Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 20, 1995)
P r S S I E VOL. 114 NO. 40 High School sorts out dress code ’A ' E T Z T L L U OF ORE NEWSPAPER LIB r " r y *• e o -i 4 , .. «- By April Hilton-Sykes 8 Pages Wednesday. September 20. 1995, Morrow County Heppner, Oregon City receives street improvement grant The city of Heppner was notified this week that its ap plication for a $25,000 Special Cities Allotment Grant for street improvements has been selected for funding in 1996 by the Oregon Dept, of Transpor tation (ODOT). City manager Gary Marks said the grant funds will be us ed next summer to repair and overlay Gale Street between " A " Street and Church Street. The city anticipates that Gale Street will be used as a detour for Highway 74 during the summer of 1997 when ODOT plans to rebuild Heppner's Main Street and sidewalks. "This grant comes at the perfect time to prepare Gale Street for heavier than normal use in 1997," said Marks. Marks said another section of Gale Street, between Church Street and May Street, will undergo repairs within the next two weeks as part of the city's 1995 Street Improvement Pro ject. Other improvements an ticipated this month are the reconstruction of Elder and Aiken streets north of the Elder Street Bridge, widening of the Water Street hill and overlay ing of the vehicular turn around at the downtown city park. School board takes care of business Chairman Scott Bauska call ed the regular meeting of the Morrow County School District Board of Directors to order at 7:30 p.m. at the district office in Lexington, Monday, Sept. 11 . The consent agenda was ap proved as presented and in cluded the following: minutes of regular meeting of Aug. 14; minutes of executive session of Aug. 14; financial report; resignations of Bill Umbarger, teacher at Heppner High School, Judy Buck, SpEd assis tant at Columbia Middle School, Cynthia Shular, food service clerical assistant at AC Houghton, Bryan Padberg, assistant boys' basketball coach at HHS; termination of Eugene Lewis, assistant custodian at HHS; layoffs of Mike and Cin dy Brosnan, van drivers at Heppner; transfer of Marchell Downey, from ed assistant at Riverside High School to SpEd assistant at CMS; employment of Marilyn Stewart, food ser vice clerical assistant at ACH, Darlene Fulmer, food service clerical assistant at Sam Board- man Elementary, Kathy Cuts- forth, assistant custodian at Heppner Elementary School, Bob French, three hour assis tant custodian at CMS, Robin Jones and Kelli Jo Keithley, 3Vi hr. Title I ed assistants at HES, Sharon Rietmann and Shelly Key, 3V2 hr. Title 1 ed assistants at lone, Lois Tallman, Title I ed assistant at RHS/SBE, JoLynn Britt, half-time sixth grade teacher at HES, Sharon Morris, kindergarten teacher at HES, John Scanlan, language arts teacher at RHS, Debbie Bums, TAG coordinator at ACH, Doug Howell and Marge Bert- leson, assistant volleyball coachs at CMS, Laura Combes, assistant volleyball coach at RHS, Robin Huxoll, cheer leader advisor at RHS, Cathy McCabe, assistant volleyball coach at lone High School, Lana Orr, head volleyball coach for seventh/eighth grade at Heppner Jr. High School, Dana Reid, assistant volleyball coach at HHS, Chris Rauch, assistant football coach at HHS. Delegations: ESD-Bill Taylor; MCEA-Martha Lee Wallace; OSEA-no representatives. Field trip request: approved request from SBE to take students to OMSI on a field trip. Costs of the trip are covered by a cash award from an Oregon Dairy Council contest. Curriculum report: the 1995 SAT and Oregon Statewide Assessment Test results were presented and evaluated. Superintendent's report: clarified new election laws for Board and Advisory Commit tee members. No elections in 19%; reported on District Inser vice and the opening of the school year; reported on the enrollment comparisons from 1994-95 to 1995-%. Gain of 51 students over last year; reported on alcohol/drug viola tions and enforcement of district policy; reported that the Title VII (ESL) grants for RHS and SBE were denied; in dicated that the budget calen dar would be presented at the Oct. meeting; discussed new laws related to Site Councils and the need for a policy revision. Unfinished business: tabled the appointment of a new budget committee member un til the October meeting. New business: approved Baker & Associates as "Clerk of the Works" for the bond issue projects and appointed Russ Morgan to work with Chuck Starr to negotiate a contract; approved contingency expen diture to address unanticipated staffing needs