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127TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 71
Eye
on the
future
❘ SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 ❘ $1.00
SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
F IRST D AY
OF
FLORENCE, OREGON
S CHOOL
Summer remodels lead to new
beginning for Mapleton Elementary
As Siuslaw’s
graduation rates
near 85 percent,
students consider
additional options
Siuslaw News
Siuslaw News Intern
See
New teachers at
Mapleton, Siuslaw
school districts get
ready for class
B Y J ARED A NDERSON
B Y H ANNA A NDERSON
Graduation may be at the
very end of the school year,
but the work towards it starts
now, at the beginning. It’s
like a race, a marathon
instead of a sprint, where
graduation is the finish line
and the trophies are diplomas.
However, it is not so much
about who is going to finish
first anymore, but who is
going to finish at all.
Using Siuslaw School
District’s most recent gradua-
tion rate, in a race of 10 peo-
ple, only eight students would
see it through to the end —
two of them would never get
to see the finish line.
To count as a graduate, stu-
dents must have earned or
been awarded either a stan-
dard or modified diploma.
Students who have earned an
extended diploma, returned
for a fifth year, or completed
their GED (General
Educational Development
certificate) do not count as
graduating students. Deceased
students, or those who have
transferred out, are not count-
ed in the graduation rate at
all.
Standing
to deliver
B Y J ARED A NDERSON
Siuslaw News
JARED ANDERSON/SIUSLAW NEWS
Mapleton Elementary students react to changes seen around campus as they arrive for the first day of school.
I
t was all smiles at Mapleton
Elementary School on the first day
of school Tuesday as students dis-
covered what a crew of more than 40
construction workers had been toil-
ing over during the summer break.
The school went through a cornu-
copia of remodeling projects, includ-
ing updates to the classrooms, the
gym, bathrooms and the outside
grounds.
Mapleton School District, which
obtained more than $10 million in
funding through bonds and grants,
has also undergone a slew of safety
changes including asbestos removal
and drastic improvements in water
lead levels.
“We tested our lead content in the
water and that problem has been
RATES 6A
solved,” Mapleton Superintendent
Jodi O’Mara said.
The elementary school is not com-
pletely finished, with work on the
east wing still continuing, but the
kids love what they see.
“I like this place because it’s new
and it’s not as old. It’s much better
than our old school,” said third-grad-
er Lucie Burrus.
Fellow
classmates
Charley
Johnson and Averie Walker also
enjoyed the new, brightly colored
tiled floors and the private bath-
rooms attached to the classrooms.
But the biggest hits with the kids
were the gym and outside play-
ground.
“It’s all about recess,” O’Mara
said.
The first day of class in a
brand new school can be
intimidating: Buying a new
wardrobe and school supplies.
Nervously leaving home at the
crack of dawn as loved ones
wave goodbye. Walking into
class as all the regular students
dart their eyes at the “new
kid.”
Those experiences aren’t
limited to students.
Teachers also have those
first day jitters, but for the 11
new instructors and one assis-
tant principal of the Mapleton
and Siuslaw school districts,
it’s a challenge they’re ready
to take on.
Starting in Mapleton, where
major renovations have just
occurred, five new teachers
are taking the plunge in the
education world of the
Upriver community.
Nancy Reade has taught for
24 years, most of which were
in small towns in Nevada. She
came to Oregon last year after
her husband retired, wanting a
“little green and rain” in their
lives.
She’ll be teaching second
grade.
“Students don’t have fear,”
she said of the age group.
“They know they can learn
and want to learn, which they
lose when they get older. I
want to keep that as their
belief system.”
See
TEACHERS 7A
UPRIVER FIRE DEPARTMENTS RECEIVE NEW EQUIPMENT
Annexation of the Upriver fire districts — “Swisshome & Upper Deadwood Creek Fire Department” — is almost complete
B Y M ARK B RENNAN
Siuslaw News
T
INSIDE
he fire departments of Swisshome and
Deadwood have recently accepted delivery
of three pieces of equipment that will signifi-
cantly improve the ability of the area’s volunteer
fire departments in those towns to safeguard their
citizens.
The upgraded equipment is the first tangible
change in the relationship between Deadwood
Creek Fire Service and the Swisshome/
Deadwood Fire Department, which should be
formalized by official state and county approval
of annexation between the two departments this
October.
The two departments have acted independent-
ly to this point in time, but moving forward, there
will be coordination of training, volunteer
recruitment and retention and, most importantly,
on callout support.
Chief Greg Hertzbach of the Deadwood Creek
Fire Service has taken the lead in handling the
submission of paperwork associated with the
annexation.
Hertzbach said the change to a combined
“Swisshome and Upper Deadwood Creek Fire
Department” should be approved at public hear-
ings scheduled for Oct. 17 and 31.
“We have been working on the annexation
process for a couple of years now. It is quite a
packet of information, which includes maps and
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COURTESY PHOTO
Swisshome/Deadwood Fire Department Fire Chief Greg Lyndsey (left) and Assistant
Chief Danny Morgan receive new equipment for the soon to be established
Swisshome and Upper Deadwood Creek Fire Department. The new entity will
merge the Deadwood Creek Fire Service with the Swisshome/Deadwood Fire
Department.
legal descriptions, current property owners and
tax lot numbers. There was a lot of research that
had to be done before the application could be
submitted,” Hertzbach said.
The equipment received, while new to the
upriver departments, came from a neighboring
fire district, which sold the vehicles to the
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THIS WEEK ’ S
Swisshome/Deadwood Fire district for a very
reasonable price.
Chief
Greg
Lyndsey
of
the
Swisshome/Deadwood Fire Department said the
equipment will make protecting the public easier
and safer in the future.
The three new pieces of equipment, all from
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Junction City, are a 1,000-gallon engine, a 3,000-
gallon tinder and a 4,000-gallon brush rig.
“They are new to us, but not brand new,”
Lyndsey said. “They are in very good shape.”
According to Lyndsey, his connections at
Junction City let him know that they were getting
new equipment. Lindsey inquired on their older
equipment and made an offer.
“The equipment we had still works, but it’s
from 1968 and you can’t get parts for the pump
if it breaks down. The engine was showing some
wear and we were starting to get a few leaks,” he
said. “We got all three new pieces of equipment
for around $50,000, which is a great deal, proba-
bly like half price.”
The decision to purchase the Junction City
equipment is just one in a series of steps that are
being taken by the Upriver fire districts to
become better prepared to respond to emergen-
cies in their communities.
Other changes being implemented are
designed to enhance the cooperation between
Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue and what will
become the combined Swisshome/Upper
Deadwood Creek Fire Department.
Siuslaw Valley Chief Director Jim Langborg
feels the change signifies a shift in the relation-
ship between the Florence fire department and
the surrounding areas.
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DEPARTMENTS 7A