schools
april3
2014
13
Students and Community
Take Action Against Hunger
Schools Update: Cyberbullying

Laura Rice is the Student
Body President at Vernonia High
School this year. Rice is getting ready
and organizing this year’s annual
Presidential Challenge. Rice has chosen
“Action Against Hunger” as the charity
she is working for to raise funds during
the week of April 7-12

Rice says she is planning
games, having “meaningful color dress
up days”, and selling snow cones and
silicone bracelets at lunch as activities
for students, teachers and staff during
the school week.

On Friday (the 11th) she has
organized “Vernonia’s Taking Action
Against Hunger” an all-you-can-eat

Last issue I addressed briefly
the bullying that goes on in schools.
One of the bullying issues that we have
to deal with today that was not an issue
when most of us went to school is that
of cyberbullying. This is when students
use technology to harass each other.
This can be in the form of emails, social
media (Facebook, twitter, etc.), text
messages, and any other type of digital
communication. When such a message
is sent out it can reach many students
very quickly and turn a regular school
day into a horrific experience for the
victim. It has been reported that one in
five children today face some sort of
cyberbullying.

The Vernonia District does not
condone this type of bullying and when
it has been reported to us we investigate.
If we find that there is cyberbullying,
whether it is happening at school or not,
we will take steps to address the situation
just as if it happened at school.

The only email that students are
allowed to use at school is one sponsored
by the district that we can monitor. We of
course cannot monitor all student access
to technology and this is where you as
parents need to be aware of what to look
for when it comes to cyberbullying. The
following comes from the InternetSafety.
com website (http://www.internetsafety.
com/press-cyberbullying.php)

“Signs that a child is being
cyberbullied include a marked change
in computer habits such as less frequent
computer use, nervousness when a
new e-mail or instant message arrives,
dessert night at 6:30 PM at the Vernonia
School ($10.00 admission and a $35.00
family flat fee). There will also be
entertainment by a hypnotist.

On Saturday (the 12th) Rice
will host a community movie night,
where they will be showing Disney’s
“Frozen”. This will start at 6:00 PM
and tickets cost $5.00. All ages are
welcome. This also will be taking place
at the school.

Rice
has
an
online
fundraising page where people can
donate online, follow her progress,
and view pictures of the events:
http://my.actionagainsthunger.org/
vhspresidentialchallenge
Cox Accepts New Position in Idaho

The Vernonia School District
announced that current Superintendent
Dr. Ken Cox has accepted a position as
Superintendent of the Minidoka County
Joint School District #331, located in
Rupert, Idaho. The Minidoka district
serves 4,000 students in four elementary
schools, two middle schools, and a high
school, as well as alternative middle
and high schools.

“I am grateful for the time I
have spent in Vernonia and feel that,
though we have faced many challenges
together, we have accomplished much,
particularly in the past six years. Carol
and I are proud to be able to say that
we were part of Vernonia’s recovery
following the flood of 2007,” said Dr.
Cox.

Cox and his wife Carol, have
three children and seven grandchildren.
One advantage of this move is that
it will put them much closer to their
family.
Head Start Recruiting Now
Head Start, a federally funded
pre-school program, is seeking students
for the 2014-2015 school year. Appli-
cations are being taken from all three
and four year olds in Columbia County.
Recruitment for fall enrollment is now
in progress. If parents are interested in
enrollment information they are urged to
phone immediately.
Prospective students must be
three or four years old by September
1, 2014. Children must be from limited
income households or have a disability
and/or special needs to qualify.
Head Start incorporates a total
family program that includes nutrition,
education, medical and dental services
for the enrolled child and home visita-
tions. USDA approved meals are served.
Training on various subjects and on the
job training is offered to all enrolled
families. Transportation is not available.
The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
(USDA) and the State of Oregon prohib-
it discrimination in all USDA programs
and activities on the basis of race, col-
or, national origin, sex, religion, age
or disability.
The Vernonia Center is lo-
cated at 500 California Avenue next
to the Blue Heron Hollow Apartment
complex. Families who live in the Mist,
Birkenfeld and Vernonia areas may
phone 503-429-9243 or 503-369-7249
for more information.
The Clatskanie/Rainier Cen-
ter is located behind the high school in
Clatskanie. Families in the Clatskanie,
Quincy, Westport, Knappa, Rainier and
Goble areas may phone 503-728-2940
for more information.
Students in the St. Helens area
attend class at the center on Columbia
Blvd. next to McBride School. Families
may contact 503-397-4114 for more in-
formation.
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constant looking over his or her shoulder
when at the computer, and anger or
depression either at or away from the
machine.”

If you suspect that your child
may be a victim of this type of bullying
please check out the website above to
gather more information about what you
can do as a parent. They suggest that
parents pay “even greater attention to
victimized children’s internet and cell
phone activities,” and that they refrain
“from immediately banning access
to instant messaging, e-mail, social
networking web sites,” as this does
not address the underlying conflict. In
addition they suggest, as do we, that
the student recognize “the importance
of scheduling a meeting with school
administrators (or a trusted teacher) to
discuss the matter.”

On a somewhat related security
issue please be aware that the Vernonia
School District will be holding a school
wide Lockdown and Evacuation Drill
on Tuesday, April 8. We will not only
practice going into lockdown, where
students are secured in their classrooms
until released by administrators or the
police (in a real event), but we will also
be leaving the building as we do in a fire
alarm and then transporting all students
to two church buildings downtown. Once
all students have been transported and
accounted for we will bring them back to
school for the remainder of the day. We
hope you understand the need for such
drills as we prepare for any contingency
that might arise in the district. As always,
if you have questions, please call me at
the district office (503-429-5891).
P.E.O.
Friday
April 25 th
9am-4pm
&
Saturday
April 26 th
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9am-3pm
375 North Street
Head Start is an agency of Community
Action Team, Inc., serving Clatsop, Co-
lumbia and Tillamook counties.
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