Schools
March 17
2022
11
“Rabbit” Taylor Tripp, 14
“Raccoon” Riley Gulleckson, 18
“Seagull” Allison Cheadle, 16
School Board Report
At the March 10, 2022 School Board
meeting:
District Makes Masks Optional – Super-
intendent Aaron Miller announced changes
to COVID protocols, including that masks
will be optional for students and staff, be-
ginning March 12. (See full story on front
page.)
Principal Reports – Elementary Princi-
pal Michelle Eagleson told the Board Mist
School has been awarded a $3,000 grant
from the Vernonia Education Foundation to
support the K-5 STEM program.
Superintendent Report – Superintendent
Aaron Miller reported that enrollment is
561.
Miller told the Board he and Mr. Be-
nassi worked together to successfully sub-
mit a CTE grant which will construct a new
building to support the Forestry Program.
Miller reported the District was rec-
ognizing Classified Employee Appreciation
Week “We are honoring our employees who
are such an integral part of how we support
students in our schools,” said Miller.
– The Board voted unanimously to accept
the retirement of Elementary Councilor Da-
vid Spackman, along with therapy dog Top-
per, at the end of the school year, effective
July 1. Spackman has served in the District
for 15 years.
Budget Committee Members Needed – Fi-
nance Director Marie Knight told the Board
there is a need for citizen members on the
Budget Committee. The Budget Committee
is made up of the seven School Board mem-
bers and seven citizen members. A New
Budget Committee Member Orientation has
been scheduled for April 19. If interested
in serving on the Budget Committee please
contact the District office.
Public Comment – Jenn Rau thanked ev-
eryone on the Board for their hard work and
said she just wants to get the community en-
gaged in school board business. She asked
that discipline referrals that students have
received around masks be removed from the
Board Approves Teacher and Adminis-
trator Contract Extensions – The Board
voted unanimously to adopt Resolution
2022-01, extending the employment con-
tracts of all teachers for the 2022-23 and
2023-24 school years, based on the rec-
ommendation of the Superintendent. The
Board also voted unanimously to adopt
Resolution 2022-02, extending the adminis-
tration contracts of all three principals in the
District for three years – Elementary Princi-
pal Michelle Eagleson, High School/Middle
School Principal Nate Underwood, and Vice
Principal Rachel Wilcoxen.
student’s records.
Juliette Safier, President of the Teach-
ers Union, informed the Board that she is
now a state level Teacher Union Represen-
tative.
Camrin Eyrick, President of the Clas-
sified Employees, complained about the
Board conducting official business off the
record after the official meeting was closed
last month. Later in the meeting the Board
revised the minutes from the February 8
meeting to reflect that, while the Board did
adjourn the meeting after returning from
Executive Session, they did reconvene the
meeting before holding further discussion
and then adjourning following the discus-
sion.
Allison McLeod requested that stu-
dents be allowed to remove masks immedi-
ately, based on their outstanding behavior.
She also requested the Board not extend the
end of the school year the additional two
FOR TOWING EMERGENCIES
IN AND AROUND THE
VERNONIA AREA
R
Y
OLL
A
P
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Police and County personnel are required
to use a rotation of available providers,
UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY ASK
for a service by name.
Call your LOCAL tax preparer
REQUEST TOWING SERVICE FROM
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Board Accepts Retirement of Spackman
The IRS does not endorse any particular individual tax return preparer. For more information
on tax return preparers, go to www.IRS.gov.
an
, D
MD
Vernonia
Dental
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Vernonia School Board Meetings
are held on the second Thursday
of each month. The next meeting
is scheduled for April 14, 6:00 pm
at the Mist School. Please check
the District’s website for updates/
changes: www.vernonia.k12.or.us .
IT’S TAX TIME
Board Approves Student Transfer Limits
– Based on the recommendation of the Su-
perintendent, the Board voted unanimously
to set a limit on Student Transfers into the
District at 39 for the 2022-23 school year.
hr
C
r.
weeks that were added when the District de-
layed the start of school because of COVID
concerns. She also asked that the volunteer
policy be changed immediately in order
to encourage volunteers to get back into
the schools, especially for non-vaccinated
adults.
Mac MaCallum thanked the Board for
dropping the mask requirement.
Jim Krahn thanked the administration,
staff, and students for enforcing and follow-
ing the rules during COVID restrictions.
is M
.
Sc
erm
u
he
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