The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current, November 29, 2017, WEDNESDAY EDITION, Image 21

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    THE SIUSLAW NEWS SCHOOL NEWSLETTER ❚ November 2017
SCHOOL
ZONE
A Monthly Newsletter for the Siuslaw and Mapleton School Districts and Community Groups
A PPLY NOW
FOR 111 TH
ANNUAL
R HODY
S ENIOR
C OURT
A
pplications for the 111th
Senior Rhododendron
Court are now available
through Siuslaw and Mapleton
schools, the Florence Visitor
Center and the Florence Area
Chamber of Commerce web-
site, fl orencechamber.com.
Th e Senior Court is open to
high school senior girls and
boys who exhibit exceptional
character and are Siuslaw re-
gion residents. Queen Rho-
dodendra and her Junior and
Senior Princess Courts as well
as the King of the Coast and his
Senior Prince Court will reign
over the 2018 Rhododendron
Festival, act as the goodwill
ambassadors for this event and
make many promotional ap-
pearances between the start of
the year and the annual Rhody
Festival in May.
Th e Rhododendron Court
will benefi t from experiences
with public speaking and media
relations. Queen Rhododen-
dra and the King of the Coast,
along with their Senior Court,
will be awarded scholarships on
the night of the coronation.
Applications for the Rhodo-
dendron Senior Court will be
accepted until Monday, Dec. 11,
at 5 p.m. For more information
about the court, participant
obligations or the application,
call 541-997-3128.
Th e 111th annual Rhododen-
dron Festival is presented by
the Florence Area Chamber of
Commerce and will take place
May 18 to 20, 2018.
For information about the
festival, parade participation,
vendor registration or volun-
teer opportunities, visit www.
fl orencechamber.com or call
541-997-3128.
Siuslaw shows
‘Attendance
Works’
AT T ENDAN C E
in the early grad es
Who Is Affe cte d
Why It Matters
Kindergarten and 1st grade classes often have absenteeism rates
as high as those in high school. Many of these absences are
excused, but they still add up to lost time in the classroom.
If children don’t show up for school regularly, they miss out on
fundamental reading and math skills and the chance to build a habit
of good attendance that will carry them into college and careers.
What We Can D o
Who Can Read on Grade Level After 3rd Grade? 
Fi x Tra n s port a t i on
64%
hildren’s Repertory of Oregon
Workshops (CROW) will hold
open auditions for Disney's “Tar-
zan the Musical” on Jan. 8 and 9 at
6:30 p.m. with invited callbacks on
Jan. 10. Participants may attend ei-
ther day of the auditions. It is not
necessary to come to both days.
Callbacks are by invitation only.
Auditions will be at the CROW
Center for the Performing Arts,
3120 Highway 101 in Florence.
Th e show’s performances will be
two outreach shows on April 12
and regular shows April 13, 14 and
15.
Rehearsals begin Jan. 22 and are
generally Monday to Th ursday eve-
nings from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
However, not all kids are called
to every rehearsal. Cast members
receive a schedule on the fi rst day
of rehearsal, and are expected to
make this show their top priority.
Participants are asked to bring:
-Short Song (16-32 Bars Sheet
B Y R AMIRO R AMIREZ
Siuslaw High School Student
unning is something I have
loved to do ever since I ran
down a small hill in my old
hometown of Long Beach, Calif.
When I decided to join the Siuslaw
Cross Country team, I knew that I was
going to be with a team that would
build my running ability. I wanted to
be an extra boost in their points, and
show improvement throughout the
season.
My time with the Siuslaw Cross
Country team had many memorable
moments. In this story, I will cover
three of them from the beginning of
the season all the way to the end.
