6A | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS
RAIN offers financial accelerator for small businesses beginning March 31
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to give results within
15 minutes and can de-
tect even early stages of
the virus. Tests are then
logged with Oregon
Health Authority. Pos-
itive tests are reported
to Lane County Public
Health.
O’Mara emphasized
that testing will only
happen with a signed
consent form from stu-
dents’ guardians.
“We can only test with
parent consent. If the
parents don’t give con-
sent and a student gets
sick or they have a tem-
perature, they go home.
… So parents do not
have to give consent to
test. That is their right
and we respect that,” she
said.
Being able to admin-
ister COVID testing will
allow for quicker re-
sponse and contact trac-
ing if a test is positive.
“It allows us to start the
contact tracing to help
stop the spread sooner
than if we didn’t have the
testing in place,” O’Mara
said.
Students from the stu-
dent council often attend
the Mapleton School
Board meetings. In fact,
the full Student Council
will attend school board
meetings at least once
per quarter.
According to Opal,
“We decided that the
vice president and the
secretary will attend all
school board meetings,
and other student coun-
cil members can attend
if they wish.”
In addition, the vice
president will now be
the student liaison to the
Mapleton School Board.
“Since I am the vice
president, I will be as-
suming this responsibil-
ity with my other ones
already included in the
vice president role,” said
Orion Ricks.
He added that the Ma-
pleton Student Council
will now go through the
process of amending the
Student Body Constitu-
tion to include this duty
in the vice president role.
Director
Michelle
Holman thanked him,
saying, “We are delight-
ed that you’re going to
advise us when we need
a student perspective.”
Director Mizu Bur-
russ thanked the Student
Council, as well as ad-
viser Juline Walker, for
Tires
Brakes
Shocks
Alignments
LES SCHWAB TIRE CENTERS
Learn more and apply now at
www.oregonrain.org/money-
maker/.
People can also contact RAIN
Venture Catalyst Corey Wright
at corey@oregonrain.org for
more information.
Oregon RAIN (Regional Ac-
celerator and Innovation Net-
work) now has two Entrepre-
neurs in the Community (EIC)
in the Florence area. These
are business owners Elaine
McMillan and Lynda Colter-
Bergh.
their work in appointing
the position.
“That’s a process to fig-
ure out how that works,
and how to change the
constitution and stuff
like that. Thanks for
going to all that effort,”
Mizu said.
Later in the meeting,
O’Mara included addi-
tional student partici-
pation, this time in the
form of poetry from
Melissa Duffy middle
school students.
Morgan
Milbrett,
daughter of Director
Andrea Milbrett, joined
her mother’s screen to
talk about a poem she
wrote in response to
U.S. Youth Poet Laureate
Amanda Gorman’s “The
Miracle of Morning.”
According to Morgan,
“This is just about the
first notice that we got
of school being canceled
and all the thoughts that
were running through
everybody’s heads.”
People can hear about
the students’ poems on
the YouTube video of the
meeting, beginning at
32:23.
The school board
meeting also consisted
of approving the con-
sent agenda, passing a
supplemental
budget,
adopting an updated
403(b) Plan and signing
the plan for Lane Edu-
cation Service District’s
services.
There were addition-
al items which will be
discussed further at the
March meeting, includ-
ing board goals, the
Mapleton Budget Com-
mittee, the Equity Com-
mittee and standardized
testing.
The Mapleton School
Board meets next on
Wednesday, March 17,
6 p.m., the last week be-
fore Spring Break.
Director Mary Ellen
Mansfield said, “Hope-
fully we’ll have every-
body back in in-person
that week, which will be
exciting.”
People can learn more
at Mapleton.k12.or.us.
Jack Mobley
Construction, Inc.
• Rem
Thank you Florence for
always supporting us.
541-997-2197
CCB#164472
VOTE FOR US BEST OF 2020
4325 Highway 101
Florence, OR 97439
541.997.7178 TEL
541.997.7195 FAX
E U
OT S
F
O
T
S
E
B
E
timeline for phasing in
students to be on site,
that we eventually will
get here so that we can
bring our middle school
high school students in.”
Currently, 80 per-
cent of the middle/high
school students are plan-
ning to come in for on-
site instruction.
“That’s 47 of them,
right now, wanting to
come every day for a full
school day,” O’Mara said.
The other 20 percent,
or 12 students, are elect-
ing to stay in compre-
hensive distance learn-
ing (CDL), which uses
the Edgenuity online
learning platform.
According to Maple-
ton Special Activities
Chair Opal Burruss, an
11th grader, “I think stu-
dents are pretty excited
to come back on cam-
pus. It’s been a long time
since we’ve been on cam-
pus, so it’s going to be
nice to see everybody’s
faces, see all the teachers
and not to see just the
black screens with the
names.”
At Siuslaw Elementa-
ry, 96 percent of students
are participating in on-
site learning, so 65, with
three students remain-
ing in CDL.
“It’s amazing, it’s won-
derful, and the kids are
just doing amazing,”
O’Mara said, talking
about how the students
have adapted to main-
taining distance and
wearing masks. “It’s not
anywhere near what
they’re used to, but
they’re just so happy to
be back on campus.”
Mapleton School Dis-
trict has also vaccinated
its staff, with the first
round of COVID-19
vaccinations complete.
The district partnered
with Bethel School Dis-
trict, the Bethel Health
Clinic and Siuslaw
School District to vacci-
nate staff.
“Huge thanks to them.
They helped coordinate
to get vaccines for our
staff so we were able
to get them all done,”
O’Mara said.
The district has been
in touch with other Lane
County school superin-
tendents throughout the
vaccination process.
