Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 2015)
A18 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2015 FROM PAGE A1 FLORES: continued from page A1 proud,” Russell said, add- ing Flores celebrated her children’s accomplish- ments by dedicating a wall in their Hermiston home to FHUWL¿FDWHV She also expected a lot of her students, Russell VDLG “She had very high ex- pectations and was very determined to see all of her kids succeed,” Russell said, adding Flores recent- ly re-started an after-school reading class for her stu- GHQWV ZKR QHHGHG KHOS ³6KH ZHQW WKDW H[WUD PLOH Her life was so busy, but she was willing to put in WKDWH[WUDWLPHIRUKHUNLGV She was just going all the WLPHJRLQJJRLQJJRLQJ´ Other colleagues also said how dedicated Flores ZDVWRKHUVWXGHQWV McNary Heights Princi- pal Bob Lorence, who has overseen Flores during her HLJKW \HDUV VDLG WKH ¿UVW grade teacher was a tremen- dous asset to the school and community because she was Hispanic and taught in the native language literacy FODVVURRP “She related to the fam- ilies and became one of our biggest resources to connecting our Hispanic families to the education system,” Lorence said, add- ing, even if students were no longer in her class, she would help their families by providing information about various services DYDLODEOH ³6KH SUREDEO\ took as many phone calls LQWKHGD\DVWKHRI¿FHGLG She really helped make that connection to the commu- QLW\´ Lorence said Flores was also an excellent teach- er, determined to have her VWXGHQWVOHDUQKRZWRUHDG :KHQ WKH ¿UVWJUDGH VWDII team met with him earlier this year, he advised them to work hard with their chil- dren so they could pass the VSULQJ UHDGLQJ WHVW )ORUHV he said, came up to him af- terward and told him all of her students would be ready to meet their reading goals by the winter-testing peri- RG$OOEXWWZRRIWKHPGLG and those who didn’t were YHU\FORVH/RUHQFHVDLG McNary Heights Vice Principal Rick Cotterell, who worked with Flores for two years but knew her for longer through his wife, who teaches at the school, said Flores was a very car- ing, very straight-forward person, who always spoke her mind out of love and FRQFHUQ “It takes a special person to be a teacher, but she was more than that — she was D VSHFLDO WHDFKHU´ KH VDLG “What she did for us, it was beyond what she did in the FODVVURRP 7KDW¶V ZKDW ZH really haven’t felt the im- SDFWRI\HW´ Gloria Chase, who sub- stituted for Flores the last four years and complet- ed her student teaching in Flores’ classroom, echoed Russell by saying Flores was determined to have her students succeed and meet WKHLUUHDGLQJJRDOV “She was strict, but at the same time, she was so loving, and the kids loved her,” Chase said, adding Flores always made time for her students and would often buy necessities for them if she saw they were ZLWKRXW ³6KH ZDV OLNH D PRWKHUWRWKRVHNLGV´ Flores’ coworkers said their friend cared for them inside the wall of the school — where one of her favorite phrases was “I’ve got your back” — and remembered them outside the classroom, DVZHOO First-grade teacher Charlotte Engelhart said Flores always came back from trips with gifts for her teaching teammates that were thoughtfully selected WRVXLWWKHLUSHUVRQDOLWLHV “She really cared about SHRSOH´ (QJHOKDUW VDLG “She stopped everything to WDNHFDUHRISHRSOH´ Flores, who Engelhart said called everybody by their last name, a habit that was adopted by all the WHDFKHUV LQ WKH ¿UVWJUDGH “It takes a special person to be a teacher, but she was more than that — she was a special teacher.” Rick Cotterell McNary Heights Elementary vice principal HUKHUKXPRUDQGODXJKWHU “She was a fun person to be around,” Russell VDLG ³6KH FRXOG PDNH you laugh at the drop of a VWULQJPDNLQJPHODXJK´ Everyone, however, said McNary Heights was missing that laughter this week and was instead transformed into a somber SODFH¿OOHGZLWKWHDUV It was also a place of ORYH KRZHYHU 8PDWLOOD CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Superintendent Heidi Sipe 6LJQVZLWKZRUGVLQ(QJOLVKDQG6SDQLVKRXWVLGH0F1DU\ said the outpouring of sup- +HLJKWV(OHPHQWDU\6FKRROKRQRUHGÀUVWJUDGHWHDFKHU(OLVD port from the communi- EHW)ORUHVZKRGLHGLQDFDUFUDVK$SULO ty was incredible even as 8PDWLOODWHDFKHUVDQGVWDII DWDOOVFKRROVJULHYHG She said, in addition to InterMountain Education Service District crisis re- sponse staff who were in classrooms Monday, re- tired district employees, including former Clara Brownell Middle School Principal Diana Veleke, came to McNary Heights and spent the day with staff DQGVWXGHQWV ³7KH0F1DU\VWDIIDQG DOO WKH 8PDWLOOD VWDII , think, when you work with CONTRIBUTED PHOTO kids as closely as we do 8PDWLOODÀUVWJUDGHWHDFKHU(OLVDEHW)ORUHVVHFRQGIURPOHIW and in a community of our VWDQGVZLWKDJURXSRIKHU0F1DU\+HLJKWVFROOHDJXHVRQD size, you really become a VFKRRO+DOORZHHQGUHVVXSGD\+HUIULHQGVVD\)ORUHVWRRN VHFRQGIDPLO\´6LSHVDLG