at SBE, HES and HHS. Announcem ents: Oct. 5 OSBA Fall Regional meeting in Pendleton; Oct. 9 next regular meeting at HHS at 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 9-13 Classified Employees Week. Ree. district budget passes M orrow C ounty Special E lectio n Results Tuesday, Sept. 19, 1995 Shall District levy $450,000 per year for three years outside the tax base for operating purposes beginning in 1995-96? Yes No Boardman lone Irrigon Lexington Heppner/Hardman Totals 302 207 299 165 636 1609 241 93 353 81 267 1035 An expanded dress code policy at Heppner High/Junior High school in effect this year has many parents, students and perhaps even teachers con fused. Principal Steve Dickenson said that while this year's dress code policy is much the same as in previous years, the school has "borrowed" some aspects from Riverside High School's policy. The HHS/HJHS policy pro hibits clothing that is in viola tion of the district's sexual harassment policy, is too revealing, has a sexual content, advertizes drugs, alcohol or tobacco, is discriminatory or is deemed to be gang related. The district's anti-gang policy prohibits clothing that is over sized or baggy, overalls that are not fastened, stocking hats knotted in back, bandanas, headbands, hair nets, hanging belts, pagers or beepers (often used by gang members for drug deals) and gang-related tattoos. Hats are prohibited during school hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also banned are T-shirts or other clothing printed with per sonalized messages, nick names, the phrase" Smile now, cry later" or "In memory o f..." Dickenson said that some gang members had memorialized their slain friends by printing their photos and birth and death dates on T-shirts. Dickenson said that while "fad " memorial shirts are not gang related, they have to be included in the ban because of consistency. He said that he sent a student home to change a Kurt Cobain memorial T-shirt and suggested that a student with a Steve Prefontaine memorial shirt also change. While not associated with gangs, Kurt Cobain was a rock musician and drug user who committed suicide. Steve Prefontaine was an Olympic runner who died in a car acci dent in Eugene. Dickenson said that the school is also sensitive to sex ual harassment issues, especial ly since the seventh and eighth grade students have moved up to the high school. He said that students wearing T-shirts with sexual double meanings will also be sent home to change. Dickenson said that an official OSU Beaver T-shirt would be acceptable, but not a shirt that uses the term beaver as a sex ual double entendre. Similarly, a student wearing a "Bush" T- shirt was sent home. Although "B u sh " is the name of a rock band, it also conveys a sexual message, unbeknownst to the student who wore the shirt to school. A teacher considered sending another student home to change because the student wore a "White Zombie" T- shirt. "White Zombie", initially thought by a teacher to be gang related, is the name of a rock group. Dickenson said that students in violation of the dress code were previously asked to put on a coat or turn their shirts inside-out, but too many in stances occurred where the stu dent would later reverse the shirt or take off the coat. He said that the code also applies during school sanctioned ac tivities such as sports events. Dickenson stresses that the dress code is to protect the students and create an at mosphere conducive to learn ing. He asks that parents and students contact him if they have any questions or concerns about the policies. The Heppner High School clothing policy, found on page 15 of the student handbook, is as follows: "In general, students should dress in neat, clean, appropri ate clothing that does not disrupt the educational process and protects the rights of others. This specifically in cludes the following. "1 . No bare midriffs or styles that show one's underwear, spandex or immodest tank tops. 2. Shoes must be worn at all times. 3. No clothing adver tising alcohol, tobacco, drugs or insinuating sexual or discrim inating messages. 4. Shirts and tops must be worn at all times. 5. Shorts may be worn, but must be mid-thigh, no boxer shorts. PE shorts in gym only. 6. Clothing must fit (see district policy below). "S a g g ie s ", "S lo u ch ie s", or extremely oversize clothing is not to be worn. Torn or otherwise damaged clothing is not ap propriate for school. 7. Coveralls/overalls must be completely fastened. Chains and other noisy or dangerous items attached to clothing are not allowed. 