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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (March 12, 2016)
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 2016 School ways to expand programs and from 1A opportunities for students Grzeskowiak was hired in August 1996 to teach physical science, biology and field studies at Siuslaw High School (SHS). He taught mul- tiple science classes, coached football and assisted with technology. He was also SHS athletic director for five years. School board president Tammy Butler said, “Mr. G. has been a district leader for the past 20 years. While he is a first time superintendent, his district experience will allow him to hit the ground running. The school board is thankful to have such talent right here within our Siuslaw School District.” The $105,000 contract will start July 1 and run through June 30, 2017. “I feel honored that the Board has given me this opportunity to lead the District and to try to fill the shoes of Ethel Angal,” Grzeskowiak said. According to Grzeskowiak, the greatest challenge to the district and his role as super- intendent will be discovering given the limited budget resources from the state. Another top priority for Grzeskowiak will be to improve the high school grad- uation rate. “I will be looking at the overall graduation rate and how to support struggling stu- dents along the way to high school in both the elementary and middle schools, in addi- tion to the immediate supports available at the high school,” he said. The school board has not yet determined who will replace Grzeskowiak as mid- dle school principal for the coming school year. “I am going to miss the daily interactions with the stu- dents and staff at the middle school,” Grzeskowiak said, “just like I missed the high school when I transferred over, but I feel the job as superintendent will be an exciting challenge.” __________ This is especially important in a normally male-dominated field. The very first female to lead a U.S. military academy, now Vice Admiral Sandra Stosz, was in the Coast Guard. The first female to command a U.S. military vessel, now Captain Beverly Kelley, also occurred in the Coast Guard. Two women, Vice Admiral Vivian Crea and Vice Admiral Sally Brice-O’Hara, have served as second-in-command officers of the entire service. No other military branch has seen women promoted to that level. Guards women have seen other high positions in the chain of command and there are myriad opportunities in all the ranks. Women Coast Guard mem- bers often have a female men- tor to directly guide them and undeniably have many female role models, shown throughout the history of the Coast Guard, to which they aspire. Boatswain Mate (BM2) Sierra Schlager, from Jamestown, N.D., has been with the Coast Guard since 2008. She is a heavy weather coxswain for the rugged 47’ motor lifeboat. Schlager is training to be a “Surfman,” the highest qualifi- cation a coxswain can achieve in the Coast Guard. The rough bar and surf conditions in this area allow her to continuously practice her skills to achieve her goal and satisfy her deeply imbued sense of mission. She enjoys the “dynamic deci- sions” her boat handling expe- riences create. Of the nearly 200 boat sta- tions in the Coast Guard, only 20 stations are located in areas Follow Jack on Twitter @SNews_Jack. Email him at jack@thesiuslawnews.com. DENTURE SERVICES INC. Here to serve your denture needs: Dentures Immediate Dentures Implant Dentures Relines and Repairs William Foster LD Sherry, Offi ce Manager FREE CONSULTATIONS Monday-Thursday 10am - 2 pm Relines and Repairs Same Day Or by special appointment Financing: Citi Health Card 12 Month no Interest 524 Laurel St. 541-997-6054 with surf conditions that require Surfmen. Of the approximately 500 Surfmen in the Coast Guard, there are only 6 women who hold that prestigious title. Schlager is well on her way to such a distinction with amazing boat driving skills, Surfman mentors at the station, and a strong belief in the long- standing Coast Guard adage, “service before self.” She is also a role model for other women at the station due to her qualifications and leader- ship skills. Schlager enjoys hiking, ice hockey, dogs and other outdoor activities in her off-duty time. She is married to Coast Guard ombudsman Chantal Guzman- Schlager with an 11-year-old daughter. BM3 Brooke Crosley, orig- inally from Fort Lauderdale Fla., is an integral part of the boat crew and a station watch stander, where she monitors the radio, dispatches and keeps an eye on the river. As part of the boat crew, she trains for towing, search and rescue, basic first aid and fire fighting. With two years in the Guard so far, she wants to be an offi- cer-in-charge of the station some day. She feels it is an “honor and privilege to serve in the Coast Guard” and plans to stay in for a full 20-year career. Crosley also said she likes “the adrenaline rush from going on missions and gets gratification helping people” as reasons for such a career. Crosley previously earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology. She enjoys outdoor activi- ties, weight lifting and movie going. She generously volun- teers for the community with Helping Hands, career days at the middle school, beach clean-up and other activities. She is scheduled to attend Boarding Officer school in South Carolina and will then return to Florence to continue her tour here for the next few years. Samantha Hughes, born and raised in Colorado Springs, joined the Coast Guard last year and is a Seaman (SN) for boat deck and also performs watch stander duties. Her family has a long tradi- tion in the military, including Coast Guard from 1A Liing Life to the Fullest & Feeling Younger Longer (541) 997-6111 375 9th St Florence, OR 97439 www.spruce-point.com Learn how to embrace life changes while managing your health Maintaining a Positive Mental Outlook on Life Thursday, January 21st, 2pm Learn how to maintain a positive outlook on life while you age. Learn How to Keep Your Memory Sharp Thursday, February 18th, 2pm As we age, we start to notice some changes in our ability to remember things. Discover ways to keep your memory sharp and fresh at any age. Japan The certificate of commenda- tion thanked the city for its rela- tionship with Yamagata City. Florence Public Information Officer Megan Messmer pre- sented the award, dated Dec. 