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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2016)
schools october20 2016 Schools Update: Substitute Teachers By Aaron Miller available to fill the need for substitute employees in a variety of positions within the Vernonia School Dis- Substitute teachers and other substitute em- trict. These same issues are being felt in neighboring ployees are a daily part of life for students and school school districts as well. staff. Each day there is some position that needs to be The number of people willing to substitute in filled due to illness, scheduled appointments or other schools is dwindling, whether it be as a teacher, an as- life happenings. The issue, however, is usually not sistant, a custodian or an employee in the cafeteria. This whether or not a substitute employee will be needed in problem is even larger for a community like Vernonia, the building, but whether or not there will be a person given the distance from here to other communities of available to fill this need. size where more substitutes may live. Substitutes in Currently there is a real shortage of people the education field are becoming harder and harder to come by these days. The Vernonia School District (VSD) Vernonia High School Princi- Students throughout the nation are rec- is in need of dedicated, pal Nate Underwood has announced ognized each year for their exceptional quality people willing to that Kaitlyn Eyrrick has been named academic promise. Although they will substitute in our schools. a Commended Student in the 2017 not continue in the 2017 competition for As the largest employer National Merit Scholarship Program. the National Merit Scholarship awards, A Letter of Commendation from the Commended Students placed among school and National Merit Scholarship the top five percent of more than 1.6 Corporation (NMSC), which conducts million students who entered the 2017 the program, has been presented by Un- competition by taking the 2015 Prelim- derwood to this scholastically talented inary SAT/National Merit Scholarship senior. Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) About 34,000 Commended Eyrrick Named National Merit Scholar Commended Student 13 in town there are 82 regular employees who at one time or another are in need of a substitute. We are looking for dedicated people willing to sub in all departments, at all levels: teachers, assistants, custodians and food service workers, kindergarten through 12 th grade. If you are interested in learning more about subbing, or obtaining a restricted substitute teaching license, please contact Superintendent Miller at (503) 429-5891. Substitutes in the VSD are hired by the NW Regional Educational Service District (NWRESD), and are called through an automated system run through their offices. Anyone interested in subbing for the Dis- trict needs to register through the NWRESD Human Services department, who can be reached at (503) 614- 1428. You can also call the District Office at (503) 429- 5891, if you have questions you would like answered about potential sub jobs here in Vernonia prior to ap- plying through the ESD. Vernonia Students of the Month September 2016 School Board Report Desteny Wolfe At the October 13, 2016 School Board for a community service project this Meeting, held at Mist Grade School: year. Board Approves Staff Travel – The Board approved a request by Principal Nate Underwood for staff members Randy Shockey and Doran Lower to travel to Las Vegas to attend the Nation- al Area Career and Technical Education Consortium on November 20-Decem- ber 2, as well as a request for Under- wood to attend the AVID regional train- ing session in Seattle on October 19-21. Building Reports – High school/mid- dle school Principal Nate Underwood sent a written report and informed the Board that Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for November 17-18. He said all seniors will be enrolled in Writ- ing 121 through the NW Promise pro- gram and have the opportunity to earn college credit. He said homecoming went well, seniors won the Golden Ax, and congratulated King Jake Butcher and Queen Cassidy Whitton. Grade school Principal Aaron Miller told the Board the Open Houses went well; students had vision screen- ing; 4th grade students again participat- ed in Salmon Watch activities in part- nership with the Upper Nehalem Water- shed Council; and the fire department brought the fire escape demo house to teach students about fire safety. Mist Grade School teacher Joanie Jones, who hosted the meet- ing, told the Board she has 23 stu- dents, including two from Madagas- car; students are currently studying Native American culture; she has a 5th grade leadership group that helps younger students; the Mist/Birken- feld Helping Circle purchased a new stove for the school; her students re- cently visited the Mist/Birkenfeld fire department for a tour and lunch. Public Comment – Sharon Bernal updated the School Board and the au- dience on the School Bond Campaign. Jim Krahn presented the Board and audience with a survey from his Project Based Learning class at the high school that will help the students award a grant they received Desteny is a sweet, kind, giving young lady who tries her hardest each day. She pays attention and asks questions when she doesn’t under- stand. She has a love of reading that is infec- tious. “She has been a joy to have in class,” says her teacher. Enrollment Report – Superintendent Aaron Miller reported that enrollment is at 538, which is down but not as low as the District had projected. Healthy and Safe Schools Plan – Su- perintendent Miller presented the Board with the District’s required Healthy and Safe School plan which details how the District will deal with radon, lead in drinking water, lead paint, and pest management. Miller later provided de- tails of the District’s water test results which indicated all school facilities are meeting all required levels for lead and copper. Superintendent Report – Superinten- dent Aaron Miller reported that he has not received a response to his continued communications with the Director of the ASSE International Exchange Stu- dent Program about sanctions leveled against the Vernonia School District; that the cost to repair a broken window in the school gymnasium was almost $2,400; and that Marie Knight has been hired by the NWRESD to be the Dis- trict’s half-time Business Manager and that the District will be hiring a half- time Fiscal Assistant to replace Knight. Grade 5 Cody Hathcoat Grade 7 Cody’s teachers say he is an ideal student who works hard, completes his assignments on time, is trustworthy and kind, and is always concerned about his grades. Cody says his favorite subject is math and he plays the trumpet in the band. He also volunteers at the St. Mary’s Quilt Fair. Kaitlyn Eyrrick Grade 12 Kaitlyn is an excellent student who was recently named a National Merit Scholar Commended Student and is a member of the National Honor Society. She is in the school choir and plays clarinet in the pep band, oboe in the concert band, and is the drum major in the marching band. She wrote the $10,000 grant from Daimler that the Robotics team received this year. In her spare time Kaitlyn raises rabbits and does photography for 4-H, volunteers at the Vernonia Library, and does some digital design work for other community groups. 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