Heppner gazette-times., February 26, 1997, Page 3, Image 3

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Heppner Gazette-Times. Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 26, 1997 - THREE
The Official Newspaper of the
City of Heppner and the
County of Morrow
Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
U.S P S. 240-420
Morrow County’s Home-Owned Weekly Newspaper
i
Published weekly and entered as periodical matter at the Post Office at Heppner,
Oregon under the Act of March 3. 1879. Periodical postage paid at Heppner,
Oregon. Office at 147 West Willow Street Telephone (541) 676-9228. Postmaster
send address changes to the Heppner Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner,
Oregon 97836. Subscriptions: $18 in Morrow, Wheeler. Gilliam and Grant Coun­
ties; $25 elsewhere
April Hilton-Sykes....................................................................................... News Editor
Stephanie Jensen ....................................................................................... Typesetting
Monique Devin.......................................................... Advertising Layout & Graphics
Bonnie Bennett .........
Distribution
Penni Keersemaker ............................................................................................... Printer
David Sykes,«Publisher
Morrow County four-day week
Setting the record straight
oy
Chuck Starr, Morrow County School District Superintendent
In recent months local newspapers have printed a number of letters
to the editor regarding the four-day student week in the Morrow
County School District. Many of these letters have expressed
negative opinions about the continuation of this instructional
calendar. Those letters, along with a guest editorial printed in the
"Hermiston Herald" (2/4/97) and an editorial printed in the "East
Oregonian" (2/12/97) have contained a number of statements that are
not supported by facts I am writing this letter to set the record
straight and provide the facts on our experience with the four-day
student week these past three years
★ Some have said that the four-day student week was an experiment
based solely on the need to address an emergency financial
problem.
In fact, financial pressures caused us to examine the four-day
student week as an educational option in the spring of 1994. In our
examination, we did research on all of the school districts in Oregon
and several in Colorado, who had multiple years of experience with
this instructional calendar In virtually every' case, we found concrete
evidence of educational success, as well as financial savings for
districts using the four day student week. Districts with up to 10
years of experience with this schedule confirmed improving
achievement test scores and continuing parental support for the four-
day week.
* Some have said that we should have conducted a survey of staff
and students, as well as parents, to determine support for
continuing the four-day week.
In fact, the board's decision not to survey staff and students this year
w as based on tw o years of data showing overwhelming support from
these groups for continuing the four-day week
Percentage Favoring Continuing 4 Day Week: 1995-Students
(grades six-ll)-90 percent. Teachers (all grades)-82 percent.
Classified Employ eees-70 percent. 1996-Students (grades six-11)-93
percent. Teachers (all grades)-85 percent, Classified Employees-83
percent.
★ Some have claimed that we can't possibly be providing the same
amount of instructional time with a four-day week as we did with a
five-day week.
In fact, the total instructional hours scheduled now district-wide is
1,039 more than in 1993-94 (five-day week). If we factor out our
increased time for kindergarten, where we went from half-time to full
time starting in 1995-96, we find an overall decrease of 571 hours
spread over 41 grade sites That is a decrease of 13.9 hours per year
per grade site in scheduled instructional time
State standards allow schools to close for inservice and parent­
teacher conferences and still count that time as instructional time
With the four-day week, we have scheduled inservice and conferences
so that we don't have a loss of instructional time. On the five-day
week schedule, we would be closing up to five full days for insen ice
and up to four full days for conferences (our survey of schools around
the state confirms this pattern for five day week districts)
Therefore, our actual student-teacher contact time is equal to or
exceeds what we were having with a five day week schedule. In
addition, we have reduced significantly the loss of instructional time
to athletic activities.
★ Some have said that our test scores show that the four-day
student week is bad for kids.
To the contrary, the facts show that our test scores are improving
Specifically, our reading and math test scores on the nationally
normed Stanford Achievement Test have shown improvement over
scores on the same tests the last year we were running a five-day
week. And although our scores on some of the Oregon State Tests,
in some schools, and in some grades are below the state average, we
are showing improvement and find our students scoring as well as
other students in similar social economic conditions.
★ Some have said that having students go to school only four days
per week contributes to a poor work ethic.
In fact, the number of days or hours a person goes to school or
works a job is not a factor in establishing a true work ethic. A good
work ethic is an attitude of getting the job done and doing what is
expected, no matter how many hours or days it takes. We teach it at
home, at school, in church, and in the workplace by example, respect,
and support for appropriate behavior, not by adding more hours or
days of school or work
★ Some have said that the four-day week is bad for younger
children because child development specialists believe that their
short attention span prevents them from learning in a longer day.
