Polk County Education
16A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • October 26, 2016
SCHOOL NOTES
Fall school enrollment for 2016-17
Elementary
Middle School High School
Total
Central
1,533
786
1,002
3,321
Dallas
1,243
656
1,022*
3,294**
Falls City
126 (K-8)
--
60
186
Perrydale
152
74
92
318
*Dallas High School and Morrison Alternate Campus combined.
**Includes enrollment from Polk Adolescent Day Treatment Center (17), Luckiamute Valley Charter
School (196) and Dallas Community School (156).
Source: Central, Dallas, Falls City and Perrydale school districts
Luckiamute school director retiring
BRIDGEPORT — Dan Austin, the executive director of Luckia-
mute Valley Charter School, and his wife, Elaine Austin, a
teacher at the school, are stepping down this month.
“Mrs. Austin and I had originally planned to retire at the end
of this current school year,” Dan Austin wrote in an Oct. 18 let-
ter to parents. “However, our family physician suggested that a
slower pace with less stress would be advisable at this time.
With that in mind, we have decided to retire at the end of Oc-
tober.”
Steve Diehl, a teacher at the school’s Pedee campus, has
been named that site’s administrator, and Bridgeport teacher
Jenneca Crocker will be assisting at that campus.
Matthew Beasley, LVCS board president, said the school
plans on hiring an interim director to finish the year.
“It’s been the highlight of our professional careers to serve
the students and families of the LVCS community,” Austin
wrote. “We wish you all the best in the years to come.”
A retirement celebration for Austin is Thursday from 4 to
6:30 p.m. at Latitude One, 904 Main St., in Dallas. It is open to
the public. For more information: 503-623-4837.
DHS lead testing results reported
Graphic by JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Enrollment is on the rise in most Polk County schools. The end of the Extended Campus caused a decline in Dallas.
Dallas exception to enrollment gains
Falls City, Central continue trend in growth, while Perrydale increases slightly
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
POLK COUNTY — Cen-
tral, Falls City and Perrydale
schools are all seeing enroll-
ment growth, while Dallas is
in what could be a pattern of
decline in student numbers.
Central is up 53 students
from last year, bringing the
total enrolled to 3,321. Of
those, 1,002 are enrolled at
Central High School. Tal-
madge Middle School is at
786 students, while the dis-
trict’s elementary schools
have 1,533 students en-
rolled.
In keeping with a trend
seen in the district in recent
years, most of the growth is
happening at the secondary
level, said Cec Koontz, the
district’s business manager.
Meanwhile Dallas is mov-
ing in the opposite direc-
tion. Enrollment in October
was 3,294, including charter
schools Luckiamute Valley
Charter School and Dallas
Community School, which
have enrollments of 196 and
156, respectfully.
Dallas High School is at
971, while Morrison Campus
Alternate School has 51 stu-
dents. LaCreole Middle
School enrollment is at 656
and the three elementary
schools have 1,243 students
combined. Polk Adolescent
Day Treatment Center has
17 students in grades six
through 11.
“We are down about 80
students from last year at
the same time,” said Tami
Montague, the district’s fis-
cal services director. “We
were expecting the drop be-
cause of the loss of the Ex-
tended Campus (fifth-year
program), so we are not
making any significant
change to this year’s budg-
et.”
Extended Campus has
been replaced, mostly, by
Oregon Promise, which of-
fers community college
grants to students who
maintain at least a 2.5 GPA
during high school. Dallas
still offers the Post-Grad
Scholars program for stu-
dents who don’t meet the
GPA standard. It had four
students enrolled.
Growth or decline in en-
rollment has an impact on
state funding, which is paid
to districts based on student
population. That means
Dallas will face a drop in
funding in 2017-18 of about
$550,000 if enrollment stays
the same or falls further,
Montague said at a school
board meeting earlier this
month.
That is combined with in-
creased costs associated
with Oregon Public Employ-
ees Retirement System rate
increases, estimated to be
about $660,000.
Montague that could
mean the district could have
to bridge a $1.2 million gap
in 2017-18 if nothing
changes.
With 318 students, Perry-
dale is up slightly from last
year. That breaks down to 92
at the high school, 74 in
middle school and 152 in el-
ementary. Superintendent
Eric Milburn said there were
no significant changes, ex-
cept for in one classroom.
“We do have quite a large
kindergarten class (27) due
to late registrants and move-
ins after school had started,”
he said.
Falls City has experience a
pattern of growth in the last
three years, jumping from
139 students in the 2014-15
school year to 186 enrolled
this year. Falls City Elemen-
tary has 126 students, while
Falls City High School has
60.
The growth has forced the
district to separate its tradi-
tional seventh- and eighth-
grade blended class into two
classes, and if the trend con-
tinues, the same will happen
in the first- and second-
grade class.
That class now has 27 stu-
dents. and the district had to
hire an educational assistant
to help in that room, said
Super intendent Jack
Thompson.
“This has caused some
growing pains, but in a posi-
tive way,” Thompson said.
DALLAS — Results from lead testing at Dallas High School
revealed that 15 of the 184 samples taken exceeded the action
threshold of 20 parts per billion.
Only one was a drinking fountain located in the school’s
shop that is not used, said Kevin Montague, the district’s facili-
ties director. That fountain has been turned off pending the re-
sults of a second sample.
The others that exceeded 20 ppb were science sinks and
other fixtures not typically used for drinking and cooking. Signs
have been posted on those fixtures saying they are not to be
used for drinking or cooking.
Second samples will be tested on those fixtures as well.
Results of the second-sample tests and a complete analytics
report should be sent to the district in the coming week, Mon-
tague said.
To find complete lead testing results, go to: http://www.dal-
las.k12.or.us/lead-information-in-dallas-school-d.
LMS presents ‘Comedy of Terrors’
DALLAS — Just in time for Halloween, LaCreole Middle
School will be staging “Comedy of Terrors” Thursday through
Saturday.
Shows will be at 7 p.m. at the school, 701 SE LaCreole Drive,
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with a 2 p.m. show on Saturday.
Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors, and $1
off for the matinee showing.
The play’s author is LaCreole drama teacher Anna Jackson.
For more information, 503-623-6662.
Report cards show improvement
DALLAS — Dallas School District found highlights and areas
needing improvement in the 2015-16 state school report cards.
On the positive side, Dallas High School ranks as a level 4 on
a 1 to 5 scale in academic achievement, based on how many
students passed state assessments. The school’s graduation
rate earned a level 4. Academic growth, or the improvement
over the last year, is at a level 5.
“It’s the first time our high school has seen a level 5 any-
where on the report card,” said Steve Martinelli, director of in-
structional services for the district. “To have it be in academics
is even more exciting, because that is what we are after:
growth.”
Martinelli said an area needing in improvement at all schools
is academic achievement and growth among “subgroups” or
categories of students separated by race, economic status, dis-
ability or those who are learning English.