14
schools
may21
2015
Schools Update: Summer Break
By Aaron Miller
7. Be creative. Listen to audio books. Play word games. Team up with your teen to combat negative peer
Visit a museum and read about displays. Start a book pressure
Another school year has come and gone. Both club.
Summer is around the corner—which often means less
students and staff are ready for summer vacation, but
supervision for many teens. If you are concerned about
there are many considerations to ensure that safe, Reprinted with permission from the May 2015 issue your teen spending so much time unsupervised, you
respectful and responsible behaviors continue to be of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School have good reason.
developed over the summer months. Here are some Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2015 The Parent
Surveys show that teens are more likely to try
ideas from “The Parent Institute” to help students of all Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc.
drugs and alcohol during the summer than they are
ages maintain that progress, and other healthy habits,
during the school year. To help your teen resist pressure
over the break.
from peers:
Are you preparing your child for a safe summer?
Seven ways to prevent summer reading loss
Summer is prime time for fun and also for • Talk about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Teens
Your child has worked on strengthening her risk—especially for middle schoolers, who may not who are under the influence do things they simply
reading skills all year long. You don’t want her to lose always be in sight of an adult. Are you preparing for a would never do otherwise. If your teen stays sober, she
them over the summer! Yet research shows that summer safe summer? Answer yes or no to the questions below has a much better chance of staying healthy and safe.
reading loss is a real problem.
to find out. Mostly yes answers mean you are focused • Give examples. Pick up your local newspaper and
Thankfully, there are countless ways you can on summer safety. For no answers, try those ideas in you’ll likely find a story about teens in trouble. Talk
encourage your child to maintain—and even improve— the quiz.
with your child about what happened. Ask her what she
her reading skills during vacation. You can:
1. Do you require your child to wear sunscreen when would do in that situation. Talk about ways to avoid
1. Read together daily. In addition to reading books, ask he is outdoors?
trouble.
for your child’s help with following recipes, looking up 2. Do you insist your child wear a helmet when on a • Set limits. Make sure your teen knows what time you
information online and making lists.
expect her home. Suggest that she use you as an excuse:
bike, scooter or skateboard?
2. Keep reading materials handy. Leave comics, 3. Do you know where your child is, who he is with “I can’t—my mom is sitting in the front hallway right
magazines, books, newspapers and other materials and what he is doing? Do you discourage hanging out now waiting for me to walk in.”
around the house where your child is likely to pick after dark?
• Encourage healthy activities. Suggest that your teen
them up.
4. Do you consider your child’s maturity before find a place to volunteer over the summer. She should
3. Choose irresistible materials. Look for books and assigning chores, such as mowing the lawn with a also look into getting a summer job, joining a summer
articles about your child’s interests, such as sports, art, riding lawn mower?
sports league or taking a summer class. As a bonus, any
fashion or even a favorite movie.
5. Do you encourage your child to drink plenty of of these activities would help strengthen her résumé
4. Talk with experts. Ask your child’s teacher or a water when working, playing or exercising outdoors in and college applications!
librarian for summer reading suggestions.
the heat?
5. Visit the library regularly. Give your child frequent
Reprinted with permission from the May 2015 issue
opportunities to find materials that appeal to her.
Reprinted with permission from the May 2015 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (High School
6. Take books with you. Bring them on trips, into of Parents Still make the difference!® (Middle School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2015 The Parent
waiting rooms and anywhere else your child might Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2015 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: A. Marks and
complain, “I’m bored!”
B. Rothbart, Healthy Teens, Body and Soul: A Parent’s
Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc.
Complete Guide, Simon & Schuster.
PTA Press
Extra!! Extra!! Read All About It
By Melissa Zavales
Be there! Be heard!
This is the PTA slogan for
the upcoming year.
We are encouraging all
community members to attend a
PTA meeting and BE HEARD!
Our challenge to you is to attend
and become part of a fun team
that has our students interests at
heart. THERE IS NO COST TO
ATTEND A MEETING. If you
decide you would like to become
a voting member of the PTA then
there is a small fee for state dues,
but to attend meetings and be
heard, and volunteer your time,
there is no out of pocket cost. Our
next meeting is Thursday, May 21
at 7:00 PM Vernonia High School
library.
We have been working
very diligently on the playground
for our Vernonia School District
students. As most of the community
knows, we have installed Phase
I, and the kids have been using
it this school year. We have been
fundraising and applying for grants
and are so close to completing the
final stage.
The first phase cost rough-
ly $10,000 and was purchased
through our fundraising efforts and
your generous support. With the
help of some amazing volunteers
we installed the equipment.
We have received a grant
from Buell Recreation for $4,961
to implement Phase II. The PTA
has $5,500. We have received
generous donations from the
Vernonia Boosters of $2,750, a
personal donation from Virginia
Johns of $200 and a donation from
Vernonia Education Foundation of
$750. That leaves a balance of
approximately $6,000 still needed
to complete this project which will
provide a playground with capacity
for eighty-one students with two
slides and lots of climbing.
We are asking for you to
help us reach this goal. If you have
a fundraising or grant idea, or a
connection, please share. If you
can make a monetary donation,
please do. WE NEED YOU!
Please attend our next
meeting with your great ideas.
If you wish to make a donation
please send it to the Vernonia
School District, 1000 Missouri
Ave. Vernonia, OR 97064, Attn:
PTA.
THANK YOU!
TOO BUSY?
School Board Report
continued from page 13
individual planning, instruction, career development
services, paid employment, support services and follow
up support for one year after leaving the program.
Vernonia students currently enrolled in the program help
operate the concession stand during sporting events at
the school campus and receive a stipend that can be
used towards purchasing or paying for school funded
programs like sports fees, prom or their yearbook.
Public Comment – Gail Law and Jeana Gump both
thanked Eric Urban for his work as Life Skills teacher
and encouraged the Board to find a way to retain Urban.
Urban submitted his resignation to the Board effective at
the end of the current school year.
Student Reports – High School students Makayla
Adams, Summer Snow and Alexis Baska presented the
Board with a high school report. Adams reported on the
Prom. Baska updated the Board on spring sports. Snow
reported on Dornbecher Week. Baska has been attending
School Board meetings and providing student reports for
five years; this was her last School Board meeting.
Karrah Delemos and Kate
Frederiksen gave a report on the Middle
School Close Up trip to Washington,
D.C.
Call your LOCAL bookkeeper
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Building Reports – Elementary School
Principal Aaron Miller reported that
5 th graders Emma Neufer and Carly
Bergen were Spelling Bee winners for
the school; Bergen finished 4 th at the
County contest.
High/Middle School Principal
Nate Underwood reported that the
Forestry Team finished 4 th at State.
Makayla McCord and Dominic Szlavich
were named Prom Queen and King. The
High School held a SKID program.
Vernonia’s Voice is published twice each
month on the 1st and 3rd Thursday.
Look for our next issue on June 4th.
