Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 1998)
SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, September 30,1998 New teachers on the job at South Morrow County Schools Eight new teachers started school this fall at south Morrow County Schools. Chns Davis and Duane Neiffer are new to lone Schools; Barb Orwick, Karen Holland and Sue Gibbs have new positions at Heppner Elementary School; Jason Just and Mona Hardman are newly- hired staff at Heppner High School; and Darlene Marquardt divides her time among all three schools. Chris Davis v v N \\\\ s’ *\m W .4 Chris Davis, 24, teaches geography, social studies, history and government at lone High School. Originally from Prosser, Washington, Davis graduated from Prosser High School and then attended Eastern Washington University at Cheney, WA, where he graduated in 1997 with a degree in social science and secondary education. Davis, who played football in high school and has coached football and basketball, is volunteering as an assistant football coach at lone. He is in charge of the IHS yearbook and International Club advisor. Davis fenjoys golf, basketball and hiking. He and his wife, Sara, live in lone with their three-year-old son, Conner. Sara is in the process of completing her degree in elementary education. £ Duane Neiffer While new to his position at lone Schools, Duane Neiffer is not new to Morrow County, teaching previously at Heppner and at Boardman. Neiffer, 48, now teaches seventh and eighth grade science, high school biology, geology and PE at lone Schools. Originally from Montana, Neiffer, graduated from Dawson County High School at Glendive, MT. He attended Dawson College at Glendive and then moved to Oregon, transferring to Oregon College of Education, now Western Oregon University at Monmouth. He graduated from OCE in 1972 with a bachelor of arts degree in secondary education with a double major in chemistry and physical science. He received his master's degree in physical science at OCE in 1976. He started his teaching career at Heppner High School in the fall of 1972, teaching physics, chemistry, earth science and geology until 1986 when the family moved to LaGrande. He worked there for three years, logging for Bruce Young of Heppner and working at Boise Cascade while his wife completed her degree in elementary education and received an endorsement as a reading specialist. In 1989 the NeifTers moved back to Morrow County. His wife, Linda, got a job teaching at Sam Boardman Elementary and he taught another year at Heppner. He then began working for the PGE Coal Fired Plant as a chemistry technician from 1990-94. They bought a farm in the Boardman area in 1992 and he raised cattle and substitute taught from 1994-96. From 1996-98 he taught special education at Hermiston. In 1997 the Neiffer children, started attending school at lone Schools and the family has moved to lone. Jacob, 16, is a junior at IHS, Adam, 14, is a freshman, and Paul, 12, is a seventh grader. "We like small schools and the rural environment," said Neiffer. "We've always been tied to agriculture and we know a lot of people here." The Neiffers enjoy family activities and have manned the Heppner Ranger District lookout at Madison Butte as a family for the last two years. They also enjoy raising livestock and the kids have been active in 4-H and sports. Duane, who is a rock hound, says he likes being able to teach geology. "Not too many schools offer it,” he says. "It's great to have the opportunity. Sue Gibbs Sue Gibbs, 31, is originally from Colorado. She graduated from high school at Eatonville High School in Washington. She attended Washington State University at Pullman, receiving a bachelor of science degree in animal science in 1989. She returned to school at Oregon State University and then went to Eastern Oregon University at LaGrande where she earned a degree from OSU in range resources. She met her husband, Jay, while attending OSU and working for the MC Ranch, at that time the largest ranch in Oregon with two and a half million acres, raising cattle, hay, wheat and other grains. She then moved to Pendleton where she worked in wholesale livestock and power fencing equipment and then returned to school. She began working at CB Research Center out of Pendleton in wheat genetics. Her husband was working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and got a position working in Condon. They stayed in Condon for several years and she worked for ranchers, running cattle and feeding livestock. She then made a turning point in her life, when she took a job as a preschool aide. "I fell in love with it and knew that I wanted to get my teaching certificate," said Gibbs. She called up a professor she knew at Eastern and set up an independent study program, taking courses one at a time until she returned to school full time last fall to take the education classes she needed. Gibbs was able to complete her student teaching at Heppner Elementary School for teacher Cherry Webber. Gibbs did barrel racing and goat tying in high school and barrel racing, breakaway and goat tying in college. She especially enjoyed training a colt for barrel racing and was even able to use the proceeds of the sale of the horse to put herself through school. Gibbs says she loves living in Heppner because of its "positive