WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3
SCHOOLS
New principals hired at two Hermiston schools
BY MAEGAN MURRAY
HERMISTON HERALD
Two familiar faces will take on
new roles next year at two schools
in the Hermiston School District.
The district announced Mon-
day that current Armand Larive
Middle School Principal Tom
Spoo would take over as Herm-
iston High School principal next
year, and current ALMS assistant
principal Stacie Roberts would
step up into the role of principal
at ALMS.
Spoo taught welding previ-
ously before serving as assis-
tant principal at Armand. He
was then appointed
to principal. He will
replace current HHS
Principal
Jocelyn
Jones who is retir-
ing at the end of the
school year.
Spoo
Spoo, however,
was not one of the
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didates interviewed for the posi-
tion.
Superintendent Fred Maiocco
said administrators ran into some
complications in the search pro-
cess for the HHS principal, and
Spoo had originally expressed
interest in the position, although
he never submitted
an application.
“So, when I en-
countered
these
complications, I ap-
proached Mr. Spoo
about the position,
Roberts
and we came to an
accord,” he said.
“I believe Tom is an absolutely
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uisite administrative experience
and character to lead continued
improvement at the school. He
will certainly help the school in
its vision of chasing down pre-
mier.”
Spoo said he is looking for-
ward to working with the HHS
staff and students.
“I am extremely grateful to the
Armand Larive staff and students
for the valuable experiences and
memories from the past four
years,” he said in a press release.
“I have grown both personally
and professionally during my
time at ALMS.”
Roberts served as a sixth-
grade teacher in the Hermiston
School District before moving
into the role of dean of students
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in the district. She has served as
the ALMS assistant principal for
the last two years.
Maiocco said assuring con-
tinuity and support for the mid-
dle school is imperative, which
is what made Roberts an ide-
al choice for the role. Roberts
had interviewed for the Rocky
Heights Elementary School prin-
cipal position earlier this month,
which went to candidate Jerad
Farley.
“After her strong showing in
the Rocky Heights Elementary
School principal interview pro-
cess and proven track record for
success, I believe Ms. Roberts to
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cipal position,” Maiocco said in
a press release.
Renovations needed at Sandstone, Highland Hills
budget.”
The heating and cool-
HERMISTON HERALD
ing system at Highland
Since the Hermiston Hills is also a concern.
School District last con-
“It looks like it came
tracted with an engineer- out of a World War II bat-
LQJ ¿UP WR FRQGXFW D ID- tle ship, but that is what
cilities condition report in it is,” Smith said. “That
2006, the ratings of a cou- LV WKH RULJLQDO KHDW-
ple of Hermiston school ing and cooling unit that
buildings have fallen sig- we are still kicking along
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and keeping alive here at
The district contract- Highland Hills. (Crowe)
ed with Mitch Crowe of was really concerned
Absolute Engineering last about that. It is not a mat-
spring to conduct a build- ter of if, it is when that
MAEGAN MURRAY PHOTO
ing evaluations report for system is going to com-
DOO ¿YH RI WKH +HUPLVWRQ pletely die. What is the Water leaks into a staff room
School District’s old- district going to do to re- at Sandstone Middle School
Tuesday morning. A leaky
er buildings, including place that system?”
Hermiston High School,
At Rocky Heights, the roof is one of the many
Sandstone Middle School, school’s rating actually im- issues that maintenance and
Rocky Heights Elementa- proved from 2006, but that facilities employees at the
ry School, Highland Hills was because Smith said the district have to deal with at
Elementary School and district replaced a roof that the school.
