COMMUNITY
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2020
Baker 5J Parent Advisory meeting set
Baker School District par-
ents and community mem-
bers are invited to a Parent
Advisory discussion meeting
Thursday evening to review
the goals of the Student Invest-
ment Account.
The event is set from 6:30
p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the District
offi ce, 2090 Fourth St.
The presentation will start
with a panel discussion review-
ing the district’s diverse needs.
Staff members Kim Virtue,
Ma’Lena Wirth, Karla Macy,
Skye Flanagan, Angela Lattin
and Barry Nemec will review
the current status of vari-
ous student sectors in Baker
schools. Interactive discussion
with panel members will follow
the panel presentation.
The Student Success Act
was passed by Oregon legisla-
tors last year. The law gives
Oregon schools more money
for particular needs. Half of the
money goes to Student Invest-
ment Accounts.
“One of the main priori-
ties for this new funding is to
increase equitable access to
program services so that all
FAMILIES
Continued from Page 1A
“We are here to start a
movement, that’s what this is
about,” Potter said.
According to Potter’s slide
presentation, Oregon has
nearly twice as many kids in
foster care as the nationwide
average. Yet the number of
foster homes has declined by
15%, according to the 2018
Child Welfare Data Book.
“A lot of DHS agencies
have been understaffed,” he
said. “Work demand is high.
There’s a lot of kids needing
places, a lot of families to
work with and not enough
workers.”
Potter said some parents
have left foster care because
they had poor relationships
with the supervising agency
and did not feel supported.
“That’s all changing, there’s
some great things in place
now,” he said. “For instance
they’ve hired my position.
My position is to support the
foster parents we do have
and recruit new ones.”
Potter said Baker County
has 41 kids in foster care, but
only 15 foster homes. That
makes a ratio of one home
per 2.7 kids.
“It’s just not enough. We
need more foster families
desperately,” he said.
Some local children are
being housed in foster homes
outside Baker County.
That’s not ideal, Potter
said, because it requires kids
to move away from their
hometown, friends and ser-
vice providers.
“Also we want to keep that
contact between birth family
and kids as tight as possible
so that they can maintain
that relationship,” Potter
said.
Greg Baxter, who retired
Samantha O’Conner/Baker City Herald
Foster parents Ken and Becky Foster were among the
panelists during an event last week in Baker City.
last fall as Baker County
Circuit Court judge, talked
about the trauma that foster
children endure.
“They may see their
parents be arrested, they’re
taken out of the home in
some manner, but we know
there is trauma,” Baxter said.
“That’s what we want in a
foster family — someone who
loves them. They want some
stability for a period of time
in their lives.”
Marcus Gillette, co-director
of Every Child Oregon, said
the organization works to
help children and families in
Oregon.
The group is working to
change the narrative around
DHS and the foster care sys-
tem following recent media
reports about state offi cials
sending Oregon children to
out-of-state, for-profi t facili-
ties.
“This is something that is
going to take all of us,” Gil-
lette said.
Every Child has different
volunteer opportunities for
those interested in helping
families and foster children.
Josh Erickson is the Baker
City interim director for
Safe Families for Children, a
faith-based organization that
works to reduce the need for
foster care homes.
“I think that we can do
something to lessen that
number,” Erickson said,
referring to the 41 children in
Baker County’s foster care.
He told a personal story
about his grandparents tak-
ing in his family to help them
after his father left.
“The problem is, there’s
a lot of families that don’t
have that extended network,”
Erickson said. “We are look-
ing and what we look to do is
how do we provide extended
family to those in our com-
munity?”
The idea, he said, is to offer
support to families until they
can be reunited.
