Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 2003)
School board hears protests against Heppner staffing cuts B a s s i e .V o ta e l 1 U of J N axapa^ar Eu^ano, OR 974J5 V0L. 122 NO. 3 8 Pages Wednesday, January 15,2003 , Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon E-board approves request for ATV funding T he M o rro w C ou n ty School Board m eeting M onday night at H eppner Elem entary School provided a forum for p e o p le p r o te s tin g c u ts to H eppner’s elem entary and high school programs. “ The budget cuts m ade at the D ecem ber board m eeting were based solely on income vs. expenditures between schools,” said Heppner Elementary teacher C a ra O s m in , th e H E S S ite Council chair. “We feel that they w e re n o t b a s e d o n th e e d u c a tio n a l in te re sts o f ou r district’s children." In a prepared statement, Osmin said that “class sizes will be extrem ely large, re p re se n tin g a c o n sid e ra b le discrepancy between students to te a c h e r r a tio s a c r o s s th e elementary schools in our district. With the sta ff cuts we m ay be forced to have only one teacher per grade level o f students.” Osmin said that with the s ta f f in g c u ts , n e x t y e a r 's kindergarten class at HES would have 17 students, first grade-20, second grade-24, third grade- 35, fourth grade-33, fifth grade- 28 and sixth grade-38. She said that no m ore than 18 students per one teacher or 25 students w ith tw o adults is “ optim um .” “ We will suffer educationally more than any other elementary school in our district,” she said. “The board goal is to have equity in funding for each individual school in the district, but where is th e e q u ity in s tu d e n t s ’ educational needs? We do not see any equity in what is and should be important to the board: our children.” Molly Rill, also a teacher at HES, said that a group o f around 30 citizens got together to brainstorm w ays to increase revenue to the school and offset the cuts. A nother m eeting is planned for Jan. 25, after which the recom m endations will be presented to the HES principal. “We need to look for equality in curriculum,” said Rill. T h e b o a rd to o k no action concerning the issues o f staffing or budget cuts. In other business, the board: -ap p ro v e d retirem en t for: S u sa n T o lar, from h er p o s itio n as Sam B o ard m an Elementary School principal as o f June 30; M arlene Pointer, from her elem entary teaching position at lone Schools as o f Dec. 19; Nancy Daw kins, from her position as A.C. Houghton E le m e n ta ry S c h o o l T itle 1 teacher; Joyce Hesla, from her position as ACH special reading teacher as o f Dec. 31. -accepted resignations for Ray Davis from his extra duty c o n tra c t as R iv e rsid e H igh School assistant girls' basketball coach; and C huck M atteson from his extra duty contract as H e p p n e r H igh S chool head boys’ basketball coach. -approved promotion o f Ken Eckman from HHS assistant boys’ basketball coach to head boys’ basketball coach, replacing Chuck Matteson. -a p p ro v e d in te rim agreements for: Marlene Pointer to c o n tin u e in her te a c h in g position at lone Schools from Jan. 6 through June 13; Joyce Hesla, to continue in her teaching position at ACH from Jan. 6 through June 13. -ap p ro v ed ex tra duty contract for M egan Andreason, RHS assistant g irls’ basketball coach, replacing Ray Davis. - r e c o g n iz e d th e following for their years o f service at H eppner Elem entary: Lom a B o te fu h r-fiv e y e a rs; K aren Sm ith-G riffith-15 years; Nancy McElhaney-25 years; and Linda Padberg-25 years. - h e a r d a r e p o r t on construction progress from Nan Hall w ith H eery International, who said that raising the building at the Irrigon school construction site to prevent problem s with Hooding is expected to be under budget at aro u n d $225 ,0 0 0 , r a th e r th a n th e e s tim a te d $400,000. Hall said that the fo u n d a tio n w o rk h a s b e e n com pleted at lone and w orkers are m oving on to m asonry and wall framing. She also said that H eppner E le m e n ta r y construction has been m oving “pretty m uch as per schedule”, how ever, she added that the speed bumps on the street where children will walk betw een the elem entary b u ilding and the cafeteria-gym are not effective and may have to be redone. -h e a rd fro m Superintendent Dr. Jack Crippen that with the directive to close the c u r r e n t d is tr ic t o f f i c e in Lexington, plans are to relocate the special education directo r’s and m aintenance su p e rv iso r’s offices to the alternative school in Irrigon and the administrative office to H eppner E lem entary School. Dr. Crippen said that he plans to create a d ire c to r o f programs position and eliminate one assistant principal position so that Riverside High School and C o lu m b ia M id d le S c h o o l, c u rre n tly w ith one assistan t principal each, will share one person in that capacity. The principal’s position at lone, now a fu ll-tim e p o sitio n , will be divided betw een H eppner and lone. -instructed Dr. Crippen to proceed with plans to put the district office building up for sale. -heard from Dr. Crippen th a t th re e c o n tr a c ts , th e a d m in istra to rs', co n fid en tial e m p lo y e e s ’ a n d t e a c h e r s ’ contracts will all be up for renewal this year. The recently settled teachers’ contract w as only for one year and was retroactive. B oard m em b e r L arry M ills b ro u g h t up th e g o v e r n o r ’s rec o m m e n d a tio n o f a w age freeze. - r e s c in d e d th e regulations establishing advisory c o m m itte e s a n d in s te a d established standing education committees: the Morrow County Computer Education Committee. th e B o a r d m a n - lr r ig o n C o m m u n ity E d u c a tio n , the Heppner Community Education Committee, the lone Community Education C om m ittee and the M o rro w T r a n s p o r ta tio n Committee. -h ea rd the fo llo w in g announcem ents: M artin Luther King Jr. holiday-Jan. 20; board work session via V-Tel-Jan. 23, 8 a.m. at Riverside High School, the district office and the ( )regon D epartm ent o f Education; next board m eeting-Sam Boardman Elem entary School. 