schools
september20
2018
13
Schools Update: Starting the School Year
By Superintendent Aaron Miller
It has been an exciting start of
the year in the Vernonia Schools build-
ing as elementary, middle, and high
school students are all back in class and
hard at work. We have lots of new faces
in the building with many students mov-
ing into, and back into, the district over
the summer. Besides the plentiful num-
ber of new students, there are also sev-
eral new teachers, and staff members at
all three levels. We are looking forward
to an exceptional year!
Reading, Writing and Arithme-
tic all continue to be on the menu as core
areas to develop and improve upon, but
developing positive relationships is at
the top of the list for the District’s pro-
fessional development this year.
Staff training activities will fo-
cus on Vernonia’s Caring Community
where we will encourage positive com-
munication between students, staff, and
parents, and develop resiliency skills
within students and staff alike. Our work
will utilize our Columbia County Trau-
ma-Informed Care Grant to develop and
implement effective strategies to create
a school environment that is caring, wel-
coming, and positive, even when tough
conversations are held to address behav-
ioral, social, and emotional issues.
Communication between teach-
ers and parents is essential to students
reaching their maximum potential.
Please communicate with your child’s
teacher(s) if you have any questions or
concerns regarding your child’s experi-
ence at school. Talk with your child’s
teachers. They are here to serve your
student and you. They are professionals
who know how to teach and reach chil-
dren, but your input and partnership will
dramatically improve the progress your
child makes in their classroom. You
will hear more about Vernonia’s Caring
Community in a future article.
Community/Superintendent
chats are another element of increasing
communication that will be happening
again this year. I will be available to dis-
cuss any school topic monthly through-
out the year. The first session will be
held on Wednesday, September 26 from
6:00 - 7:00 pm in the Vernonia Schools
Commons, with the second session hap-
pening on Wednesday, October 31 from
9:00-10:00 am at the Mist/Birkenfeld
Fire Station. The third session of the
year will be on Wednesday, November
28 from 7:00-8:00 am at the Black Iron
Grill.
Also, Vernonia School District
Board meetings are held the second
Thursday of each month starting at 6:00
pm in the Vernonia Schools Library. The
October 11 meeting will be held at the
Mist School.
As always, if you have any
questions regarding school please give
us a call at (503) 429-5891 or (503) 429-
1333.
School Board Report
At the September 13, 2018 School
Board Meeting:
Whiteman Appointed to Open Po-
sition – The School Board appointed
Steve Whiteman to fill the open seat on
the Board after Brett Costley resigned
to take a position with the school facul-
ty. Whiteman is a retired instructor and
coach with the District, a former City
Councilor for the City of
Vernonia, and a current
member of the Vernonia
Parks Committee.
Brown – Director of Music, Kaitlyn
Carr-Kiprotich – MS/HS Art, and Brett
Bunke – MS/HS Language Arts.
Underwood told the Board en-
rollment at VMS is 124 and is 184 at
VHS.
Superintendent Report – Superinten-
dent Aaron Miller told the Board that
VHS students earned a total of 172 col-
lege credits in writing,
math, and Spanish last
year through the North-
west Promise program.
Miller said total stu-
dent enrollment in the
District is 546.
Staff Resignation –
High School Principal
Nate Underwood told
the Board that Leader-
ship and Spanish in-
structor Teri Willard has
resigned. The Board
later voted to accept her
resignation. She has not Steve Whiteman was appointed
to the Vernonia School Board
been replaced.
Bond Projects Update
– Superintendent Aaron
Miller provided an up-
date on current Bond
Projects. Miller said as-
phalt cinders are ready
to be installed, hydro-
on September 13.
seed has been laid out
Principal Reports – El-
on
non-playing
surface areas, and grass
ementary Principal Aaron Miller told
sod
will
also
be
installed in the near fu-
the Board there are 21 students enrolled
at Mist School, and 220 students en- ture since water restrictions have been
lifted. He said there is an upcoming
rolled at VES.
Miller told the Board that 29 meeting at the Mist School with Co-
students participated in this summer’s lumbia County, a structural engineer,
the project manager, and the contractor,
Kindercamp.
Middle/High School Princi- in order to proceed and complete the
pal Nate Underwood told the Board project; he said the rest of the projects
there are a number of new instructors at Mist will probably wait until Spring
or staff with new assignments this year, Break and next summer break. He said
including Brett Costley - MS/HS Engi- excavation work for the new metal shop
neering, Justin Benassi – MS/HS Con- has been completed. Miller said esti-
struction, David Rigall – MS Science, mates for the additional classrooms are
Geoff Schwartz HS Science, Katherine within the proposed project budget.
Vernonia
Veterinary Clinic
NEW LOCATION
Don‛t worry.
We‛ll go to Meyer‛s Auto Body.
I hear they‛re out of this world.
Small and Large Animals
Open
Mon, Wed & Saturday
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Call for Appointments
(503) 429-1612
Or 24 hr. Emergency Number (503) 397-6470
700 Weed Ave. Vernonia, OR
Fresh Roasted Coffee
espresso • baked goods
Meyer’s
Auto Body
Open Every Day at 6:00 am
493 Bridge Street
VERNONIA • 503-429-0248
825 Bridge Street
503-429-0214