Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 2003)
Local army man heads to middle east Arm y Sgt. E-5 Stacy Lauritsen o f Heppner is "somewhere in the M iddle East” according to his d a d C a rl L a u rits e n a ls o o f Heppner. Before heading to the Middle East Stacy served as a helicop ter crew chief in Afganistan where he receiv ed three air medals, one with a “V” for valor. He is currently deployed with the 160th special operations avaiation regiment (airborne) on a CH -47 Chinook helicopter. Lauritsen graduated from H eppner High School in 1997. He jo in ed the A rm y guard in M arch o f 1996 and went to ba sic at Ft. Jackson, SC in the sum m er o f 1996. He took advanced individual training at Ft. Eustis, VA in the sum m er o f 1997 for helicopter crewchief. In Septem ber o f 1998 he w ent on active duty at H unter Army Air Field in Savannah, GA, and in Dec. o f 1999 was trans ferred to C am p H um phries in Korea. The schools he has attended are: Bs33ie ¿etsel l U of J Neispa^r Li Eugen , UR 9 '4J3 Sgt. Stacy Lauritsen with his helicopter somehwere in Afganistan A nyone w ho would like to Prim ary L eadership D evelop w rite to Lauritsen can address m ent Course, Survival evasion letters to: Sgt. Lauritsen, Stacy resistance and escape, dunker L, J S O A C -W -F W D , A P O training and green pit. 09370. Election to be held for Morrow County districts On M ay 20, 2003, an electio n w ill be held for the p u r p o s e o f e le c tin g b o a rd members to fill the positions and term s for the following districts in M orrow County, Oregon. Boardman Cemetery District: Two positions at-large: VOL. 122 NO. 6 10 Pages Wednesday, February 5, 2003 Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon Continued Excellence For Heppner Schools By Wade A. Smith, Principal T he 200 1 -2 0 0 2 State Report Card was released to the public on Jan. 30. A gain, both schools in H eppner have done e x tr e m e ly w e ll, w ith th e elem entary school receiving an “Exceptional” rating and the high school earning a “ Satisfactory” score. Needless to say, it doesn’t take a num ber cruncher from the state to tell us w hat we already k n o w : H e p p n e r S c h o o ls , k indergarten through tw elfth grade, are top notch. Since the inception o f the State R ep o rt C ard, H ep p n er Schools have perform ed very w e ll. In 2 0 0 0 - 2 0 0 1 , th e elementary school’s Report Card w as “ S trong” w hile the high s c h o o l’s o v e ra ll ra tin g w as “ E xceptional.” M any changes have taken place over the last year in how the state com putes their school ratings. The overall rating is calculated by a weighted a v e r a g e o f th e f o llo w in g c o m p o n e n ts : S tu d e n t Performance, Student Behavior, and Improvement. A school can receive any one o f the following ratings: E xceptional, Strong, S a tis f a c to r y , Low , and Unacceptable. Overall Rating= Student P e r fo r m a n c e * + S tu d e n t B e h a v io r* + I m p ro v e m e n t Rating* * Student Performance is calculated using an average o f previous y e a r’s statew ide tests adm inistered to the appropriate g rad es (3, 5, 8, and 10). To receive at least a “ Satisfactory” rating a school m ust report a greater percentage o f students that meet, nearly meet, or exceed the standards. In this category, Heppner Elementary received a “ Strong” rating w hile H eppner H ig h S c h o o l r e c e iv e d a “ S a t is f a c t o r y .” H eppner Elementary received a “ Strong” because our R e a d in g Knowledge and Skills test scores increased by 5 percent while our M ath K n ow ledge and Skills scores decreased slightly. Both sets o f scores, needless to say, are well above the state average. H eppner High School received a “Satisfactory” rating because our scores dropped a bit last year from the year prior. Interestingly, our scores are still at or above the state averages in three out o f the four tests. However, because w e did n ot im p ro v e on ou r already respectable numbers, we could not receive greater than a “ Satisfactory” according to the state formula. *S tudent B e h a v io r is based prim arily on the average o f the attendance and dropout rates for the 2000-2001 and the 2 0 0 1 - 2 0 0 2 s c h o o l y e a rs . Needless to say, both schools did extrem ely w ell; w ith H eppner Elementary receiving a “Strong” rating and Heppner High School earning an “Exceptional” score. im p ro v e m e n t is based on a f o u r - y e a r tr e n d in assessm ent scores, attendance, a n d d r o p o u t r a te s . In th is category H eppner Elem entary received an “ Im proved” rating w hile H eppner H igh S ch o o l’s score w as a “ Stayed A bout the Sam e.” The elem entary school has seen steady grow th in math and reading scores over the last four years, which resulted in the above m ark. A lthough high school scores have increased in both reading and math, from 53 percent passing in 1998 to 66 percent last year, and 65 percent to 67 percent respectively, the scores did not increase enough according to the state to bum p us up in to th e “ I m p ro v e d ” category. An “Improved” rating would have boosted our overall school rep o rt c a rd ratin g to “Strong.” A f te r h e a r in g th e preliminary results a few months ago I was happy to discover that our elementary school has finally received the credit it deserves. The dedicated sta ff and truly outstanding students deserve to hang th eir State E xceptional Rating Flag proudly in their new gymnasium. It is exciting to see how h a rd w o rk , s ta ff d e v e lo p m e n t, a n d s tu d e n t performance can pay off. To be honest, however, I w as shocked to hear that the high school slipped tw o w hole ratings in one year. We jo in ed over one-forth o f the schools across the state that received a lower score than the year before. After considerable research and p h o n e c o n v e rsa tio n s w ith a num ber o f different people from the state departm ent, it is clear that the state has put far m ore emphasis on the improvement o f test results and the reflection they have on a schools’ overall rating. D e s p ite an “ E x c e p ti o n a l ” behavior rating and high test scores, the high school did not im prove enough in our scores and received no points in the Improvement category, resulting in a lower overall rating from the previous year. I find it hard to believe that a school such as ours, w ith test percentages in m ost cases higher than the state averages, is expected to improve e v e ry y e a r to m a in ta in an “Exceptional” rating. A lth o u g h I o p e n ly d is a g r e e w ith th e S t a t e ’s methodology, I am confident that my staff and I in both schools are up to the task to improve our test scores. We have w orked hard analyzing last y e a r’s results, m o d ify in g c u rric u lu m , and adapting lessons to insure that our student will continue to improve on our already favorable results. In b o th s c h o o ls w e h a v e purchased the Stars R eading A ssessm ent Program , w hich 1 am confident will help to improve our s t u d e n t ’s re a d in g com prehension. Likewise, our high school English teachers have b e e n w o r k in g d ilig e n tly em phasizing w riting through creative and free-writing lessons. Similarly we have focused since day one o f school in our m ath classes for students to explain and verify their answ ers on all problems. Needless to say, I am confident that w hen the 2002- 2003 report card is released next January that our students, grade school through high school, will have improved their scores. P le a s e h e lp m e in celebrating our excellent schools. As you run into our teachers and students around tow n, let them know how proud you are o f them and all o f their hard w ork that they put into their teaching and studies every day. O ne position is a four-year term ending June 30,2007; the other p o sitio n is a tw o -y e a r term ending June 30,2005. Boardman Park & Recreation District: T h ree positions at-large: each a four- year term ending June 30,2007. Boardman Rural Fire District: Two positions at-large: each a four-year term ending June 30, 2007. ‘ H eppner Cem etery Maintenance District: Two positions at-large: One position is a four-year term ending June 30,2007; the other position is for a two-year term ending June 30, 2005. Heppner Rural Fire District: Two positions at-large: O ne position is for a four-year term ending June 3 0 ,2007; the other position is a two-year term ending June 30,2005. H eppner W ater C on trol D istrict: T h re e positions at-large: each is a four- year term ending June 30,2007. Ione-Lexington C em etery D istrict: Tw o positions at-large: each position will be a four-year term ending June 30,2007. lo n e R ural Fire District: Two positions at-large: each a