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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 22, 2017)
December 22, 2017 T he C olumbia P ress 5 State audits progress on grad rate 20,000 whales with 20,000 watchers An audit released this week by the Oregon Secre- tary of State says the state is making progress to improve Oregon’s graduation rate. It also provides recom- mendations to build on that work and help prepare more students for graduation. Among the recommenda- tions: • Provide targeted sup- port to students in specific groups with lower gradu- ation rates, such as highly Whale Watch Week may begin Wednesday, but the whales already are visible, Oregon Parks and Recreation reports. The agency will have trained volunteers on hand Dec. 27 through 31 at spots along the Oregon coast to help peo- ple see and learn about gray whales as they head south for the winter. “Whales are a special part of the Oregon coast,” said Luke Parsons, a ranger at the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay. “Nearly 20,000 people visit our whale watch sites each winter and … I hope visitors walk away feel- ing a little more connected to these animals, along with a greater appreciation of our oceans.” An estimated 20,000 gray whales travel south from Alaska to their final desti- nation off the coast of Baja, Mexico. Volunteers from the Whale Watching Spoken Here pro- gram will be stationed at 24 sites along the coast during mobile students who trans- fer between schools and districts, economically dis- advantaged students, and middle school students. • Provide support to schools with mid-range graduation rates rather than focusing on schools with the lowest graduation rates. • Develop initiatives and collecting data about mid- dle-schoolers. • Provide better support to districts on using data. High school: Grant is for job training Continued from Page 1 ly liked to the availability of a skilled workforce,” Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian said in making the grant an- nouncement. “As our economy changes – especially with automation on the rise – the importance of skills training in mid- dle school, high school and throughout a person’s career will only grow.” Graduation rates for stu- dents in Oregon career train- ing programs are 15.5 percent higher than the statewide av- erage. The committee that select- ed which projects would win grants was made up of rep- resentatives from organized labor, trade groups, the busi- ness community, energy/ power companies and educa- tors. Priority was given to pro- grams that lead to high-wage, high-demand occupations, particularly for students who might otherwise struggle in traditional classes. Warrenton has done well helping college-bound stu- dents meet their goals and the district has had success with those who struggle, said Jannusch, who spent 15 years teaching science and technol- ogy. “We didn’t have any real hands-on classes that give kids skills that they can walk out of school with and get a job,” he said. “We need to get them interested and engaged in learning. … There will al- ways be a need for technical skills: working with wood, welding.” The grant is for January 2018 through June 2019 and includes money for summer programs. Courtesy Oregon Parks and Recreation Visitors catch a glimpse of a whale from a perch above the Pacific Ocean. the event, including Ecola State Park in Canon Beach, Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Ilwaco and Neah- kanie Mountain Historical Park. They’ll offer whale watch- ing tips and facts about the animals from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. Each year from December to mid-January, gray whales swim 6,000 miles down the coast to reach calving lagoons in Baja.
