8A • May 5, 2017 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com
Seaside schools poised to launch K-12 building plan
Budget infused
by bond
approval
By R.J. Marx
Cannon Beach Gazette
The Seaside School Dis-
trict finds itself on solid
ground as it launches a K-12
building project.
Members of the Seaside
School District budget com-
mittee, along with the school’s
board of directors and admin-
istrator reviewed the proposed
$20.6 million operating bud-
get for next fiscal year before
the Tuesday, April 18, regular
board meeting.
“I do feel good about it,”
Superintendent Sheila Ro-
ley said about the proposed
budget. “We have had a few
years in the past decade where
we’ve had to hold steady or
even reduce.”
The school district’s finan-
cial summary included break-
downs for general fund, debt
service, special revenue and
capital projects.
Proposed general fund rev-
enues are 9.5 percent higher
than this year’s budget.
“An improving Oregon
economy, timber revenue and
excellent management will al-
low us to move forward with-
out reductions in staffing or
programs and with some mod-
est additions,” Roley wrote in
a budget message presented
by Business Manager Justine
Hill.
The school district plans
to hire an elementary school
guidance counselor and a new
high school science and math
teacher, among other person-
nel additions.
The budget addresses ris-
ing student technology costs,
with districtwide licenses for
math and science software.
An additional $112 million
capital budget for construc-
tion of the new K-12 campus
— including $4 million from
the state — was also present-
R.J. MARX/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Seaside School District Business Manager Justine Hill presents the proposed budget for next fiscal year to members of the budget committee and board.
ed for review.
The district anticipates
paying out $22.5 million next
year toward the project, en-
dorsed by voters in November,
Hill said.
This includes costs for
architects, project manager,
geotechnical
engineering,
site work, civil engineers and
surveying firms, among other
expenses.
The bond’s capital fund
balance will reach almost $90
million by June 2018, Hill
said.
Pension costs
Proposed increases in dis-
trict expenditures come with
new hires, software licensing
fees and employee benefits.
All employee groups are
scheduled to receive 2.5 per-
cent salary increases with
regular step increases when
applicable.
Public Employees Retire-
ment System rates will see an
increase in July with a need
for additional higher contri-
butions. Under the proposed
budget, the district’s contri-
bution rate will increase from
11.76 percent to 16.64 percent
for older employees — about
a 41 percent year-to-year in-
crease.
Writers get wired:
E-education workshops
coming to Manzanita
By Dan Haag
For EO Media Group
Education in the 21st
century often means more
than brick-and-mortar class-
rooms. There is a bevy of
online opportunities for all
ages and interests.
Online students can learn
from wherever and whenever
they want, making “e-edu-
cation” an attractive option
for those with busy work
and family schedules. Or
for those who prefer learn-
ing from the comfort of their
favorite chair and cozy bath-
robe.
With that in mind, Man-
zanita’s Hoffman Center
For The Arts Writer’s Series
launched “Online and at the
Beach” on May 1. Part of
Hoff Online, the program
will offer writing and visual
arts workshops.
While Hoffman Center
has always offered a broad
range of workshops, the cen-
ter’s President Vera Wildau-
er said the time has come to
expand their repertoire be-
yond the half-day, in-house
format.
“It allows for a more in-
depth learning experience,”
she said. “Students appre-
ciate the flexibility and can
work on their own schedule
and from anywhere.”
“Online and at the Beach”
will reach people who might
only come to the beach for
holidays and weekends, as
well as coastal residents far-
ther south or north.
Wildauer said people
in Clatsop, Tillamook and
Lincoln counties often try
to participate in the center’s
programs but aren’t always
able to because of work or
weather conditions.
“Tillamook County is a
very long county, and while
we regularly get participants
who live in Pacific City or
Neskowin, offering online
learning makes it easier for
Savings, revenue
them to connect with us,” she
said.
‘A creative hothouse’
The five-week online
course culminates in an op-
tional writing retreat week-
end in Manzanita the week-
end of June 2, a gathering
that will allow students to
meet their instructor and fel-
low students, and enjoy addi-
tional craft writing sessions.
Participants will also
have an opportunity to read
their work at an open mic,
try “Yoga for Writers,” go
on hikes, and dive into a
“Prompt-O-Rama.”
The intention, Wildauer
said, is to complement the
online courses with a week-
end retreat as often as possi-
ble.
The initial series instruc-
tors will be prominent Pacif-
ic Northwest authors Megan
Kruse and Jennie Shortridge.
Kruse will teach “Cre-
ativity Catalyst” while Shor-
tridge will teach “Putting
Your Prose to Work.”
Both Kruse and Shor-
tridge are “veterans” of pre-
vious workshops and read-
ings at the center and were
natural fits for the pilot pro-
gram.
“We’ve always had great
response to Megan and Jen-
nie here as workshop teach-
ers,” the writer series or-
ganizer, Kathie Hightower,
said.
Kruse, the author of “Call
Me Home” and recipient of
a 2016 Pacific Northwest
Book Award, is excited to be
on board.
“Life so often gets in the
way of our work,” she said.
“I want this class to be a cre-
ative hothouse for dormant
ideas and a jolt of energy.”
