COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL JUNE 20, 2018
Roots of Empathy to grow in SLSD
Th e empathy-based
program is part of
90by30's goal of
reducing abuse
aft er being selected by the
organization to take part in the
hands-on learning opportunity.
Roots of Empathy is designed
for children between the
ages of fi ve and 13 but will be
implemented in second-grade
classrooms in South Lane and
has a very special component:
a baby.
Infants who are between the
ages of two and four months
at the start of the school year
are assigned to a classroom
and make several visits
throughout the year. Th e aim
of the partnership between the
infant and students is to foster
a learning of emotional literacy
and empathy. A separate
curriculum is taught during
the week without the presence
of the baby in the classroom
and teachers can, likewise,
draw on the baby’s visit to
reaffi rm those lessons in the
weeks between visits.
A
certifi ed
instructor
helps walk the class and the
teacher through each lesson
By Caitlyn May
cmay@cgsentinel.com
Last October, the members
of 90by30 walked away from
a conference in awe. Th ey’d
had a private session with the
founder and creator of Roots of
Empathy, Mary Gordon.
Th e
program,
an
international
organization
that off ers empathy-based
programs for children based
on researched results, is set to
hit South Lane School District
next school year and 90by30
had gotten a sneak peek.
“Just meeting her, we were so
lucky,” said Rachel Nordquist, a
coordinator for 90by30.
Nordquist, along with Mary
Nisewander and others from
90by30, have been working
on implementing the program
and is always present when
the infant is in the classroom
— something that can only
happen through a volunteer
eff ort.
“Th at’s the fi rst thing we get
asked,” Nordquist said. “How
does a baby do in a classroom
with second-graders and
germs? But there’s never been
a problem.”
Th e local program is looking
for volunteers with infants
and those who would like to
become certifi ed instructors.
“It’s a commitment,” said
Nisewander of the certifi ed
instructor program. “If an
instructor cannot continue, the
teacher cannot just take over.
Th at program moves out of
that classroom.”
Volunteers must submit to a
background check and adhere
to the school district’s policies
on volunteers.
“We’re going to go through
our baby box list but, yes, we
need volunteers,” Nordquist
said.
Roots of Empathy is part
of 90by30’s broader goal of
decreasing child abuse and
neglect by 90 percent by the
year 2030. Earlier this year, the
group launched baby boxes that
provided parents of newborns
with essential supplies such
as diapers and informational
DVDs explaining shaken baby
syndrome. Th e boxes also
contained handmade blankets
and booties.
According to Roots of
Empathy, aft er completing
the curriculum, children have
shown an increase in social
and emotional knowledge, a
decrease in aggression and an
increase in sharing, helping
and including others.
Instructor training will take
place on August 28, 29 and 30
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the
Lane ESD offi ces in Eugene.
For more information or to
volunteer an infant or to be
an instructor, contact Rachel
Nordquist at racheln@90by30.
com.
Vaccination rates low in Lane County, report says
Report from OHA
fi nds Lane County
childcare facilities
fall short
less than 95 percent of its stu-
dents vaccinated at moder-
ately vulnerable.
Lane County child care
By Caitlyn May
“By law, shots are required for
children in attendance at public
and private schools, preschools,
childcare facilities and HeadStart
programs.”
cmay@cgsentinel.com
Th e latest data from the
Oregon Health Authority re-
ports that child care facilities
in Lane County qualify as
“most vulnerable” concern-
ing the percentage of stu-
dents who have received all
required vaccinations.
Grades K-12 were marked
as “moderately vulnerable.”
Th e report, released earlier
this month, classifi es districts
with less than 80 percent of its
students vaccinated as most
vulnerable and districts with
all of the immunizations re-
quired by the state of Oregon.
Th ose immunizations in-
clude DTap, Polio, Varicella,
— South Lande School District policy
facilities — institutions that
care for children prior to kin-
dergarten — showed 78 per-
cent of children had received
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MMR, Hepatitis B and A and
Hib.
Kindergarten through 12
grade in the county reported
94 percent of students had
been vaccinated.
South Lane School District
lists its vaccination policy on
its website which states, “By
law, shots are required for
children in attendance at pub-
lic and private schools, pre-
schools, childcare facilities and
HeadStart programs.”
Oregon Revised Statute
(ORS) .267 requires full im-
munizations for contagious
diseases.
According to the state of Or-
egon, children with religious
or medical exemptions do not
have to be vaccinated.
Parents claiming a non-med-
ical exemption must complete
an E-module online, available
on the state’s website, that fea-
ture information about im-
munizations and the spread of
contagious diseases.
Th e Cottage Grove area did
not have a school illustrated
on the state’s information map
that fell into the “safest” catego-
ry with at least 95 percent of its
students vaccinated.
