18A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • March 4, 2015
Polk County Schools/Education
SCHOOL NOTES
OHES teacher is recipient of grant
DALLAS — Oakdale Heights Elementary School reading spe-
cialist Heather Anderson has received a grant through the Ore-
gon Education Association’s (OEA) Center for Great Public
Schools and the Chintimini UniServ Council to purchase read-
ing materials.
The 2014-15 Promising Practice’s grant from OEA provides
funding for projects and activities outside of classroom budg-
ets. The Chintimini UniServ Council matched grant funds dollar
for dollar.
Anderson will use the grant to buy literature and non-fiction
texts of interest to young students to encourage them to read
on their own.
Anderson said independent reading “helps increase stu-
dents’ reading comprehension, vocabulary growth, spelling fa-
cility, understanding of grammar, and knowledge of the world.”
Anderson was one of nine educators in Polk, Benton and Lin-
coln counties to receive a grant.
MVCA to host open house Tuesday
MONMOUTH — Mid-Valley Christian Academy is hosting its
annual Spring Open House on Tuesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Families and their children are welcome to attend the event
to learn more about the nationally accredited school, its educa-
tional offerings and activity programs, meet school staff, enjoy
a “kid-friendly” free family meal and tour the school.
The school is located at 1483 16th St. N., at the corner of
16th Street and Hoffman Road in Monmouth.
For more information: 503-838-2818; www.midvalca.org.
GED classes set in Independence
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Roger Shafer surrounds himself and his students with reminders of United States history and patriotism.
VFW honors Dallas teacher
Patriotic LaCreole educator earns statewide recognition
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — The walls of
Roger Shafer’s classroom at
LaCreole Middle School are
a testament to his love of his
country and its history.
He has multiple versions
of the American flag hanging
from the walls and windows.
Behind his desk are framed,
poster-sized copies of the
U.S. Constitution, Bill of
Rights and the Declaration
of Independence.
Almost every inch of wall
space in his room is covered
in historical documents,
paintings or pictures.
No surprise, Shafer is a
U.S. history teacher. He is
also a veteran, giving him a
unique perspective on what
it took to earn the rights he
teaches when studying the
American Revolution — and
the responsibility each citi-
zen has in keeping them.
“Our rights are so precious
and the key to a successful
democracy is the citizens,”
he said, “so we have to have
an educated electorate to be
a great country. It’s such an
honor to teach kids that.
“I hope when they (stu-
dents) leave my class that
they have an understanding
that freedom isn’t free and
that they realize how we got
to this point,” he continued.
“If the citizens don’t partici-
pate, the whole thing is in
dire jeopardy.”
For that passion and com-
mitment to inspiring stu-
dents to become informed
citizens, Shafer was named
the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Middle School Teacher of the
Year for Oregon.
The designation is given to
one elementary, middle school
and high school teacher in the
state who teaches civics or his-
tory at least half-time. Accord-
ing to a description of the
Smart/Maher VFW National
Citizenship Teacher Award,
“teachers who promote civic
responsibility, flag etiquette
and patriotism are prime can-
didates for this award.”
Shafer fits into that per-
fectly.
“He served in our war on
terror, leaving his wife and
young son for over a year to
protect the citizens of the
United States from further
harm,” wrote Joyce Garland,
a fellow history teacher at
LaCreole. “When he returned
he became a social studies
teacher and now brings his
passion for freedom to the
lucky seventh-graders at our
middle school.”
See TEACHER, Page 17A
INDEPENDENCE — Chemeketa Community College’s Dallas
Center will begin offering new GED preparation classes in Inde-
pendence starting spring term.
The classes will be a part of the new Chemeketa Dallas Adult
Learning Center at the Henry Hill Community Center, 750 S.
Fifth St., Independence. Spring term starts March 30. Classes
will be held in the evenings and available in English and Span-
ish. English GED preparation classes will also be offered in the
mornings at the Dallas Center.
Students interested in enrolling in either program can call
the Chemeketa Dallas Center at 503-623-5567 to schedule an
intake and get started in classes.
