MARCH M, IWI PACK •
Three Running For School Board Slot
Three candidates have filed
for a position on the Jefferson
County School District 509-J
Board. The election for the
position currently held by Myrtis
Lewis will be on Tuesday, April
4.
I The three who are running
for the four-year position are
Uren Leonard, Jr. of Warm
Springs, and Evadna Bartlett
and Vic Gregg of Madras.
I Since this is a County elec
tion, those who are 18 and over
are eligible to vote. For those
who are not already registered,
forms are available at Macy’s in
the Post Office. Registration
may be taken care of up to the
day of the election.
■ The polls will be open from 8
a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Teen Center
on[Tuesday, April 4.
■ The following is a brief
profile of each of the candidates
as [well as some of their views
ana concerns.
Indian students enrolled in 509-J
school is about one-third, and
that at least one-third of the
School Board should ideally be
made up of people from here.
He feels that stronger local
representation would help focus
board attention to the issues of
absenteeism and the drop-out
rate among Indian students.
Further benefits which
might be realized would be a
better understanding of Indian
students’ values and how those
values relate to school policies
and standards, according to
Leonard.
More input in respect to
policies concerning the alochol
and drug problem among the
student population could be an
other positive result of having
two Wärm Springs representa
tives on the School Board, he
adds.
Leonard also stresses the
importance of getting more In
dian parents involved in the
process of setting school poli
cies.
But most importantly, he
sites the history of a general
lack of understanding on the
part of Jefferson County people
regarding federal funding and
how much money in the overall
budget is generated through
Indian funds. Many do not
understand that the funds re
ceived by the school (because of
the Tribes) benefit1 non-Indian
students as well as Indian stu
dents.
■ UREN LEONARD, JR.
/With the goal of attaining
more local representation on the
509-J School Board, Uren Leon
ard urges Warm Springs voters
to get out and cast their ballots
in the upcoming School board
election Tuesday, April 4.
The School Board is made
up of five, two of which Leonard
feels should be from Warm
Springs. For the past 12 years
Lloyd Smith, Sr. has been the
only Warm Springs representa
tive. If Leonard is elected, the
Tribes will have two on the
fiv&member Board.
’Leonard hopes voters here
realize that more representation
is needed from the reservation.
He point out that the number of
EVADNA BARTLETT
Also a 1978 candidate for the
Jefferson County School District
509-J Board is Evadnia Bartlett
who resides in the Madras area.
She was the chairman of the
509-J Citizens Advisory Commit
tee from May 1976 to November
1977 when the committee dis-
banded. District administrators
are now considering the report
submitted by that committee.
She is presently a member
of the Madras High School Study
Committee and has been a news
correspondent in Jefferson Coun
ty since 1971. She has written
numerous articles on 509-J
school activities, programs, and
has covered board meetings. If
elected, however, she has indi
cated that she will not write
about board meetings in order to
avoid any possible conflict of
interest.
She submitted the following
comments to Spilyay Tymoo for
voter consideration:
“School district 509-J has
many fine teachers, programs
and facilities. In talking with
staff, board members and com
munity residents, I have felt a
sense of pride in the district
schools.
“There is, of course, always
room for improvement. Areas
which it appears board mem
bers may need to address in
clude improved communica
tions, curriculum, and profes
sional assistance for staff.
“As board members are
elected to represent district resi
dents, I believe each member
must make the effort to listen to
residents and explain board de
cisions.
“However, communication
is two-way. Not. only must board
members be ready to listen, but
citizens, including teachers,
need to be willing to rationally
discuss their opinions and ex
pectations with the board and
the district staff, realizing that
compromise is often necessary.
“Board members should
also visit the various schools of
the district for increased under
standing of school operations. I
have been fortunate already to
be in all seven district schools a
number of times during the past
few years as a reporter or
committee member as well as in
connection with my children’s
activities.
“A district curriculum coun
cil is currently reviewing 509-J
curriculum, a review suggested
by several study committees. I
believe the board of. directors
should direct the district staff to
continually review and strength
en curriculum in terms of dis
trict goals and to improve co
ordination of subjects taught in
the grade schools, junior high
and senior high.
“Although many factors
contribute to a good school sys
tem, many of us believe the
most important is the teaching
staff. In various meetings and
conversations teachers have
asked for increased support
from parents. Parents and some
teachers have indicated they
feel there should be more con
structive evaluation and assis
tance in improving teaching ef
fectiveness. I recommend year-
around orientation, evaluations
and support for new teachers.
“With increasing taxes,
many voters are questioning the
size and cost of extra-curricular
programs, particularly inter
scholastic sports. Perhaps it is
time for a board to call for a
review, reassessment, and.es-
tablishment of guidelines for
these activities.
“Obviously, these are just a
few of the challenges before the
district and the board. Space for
increasing enrollments in light
of decreasing taxpayer enthusi
asm for funding and means of
addressing the demands of addi
tional federal and state man
dates are other challenges.”