Shortridge, author of five
novels – including “Love Wa-
ter Memory” and “When She
Flew” — thinks the program
will offer a necessary push to
writers.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Chart indicates Seaside School District’s 2017-18 proposed expenditures. Salaries make
up 48 percent of costs. Associated payroll costs are the second largest expenditure at 32
percent.
The district’s contribution to
employees participating in the
state’s public retirement plan
will increase from 7.07 to 11.31
percent, a 60 percent jump.
“Our budgeted PERS rate
increases, including the cost
of both those funds, are slat-
ed to cost the district about
$473,000,” Hill said.
ALEKS, a math software
program, will cost the district
$20,000, Hill said.
Total costs for Microsoft
licenses for students could
reach $6,000, she added.
The school district allocat-
ed $250,000 to the new Can-
non Beach Academy, which
requires an enrollment of 34
students to open in September.
While enrollment is “pick-
ing up,” Roley said, numbers
must be determined by May 1.
Savings under the proposed
document come from low-
er maintenance costs at older
school buildings — Broadway
Middle School, Gearhart El-
ementary School and Seaside
High School — as the district
transitions to the new campus
adjacent to Seaside Heights El-
ementary School.
Reductions will also come
with lower budgeted mainte-
nance costs at Seaside High
School, Gearhart Elementary
and Broadway Middle School.
Potential revenue from the
sale of the older buildings is
not included in this year’s bud-
get package.
The district received $1.8
million in timber revenues in
2015-16, with $1.5 million ex-
pected this year, Hill said.
The lowered estimate comes
as a result of fluctuations in the
industry and changing harvest
timelines, she added.
On May 16, the budget re-
turns before the committee,
with an opportunity for addi-
tional public input. A budget
must be delivered by June 30.
“Sometimes the committee
is ready to adopt at the May
meeting, sometimes at the June
meeting,” Roley said.
Academy reaches target, will open in fall
“The initial reason for
wanting to start this school
was because I wanted my son
to be close to where I lived,”
Simmons said. “I think it’s
important for the young fam-
ilies who live in our commu-
nity to have their children in
school where they live and
work so they can interact with
their kid in the school day.”
he said. “As a leader when
you take over an organization,
the best way to start is to ob-
serve. But I anticipate that as
we move forward she’ll take
more control.”
While Moore is from Sa-
lem, she has had a house in
Seaside for three years, and is
ready to start.
“This place has been call-
ing us to live here for a long
time,” she said.
New director
Next steps
Academy from Page 1A
There are a lot of things
that are bringing the director
of Cannon Beach Academy to
the North Coast.
Amy Moore loves walking
by the salty sea water with
her dog, she said, and visiting
Cannon Beach at her family
vacation home for the past 20
years has let her get to know
the place.
But the main reason she’s
taking the position comes
from her passion for children.
“My passion for education
comes from supporting stu-
dents who have a hard time
being supported in school,”
Moore said.
Moore, 40, has worked in
special education in a variety
of facets at public and private
schools throughout Oregon
for 11 years. She has served
in leadership roles at La Salle
Prep, a Catholic school in Mil-
waukie, and at Victory Acade-
my, the only private school in
Oregon that caters exclusively
BRENNA VISSER/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Amy Moore, the new director of Cannon Beach Academy.
to students with autism.
“It will be beneficial to
have this background, as we
will likely have learners from
all different backgrounds, and
learners with varying levels of
ability, strengths and needs”
she said. “I think this lens is
a good lens to use for all stu-
dents, not just those who may
have learning differences be-
cause each child is unique.”
As the director, Moore will
be in charge of hiring teachers,
curriculum and constructing
the overall vision for the acad-
emy.
In these early stages,
Moore is concentrated on
finding teachers and getting
logistics squared away so the
school can physically open.
“We want to think big,
but we have limits with our
space,” she said. “I want to
Experience Family Dining in
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partner with parents and busi-
nesses, and I’m trying to reach
out to families outside of Can-
non Beach to make (the acad-
emy) an education hub.”
Cannon Beach Academy
treasurer Barb Knop said that
while there were many qual-
ified applicants for the posi-
tion, Moore’s love for children
is what shined in the interview.
“What I admired the most
about her it was clear she
loved children. Her face would
light up at those moments, and
I liked those moments,” Knop
said.
Simmons said he is confi-
dent in Moore’s ability to lead
and direct the vision of the
school.
“I got the impression that
she has the ability to under-
stand what a problem is and
figure out a way to solve it,”
With students in hand and
a director to lead them, the
school must have its building
permit approved by the city to
start renovation of the former
Cannon Beach Fitness Center.
Once approved, the academy
can move forward with con-
struction over the summer.
Moore said she is review-
ing teacher applications as
well. If students are still inter-
ested in enrolling, there will
be a second enrollment period
through the end of June. In
the second enrollment peri-
od, charter schools are legally
obligated to choose students
with a lottery system, meaning
if there are more applications
than open spots the school
will randomly select students
from the pool as spots become
available.
“Overall, this was a com-
munity effort, including Sea-
side School District, and I’m
just really proud,” Simmons
said.
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