four-year term ending June 30, 2007. Irrigon C em etery District: Two positions at-large: each a four-year term ending June 30, 2007. Irrigon Park & R ecreation D istrict: T w o positions at large: each position will be a four-year term ending June 30,2007. Irrigon Rural Fire District: Two positions at large: each a four-year term ending June 30, 2007. M orrow C ounty Health District: Two positions. Position 4 and Position 5: each a four-year term ending June 30, 2007. M orrow C ounty School District: Five positions, Position 1, Position 3, Position 4, and Position 5: all four-year term s ending June 30, 2007; Position 6 is a tw o-year term ending June 30,2005. Oregon Trail Library District: Two positions. Position 2 and Position 4: each a four- year term ending June 30,2007. Port Of Morrow: Two positions, Position 4 and Position 5: each a four-year term ending June 30,2007. Unified Recreation District: Three positions: Zone 3, Zone 4 and Zone 5: each a four-year term ending June 30, 2007. Willow Creek Park District: T hree positions at- large: each a fo u r-y ear term ending June 30,2007. Heppner Community Education Committee: Three positions: Position 3, Position 5 and Position 6: each is a four-year term ending June 30,2007. B oard m an -lrrigon C om m unity Education Committee: F our positions: P o s itio n 2, P o s itio n 5 and Position 6: each is a four-year term en d in g June 30, 2007; Position 4 is a tw o-year term ending June 30,2005. lon e C om m unity Education Committee: Four positions: Position 1, Position 4 and Position 5: each a four-year term en d in g June 30, 2007; Position 6 is a tw o-year term ending June 30,2005. All candidates for these positions must file a petition with the M orrow County Clerk by M arch 20,2003. District forms are available from the County C lerk’s office or call (541 ) 676- 5604 to have an inform ation form sent to you. lone to decide on independent school district lone will be holding a com m unity m eeting, Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the lone School cafeteria and will be to decide w h e th e r lo n e s ta y s in th e M orrow County School District or forms an independent school district. Al M e u n ie r , an administrative consultant, will be at the m eeting to discuss the proposed budget, curriculum and a d m in is tra tiv e p la n fo r an independent lone School District. T h e S e l f D e te rm in a tio n Committee will also be ready to d isc u ss the process and the anticipated costs involved in separating from the MCSD. If comm unity members decided to secede, a petition w ill be available to be signed by any and all registered voters o f the M CSD who are present. C h i l d c a r e wi l l be available at the school. Consolidation school board topic The to p ic of consolidation o f H eppner and lone schools will be included on th e a g e n d a o f th e M o rro w County School D istrict Board meeting this Monday beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Sam Boardm an Elementary School in Boardman. M easure 28 voted down in Morrow County In a special election held Ja n . 2 8 , v o te rs in M o rro w C o u n ty d e c id e d a g a in s t a tem porary tax increase. The sam e fe e lin g w as re fle c te d throughout Oregon as M easure 28 w as voted down. In M o rro w C o u n ty , 3041 people voted, with 1579 people, 51.92 percent, voting no and 1459 people, 47.97 percent, voting yes. There w ere three u n d er vo tes, m aking up .09 percent o f the vote. A b re a k d o w n o f the fo llo w in g M o rro w C o u n ty precincts is as follows: P recin ct 1- N. Boardman: Yes: 89, No: 86; Precinct 2- S. Boardman: Yes: 2 0 1 , N o: 2 4 8 ; Precinct 3- Hardman: Yes: 11, No: 16; Precinct 4- lone: Yes: 184, No: 135; Precinct 5- N. Irrigon: Yes: 171, No: 274, and 1 under vote; Precinct 6- S. Irrigon: Yes: 167, N o: 2 6 3 ; Precinct 7- Lexington: Yes: 108, No: 122; Precinct 8- N.E. Heppner: Yes: 119, No: 124; Precinct 9- N.W. Heppner: Yes: 130, No: 100; Precinct 10- S.E. Heppner: Yes: 113, No: 96; and Precinct II- S.W. Heppner: Yes: 107, No: 73, and 2 under votes. You Are Invited To Attend Our CUSTOMER APPRECIATION PAY Saturday, February 1 5th CHECK OUT ALL OUR SPECIAL BUYS! ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: M O N D A Y S A T 5:00 P .M . \ Morrow County Grain Growers Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396 t* ™t m» « «• «c© ««