The facts don't support that theory Our three years of experience
with the four-day week and the last two years with full day, every day
kindergarten confirm what other districts had found in this schedule
Young children can learn in longer days and they are not damaged by
the experience.
♦ Some have said that our claim of saving $150. 000per year is
"questionable”.
In fact we are saving over $ 150,000 per year In addition, a return
to the five-day week would cost us over $200,000 the first year
* Some have said that since we are the only district our size or
larger in Oregon using the four-day student week, it can't be a good
thing.
The facts support our continuation of the four-day week from an
educational as well as financial perspective Rather than worry ing
about who else is doing it, we should focus on our own results They
are positive It is working, and until the state provides adequate
funding to add additional days without cutting other programs, we
should continue this schedule
Park District slates meeting
The Willow Creek Park District
Letters to the Editor
.
will meet on Wednesdav, March 5,
at 7 P m at 1,16 lone C,t* Hal1
I
Editor's note: Letters to the editor must be signed The Gazette-Times will
not publish unsigned tetters. Please include your address and phone number
on all letters for use by the G-T office. The G-T reserves the right to edit
Write in Kilkenny on school board
To the Editor:
At their February meeting, the
Morrow County School Board was
presented a petition with 387
signatures of people, many of
them parents, who want a five-day
week for our students
John Kilkenny, a speaker at the
meeting who favors our children
going to school five days a week,
asked some important questions
about composition and distribution
of the surveys sent to parents from
the school.
He asked other
relevant and trenchant questions
Since this meeting John, who has
children in our schools, has been
asked and has agreed to let his
name be used as a write-in on the
ballot for Zone 6 as a school board
member He will be opposing
Barney Lindsay, a recent teacher at
Measure 47 an insult
To the Editor:
Measure 5 was bad enough.
Measure 47 is an insult and a slap
in the face to thinking people. It
essentially says that since the av­
erage person is not smart enough
to decide their local budgets, the
enlightened city folk will save us
from ourselves and put a cap and
cut on our property taxes. But
what if we are willing to spend
what it takes to maintain our liv­
ability?
The citizens of Heppner have
received a mail-in ballot for City
Measure 25-26. This measure
takes advantage of the opportu­
nity in Measure 47 for local votes
to override the limitations of Mea­
sure 47.
The Heppner City Council has
authorized sending Measure 25-
26 to the voters for two reasons:
1. Because 2/3 of Heppner
voters rejected Measure 47 last
fall;
•
2. Because implementation of
Measure 47 as is would result in
a loss of about 20 percent of our
present services;
3. Passage of Measure 25-26
will result in exactly the same $ 10/
$ 1,000 non-school tax rate as you
paid this year.
I know from the time I spent
on the city council that the present
budget is as tight as it can be and
still give us reasonable services.
A 20 percent reduction would take
a lot of the luster off our small­
town livability.
One last point: it is imperative
that everyone vote. We must have
at least a 50 percent turnout for
the election to be valid. I urge all
of you to return your ballot and I
ask that you vote “yes” for Mea­
sure 25-26.
Sincerely,
(s) Cliff Green
Heppner
Write in Padberg for park district
To the Editor:
On Tuesday , March 11 of this
year, we will be holding a special
election One of the purposes of
this election will be to choose two
at-large positions for four year
terms for the Willow Creek Park
District Only one candidate has
filed for these positions
The
Willow Creek Parte District has the
responsibility of directing our tax
dollars and can do its best job only
when it has a fully representative
board We need to fill the other
position
by
adding
the
representative of our choice to the
ballot when voting.
It is important that we write in a
candidate for this position who
will represent the interests of
youth, adults and senior citizens
alike. This candidate should be
Archie Padberg. Archie has
returned to Morrow County to
retire from his professional life as
a teacher and to give his time and
energy back to this community
where he lived as a boy
Please join me in writing in
Archie Padberg for one of the four
year at-large positions on the
Willow Creek Park District board
(s)Gail Hughes
Heppner
Water pollution program to be aired
Heppner TV will air "We All
Live Downstream", an Oregon
State University educational video
that examines nonpoint source
water pollution (pollution found in
runoff) on March 10, at 7 p.m. on
channel 3.
Nonpoint source pollution is
carried by rain, snowmelt and
irrigation that moves across the
landscape It flows from a variety
of sources including farms,
forests, city streets, construction
sites, mines and septic systems.
According to Morrow County
Extension agent Bill Broderick,
experts say that America's
growing population has made
urban and rural runoff the most
serious threat to our nation's
. rmking water supplies.
"We All Live Downstream" was
taped primarily in Oregon's
Tualatin River basin, but has
applications for every watershed in
the state, says Ron Miner. OSU
Extension
Water
Quality
specialist.
