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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 2020)
WEDNESDAY EDITION | FEBRUARY 12, 2020 | $1.00 E BR RS AT I N G 1 30 Y Who will be named Florence’s next First Citizen, Future First Citizen? By Chantelle Meyer Siuslaw News Tonight’s Siuslaw Awards recognizes not only outstand- ing business leaders in the Siuslaw region, but the stand- out volunteers from 2019 who keep Florence Oregon’s premier coastal communi- ty. With the Florence First Citizen Award and the Future First Citizen Award, the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce will celebrate these eight special nominees. FIRST CITIZEN NOMINEES Look over the variety of volunteer work, specialties, passion projects and skills of the four nominees for First Citizen, and there won’t be a lot of similarities. What unites these men is a dedica- tion to the Siuslaw communi- ty and its residents. See NOMINEES page 6A City Lights shows “After Parkland” documentary 2020 EA CEL SN S SIU THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM W 1890 AW NE L S Contact Kevin McMullen at 541-991-7048 or Kim Erickson at 541-991-2070 to be a table sponsor or for individual tickets. I NSIDE — A3 ‘Spirit of Aloha’ inspires generous giving Siuslaw News Fraudville raises $79,930 for Boys & Girls Club NEWS & VIEWS THAT DEFINE OUR COMMUNITY VOL. 130, NO. 12 F LORENCE , O REGON Story & Photos By Chantelle Meyer Siuslaw News WEATHER O n Feb. 8, the community experi- enced the tropical breeze of “The Spirit of Aloha” at Boys & Girls Clubs (BGC) of Western Lane County’s Fraudville, held at the Florence Events Center. “Aloha. It means everybody’s wel- come, everybody’s loved, everybody’s accepted,” said auctioneer Tyson Baker. “That’s what happens when kids step inside the Boys and Girls Club. When you step inside, you are at your second home. You are with your family. You are safe. You can see that every one of those kids feel those things.” Part of that spirit was evident as the event’s totals were tallied, surpassing BGC’s goal of $50,000 to reach $79,930. According to BGC Executive Direc- tor Chuck Trent, “Fraudville funds our teen and after-school programs. All the funds that are being raised tonight are going directly to the kids in Florence. … We’re here to make sure that all kids have opportunities for a great future.” Fraudville is an annual lip-sync com- petition that allows community mem- bers, nonprofit organizations and busi- nesses to dress up, perform and show a little silliness all in the spirit of giving. It is BGC’s main fundraiser each year. This year’s event featured island dé- cor, catering by The Hukilau, a cus- tom-built tiki bar, shaved ice and games. In one, attendees could pay to maroon other guests on Castaway Island until another guest paid their way to free- Partly sunny with a high of 51 and a low tonight of 35. Full forecast on A3 COMMUNITY The 2020 Fraudville Champions are Boys and Girls Clubs’ “The Chicken Nugget Warriors” (top photo). The event also featured an auction and “Spirit of Aloha” décor. Review of SEAcoast’s Bettman & Halpin concert INSIDE — A3 dom. Notable attendees such as Florence Mayor Joe Henry, his wife Pam and BGC Board Secretary Nancy Pearson were often designated to the island. SPORTS See FRAUDVILLE page 5A Setting priorities for ‘the community’s school’ Siuslaw School District seeks community input on Student Success Act which includes students who passed the GED, rose 5 percent in the ‘18-19 school year to 92 percent, seven points higher than the Oregon average of 85 percent. “So the graduation rate went down while the other went up,” Grzeskowiak explained. “Kids that complete a GED are not considered ‘graduates’ by the state definition. Our overall comple- tion rate is going up because the aver- age number of kids completing a GED is also going up. When you put those numbers together, the number of kids that completed in total is 91 percent.” It should also be noted that with such a small graduating class size, even just a handful of students de- laying graduation can make it appear that there is a giant dip in a graduation rate. We’re talking about the econo- my of scale. Six kids move out of the senior class in Springfield or Eugene, they’re not noticed. ... Our rate will make minor changes and they’ll be fluctuations there, but getting a kid completed is really what’s