attitude" and comments that the staff at Heppner Elementary is "wonderful" and has been really supportive. "I've enjoyed it a great deal," she said."I'm looking forward to a great year Gibbs and her husband, Jay, have two children. Garret, who was bom in 1994, and Macy, who was bom in 1997. Karen Holland Karen Holland, 38, is originally from Rogue River near Grants Pass and graduated from Rogue River High School. After graduation she attended Southern Oregon State College, now Southern Oregon University, at Ashland, where she received a bachelor of arts degree in Spanish. She spent a year studying in Mexico on an exchange program and then went to Eastern Oregon State College at LaGrande, now Eastern Oregon University, where she earned another bachelor's degree, this time in education, with a specialty in bilingual elementary education. She got her first job teaching at a bilingual school in the Portland area. She and her husband, Dale, were married and then moved to Ontario where they both taught school-he high . school chemistry and science and she third grade. From there they moved to Unity where she substitute taught all grades, kindergarten through 12 "in everything including metal shop," laughs Holland. At Unity her husband taught upper division math and science, coached sports and was the athletic director. The family then moved to lone and she substitute taught in lone, Boardman and Heppner. When her youngest got into school, she began teaching full time third and fourth multi-age grouping. "I enjoy my class, especially knowing what I'm going to do every day. I'm getting to know my kids," said Holland. "There are some really nice kids her and it's a nice new school." The Hollands have three children, Barbara, 11, who is in the sixth grade at lone; Stephanie, nine, who is in the fourth grade; and Thomas, six, who is in kindergarten. Hardman graduated from Crook County High School in Pnneville. She then attended Central Oregon Community College in Bend for two years before transferring to Oregon State University where she received a bachelor of arts degree in humanities and received her teacher's certificate. She taught art for two years at Crook County Middle School and then returned to college at Western Oregon University. After renewing her basic teaching certificate she was again hired as an art teacher at CCMS. While in Pnneville she trained a horse to barrel race and competed at rodeos. After she mamed her husband Dennis, they moved to Newberg. During this time, she was employed in the Portland area four and a half years in clerical/secretanal work. She also took additional art classes at Portland State University and exhibited her art in a juried show. In 1992 she enrolled in the Washington State University master's program in counseling psychology at WSU's Tri Cities campus. They moved to Silverton for a short while after she completed her degree. She was then hired as an elementary school counselor in Hermiston and substitute taught mostly bilingual students at Umatilla and Pasco. Hardman enjoys her floor loom and has demonstrated weaving at the Oregon State Fair. She is a member of the Friends church and has worked as camp counselor at the Twin Rocks Friends Camp. She has also done volunteer work at a counseling agency which also distributed food and clothing. She is a member of the Allied Arts Gallery and enjoys traveling. Hardman's husband is self employed as a design draftsman and has worked as a computer aided draftsman. He is currently working through a construction company in Hermiston. "I've found there seems to be a lot of community involvement here and I'm really impressed with that," says Hardman. "I'm looking forward to getting to know more people in the community. rural town provides and added that the students here are "so much more capable" than other places lie has taught. Just and his wife, Stacy, have two children, Aubree, eight, a third grader at Heppner Elementary School, and Logan, seven, a first grader at HES, and are anxiously awaiting a third baby. Stacy is an art education major and hopes to return to school 16 finish her degree. The family enjoys spending time together, camping and hiking. They also have two horses, a Tennesee Walker- Morgan mare and a colt that is half quarterhorse, 1/4 Tennesee Walker and 1/4 Morgan. Barb Orwick While Barb Orwick is new to her class at Heppner Elementary School, she is certainly no stranger to the Heppner- Lexmgton area. Orwick, who is currently teaching fifth and sixth-grade math and fifth-grade reading at HES, first started teaching at Heppner in 1979. She taught fifth grade at HES for two years before marrying her husband, Mike, and moving to Springfield. She then was hired in Boardman. teaching special education classes half time at Riverside High School. She and her husband then moved to LaGrande and Cove where she substitute taught, primarily in special education. Orwick returned to Lexington in 1988 and substituted a year before being hired as a sixth- grade teacher, mainly in social studies. She taught sixth grade for three years and then became the Title I teacher for the next six years, with one year in the middle teaching junior high school home ec. The Orwicks have two children, Doug. 13, who is an eighth grader at Heppner Junior High, and Elizabeth, 11, who is