Spilygy Tym oo, Wgrm Springs, Oregon
January 23, 2013
Page 3
K -8 sch ool progress
noted at district,
com m unity m eetings
The design plans for the
Warm Springs k-8 school are
being finalized, as the tribes
prepare a loan request to
USDA. T he tribes are re
questing a $10.73 m illion
USDA facilities loan to coyer
the tribal portion o f the k78
construction cost.
T he school district is is
suing bonds for its portion,
repaid through property tax.
W h en th e fu n d in g is in
place, the project will be put
out to bid. A general con
tracto r will then com e on
board, and construction will
start during the first p art
o f this year.
A t th e sc h o o l d istric t
meeting last week, the board
voted to advertise the posi
tion o f planning principal for
the Warm Springs k-8 school.
‘W e want to make sure we’re
ready to roll when the doors
open in 2014,” said district
superintendent Rick Molitor.
The board also voted to
extend for one year the em
ployment contract o f Warm
Springs Elem entary School
Principal Dawn Smith. The
board action was to “retire/
rehire” principal Smith.
A t th e sc h o o l d istric t
meeting, W arm Springs el
ementary school teachers and
parents spoke on behalf o f
principal Smith.
R enee R odin, W arm
Springs kindergarten teacher,
said, “When making decisions
regarding Warm Springs El
ementary, I ask that you con
tact the school and comm u
nity m em bers to hear their
com m ented, “T he decision
on the principal is a very im
portant one, and is causing
some controversy.” The plan
ning principal hiring decision,
she said, is not about princi
pal Smith, and “we are not
trying to take away any suc
cesses she has had” at the el
ementary school.
M olitor also announced
th a t the school d istric t is
b rin g in g in R ich a rd D e-
Lorenzo, an expert in educa
tion organization restructur
ing, to look at the way 509-J
is operating, and to offer any
su g g estio n s fo r im p ro v e
ment.
DeLorenzo will assess and
review the district transition
p la n fo r th e new W arm
Springs school.
D eLorenzo has had suc
cess a t im p ro v in g the
Chugach School D istrict in
Alaska, and his reform ap
proach was adopted in many
other schools in Alaska. He
is the co-author o f “Deliver
ing on the Promise: The E du
cation Revolution.’’
His w ork for the school
d is tric t is b e in g fu n d e d
through a grant. DeLorenzo
should have some good in
sights especially regarding the
W arm Springs k-8 project,
said Molitor. In other news
from the school board meet
ing:
p o i n t s o f v iew . W e a r e a
b e r, a n d m a d e s o m e c b a n g e s
unique school w ith unique
needs.”
S c h o o l d is tric t b o a rd
chairwoman Laurie Danzuka
to strengthen school.security.
The review was prom pted
by the school shooting in
Newtown, Connecictut. .“At
School safety
Molitor briefed the district
board on school safety poli
cies. District officials reviewed
school safety plans in Decem
Above and at right are the latest
schematic architectural renderings of
the Warm Springs k-8 school.
n o p o in t did we feel o u r
schools were in jeopardy,”
M olitor said. “We feel stu
dents are safest when they are
in our schools.”
Molitor also addressed the
idea o f having teachers carry
w e ap o n s in sc h o o l. T h is
would be possible, M olitor
said. O ne consequence o f
this would be an increase in
district insurance rates, he
said.
The, school district em
ploys a Madras police officer,
D an Farrester, whose main
office is at the high school.
H e visits the other schools
regularly.
Warm Springs Elementary
works with the Warm Springs
P o lice, as n o n - tribal officers
would n o t have jurisdiction
on the reservation.
— Dave McMechan
READ to
SUCCEED!
More literacy. More choices.
Gemelas Goes Above and Beyond
with Academic achievements
Madras High
School’s Jordan Gemelas
has earned the proud
honor of High Desert
Hero. His active
leadership throughout
the community and
ambitious academic
achievements have also
made him a National Merit Semi-finalist.
Particularly impressive was the National
Honor Society induction ceremony he
organized as Chapter President.
Gemelas is a top notch student and
inspirational young man.
Performing Arts, Athletic
Facility Design Complete
A design guidance team including teachers, adminstrators and community
members has reached an important milestone in completing the initial design
phase for the performing arts center and athletic facility at Madras High
School. Designs for the Warm Springs K-8 building will be completed this
month. Stay tuned for an update!
This has been one o f the best experiences in m y career. We’ve ■
™ ™ been working with a really collaborative, productive group. *
Calendar
January is School Board
Appreciation Month!
Need assistance with filling out the FAFSA?
Please come to the Madras High School Parent Center 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday January 23 to
receive assistance from a financial aid expert. Coffee and snacks w ill be provided. See you there!
445 SE Buff Street, madras, OR 97741
The JCSD team has been reviewing
and updating security plans for each of
our school buildings. One new safety
improvement features a card lock
system to replace keys. The system will
be installed in all of the buildings over
the summer. This will allow only certain
people access to the buildings; parents
and visitors will only have access
through main entrances, and will be
required to check in at the office of each
school prior to entering.
T
— Dave Fishel, project manager
Jefferson County School District
Many students at Madras High
School are looking for ways to lend their
thoughts and sympathy to the families
who suffered losses at Sandy Hook
Elementary. In an effort to reach out,
Tatiana Reynoso and Gianna Pineda
have created a series of posters signed
by local students for the Newtown
community.
Improved security measures
increase safety
Teachers Help Students Get Ready
for Careers
As the final rotation for the semester
comes to an end, Success 111 teachers
send their students off with a head-start in
preparation for the future. Leo Tsou, Juanita
Payton, Sue Young, Colleen Fletcher, Nichole
Scholz, and Pat Mulcahy have created a
curriculum that highlights career readiness
and introduces freshmen to Career and
Technical Education areas.
Students Reach Out to
Newtown Community After
Sandy Hook Shooting
(541)475-6192
1/21
Martin Luther King Day
N O SCHOOL
www.jcsd.kl2.or.us