A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2018
LOCAL
Community colleges ask
legislature for $32 million
HERMISTON HERALD
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
Fire safety educator Gretchen Erickson teaches a group of fifth graders the cobra pose while teaching a class on how to
say no to peer pressure on Thursday at Rocky Heights Elementary School in Hermiston. The cobra pose is used by law
enforcement officers to project confidence, according to Erickson.
Students learn to harness their ‘superpowers’
By JAYATI
RAMAKRISHNAN
HERMISTON HERALD
The best way for chil-
dren to stay safe and pro-
tect others, according to
Gretchen Erickson, is to
harness their superpowers.
“It would be great if we
had a force field around
us to protect us,” she told
a group of fifth grad-
ers Thursday. “But we do
have a superpower. What is
the first thing a baby does
when it’s born?”
The students called out:
“It cries!”
“Babies learn very
quickly how to use their
superpower voice,” she
said. “[Your voice] is your
power, too.”
Erickson, the fire safety
educator for the Umatilla
County Fire District, vis-
its most elementary school
classrooms in the Hermis-
ton School District once a
month. She spends most of
her half-hour lesson teach-
ing them how to keep them-
selves, and others, safe in
various situations.
Thursday’s lesson, to has worked in schools for
a group of Rocky Heights UCFD since 2004.
Elementary School stu-
“As a police officer, it
dents, wasn’t about fire, but was more about crime —
about using their voices to shoplifting, assault,” she
speak up — to help some- said. “Now it’s more about
one else or to resist peer protection. Protecting your-
self and your
pressure.
family.”
Erick-
son told stu-
In
her
dents
that
safety les-
sons, Erick-
it’s import-
son said she
ant to stand
tries to work
up for them-
selves. She
in ideas to
Gretchen Erickson
also taught
try to get stu-
dents to draw
students
their
own
that while
reporting something they conclusions.
“When I give the exam-
see another person doing
wrong may feel like tat- ple of starting the car in
tling, there’s a difference.
the garage, that’s carbon
“When someone comes monoxide poisoning,” she
to the police station and said. “When you talk about
reports that their car has Grandpa’s new gun, that’s
been stolen, is that tattling gun safety. I try to weave in
or reporting?” she asked. lessons to help kids make
“Police couldn’t do any- the connections without me
thing without reporting — giving them the recipe, so
there wouldn’t be a job.”
to say.”
Erickson was an officer
She spends a lot of time
with the Hermiston Police on fire safety, teaching stu-
Department for 23 years, dents about the different
and taught in the schools in ways house fires can start,
that capacity as well. She the importance of having
“[Your voice] is
your power, too.”
a smoke detector in their
bedroom, and how to avoid
smoke, which she calls
“floating poison.”
Erin Andreason, a Rocky
Heights teacher, said Erick-
son has been visiting her
class for about 10 years.
“The students are always
very excited to hear the
message she’ll be sending,”
she said. “She has done les-
sons on the importance
of having a family plan in
case of fire, making sure
they have an emergency
contact, flagging down fire
and police outside.”
She said Erickson has
stressed to students the
importance of basic safety
knowledge, like having
their addresses memorized
in order to tell emergency
officials if they need help.
Erickson’s lessons span
pedestrian and car safety,
and water safety in the
warmer months. But no
matter the subject, all her
lessons drive home one
point.
“Pay attention,” Erick-
son said. “That’s the most
important safety rule.”
Burton is new Stanfield superintendent
By JAYATI
RAMAKRISHNAN
STAFF WRITER
Oregon’s
community
colleges are asking the leg-
islature to allocate an addi-
tional $32 million to them
during the current session.
The colleges say the
extra funding would help
mitigate tuition increases.
Blue Mountain Community
College increased tuition
from $97 to $104 per credit
for the 2017-2018 school
year.
During the 2017 session
the legislature appropriated
$70 million more to pub-
lic universities than the pre-
vious biennium, but only
$6 million additional fund-
ing for community colleges,
representing a 27 percent
increase in general fund
dollars going toward uni-
versities compared to a 13
percent increase for com-
munity colleges.
The state has seven uni-
versities and 17 community
colleges.
“Lack of funding at the
state level forces commu-
nity colleges to place an
WORSHIP
COMMUNITY
NEW BEGINNINGS
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
Worship Service 10:30 AM
Sunday School 9:00 AM
Pastor J.C. Barnett
Children’s Church & Nursery Available
700 West Orchard Avenue
P.O. Box 933
Hermiston, Oregon
541-567-8441
LANDMARK BAPTIST
CHURCH
125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232
Pastor David Dever
Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am
Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am
Sun. Evening Worship..............6:00pm
Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......6:00pm
Stanfield School Dis-
trict has a new superinten-
dent, several months ear-
lier than initially expected.
Beth
Burton,
cur-
rent Stanfield Second-
ary School principal, was
announced as the board’s
pick to lead the district
at a special meeting Fri-
day. She assumed the role
Tuesday.
