SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 13, 2018
New ranger comes to Heppner
Vacation Bible school scheduled
Brandon Houck will
become the new Heppner
district ranger starting June
25.
“The Umatilla is fortu-
nate to have such a highly
qualified district ranger
join the forest’s leadership
staff,” said Eric Watrud,
Umatilla National Forest
supervisor. “His skills and
background are an out-
standing complement to the
priority work the Forest is
doing and the interests of
the communities and part-
ners that we serve.”
Houck replaces Ann
Niesen who transferred to
the Superior National For-
est as the Laurentian dis-
trict ranger in Aurora, MN.
Houck comes to the Uma-
tilla National Forest from
the Shoshone National For-
est in Dubois, WY where
he has served as a wildlife
biologist since 2014.
A multi-church Vaca-
tion Bible School (VBS)
will be held at Hope Luther-
an Church and the adjacent
parsonage beginning Mon-
day, June 18 and continuing
through Thursday, June
21. Monday evening will
begin with a free barbecue
for families at 5 p.m. and
an opportunity to register
for VBS.
A light supper will
be served for participants
Tuesday through Thursday
at 5:30 p.m. and each eve-
ning will conclude at 8 p.m.
This event is a collab-
orative effort by members
of Hopeful Saints Ministry
(Lutheran and Episcopal),
Methodist, Baptist and Naz-
arene churches.
Free summer lunch program
set up in Heppner
A free summer lunch
program for kids is under-
way at the Heppner City
Park.
The program, funded
by donations and volun-
teers, will be held Monday
through Friday from 11:30
a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the
park next to the Heppner
Oregon Trail Library. Chil-
dren are invited to attend.
According to volunteer
Linda Keith, the program
was started by Jackie Alle-
man when it was discovered
that school funding would
not be available this year.
The menu will include
sandwiches, fruit, vegeta-
bles and water. So far, vol-
unteers are paying for the
food out of pocket, along
with some donations. An
account to receive dona-
tions is in the process of
being set up.
For more information,
call Linda, 971-237-0832.
“I am excited for this
opportunity to work on the
Umatilla National Forest,”
said Houck. “I look forward
to meeting the Heppner
community and building re-
lationships so that, together,
we can accomplish some
great work on the public’s
land.”
Houck recently served
as acting district ranger on
the Nantahala Forest in
Murphy, NC. Prior to his
experience with the forest
service, Houck worked
for 15 years as the western
director of conservation
operations for the National
Wild Turkey Federation.
In this position, Houck
worked across the Midwest
and west developing and
managing the organiza-
tion’s wildlife program.
Houck is a certified
wildlife biologist and Na-
tional Conservation Leader-
ship Institute fellow. Houck
has a bachelor’s degree
in wildlife biology from
Kansas State University
and a master’s degree in
wildlife and fisheries sci-
ence from Mississippi State
University.
Born and raised in Kan-
sas on a cattle ranch, Houck
has personal connections
to rural economies and a
desire to maintain healthy,
productive forests that sup-
port local communities. Ac-
cording to the news release,
Houck has an extensive
background in collabora-
tion and partnership devel-
opment and is passionate
about building and main-
taining partnerships.
Houck and his wife,
Jamie, have been married
for 15 years and have two
children. He enjoys camp-
ing, hunting and fishing.
Morrow County schools see 171 seniors graduate this year
Morrow County School
Superintendent Dirk Dirk-
sen told the school board, at
their regular meeting Mon-
day night at Heppner El-
ementary School, that 171
students graduated from
the district this year. He
said Heppner High School
had 16 graduates this year,
but expects around 34
next year, with four hon-
ors grads. HHS students
earned 158 college credits
and received $106,000 in
scholarships. He said Ir-
rigon High School had 67
graduates, eight of those
as honors students, with
students earning 480 col-
lege credits and receiving
$886,000 in scholarships;
Riverside High School had
69 graduates, with 12 hon-
ors students, students earn-
ing 1,788 college credits
and receiving $900,000 in
scholarships.
At the meeting, the
board heard a presenta-
tion by Heppner Elemen-
tary School Principal Dieter
Waite illustrating the seven
new ActivPanels that the
district has installed in each
HES classroom, a special
education classroom and
an additional support room.
Waite said the new panels,
which take the place of the
old Promethean boards,
have a touch screen that
responds similarly to an
iPad or smart phone, but
on a much larger scale. He
said the panels are placed to
the kids’ height, depending
on grade level, so children
are able to reach the inter-
active screens. Waite said
the panels can also be used
with Chromebooks, as well
as laptops.
Waite credited the
Kilkenny family and the
Howard and Beth Bryant
Foundation for enabling
the district to purchase the
panels and also thanked
the school board, super-
intendent, IT department
and staff for facilitating the
project.
