COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL April 29, 2015
ol l Zone
Z one
n e
The inside scoop on
Cottage Grove-area schools
Retiring teachers
will be missed
BY KIM SCRIMA
Dorena Principal
K
arin Willis, Sharon Edwards and Reta Cochrane gra-
ciously stayed through the new principal’s fi rst year,
offering their expertise and mentorship; however, these three
amazing teachers have decided that it is time to retire from edu-
cation. Willis retired in December, and Edwards and Cochrane
will retire at the end of this school year. These three teachers
will deeply be missed, but they have promised to be around for
support next year. That is the kind of dedicated attitude these
veteran teachers have always offered to the Dorena community
and South Lane School District. Please, join us to celebrate
their retirement at the May 15 fundraising event, 'The Beat
Goes On.' Dorena School has recently recommended three
new teachers for permanent positions. We plan to confi rm their
employment and provide an opportunity to learn more about
our new staff soon.
April 29, 2015
South Lane students are
On the grow
Local school gardens are a
labor of love…here's how to
help out!
Clockwise
from the bot-
tom left:
Dorena teach-
ers Karin
Willis, Reta
Cochrane and
Sharon Ed-
wards will be
recognized
at a May 15
fundraiser.
BY LARAE ASH
For the Sentinel
I
t’s springtime in Lane County, and garden-
ers everywhere have emerged from the win-
ter gray to contemplate sunny days and fragrant
photo by LaRae Ash
fl owers, homegrown summer veggies and abun- Recent beautiful weather found students at Harrison School Gardens
dant autumn harvests.
outside with Trish Gillespie, dividing up donated veggie starts to be
Here in the Cottage Grove area, teachers and shared with other school garden programs.
students are getting out too, into their own school
gardens — gathering materials and organizing
tools, starting seedlings and preparing summer
beds — as they ready the outdoor classrooms for
The Bohemia School/Community
Oregon’s exceptional growing season.
Garden was established in 2010 by Keith
The Creslane School Garden program
It is a big effort for busy teachers, and it does Folkman, with assistance from Kennedy
not happen without a caring and supportive com- High students, Americorp, the South began in 2009, with the construction of
the main garden taking place in March
munity.
Lane School District and grant funding.
Fortunately, that support has been here over
The 31 garden beds are shared with 2012. Today, the garden contains native
the years. Community foundations, local busi- community members, who may rent the shrubs, fl owers, berries, fruit trees and
vegetables, and it is where about 30 third,
nesses and generous individuals have contributed 4’ by 10’ beds for $15 per year.
their time, materials and monies to these learn-
“Gardeners get the benefi t of raised fourth and fi fth-graders take their lessons
ing labs — where the lessons come with fresh air, beds, drip irrigation on timers, compost in a gardening class held each fall and
exercise and a little hard work — and kids learn added annually, and a deer fence to pro- spring.
“They learn the essentials of garden-
lifelong skills that contribute to healthy lives and tect their plants,” says teacher Suzanne
that could help them feed their future families.
Keaveny. “Each year, students plant, cul- ing and then put that knowledge to work:
In growing a garden, students apply math skills tivate, and harvest a variety of vegetables planting, maintaining, harvesting and
and practice science concepts as they learn plant including greens, potatoes, tomatoes, as- eating!” says teacher Bill Freid. “Hope-
propagation, bed preparation, soil amendment, paragus, beans, strawberries, squash, and fully, this fall we will be able to do some
cooking and preserving.”
composting and insect and bird control. They also pumpkins.”
“There was a major expansion this
develop life skills as they plan and produce to-
The garden is currently plumbed using
year, and we will be growing vegetables
gether, take pride in their achievements together a series of garden hoses linked together.
and feel a sense of community when they share
“We could really use PVC pipe that will be served in the cafeteria this
the fruits of their labor.
plumbed down the length of the garden spring. We have plans for further expan-
There are many ways to help these gardens with risers to hook up our hoses,” Keave- sion in the future to increase the amount
grow as the season gets underway. The following ny says. “Also, we could use a small tool of fresh grown food we can provide the
is a list of area schools that will be gardening this shed and a utility sink for kids to wash students.”
