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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 9, 2018)
HEALTH CLINIC SEEKS TO OPEN CENTER BULLDOGS STAY ALIVE IN REGION 5/8 TOURNEY SPORTS/1B REGION/3A FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2018 143rd Year, No. 18 One dollar WINNER OF THE 2018 ONPA GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD HERMISTON Your Weekend A range of needs • • • “Proof” at BMCC’s Bob Clapp Theatre Willow Creek Sympho- ny in Boardman Korean War Tribute at Convention Center School district navigates special education changes after split from ESD For times and places see Coming Events, 6A Weekend Weather Fri Sat Sun 53/34 47/27 47/25 Watch a game Pendleton vs. Scappoose Friday, 7 p.m., at Round-Up Grounds, Pendleton PENDLETON District buys ads to grow brand By ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian In between news broad- casts and pop songs, Pendle- ton School District Superin- tendent Chris Fritsch’s voice is now a regular presence on radios across Umatilla County. Last week, Fritsch spoke about a Pendleton School Board meeting where he would discuss the strategic plan. This week, he planned to record a new ad about Veterans Day. Fritsch isn’t making these comments as a part of a news story or talk show. Instead, the district is spend- ing $10,000 to buy airtime on Elkhorn Media Group stations to spread positive messaging on Pendleton schools. The radio ads are part of the district’s recently See RADIO/10A Staff photo by E.J. Harris Instructor Mindy Walchli, back center, leads a group of students collecting recyclables from classrooms on Nov. 1 at Sandstone Middle School in Hermiston. By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN East Oregonian D uring a social skills exercise in a Rocky Heights Elementary School classroom, instructor Kendra Scott asks her stu- dents to think of things for which they’re thankful. Just back from lunch, some students say their favorite meals, while others name fam- ily and friends. “Our teacher,” one savvy student pipes up. The students are part of Rocky Heights’ behavioral skills class, one of several in the Hermiston School District for students with special needs. Students work on handling behavioral issues, such as anger management and coping with trauma. The Special Programs department serves students with a range of needs, including speech, autism, developmental disabilities and behavioral issues. Many of the programs have specialized classrooms housed at schools throughout the district, including Sandstone Middle School and West Park Elementary. Amanda Beckley, the lead behavior spe- cialist at Rocky Heights, said teachers col- lect data every 30 minutes to track student progress on specific target behaviors. Those include using gentle words, gentle touch, respect for self and respect for others. “As far as direct instruction for social skills, we work on everything,” she said. “How to make friends, solve conflicts, how to calm your body,” she said. “The biggest difference between this and other classes is that we focus on it every minute of class, even Staff photo by E.J. Harris Educational assistant Lijuan Shen helps sixth-grader Nicole Neustal learn to type on Nov. 1 at Sandstone Middle School in Hermiston. when math is happening.” Though these students spend some or all of their academic time in specialized classes, they join their grade-level peers for classes like P.E., music, and art. “Whenever we remove a student to a special classroom, we always have a plan to get them back into a traditional classroom,” said B.J. Wil- son, Hermiston’s Special Programs director. Beckley said while their strategy has largely stayed the same since she started in Hermiston 18 years ago, a growing number of students need those services. “We look at it more from a trauma-in- formed lens than before,” she said. “The need for kids dealing with trauma has increased. We have an alarming number of students in the foster care system.” See EDUCATION/10A ECHO Students march to celebrate veterans By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian Staff photo by E.J. Harris Echo grade-schoolers march across a Union Pacific Railroad crossing on Main Street for a Veterans Day parade on Thursday. Echo School students spent Thurs- day paying tribute to veterans with a parade, assembly and reception. Under a clear blue sky, students marched through the center of town, waving flags. Each of the elementary school classes was dressed up as a different branch of the military, while sixth-graders dressed up as famous veterans and the older students used posters to form a giant American flag. Richard Thew, a Navy veteran who came downtown to see his grandchildren in the parade, said it is important for each generation to study the past and learn from it. “I like to see the kids get out there, and obviously they’ve been learning some about history and the branches of the service,” he said. High school students Annal- See VETS/10A