The board also ratified
a three-year agreement with
the Oregon School Employ-
ees Association with a 3.25
percent salary increase with
salary and longevity adjust-
ments and a three-percent
increase for teachers with
the Morrow County Educa-
tion Association, in addition
to other entities as follows:
-teachers’ salaries for
2018-19 start with a bach-
elor’s degree with no ad-
ditional educational hours
at $38,974 per school year
to those with a master’s
degree with 45 educational
hours at $70,007, plus ben-
efits. 2018-19 substitute
pay was raised to $202.60
per day
-director of special
education: annual salary of
$78,050, 175 work days per
year, including 150 student
contact days, 21 additional
work days, four paid holi-
days, 40 hours paid Oregon
sick time, five bereavement
days, three personal leave
days, 10 sick days, a $1,375
health insurance cap, tied
to the negotiated cap for
teachers.
-building adminis-
trators: Principals- Ele-
mentary, step 1-$96,654,
step 2-$100,532, step
3-$104,409; Second-
ary, step 1-$103,815,
step 2-$107,990, step
3-$112,166; Assistant
Principals: Elemen-
tary, steps 1-3-$87,943,
$91,462, $94,984; Sec-
ondary, $95,103, $98,920,
$102,739, with 225 work
days per year, six percent
employee contribution to
PERS, 12 paid sick days, 40
hours per year paid Oregon
sick time, five paid holidays,
five personal leave days,
health insurance tied to a
negotiated cap for teachers
(currently $1,375), $1,092
cell phone stipend annu-
ally, $337.50 per month
toward cell phone, insur-
ance, travel or an annuity,
a maximum of nine credit
hours of tuition, the cost
of two state professional
education organizations and
one national professional
education membership.
-human resources/exec-
utive secretary: salary rang-
ing from step 1-$45,658 to
step 15-$60,244, with 250
work days a year, negotiat-
ed cap for health insurance,
PERS pick up, nine hours of
college credit, 18 days’ va-
cation, 12 days’ sick leave,
40 hours Oregon sick leave,
11 paid holidays, four days
bereavement leave.
-confidential employ-
ees: payroll specialist rang-
ing from step 1-$46,043 to
step 15-$60,754; fiscal ser-
vice specialist from $40,753
to $53,773, student services
technician from $43,010
to $56,751, maintenance
coordinator from $43,998
to $58,054, administra-
tive assistant from $32,533
to $42,926/administrative
assistant-225 days/1,800
hours, maintenance coor-
dinator, fiscal services spe-
cialist/AP, payroll specialist
and student services data
manager, 250 days, 2,000
annual hours with insur-
ance benefits, holidays,
sick leave and additional
benefits.
-coaches: high school
athletic director (steps
0 through 4)-$4,041-
$4,898, high school head
coaches-$3,797 to $4774,
high school JV coach-
es-$2,939 to $3,428, high
school third assistant or
C-team-$1,958-$2,448,
junior high athletic di-
r e c t o r- $ 2 , 0 2 0 - $ 2 , 4 4 8 ;
junior high head
coach-$1,339-$1,986; ju-
nior high assistant coach
$1,010-$1,414.
In other business, the
board:
-adopted a $40 million
budget for the coming year
and appropriated taxes (see
additional story).
-approved a .30 cent
raise in the cost of adult
lunches from $3.35 to $3.65
and a .40 cent increase in
adult breakfasts from $2 to
$2.40 to “meet federal eq-
uity pricing requirements,”
and “offset the continuing
increases in the cost of
food.”
-adopted policy on
medical examinations and
drug testing for new em-
ployees, which will be paid
by the district up front.
-received the following
enrollment report for June:
A.C. Houghton-280, Sam
Boardman Elementary-351,
Murray’s opens
Willow Creek Water
new Boardman
Park now open for
Pharmacy
the season
The Willow Creek Water Park is now open from 1 to 8
p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Daily admission for adults is $4, students $3 and
children $2. Family passes are available for $140 and a
single pass for $75.
Swimming lessons for levels one through six will
begin July 9 and July 30, running for two weeks.
STEP HIGH
COW PIE
5k Trail Run
Saturday June
16, 2018
Race starts at 8:00am
(registration starts at 7:15am)
LDS Church in Lexington
(Tom St. and Highway 74)
Murray’s new phar-
macy in Boardman opened
on June 1 with Sean Murray
as the clinical pharmacist
manager. Relief pharma-
cists are John Murray, Ann
Murray and Laurie Murray
Wood.
The new pharmacy will
be open Monday through
Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
and closed for lunch from 1
to 1:30 p.m.
Prescriptions may be
filled by calling 541-481-
9474 or 855-763-6152 or
Cost: $10 Tee Shirts: $15
This is a trail run through cow pastures and
sagebrush fields. Watch out for cow pies.
