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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2009)
10 schools september 2009 VERNONIANS: Pass the Bond, Not the Buck! The Vernonia School District 47J Board of Direc- tors has passed a resolution to place a bond measure on the November 3 election ballot. The bond will be for $13 mil- lion dollars and will be used to purchase property and build new schools in a safe and insurable area of the community. From June to November the Vernonia School Bond Commit- tee is bringing you information monthly to help you in your decision to support a YES vote in November--a Yes vote for our children and grandchildren and for the future and pros- perity of our entire community. This month our interview is with Dr. Phyllis Gilmore, who runs our local Providence Medical Clinic, and has years of experience working in small rural com- munities. Question: Do you think schools are an impor- tant part of rural communities, and what role do you think our schools play in our community? Answer: Schools and churches are the corner- stones of small communities. The strength of those corner- stones very often determines what type of community will be built over, under, and around them. We are blessed to have several churches and many strong church leaders in Vernonia. Our American freedom of religion gives us the opportunity to worship and grow in our spiritual lives in ways that follow our individual beliefs. Our Vernonia church cornerstone in some ways is even stronger than before the floods in that they helped shelter our hurting hearts and souls and we were reminded of the strength that comes in pooling our prayers and faith. The school is the cornerstone where children and their families of all belief systems, all economic and educa- tional levels come together to grow in the realm of education where we train our children to find their way in the world of employment, the arts and physical fitness. THAT part of the cornerstone, however, was weakened and remains vulnerable. Question: Why do you think it’s important that we move our schools campus to a safe location? Answer: When waters and winds come, people gather to safe haven. We need our school, our clinic, and our city government buildings available for the tax payers who built them to be able to use them when their own homes are threatened. Stewardship of our money means our schools are open to us when we need them. Question: What would you say to someone who says we can’t afford new schools in this community and in this current economy? Answer: I probably have as good an opportuni- ty as anyone in this town to see what the flood, the current economy, and future concerns are doing to people and fami- Grade Schools Seek Site Council Members The Washington Grade School (WGS)/Mist Grade School (MGS) Site Council currently has two openings for parent members. The term for these posi- tions is two-years with the election to be held on Thurs- day, October 8 during WGS’ Open House event to be held from 6:30-7:30 PM. Parents from WGS and Mist Grade Schools (MGS) are eligible to apply. Applica- tions are available at the WGS office. Completed ap- plications should be turned in to the office by Friday, October 2. The WGS Site Council meets monthly to dis- cuss plans to improve the school’s educational environ- ment, to provide positive leadership, to facilitate com- munication between all stakeholders, to pursue grant monies and to implement plans to improve the physical and academic environments of WGS and MGS. The WGS Site Council would like to extend an invitation to all community members interested in at- tending these meetings. All Site Council meetings are open to the public, and interested people are encouraged to attend. The Council meets at Washington Grade School on the last Monday of the month from 3:15-4:15 PM. The next two meetings are scheduled for Monday, September 28 and Monday, October 26. If you have questions regarding Site Council and/or their meetings, please contact Aaron Miller or Cici Bell at 503-429-7941. WGS Launches Fundraisers Washington Grade School Physical Education Instructor George Spaulding has announced a num- ber of fundraising campaigns designed to raise money for school library books, school supplies, playground equipment and P.E. equipment, including a new climb- ing wall. Mr. Spaudling has announced participation in the following programs: Box Tops for Education fundraising campaign, with a goal of earning $600 through Box Tops. The Box Tops for Education program offers school supporters three easy ways to earn cash for schools: • Clip Box Tops from hundreds of favorite products and send them to Washington Grade School, “Attention Mr. Spaulding, Box Tops Coordinator” at 199 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR. 97064. • Sign up to