schools
august15
2019
11
School Board Report
not in attendance. Gump immediately
took the Oath of Office and participated
as a Board member during the remainder
of the meeting.
At the August 8, 2019 Vernonia School
Board Meeting:
Board Appoints Gump to Fill Vacant
Seat – After reviewing three applications
and questioning the three applicants who
were all in attendance at the meeting, the
Board voted unanimously 4-0 to appoint
Jeana Gump to the currently vacant Po-
sition #7. The other applicants were
William DeJager of Birkenfeld and Pau-
la Love of Vernonia. The Board praised
all three candidates’s qualifications, and
were actually split 2-2 on the first vote
after Gump was nominated by Director
Steve Whiteman, who noted Gump’s
regular attendance at Board meetings
for the past several years as the deciding
factor for him. After further discussion
a motion to appoint DeJager by Director
Melissa Zavales did not receive a second
and also failed. After further questions
of the candidates Gump was again nomi-
nated by Zavales and the Board voted to
appoint her, with Director Stacey Pelster
abstaining; Director Susan Wagner was
Board Approves New Hire – The Board
voted unanimously to approve the hire
of SeungJin Bae as the new Director of
Music, who will teach HS/MS Band and
Choir for the District.
Superintendent Report – Superinten-
dent Aaron Miller handed out a revised
District Organizational Chart showing
responsibilities for the administration
positions.
Miller provided an update on
Bond Projects, noting: painting at the
Mist School is almost complete thanks
to community and staff volunteers;
ground has been broken for the new
Metal/Welding shop; and work is ongo-
ing for the installation of lighting and
the new scoreboard at the football field
in anticipation of the first home football
game at the new campus, scheduled for
Friday, September 13.
Alternative Education.
Principal Reports – Elementary Princi-
pal Michelle Eagleson provided a writ-
ten report, but was not in attendance.
Eagleson reported that the new reading
curriculum, Journeys, has arrived and
been organized for the start of the year.
Eagleson reported that the “Popsicles
on the Playground” program has been a
success, allowing incoming kindergarten
students and their families to meet their
classmates, teachers, and administration
in a casual setting.
High School/Middle School
Principal Nate Underwood was also not
in attendance and provided a written re-
port. Underwood welcomed seven new
staff members in his report, and noted
that with some creative and flexible
scheduling the schools will now be of-
fering expanded classes that potentially
include German, Theater Arts/Drama,
Music Theory and Appreciation, AP
English, Creative Writing, AVID Boot
Camp, Yoga/Zumba/Dance, Karate, and
Board Approves Surplus Items – The
Board approved the listing of 150 desks
and chairs as surplus to be disposed of
by the District. The District had previ-
ously received a donation of used desks
and chairs from the Portland School Dis-
trict that were in better condition than
those that were surplused.
Wild Child Salon Offers
“Pay What You Will” Back-to-School Haircuts
Kim Byrem, owner of Wild
Child Salon in Vernonia, is offering a
special, “Pay What You Will” deal for
children in need of a haircut for back-
to-school.
Byrem says she knows there
are families in the community who
may be struggling, and she would like
to offer them some assistance.
Last year Byrem provided
30 free haircuts to students from her
home salon. This year she is offering
her services from her newly opened
salon in the Brunsman Building at 736
Bridge Street.
Byrem says she usually charg-
es $15 for a kid’s haircut. For her
Back-to-School special this year, she’s
Don‛t worry.
We‛ll go to Meyer‛s Auto Body.
I hear they‛re out of this world.
Meyer’s
Auto Body
493 Bridge Street
VERNONIA • 503-429-0248
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622 Bridge Street Vernonia, OR 97064
phone (503) 429-0880 -- fax (503) 429-0881
suggesting that clients pay what they
can afford. “It’s OK if they can’t pay,
I’m happy to give them a haircut for
free if they need it,” she says.
She asks that anyone wanting
to take advantage of her Back-to-
School special call and schedule an
appointment at (971) 757-0557.
Board Holds Performance Evalua-
tion of Superintendent – The Board re-
cessed to Executive Session under ORS
192.660 (2)(i) “Evaluate the Superin-
tendent.” to discuss the annual review
of the Superintendent’s performance
prior to entering into contract negotia-
tions. Upon returning to Open Session,
the Board took no further action but said
they were retaining Superintendent Mill-
er and passed the evaluation documenta-
tion on to the contract Negotiating Com-
mittee. Miller has requested a review of
his current contract.
Vernonia School Board
Meetings are held on
the second Thursday of
each month. The next
School Board Meeting is
scheduled for September
12 at 6:00 pm in the
Schools Library.
