schools
june21
2018
13
School Board Report
At the June 14, 2018 Vernonia School
Board Meeting:
Board Approves Budget – Follow-
ing a public hearing at which there was
no testimony either in favor or against,
the Board voted to approve the 2018-
19 Fiscal Year Budget. The budget,
which was recommended for approval
by the district Budget Committee, is for
$14,171,608 and imposes a tax rate of
$5.0121 per $1,000 of assessed value on
property within the district.
PBL Class Presents Safety Report –
Jim Krahn, the instructor of the Project
Based Learning (PBL) class, presented
a report prepared by his students con-
cerning school safety and school shoot-
ings. Krahn said his students researched
various facets of the issue. The students
ranked the issues in order of importance
and the ability to impact student and fa-
cility safety. The following solutions
were presented by Krahn with a writ-
ten explanation about how students felt
they could improve the school facility:
1. School Resource Officer, 2. Programs
emphasizing kindness and respect, 3.
Female Councilor on staff, 4. Arming
staff members, 5. Regular interaction
between the school, City, and Fire De-
partment so a plan of action is in place,
6. School Discipline, 7. Metal Detectors,
8. Evaluation of the facility by a safety
expert.
schools.
Underwood’s report said in-
structor Robin Manning will be the new
advisor for the Vernonia Chapter of the
National Honor Society and announced
16 new members for the 2018-19 year:
Lauren Ely, Dakota Willard, Emily Obe-
nauf, Kendra Steffan, Larissa Vandehey,
Joyce Everett, Sean Coffey, Whitley To-
lonen, Kale Sullivan, Abigail McGuire,
Michael Holmes, Elijah Bozied, Jes-
sica Butcher, Katie Goodman, and Tyler
Wolf.
Underwood said new class of-
ficers for the 2018-19 school year in-
clude Presidents: Charity Coleman – se-
niors, Dakota Willard – juniors, Larissa
Vandehey – sophomores, and Lanaya
Clapshaw – freshmen. Student body of-
ficers include Joyce Everett – President,
Savannah Norman – Vice President,
Joshua Rice – Secretary, and Jackson
Fletcher – Treasurer.
Elementary principal Aaron
Miller told the Board four students will
be added to the enrollment at the Mist
School this upcoming year.
Miller said VES has received a
grant to provide Kindercamp prior to the
start of the school year. This is the third
year VES has hosted this successful pro-
gram which allows new students to be-
come familiar with the school building
and routines prior to the start of the year.
Hands On Art Makes Donations – Bill
Langmaid, along with his sons Calvin
and Henry, representing Hands On Art,
presented the Vernonia Art Department
with $2,000 for art supplies and $300
for the Band Department. All funds were
raised through the annual Junior Salmon
Auction, a collaboration between the
community arts group and the District.
Langmaid said that in the 10 years the
Junior Salmon Auction has been held
the program has donated $13,600 back
to the School District.
RTI Report – Elementary Vice Princi-
pal Michelle Eagleson provided a report
on the Response To Intervention (RTI)
program. RTI tracks data through the
school year on students that have been
identified as needing Intensive and Stra-
tegic assistance in reading and math
skills. Eagleson reported that while
data does not show big shifts in mov-
ing students from Intensive to Strate-
gic, and from Strategic to benchmark,
there have been great gains shown in
reading accuracy, fluency, and phonics
skills for reading, and slight shifts in
math proficiency.
Principal Reports – High school and
middle school principal Nate Under-
wood was not in attendance, but provid-
ed a written report that highlighted end
of year activities and awards for both
Special Education Report – Gienah
Cheney provided a detailed budget of
how special education funds are spent
within the District. Cheney said the
VSD has a total of 102 students, or
Vernonia School Board Meetings are held on the second
Thursday of each month. The next School Board Meeting is
scheduled for July 12 at 6:00 pm in the Schools Library.
Don‛t worry.
