schools
2014
Vernonia School Board Report
At the September 11, 2014 Vernonia
School Board Meeting:
Enrollment is Up at Vernonia
Schools- Superintendent Aaron Miller
told the Board that as of September 8,
enrollment is at 593, including nineteen
foreign exchange students and eighteen
students at Mist School. Miller told the
Board that all students who have left the
District have not yet been removed, so
the count is artificially high. Last year
there were 540 students enrolled at the
end of the school year.
School Receives Green Globe
Certification- Superintendent Miller
told the Board that the School has
received three of four globes from Green
Globes certification. (See full story on
arrivals. Because of overcrowding on
buses, high school and middle school
Board Approves Hire of New students in the walk zone will no longer
Band Teacher- The Board approved be eligible for courtesy rides.
a
recommendation
from
the
Administration to hire Matthew Urban Board Approves Transportation
as the new middle school/high school Contract- The Board approved an
amendment to the current transportation
band teacher.
contract with Curl’s School Bus Service.
Board Hears Transportation Report- The amendment extends the contract
Shelley Cota, representing Curl’s School until June 30, 2020 and increases the
Bus Service, updated the Board on the monthly fixed cost by $1,000 per month.
current transportation situation. Cota Superintendent Miller told the Board
told the Board there are five large bus that the District will issue a request for
routes and seven small bus routes with Proposals in 2019 and that the contract
ten assigned drivers, three substitute will not be extended again.
drivers and one driver in training. Cota
reported that last year there were zero Teachers Evaluation Handbooks
accidents, and zero breakdowns while Almost Complete- Juliet Safier reported
transporting students, and zero late
front page)
Schools Update: Partnerships
By Aaron Miller
Partnerships are incredibly
important in any business, but they are
essential in the business of education.
The Vernonia School District has a
variety of partners who have helped with
building and funding our new campus,
developing curriculum, providing
our students with work experience
opportunities, and many other valuable
tasks. Even with all this support, the
most important partnerships we have
are with our parents and community.
Our parents in the Vernonia
Community Parent Teacher Association
(PTA) and the NW Bicycle Safety
Council (NWBSC) will be helping
kids by putting on a Bike-a-thon and
Free Bike Helmet fitting on Saturday,
September 20 at Vernonia Lake from
10:00 AM-1:00 PM. Children can get a
fitted helmet free from the NWBSC and
then participate in a fundraising bike-a-
thon, sponsored by the PTA. We hope
you can join us!
Parents are pivotal in
developing a student’s readiness to
attend school, and once students walk
through those doors in Kindergarten
parents are still an integral part of their
child’s academic development. Besides
volunteering at school there are many
opportunities for parents to be a part of
their child’s school experience. Just as
with their students, the more involved
parents are at school, the more they will
get out of the experience, and in turn the
more their children will gain from their
schooling.
Some ways parents can be
involved with their student’s education:
• Ensure your student is getting enough
sleep and is eating well so their brains
are ready to work hard throughout the
day.
• Talk with their teacher and be involved
in the educational process. Check in to
make sure they are completing their
assignments, are using their time wisely
in class and turning in their homework.
• Volunteer at school. Join the PTA.
Sign up to help with the school carnival
on Saturday, September 27. Contact
Melissa Zavales or Susan Ely to sign up
(503-429-1333).
• Attend Open House: Thursday,
October 9. Have a hot dog and meet
your child’s teachers.
• Attend Parent/Teacher Conferences
on November 6 or 7.
• Join our school Site Council and
provide input for setting goals and areas
of focus for future school initiatives.
Please call Debbie Stahlnecker (503-
429-1333).
• Show up at an athletic contest, band
concert or other school activity or fund
raiser.
School is like many other
opportunities in life, in that you get out
of it exactly what you put into it. We
hope that you and your students will
continue to put in the time and energy
to partner with our schools, help our
students be successful, and keep our
community strong.
Titus & Son’s, Inc.
Serving Your Communty Since 1987
55670 Timber Road
Vernonia, OR 97064
CCB# 55056
General Contractor
Dan Titus
Owner
Ph. (503) 429-5005
september18
The
13
that the new Teacher Evaluation
Handbooks for Professional Growth
are 90% complete. Senate bill 290
requires all school districts in Oregon
to follow certain criteria and the VSD
has spent over four years creating this
new evaluation system that fits their
philosophy of education and culture.
Teachers used the system last year on
a trial basis with positive results and
continue to work together to complete
the final version of the handbook.
Superintendent’s
Report-
Superintendent Miller reported that
sixteen VHS students registered
for Writing 121 through Portland
Community College. Work continues
continued on page 14
BIKE
PTA -A-
THON
September 20
Vernonia Lake
10 am - 1 pm
Benefits the School Play Structure
Obstacle Course
Free Bike Helmets
1st Prize
is a Brand New Bike!
Pick up Registration/Pledge forms at:
Sentry
True Value
Black Bear
Contact
Melissa Zavales 503-438-8561
Birk
the old house of music
“it’s not that far”
www.thebirk.com
291
A
Street
call Kim
Lovable service at
a reasonable price
• Bathing
• Haircuts
• Nail Clipping
• Nail Polishing
• Specialty
Shampoos
