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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 11, 2021)
EIGHT - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 11, 2021 Parents oppose children wearing masks at school By April Sykes A respectful crowd of around 50 people, mostly parents, showed up at the Morrow County School Board meeting Mon- day night in Heppner for MCSD’s monthly meet- ing. Although two Morrow County Sheriff’s deputies were on hand, no distur- bances occurred. The majority of those testifying expressed their opposition to their children wearing masks at school, citing the heat generat- ed by the masks, increase in the amount of Co2 in students’ blood resulting from breathing into masks, difficulty in breathing, mo- tion sickness and expos- ing children to “dangerous pathogens.” Another parent testified, “My children did not get the best education” during the last school year with home schooling and telecommunication. “Let’s go back to the Bible” and quit doing this to our children,” said Jeff Zimmerman. One woman started to testify but became too emotional to continue. Genessa Knowles, But- ter Creek, commented that their child wears a mask from catching the bus at 6:30 a.m. to returning home 4:30 p.m., resulting in a very long day, with over- heating, headaches, mo- Genessa and Brian Knowles Around 50 people showed up for the Morrow County School Board meeting in Heppner Monday night. tion sickness and difficulty breathing. MCSD Superintendent Dirk Dirksen, however, re- iterated that the district has to follow state-mandated regulations and mask re- quirements. “At this point in time. . .we’re looking at starting the year with masks,” he said. “I wish, as we all wish, we’d never heard of the word COVID. We got schools open as quickly as we could,” he added. “I think we’re in a better place.” Brian Knowles, Butter Creek, a Heppner school alumnus, asked whether the district would be following “Critical Race Theory”, to which Dirksen replied that the district would not. “We’re not changing any- thing,” he said. “We won’t be trying to sneak some- thing in.” Critical Race Theory “is the complete opposite of what we teach our kids,” said Knowles. “Good parenting is treating everyone the same.” Critical Race Theo- ry maintains that racism is “institutionalized and imbedded in America’s history, legal systems and policies” and acknowledges the “continuing impacts of slavery and segregation in America.” Also at the meeting, two new board members, Jacob Cain, and Kalie Da- vis, both Boardman, attend- ed their first school district meeting. Dirksen reminded the board that a school district bond issue is rapidly ap- proaching. “We’re in Catch 22 with our buildings,” he said. “Our buildings look good from the outside,” he added, but when you start looking behind the walls. . .” He said that in November and December information concerning the upcoming bond issue will be distrib- uted to the public, with the bond issue slated for a vote in the May 22 election. In other business, the board: -learned from Dirksen that the district has a 90 percent graduation rate. -heard from Dirksen concerning the agreement with the Morrow County Recreation District. He reiterated that there is no longer a pay-to-play cost for students and noted a signed agreement between the school district and the Morrow County Unified Recreation District indicat- ing as such. -approved a financial update highlighting “sig- nificant transactions” for the district as follows: “The district’s ending fund bal- ance is larger than antic- ipated due to the federal COVID funding and state grants. In addition, there were retirements or res- ignations during the year that were difficult to re- fill.” General Fund year-to- date collections: ESSER I Grant: $242,921.15; CDL Grant-$52,541; Business Oregon: $104,689; Special Revenue Funds year-to- date collected: Measure 98- $683,893 (fully utilized); SIA-$680,090 (fully uti- lized); and Morrow Educa- tion Foundation-$608,916. -accepted and appropri- ated the following unantic- ipated revenues: Heppner Schools-$1,000 each to the Associated Student Body Wild Horse Fund from Community Counseling, Devin Oil, Morrow County Health District and Miller and Sons.; $1,000 to Riv- Murray’s hosts beer, wine tasting event erside Jr./Sr. High School from the Oregon Commu- nity Foundation. -approved holding all meetings in the south end of the county at Heppner Elementary School and all in the north end at the Morrow Education Center in Irrigon. Previously meet- ings had rotated among all the schools. -learned that the sum- mer school schedule for high school recovery and a kindergarten through eighth grade jump start program including incoming kin- dergarteners began August 2 and will run through Au- gust 17. -heard that staff in-ser- vice will be held from Au- gust 23-26. -approved resolutions to accept unanticipated revenue and bank signer documents. -heard that students will begin school on August 30 and there will be no school on Monday, September 6, for the Labor Day holiday. -heard about employ- ment actions: -Resignations/non-re- newals: Aurdahl, Kyle - Principal – WRE; Cor- rea, Mike - .5 Assistant Softball Coach – HJSHS; Elliott, Michaelia - Assis- tant Custodian – IJSHS; Evans, Shanna - 4th Grade Teacher – WRE; Fennern, Justin - Head Cook – HES; Finck, Tracy - Educational Assistant – IJSHS; Grant, Virginia - Head Cheer- leading Coach – HJSHS; Krogh, Teri - Assistant Cook – ACH; Millard, Ben - Assistant Football Coach – IJSHS. -Employment/promo- tions/transfer: Barron, Ashli - Temporary 4th Grade Teacher – WRE, Bulow, Jacqueline - Temporary 5th Grade Teacher – IES; Calvillo, Sarah - Educa- tional Assistant – RJSHS; Christy, John - Principal – WRE; Cole, Adrienne - Special Education Teacher – IJSHS; Flynn, Rachel- Temporary Language Arts Teacher – RJSHS; Gattis, Tammy - Temporary 4th Jacob Cain. new board member Kalie Davis, new board member Grade Teacher; Gomez, Alejandra - Educational Assistant – WRE; Huer- ta, Maria - Educational Assistant – WRE; Kirk, Andrew - Science Teacher – IJSHS; Lindner, Candice - Language Arts Teacher – RJSHS; Locey, Dan - JH Science Teacher – IJSHS; Miller, Annika - Temporary 6th Grade Teacher – WRE; Navarro, Daisey - Educa- tional Assistant – RJSHS; Paullus, Delaney - ELL Teacher – SBE; Pope, Jen- nifer - ELL Teacher – ACH; Scanlan, Margaretta - Tem- porary 6th Grade Teacher – WRE; Sheller, Steven - As- sistant Principal – RJSHS; Sorensen, Jake - Assis- tant Custodian – IJSHS; Vanderploeg, Katrina - JH Math Teacher – IJSHS; Walker, Don - STEAM Head Teacher – MCSD; Williams, Savannah - Art Teacher – IJSHS; Wirth, Jennifer - Life Skills Spe- cial Education Teacher - MCSD/SBE/WRE. -Extra duty contracts: Colin-Torres, Viviana - HS Head Track Coach – RJSHS; Moore, Richard - HS Assistant Football Coach – RJSHS; Velasco, Edith - JH Assistant Vol- leyball Coach – RJSHS; Volpi, Tyler - HS Assistant Football Coach – RJSHS. I WANT YOUR STORY! Ann Murray and her brother Joe Lindsay showed up in 60’s Rick Johnston, Heppner, gets in the groove at the Murray’s style at the Murray’s annual beer and wine tasting event Aug. event. 6 at the fit park in Heppner. Lindsay and Family provided music, along with Brady Goss. Do you have a community project? Have you started a new, interesting hobby or business? Have you or someone you know hit a significant milestone? Is there something you feel needs to be shared with the community? I want your story! I would love to share it with the Heppner Gazette-Times' readers! Contact Giselle Call or text cell# 541-914-2157 (PLEASE leave a message if I don't answer!) office# 676-9228 email graphics@rapidserve.net
