6A | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020 | SIUSLAW NEWS
all students; and whereas
board members are critical
in establishing the inclusive
expectations, culture and
conditions that allow for
quality teaching and learn-
ing … I Kate Brown, hereby
proclaim January 2020 to be
School Board Recognition
month in Oregon and en-
courage all Oregonians to
join in this observance.”
In comments at the end of
the meeting, Siuslaw School
Board President Guy Ros-
inbaum stated his appreci-
ation for the board and his
fellow members.
“To the board especially,
I know it can be trying at
times. I know it is for me. I
appreciate everything you
do,” he said.
After the proclamation,
Facilities Advisory Com-
mittee (FAC) member Bob
Orr gave an update on the
progress the newly formed
group has made. The com-
mission was created to study
the state of the facilities in
the district, and what needs
to be replaced or repaired.
“I would like to start by
saying that having spent
the day in an ice-cold high
school building, it’s nice to
come over here where you
actually have heat,” Orr
said, referring to the heating
problems that Siuslaw High
School has due to old equip-
ment. “It leads me to the
solution of getting rid of the
building and starting over.”
To many on the commit-
tee, it has become clear that
a new high school will be
needed, as repairs for the
high school building are
far costlier than starting
new. However, the district’s
last bond measure in 2018
failed to pass for a variety
of reasons, one of which
was outreach by the district.
This is a lesson that the FAC
learned after speaking with
an architect.
“They suggested we reach
out to the community in a
much bigger way than we
have before. Listen to the
community, find out what tween students and staff you prevent someone from a whole new facility. We past month in the district’s
they think is important re- is through email, which is changing a text to say what should be ready to roll with new push to reach out to
garding the schools, what recorded by the district’s they want to say, nefariously regular schedules by the nonprofit or governmental
are they willing to support, IT department. But modes or not nefariously? How do time of the board meeting.” institutions in the region.
engage them in meaningful of communication have you defend against that if
He also praised the new
Board member John
dialogue, and get an overall changed over the years, and you’re a teacher or a coach? intercom system which Barnett had attended the
sense of what’s go-
had been installed City of Florence’s Commu-
ing on out there,”
over the winter nity and Economic Devel-
Orr said. “I think
opment Committee, where
“I’m glad that we’re moving in the right direction to sup- break.
the
committee
“We returned to he learned about the city’s
port (rural education). We need the city to understand what
took that to heart.”
a new, and great- push to create more tech
The FAC has just we’re doing here, because we need them to support us in ly improved, in- sector jobs and a larger fi-
applied for a grant what we’re trying to do.”
tercom system,” ber network.
that could help
“The city and local busi-
— Guy Rosinbaum, Siuslaw School Board President Harklerode said,
members train in
pointing out that nesses are seeing tech get
working with the
on Jan. 7, the more and more rural. It’s
community, and is looking as Tatum reported, certain How do you defend against school had its first all- exciting to see that it’s
for partnerships.
staff members point out it if you’re a kid?”
school announcement in working well,” he said. He
“We’re moving forward as “This is how kids are com-
For Rosinbaum, third nearly five years.
also pointed out that the
quickly as we can right now. municating. They don’t party monitoring was key.
“Not only can we now school district has already
We’ll just keep you posted check their email.”
“I think you’re just open- communicate with every made strides in making
on how this proceeds,” Orr
Board member Susanne ing yourself up, and the classroom in the building, technology an important
said.
Mann-Heintz, who also vol- school district, to a lot of but we also have features part of curriculum, from
The school board then unteers with the district’s interpretation. And as we all we’ve never seen before: technology Career Tech-
moved on to a group of ASPIRE program, notes that know, once it starts getting Push button lockdown nical Education courses to
policy updates from the the students she works with interpreted in a certain way, communications, volume E-Sports.
state, one of which centered do indeed prefer texting. that’s the way it is, truth or control,
room-by-room
“I’m glad that we’re mov-
around staff texting with She asked that if someone not,” he said. “These apps on/off switches, music ing in the right direction to
students.
from ASPIRE does text a are changing faster than we playing capabilities. And support that kind of stuff,”
The discussion stemmed student, should they include can come up with policies many more we’re just be- Rosinbaum said. “We need
from a revision regarding another staff member in the for them. If the students ar- ginning to play with.”
the city to understand what
reporting requirements for text?
en’t checking their emails,
To close out the meet- we’re doing here, because
suspected sexual conduct
“One of the things that that’s not your fault. That’s ing, board members gave we need them to support
with students.
