14A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 14, 2015
Polk County Schools/Education
SCHOOL NOTES
FC School District has new website
FALLS CITY — The next time you visit Falls City School Dis-
trict’s website, be prepared to be surprised: It’s new.
Still “under construction,” the new site greets visitors with
“Welcome to our new website … Watch us grow!”
On the site, you can find district calendars, sports schedules,
school and after-school program FACES menus, Falls City School
Board meeting minutes, and even a link to buy Mountaineers’
apparel.
For more information: www.fallscityschools.org.
Perrydale School
Board member Trina
Comerford examines
the teeth of pre-
schooler Patrick Fox on
Thursday. Comerford
organized dental
screenings for K-8 stu-
dents at the school
and opened it to the
public in the afternoon
and evening. Volun-
teer screeners made
referrals to a dental
van that will be at the
school on Friday to
provide free care. Dal-
las dentist Matthew
Woolsey will perform
the dental services.
ACADEMIC HONORS
Locals receive recognition at OSU
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Flash those pearly whites
Dental screenings designed to help Perrydale students, community
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
PERRYDALE — The whole
process took only a few min-
utes, but the dental screen-
ings that took place at Perry-
dale School on Thursday af-
ternoon are something some
families simply can’t afford.
In some cases, they don’t
have dental insurance or fall
among the ranks of the “un-
derinsured.” Serving children
and community members
who fall into those categories
was what drove Perrydale
School Board member Trina
Comerford to organize a den-
tal screening at the school.
She said the issue
emerged for her earlier this
school year, when she was
helping out on a student
senior project to deliver
wood to senior citizens who
couldn’t afford to heat their
homes.
“There is a gentleman in
our county who had a
toothache, and when we
were delivering the wood he
was pulling his tooth out — I
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Dental screening volunteers Melinda Cutler and Trina
Comerford screen students and ask questions about
brushing habits at Perrydale School on Thursday.
mean, with a pair of pliers,”
she recalled. “He couldn’t af-
ford to buy his wood, so ob-
viously he couldn’t afford to
get his tooth fixed.”
After seeing that, she de-
cided it was time to start
working on bringing the
dental van to Perrydale.
“I’ve been wanting to have
a dental van in Perrydale for
years,” she said of her
thought after that delivery. “I
might as well get busy now.”
Comerford has experience
with school-based dental
screenings, having worked
in the Dallas School District
for years, but her first
thought was to provide
screenings for Perrydale-
area residents. She was espe-
cially concerned for senior
citizens — like the man who
resorted to doing his own
tooth extraction — whose
coverage through Medicaid
or Medicare is often minimal
and who struggle to find
dentists.
That original goal soon
evolved into screening all K-
8 students at Perrydale
School.
“If their teeth aren’t
healthy or if their parents are
having trouble affording
their dental costs, it can
have a direct impact on their
education,” she said.
Comerford said the exams
provide another benefit:
“Through the screenings,
you are able to identify the
people who are underin-
sured or don’t have insur-
ance and then help them
find resources.”
See WHITES, Page 13A
CORVALLIS — A number of local residents qualified for inclu-
sion on the 2014 fall term scholastic honor roll at Oregon State
University. Students must maintain a grade-point average of
3.5 or better and carry at least 12 graded hours of coursework
to qualify.
Local students recognized include:
From Dallas — Straight-A Average: Serena D. Chiellini, sr.,
biohealth sciences; and Mitchell J. Senger, sr., physics. 3.5 or
Better: Alexander L. Bird, jr., civil engineering; Katharine E.
Crawford, jr., psychology; Matthew T. Dimick, sr., forest manage-
ment; Alyson N. Hammill, jr., human development and family
science; Callie A. Instenes, sr., graphic design; Jeffrey R.
Kennedy, jr., pre-general engineering; Caleb T. Naughton, fr., en-
vironmental sciences; Glen D. Nicol, sr., computer science;
Joseph P. Orton, fr., biology; Logan G. Stewart, sr., electrical and
computer engineering; Zacheriah A. Tucker, sr., psychology; and
Mychal P. Westendorf, jr., forest engineering.
From Grand Ronde — 3.5 or Better: Amy D. Hyatt, jr.,
human development and family science.
From Independence — Straight-A Average: Melissa R.
Whitaker, soph., pre-civil engineering. 3.5 or Better: Samuel A.
Sprague, sr., economics; and Olivia M. Zuercher, sr., English.
From Monmouth — Straight-A Average: Kate M. Fitzger-
ald, sr., natural resources; and Benjamin E. Petersen, soph., his-
tory. 3.5 or Better: Erica B. Brown, jr., environmental sciences;
Monique L. Lafond, sr., management; Michael W. Osborn, soph.,
chemistry; and Nicholas A. Silva, sr., chemical engineering.
From Rickreall — Straight-A Average: Angela J. Porter, sr.,
liberal studies. 3.5 or Better: Audrey R. Regan, jr., English; and
Bridget H. Regan, soph., zoology.
Polk students make GFU dean’s list
NEWBERG — Eight students from the local area qualified for
inclusion on the 2014-15 fall semester dean’s list at George Fox
University in Newberg. Students receive the recognition by
earning a 3.50 grade-point average or better for the term.
GFU dean’s list honors went to: Hilary Broadus of Dallas, a
senior majoring in nursing; Courtney DuMond of Dallas, a jun-
ior majoring in biology; Julie Hedrick of Independence, a senior
majoring in elementary education; Christopher Parks of Mon-
mouth, a senior majoring in history and politics; Anna Spence
of Dallas, a senior majoring in nursing; Emily Thiessen of Dallas,
a sophomore majoring in organizational communication;
Katherine Vanlandingham of Monmouth, a senior majoring in
journalism; and Victoria Wilson of Dallas, a senior majoring in
management.
Monmouth youth finishes program
BEND — Aimee Timshel of Monmouth graduated from the
Oregon National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program (OYCP) dur-
ing a ceremony held Dec. 17. The event marked the completion
of a rigorous 5½-month residential phase. OYCP is a statewide
accredited alternative high school.