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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2022)
Schools October 20 2022 13 Schools Update: STAR Assessments and Teacher Mentor Program By Superintendent Jim Helmen Recently Vernonia School District began assessing our K-10 students using STAR Renaissance System. The STAR Assessment system is considered the most comprehensive Pre-K-12 interim and for- mative assessment suite available, focusing on reading and math ability. The system provides universal screening, progress mon- itoring, and goal-setting data tied to Oregon state common core standards to move every student forward to make up for lost instruc- tional time due to COVID. In the next three weeks, teach- ers will be provided training on using the STAR outcome data to better inform and design instructional decisions during their PLC (Professional Learning Community) and instructional planning. The STAR data is backed by research, validity studies, and millions of data points from around the na- tion. Statistical linking makes STAR highly predictive of performance on Oregon state and other high-stakes tests. Teachers will share STAR outcomes and predictive one- year growth measures during our upcoming student-teacher conferences. All elementary and secondary ELA (English Language Arts), Math, and Science teachers have been trained and provided IXL learning system. IXL helps students develop confidence, track academic progress, and identify weaknesses. The IXL provides immediate data on their students’ educational holes and progress on target- ed skills. Students also have access to IXL at home for greater practice and closing deficit gaps faster. New Teacher Academy We have recently begun a new teacher mentor program. The program pro- vides new district teachers with mentors and additional training after school hours on instructional strategies. Our district’s goal is to hire as many local qualified applicants as possible over the next three years, knowing that com- munity connection opportunities play a sig- Current VSD staff receive training to become mentors to new District teachers. nificant role in student development. All Vernonia school staff have been working hard to provide the best edu- cational experience for our K-12 students. There is much work behind the scenes done to support your children. Take some time to share your appreciation with our staff. I also want to thank our commu- nity for being involved and committed to continued educational excellence here in Vernonia School District. School Board Report At the October 13, 2022 School Board Meeting: Meeting Held at Mist School – The Board held their first of two annual meetings at Mist School. Board members Joanie Jones and Chair Stacey Pelster were absent from the meeting. Board Approves New Hires – The Board voted 5-0 to approve Superintendent Hel- man’s recommendation to hire Charise Ash to teach kindergarten and Alexis Scott to teach high school math. Board Approves Staff Resignation – The Board voted 5-0 to accept the resignation of 2 nd grade teacher Erinne Coit, effective No- vember 30, 2022. Board Approves Board/Superintendent Operating Agreement – The Board voted 5-0 to approve the 2022-23 Board/Superin- tendent Operating Agreement. The purpose of this agreement is to meet the system chal- lenges by having the Board and Superinten- dent work together as a team to address12 Collaborative Governance, Communica- tion, Expectations, District Priorities, and Guiding Principals. Board Discusses Director Goals – The Board discussed updating their Board of Di- rector Goals for 2022-23. The Board Goals are intended to establish timelines for spe- cific tasks and actions the Board would like to accomplish. The Board will review a fi- nal draft at their next meeting Board Reviews Revised Student Dress and Grooming Policy – Because the previ- ous school dress policy was vague, is raising too many questions, and does not align with the Student Handbook, Superintendent Jim Helman introduced a revised draft policy. Helman told the Board he would like to form a committee to develop a new policy that takes input from the Board, staff, and the community. Superintendent Report – Superintendent Jim Helman told the Board student atten- dance is around 90% at all three Vernonia Schools and 87.5% at Mist School. Helman provided a comprehensive re- port that tells the Board how he is address- ing his Superintendent Goals. Highlights include: evaluating District funding and adjusting the budget to provide resources for the Forestry, Carpentry, and Metals pro- grams; implementation of data collection tools and assessments of student learning and academic success; purchase of addi- tional Chromebooks to provide better stu- dent access; administrator and staff training and personal development; the development of a manufacturing and welding program for grades 8-12; the initiation of a New Teacher Mentor program (see Schools Update col- umn on this page). Principal Reports – All administrative staff provided written reports for the Board. Elementary Principal Michelle Eagle- son reported staff had participated in STAR assessment training during professional development. She announced that Kendra Schlegel will be providing a new staff sup- port training opportunity on the first and third Wednesday of each month, teaching new strategies for instructional practices to impact student outcomes. She reported stu- dents participated in several field trips: Mist students and VES kindergarten and 5 th grad- ers took part in Salmon Watch where stu- dents learned about the life cycle of salmon; VES 3 rd graders visited Vernonia City Hall, the police station, Justice Court, and the Ver- nonia Library and learned about citizenship, community participation, and volunteering. Middle/High School Principal Nate Underwood updated the Board on staff pro- fessional development, which included the following trainings: introduction of the Or- egon Data Suite to track student attendance, grades, and behavior; STAR 360 which pro- vides comprehensive student data in Eng- lish and Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science, and can be used to inform Student Learning Goals (SLG); DESSA which pro- vides evidence based Social and Emotion- al Learning Assessments; and the Walker Tracker Challenge, designed to encourage staff exercise and self care. Underwood re- ported the Metalworks class has been popu- lar and the new sawmill/forestry building is almost complete. He reported the Theatre Arts students participated in Instafest, a day long improv tournament. Vice Principal Rachel Wilson updated the Board on her work to address student choices that conflict with the culture of Ver- nonia Schools, including implementation of new data tracking tools, procedures to track attendance, and Safety Committee activi- ties. Special Education Director Susanne Myers reported students have begun STAR assessments. Several new staff have been hired: Misty Clark, Kate Eyrrick, Katelyn Hawley, Kara Maslen, Jennifer Schram, and Hillary Wall; Kim Hathcoat is now the Special Education Compliance Officer and Brandi Abney is the new Youth Transition Program Specialist. Myers reported several staff members have participated in trainings to support students on the Autism Spectrum, for the Youth Transition Program, and ODE data collections procedures. Vernonia School Board Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for November 10 at 6:00 pm. Please check the District’s website for updates/ changes: www.vernoniak12.org . VHS Varsity Sports Schedules Football Fri 10/21, 7:00 pm Fri 10/28, 7:00 pm Clatskanie Elmira Cross Country Thr 10/27, TBD Sat 11/5, TBD District Meet State Championships