8. Stocking hats knotted in back, bandanas, headbands, hairnets and hang ing belts are not allowed. 9. No personalized messages or inap propriate nicknam es on clothing and no "In memory o f" or "Smile now, cry later" logos are permitted. 10. No pagers or beepers, unless prin cipal approved. 11. All tattoos deemed gang related must be covered. 12. Hats are not to be worn during school hours. School hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. "Students found to be in violation of these guidelines will be asked to immediately conform and will be subject to disciplinary action according to the student management pol- History center planning underway Meetings are planned as follows: Wednesday, Sept. 20, 5-8 p.m., public forum; Thurs day, Sept. 21, museum plann ing and design; Friday, Sept. 22, museum and exhibit de sign, rough draft strategic plan report; Saturday, Sept. 23, museum and exhibit design, 12 to 3 p.m., public design forum. The meetings will be held at the GEODC office on Main Street in Heppner. icy. Be aware, however, that violations of guidelines 6, 8, 9 and 11 may be a violation of the district's gang policy and could result in severe disciplinary ac tion." Dickenson says that contrary to popular belief that the Hepp ner area hasn't had any gang problems, several instances in the past have been gang re lated. The dress code also includes the follow ing, previously established: " 2 . Student dress and grooming are the responsibili ty of parents and students. 3. All clothing worn to school should fit, reflect cleanliness, good taste and be of acceptable length. Acceptable length shall be considered to be no shorter than m id-thigh. Clothing would be worn properly but toned or snapped and with ap propriate undergarments. The following are examples of clothing that are not acceptable at any time of the year: See- through clothing, clothing worn above mid-thigh, half shirts, jerseys or sweatshirts in bad taste, of immodest nature, and any form of clothing that is dirty or slogans which are profane or suggest the adver tising or any form of drug or alcohol, short shorts and PE shorts, b. Shoes must be worn at all times. Sandals are accep table but students wearing them do so at their own risk. For the sake of cleanliness and good hygiene, it is recommend ed that stockings or socks be worn at all times. Thongs are not acceptable, c. Hair and facial hair must be kept clean and neatly trimmed, d. Students may not wear hats during regular school hours in side the school building, but hats may be worn at extra curricular activities. Scarves and head bands may be worn appropriately, e. Jewelry, but tons and other forms of or namentation which are distrac ting, make noises, espouse violence, are obscene, suggest obscenity or call for an illegal act may not be worn. The policy also states that in dividual teachers are not limited in their responsibilities and obligations to "make and enforce regulations concerning control of hair or clothing in the interest of safety within their own unique classroom situa tions." Dickenson advises that students comply with the rules first and then, if they or their parents want to pursue the issue, they may discuss it with him. If they still are not satisfied, they may appeal the decision to the school board. First W C P D hearings closed The first public hearing on both the first and second group of petitioners asking to be ex cluded from the Willow Creek Park District in South Morrow County has been closed. The second public hearing for both groups of petitioners will be held Monday, Oct. 16, ten tatively at the lone School. Bryan Burke Bryan Burke of the Office of Bryan Burke, Architect, Portland, Brooks Heard, an ar chitect with the firm, and Mar sha Sweek, Morrow County Museum director, are holding meetings and planning ses sions all this week to gather public input on plans for a history center to be located in Heppner. Tim Cundell featured in magazine Tim Cundell, Lexington, senior trooper with the Oregon State Police, was featured in the summer 1995 issue of the "Oregon State Trooper", the official publication of the Oregon State Police Officer's Association. The magazine featured a photograph and article entitled, "Talented Trooper", about Cundell, who is an accomplish ed musician and vocalist. D AN N ER Boot Solo 1 0 % oft Our in Store prices Sale through 9-30-95 Stop by and check our super pricing on DANNER Work and Sporting boots. Morrow County Crain Growers Lexington 989-8221 1-800-452-7396