schools/community
april26
14 2011
Project Costs Increase
School District Facing Budget Shortfall School
The Vernonia School District building on time while continuing
Vernonia
School
District
Superintendent Ken Cox recently informed
the School Board that the District is facing
an estimated $828,000 budget shortfall for
the upcoming school year. That shortfall is
based on the Governor’s $5.56B budget for
K-12 education.
According to Cox, the District has
developed a budget showing all income and
expenditures.
At the recommendation of the Budget
Assistance Team (BAT), the 2011-12
budget was based on contracted raises and
a full school year (190 days for teachers and
260 for year-round employees).
Cox noted that the State School
Fund (SSF) adjustment from the Governor’s
$5.56B to the legislature’s $5.7B resulted in
a net increase of $76,315. The District is
also expecting some grant funding next year
that could help pay for some staff positions.
Cox stated that the District is
currently considering the following
suggestions for cuts that came up during
brainstorming sessions in the BAT
meetings:
• Reduce District Office AP position from
1.0 to 0.8 FTE
• Eliminate District Maintenance Supervisor
position
• 2.5 FTE in retirements
• Eliminate Middle School Social Studies
and Elementary Physical Education
teaching positions
• Athletic Director position filled by a
teacher
• Transfer .2 FTE of Superintendent to
Fund 280 (construction account)
According to Cox, these proposed
cuts still leave the District with a shortfall
of approximately $245,000. However, this
budget is for 190 days rather than the current
185 day calendar, or last year’s 180 days.
The District has yet to make any athletic
department or teacher supply budget cuts.
He also noted that the District’s operating
budget and the construction budget are two
completely separate funds.
Cox
indicated
that
the
Administration and Budget Assistance
Teams will continue to look for ways to
close this gap prior to presenting the District
Budget Committee with a Proposed Budget
at their meeting next month and is open to
input from the board, staff, and community.
Cox told the Vernonia Voice, “It is
unfortunate that these types of cuts, which are
typical of those being done in other districts
across the state, have come to represent
the current attitude toward education in
Oregon. I hope that the legislature, while
they have many demands on limited funds,
will realize the importance of making a
sustainable investment in the future of our
nation by providing adequate funding to
provide the best possible education for our
children.”
Superintendent Ken Cox , after
meeting with BOORA Architects
and P&C Construction, informed the
47J School Board that the Vernonia
School Project is facing a set of
price adjustments. The Guaranteed
Maximum Price (GMP) presented
to the School Board brings the total
project budget up to $42M, which is a
$3.8M increase.
Cox informed the Board of
the following reasons for the increase:
$1.649 million-- Material costs
have increased: fuel prices are up
27%, asphalt roofing is up 30%, and
differences in the details between
initial construction documents and
the final set of plans.
$696,000-- Late start due to FEMA
requirements and wet winter weather
conditions.
$1.464 million-- The project will
maximize energy efficiency and
sustainable building practices in an
innovative design which includes
a community center, school based
health center and adult education
facilities. Most of these front-end
costs are either covered by the $1M
Department of Energy grant or will be
made up over the life of the building
in energy and maintenance savings.
Cox suggested a proposed
approach for addressing the increased
cost by: Completing the main
to look for additional savings in
materials, incentive and in-kind
opportunities; and postpone starting
the science, art, and shop classrooms
until next spring (rather than this fall)
to allow more time to seek additional
funding sources to fill any remaining
gap.
Cox indicated that the K-12
main building is still on track to
open in September, 2012, and that
the science and art classes can be
accommodated there until the second
building is completed.
VHS Band
Headed for State
The Vernonia High School
Band has been invited to compete in
the State Band Festival for only the
second time in the last twenty-four
years.
Band Instructor Rob Izzett
was very excited to announce that his
students will be heading to Oregon
State University on May 12 th .
The last time the Vernonia
Band performed at the State Festival
since 2000.
Vernonia’s Voice would
like to wish Mr. Izzett and the Band
congratulations and best of luck at
State!
Natural Path to Health: Diabetes-- The Natural Approach
By Dr. Carol McIntyre
I would like to conclude our
series on type 2 diabetes by discussing
the natural therapies used to prevent
and treat this increasingly prevalent
disease. As we know, type 2 diabetes is
a dysregulation of glucose in the body.
Poor diet plays a crucial part in the
development of type 2 diabetes and diet
alone is the “deal breaker.” So let’s talk
diet!
Diet is not defined as the latest
“fad” on how to lose a quick couple
of pounds. Diet is what you eat on a
daily basis. Your diet is ultimately your
health! Please remember that.
Starting with dietary choices,
sugar is not our friend! Regardless of
whether you are diagnosed with diabetes
or not, having any type of excess
sugar will cause your blood glucose to
increase. Sugar includes: fruit sugar,
fruit juice, honey, enriched white flour/
pasta/bread and all types of sugar, itself
Vernonia’s
Voice is
published
twice each
month on the
2nd and 4th
Tuesday.
Look for our
next issue on
May 10th.
(white, brown, cane, high fructose corn
syrup, corn syrup etc…). For some
people diagnosed with diabetes, they
have to avoid ALL sugars… including
fruit and honey! If you’re wondering
why I include enriched white flour in the
sugar group, it’s because the product is
so refined, it basically turns directly into
sugar after you ingest it! Anything that
is refined from its original state of being
is going to turn into sugar in your body
faster than it would if it were left in its
whole state.
Guidelines to control type 2
diabetes with diet would be:
Avoid sugars as defined above.
Eat whole grains; meaning whole
food grains such as steel cut oats, stone
ground whole wheat flour, brown rice,
wild rice, quinoa.
Incorporate protein into every meal to
help stabilize your blood glucose.
Eat frequent small meals, again to
stabilize blood glucose (this may be
every 2 hours depending on the severity
of glucose dysregulation).
Avoid excess sodium.
Reduce consumption of saturated fat.
Exercise!
Increase fiber.
Increase foods rich in Omega 3 and 6
essential fatty acids.
Avoid food intolerances/sensitivities/
allergies.
The most common supplement
used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes
is chromium. Chromium is a trace
mineral that helps the cells become more
sensitized to insulin and therefore acts
to increase glucose/sugar uptake by the
cells. Dosage can be anywhere between
200 mcg and 1,000 mcg depending on
the severity of glucose dysregulation and
the body’s response to the supplement.
It should be taken at the same time each
day to provide rhythm for your system.
Other home remedies include
parsley tea and huckleberry tea. There
are many beneficial foods, minerals,
vitamins and herbs that can be included
in the treatment plan. Each treatment
plan is based on what is best suited for
the individual, but would always include
the basic dietary guidelines discussed
above. In many cases, it is necessary to
use combination therapy (Rx drugs and
nutrition / supplementation) together,
until the patient’s blood sugar is
controlled.
Lifestyle changes and awareness
of proper food intake are the keys to
preventing and treating type 2 diabetes.
Becoming more aware of what we put
into our bodies will allow us to once
again embrace our bodies as a model
of health and wellness. The “cure” is
eating well! With effort, we can achieve
optimal health and overcome the
devastation of disease.
Thank you for joining me… Be
Well~
VERNONIA
Fishing Supplies
and
Sporting Goods
Everything you need for the Lake and the River!
Rods - Reels - Nets - Tackle - Lures
Licenses - Power Bait - Eggs
Family owned & operated for over 40 years
834 Bridge St., Vernonia (503) 429-6364
E
C
I
V
SER PAIR
& RE
LUBE, OIL
& FILTER
WHILE YOU WAIT
STARTING AT
$29.95
UP TO 5 QT.
58605 NEHALEM HWY. S.
503/706/9409
