schools
Vernonia School Board Report
At the March 13, 2014 Vernonia and possibly local classes, along with
School Board Meeting:
college credit for current students as well
as students who have already graduated.
Miller Named Interim Superintendent- Cox said LCC currently has eighty-seven
Vernonia Grade School Principal Aaron classes available on-line. When asked
Miller was named the Interim Half- why the District is looking at partnering
Time Superintendent, replacing current with LCC and not Portland Community
Superintendent Dr. Ken Cox, whose College, Cox responded that LCC is
contract expires June 30. Miller will be actively working to expand their student
given a one year contract. (See full story base by making these classes available
on front page.)
to high schools in Oregon.
Snow Days-Superintendent Dr. Ken
Cox informed the Board that the District
will make up two snow days on April 18
and May 9.
Administrators Contracts Extended-
After recessing to Executive Session
under ORS 192.660(2)(i) “To review and
evaluate the performance of the chief
executive officer or any other public
officer, employee or staff member...,” the
Board returned to open session and voted
unanimously to approve Resolution
1314-03, extending the contract of high
school principal Nate Underwood and
grade school principal Aaron Miller for
three more years.
Lower Columbia College Partnership-
Dr. Cox informed the Board that the
District is close to reaching an agreement
with Lower Columbia College (LCC),
located in Longview, WA, to provide
dual credit and college credit courses for
high school students. Cox reported that
several schools are already using LCC
for this purpose; LCC will graduate sixty
high school seniors with Associates
Degrees this year. Rainier High School
already has a contract with LCC. The
program could offer distance learning
Green Globes Certification-Dr. Cox
asked the Board to approve an application
for the new school building to become
Green Globes Certified. Dr. Cox told the
Board it could cost the District a total of
about $25,000 to submit the paperwork
for the needed evaluation and become
certified. Cox told the board that a
Green Globes certification would allow
the District to approach members of the
timber industry and ask for fundraising
donations. When asked, Cox told the
Board he believes there is $37,000 in
donations currently pending from the
timber industry. After a discussion
in which Board member Ernie Smith
expressed reservations, the Board voted
unanimously to approve spending up to
$25,000 for Green Globes certification.
march20
2014
25 was a success with over sixty people
in attendance. Topics of discussion
included: The CTE Revitalization Grant,
plans for the new shop building, progress
on new sports fields; establishing a four-
day school week.
Cox told the Board the
greenhouse is now fully enclosed
thanks to the help of Dan Titus, a parent
and local contractor. Titus will also
be working on the trenching for new
electrical lines to the shop building. Cox
also thanked Earl Davis for helping the
District by felling some dangerous trees
at the District office. The Forestry class
will do clean up and sell the firewood as
a fundraiser.
Dr. Cox told the Board the RFP
for completing Spencer Park is available
for review. He told the Board he hopes
to have the RFP approved by the City
of Vernonia and Columbia County this
week.
Principal Reports-In addition to a
written report which gave details of
Family to School Week and a Focus
School update, Elementary School
Principal Aaron Miller also provided
the Board with an Attendance Report.
Miller noted that of 207 students at VES,
63 had missed 4 days of school and
Board
Authorizes
Project received a call from a teacher; 57 had
Management Contract-The Board missed 8 days and received a call from
voted to authorize the Superintendent
to negotiate a contract for construction
project management services, not to
exceed $16,000, for the remainder of
2014. Board member Ernie Smith voted
against the motion.
9
the Councilor and a letter was sent; 15
had missed 12 days and received a call
from the principal and a second letter-
an initial truancy report had been filed
concerning those 15 students and 2 had
a mandatory meeting with the principal
and the truancy officer. At Mist Grade
School, Miller reported of 24 students, 9
had missed 8 days.
The Board received a written
report from High School Principal
Nate Underwood which explained the
Synergy Parent VUE and Blackboard
Connect systems which allow parents
and students to access midterm grades
from a computer; gave updates on the
VHS Red Cross Blood Drive and the
VMS plant sale March 7-April 10; and
announced All League recognition for
winter athletes. The Report also noted
that the next Sustainability Day will be
May 13; that the first round of state
testing has been completed; and both
VMS and VHS held their mid-year
dances.
Underwood also presented the
Board with a proposal to reduce the
elective graduation requirement by 1.0.
Underwood explained that VHS requires
26.5 credits to graduate, with 7.0 credits
considered electives. The state requires
24 credits to graduate. Because of
reduced staff, VHS is unable to offer as
continued on page 13
Superintendent Report-Dr. Cox told
the Board the Town Hall held on February
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