11, to the Florence City Council at its Feb. 1 meeting. Diabetes and Diet—Making Food Choices That Work for You Thursday, March 17th, 2pm Learn about diabetes prevention, management, and care. Understand diabetes in a simpler and clearer way than ever before. WORD from 1A Siuslaw School District held its annual PTA Talent Show Thursday and Friday night at the Florence Events Center. ON THE STREET What do you think of the PTA Talent Show? “I think it is a great opportunity for the community to come together for the kids.” “I think it is great. I’m looking for- ward to watching with my troupe leader and other Girl Scouts.” “It’s an opportunity for the parents to come together and be a part of some- thing that’s going on in the school.” – N ICHOLE B ALDWIN , F LORENCE —S OPHIA , FLORENCE —N AOMI N YBURG , F LORENCE DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed above are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Siuslaw News or its advertisers. S HELTER C OVE V IEW H OME Coast Real Estate 100 Hwy. 101, Florence, OR 97439 Owner will carry contract. Cell: CB#10862 MLS#15266131 $590,000 541-999-7317 diana@cbcoast.com 7 A PHOTO BY DEBORAH HELDT CORDONE Samantha Hughes and Brooke Crosley her father, who made the Army his career. She states the Coast Guard is the “right fit” for her person- ality and goals, and likes using “physical and mental capabili- ties equally” in her profession. She has yet to choose a spe- cific assignment, but is inter- ested in health services, electri- cian’s mate or possibly avia- tion technician training. She loves being in the Coast Guard and “giving the commu- nity a peace of mind” with their presence and knowing “other mariners appreciate the service.” Hughes is certified in basic EMT training and spends many hours as a volunteer firefighter for Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue. She also enjoys swimming, community volunteering, hik- ing and outdoor adventures. She plans on starting an online degree in Business Administration in the near future. Storekeeper (SK2) Angela Martin is a career Coast Guard member, serving for over 12 years. Her duties, inte- gral to the operation of any unit, include accounting, pur- chasing and most other logisti- cal functions. She is nearing completion of a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences. Martin feels the Coast Guard has given her experien- tial lessons, education, training and the tools needed to be a productive citizen. She enjoys camping, fish- ing, hiking and spending time with her canine companion. She plans on transferring to a unit in the Seattle area in the near future, where she is from. BM3 Sydnee Sansone, from Apple Valley, Calif., has been in the Coast Guard for the past 5 1/2 years. She serves on the boat crew and helps around the station as needed. She plans to leave the Coast Guard later this year and pur- sue a business degree. Sansone states she has learned many life skills and “matured as a person” during her service. In her off-time, she likes snowboarding, shopping and boating. Women serving in the local Coast Guard Auxiliary include Kristy Cates, a volunteer fire fighter/EMT for Lane Fire Authority and currently a boat crew leader (coxswain) in the local Flotilla; Deborah Heldt Cordone, retired law enforce- ment officer, who performs public affairs duties working with both the active-duty sta- tion and auxiliary; and Danielle Jackson (PhD candi- date at OSU) assigned as Flotilla Staff Officer in charge of supply procurement. For more information about a career in the U.S. Coast Guard, visit www.uscg.mil. “Last week I came back to my office and there was a pack- age on my desk. We received this from the office of the Japanese Consulate in Portland,” Messmer said. She showed the certificate with its Japanese lettering to the council. “I have a translation,” she added. “The Consular Office of Japan extends its deepest regards to the City of Florence for the Florence-Yamagata Friendship City relationship in recognition of its distinguished service in contributing to the deepening of the mutual under- standing between Japan and the United States of America.” The Consular Office of Japan also honored the State of Oregon and 25 sister cities in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. “It was a nice surprise to receive, and it will be on display at City Hall,” Messmer said. Former mayor Roger McCorkle started the friendship exchange with Japan more than 20 years. “We’ve had a friendship with Yamagata City for 20 years,” said Julia Tousley-Ritt, former Friendship City program coor- dinator in Florence. “If you’ve ever been to Florence City Hall and seen the big display case of Japanese stuff, that’s where it’s from.” Up until five years ago, Florence sent high school stu- dents to Japan for one week in an exchange with Yamagata stu- dents. However, with the reces- sion and the decline in funding, the city has discontinued send- ing students there. Yamagata City still sends stu- dents to Oregon each August. A group consisting of chaperones, high school-aged students and two university students came to Florence last summer. While here, they explored the Sea Lion Caves, visited the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, rode in a dune buggy in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, spent time in Old Town and toured Siuslaw High School. For the Japanese students the exchange is part of life-long learning connected with the school systems. “The people who did the exchange are so friendly. There’s still many people who have been to Florence, some of them two or three times. They get out their photo albums, look at their pictures and invite you to remember somebody who lived here (in Florence). There’s still a huge connection,” Tousley-Ritt said. Messmer said that the friend- ship will continue. “It’s a fun thing to do, and we love to share our community with them,” she said. According to Messmer, Florence Police Reserve Officer John Brejska and Takako “TK” Klampe are going to be the next Friendship City program coor- dinator. In the next couple months, the Friendship City coordina- tors will start looking for host families for the Yamagata City visitors. Contact them for more information at john.brejska @ci.florence.or and pinevil- lage2000@hotmail.com. __________ Follow Chantelle on Twitter @SNews_Chantelle. Email her a t cmeyer@thesiuslawnews.com.
