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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2022)
Schools April 21 2022 11 School Board Report At the March 14, 2022 School Board Meeting: Board Officially Introduces New Super- intendent – Board Chair Stacey Pelster of- ficially announced that Dr. James Helman has been hired as the new Superintendent of the District. Current Superintendent Aaron Miller said he is already meeting with Dr. Helman to work on the transition which will occur June 30, 2022. Board Approves 2022-23 Instructional Calendar – The Board voted unanimously to approve the presented 2022-23 Instruc- tional Calendar which includes the first day of school on September 6, a two week Win- ter Break from December 19 through Janu- ary 3, Spring Break from March 27 to April 3, with the last day scheduled for June 14. The schedule includes 164 student contact days. Board Approves Administrative Contract Extensions – Based on a recommendation from the Superintendent, the Board voted unanimously to approve three-year contract extensions for all three principals in the Dis- trict: Elementary Principal Michelle Eagle- son, High School/Middle School Principal Nathan Underwood, and Vice Principal Rachel Wilson. The Board also approved a one-year contract for Social Emotional Learning Director Jamie Hansa, and a one- year contract with Special Education Direc- tor Susanne Myers. Board Approves New Hires, Resignation, Retirements – The Board unanimously approved the hire of new teachers Allison McLeod for 3 rd grade and Terri Ann Stavens for 1 st grade, both effective immediate- ly; the resignation of MS/HS Art Teacher Kaitlyn Carr-Kiprotich, effective June 30, 2022; and the retirements of Food Service Manager Marilyn Landers, effective July 1, 2022, and Youth Transition Specialist Beth Kintz, effective June 30, 2022. In addition, Superintendent Aaron Miller told the Board School Nurse Heidi Brown has informed the District that she will not be renewing her contract when it ends on June 30, 2022. Board Appoints Cockrell to Budget Com- mittee – The Board voted unanimously to appoint Janice Cockrell to the Budget Com- mittee. Superintendent Report – Superintendent Aaron Miller told the Board current enroll- ment is 554 after seven students either grad- uated or obtained their GED. Miller told the Board they will need to decide whether or not to add the snow day that occurred on April 11 to the end of the school year, which is already scheduled to run until June 20. Miller told the Board he is solicit- ing construction bids for the new Forestry/ CTE building. The building will be paid for with grant funds and will house a saw mill, other equipment, and a work area. Principal Reports – Elementary Principal Michelle Eagleson told the Board the Dis- trict has received funding to hold Kinder- camp this summer from August 8-12 and August 15-19. High School/Middle School Prin- cipal Nate Underwood reported to the Board the winners of The American Citizenship Award which is designed to honor students who inspire and encourage other students to strive to be better citizens. Underwood offered congratulations to 2020-21 Semes- ter 2 Winner Cody Hathcoat and 2021-22 Semester 1 Winner Kortnie Adams. Ad- ditionally, Cody Hathcoat, after winning District, State, and Regional Competi- tions, is now in the running for the Nation- al Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award and Scholarship. Student Reports – Sydney Smith, rep- resenting the Leadership Class, told the Board the National Honor Society Food Oregon’s Private Forest Accord continued from page 3 • New rules for beavers that reflect the criti- cal role that beavers and beaver dams play in supporting wildlife, including salmon • A new stakeholder committee with con- servation members that will work with an Independent Research and Science Team to advise the Board of Forestry on recommen- dations for ongoing rule changes. Negotiations on the Accord pro- vided an opportunity on both sides to com- promise. The group that convened to write the Accord previously worked together to successfully write new rules for aerial her- bicide applications in Oregon, and chose to build on that favorable outcome by tackling Oregon’s forest practices with the drafting of the Private Forest Accord. “The ability to sit down and successfully hammer this out when you have two opposing groups, is really positive,” says John Krause, ODF’s Stewardship Forester for Columbia County. “Both groups had reasons to negotiate and cooperate.” “We didn’t get everything we wanted at the negotiating table,” said Wild Salmon Center’s Oregon Policy Director Bob Van Dyk. “But this agreement is with- out a doubt an enormous and positive step for Oregon conservation.” “The additional encumbrances are not without pain for Roseburg and all pri- vate timberland owners in Oregon, and that was