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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 31, 2016)
A16 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM SCHOOL: continued from Page A1 While the district’s more modern schools have separate spaces for the cafeteria and gymna- sium, it’s a shared space at Rocky Heights. This year, Rocky Heights’ kindergarten lunch overlaps with one of Greg Hamm’s physical education classes, mean- ing he has to hold it in a classroom instead of the gym. The room is in the school’s “quadroom,” a former communal teach- ing space that has since been subdivided into four sections. Farley said the walls are so thin that teachers are able to speak to each other through the barriers without opening a door. While no regular classes run concurrently with the PE class, Far- ley said speech services sometimes does. To alleviate some of the overcrowding, Rocky Heights has five modulars, trailers that act as extra classrooms, but fifth grade teach- er Josh Linn said those present their own lo- gistical challenges like coordinating bathroom breaks and keeping children in sight while they’re playing on the nearby playground. Farley attributed much of the school’s success, despite its building strug- gles, to its teachers. “Our teachers are ab- WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 FROM PAGE A1/A10 solutely phenomenal,” he said. “They’re doing more than they’ve ever been asked to do before.” A total of 53 new teachers were hired dis- trictwide for the 2016-17 school year to ill vacan- cies, retirements, moves and additions. The school district al- ready requires its teach- ers be involved in lead- ership committees and is looking to its educators to lead more professional development sessions. Rocky Heights’ situ- ation is on the district’s radar, and replacing it with new facilities is one of the top priorities being considered for a new bond measure. A citizen review commit- tee recommended a $104 million bond that would replace both Rocky Heights and Highland Hills, the district’s two oldest schools, as well as build a new elementary school and expand the high school. The district has yet to decide whether to put it on the May 2017 ballot. In 2008 voters ap- proved a $69.9 million bond that allowed the district to replace its then-oldest facilities West Park and Sunset elementary schools and Armand Larive Middle School. Since he took the helm in 2015, Farley has tried to instill the mission statement “Preparing ev- ery student for their next experience.” FOOTBALL: continued from Page A10 his teammates, and should have no shortage of play- makers to get the ball to. “We’re pretty comfortable with him because it seems like he knows what he’s doing,” said senior running back Mitch Brown, who is one of the team’s top return- ing rushers after averaging 6.8 yards per carry for 325 yards and four touchdowns last season. Faaeteete said Brown and junior Jonathan Hinkle should get the bulk of the carries from the backield, but he’s also looking for a similar balance to last season that saw seven players record at least 20 carries. Faaeteete said he expects the passing game to be just as varied. Senior H-back Jerry JAMES: continued from Page A10 wide receivers to throw to. There’s deinitely some skill out there,” he said. “They’re working on their part and I’m working on my part and we should be able to put it to- gether. Every day we’ve got- ten better. Once we got pads on the ire came under us and everything started to click better.” James’ emergence allows junior Dayshawn Neal to shift out to wide receiver where his athleticism and speed can be used a variety of ways. Neal was the starting quarterback to open the 2015 season, but Ramirez averaged 12.3 yards a catch for 307 total and ive touchdowns as a junior, and Neal could line up anywhere. “We really do have size and speed and guys we can put in multiple spots,” Faae- teete said. “The ability to move Dayshawn around and not just be behind quarter- back deinitely gives us an advantage as well.” EYE ON THE LINE: Two new starters on the right side of the offensive line will be under the microscope ear- ly. “It all starts with the line. We’ve got to open our holes and we need to stick togeth- er,” Brown said. “I think they’re going to come along,” Faaeteete said. “We’re coaching them pret- ty hard, getting after them a little bit and they’re bet- ter than sometimes we see in practice. We go back on ilm and they’re doing things right, we just want them to come along a little faster. But they’re young, there’s al- ways a learning curve.” EXPERIENCED DE- FENSE: An all-state hon- orable mention last season, Ena (40 tackles, ive inter- ceptions) leads a defense that also returns starting safety Joey Gutierrez (42 tackles, one interception) and line- backer Line (55 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss). Cornerback Tyler Rohrman also saw starting duty at times last season, and McLeod joins the linebacking unit with starting varsity experience. The big question mark is at defensive line, where the Bulldogs don’t return a single player that recorded a sack in 2015. Faaeteete said se- nior tackle AJ Fernandez has stood out in practices, though. “Our linebacking core is strong,” McLeod said. “We’ve got a lot of heavy hit- ters in there. Our defensive line is getting there, we’re all getting smarter as a unit.” PROGRAM GROW- ING: The Bulldogs are still riding the wave of their 2014 state title and Faaeteete said things are about to get very crowded on the Hermiston practice ield. “When I irst got here I think we had 56 guys and it’s slowly building from there. It starts in the weight room, in the hallways to get them here.” he said. “Slowly but surely our numbers gets to 70, 80, 90, 100. I think our numbers right now are about 94 or 95 with another 10 to 20 kids coming out when school starts. “I don’t know if we have 20 more helmets to give out, but we’ll deinitely ind a way to get it done.” the team was winless when he broke his ankle in Week 5 and the since-graduated Na- than Hunsaker stepped in to go 4-1 in his starts. Transfer senior Damien McLeod (Ridgeview) has won the backup quarterback role, and said he’s coming from a system where he was mostly used as a runner. “(James) reads the defense and steps up into the pocket and throws, which is great,” McLeod said. “We’ve both kind of been learning off each other.” McLeod, who also starts at linebacker, said he sees his most important role in the of- fense as that of mentor. “He’s a young kid, so my senior values I can put off onto him, but he’s going to be ready,” McLeod said. “Com- ing here, Andrew was pret- ty much the irst kid I met. We kind of have that kind of bond, he was my irst buddy. “We work out (together) in the weight room and as a backup I kind of take that as pushing him to be the best that he can be, and I’m just trying to work him, get him going.” McLeod also gives James insight into the defensive mindset. “From the opposite side of the ball I’ve been scouting QBs from Day 1,” he said. “I guess that’s more knowledge that I can put off onto him.” One thing McLeod said he won’t need to help James learn is how to be a leader in the huddle and the locker room. In fact, it’s one of the ar- eas James said he feels he’s the strongest, and he’s been working hard to demonstrate that by “knowing every po- sition so I can give everyone my input and let them do what they do.” “He’s smart, intelligent, just conidence is the biggest key for him,” Ramirez said. “Once we get that going we’re going to be a scary team. Last year as a freshman he started all three sports — football, basketball and baseball. 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