My fi rst meet was at Tugman State
Park at Lakeside, Ore.; I was placed
in the Junior Varsity team, which is
probably where future champions are
fi rst known. Coming into the meet I
was feeling good, but when it came to
a minute before the race, the nerves
settled on me. As soon as the gun went
off , I somehow lost all the nervousness
and ran my race. Soon I began to gain
more positions. When I was coming
to the fi nish, I was ahead of a competi-
tor pretty far, but when it came to the
fi nal straightaway, I started sprinting
to ensure that I would fi nish ahead of
the person behind me. Th ankfully I
did. I was the fi rst of the seven Siuslaw
SCHO OL BUS
o f ki d s wi th g o o d attend anc e i n K and 1 s t
( m i s s e d 9 o r f e w e r d ay s bo t h y e ar s )
Health concerns, particularly asthma and
dental problems, are among the leading
reasons students miss school in the early
grades. Schools and medical professionals
can work together to give children and
families health care and advice.
( m i s s e d m o r e t h an 9 d ay s bo t h y e ar s )
4 in 10
2 in 10
2 .5 i n 1 0
l o w -i n c o m e k id s
homeless kids
t r a n s ie n t k id s
miss too much
school. They’re also
more likely to suffer
academically. 1
are chronically
absent. 2
miss too much
school when
families move. 2
The lack of a reliable car, or simply
missing the school bus, can mean some
students don’t make it to class. Schools,
transit agencies and community partners
can organize car pools, supply bus passes
RUˉQGRWKHUZD\VWRJHWNLGVWRVFKRRO
A d d res s H ea lt h N eed s
43 %
o f ki d s wi th at-ri s k attend anc e
41 %
o f ki d s c hro ni c al l y ab s ent i n K o r 1 s t
Tra c k t h e R i gh t D a t a
( m i s s e d 1 8 o r m o r e d ay s o n e y e ar )
Schools too often overlook chronic
absence because they track average
attendance or unexcused absences, not
how many kids miss too many days for
any reason. Attendance Works has free
data-tracking tools.
17%
o f ki d s c hro ni c al l y ab s ent i n K and 1 s t
( m i s s e d 1 8 o r m o r e d ay s bo t h y e ar s )
These are a few st eps t hat co mmu n i t i es an d scho o l s can
t ak e. Ho w d o yo u t hi n k yo u can hel p?
1
Chang, Hedy; Romero, Mariajose, Present, Engaged and Accounted For: The Critical
Importance of Addressing Chronic Absence in the Early Grades, National Center for
Children in Poverty: NY: NY, September 2008.
2
Chronic Absence in Utah, Utah Education Policy Center at the University of Utah, 2012.

Attendance in Early Elementary Grades: Association with Student Characteristics, School Readiness
and Third Grade Outcomes, Applied Survey Research. May 2011.
To download a copy of this infographic, please visit www.attendanceworks.org.
© Joanna Shieh | The Hatcher Group
GRAPHIC USED WITH PERMISSION BY ATTENDANCE WORKS
Here are some things parents can do
to make school attendance a priority:
• Talk about the importance of show-
ing up to school every day and make it
an expectation.
• Have your student get a good night’s
sleep.
• Don’t let your child stay home unless
truly sick; complaints of headaches or
stomachaches may be signs of anxiety.
• Know the school’s attendance policy.
• Check on your child’s attendance
regularly to be sure absences are not
piling up; communicate regularly with
teachers.
Chronic absence is a problem that can
CROW announces open auditions for ‘Tarzan’
C
En ga ge Fa mi li es
Many parents and students don’t realize
how quickly early absences can add up to
academic trouble. Community members and
teachers can educate families and build a
culture of attendance through early
outreach, incentives and attention to data.
Preliminary data from a California study found that children who
were chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade were far less
OLNHO\WRUHDGSURˉFLHQWO\DWWKHHQGRIUGJUDGH
in kindergarten and 1st grade are chronically absent. In some
schools, it’s as high as 1 in 4. 1
Music or about 1 minute with a
background track). Th is may be
on an ipod/MP3 player. Make sure
the song is short and shows off
your vocal range. If you sing with
a track, please make sure that there
are NO vocals in the background.
In addition, - i.e. - "Karaoke" track
is OK, but do NOT sing with the
artist. We prefer that you do NOT
sing a capella (without any music).
-Headshot/Resume (if you have
one)
-Clothes/shoes you can easily
move in
-Water in a closed container with
a tightly fi tting lid.