VIC GREGG
Vic Gregg, a Madras area
farmer, is seeking a position on
the Jefferson County 509-J
School Board because of his
continuing interest in formal
education.
A 1963 graduate of Madras
High School, Gregg has five
years experience as Associate
Dean of Students at Seattle
Pacific (where he received his
B.A. in Marine Biology) and at
George Fox College in Newberg,
Oregon.
He has also had three years
of faculty teaching experience at
the International Study Center
in Switzerland.
Gregg is concerned that the
local school district maintain a
high standard and fears that we
are not getting the most out of
our program. He cites the cost
per pupil figure as being the
highest in the Central Oregon
area, yet points to the fact that
scores are only at the national
average.
Basically, in order for the
district to accomplish its goal of
educating, Gregg feels that the
school environment must be
identified and associated with a
learning experience. “A student
should come to school for the
purpose of developing his
skills.”
In order to develop the
necessary skills in preparation
for life, Gregg insists that
mutual trust and respect among
students and teachers is a basis.
“A person receives an education
not so much through taking spe
cific courses, but rather through
the spirit in which he is taught,”
notes Gregg.
As far as where the School
Board fits in, he feels that “Ad
ministration is the servant of
purpose.” He expresses the
opinion that a strong board will
secure a strong school environ
ment. The board is where the
buck stops — “the board is the
final backstop,” says Gregg.
He asserts that the morale
of the building is the responsibil
ity of the principal and that the
principal should work to de
velop the teachers in the same
manner that he expects the
teachers to aid the'students. And
the superintendent must do the
same for the principals, accord
ing to Gregg.
Regarding internal prob
lems and weaknesses, Gregg
feels that solutions can be found
within the system and that it is
not’necessary to go outside for
specialists. “If a team effort
exists, workloads can be shifted
so that weaknesses are cor
rected. Then normal function
can be restored.”
On the-subject of the_school
budget, Gregg is concerned with
the manner in which it is
developed. He has a question as
to how accurate the public’s
picture is of the way the money
is spent. And he feels that the
money we have could be spent
more responsibly.
Be A Student This Spring
to sign up for classes ahead of
Spring promises to be a
beginning Thursday March 30. nine non-credit classes will be cents per hour.
time but may register at the
lively time of year at the Adult
The class is scheduled for 4-6:40 gin meeting. Instructors from
See the accompanying
first class meeting. Call (553-
Learning Center in
Warm
but may be later if students feel Warm Springs and Madras will schedule for course offerings
1428) or stop by the Adult
Springs. With two credit courses
it is inconvenient.
offer their skills in arts, lang- and related information. Pros-
Learning Center, which is locat
anguine non-credit courses be-
During the week of April 3-7 uage, and science for a mere 65 • pective students are encouraged
ed in the Community Center.
ing offered by Central Oregon ■■
Community College, there;
C.O.C.C. CLASSES --SPRING TERM
should be something to satisfy I
every interest.
| CREDIT CLASSES
INSTRUCTOR
STARTING
LOCATION
TIME
COST
Tribal management should I THFqnAY
Elements of Supervision
John Truj ilio
March 28
A.L.C.
7-9:45
$36 (credit)
take note of the three-credit |
class entitled Elements of Super- ■ THURSDAY
Introduction to Sociology
Pat Mazzeo
March 30
A.L.C.
4-6:40
$27 (audit)
vision to be taught by John !
Trujillo. In eleven weeks, Tru-1 NON-CREDIT CLASSES
jillo will cover management and I
?
Beadwork
Caroline Tohet April 3
7-9:00
organization theory, the impo r-|M0NDAY
A.L.C.
$10/40
tanceiof effective communica-1
Watercolor
Nancy Chinn
April 3
C/C
7-10:00
$14.95
tion and other topics of iriterest ■
to supervisors. The first class ¡TUESDAY
Auto tune-up
Leon Maxwell
April 4
Tribal 7-10:00
$17.55
will be held at the Adult Learn- ■
Garage
ing Center on the evening of |WEDNESDAY
Baskets and Bags
Isabel Keo
5
A.L.C.
7-9:00
$11.70
Tuesday March 28.
Geology of the Warm Springs Area
Mel Ashwill
April 5
C/C
7-10:00
$15.60
Another three credit course
that is often a degree require
| THURSDAY.
S ahap t in Languag e
April 6
Ada Sooksoit
C/C
7-9:00
$11,70
ment [as well as good back
ground in human relations is
-Wasco Language
Alice Fiorendo April 6
C/C
7-9:00
$11.70
Introduction to Sociology. Pat
Mazzeo will be coming to the FRIDAY
Refresher Shorthand
April 7
A.L.C.
1-2:30
$ 6.50
Adult [Learning Center from
■The Adult Learning'Center is open five days a week, 10-4 p.m. and two nights 7-10. Materials and instructioi
to teach the class are available free of charge.
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