GUHVVXSGD\VYHU\VHULRXVO\DQGPDGHVXUHHYHU\ERG\ZRUH 7KH VXSSRUW GLGQ¶W VWRS DFRVWXPH)ORUHVGLHG$SULOLQDFDUFUDVK LQ8PDWLOODKRZHYHU6LSH said staff from Hermis- wing, also helped make days,” Johnson said, add- ton’s West Park, Desert WKLQJVIXQLQWKH¿UVWJUDGH ing Flores always had a View and Highland Hills ZLQJ 5XVVHOO &KDVH DQG costume or something spe- elementary schools pre- Engelhart all said Flores FLDO WR ZHDU ³6KH ZRXOG pared a dinner, breakfast was bubbly, outgoing, fun- make sure we would fol- and snacks for teachers to ny and enjoyed playing low suit, and if we didn’t, help ease the strain as par- SUDQNVXSRQRFFDVLRQ6KH she’d have something ent-teacher conferences was also a big fan of the UHDG\IRUXV´ DOVR WRRN SODFH WKLV ZHHN VFKRRO¶VGUHVVXSGD\V Russell said she will Cotterell said the Irri- )LUVWJUDGH WHDFKHU$QQ best remember Flores’ love gon senior/junior school Johnson said Flores took for God, the Christian con- VHQW ÀRZHUV DV GLG DQ those days very seriously, certs they attended togeth- area insurance company, HVSHFLDOO\RQ+DOORZHHQ “Some of my best mem- ories of her were dress-up and many others passed on thoughtful messages WKURXJKRXWWKHZHHN Sipe said parents in the school district were also very supportive and un- derstanding, adding many agreed to reschedule par- ent-teacher conferences, even rearranging their ZRUN GD\V VR 8PDWLOOD staff could attend Flores’ IXQHUDO VHUYLFHV 7KXUVGD\ Many parents, she said, DOVRDWWHQGHG “I think it’s just phe- nomenal,” Sipe said, add- ing it shows how caring the greater community is LQ GLI¿FXOW WLPHV ³,W¶V VDG that it’s times of tragedy when the greatness of the community is really high- lighted, but it seems to be WUXH´ $OWKRXJK 0F1DU\ Heights staff gathered Sun- day afternoon at the school to begin the grieving pro- cess, Lorence said, the mourning period will be long for everyone, includ- LQJ KLP +H VDLG KH KDV WR unlock the door to Flores’ classroom every day, and he is reminded of the school’s ORVVHYHU\PRUQLQJ “It’s really kind of a one-day-at-a-time thing,” KH VDLG ³7KH ELJ IRFXV LV her three kids still in the V\VWHP :H ZDQW WR PDNH VXUHWKH\¶UHWDNHQFDUHRI´ Cotterell echoed those sentiments but said the school will also heal by car- U\LQJRQ)ORUHV¶PLVVLRQ “Everything she did was with care and concern, and the best way we can hon- or her is to show the same care and concerns for our students every day,” Cot- WHUHOOVDLG FREE CLASSES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS & CAREGIVERS AFTER $750 LEASE CASH. 36 MO CLOSED END TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICE LEASE. 12K MI/YR LEASE. LEV $14,241. $1,299 CASH UP FRONT. PLUS TTD. ON APPROVED CREDIT. SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS. STK# 15T037. STK# 15T037 If you’re caring for someone with dementia, there’s help. Oregon Care Partners is a collaboration of aging advocacy organizations. Our free classes are for: – Family members – Professional caregivers – First responders Taking care of a family member or loved one with dementia such as Alzheimer’s can be challenging. But you don’t have to do it alone. Oregon Care Partners can help. In our free, online or in-person classes, you’ll learn: ON APPROVED CREDIT • How to create a positive environment, including activities to stimulate memories and interaction • What to expect as their condition progresses Classes l ess offered online and in-person at NO COST to you Funded through the State of Oregon • How to manage medications safely and effectively • How to handle common challenging behaviors Visit OregonCarePartners.com to get started today. A little help can make a big difference – for your loved one, and for you. 2008 HONDA RIDGELINE 4WD $ 17,900 2007 FORD F150 XLT $ 15,483 • RUNNING BOARDS • LOW MILES • ONLY 60K MILES • WOW!! STK #15T127A COMING SOON TO PENDLETON 2012 FORD FOCUS SE $ Positive Approach to Care Workshop April 22, 9:00am-4:00pm • Red Lion Hotel Learn more and register for this free event at OregonCarePartners.com. Family members, all levels of caregivers and walk-ins welcome. CEUs offered for professionals. 14,000 • 27K MILES • CRUISE • POWER WINDOWS/LOCKS 2007 FORD F350 DIESEL CREW CAB XLT $ 18,000 STK #15T079A ALL OFFERS EXPIRE 04-30-15. ALL PRICES PLUS APPLICABLE TITLE, REGISTRATION AND $75 DEALER DOCUMENTATION FEE. ALL LEASE PAYMENTS ON APPROVED CREDIT WITH 0 DOWN PAYMENTS AND EXCLUDE TAX TITLE. VEHICLES SUBJECT TO PRIOR SALE. NO SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIRED. PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE COLLEGE REBATE OR MILITARY REBATE. SEE DEALER FOR MORE DETAILS. www.OregonCarePartners.com 2005 TOYOTA AVALON $ 15,000 • ONE OWNER • 50K MILES • LOADED STK #15T027C • 8 FT BED • CLEAN! 1-800-930-6851 • info@oregoncarepartners.com STK #14T079F STK #14T537A 2006 DODGE RAM DIESEL SLT $ 23,895 KBB RETAIL $25,821 • 5.9L CUMMINS DIESEL • RUNNING BOARDS • ALLOYS • 4WD STK #15U165
