schools
june6
2013
Schools Update: More About Superintendent Retirement
Dr. Ken Cox
I recently noticed on Facebook
that my retirement has raised some
questions in the community so I thought
I would clarify what’s happening and
some background.
In the last couple of years,
as we neared the completion of the
school, I have chosen to be optimistic
about the new school and the number of
students that would come to Vernonia
as a result. Unfortunately, the numbers
haven’t materialized yet and as our
enrollment numbers have dropped so
has our operating funding from the state,
resulting in the need to make some rather
drastic changes.
Our district, with only about 550
students enrolled, can no longer support
a full-time superintendent. Because of
this, and in order to help balance the
budget, I have chosen to retire and only
work half time. This will not only save
the district half of my salary but the
district will not have to pay anything to
VHS Spring
Sports Awards
Golf
Justin Ragsdale
Most Improved
Baseball
Austin Cutright
Tim Jennings
Ethan Johnston
Ronnie Maldonado
Ruben Fabers
Anton Kelm
First Team All League,
Most Valuable
Second Team All League
Second Team All League
Honorable Mention All League
Most Improved
Most Inspirational
Equestrian
Sheyanne Pedersen
Makayla McCord
Sarah Wagner
Most Valuable
Most Inspirational
Most Improved
Track and Field
Nathan Flack
Samantha Lindauer
Mckenzie Titus
Daniel Rice
Most Valuable
Most Valuable
Most Improved
Most Improved
Softball
Sara Smith
Samantha Wallace
Stephanie Castro
Kassidy Fetch
Riplee Burch
Ashley Hernandez
First Team All League
Most Valuable
First Team All League
Most Inspirational
First Team All League
First team All League
Honorable Mention All League
Most Improved
PERS on my salary as well.
Our district is not alone in
finding that the funding from Salem does
not meet the needs of K-12 education in
the state. There are a number of districts
who are making staffing reductions
and cutting days to help balance their
budgets. We have had to make cuts for
the past few years and as we approached
the budget this year there wasn’t much
left to cut.
The District Budget Committee,
in their May 23 rd meeting, approved
19
a budget which reduces days to
balance the budget without any teacher
reductions (other than a resignation
and a retirement). There will be a
public hearing on the 2013-14 Budget
as part of our regular board meeting
on Thursday, June 13 th , which will be
held on the stage in the new schools.
Everyone is invited to attend. There will
also be a demonstration by the Vernonia
Loggerbots, our robotics club, prior to
the meeting at 5:45 PM.
2012-2013 Principal’s Awards
Best Overall Senior Project
Janae Easlon
Top Community Service
Hours
Kendrick Leaverton
McEntire Math Award
Samantha Wallace
Alvilda Hearing English
Award
Janae Easlon
John Phillips Sousa Award
Rowan Cheney
Presidential Scholars
(3.5 & above Cumulative
GPA)
Vernonia’s
Voice is
published on
the
1st and 3rd
Thursday.
Our next issue
will be
June 20.
Columbia Humane Society
Featured Pet
Blackie is a handsome, longhaired blackxwhite neutered male cat. He is approx. 1
year old and was a former stray that a caring couple took in until they could bring
him to the shelter. Blackie is a chatty guy that loves to talk and follow you around.
He does ok with some dogs but would do best in a home with no other cats. His
adoption fee was fully sponsored by
the individuals that took him in and
so we are now looking for just the
right family to take him home with no
adoption fee. He is neutered,
vaccinated, de-wormed, flea treated,
microchipped and qualifies for a free
vet check. He gets to go home with a
cardboard carrier and a take home
adoption packet as well. If you are
looking for a sociable guy that loves
to talk, Blackie is your cat! Come into
the shelter and fill out an application
for him today.
"Blackie"
2084 Oregon Street, St. Helens, O: 97051
Phone: 503-397-4353
E-mail: info@columbiahumane.org
Web: www.columbiahumane.org
Ashlee Archer
Austin Best-Cutright
Savannah Brown
Rowan Cheney
Janae Easlon
Samantha Lindauer
Deziree Roberts
Lane Sullivan
Ellyssa Szlavich
Samantha Wallace
Marine Corp Distinguished
Athlete
Nathan Fleck
Sara McMahon
Marine Corp Scholastic
Athlete
Dezi Roberts
Army Reserve National
Scholar/Athlete
Samantha Wallace
Tim Jennings
Albert Brunsman
Memomial Award-Athletic
Sportsmanship
Ethan Johnston
Most Inspirational
Underclassman
Meghan Sullivan
Terry Smith Memorial
Most Inspirational Senior
Athlete
Samantha Lindauer
Outstanding Athlete
Autstin Cutright
Vernonia Students of the Month
May 2013
Cody Hathcoat ,
Grade 3
Cody is a very conscientious young man. Not only
does he do his best on all of his academic school
work, he also makes every effort to always follow
the school rules (Be Safe, Responsible, and
Respectful); whether he thinks an adult is watching
or not. He is a Self-Manager and is very depend-
able. Cody says his favorite subject is math. In his
spare time he likes to play video games and help
take care of his dogs, Honey and Joey.
Cheyenne Kemper ,
Grade 8
Cheyenne is a good academic student
who always does what is asked of her. Cheyenne
says her favorite subjects in school are art and
music. She plays the saxophone in the band and
also ran track and played volleyball. She is in the
Middle School Leadership Class. In her free time
she plays the electric guitar, likes to draw and takes
care of her chocolate lab, Denali.
Janae Easlon
Grade 12
Janae is an Honor Student and a member of the
National Honor Society. For her senior project she
helped re-start the school newspaper, The Timber-
line. She has been a Teaching Assistant for English,
does statistics for the boys basketball teams, and
was the Senior Class Secretary. She was part of
“Walk and Talk” a mentoring program for young
girls and has been a councilor at Camp Wilkerson.
She says her favorite subject is literature and any
social science classes taught by Mr. Baker. In her
free time she works at Subway, and enjoys watch-
ing movies and hanging out with family. Next year
she will attend Western Washington University to
study Journalism.
Sponsored by State Senator Betsy Johnson