“Because families together
is the best thing we can do,
it’s the best thing for those
kids if we can keep them to-
gether,” Erickson said. “That’s
what we are here to do. We
are here to partner with local
congregations, local families,
GRAD RATE
Fewer students facing combined
disadvantages, such as students with
Continued from Page 1A
disabilities, low socioeconomic status or
Eagle Cap Innovative High School
those who are homeless, graduate with
hit a graduation rate of 87.5% for the
their four-year cohorts, with rates of
eight students enrolled in 2018-19, said 71.67% at BHS; 66.67% at Eagle Cap;
Betty Palmer, assistant superintendent. 58.65% at Baker Web Academy; and
The fi ve-year rate, which included 21
81.82% at Baker Early College.
students was at 85.71%.
Career and Technical Education
The rate at Baker Web Academy,
(CTE) programs continue to boost
which serves students throughout
graduation rates throughout the state,
the state using a hybrid system that
including those of Baker students.
combines online classes with face-to-face
CTE participants at BHS who studied
teacher contact, showed a 62.5% gradua- two or three courses graduated at a rate
tion rate for its 157 students.
of 87.36% in 2018-19. Those who are
Baker Early College, which posted
considered CTE concentrators because
graduation rates of 95.6% last year
they have enrolled in more than three
dropped to 84% for a class size of 125
courses, graduated at a rate of 95.92%.
students in 2018-19, according to the
Statewide, the graduation rate of
state report and a fi ve-year completer
those considered CTE participants
rate of 95.58% for a student group of
showed an average graduation rate of
116.
88.9% and CTE concentrators gradu-
students, regardless of where
they live, their learning status,
or what their background, will
experience improved school
outcomes,” Assistant Superin-
tendent Betty Palmer said in
a press release. “We welcome
parent engagement around
these important decisions
involving our schools and
programs.”
to volunteer to be a part of
this movement.”
Safe Families for Children
is looking for volunteers to
help the host families who
would be willing to baby-sit
and meet with the parents to
help them through a crisis.
“Our goal is to support
the foster care system here,
our goal is to promote a
healthy community through
volunteers,” Erickson said.
“We want to be a support to
that. We want to bring that
number down, the amount of
kids that are in foster care,
but we need a strong foster
care system too.”
Bryce Van Zelph is a re-
gional child placing coordi-
nator for therapeutic foster
homes with Greater Oregon
Behavioral Health Inc. (GOB-
HI) of The Dalles.
It works with youth ages
4 to 18 who are identifi ed as
having behavioral, emotional,
or mental health needs and
thus require more intensive
coordinated support than
what can be provided in
traditional foster care.
“Sometimes there’s no
home for a kid to go so DHS
reaches out to us,” said Zelph.
“Our goal is to stabilize these
kids, get them back to perma-
nent placement whether that
is guardianship, back to their
families, it kind of depends
on whatever route that youth
is on within the system.”
A panel of the speak-
ers and others answered
questions from Potter and
audience members. The
panel consisted of Gillette;
foster parents Ken and
Becky Foster; Baxter; CASA
representative Mary Col-
lard; Megan Spriet, a birth
mother of children who had
been in foster care; and DHS
foster parent certifi er Susan
Lemon.
ated at a rate of 93.5%, according to the
state report.
Those statistics are a testimonial
to the efforts put forth by the District
and the 5J Board to promote career
and technical training for Baker School
District students, Palmer said.
And that includes the offering of
CTE programs for Baker Middle School
students, which at this time requires
students to be bused to BHS for classes
at Baker Technical Institute.
Palmer said the hands-on, real-life
application provided in classes such as
welding, construction or robotics hold
the focus of students who might other-
wise lose interest in school.
“CTE classes give kids a why,” Palmer
said. “Kids who come and don’t feel like
they can compete academically might
realize they have a talent and an ability.
It gives them a reason to stick it out.”
H EART TO H EART
Acts of kindness appreciated
Once again I say, thanks so much,
thank you and a big old thanky to S.C.
for your kindness, heart, and thoughtful- year with hope and joy.
ness. Whether you’re a secret Santa or
Sandie Millhouse
a personal angel, you’ve started my new
Baker City
BAKER CITY HERALD — 3A
L OCAL B RIEFING
School District launches alumni website
The Baker School District has launched a website
designed as a gathering place for Baker High School
alumni and retired district faculty.