7:30 p.m., M onday, Feb. 10. HHS offers last chance to donate coats (L-R): Terry Tallman, Michael Carrier, director of the Oregon Parks Dept., Burke O'Brien, Karen Wolff and Martin Davis, in Salem at the Capitol. T h e O re g o n S ta te Legislature’s Emergency Board (E -b o a rd ) has a p p ro v e d the r e q u e s t m a d e by M o rro w C o u n ty fo r fu n d in g for the proposed ATV Park. Terry Tallm an, Burke O ’Brien, Tom and Karen W olff and M artin Davis all w ent to S alem , T hursday, Jan. 9, to submit the funding proposal to the E - b o a rd . M ic h a e l C a r rie r, director o f the Oregon Parks and R ecreation D epartm ent, with Tallm an by his side m ade the presentation to the E-board. The E-board “ increased the o th er funds e x p e n d itu re lim itation for the P arks and R e c re a tio n D e p a rtm e n t, by $1,718,657, for an All-Terrain V e h ic le p a rk in M o rro w County,” according to a summary report o f the Emeigency Board's actions. The final funding will have to be a p p ro v ed by the Parks C om m ission before any further plans can be m ade. The Parks Commission is believed to make a decision within the next tw o w eeks, according to the Public Works office. Annual Town and County banquet is this Thursday The annual Town and C ounty banquet will be held Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m ., at the Elk’s Hall in Heppner. A no- host social hour will be held at 6 p m Ballot Measure 28 out for the vote V o te rs th r o u g h o u t O re g o n h av e re c e iv e d th e ir ballots for Measure 28. Measure 28 p r o p o s e s a te m p o r a r y increase o f income tax rates for three years. The increased rates w ould apply to taxable incom e earned in the 2002, 2003 and 2004 tax years, with the existing tax rates restored in 2005 and later tax years. Ballots must be received by Jan. 28, at 8 p.m. Postm arks will not be included. Ballots may be m ailed or dropped o ff at any o n e o f s e v e r a l b a llo t box locations. If mailing your ballot, you need to allow ample time for the post office to deliver if as any ballots received after 8 p.m. on Jan. 28 will be ineligible for counting. M orrow County ballot boxes w ill be located at the following sites: in Heppner, at the M orrow C ounty C ourt H ouse C le rk ’s O ffice; in lone, at the B ank o f E astern O reg o n ; in Lexington, at the Public Works Building; in Irrigon, at the Justice Court lobby; and in Boardman, at the Behavioral Health Building. All box locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day, except for Bank o f Eastern O regon, w hich will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and M orrow C ounty C ourthouse C lerk 's O ffice, w hich will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. G u e s t s p e a k e r , B ill Evans will give a talk entitled “ D on’t Panic Today, Wait Until Tomorrow.” A w ards w ill a lso be given out, during the evening, in various categories. T h o s e in te r e s te d in attending can purchase tickets at: B a n k o f E a s te r n O r e g o n , H eppner and lone branches; M urray Drugs; K lam ath First; and the Cham ber o f Commerce. OSU Extension Service to be closed for holiday T h e O S U E x te n sio n Service office will be closed Monday, Jan. 20, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. Students that helped with the HHS coat drive: (hack l-r): Ashley Ward, Lacey Davis. Blake Allstott. Marcy Miller and Madison Bailey, (front l-r): Luke Murray, Chuy Elguezahal. Brad Adams, Josh Lankford, Brian llagiiewood. Tyler Henderson and Matt Kenny. Not pictured are Lacey Matteson, C'hantea Macaulay, Nicole Wilson, Courtney Nelson, Donald Adams, Tony Haguewood and Billy Cates (an IHS student) H eppner High School students held their original coat d riv e for the N e ig h b o rh o o d C e n te r on Ja n . 5, b u t th ey w anted to offer the com m unity o n e m o re c h a n c e to h e lp contribute. If you w o u ld like to d o n ate any ja c k e ts or o th er w inter clothes, call the HHS at 676-9138 and leave your street address. Students will be sent out Ja n . 2 1 -2 4 to p ic k up an y donations called in. So far the students have brought in over 275 coats along with num erous other clothing items. They have also gathered $ 195 in donation m oney for the C e n te r to p u r c h a s e o th e r miscellaneous items that might be needed for th o se the C en ter helps. GET WORK DONE NOW... PAY FOR IT LATER! Purchase a minimum of $1,000 in CASE IH parts and/or labor and PAY N O IN TER EST and M A K E N O PAYM ENTS until June 20031 Ask your M C C C representative about the Case Credit Vantaqe Account ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M. I M orrow C o u n ty G r a in G row ers £««£2* Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 For farm equipment, visit our web site at www.mtgg.net 1