Desert View Elementary had “blown off” and a pres-
School.
sure tank from the boiler the forefront ... This brings
Scores for each of the that had exploded. He said you to the reality that I think
buildings were calculated insurance covered the roof provided us with kind of a
based on exterior building repairs, but the district had ‘wow’ factor.”
conditions, interior build- to dig into its maintenance
The building report will
ing conditions, mechan- reserve fund to replace the serve as background informa-
ical systems conditions, boiler system.
tion that the district will use
safety and building codes
“We tapped into the main- for future planning, Superin-
and provisions for hand- tenance reserve pretty heav- tendent Fred Maiocco said.
icapped status. Based on LO\WRVSHQGVL[¿JXUHVRQD
“It is one piece of infor-
the evaluations, Hermis- new boiler system for heat- mation among many pieces
ton High School and Des- ing Rocky Heights,” he said. of information that will go
ert View Elementary don’t
Smith said most of the into ultimately the board
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receiving ratings of 84.5 tions may look nice on the tion we go as a district,”
and 93, respectively. With outside, but the problems he said. “That is still a
the other schools however, stem from the inside.
ways out.”
the news wasn’t as good.
“These are things that you
Smith said the report
Sandstone
Middle don’t see from the street,” just highlights the dis-
School and Highland he said. “When you drive by trict’s building structural
Hills Elementary School Rocky Heights and High- challenges.
reported scores of 58 and land Hills, they sure seem
“That is something
57.5, respectively, out of to be maintained nicely, but that the board is going to
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indicating that major ren- the attic, looking at the heat- coming years as they try
ovation is needed at both ing and cooling structure to prioritize and come up
schools. Rocky Heights and different things, that re- with potential solutions
reported a score of 63, in- ally brings (these things) to that this community may
dicating minor renovation
is needed.
“I wish it was better
news,” Deputy Superin-
tendent Wade Smith told
the Hermiston School
Board during their last
meeting
earlier
this
Interested in a Medical career?
month. “The summary he
Need funds to complete
provided was eye opening
your training?
to say the least.”
Medical
scholarship
applications are
At Sandstone, the re-
now being accepted from local
port details that the roof
qualified applicants through
March 31st.
is leaking. The school also
has a number of doors
The Good Shepherd Community
Health Foundation is again pleased to
and hollow metal frames
partner with Tualatin Imaging to offer a
that have rusted, includ-
$1,500 scholarship for students who
have expressed an interest in pursuing
ing spots where people
a diagnostic imaging career.
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Smith said.
For application requirements and
application form, call 541-667-3405
Additionally, the school
still has its original heat-
ing and cooling unit, and,
even though it is currently
working properly, its age
is cause for concern. The
system is meant to last 20
years before a replace-
Spring is in the air
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and creativity is
old this year, Smith said.
blooming everywhere!
The age of the system also
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poses problems for main-
tenance.
“Many of these are
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vironmental issues now
that we are having to deal
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with,” he said.
Smith said Crowe told
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him, because the heating
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and cooling units have not
been replaced and have
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reached their maximum
age recommendation, they
will start “dying on the
March 20 - 21 - 22, 2015
district left and right.”
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
The district, Smith said,
10 am - 8 pm
10 am - 6 pm
10 am - 4 pm
doesn’t have the resources
Admission $ 6.00 U Good all weekend! U Kids 12 & under free
to replace every unit when
that starts happening.
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“Every rooftop unit is
Artists and Crafters!
$3,000 to $4,000,” Smith
said. “You simply can’t do
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that out of a general fund
BY MAEGAN MURRAY
Spring
Show
MAEGAN MURRAY PHOTO
Maintenance and facilties employees in the +ermiston School 'istrict have tried to À[ leaks in
the Sandstone Middle School roof, but, at some point, something further will have to be done.
or may not be willing to
support long-term for the
district,” he said. “The
groundwork has been laid.
We’re never going to be
shy of information in this
district. It is just going to
be how do we respond to
some of the information as
presented will be the big-
gest challenge.”
To view the full report,
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or.us/community/facili-
ties-master-planning/com-
mittee/reports/.
MAEGAN MURRAY PHOTO
Sandstone Middle School operates with its original 21-year-
old heating and cooling system. The system, while currently
operating sufÀciently, was only meant to last 2 years.