Wednesday,April21,2021
Columbia Gorge News
www.columbiagorgenews.com
9
HRCSD board talks contract negotiations,
return to in-person instruction
Trisha Walker
■ By Columbia
Gorge News
hearing from the Hood River
County Health Department.
Those with questions should
Hood River County School call the health department.
He noted that some of
Board members and admin-
istrators celebrated the return the families on the contact
tracing log list haven’t been
of all students to in-person
classes at their April 14 board answering the health depart-
meeting, held at May Street
ment’s phone calls. “Answer
Elementary as well as broad- your phones — they need
help doing those screenings,”
cast live via Google Meet.
he said. Because some staff
“It’s been a seriously long
are using their cell phones,
haul,” said Superintendent
Rich Polkinghorn. “A million “health department” won’t
necessarily come up on caller
and one plans have been
ID, he noted.
made and a million plans
While there has been an
changed. We finally have all
of our students back into the uptick in cases, he noted
that the county is below the
classroom, and it’s a great
threshold of 60 cases per
feeling. But it’s not all good
week that would send Hood
news.”
He said a fifth student had River County back into a
higher risk level; Hood River
tested positive and encour-
aged the community at large County is currently at Lower
Risk.
to be cautious to ensure
HRVHS Student Envoy
students can remain in class-
rooms. He also said students Dora Plascencia-Macias, a
ages 16-17 will be eligible for senior, updated the board on
the first days of classes, say-
vaccination beginning April
19, and clinics will be held at ing, “I think you can tell peo-
the Hood River Valley High
ple are excited to see people
School Health Center in late walking around the halls,” but
April and early May.
that students are wondering
Polkinghorn said, for
if they’ll be able to finish the
every positive case, individ-
year on site. “We’re excited
to be back but with a little bit
ual schools are notified, as
of fear,” she said. Plascencia-
well as those in the infected
person’s cohort, who are then Macias also reported student
government looking into
advised to quarantine until
holding a belated spirit week, “The bargaining team looks
including the annual air gui- forward to resolving the
remaining issues."
tar, in a COVID-safe way.
In a follow up email,
Calkins
said the remaining
Contract negotiations articles include
“cost of living
adjustments and health
Polkinghorn reported the
insurance; workload, which
district negotiations team,
comprised of district person- includes increased prepara-
nel and two board members, tion time and fewer meet-
entered into mediated bar-
ings; and safety, including
language that helps ensure
gaining in March. In media-
the safety of students as well
tion, five of the outstanding
articles have been agreed on, as our members. The district
with six articles and appendi- has expressed interest in
ces outstanding. Polkinghorn extending the school year. We
want to be sure that we don’t
then reviewed the budget
have just more days but also
process — revenues and ex-
penditures — and the board’s better days, and have given
them a proposal that includes
goal of an 8 percent Ending
Fund Balance each year, with an increase in contract days.”
Polkinghorn said in a
unspent funds used to offset
follow up email that HREA
the next year’s expenses.
Kelvin Calkins, Hood River submitted a proposal to
Education Association presi- the district on April 6, and
dent, spoke during the public the district is reviewing the
proposal and preparing a
comment period — as did a
counter proposal.
number of HRCSD staff —
The next negotiation medi-
and said members continue
to be concerned over the
ation session is scheduled for
district’s reluctance to settle
April 21.
the contract.
He said members are
WS student request to
perplexed why the board is
play
HR lacrosse denied
amassing budget funds while
“ignoring employees.
The board heard a public
" ... We believe the district complaint brought forth
has the resources to fund
by a student from White
our proposals," he said.
Salmon wishing to overturn
a decision that prohibits
them to play lacrosse on the
HRVHS team. Director of
Human Resources Catherine
Dalbey said the issue was
complicated by the lack of
precedent for students cross-
ing state lines to participate
in an activity.
HRVHS is governed by
the Oregon School Activities
Association, and students
who attend Columbia High in
White Salmon are therefore
not covered. Transfer policy,
including non-residency,
covers students who wish to
transfer to the district from
within the state — but not for
crossing state lines. Dalbey
reached out to Oregon High
School Lacrosse Association
and additionally looked
into a cooperative sponsor-
ship application, meaning
Columbia High and HRVHS
would enter into a two-year
agreement to combine teams
while Columbia began its
own program, but there were
no cross-state precedents
there either.
Ultimately, she recom-
mended that the families
wishing to play in Hood River
pursue existing pathways to
transfer into the district.
“We do have tuitions spots
available,” she said; spots
are automatically granted to
those who live in the county.
The board unanimously
voted to uphold the denial.
“I feel for this athlete
who wants to play this sport
and is not able to play,”
said Board Member Brandi
Sheppard. “It’s a tough spot
for everybody.”
Dalbey agreed. “It has
personal impacts on the
complainant and family …
We want all kids healthy and
happy and to participate in
everything and anything they
want. But we need to be sure
we’re operating within our
policy, statewide policy and
the law.”
Upcoming meetings
The board will hold a
spring work session on April
28; the next public board
meeting is scheduled for
May 12 at the Nathaniel Coe
Administration Center, 1011
Eugene, Hood River, begin-
ning at 6:30 p.m.
To attend the meeting on-
line — as well as recordings
of previous meetings — visit
www.hoodriver.k12.or.us/
boardmeetings.
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