Fund raiser for the Heppner Wrestling Teams.
Church Services 1st
& 3rd Sundays
Available
Weddings ♦ Funerals
Family Events
Old
Country
Church
All are
Welcome
contracts for 2018-19-Luis
Campos, IJSHS head high
school boys’ soccer coach,
Whitney Ellison-Coffman,
IJSHS head cheerleading
coach, George Izzett, IJSHS
head high school girls’ soc-
cer coach.
-approved the follow-
ing 2017-18 spring coach-
es (Heppner listed only):
Heppner High School-An-
dy Stelk, head baseball,
Timothy Wilkins, assistant
baseball, Russ Nichols and
Laura Winters, co-head/as-
sistant track, Greg Grant,
head golf, Matt Scrivner,
assistant golf, Rick John-
ston, head softball, Janelle
Ellis and Mike Correa,
co-assistant softball; Hep-
pner Junior High-Antonia
Nichols, head track, Brandi
Sweeney, assistant track.
-approved 2018-19 or-
ganizational details.
-accepted and appropri-
ated $800 for the Irrigon Jr./
Sr. High School ASB
-heard the following
announcements: all Irrigon
schools and Heppner High
School summer school,
June 12-29, Riverside credit
recovery, June, all Board-
man schools and Heppner
Elementary, July 31-August
15, jumpstart kindergarten
programs for all communi-
ties, July 31-August 15;
Oregon School Board Asso-
ciation summer conference,
July 20-22; administration
returns to school August
1; staff in-service August
20-23; students begin-Au-
gust 27; next regular board
meeting, August 13, Hep-
pner Elementary.
Spring Chinook
season extended on
Umatilla River
The spring Chinook
season on the lower Uma-
tilla River from the Hwy
730 bridge to Threemile
Dam has been extended
through June 30 thanks to a
strong return to the Three-
mile Dam. The season was
originally set to close after
June 10.
Sean Murray, PharmD
“After a slow start to
on their website at murray- Chinook run, the numbers
sdrug.com. Deliveries are have picked up enough this
available in the Boardman month that we can offer
and Irrigon areas.
some additional fishing op-
portunity,” said Bill Duke,
ODFW district fish biolo-
gist in Pendleton. To date,
2,400 spring Chinook have
been counted at Threemile
Dam and anglers have har-
vested 450 fish.
The daily bag limit will
continue to be two adipose
fin-clipped adult Chinook
for:
and five fin-clipped jacks.
Valby Lutheran Church
Valby Road
Ione Oregon. 97843
5k
Heppner Elementary-172,
Irrigon Elementary-212,
Windy River Elementa-
ry-254, Heppner Jr./Sr. High
School-172, Irrigon Jr./Sr.
High School-342, Riverside
Jr./Sr. High School-414,
Morrow Education Cen-
ter-72, Total-2,269.
-approved the follow-
ing employment action:
resignations/non-renew-
als-Clair Costello, RJSHS
head baseball coach, Kel-
lie LaFramboise, WRE
fifth grade teacher, Megan
McDonough, WRE Title
I teacher, Gina Patterson,
RJSHS assistant high
school volleyball coach,
Rebecca Renfro, RJSHS
junior high assistant vol-
leyball coach, Nancy Ro-
driguez, RJSHS assistant
junior high track coach;
retirements-Melissa Dunn,
SBE head cook, June 18,
Linda Workman, HES as-
sistant custodian, June 30;
employment/promotions/
transfers for 2018-19-Jack-
ie Alleman, HES head cook,
Tresa Grieve, MEC be-
havior tech, George Izzett,
IJSHS band teacher, Susie
Lemmon, MEC secretary,
Tami Lien, HES assistant
custodian, Shelly Liscom,
MEC head teacher, Stella
Naillon, SBE third grade
teacher, Rosa Norwood,
MEC behavioral tech, Ce-
leste Rodriguez, SBE first
grade teacher, Caitlin Shim-
er, ACH first grade teacher;
summer custodial painting/
maintenance-Collin Dun-
lap, Boardman schools,
Ta m i L i e n , H e p p n e r
schools, Ken Thompson,
Irrigon schools; extra duty
Jack salmon are less than
24-inches long. A combined
angling tag is required for
this fishery. Anglers do not
need to record jack catch
on their combined angling
tags, but it is illegal to
continue fishing for jack
chinook once the adult bag
limit is met. Unmarked
(wild) fish must be released
carefully and unharmed.
The Umatilla River
from Threemile Dam to
CTUIR reservation bound-
ary is also open for spring
Chinook through June 30.
However, anglers will find
limited numbers of Chi-
nook in this area as all
adults currently collected
at Threemile dam are be-
ing transported upstream
and released into the upper
Umatilla River.
Deadline for ALL NEWS AND ADS
MONDAY 5:00 PM