"The video's message is easy to
understand and should interest
anyone who is concerned about
healthy watersheds and clean
water supplies," said Miner "It
explores how Oregon residents
and government officials are try ing
to reduce nonpoint source
pollution, and offers a variety of
tips that can help Oregonians
protect their drinking water
sources
To The Editor
The Heppner Chamber of
Commerce urges Heppner citizens
to vote yes for the city tax levy
Ballot Measure 25-26.
City Ballot Measure 25-26 gives
Heppner voters the opportunity to
decide locally to restore funding
lost under Ballot Measure 47. If
approved by voters, the current
property tax rate of $ 10/$ 1000 for
all "non school" governments
would be maintained with a tax
rate no higher next year than the
rate paid this year
It is crucial that 50 percent of
registered voters cast ballots and
that the measure is approved by a
majority of those voting A yes
vote would maintain the current
level of law enforcement, fire
protection, parks maintenance,
debns clean-up and other public
works functions
(s)Claudia Hughes, Exec. Dir
Heppner Chamber of Commerce
» .C*
Decisions based on false assumptions
To the Editor:
Following is the list of schools
and their enrollments that are cur­
rently on the four-day week:
tnroUnwirt e» BchWl OMtrtCtt w«h 4-0« y ffitfi
Qtaua_____________________ —g—. «-Trfimni_______________
Burnt Rhror
Doya Crook
an
North DougtM
STO
822
427
Mcrwmont
Ptoo Crook
•
BuaoPMo
aea
223
IM
Morrow SO 1
2.032
Porrydoto
303
C omo
277
North Pondor
22S
Unton
S27
Foool
121
•prwy
•1
Morrow County schools make
up a third of the enrollments.
Grant County Press reported that
a recent survey of Morrow
County employees, students and
parents chose the four-day week
by 75 percent.
Statistics such as this “sup­
posed” approval rate in Morrow
County were used to encourage
the John Day School District to
join this questionably select group,
which it has now done for next
school year.
Actually only parents were
asked to respond to the most re­
cent “survey.” Of the 2145 stu­
dents listed for Morrow County,
only 445 questionnaires were re­
turned. There is no breakdown as
to how many of these respondents
were teachers or school employ­
ees.
Morrow County Superintendent
Starr reported that 67 percent
were in favor of four-day weeks.
This totals 298 in favor. Petitions
that have been signed (and turned
in) against the four-day week num­
bered 387 signatures.
Our school district has been
making decisions on very false
assumptions and opposed to edu­
cationally sound practices and re­
search.
Sincerely,
(s) Meg Murray
Ione
Four-day week jeopardizing kids
To the Editor,
Time to put our 20 cents worth
in concerning the determination of
some of the members of the
Morrow County School Board to
continue with the four day school
week. If memory senes, money
would
be
saved
through
transportation costs and school
lunch programs.
The target
savings would be $200,000. 1 just
called the school office and was
told that the 1996-97 budget is
$14,045,368. $200.000 is just a
drop in the bucket-not worth
jeopardizing the education of our
children
And that is what is happening,
folks Of course the teachers like
a four day week Of course the
children love a four day week. But
will these children thank us when
they get into the real world9 Few
can leam in four days as much as
4
can be learned in five days
(s)Ken and Lucile Peck
Lexington
VOTE JOHN KII KEXXY
for a five-day week
Write-in for Zone 6 School Board
Paid for by Committee to Elect John Kilkenny
NEED WORKERS
.FOR YOUR SPRING PROJECTS?
WE CAN HELP
I
HHS TEMP SERVICES Offers You:
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Lots of young workers
Opportunity to help local youth
Ability to get your big jobs done quickly
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For information, call Mr. Grant or Justin Matteson
676-9138
E
MARCH 1
I
Whole Roasted Pig
ÆK.
ALL YOU Ai
r? r
CAN EAT VO - /□
Tom Lohuia
Serving starts at 5 p.m.
Wear your favorite Hawaiian garb!
BUCKNUM'S TAVERN
HEPPNER
•»
I_ »
Heppner High School
Barney
Lindsay favors our children going
to school four days a week
This will give an opportunity for
those who want a five-day school
to vote for John Kilkenny, or those
who want a four-day school to
vote for Mr Lindsay
Another way to show stance is to
come to the board meeting in
Lexington next Monday , March 3
at 7:30 p.m. At this time the tie
vote taken by the board will be
broken by Gary Frederickson,
Boardman Mr Frederickson was
absent at the February meeting
If you can't attend the meeting on
the third you may wish to call Mr
Frederickson with your views. His
phone number is 481-6225
(s)Suzanne Jepsen
Heppner
Vote "yes" on city measure
Mens
Wear
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