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SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF FLORENCE • DUNES CITY • WESTLAKE • MAPLETON • SWISSHOME • DEADWOOD • YACHATS AND ALL POINTS BETWEEN
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OCTOBER
Siuslaw High
School scores
above state
averages
15
•
2014
$1.00
SS Bean sails into Old Town
Students show improved
proficiencies in math, science
and reading.
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
Students at Siuslaw High School exceeded
statewide averages in every category of the
Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills
(OAKS) evaluations for the 2013-14 school year.
“We are extremely proud of our OAKS
results,” Siuslaw High School Principal Kerri
Tatum said. “We are above the state average in
every category and improved in three of our four
content areas from last year. Our teachers and stu-
dents are working hard and these results show
that.”
OAKS is a standards-based test designed to
show how well students are performing against
Oregon’s Academic Content Standards (ACS).
ACS identifies proficiency levels in English
language arts, mathematics, health, physical edu-
cation, science, second language, social sciences
and the arts.
OAKS evaluates student performances in
math, science, reading and writing. Siuslaw stu-
dents scored higher in every category but writing,
over the previous year’s scores and scored higher
than the state averages in all four categories.
Oregon has been conducting OAKS evaluations
of ACS for more than 10 years.
The percentages indicate the number of stu-
dents that either met or exceeded the OAKS pro-
ficiency standards. Siuslaw students scored 74
percent in math, compared to the state average of
69.8 percent. In science, the students scored 81.1
percent compared to the state average 62.4 per-
cent. Reading proficiency was 92 percent while
the state average was 84.5 percent. Writing
dropped from 70 percent the previous year to 62.6
percent last year; it was still higher than the state
average of 59.2 percent.
Tatum said the improving numbers might be
attributed to the growing number of college-level
courses now being offered at the high school.
“We have added several college courses to our
master schedule over the last few years,” Tatum
said. “The math department offers college alge-
bra, trigonometry and two calculus classes. The
English department offers college writing and
English composition. Our social studies depart-
ment offers college level U.S. history and western
civilization. In our elective department we offer
health occupations I and II and pottery.
“We also offer three advanced placement (AP)
courses: AP literature and composition, AP chem-
istry and AP studio art. Students that take these
classes and score well on the AP exams can earn
additional college credits.”
Advanced placement classes are curriculum
courses set by the college board. The board
instructs the high school on what is to be taught
and how. They provide a syllabus to the high
school and the school teaches that syllabus. The
college board also grades student tests.
Out-of-state colleges and universities more
readily recognize AP classes.
Students may transfer college credits earned at
Siuslaw High School directly to any Oregon col-
lege or university. Many out-of-state universities
also accept these credits.
According to Tatum, there are several reasons
for which college-bound students should consider
taking elective college credit courses.
“The students are better prepared for college,”
she said. “Also, these courses impress scholarship
committees, and that can potentially save their
families hundreds of dollars in tuition expenses.”
Siuslaw High School currently offers 54
See
Scoreboard
Sports
Tides
Weather
T
Local restaurants dominate chowder competition
B3
B
B1
A2
Port of Siuslaw
Campground & Marina
Campsites on the River in
Historic Old Town
Commercial & Recreational Moorage
Full Service Campground ~ WiFi ~ CATV ~
Restrooms ~ Showers
Laundry ~ Boat Launch ~ Fuel Dock
~ RV & Marine Dump Stations
Kyle Lewis, Siuslaw High School culinary arts teacher; Mario Casarez, Three Rivers Casino and Hotel chef; Terri Mason, SHS
Life Skills program director; and Corky Franklin, SHS assistant principal, display their prize. (courtesy photo)
The Florence Area Chamber of
Commerce may want to change
its name to the “Chamber of
Chowder” after three local restau-
rants took the top prizes in a
regional chowder competition last
month.
SHS 11A
Your
INSIDE
W E D N E S D AY
Classifieds
B7
Library Tidings A5
Ned Hickson A11
Opinion
A4
Police
A2
PHOTO BY THERESA BAER/SIUSLAW NEWS
he SS Bean “came into port,” courtesy of the Port of Siuslaw, Saturday to help Old Town and the Florence Area
Chamber of Commerce celebrate Columbus Day. The oddly shaped boat was renovated by Florence volunteers Margaret
McDermott, Dan Grimes and Karen Mechek, and it will be used as an occasional landmark during festivals and parades.
The SS Bean is named after former Oregon senator, representative and speaker of the house Louis E. Bean, who is credited
with the founding of the port here, and all ports in Oregon except the Port of Portland.
Weather
T ODAY
T HURSDAY
F RIDAY
S ATURDAY
Periods
of rain
60
53
Cloudy
Rain
63
55
61
55
Some
rain
62
53
10 • F AVORITE F RONT P AGES 2014
Three Rivers Casino’s Trio’s
Restaurant snagged first place,
followed by Surfside Restaurant
and Mon Ami Gourmet Deli in
second and third, respectively.
The Florence eateries bested
their competitors’ chowders in the
Oregon
Coast
Chowder
Competition, one of the featured
events of the annual Fire It Up
BBQ weekend held Sept. 19-21 at
Three Rivers Casino and Hotel.
The results were particularly
gratifying since the event was
presented by the Florence Area
Chamber of Commerce. Two
notable finalists were Hole in the
Wall from Eugene and Shark
Bites, located in Coos Bay.
See
CHOWDER 11A
Sports—B
100 Harbor Street - PO Box 1220,
Florence, OR 97439
541-997-3040
campground@portofsiuslaw.com
www.portofsiuslaw.com