Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 12, 2018)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KMUN! TUNE IN TO PARTY WITH COAST RADIO SATURDAY | COAST WEEKEND DailyAstorian.com // THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018 145TH YEAR, NO. 203 County balks at fund for homeless SCHOOLS SEEK CAREER PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS Sale of property would have raised money for help By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian 600 Career pathways programs in Oregon. 20 Programs through Clatsop Community College. 1950s Start of Warrenton’s fisheries program. 2015 Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Rebecca Sprengeler works in the fish hatchery at Warrenton High School. Wood shop, fisheries, printing as job options By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian W ith a new infusion of interest in career-technical educa- tion, local high schools are busy organizing hands-on courses into state-certified career pathways to help students move into college and the workforce. The goal is to help close a growing skills gap in the United States and guide students toward higher-wage, high-demand career tracks. Oregon began creating career pathways in colleges in the mid-2000s and now counts more than 600 such programs. Clatsop Com- munity College includes nearly 20 programs of study in welding, maritime sciences, fire- fighting, business, medical and other subjects leading to industry certification and associ- ate degrees. The state Legislature in 2015 established a funding stream to reimburse school districts that create career pathways for high school- ers. Students must complete several credits in the program before districts can be reim- bursed. Students who complete career path- ways can also earn college credit and indus- try certifications. “There’s more funding, but we’re also seeing that youth involved in (career-tech- nical) programs are more successful,” said Mary Jackson, a career-technical education coordinator for the college who is helping high schools create their career pathways. Astoria, Warrenton and Knappa high schools already share a health occupations program that sends students to classes at Columbia Memorial Hospital. Astoria and Seaside have business-related career path- ways, while Seaside offers a program in construction. Warrenton and Astoria have two of the only student-run fish hatcheries in the state. Both are trying by next year to create distinct nat- ural resources career pathways that will fea- ture fisheries and expand into related subjects. Warrenton’s fisheries program, dating to the 1950s, is student-operated and supported by nonprofit Warrenton High Fisheries Inc., founded by alumnus and Warrenton Mayor Henry Balensifer. “We’ve been doing this for years,” Rod Heyen, principal of Warrenton High School, said of fisheries. “Now it’s checking the boxes with the state to qualify for programs of studies.” See PATHWAYS, Page 5A ONE DOLLAR State Legislature established funding to reimburse school districts for pathways programs. ‘There’s more funding, but we’re also seeing that youth involved in (career- technical) programs are more successful.’ Mary Jackson career-technical education coordinator A new Clatsop County fund to help the homeless is on hold. County commissioners, in a 2-2 vote Wednesday, did not approve the suggested sale of a 14-acre parcel in Hammond acquired by the county in 1926 via tax foreclosure. County management estimates the land could sell for more than $500,000 due to development in the area, and about 12 percent of the proceeds could have been used to create the homelessness fund. “Currently financial resources are lacking to address either short or long-term strategies to reduce home- lessness,” County Manager Cameron Moore wrote in an agenda item sum- mary presented to commissioners. “Clatsop County has an obligation to support and assist in addressing com- munity needs such as homelessness with whatever resources we can make available.” As an example of what could come from the fund, Moore listed an effort by nonprofit Helping Hands to remodel a boarding house in Union- town into a dormitory for 50 to 75 homeless people. The county was considering pitching in for some of the $350,000 project. Moore first thought of the idea for a fund during a meeting about home- lessness with law enforcement offi- cials and Helping Hands late last year, he said. “I guess I was struck when I was sitting there when I realized that even for some of the simple things that people are trying to do, they lack the financial resources,” Moore said. Commissioners Scott Lee and Sarah Nebeker, who voted in favor of the proposal, argued it would set a precedent for one way to tackle the county’s nagging homelessness issue. “I think it’s a great idea. Commis- sioners have been talking for such a long time about, ‘What can we do about homelessness?’ and we go around and around,” Nebeker said. “It shows that the county is looking at this issue. We are not ignoring it. We are supporting it and trying to move forward.” Commissioner Kathleen Sulli- van said she had several concerns, though the proposal was not a bad idea. Among them were the lack of specifics about the fund, along with her view that a decision should be delayed until a $100,000 countywide housing study is completed. “We’re not going to be mak- ing more land. I would like to see us See HOMELESS, Page 5A Music boosters support Astoria strings teacher School board might restructure program By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian Droves of music supporters packed an Astoria School Board meeting Wednes- day night to protest a proposed restruc- turing of the school district’s music pro- gram, which they say would lead to the downfall of orchestra. Angela Calvin-Pederson, who spends about half of her full-time position teach- ing orchestra and the other half teaching general music at Lewis and Clark Ele- mentary School, recently put a call out to her students and orchestra supporters expressing her concerns and calling on people to attend the meeting. She was given the choice between teaching full-time general music at the elementary school or taking the part-time orchestra position, losing hours, income and the opportunity for medical benefits, she said. “I personally feel that it will be a chal- lenge to bring in a string specialist for less than full time that is qualified and com- mitted to staying in this community long term,” Calvin-Pederson said in her email. See MUSIC, Page 5A Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian Orchestra students and supporters came out in force to Wednesday’s Astoria School Board meeting in protest of a proposed restructuring of the music program.