I’ve suggested to my coach- their fault. And if this is the recaps of various meetings us in what we’re trying to
Originally, the text of the es, is if they need to text a way we’re going to commu- they had attended over the do.”
policy stated, “Texting or student, I feel they should nicate with you, check your
electronically communicat- include a student and par- email.”
ing with a student through ent, or a student and anoth-
Later in the meeting, the
8
201
contact information gained er coach,” Tatum said. “But board discussed upgrades
VOTED
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as a contractor, agent or right now, there’s not policy that were made to Siuslaw
BEST O
volunteer for the district is or law against it. I recom- Elementary School, includ-
F LO E N C
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strongly discouraged.” How- mended to my staff not to ing the near completion of
ever, a revision changed put themselves in that situ- the elementary gym, which
“strongly discouraged” to ation.”
had been damaged by water
“prohibited.”
Grzeskowiak said, “You last year and had to be re-
Siuslaw High School Prin- do have students and teach- modeled.
cipal Kerri Tatum had been ers using the Remind app,
“’I’d like to commend the
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hearing some complaints which does the exact same staff and students for their
PETERSENAUTODETAIL
regarding the wording.
function. But it makes the response to the disruption
“I’ve been talking to conversation visible to ev- of having the gym closed,”
@GMAIL.COM
coaches about best practic- erybody that’s in the group.” Elementary Principal Mike
Gift Certificates available
es, and there has been con-
Rosinbaum laid out the Harklerode reported. “For
siderable pushback from difficulties with staff texting about half of the day be-
FACEBOOK.COM/PETERSENAUTODETAIL
coaches and ASPIRE volun- students.
tween Thanksgiving and
teers as far as this being the
“This has actually been Jan. 13, we had to use alter-
means of communication a problem where text has nate spots for both PE class-
that is effective for students,” been interpreted completely es and rainy day recesses.
Tatum said. “I’m not saying differently by parents and Mr. Wells and Mr. Decker
I necessarily agree — I don’t students than how they were did a great job providing
think it’s a good idea for meant by coaches and teach- meaningful PE (albeit, mod-
280 Hwy. 101 M 541-997-8996
adults to be texting individ- ers,” he said. “If the texting ified) in either room nine or
ual students, but I am hear- app or device that you’re the library.
ing some pushback.”
using isn’t being recorded
“The new floor looks
The official way for elec- by our IT department, then great. Coupled with a com-
Open Daily
tronic communication be- I wouldn’t allow it. How can plete repaint, it looks like
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Sponsored by the Bahá’ís
of Florence and held at the
Siuslaw Public Library, the
gathering expressed dis-
appointment rather than
frustration over the feeling
that the country has strayed
so far from what many in
attendance perceived to be
America’s place as a leader
in the worldwide struggle
for social justice for all —
everywhere.
King was only 39 years
old when he was assassinat-
ed on April 4, 1968. He had
spent the previous decade
engaged in a struggle to help
his fellow African American
citizens achieve the most
basic of human rights, fore-
most of which was the right
to vote and the opportunity
to work and raise a family in
peace. He received the No-
bel Peace Prize in 1964 for
his work to solidify racial
equality.
For many years, King in-
sisted that non-violence was
the path to achieving the
civil right movement’s goals,
although King was killed
before he saw the positive
results his strategy had pro-
duced.
One of the most endur-
ing testaments to the ef-
fectiveness of his work is
Martin Luther King Jr. Day,
observed the third Monday
of January each year as a
federal holiday that marks
his birthday and legacy.
Locally, a full house
turned out for the Florence
recognition of King’s work.
Titled “Healing the Divide:
Service, Kindness, Compas-
sion,” the remembrance was
held in the Bromley Room
and featured speakers, poet-
ry, songs and readings from
King’s speeches and ser-
mons. In addition, Florence
ORganizes (FOR) leader
Maggie Bagon recapped the
history of the Civil Rights
Era.
Students also got in-
volved. Tributes to the
memory of King were giv-
en by high school student
Ramiro Ramirez (see Page
A4 of Siuslaw News) and
his sister Isabella, who sang
a “The Truth Untold.” Local
vocalist Nyah Vollmar also
performed, this time sing-
ing her own song, “Thou-
sand Wishes.”
“Nyah’s song lyrics to slip
away from the hating and
letting our visions become
our missions filled my old
heart with hope for a better
future,” said Suzanne Mann-
Heintz, one of the organiz-
ers for the event.
The presentations during
the event highlighted op-
portunities to continue the
work begun by King nation-
ally in the local community.
Suzanne
Mann-Heintz
said she was pleased with
both the strong turnout for
the remembrance and the
recognition that all people
can contribute to the effort
to further social justice in
many areas of life.
“I, too, believe social jus-
tice issues are a hallmark
in these divisive times. I’m
an ‘All for one and one for
all’ kind of woman,” Mann-
Heintz said.
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