Fried says that the best way to con-
season, along with some of the ways they could veggies and their hands.”
tribute
would be to attend the Creslane
use a helping hand.
Contact: Suzanne Keaveny 541-505-
2163
Please see GARDENS, Page 11A
BOHEMIA SCHOOL
9A
CRESLANE
SCHOOL
LET US HELP
School Board election
recommendations released
by SLEA
D
uring the week of
April 12, the South
Lane Education Association
conducted interviews of the
nine candidates seeking elec-
tion to the South Lane School
Board on May 19. On Mon-
day, SLEA announced its rec-
ommendations.
SLEA said it discussed each
candidate's skill set, add-
ing that it hopes "all of the
candidates will continue to
seek out opportunities to
serve Cottage Grove and its
youth."
The recommendations are:
Position One: Tammy
Hodgkinson
Position Three:
Merlene Martin
Position Six:
Jerry Settelmeyer
Position Seven:
Gary Mort
A CLEAN COMPETITION !
CASCADE RENTAL
FOR YOUR LAWN AND GARDEN NEEDS.
(Maintenance at CG location only)
WE ALSO OFFER
SERVICE ON ALL
BRANDS OF POWER
EQUIPMENT.
photo by Jon Stinnett
Contestants in Cottage Grove High School's Lion King Pageant can count wash-
ing cars among the tasks they've undertaken to help raise funds for the Children's
Miracle Network. The Pageant is scheduled for Saturday, May 2 at 7 p.m. in the high
school cafetorium. Admission is $10 per person, and eight senior boys will compete
to be Cottage Grove's next Lion King. Pictured washing cars on Sunday, from left, are
Elijah Shanklin, Spencer Quimby, Luke Bennett, Jarret Raade, Kenny Thurman, Justin
Bennett, Cameron Sandoval and Jacob Eckstine.
Garden supplies
Tools and Equipment
Raised beds
Hoses, etc.
& So Much More
SLSD BRIEFS
OSU Day of
Service
Get M
MOW
O W for your money at...
(541) 942-1301
6RXWKWK&RWWDJH*URYH
&
& Equipment Rental
(541) 895-4166
6RXWK0LOO6W&UHVZHOO
0RQ6DWDPSP6XQGD\DPSP
On Saturday, May 16 from
9 a.m. to noon, volunteers are
sought to take part in the OSU
Community Day of Service at
Harrison Elementary School,
a day where OSU alumni and
friends across the U.S. give back
to their communities through
service projects.
The Harrison Parent Club is
excited to be organizing this
service site in Cottage Grove to
work together rain or shine on
projects to improve the school’s
playgrounds, landscape and gar-
den.
Thos interested in volunteer-
ing are asked to register online
at osualum.com/service and let
organizers know so they can be
treated to a lunch after the work
party and a free t-shirt while
supplies last.
All ages welcome to help,
though children under age 12
need to bring an adult work
partner.
Sponsored by OSU Alumni
Association and Harrison El-
ementary Parent (and Grandpar-
ent) Club.
Volunteers are asked to bring
wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes
and gloves, if possible.
Contact Melissa Fery, 541-
513-3208, with questions.
Latham Kicks Off
Reading Program
On April 3, Latham had the
Eugene Emeralds Reading Pro-
gram Kick-off Assembly. At the
assembly, Sluggo and members
of the Emeralds front offi ce
talked about the importance of
reading before putting on an in-
teractive performance of Ernest
Thayer’s classic baseball poem
“Casey at the Bat.” At the end
of the assembly, each teacher
received bookmarks for his or
her class. Each bookmark has
10 slots in which the student
can log his or her reading tasks.
Each individual teacher sets the
10-task goal, whether that is 10
books, 10 chapters or, for those
who can’t read, 10 books read
to the student. The students are
excited and motivated to read!
Students who complete their
bookmarks will receive two free
tickets to a Eugene Emeralds
baseball game this summer. A
great incentive to keep reading!