The site is at www.bakerhighalumni.org.
It includes a forum discussion allowing alumni to
post updates about reunions, reconnect with fellow
graduates, request transcripts and learn about what’s
happening in the district.
Site features such as a “Media and Press” link will
be updated regularly. This link will include school dis-
trict press releases, electronic versions of the district’s
Bulldog Pride publication and other school news.
District calendars and activity schedules will be
uploaded, and a “Ways to Help” tab will provide infor-
mation on those who would like to give back time or
resources to their alma mater.
Northeast Oregon Compassion Center
fundraising banquet scheduled Saturday
The Northeast Oregon Compassion Center’s 15th-
annual fundraising banquet is set for Saturday, Feb.
1, at 5 p.m. at the Church of the Nazarene Family Life
Center, 1250 Hughes Lane.
The Compassion Center provides a variety of free
services to people in need in the community.
Tickets are being sold for the tri-tip dinner, which
includes four side dishes and dessert. There will also
be donation forms and live and silent auctions.
Tickets are $15 per person, and must be bought in
advance at the Family Life Center, the Church of the
Nazarene offi ce, or the Harvest Church, 3720 Birch
St. A donation of $200 to the Compassion Center
includes two free tickets. Tickets are limited, so people
are encouraged to buy early to reserve a seat.
Items available in the silent and live auctions
include waterfowl hunting packages from Pre-Dawn
Adventures, unique artwork by local artisan Tom
Clement, Sweet Wife Baking pies, gift baskets, cou-
pons from local merchants and more.
The guest speaker for the banquet is Karen Berg-
strom from the Safe Families For Children movement.
More information is available at Facebook.com/
NortheastOregonCompassionCenter and at www.
neoregoncompassioncenter.org
Haines Elementary School chili feed Feb. 7
The annual Haines Elementary School Chili Feed
and Raffl e is scheduled Friday, Feb. 7.
The event, billed as the school’s largest fundraiser
of the year, will be from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the
school.
Money raised at the event is used to help pay for
technology in classrooms and to support assemblies
and fi eld trips that enhance the students’ educational
experiences, a news release stated.
Items raffl ed during the evening are donated by
local businesses and community partners. To donate,
call Chelsea Blatchford, PTCO president, at 541-519-
2017.
Tickets are pre-sold by Haines students and also
will be available at the door. The cost is $2 per ticket,
three for $5, seven for $10, or $20 for 15 tickets. Win-
ners do not have to be present to collect their prizes.
Dinner tickets are $5 for adults (11 and older), $4
for children (ages 4-10), and free to children younger
than 3. For more information or to purchase tickets,
call Haines Elementary School at 541-524-2400.
Rotary Club looking for group to help
The Baker City Rotary Club has about $2,000 avail-
able to help a local group or organization.
The money could be used in any of six areas:
• Peace and confl ict prevention/resolution.
• Disease prevention and treatment.
• Water and sanitation.
• Maternal and child health.
• Basic education and literacy.
• Economic and community development.
Applications are due by Feb. 29, and should be ac-
companied by an essay of no more than 1,000 words
explaining the project and including the following:
1. Which of the six areas of focus would be impacted with
our donation to your organization?
2. How can Rotary members be included in the process of
using the funds donated?
3. How do you plan to leverage our donation to help you ac-
complish the most possible? One example might include ask-
ing Leo Adler Foundation to match the funds that we donate.
4. What will your specifi c plans be for the use of the funds?
5. How will this improve our community?
6. What will your organization do to make sure Baker City
Rotary Club is recognized within the community for our impact
to your project?
7. Would your organization be willing to help Baker City
Rotary staff fundraising events within our community if you
are awarded this grant?
8. Your contact information.
Applications can be mailed to Baker City Rotary
Club, P.O. Box 1011, Baker City, OR 97814.