O’Mara said Mapleton
is planning ahead for ill
effects, as some reports
indicate that people feel
a strong immune reac-
tion to the second dose
of COVID-19 vaccine.
“We are being very
aware of that and help-
ing to support staff
through that, because
we want them to be able
to receive their second
dose,” she said.
In addition, the dis-
trict is taking steps to
protect people on cam-
pus from the potential of
a COVID-19 outbreak.
“We have to pro-
vide on-site testing for
our students and staff,”
O’Mara said.
If someone is onsite
and begins to experience
symptoms — such as
headache, fever or cough
— the district is training
two staff members to ad-
minister Abbott’s Binax-
NOW COVID-19 Rapid
Test.
The test is designed
pitfalls to watch out for
• Learn how to put together
and track a simple financial bud-
get
• Understand pricing, mar-
gins, and fixed versus operation-
al costs
• Learn about business debt
and how to use leverage in scal-
ing your business ventures
• And more...
The MONEYmaker is spon-
sored by Business Oregon, Or-
egon Pacific Bank and Banner
Bank.
V
from 1A
management knowledge as peo-
ple start and grow their business
feeling confident in how they
spend, generate, invest and man-
age their business’s money.
Some lessons included in the
program:
• Receive 1:1 financial mentor-
ship from top financial advisors
and high net-worth individuals
• Learn the techniques finance
directors use to make financial
decisions
• Learn about the basics of
cash flow management and what
E U
OT S
F LO E N C
R
F
BEST O
Florence, Oregon
Us TOO Florence
E
Mapleton
neurs, sole-proprietors and small
business owners in Oregon who
want to understand, manage and
feel confident in understanding
their business’s finances.
No prior business finance ex-
perience is required.
This will be an opportunity for
people to learn new skills, brush
up on the basics and expand
their networks. There will also
be mentor sessions in Spanish.
All are welcome.
The MONEYmaker is de-
signed to improve financial
V
On Wednesdays from March
31 to June 30, Oregon RAIN
(Regional Accelerator and In-
novation Network) is offering a
startup and small business finan-
cial accelerator called MONEY-
maker. The virtual course will be
held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. for 12
weeks.
The deadline to apply is March
5 at 5 p.m. It is free to apply and
participate.
The MONEYmaker Financial
Accelerator program is designed
for “wannapreneurs,” entrepre-
F LO E N C
R
Prostate Cancer Education/Support
on the Oregon Coast
www.ustoofl orence.org
BOB HORNEY, CHAPTER LEADER/FACILITATOR
BOTH MEETINGS ARE CURRENTLY ON HOLD.
WATCH SIUSLAW NEWS FOR RESUMPTION
• Tuesday Evening Group (2nd Tuesday)
5-7 p.m. - Ichiban Chinese/Japanese Restaurant
Urologist Dr. Bryan Mehlhaff attends.
87632 North Hwy 101, Florence
• Tuesday Lunch Group (3rd Tuesday)
541.997.9702
12 noon – 1:00 p.m. – Ichiban Chinese/Japanese Restaurant
Urologist Dr. Roger McKimmy attends.
Climate Controlled – Circulating Dehumidifi ed Air 24/7
Safe & Secure Storage • Cameras & Lighting
Contact Bob for more information:
(H) 541-997-6626 (C) 541-999-4239
maribob@oregonfast.net
We are delighted and grateful that Heceta Self Storage
was voted Best Self Storage in Florence!
Thank you for your support!
Since 1983
Alva Bracey
Broker
Your goals are my
top priority.
Let’s get together!
LES SCHWAB TIRE CENTERS
Tires • Brakes • Shocks
Alignments
4325 Highway 101
Florence, OR 97439
541-997-7178
Call, Text or Email
Cell: 541-505-1180
Alva@CBCoast.com
541-997-7777
100 Hwy. 101,
Florence, OR
COAST REAL ESTATE
ESTATE JEWELRY AND
ANTIQUE FURNITURE!!!
We buy, sell and consign quality
estate/heirloom jewelry & furniture.
Gold, silver, platinum jewelry with
precious & semi precious stones.
Call 541-997-8104,
Florence Antiques
&
Coast Jewelers
Insect & Pest Removal
Trapping • Mole/Gopher
Dead Animal Removal • Honey Bee Removal
Crawl Space Cleaning • Exclusion Work
Fumigation of Antiques and Commodities.
(541) 997-4027
MODEL TRAIN
ENTHUSIASTS
Auto, Home, Life, Business
Flood, Antique Auto, RV’s
Medicare Advantage Plans
Medicare Supplements
Health Insurance
Phone (541) 997-9497
1234 Rhododendron Dr / Florence
Over
ars
50 Ye ce!
rien
Expe
CALL ME TO BUY, SELL OR TRADE!
I’M LOCATED HERE IN FLORENCE.
541-255-9822 - Larry
landl316@live.com
Us TOO Florence
Prostate Cancer Education
Support on the Oregon Coast
www.ustooflorence.org
BOTH MEETINGS ARE CURRENTLY ON HOLD.
WATCH SIUSLAW NEWS FOR RESUMPTION
• Tuesday Evening Group (2nd Tuesday)
5-7 p.m. - Ichiban Chinese/Japanese Restaurant
• Urologist Dr. Bryan Mehlhaff attends.
• Tuesday Lunch Group (3rd Tuesday)
12 noon – 1:00 p.m. – Ichiban Chinese/Japanese
Restaurant
• Urologist Dr. Roger McKimmy attends.
Contact Bob for more information:
(H) 541-997-6626 • (C) 541-999-4239
maribob@oregonfast.net