Polk County
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Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 21, 2017 4A
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EDITORIALS
Tech and education
are a good mix
At LaCreole Middle School, phones, tablets and other
devices are not banished from the classroom.
Far from that, they have become part of the learning
process. This is a good thing, for the students’ education —
and for the future of education itself.
Technology isn’t going away, and we should treat it not
like an unwelcome distraction, but a tool for school and
career.
Jamie Richardson, one of the National Association of
Secondary School Principals’ Digital Principals of the Year,
has embraced that idea.
So has the staff at the school, which he credits for taking
his vision and making it reality — and meaningful for stu-
dents. Teachers have ventured out of their comfort zones
to meet this challenge and are learning alongside their stu-
dents.
The reward for that risk? Students are excited about
their education. Richardson and the teachers at LaCreole
witnessed what can happen when you take things that stu-
dents are passionate out of education when electives
where cut during the recession.
Now they are seeing the opposite. Children using their
imaginations to create things and solve problems — and
they are having fun at the same time.
LaCreole is just getting started.
The school is transforming a old weight room into a
makerspace designed from the ground up for that pur-
pose. Students will be able to design, test and improve on
their ideas in that space. Richardson has plans to invite the
public to see how the new lab will work.
That is the kind of innovation that can change educa-
tion for the better.
GOVERNOR
Gov. Kate Brown (dem.)
160 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-378-4582
Email: via website,
http://governor.oregon.gov/
—
STATE LEGISLATORS
sen. Arnie roblan
(District 5, Democrat)
S-417 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
sen.arnieroblan@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/roblan
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
sen. Brian Boquist
(District 12, Republican)
S-305 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1712
sen.brianboquist@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/boquist
Good to see
patriotic display
I would like to give a big
"Kudos" (praise) to Stu's
Auto Service and employees
in Dallas for their show of
patriotism and pride in ac-
knowledgment of Flag Day
on June 14. Our American
flags proudly flew totally
around the corner of Main
& Ellendale streets at the
site of Stu's. It was nice to
see that some of us know it
was a day to celebrate
American history and inde-
pendence. Shamefully
though, I saw few other es-
tablishments flying our col-
ors on that special day.
rep. david Gomberg
(District 10, Democrat)
H-471 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1410
rep.davidgomberg@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/gomberg
rep. Paul evans
(District 20, Democrat)
H-281 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1420
rep.paulevans@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/evans
Patricia Utter
Dallas
PUBLIC AGENDA
Public Agenda is a listing of upcoming meetings for gov-
ernmental and nongovernmental agencies in Polk County.
To submit a meeting, send it at least two weeks before the
actual meeting date to the Itemizer-Observer via email
(ionews@polkio.com).
—
WednesdAy, June 21
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer
Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
ThursdAy, June 22
• Monmouth-Independence networks Board of directors
— Henry Hill Education Support Center, 750 S. Fifth St., Inde-
pendence. 503-837-0700.
MondAy, June 26
• Independence Library Board — 4 p.m., Independence
Public Library, 175 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• dallas school Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School District of-
fice, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-5594.
TuesdAy, June 27
• Independence City Council — 7:30 a.m., Independence
Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• Monmouth senior Advisory Board — 1 p.m., Monmouth
Senior Center, 180 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commission work session — 9 a.m.,
Polk County Courthouse, BOC office, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-
623-8173.
WednesdAy, June 28
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
Support made
student trip
possible
Twenty-nine students
Falls City students got to ex-
perience Disneyland thanks
to their own hard work and
the generous support of
local sponsors and commu-
nity members.
This project and the Fam-
ily Academic Community
and Enrichment for Suc-
cess, or FACES, after-school
program could not sustain
without the support of the
community and we really
want to thank them.
Changes in priorities at the
federal level make our com-
munity's support even more
vital.
These local businesses
generously sponsored the
trip this year: Tim's Auto-
motive Specialties, Dallas
City, Cleaners, Robert
Young Construction, Dogs 4
Dayz, The Bread Board,
Salem Health, Elkhorn Tim-
ber, LLC
sen. Jackie Winters
(District 10, Republican)
S-301 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1710
sen.jackiewinters@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/winters
and Computer Solutions.
Countless community
members purchased flower
baskets, candy bars and
pepperoni sticks. A huge
thanks to Hamblins Nursery
for working with us to
fundraise.
Additionally, many kids
washed cars, did yard work
and completed projects
around the area for people
who donated money to the
program.
We had so much support!
Students learned and ap-
plied science and math
skills while experiencing an
extraordinarily memorable
trip.
Lynn Bailey
Program Sustainability
FACES After-School program
No need for social
media policy
I am responding to your
editorial of June 14.
I don’t want the Dallas
City Council to write policy
for councilor conduct ex-
cept for council meetings
and city-owned media.
They are not playground
monitors. Conduct outside
of meetings is the responsi-
bility of the voters. If we
elect loud, rude and obnox-
ious representatives, per-
haps we are just tired of
business as usual. Whatever
happened to celebrating di-
versity and tolerance?
Article 1 Sec. 8 of the Ore-
gon Constitution protects
freedom of expression, in-
cluding your right as editor.
If business can sell pornog-
raphy, obscenity laws are
abolished, and women can
dance naked on a table in a
bar and this is protected
speech; I cite State v Henry,
State v Ciancanelli and City
of Nyssa v Dufloth / Smith,
then what can a councilor
do that is not protected?
Is there a limit to what
conduct that the public will
tolerate? I think Kathy Grif-
fin would say: Yes.
rep. Mike nearman
(District 23, Republican)
H-378 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1423
rep.mikenearman@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/nearman
—
U.S. CONGRESS
sen. ron Wyden (dem.)
221 Dirksen SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-5244
Fax: 202-228-2717
Salem office: 707 13th St. SE,
Suite 285, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-589-4555
Email: via website,
www.wyden.senate.gov
Gary Weis
Dallas
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—
Reach us at:
Mail: Editor, Polk County
Itemizer-Observer, P.O. Box 108,
Dallas, OR 97338.
Fax: 503-623-2395.
email: ionews@polkio.com.
office: 147 SE Court St., Dallas.
sen. Jeff Merkley (dem.)
313 Hart SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-3753
Fax: 202-228-3997
Salem office: 161 High St. SE,
Suite 250, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-362-8102
Email: via website,
www.merkley.senate.gov
rep. Kurt schrader (dem.)
108 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-5711
Fax: 202-225-5699
Salem office: 544 Ferry St. SE,
Suite 2, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-588-9100
Fax: 503-588-5517
Email: via website,
www.schrader.house.gov
—
POLK COUNTY
Board of Commissioners
850 Main St.
Dallas, OR 97338
Phone: 503-623-8173
www.co.polk.or.us
—
CITIES
dallas
187 SE Court St.
Dallas, OR 97338
503-623-2338
www.ci.dallas.or.us
Falls City
299 Mill St.
Falls City, OR 97344
503-787-3631
www.fallscityoregon.gov
Independence
555 S. Main St.
Independence, OR 97351
503-838-1212
www.ci.independence.or.us
Monmouth
151 W. Main St.
Monmouth, OR 97361
503-838-0722
www.ci.monmouth.or.us
HOW TO REACH US
neWsrooM
Emily Mentzer ..............Editor/Monmouth/Independence Reporter ....ementzer@polkio.com
Vol. 142, No. 25
(USPS) - 437-380)
The official newspaper of Polk County • Serving Polk County families since 1875
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which is in error if the Itemizer-Observer is at fault.