Cottage Grove sentinel., January 31, 2018, Page 3A, Image 3

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COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL JANUARY 31, 2018
SV Athletics needs help after theft
3A
CGHS has top grad
rate in Lane
State average still needs work
By Caitlyn May
cmay@cgsentinel.com
PHOTO COURTESY SOUTH VALLEY ALTHETICS
South Valley Athletics is asking the community to help raise funds for its stolen soccer equipment.
By Caitlyn May
cmay@cgsentinel.com
In 2016, voters approved a $35
million bond. It meant the construc-
tion of a new school, improvements
to the community pool and an update
for security and technology around
South Lane School District. It also
meant South Valley Athletics was
out of storage space.
“We lost access to the old high
school building back when the bond
measure passed and so we bought
a big cargo trailer,” said coach
Dustin Bengston. That trailer housed
the organizations balls, goals and
striping machine—everything nearly
200 kids need to play soccer.
Sometime just before or after
Christmas Day, it was stolen.
“My guess is the equipment was
probably was dumped somewhere,”
Bengston said. “They wanted the
trailer and we fi led police reports but
we don’t think we’ll have the equip-
ment returned.”
That’s a problem because the end
of January means soccer registration.
South Valley Athletics was already
Residents can donate to the gofundmepage or become sponsors behind the ball in gearing up for the
for teams--which includes your name on a team shirt--by contact- soccer season. Prior to the theft, the
ing South Valley Athletics.
organization was fundraising to re-
pair the fi elds full of divots, making
for an uneven pitch.
“Now, that takes a backseat to the
basics,” Bengston said.
The organization is asking the
community to pitch in and help raise
money for new soccer equipment.
According to Bengston, $7,000
would buy back what was stolen.
Currently, a gofundme page has
raised just over $1,500.
Whether or not the group reaches
its $7,000 goal, Bengston said soc-
cer season will go on but not without
some cutbacks.
“We do about $10,000 a year in
deferred fees and scholarships so
that’s a big chunk of money so that
has the potential to be affected,” he
said.
South Valley athletics serves ap-
proximately 800 children through
the year and Bengston expects an av-
erage of 200 to participate in soccer.
“We will fi nd a way,” he said. “We
have found a way for 47 years, we
will fi nd a way for the kids to play
soccer.”
To donate, visit gofundme.com/
soccerequipmentrecovery or contact
South Valley Athletics at (541) 942-
3079.
The Oregon Department of Education announced that the state—
which has routinely fallen to the bottom of the list regarding gradu-
ation—has made the single largest improvement in graduation rates
in eight years with an overall average of just under 77 percent; up
from 75 percent last year.
Cottage Grove High School padded the average, reporting 95.98
percent of its seniors as on-time graduates.
“All our staff in South Lane is working hard to ensure our kids
succeed,” said South Lane School Board Chair Alan Baas of the
report. “From our elementary schools, to our middle school and at
the high school level, it is clear that our priority is ensuring all our
kids are succeeding and getting the support they need.”
District-wide, South Lane’s average hovered around 76 percent,
on track with the state average. No other school in the district, oth-
er than Academy Charter (which reported three seniors) met a 50
percent on-time graduation rate. Child’s Way came in at 36 percent
and Kennedy High School scored 20 percent. Academy Charter re-
ported 100 percent.
“For the third time in four years Cottage Grove High School has
the highest four-year graduation rate of any comprehensive high
school in Lane County,” a press release issued by South Lane Com-
munications Coordinator Garrett Bridgens read.
State offi cials attribute part of the overall percentage jump in
graduation rates to the improvement in the number of Latino grad-
uation rates around the state. Students who identify as Latino, ap-
proximately 20 percent state-wide, saw an increase of just over sev-
en percentage points over the course of the last three years.
However, the increase in Oregon’s rate still falls short of the na-
tional average. The state’s graduation rate has been ranked as the
third worst for the last two years, falling short of the top three spots
which all earned between 88 and 90 percent graduation rates.
Statistically, schools around South Lane, such as Kennedy High
School, see improvement in the fi ve-year graduation rate that is not
included in the state's on-time graduation rate. Because the state of
Oregon is mandated to provide public education to students until
the age of 21, students who drop-out of traditional high schools
often fi nd their way to schools such as Kennedy to complete their
education after being enrolled in a South Lane high school for more
than four years.
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2018
Cottage Theatre
presents
by
Michael
Frayn
February
2 –18
The outrageous,
door-slamming,
backstage farce
Sponsored by
Directed by
Tony Rust
Tickets available online, by phone, or at the door one hour before performance
Thursday−Saturday 8:00 pm; Sunday 2:30 pm. $25 Adult, $15 Youth (18 and under)
541-942-8001 • 700 Village Drive • Cottage Grove
www.cottagetheatre.org