We‛ll go to Meyer‛s Auto Body.
I hear they‛re out of this world.
18%, who are identified as Special Edu-
cation Students. The State of Oregon
only provides excess funding for Special
Education for up to 11% of a District’s
population. Cheney said the District
employs four teachers, 15 instructional
assistants, and a compliance officer
in the Special Education Department.
Cheney also discussed details of the pro-
gram including transportation for stu-
dents that need to go outside the district
for programs, specialists provided by the
Education Service District, early child-
hood testing programs, and supplies and
equipment.
Spring Sports Report – Athletic Direc-
tor Gordon Jarman updated the Board
on the recently concluded spring sports
season. Jarman reported that both base-
ball and softball qualified for the league
playoffs but both lost in the first round.
For softball, Joyce Everett, Allegra Poet-
ter, and Jordan Walters were all named
First Team All League, and Jessica
Butcher was named Second Team. In
baseball Brendyn Mullikan was named
First Team All League and Gaven Ever-
ett and Gunnar Harral were named Sec-
ond Team.
In track and field 15 athletes
qualified for the State Meet, with Clay
Sullivan winning two hurdle events and
placing in two others. Andrew Vasquez
placed in the 400 meters and Odessa
Roberts just missed placing in the high
jump.
In middle school track and field,
ten athletes competed at the District
Meet, with five placing, including Sadie
Gump - 2 nd in the 3,000 meters, Sydney
Smith - 3 rd in the discus, Delany Draeger
- 5 th in the 1,500, Audrey Hill - 5 th in the
100 meters, and Conor Lemay - 6 th in the
shot put.
Jarman reported that there will
be some slight adjustments in the leagues
VHS competes in next season – leav-
ing the Northwest League will be Life
Christian and Delphian and joining will
be Portland Christian. Warrenton will
play football in the Northwest League
next season.
AVID Report – Student Isabella Neufer,
a sophomore this past year, spoke about
the impact the AVID program has had
for her. AVID (Advancement Via Indi-
vidual Determination) is a college readi-
ness program designed to help students
develop the skills they need to be suc-
cessful in college. Vernonia is continu-
ing to expand their program to include
more students; last year the program
included sophomores, juniors and se-
niors.
Since she joined the program
Neufer said her GPA increased from 2.7
her freshman year to 3.3 this year. She
said the program taught her skills that
help her set goals and be more organized
and consistent in her school work. “Last
year I did not envision myself going to
college. Now since joining AVID I hope
to get into a college or university. It’s
not just helping me be a better student,
it makes me want to be a better student.”
Instructor Juliet Safier, the Site
Coordinator for AVID at VHS, said next
year eighth grade students will be added.
Safier said eight district instructors will
attend three days of AVID training in Se-
attle this summer.
continued on page 16
Vernonia Students of the Month
May 2018
Elementary School
Front Row: Calleigh Breiden-
bach (2), Luke Coburn (K),
Emma Swart (1), Elijah Erb (K)
Back Row: Matthew Naeve (3),
Jonathan Swart (3), Alek
Josephson (4), Lila Eckert (5),
Addie Coburn (4)
Lanaya Clapshaw
Grade 8
Lanaya is considered by her teachers as an
amazing and mature student who gives her best
effort. Lanaya is already taking high school math
and says after math, her favorite subject is social
studies. She was just elected class president for
next year’s freshman class and she also partici-
pated in track this year. In her spare time she
likes trap shooting.
Andrew Vasquez
Meyer’s
Auto Body
Grade 12
Andrew is an accomplished athlete who started on
the varsity basketball team that finished 3 rd in the
state this year, was a member of the Logger
football team, and placed 7 th in the 400 meters
and was part of the 4x100 relay team that finished
9 th at state track. Andrew was part of the Project
Based Learning class this year. Next year he plans
to attend PCC.
493 Bridge Street
VERNONIA • 503-429-0248
Sponsored by State Representative Brad Witt