Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 2016)
Polk County Education 14A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • September 7, 2016 New principal, familiar face Brazeau works double duty as Central’s leader, superintendent By Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer JOlene Guzman/Itemizer-Observer Maria Drennen is ready for her first year as principal at Oakdale Elementary School. Laying the bricks of education New principal at Oakdale Elementary ready to help students soar By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — Maria Dren- nen has a brick in her office at Oakdale Heights Elemen- tary School. The heavy red brick re- minds Drennen, the school’s new principal, how impor- tant the grades Oakdale teaches — kindergarten through third — are to a child’s educational future. Drennen, whose former job was as a middle school counselor in the McMin- nville School District, said the early elementary grades are the foundation. “This is the age when you begin patterns. When I w o rk e d i n t h e m i d d l e school, and you had a stu- dent who had missed 30, 40 days, you could pull their file and say, this started in kindergarten,” she said. “We really think of these as the Maria Drennen’s first-year goals * Improve attendance. * Get to know each family and child by name. * Begin “service days” for all students as a chance to con- tribute to the community. * Provide leadership opportu- nities for Oakdale staff mem- bers. foundational years. So I’ve given each staff member a brick to symbolize that this is the foundation.” Her assignment to her staff was to find three words that describe why they are educators and paint them on the brick. She already knows hers: “Uplift the heart.” “It’s very important to me that people feel loved and competent, because when they feel those two things, their confidence soars and good things happen,” Dren- nen said. She wasn’t long beyond those “foundational years” when she discovered educa- tion would be her career. “I’ve known I wanted to be a teacher since I was in sixth grade,” she said. “I was a teacher’s aide.” She spent the remainder of her middle and high school years gaining as much experience in the field as she could. Drennen didn’t have any second thoughts going into college — nor has she since. “Watching a child learn something that you’ve helped them with, I think that is the greatest feeling for a teacher — to be a part of that, like you’re sharing in their journey,” Drennen said. “That is a gift to us.” For her, moving from teacher or counselor to prin- cipal means she can influ- ence the education of more students. “At some point in my counseling career I wanted to have that greater impact,” she said. “I felt I had the right beliefs and values to do this role with care.” A native of the small Washington coast town of Grayland, Drennen saw Dal- las not only as a place to jump into administration, but as a place make a future with her son Brody. See SOAR, Page 13A INDEPENDENCE — Buzz Brazeau is settling in for the school year in a new office. The superintendent of Central School District will work double duty as Central High’s principal. “I’m having a good time,” he said. “It’s fun to be back in the high school environment. What I’d forgotten is, the pace of a school principal and the pace of a superinten- dent are dynamically different.” Brazeau said principals make dozens of decisions each day, whereas superin- tendents take dozens of things into con- sideration. “But you’re not making those deci- sions every day because you don’t have to,” he explained. “You’re looking at more big-picture items, so you’re gather- Brazeau ing information and working things to- gether.” At the high school, decisions on period or section changes have to be made immediately. Brazeau is taking the principal position after Greg Mitchell left the district in June. Steve Love, chairman of the school board, said the deci- sion for Brazeau to fill both roles came after much discus- sion in executive sessions — which are closed to the public. “The decision was largely based on Buzz’s experience, and surrounding him with additional support staff, and everybody stepping up,” Love said at the August board meeting. “It wasn’t putting all the burden on Buzz, but leveraging his experience and using Jann Jobe to do eval- uations and stuff like that.” Brazeau’s contract was modified to allow him to fill both roles, and he will receive an additional $25,000 for the school year. Love said that was far below what was in the budget for the high school principal’s salary. Brazeau said he has made a few changes at CHS, but doesn’t have plans for anything dramatic. “We’re just making an effort to create some processes, some systems and some consistency,” he said. For starters, a Panther Success has been created. It will serve as a 30-minute intervention period built into the schedule between second and third period where stu- dents can get extra help with subjects that are academi- cally challenging to them. Brazeau said this period also could be used to show es- sential skills, which are required for graduation. “In the past, we built classes into the schedule (for es- sential skills), which was really difficult,” Brazeau said. “Some students are able to complete their work require- ments faster than others, so it’s kind of an in-and-out.” Essential skills help was available during the summer, and will also be offered during lunch breaks, before and after school. See BRAZEAU, Page 13A