However, several areas in
Lane County overall were
marked in the category.
Neighboring counties, Rose-
burg and Linn, both had areas
in the “safest” category as well
but scored slightly lower than
Lane overall.
While some students who
do not receive all of the re-
quired vaccinations have re-
ceived exemptions, accessibili-
ty to health care can also result
in lower vaccination rates.
Th e Family Resource Center
and Peggy’s Primary Connec-
tion in Cottage Grove is plan-
ning a vaccination clinic this
fall. Parents who are unsure
if they qualify for the Oregon
Health Plan or have questions
can call Peggy’s Primary Con-
nection at 541-942-4967.
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Pet tips
‘N’ tales
By Mary Ellen
“Angel Scribe”
Max-a-Million dollar baby
M
eg’s heart of gold led her to rescuing cats for 40
years. She’s taken in distressed, lost and elderly
kitties. “All cats need to be cared for and loved,”
said Meg. “Th e resulting, rewarding, reciprocated love and
appreciation are remarkable.”
Nine years ago, Meg awoke to a skinny grey-and-white
tuxedo cat sitting on her patio chair.
“Aft er work, my unexpected guest was still lounging on
‘his’ chair blinking and winking at me,” said Meg. “In case
he belonged to another family, I did not feed him. Was he
choosing me for his new family? On the fourth day, when
he drank from a rain puddle, I couldn’t stand it. So I served
him fresh water and cat food and contacted the humane so-
ciety.”
Meg learned from his ID chip that a senior woman, Mar-
jorie, had been feeding feral (wild/homeless) cats in her
neighborhood. During her lifetime, 90-year-old Marjorie
had trapped 150 cats for the society to neuter and spay pre-
venting a further explosion of starving kittens from becom-
ing food for larger animals or injured from vehicles.
As it turned out, the ladies had known each other!
“I was once her care aid,” said Meg. “Sadly, she had
passed but, thankfully, her grandson adopted her ‘feed the
feral’ program. His grandmother is surely smiling on him
from heaven. When I showed him ‘my’ cat’s picture he pro-
claimed, “Th at’s Regent! He is 4-years-old. He is so lucky to
fi nd a home.”
Meg was ecstatic! She emotionally needed this “lil’ friend-
ly creature” because three weeks purr-eviously her elderly
cat died, and two weeks later her husband. Th is cat was a
heart-healing gift from above and its timely arrival qualifi ed
Meg and her cat, Max-a-Million Kat
it for a new name.
Meg named her gift , “Mr. Max-a-Million Kat, shortened
to ‘Max’ because he is my priceless baby worth a million dol-
lars,” said Meg.
In gratitude, Max meowed appreciation for his name and
licked her arm. A habit that he continues to this day.
Max never again left Meg’s yard.
“He loves sleeping under my bushes and springing out to
chase lawn moths,” said Meg. “He still thinks he is a kitten.
Now, when he jumps up, his round jelly-belly jiggles like
Santa’s and it makes me giggle.”
Last winter, Meg left on her fi rst vacation in four decades.
Her son, Kevin, stayed with Max, so the cat would not expe-
rience separation anxiety. It did not work!
“While I was away, my cat cried constantly for me while
searching the house,” said Meg. “Th en, he did not leave my
bed except to eat and shortly aft er, he quit eating. In des-
peration, Kevin put the phone up to Max's ear. When Max
heard my voice, he revved up his crying and howling. He
was miserable until I got home and then he attached himself
to me like Velcro. He was cuddly before, but now he con-
stantly lays on my feet or chest and under the bed covers. I
am enjoying his extra cuddling and aff ection! I’ll always be
grateful that Marjorie sent me Max and he’s made it clear
how much he loves me; paws-ibly a whisker more than my
love for him.”
Tips:
When Meg fi rst let the terrifi ed feral into her home, he
hid under her bed, but she had a plan: “I put a cat-irresist-
ible open brown grocery bag on the fl oor knowing that he’d
venture out and into the bag, which he did, and then he sur-
prisingly began playing,” said Meg. “Once he had enough of
the bag, he searched and sniff ed his way around the house.
It wasn’t long before he felt at home. I couldn’t believe how
quickly he adapted! To tame him, I purr-servered by gently
picking him up for a moment at a time. In the end, he is the
cuddliest cat I ever adopted ... errr who adopted me.”
DUSTIN TULLAR & RUSS OWENS
541-942-8022 • COTTAGE GROVE
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Share your fun, amazing or crazing pet tips and tales at an-
gelscribe@msn.com or Follow Pet Tips ‘n’ Tales on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/PetTipsandTales. Adopt loving pets on-
line at www.PetFinder.com.
For spay or neutering, call the Humane Society at 541-942-
2789.