To see all of the Chemeketa Dallas Center spring course offer-
ings, visit the center’s website at www.go.chemeketa.edu/dallas.
ACADEMIC HONORS
SC honor roll includes Polk students
ADAIR VILLAGE — Polk County students listed on the second
quarter 2014-15 honor roll at Santiam Christian Schools in Adair
Village include:
Seniors — 4.0 GPA: Justin Aldrich, Olivia Ledeboer, Jacob
Manzi and Liam Perry. 3.5 and above: Heather Bellinger,
Michael Chung, Caitlin Fettig, Katy Paratore, Moriah Sutter and
Adam Wiens.
Juniors — 4.0: Jocelyn Porath. 3.5 and above: Joaquin
Guerrero-Rodriguez and Kevin Sheng.
Sophomores — 4.0: Daniela Boehm, Peggy Liang, Mikayla
Manzi, Katie Richert and Alexandra Watson. 3.5 and above:
Marta Cercos Gonzalez, Makenna Setniker, August Thornton
and Jeremiah Tindle.
Freshmen — 4.0: Kaylee Breyman, Laura Guariglia-Castro,
Grace Moseman, Sebastian Perfecto, Rebeka Preston and
Zachary Watson. 3.5 and above: Samuel Barton, Shelby Myrick-
Duckett and Kyle Paratore.
Eighth Grade — 4.0: Tony Li, Jason Manzi, Winn Miller, Is-
abel Montoya, Abby Riedlinger and Cole Setnicker.
Seventh Grade — 4.0: Ainsley Beam. 3.5 and above: Olivia
Bellinger-Verbics, Lily Hardy and Amanda Preston.
Educators still without a contract
www.LesSchwab.com
Perrydale teachers, district remain at an impasse over agreement
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
PERRYDALE — After more
than a year of on-and-off ne-
gotiations, Perrydale School
District’s board and teachers
still haven’t struck a deal on a
contract for the current aca-
demic year.
Since a Dec. 9 meeting with
a mediator, the two sides
h a v e n’t
communi-
c a t e d
much, said
Dean De-
ters, Associ-
ated Perry-
dale Teach-
ers presi-
Deters
d e n t . He
said that a month ago the
board sent an email inquiring
DALLAS 121 Main St. • 503-623-8155
INDEPENDENCE 1710 Monmouth St. • 503-838-6340
Mon-Fri 8AM - 6PM • Sat 8AM - 5PM • Prices good through 3/31/15
whether the association would
be interested in continuing to
talk with a new mediator.
No dates have been set for
further mediation.
“It has been over a year
since we started this
process,” Deters said. “I be-
lieve that many community
members, including parents,
are not aware that we are still
in negotiations.”
That may change soon,
though, according to the dis-
trict’s lawyer, Rebekah Jacob-
son. She said Monday the
district is trying to schedule
dates through the Oregon
E m p l oy m e n t Re l a t i o n s
Board for April.
She said the delay to this
point was due to the board
considering whether it
would withdraw its “final
offer,” made in the last medi-
ation session in December.
Jacobson said it appears the
board is ready to talk more.
“They are going to engage
in additional negotiations,”
she said.
The board and the associ-
ation began meeting in early
2014 to negotiate a new con-
tract. Neither outgoing su-
perintendent Robin Stoutt
nor new Perrydale Superin-
tendent Eric Milburn were
involved in negotiations.
The next several months
produced a stalemate on is-
sues including salary, insur-
ance benefits, grievance proce-
dures, how “immediate fami-
ly” is defined as it relates to be-
reavement leave, eliminating
bereavement leave altogether,
and critical illness leave.
So far, the district and as-
sociation have met twice in
mediation, but have been in
separate rooms while the
mediator moved back and
forth between them. Deters
said that has been frustrating
for teachers, who would pre-
fer face-to-face meetings.
Jacobson said that is the
typical format of mediation,
but the board is considering
meeting in the same room
once mediation resumes in
April.
See CONTRACT, Page 17A