depending on severity of hearing loss, accuracy of evolution and ability to adapt to amplification. Hearing test is an audiometric test to determine amplification needs only. These are not medical exams or diagnoses. If you suspect a problem please seek treatment from your physician. **Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Blue Cross, The Blue Shield, BCBS and Federal Employee Program are registered trademarks of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and its independent licensees are not affiliated with nor do they endorse or sponsor the contents of this advertisement. Trademarks referring to specific providers are used by Miracle-Ear for nominative purposes only: to truthfully identify the source of the services about which information is provided. Such trademarks are solely the property of their respective owners. The aids must be returned within 30 days of delivery pursuant to terms of your purchase agreement and 100% of the purchase will be refunded.