a sixth grader at HES. Her husband is a machinist at the PGE Coal Fired Plant in Boardman. The Orwicks built their own house in Lexington. Barb Orwick enjoys reading, sewing, and playing golf. For several years she conducted study skills classes for kids in fifth grade through high school. Jason Just Mona Hardman Mona Hardman, 52, is the new counselor at Heppner High School, replacing Barbara Hayes who retired. Hardman, one of five children, grew up working on her family's cattle and hay operation in Pnneville and returned summers to help out until she finished college. As a youngster she was involved in 4-H clothing and leather craft. Jason Just has been hired as a science teacher at Heppner High School. Just, 31, credits a six-year career in the military for his interest in science. Just graduated from Sunnyside, WA, High School in 1985 and then attended Eastern Washington University at Ellensburg, WA, for a short while before joining the Army. While in the Army he worked as a physical therapy assistant and so, after discharge, returned to EWU to pursue a career in physical therapy. But, while he was there, a study group in which he was involved nurtured his passion for teaching and he decided what he really wanted to do was become a teacher. He graduated from EWU in 1997 with a bachelor of science degree with a major in health and a minor in chemistry. After graduation Just substitute taught for Cheney Middle School and Medical Lake High School before being hired at HHS. Just says he enjoys the atmosphere a small Darlene Marquardt Darlene Marquardt, Athena, newly hired music teacher for lone and Heppner schools, has special ties to the Heppner- Lexington area. Marquardt is married to Jim Marquardt whom she met over the Internet. Jim Marquardt grew up in Lexington and graduated from Heppner High School. Marquardt, 51, was bom in Indiana, but grew up in the Portland area, graduating from Gresham High School. She attended Cascade College for three years and then transferred to Oregon College of Education, now Western Oregon University, where she received a bachelor's degree in music education. She did her student teaching in the David Douglas School District in Portland. After graduation, Marquardt moved to Newport, where she worked for the Lincoln County School District full time for two years and then substitute taught. While in Newport, she was instrumental in starting two day care facilities. Marquardt then returned to school at Oregon State University where she received a master's degree in education. From there she moved to California and then Nevada and taught music in the public school system at both places. While at Nevada she got a master's degree in business administration and spent two years working in the business field, mostly in insurance. Marquardt then returned to Newport where she, along with another woman, started the Sonshine Christian School and worked as administrator of the school for five years. Marquardt mamed her husband, who is a police officer for the city of Athena, and moved there in 1995. She lives in Heppner during the week and goes home on weekends. During her first year in Eastern Oregon, Marquardt substitute taught in the Pendleton School District. In March of 1996, she accepted a position finishing the year teaching business in Echo. The next two years she taught music in Echo. Marquardt, who is certified to teach both business and music, says she enjoys her job with the Morrow County School District. "Everybody has really made me feel like I belong to the community." Marquardt enjoys writing web pages and has written them for numerous agencies. She also likes cats, reading and plants. Marquardt has two children, Donica Mating, 24, who lives in West Palm Beach, FLA, and works for a temp agency and Duncan, 21, who lives in Salem and works for Willoughby's Beauty Supply. Varsity and JV teams beat lone in two games By Molly Rhea The Heppner varsity and JV net squads trotted down to lone on Tuesday, September 22, and both Mustang teams won their matches in two games. The varsity Mustangs jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead before lone was able to post a point in game one. The Cardinals chipped away at the Mustang lead to come within one point, 11-12, before Heppner pounded in the final three points to win game one 15-11. The second game was close throughout as the lead see sawed. Then with the Cardinals ahead, 14-13, the teams exchanged the serve four times before Amber Peck went back to ace points 14 and 15, and score point 16 off an lone miss to take the win, 16-14. Brooke Boyer and Jill Barber, along with Trisha Adams, performed the setting for the Mustangs. Casey Ingraham had a great night at the net with at least eight kills. The Mustangs served 82 percent (45/55) for the match. Contributing 100 percent from behind the service line were Peck (9/9), Barber (5/5), and Amy Papineau (4/4), Boyer served 13/14. The Heppner JVs led throughout both games to take their match in two quick games, 15-8, 15-8. As a team, the JVs served 76 percent (45/59). Abby Kahl (7/7), Macy Rhea (3/3) Amy Papineau (3/3) and Leah Denton (1/1) all served at 100 percent, Katie Shemtt was 10/11 for the match. The Mustangs traveled to Pilot Rock Tuesday, September 29, to kick off their CBC action. News deadline 5p.m. Monday