Participants aged 4 to 22+ are
encouraged to audition. Main cast
will be for students aged 6 and up,
but “telegrammers” can be 4 to 7.
Th ere is no charge to partici-
pate in the show, and no previous
experience is required to audi-
tion. “Please don't be scared!” said
CROW Artistic Director Melanie
RUNDOWN
R
w w w .at t e n d an c e w o r ks .o r g
1 in 10 kids
T
he Siuslaw School District is off to a
great start with students who are in
classes, ready to learn every day. Show-
ing up for school has a huge impact on
a student’s academic success, starting in
kindergarten and continuing through
high school. Good attendance helps
children do well in school and eventu-
ally in the workplace.
Siuslaw schools are setting a goal for
every student to have regular atten-
dance, missing less than 10 percent of
school days throughout the year. Th e
district will be monitoring each stu-
dent’s number of absences so it can work
together with parents when a student’s
absences are putting them at risk.
Too oft en, we don’t realize how quick-
ly absences add up; missing just two
days every month can cause a child to
fall behind. Once too many absences oc-
cur, they can aff ect learning, regardless
of whether they are excused or unex-
cused. Some absences are unavoidable
when children occasionally get sick and
need to stay home. What’s important
is getting students to school as oft en as
possible.
Many of our youngest students miss 10 percent of the school year—about 18 days a year or just two days every
month. Chronic absenteeism in kindergarten, and even preK, can predict lower test scores, poor attendance and
retention in later grades, especially if the problem persists for more than a year. Do you know how many young
children are chronically absent in your school or community?
JV runners with a time of 23 minutes
30 seconds.
Th e second highlight I will share is
the Woahink Invitational at Woahink
Lake, where only the best of the best
cross country teams participate. A
week prior to the meet, I had a sore
leg and still competed at the Rock ’n’
River Invitational, but when I was
coming into this meet, the pain got
a little worse. My father helped me
with a warm-up massage prior to the
race. Surprisingly, my aching leg did
not hurt at all, and when it came to
the time of the race, I had confi dence
on my side, and ran smart and tough.
With the increased training I had, I
was able to run more in the front of
the pack, and able to hold it. I was
running with some of the better run-
ners. When we came back to the start-
ing location, I started to lose ground.
I was running out of energy and, to
make matters tougher, there were hay
piles we had to jump over. When I
made it to the fi nish line, I was beating
and banging my way to a 99th place
fi nish out of 200 competitors, and a
new personal best of 21 minutes and
50 seconds. I later found out I came
in a full minute and 30 seconds ahead
of the nearest Siuslaw runner, Isaiah
Jones, who fi nished in 120th place.
My other teammate, Alex Paasch, later
came in 128th place.
It was a great meet, as I felt really
accomplished running up farther than
Heard. “Come give us a try!”
Short synopsis:
Washed up on the shores of West
Africa, an infant boy is taken in
and raised by gorillas who name
him Tarzan. Apart from striving
for acceptance from his ape fa-
ther, Tarzan's life is mostly monkey
business until a human expedi-
tion treks into his tribe's territory,
and he encounters creatures like
himself for the fi rst time. Tarzan
struggles to navigate a jungle, thick
with emotion, as he discovers his
animal upbringing clashing with
his human instincts. Th e musical
is based on the Disney cartoon by
the same name.
Characters include several lead
roles and a menagerie of creatures
for the cast.
CROW has a variety of audition
tips on its website at crowkids.com.
For more information, email
crowtheatrekids@yahoo.com
or
text 541-999-8641.
be solved when school staff , parents, and
community work together. Relationship
building is fundamental to any strategy
for improving student attendance, over-
coming barriers to good attendance, and
setting the expectation that attendance
matters. — Submitted by Diane McCalmont for
Siuslaw Elementary School
Mapleton School District
looks to make ‘healthy kids’
All children deserve to
be healthy. But for many
rural upriver families,
fi nding healthcare provid-
ers and getting to appoint-
ments can be a challenge.
Mapleton School Dis-
trict is teaming up with
PeaceHealth, Lane Coun-
ty and other local organi-
zations to make sure kids in the community get better
healthcare — closer to home.