important.” Grzeskowiak points to the relation- ships that staff and students build into the system as to a reason the comple- tion rate is high. “We have a good enough environ- ment that kids who don’t finish in their fourth year are actually coming back to finish,” he said. “We’re sticking with them,” Siu- slaw Elementary Principal Mike Harklerode added. See GRADUATION page 7A Vikings go to state INSIDE — SPORTS RECORDS Obituaries & response logs Inside — A2 NEW: TV GUIDE Inside — A10-11 KIDS CORNER Activities for kids Inside — B5 CLASSIFIEDS Listings and notices Inside — B6 FOLLOW US FOR THE LATEST NEWS : /S IUSLAW N EWS @S IUSLAW N EWS T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM S IUSLAW N EWS 2 S ECTIONS | 20 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2020 scheduled in the morning, was sparse- ences within the district. ly attended — it’s expected that the “This is the community’s school,” next meeting, held at 6 p.m. on Thurs- said District board chair Guy Rosin- “Last year, the state senate passed day, Feb. 20, at the Florence Events baum. “I was elected to help the com- munity run the kind of school they the Student Success Act (SSA),” Siu- center, will have greater attendance. slaw School District Superintendent Andy Grzeskowiak said. “It really brings us back to a level, service wise, “This is the community’s school. I was elected to help of where we were 25 years ago. It’s fill- the community run the kind of school they want to run. ing in a lot of gaps.” I’m interested in what they have to say, and I’m sure the Grzeskowiak was opening the first rest of the board is interested in what they have to say.” of three community forums sur- rounding the SSA, which is expected — Guy Rosinbaum, Siuslaw School Board President to bring approximately $1.14 million to the district. The funds are desig- The meetings each consist of an want to run. I’m interested in what nated for meeting students’ mental and behavioral health needs, reducing introduction and then input sessions they have to say, and I’m sure the rest academic disparities for students from from community members, who are of the board is interested in what they historically underserved populations, given copies of student and district have to say.” providing access to academic courses, data from the Oregon Department GRADUATION RATE establishing and strengthening part- of Education to help them in making choices about the programs. After One of the first goals of the fund- nerships and allowing teachers and each session, the community is in- ing, and one of the greatest miscon- staff time to collaborate, review data and help students stay on track to vited to fill out a survey to give input ceptions surrounding Siuslaw School off of the information discussed. For District, is its graduation rate, which graduate. The broad categories of allow- those who don’t attend the forums, a is currently on par with the Oregon able investments of the funds are general link is available at http://bit.ly/ average, resting at 79 percent. Howev- er, this is down six percent from the to improve class size, to provide a SIA_SNEWS. Despite the low turnout at the Jan- previous year. well-rounded education for all stu- uary session, the district has already “In ‘17-18, we had a graduation rate dents, increase instructional time, and address health and safety for students been reaching out to gain input on the of 85 percent,” Grzeskowiak explained. “Part of getting that extra money data, from parents and administrators “We had, in essence, 85 out of 100 kids graduate. So last year, in ‘18-19, you into the district is making sure we to local governments. During the next few issues, Siuslaw had 79 of the same class graduate out have input from people in the commu- nity as to the priorities of programs,” News will look at the broader issues of roughly 100.” From that number, it would seem Grzeskowiak said. “Otherwise, it just facing the district when it comes to becomes an exercise of administra- SSA funding, with topics that range that the district is having trouble with tors and boards guessing at what the from graduation rates and Career graduating seniors. But the graduation Technical Education (CTE), to class rate doesn’t tell the full story. school needs.” The “five-year completion rate,” The meeting he was attending, size, absenteeism and cultural differ- By Jared Anderson Siuslaw News