Polk County Education
16A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 4, 2015
SCHOOL NOTES
Locke is Distinguished Educator
DALLAS — Lyle Elementary School physical education
teacher Trenda Locke was named the October Distinguished
Educator for Dallas School District.
She was presented the award at an all-
school event on Oct. 26.
Her colleagues at Lyle nominated her for
the recognition, saying “No one is more de-
serving than Trenda.”
“She is the consummate team player who
will help others, she strives to make a difer-
ence,” her colleagues said.
Her students agree, calling her their “good
luck teacher.”
Locke
“She’s the best teacher because she is
cool,” her students added.
The Distinguished Educator Program recognizes “excellence
in teaching and learning” in Dallas School District schools.
Committee seeking more members
EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer
Kids flock to Western Oregon University’s new Wolfie, who joined families in Monmouth for trick-or-treat Friday.
WOU’s ‘Wolfie’ gets a makeover
Less scary and ‘mangy,’ the new and improved mascot is revealed this fall
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH — There’s a
new Wolfie in town. He’s
more lovable, but still fierce.
At least, that’s the hope of
Western Oregon University
officials.
“The old Wolfie was scary
to some kids,” said Gary
Dukes, vice president for
student affairs. “We were try-
ing to create a Wolfie that
was more approachable.”
While a university mascot
should be fierce, inducing
fear in any opponent, there
should be balance.
“You have to look at all
the purposes for your mas-
cot,” Dukes said. “That com-
munity outreach and con-
nection, for us, it means a
mascot where kids feel com-
fortable coming up to it.”
The real reason for Wolfie’s
makeover had more to do
with the state of the mascot.
“I’m not exactly sure how
long ‘Old Wolfie’ had been
around, but he was thread-
bare in many places,” said
Randi Lydum, WOU director
of compliance. “We were all
in agreement that Old Wolfie
was looking a little mangy.”
She said Wolfie’s new look
is not as fierce as the old one.
“New Wolfie seems to get a
more positive reaction from
the younger crew,” she said.
The makeover process for
Wolfie took about five
months, Dukes said. He
worked with a committee
and solicited ideas from
vendors before settling on
Wolfie’s new look. The mas-
cot cost about $5,000.
The performers who take
on the role of the mascot are
perhaps the most excited
about the new costume.
“I was hearing a lot of
complaints that it (the old
costume) was pretty stinky,”
Dukes said. “People weren’t
thrilled about being the per-
former.”
The new costume has a
working fan in the head-
piece to help keep actors
comfortable, as well as a
cooling vest.
“We tried to do some
things to keep it more an en-
joyable experience for the
performer,” Dukes said.
The change to the mascot
has nothing to do with West-
ern’s logo, which will remain
untouched.
“New Wolfie has been
very positively received by
the WOU students and
alumni, some who have
seen two or three different
Wolfies over the years,”
Lydum said.
Dallas’ TAG program under evaluation
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — In Dallas
School District there are 84
students in the Talented and
Gifted (TAG) Program.
Steve Martinelli, the dis-
trict’s curriculum director,
thinks that number may be
low, especially in the elemen-
tary grades (K-5), where only
five students have been iden-
tified as talented and gifted.
Martinelli and a group of
teachers representing each
school have begun planning
how to better find and serve
students who meet the pro-
gram’s qualifications.
“My plan moving forward
on this is to do a little bit more
in-depth of an audit of our
TAG services,” Martinelli said
during a recent presentation
to the Dallas School Board.
Martinelli said the reason
for the discrepancy between
the number of students at
the elementary level (5) and
middle school (23) and high
school (56) is because it’s
easier to recognize older
TAG students.
“I think we are under
identifying at the elemen-
tary level,” he said.
Teachers and parents can
refer students for TAG evalu-
ation. Or high marks —
higher than 97th per-
centile — on standardized
tests can trigger a closer
look. In elementary school,
Martinelli said test scores
are often used.
The work group will be
looking at other ways to iden-
tify students.
Also, the committee is
looking at ways to better
serve those who qualify for
the program. Martinelli said
students are placed on an in-
dividual plan tailored to their
skills. TAG students can fit
into three categories: intel-
lectually gifted and academi-
cally talented in math or lan-
guage arts. They can qualify
in more than one area.
Individual plans at the el-
ementary level are based on
“content,” or providing ma-
terial at the student’s level,
and “rate,” the speed at
which they learn. Martinelli
said those can be adjusted
to match a student’s level.