difficult to accept, particularly because we are proud of our current practices and the environmental protections they offer,” said Eric Geyer, Roseburg Forest Product’s Director of External Affairs and Strategic Business Development. “But compromise is always difficult. This process was par- ticularly challenging given the long history between the two groups, but the outcome will ultimately provide a more stable and certain future for Roseburg and for our in- dustry in this state.” Krause says the other thing that was surprising to him in the Accord was that it creates and defines the specific rules that will be implemented. “Normally they would give a framework for what they want to see, which then goes to the Department of Forestry and the Board of Forestry to be interpreted. The Accord actually has tables that sets distances for stream buffers, which is good, because if it’s left up to the Board of Forestry to interpret what the Accord meant, it might not come out where the two sides wanted it.” “In commercial forestry, there has to be a balance between making it economi- cally feasible to keep forestland as forest- land, while also protecting the resources that are out there, fish, birds and wildlife, and water quality,” says Krause. “So I would say that, even though this is going to upset some of the small forest landown- ers, this is a step in the right direction when it comes to expanding stream protections while providing security for the timber in- dustry.” But the opportunity to compro- Drive collected 800 pounds of food for Ver- nonia Cares. Smith updated the Board on what some classes are studying, and told the Board students are again allowed to go on field trips. Grad Coach Update – Ashley Ward pro- vided an update on activities taking place to ensure students meet all requirements for graduation, and to help students explore careers. Ward told the Board about several field trips students attended, speakers that have come to the school, Service Saturdays – an opportunity for students to complete required Community Service hours, and scholarship opportunities. Vernonia School Board Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for May 12, 6:00 pm. Please check the District’s website for updates/changes: www.vernonia.k12.or.us . VHS Varsity Sports Schedules Baseball mise also creates new possibilities for two opposing factions to find mutual areas of understanding and the chance to heal old wounds and begin working together, writes Tim Hibbetts in an opinion piece in the Or- egon Capital Chronicle. “The agreement hashed out by timber companies and en- vironmental groups portends a new com- mitment to consultation in managing Or- egon’s forest resources and protecting its endangered species. More negotiation and compromise, fewer ballot measure battles and lawsuits. More science and mutual fact finding, less distrust and dismissal of the facts on the ground.” Vernonia’s Voice is published on the 1 st and 3 rd Thursday. Look for our next issue on May 5. Sat 4/23, TBD Tue 4/26, 4:00 pm Fri 4/29, 3:00/5:00 pm Tue 5/3, 3:00/5:00 pm Fri 5/6, 4:00 pm @ Knappa (DH) @Nestucca Nestucca (DH) Gaston (DH) @Gaston Softball Thr 4/21, 4:30 pm Mon 4/25, 4:30 pm Wed 4/27, 4:00 pm Fri 4/29, 3:00 pm Tue 5/3, 4:30 pm Gaston @ Pac.U. Faith Bible @ Portland Christian @ Nestucca Knappa Track & Field Thr 4/21, 3:00 pm Sat 4/23, 10:30 am Sat 4/30, 11:00 am Thr 5/5, 4:00 pm Sat 5/7, TBD @ Portland Christian @ Jewell @ Portland Christian @ Neah-Kah-Nie @ Gladstone Notice of Budget Committee Meeting A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the Vernonia School District 47J, Columbia County, State of Oregon, on the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, will be held at 1000 Missouri Street, Vernonia Oregon. The meeting will take place on April 21, 2022 at 6:00 PM The purpose of the meeting is to receive the budget message. This is a public meeting where deliberation of the Budget Committee will take place. An additional, separate meeting of the Budget Committee will be held to take public comment. Any person may appear at the meeting and discuss the proposed programs with the Budget Committee. The meeting for public comment will be on: Date: May 12, 2022 Time: 6:00 PM Location: 1000 Missouri Street, Vernonia Oregon in the library upstairs A copy of the budget document may be inspected or obtained on or after April 21,2022 at 1000 Missouri Street, Vernonia Oregon, school district office, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM 150-504-073-1 (Rev 01-15) an , D MD Vernonia Dental D hr C r. is M . Sc erm u he 622 Bridge Street Vernonia, OR 97064 phone (503) 429-0880 -- fax (503) 429-0881 Donʻt wait for the sun! Get your MOWERS tuned up now! Oil Change • Sharpen Blades Filters • Cables • Pull Ropes We pick up & deliver! Family owned & operated for over 50 years 834 Bridge St., Vernonia (503) 429-6364
