Polk County News
16A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 2, 2016
Eola Hills settles into new home SCHOOL NOTES
Charter school has a permanent location, but is short on paying for the move
DALLAS — LaCreole Middle School sixth-grade teacher Tere-
sa Larios was named Distinguished Educa-
tor for September during a class assembly at
the school.
Amy McFarland, colleague at LaCreole,
nominated her for the honor saying: “She al-
ways goes above and beyond for her stu-
dents” and “she is calm and patient.”
Larios’ students agreed, adding: “She is
the best teacher ever,” and “she is very en-
couraging.”
Larios
The Distinguished Educator Program rec-
ognizes “excellence in teaching and learning” in Dallas School
District schools.
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
BALLSTON — Eola Hills
Charter School has some-
thing it hasn’t had in three
years: a permanent home.
Students and teachers at
the school settled into the
new site on the Ballston
Community Center property
in Ballston in September,
starting school a week late.
After years of temporary
locations, where teachers
would have to set up and
clean up their rooms each
week, having a space all
their own is a relief. Follow-
ing a fire that destroyed Eola
Hills’ original site, the school
has spent years in a church,
on an education service dis-
trict campus, and a former
winery.
Eola Hills now has five
modular buildings, four for
classrooms and one for an
office, lunch room and staff
room. Compared to last
year, when classrooms were
only separated by cubicle
partitions, having full walls
between classes has allowed
instructors to teach more
material with fewer distrac-
tions.
Nicole Wollenweber, the
school’s executive director,
said students and staff are
able make their classes their
own.
“It’s wonderful,” said Wol-
lenweber. “It’s the simple
things, like decorating for
the holidays, that we haven’t
been able to do in three
years.”
Eola Hills managed to
keep its enrollment full in
the three years, a testament
to what Wollenweber said is
“the need for this kind of
school.”
The charter school strives
to offer an environment
where students who strug-
gled in other schools can
succeed.
That’s worked for junior
Wrenna Lindsley, who said
she had a difficult time in
school in Dayton. She has
Larios is distinguished educator
Western names two
to board of trustees
Itemizer-Observer staff report
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Students at Eola Hills Charter School listen to a science lesson on Monday. The school
reopened in its new site last month after three years in temporary locations.
You can help
Eola Hills Charter
School has set up a go-
fundme.com account to
help pay for costs of open-
ing its new site in Ballston.
For more information or
to donate to the school:
https://www.gofundme.co
m/eolahills.
attended Eola Hills since be-
fore the fire, said it’s been
worth it, even with all the
moving and uncertainty.
“It’s a really nice school,”
she said. “If you are having a
hard time, come here. They
know what to do.”
Securing the Ballston site
took far more time than
school leaders had hoped it
would, and there’s still plen-
ty of work to be done and
bills to pay for the school.
Wollenweber said the
school is expecting insur-
ance reimbursement from
the fire, but that will fall
short about $50,000 from
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
EHCS uses five modular buildings for classes and an office.
what it needs to pay con-
tractors for setting up the
Ballston site. She said the in-
surance payment has been
delayed, and contractors
have been trying to collect
overdue payments.
S he said EHCS is
fundraising for the $50,000
and is exploring more re-
sources for other needs,
such as repairing the seams
on the modular buildings
after the move. Now, the
seams on the floor are cov-
ered in duct tape.
“We will try to get some
grants,” she said.
Meanwhile, students are
happy with their new school
home.
“It nice not to have to ask,
‘Where is the school?’ Or
‘when will the school be fin-
ished?’” said junior Austin
McMurray.
MONMOUTH — Western Oregon University’s Board of
Trustees held its fall 2016 board meeting on Oct. 26.
Two new trustees were introduced. Kelsee Martin joined
as the trustee designated from the WOU student body, and
Rep. Betty Komp will join the board in January 2017, after
retiring from Oregon’s House of Representatives.
Marshall Guthrie, director of the Student Enrichment
Program, was reappointed as the trustee designated from
the WOU staff.
Martin, of Prineville, is pursuing a degree in exercise sci-
ence at WOU with a minor in human biology, specifically
focusing on pre-physical therapy.
Her anticipated graduation date is June 2018. Martin is a
member of the PLUS (Peer Leaders Understanding Stu-
dents) Team at WOU and also enjoys participating in West-
ern's Ambassador Program.
Her board term will conclude June 30, 2018.
Komp earned her bachelor's degree from WOU in 1990.
After graduation, she began teaching at Woodburn High
School and eventually became assistant principal. Komp
ran for office 12 years ago and won a seat in Oregon’s
House of Representatives in House District 22. Her term on
the board officially starts Jan. 10, 2017, and concludes June
30, 2019.
The board also voted to approve both the fiscal year
2017 initial budget and the fiscal year 2017 first quarter
management report.
A major topic of discussion at the meeting surrounded
WOU’s current strategic planning process.
The university plans to bring a strategic plan to the
board for action at the January 2017 meeting. WOU offi-
cials want feedback from the community and will hold a
town hall forum on Nov. 16 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Richard
Woodcock Education Center’s Pastega Conference Room
(room 101).
Community members are encouraged to bring sugges-
tions, ideas and questions. Free parking is available in Lot I
(behind Hamersly Library). For more information about
strategic planning and to read the current draft, visit
wou.edu/planning.
For more information about the board, visit
wou.edu/board.