In middle school, acceler-
ated classes are offered and at
the high school, advanced
placement, honors diploma
options, and dual-credit
classes are available.
Martinelli said the
planned audit will evaluate
those options while looking
at resources and what other
school districts offer.
DALLAS — The Citizens Oversight Committee for Dallas
School District is looking for three to ive new members.
The group’s responsibilities include reviewing and recom-
mending projects paid for with voter-approved bond funding;
reviewing and revising the District’s Long Range Facilities Plan;
staying informed of the status of the bond work; and providing
input for a report to the Dallas School Board.
Committee meetings are the third Monday of the month at 6
p.m.
For more information or to download an application, go to
www.dallas.k12.or.us/#!citizens-oversight-committee/ciey.
Completed applications need to be mailed to Debbie Green
at 111 SW Ash St., Dallas, OR 97338, or emailed to
Debbie.green@dsd2.org.
Rotary club gives out dictionaries
MONMOUTH/INDEPENDENCE — The Monmouth-Indepen-
dence Rotary Club distributed nearly 300 dictionaries to fourth
graders in Central School District on Thursday.
The club gives dictionaries to students every year.
For more information about the Rotary club: 503-838-4884.
Universities waive application fees
INDEPENDENCE — Central High School will join more than
100 high schools, including Dallas High School, in Oregon Col-
lege Application Week.
The goal is to assist all high school seniors as they apply to
some type of postsecondary educational option, including cer-
tiicate programs, two-year degree programs and four-year pro-
grams.
CHS seniors will have 90 minutes outside of class time to ill
out applications with help from mentors and university staf.
Many colleges and universities in Oregon will waive applica-
tion fees for the event.
It is a statewide initiative by Oregon Gear Up. For more infor-
mation: oregongoestocollege.org.
Talmadge teachers don’t like gradebook
INDEPENDENCE — Two teachers from Talmadge Middle
School spoke to school board members on Monday about their
displeasure with the new grading system, the fourth system
Central School District has tried in the last four years.
Lucy Hunter called the new Powerbook the worst as far as ef-
iciency, grading and reporting.
“It is clear that the district oice does not fully understand
how the middle school teaches or grades, and it cannot be ex-
plained in three minutes, nor is it an appropriate topic at a
board meeting,” Hunter said.
Diane Nelson said the new system created apprehension and
confusion with both teachers and parents during a recent par-
ent-teacher conference and grade day.
“We have yet another grade book that is hard to use,” she
said. “Parents were a little confused. We tried to alleviate that
confusion.”
The middle school will host a workshop about proiciency
grading on Nov. 18 at the school, Hunter said, inviting board
members to attend.
“Only after you see what we have done to teach and grade
by proiciency, only then will you understand the Power School
grade book,” she said.
Parenting classes offered in W. Salem
POLK COUNTY — Family Building Blocks is ofering “Make
Parenting a Pleasure” classes beginning Monday and continu-
ing on Mondays through Jan. 25.
The class focuses on managing stress, developing realistic
expectations for parenting, child development and positive dis-
cipline methods. The class is free and child care and dinner are
available for free.
Classes are from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Family Building Block
West Salem location, 1135 Edgewater St. NW. No classes will be
held on Dec. 28 and Jan. 18.
To register go to www.midvalleyparenting.org or call Carman
Hilke at 503-581-1152 or email carmen.hilke@mwvcaa.org.
ACADEMIC HONORS
Monmouth student on honor list
STAUNTON, Va. — Wendy Deptula, of Monmouth, was
named to the spring 2015 honors list at Mary Baldwin College.
Students named to the honors list earned a GPA of 3.75 to
4.00. To be eligible, a student must be a degree candidate and
must have earned at least 12 semester hours for the grading
period.
Costa is treasurer of honor society
FRONT ROYAL, Va. — Lucas Costa of Monmouth, the son of
Cinthia Costa Jones, of Monmouth, and Alexandre D T Costa, of
Curitiba, Brazil, has been elected the treasurer of the Byzantium
Chapter of the National English Honor Society at Randolph-
Macon Academy. Lucas is a junior at the academy.
DALLAS
121 Main St. • 503-623-8155
INDEPENDENCE
1710 Monmouth St. • 503-838-6340
Mon-Fri
8AM - 6PM
Sat 8AM - 5PM