Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2016)
schools july7 2016 11 Schools Update: Vernonia High School College Credit Opportunities By Peter Weisel During the 2014-15 school year Vernonia High School (VHS) began offering more opportunities for students to earn college credit. A pilot project was launched and about 25 students earned Portland Community College (PCC) credits at no cost to them, a value of $500-600 per class. English Composition – WR 121 was the most popular, followed by College Algebra (Mth 111) and a smattering of other courses. Usually a college course can replace a high school course requirement – a situation referred to as earning Dual Credit. This year (2015-16) VHS set out to increase the number of college course offerings, and a program called Willamette Promise was a significant help with that. Several VHS teachers completed trainings which upon completion allowed them to teach our students at the college level. College credit is then granted from Western Oregon University. Mrs. Willard’s Spanish students were a smashing success, earning over 200 credits in 5 different college Spanish courses! Mrs. Riley’s students were also successful, with several earning credit in General Biology (BI 101). Next year we plan to expand Willamette Promise supported college courses in the areas of Language Arts, Science, and Math. Students will be notified of all existing and new Willamette Promise related offerings when they return in the fall. In addition to Willamette Promise courses, several of Mr. Lower’s Digital Arts students seized the opportunity to earn college credit in PCC courses he delivered at VHS. Mr. Lower taught PCC courses on Video Production and Digital Multimedia. Mr. Lower has also been working hard this year in preparation to greatly expand the PCC courses students can take from him beginning in the fall of 2016. These new courses will include: Introduction to Web Design, Beginning Website Design, Beginning Photoshop, Beginning Keyboarding, Keyboarding for Speed/Accuracy and Basic Computer Skills/Microsoft Office. We are excited to be able to better compete with larger districts, both by offering more college level rigor and by having our graduates enter college with several credits already earned. Doing so reduces their college costs and moves them toward earlier college completion. Please stay tuned to The Voice for more college news as it unfolds at VHS in 2016-17. Peter Weisel is the Counselor for grades 7-12 at the Vernonia School District. He can be contacted at pweisel@vernonia. k12.or.us or (503) 429-1352. Community Action Team: Making Homes Safer few months before becoming quite ill. As her health declined so did her mobil- ity. It wasn’t long before she was lim- ited to moving through her home in a wheel chair. For three years the wheel chair prevented her from getting to any part of the house except the kitchen and living room. Because the door opening was too narrow, Rogers could not get to her bedroom, and more importantly, the bathroom. She recalls that her home, “was not livable before CAT came in to help me.” Rogers’ therapist at Colum- bia Community Mental Health reached out to see if there was something CAT could do to help make the home liv- able. Through the Lend a Hand program, Rogers’ life and health was transformed. The CAT team took out a cabinet, linen closet and ancient gas furnace so the hallway and bathroom entrances could be widened to accommodate the wheel chair. They also installed a raised toilet and grab bars that help Rogers navigate the bathroom safely. Because they had to remove the furnace, they installed a ductless heat pump that also cools the home in the summer. Rogers is comfort- able and no longer feels trapped in her home. She even has creative plans for the newly opened space. Because of her health challenges Rogers still spends the majority of her time at home. However, now she can enjoy watching the count- less birds that visit her feeders and beau- tiful flowering bushes from every room in the house. She has reconfigured the kitchen a little so she can reach the im- portant things: her teas and spices, and her vast supply of bird seed. While the Lend a Hand program Just in the last 20 years of rehab projects was able to help make Rogers’ home CAT has served over 500 homeowners. wheel chair accessible, CAT also called One of those clients is Gene in its Weatherization program team to Hoffman* who purchased his St. Hel- address issues with the ens house about three home’s ineffective heat- years ago. He went ing system. In the winter through the conven- the home stayed so cold tional home pur- that there was ice on the chase process, but inside of the windows; in the inspector missed the summer it felt like an several important oven. After conducting problems that have a thorough energy audit, made home life dif- weatherization specialists ficult and unsafe for installed insulation under him. He shared that the home and above the before CAT’s help he ceiling, added a highly in- was afraid to touch sulating roof, repaired the anything attached to electrical wiring for the the house for fear of Gene Hoffman water heater, replaced all it breaking off in his the windows, and sealed the home tight- hand. The entire plumbing system had ly. They even added a fan in the back of been cobbled together under the house the house that automatically keeps the air without proper drainage; the toilet was circulating throughout. The goal of the not connected to the plumbing, so he had Weatherization program is to increase to bring in a portable toilet; the water health and safety while reducing energy heater was dangerously old and the fur- costs for low-income households. Of the nace didn’t work at all; there were tears weatherization upgrades Rogers says, in the worn carpeting that were a trip “There is no comparison. Now I’m al- hazard; and the front porch was missing ways comfortable, day or night, summer steps. He had already stretched his fixed or winter. I am so very grateful for the income to purchase the house and was work CAT did for me.” not in a position to pay for the necessary Most of the home-related servic- repairs. es offered by CAT are available to low- CAT’s Housing Rehabilitation income households, whether they rent team came in and, according to Hoff- or own their home. This is true for Lend man, “put the house like it should have a Hand, Weatherization, and Healthy been to begin with.” Hoffman financed Homes. For the Housing Rehabilitation the work through a zero percent interest program however, only home owners are loan. Repayment of the loan is deferred eligible to receive assistance with health until the title of the house is transferred and/or safety-based repairs or upgrades. due to sale or refinance of the home or e rm an DM D Vernonia Dental . Dr r h C ph o t is M er . h S c eu 622 Bridge Street Vernonia, OR 97064 phone (503) 429-0880 -- fax (503) 429-0881 continued from front page the homeowner dies, so it doesn’t add a monthly burden to a client’s bills. CAT’s team completely gutted the bathroom and remodeled it with all new plumbing, fixtures and flooring. He also got a new kitchen sink. The team replaced the carpet with a sturdy and attractive laminate floor that has also relieved some of Hoffman’s breathing symptoms. In addition, CAT construct- ed a ramp at the front door that allows Hoffman to enter and exit his home more safely. Similarly to the weather- ization assistance also provided to Rog- ers, Hoffman’s water heater and furnace were replaced, a new roof was installed, and insulation was added. Hoffman is happy to say his house is, “worth living in now.” There are two more related Community Investment programs to help make homes safer and more afford- able to heat. Furnace repair or replace- ment is available to households that meet the energy assistance requirements. The Healthy Homes program provides repairs and remediation measures that improve a home’s environment for high- risk low-income families and individu- als who have respiratory conditions or mobility issues in their home. To find out more about CAT Housing Rehabilitation, Healthy Homes and Lend a Hand programs, please con- tact Dayle Shulda at (503) 366-6552. For Weatherization program informa- tion, please call Kim Buhrer at (800) 325-8098. * Names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals featured. Need more room? See us for the lowest prices GUARANTEED! Debit/Credit now accepted 5x10 $39 10x10 $69 10x20 $99 RV Storage $149 Outside storage available Totally fenced and gated Padlocks available 58605 Nehalem Hwy South • P.O. Box 292 Vernonia, Oregon 97064 (503) 429-7867 10-6 Tue-Sat 12-4 Sun