Th e public is invited to the Healthy Kids Commu-
nity Meeting to learn more about ideas on the subject
on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 6 p.m., along with sharing
thoughts on how to make it easier for kids to stay healthy
and happy.
Th e meeting will be held at the Mapleton High School
library, located at 10868 E. Mapleton Road.
Two other meetings were held earlier in the week at the
Deadwood Grange and Swisshome Church.
For further questions, call Mapleton School District
Superintendent Jodi O’Mara at 541-268-4312, or email
her at jomara@mapleton.k12.or.us.
Healthy Kids
Healthy
Mapleton
C ROSS C OUNTRY H IGHLIGHTS
I would normally do, but it came at
a cost. Th e next day, I was greeted by
a great aching in my right leg. Sure,
I got a top 100 result, but I guess
when you achieve something excel-
lent you might end up with a reaction
that you might not like. It was a huge
disappointment, as I had to sit out of
practices, and was unable to compete
in the next two meets. When I went
to the walk-in clinic at the hospital,
it turned out that the pain came from
either using wrong footwear or over-
exerting myself. Luckily, I was able to
come back and make a return for the
last two meets of the season.
At the beginning of the season, one
of my goals was to show consistent
improvement. My favorite compliment
that I liked to hear was “Hey, you
improved from the last meet.” With
recovery underway, I probably wasn't
going to hear that phrase.
But that all changed.
Th e 4A-3 Far West League Cham-
pionships was my last meet of the
season and I wanted to be my best.
When the junior varsity runners were
called up to the line, it was almost
like our fi rst time there. Confi dence
to nervousness a minute prior to the
start time. When the starting gun went
off I started off at my slow pace, but
something seemed diff erent. It looked
like I was toward the front. I counted
how many positions back I was and
counted myself in 14th place. I knew
that if I was going to start there, then
I might as well keep in that position
until halfway.
When we came to the second mile,
I had made up three positions. I
decided to run smart and pounce on
the leaders at the campground, but
things started to go downhill. I started
getting tired, even though I knew
that it was not the time to get tired. I
knew that the doctor told me not to
overexert myself. I was then forced to
lose little ground to the pack in front
of me.
To make matters harder, two of my
seven teammates were in that pack,
and we had planned to stick together
throughout the whole race. It seemed
like they would have to face the com-
petition on their own. I thought I had
put myself down.
I was concerned my PR would not
be broken, and that I would prob-
ably fi nish around 10 seconds shorter
than my fi rst time, but then came the
rundown. As soon as I saw the fi nish
line, I decided to start sprinting. Th ere
was no one behind me or in front of
me, but I did it anyway. When I saw
the timer for a split second, it read
21:41. I immediately knew I was going
to beat my PR no matter what. Th en
I reached the fi nish line. Th e results
showed I fi nished an astonishing 11th
place with a new PR of 21:46.
It then came to me it didn’t matter
I fi nished in a drama style beating-
and-banging sprint-down-showdown
fi nish, but that I had achieved my
goal: Show improvement throughout
the whole season. I was very proud of
what I was able to achieve. Within a
few days of rebuilding yourself aft er
an injury, you can be once again, great
again.
Running with the Siuslaw Cross
Country has been an honor that I
am glad I chose. Ever since those
days running down that tiny hill in
Long Beach, I wanted to make things
tougher by having competition around
me. I wanted to be the one person that
boosts a team, and I was that person.
Running in cross country may seem
hard. Running for miles without stop-
ping, doing hard workouts, and the
supreme test of endurance, but with
the right power, motivation, mindset
and advice, you may fi nd cross coun-
try not so hard aft er all.
I want to thank Coach Chris John-
son, who is the coach of our outstand-
ing team, for making me a better,
tougher and smarter runner.
I also want to thank my JV team-
mates, most notably Isaiah and Alex,
for being great teammates to me. And
one big thank you to the entire cross
country team, for cheering us on.
Whether cheering for the varsity or
junior varsity, you have been a very
helpful team, and I look forward to
running with you guys in the future.
With all of that said, Go Viks!