support Wa s h i n g - ton Grade School on the Box Tops web- site at btfe.com • Shop on- line once you’ve signed up, Washington Grade School will earn a per- centage of your purchases made through the Box Tops Marketplace SM . • Buy books once you’ve signed up, Washington Grade School will earn a percentage of your purchases made online at Barnes & Noble through the Box Tops Read- ing Room SM . NORPAC Foods’ Label Redemption Program. Washington Grade School will earn 5¢ for each UPC symbol saved from the frozen fruits, vegetables, juices or canned vegetables of any of these NORPAC brands: Flav-R-Pac, Westpac, Santiam. A collection bin has been set up at the school where you can drop off your UPC symbols. Cambell’s Labels for Education. Save product proofs of purchase from eligible Campbells, V-8, SpagettiO’s, Prego and Pepperidge Farm products and send them to Washington Grade School. Tyson Project A+™ This program features various Tyson products with a Tyson Project A+™ label, worth 24¢, on the front of the package. A collection site is set up at Washington Grade School where parents and oth- ers in the community can drop off their Tyson Project A+™ redemption labels. For more information about any of these programs contact Mr. Spaulding at 503-429-7941. Below: Vernonia teachers and staff show their support for the school bond in the Jamboree Parade. Left: Even Pedro and Mackenzie Carr joined in. Notice the stick- er on Pedro’s bumper. lies. Lost jobs and homes become depression, lost marriages, substance abuse. BUT re-building, even though it costs that pound of flesh, is the only way to have a chance to go UP and OUT of where we are. Question: How do you think a new school cam- pus would impact student learning and the school dis- tricts ability to recruit faculty? Answer: My mother was a school teacher for forty- one years. I remember how excited she got if our school got a new teacher, a new piece of equipment, a new set of books. GOOD teachers keep learning, and if we offer a teaching environment of growth and challenge, the good teachers will come. And, you show me a good, interested, excited teacher, and I will show you a child who learns. Question: What do you think will happen to our schools and our community if we don’t pass this bond? Answer: If we don’t pass the bond, then we have passed what opportunity we have in front of us to once again rebound, sustain, and grow. We all know we need money from the outside to help complete this mission. But, if the grant-givers and the bill-passers don’t see our money on the table, they won’t put down any of theirs. PLEASE VOTE YES FOR VERNONIA SCHOOLS! From Summer Days To School Days By Brandi Fosdick Summer’s over. (Sigh). No more driving by Hawkins and seeing it full of smiling, laughing kids. Instead, they’ll be solemnly sitting in school, most of them anyway, daydreaming about the past three months... images of fire- works and watermelons and barbecues running through their minds. Right this minute, some- one’s mouth is watering at the memory of walking around at Jamboree while eating a sugar- smothered elephant ear. Speaking of Jamboree, it was a great success, from new booths to a parade that lasted over an hour without pausing for five minutes every block. Our small but mighty car show saw not only a lot of newcomers, but also some long standing tradi- tions like the “The Pink Lady” and “Betty Boop” cars. While admiring everyone’s rides, there were two excellent bands jam- ming in the background. Lo- cals and tourists could also go see more novelty events such as the lawn mower races, the black powder rendezvous up on Stoney Point, and the Logging Show. Later Saturday night, the parents and younger siblings could enjoy a concert and fire- works while the teens went to a dance. Originally, the dance was set to be in the gym, but had to be moved to the cafeteria. No one seemed to mind, though. About the only comment any- one had was that it was two dol- lars cheaper and that that was great with them. Their very unusually optimistic outlook (think about it, when is anyone between 12 and 20 ever optimistic?) got dampened a little as they dragged their feet and back- packs to yet another school year in mods. I mean, they are better than nothing. But still, they’re cramped, stuffy, and the students still have no lock- ers. While they are pretty well adjusted to their new environ- ment after a year and a half, they would really like to see new schools built before they can’t remember what a real school is like. You know, the kind of school with lockers, a full-size library, and real home-ec and art rooms. But well, what the hey, everyone will survive as usual. Hopefully, the snow won’t at- tack the students in between classes quite so much this year, though. If you’re so inclined, a prayer or two for them couldn’t hurt.