School board chair
Scott Morris said he had
a conversation with cur-
rent superintendent Shelley
STAFF PHOTO BY JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
Liscom, who in Decem-
ber submitted her intent Lacey Sharp, left, and Beth Burton at a special school board meeting Friday. Burton
to resign at the end of the assumed the Stanfield Schools superintendent role Tuesday, several months earlier than
school year. He said that planned. Burton is currently principal of Stanfield Secondary School.
because Burton was from
within the district, board asked to have the dis- been taking on several of have a brief meeting with
members felt it made sense trict pick up her insurance the elementary principal teachers on Monday to tell
for the next two years, duties. He said the board them.
to have her start now.
“I asked (Liscom) if that which would cost around will now begin looking at
Burton was the only
would work,” Morris said. $30,000. The board unani- filling those roles, but the person from the district to
The board voted 4-0 mously voted not to extend timeline for doing so is apply. She was selected
(board member Eliza- coverage past the end of unclear.
by the board, and by a
beth Sperr was absent for her employment with the
Some, including Sharp, screening committee that
the decision) to have Bur- district.
had questions about how consisted of some teach-
ton assume the superinten-
Morris said that for now, the transition would work. ers and a few community
dent’s office on Tuesday Burton will serve as both She also asked Morris how members.
and place Liscom on paid secondary school principal they would communicate
Liscom had been at the
leave from Tuesday until and superintendent, and the the news to teachers, who district for four years, and
June 15, which was previ- elementary school princi- had not yet been officially resigned after months of
ously scheduled to be her pal spot will remain open. informed of the changes. contention with the board.
last day with the district.
He said assistant principal They agreed that Burton, She did not respond to a
Morris said Liscom Lacey Sharp has already Sharp and Morris would request for comment.
www.hermistonlmbc.com
Grace Baptist Church
555 SW 11th, Hermiston
567-9497
Counselors and a safe
room were available to stu-
dents at Hermiston High
School Monday after the
death of a student.
The Hermiston School
District was notified Mon-
day morning by the Herm-
iston Police Department of
the death of Jenna Thomas,
a sophomore and member
of the high school’s swim
team, according to a news
release from the district.
Members of the area cri-
sis flight team that respond
to schools during times of
tragedy were on hand to
help staff and students pro-
cess the difficult news.
“The district asks for
parent and community sup-
port by keeping an eye out
for those students, or staff
members, that may be
struggling with the news,”
the district stated, noting
that counselors are avail-
able for those struggling.
“We are heartbroken for
the Thomas family. Our
thoughts and prayers go out
to them and friends and rel-
atives of Jenna.”
Hermiston
191 E. Gladys Ave , Hermiston OR
Sunday Worship 11am • 541-567-3002
Nursery available Check us out on Face Book
Worship Livestream at herfumc.com
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor
Our Lady of Angels
Catholic Church
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
Nursery provided for all services
Sunday School - 9:30 AM
Worship - 10:45 AM
6:00 PM
Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM
“Proclaiming God’s word,
growing in God’s grace”
Seventh-day
Adventist Church
Community Church
Saturdays
Sabbath School........9:30 a.m.
Worship Service......11:00 a.m.
English & Spanish Services
567-8241
855 W. Highland • Hermiston
First Christian
Church
“Proclaiming the Message of
Hope, Living the Gospel of Love”
Sunday School 9:15am
Worship Gathering 10:30 am
Children’s Church 10:30 am
567-3013
775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston
Echo
21 N. Bonanza Street, Echo OR
Phone: (541) 376-8108
Sunday School • 9:30am
Worship • 10:45am
Children’s Church • 11:15am
Potluck & Communion ~
First Sunday of the Month
The Full Gospel
Home Church
235 SW 3rd
Phone 567-7678
Rev. Ed Baker - Rev. Nina Baker
Sunday:
Sunday School........10:00 am
Worship...................11:00 am
Evening Service........7:00 pm
Wednesday Service..7:00 pm
“Casting all your care upon him;
for he careth for you.”
1 Pet. 5:7
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Join Us
On Our Journey
With Jesus.
Family service 9am Sunday
HERMISTON HERALD
First United
Methodist
Church
DAILY MASS: Monday-Friday
...............................English 7:00 am
Thursday...............Spanish 6:00 pm
SATURDAY:.........English 5:00 pm
...............................Spanish 7:00 pm
SUNDAY:..............English 9:00 am
..........................Bilingual 11:00 am
..............................Spanish 1:00 pm
Offi ce..............................567-5812
Scripture, Tradition and Reason
Hermiston high school student dies
unfair burden on the backs
of students in the form of
tuition increases,” a news
release from BMCC stated.
“Community
colleges
already serve students with
the greatest academic, finan-
cial and social challenges,
but receive less per student
in public funding than their
university counterparts.”
The college provided
examples of ways it is
already working to help stu-
dents save money. Those
efforts include programs,
success coaches, faculty
advisors and an early col-
lege credit connections
coordinator, all geared
toward helping students
only take courses necessary
for their degree or certifica-
tions so they finish sooner
and don’t pay tuition on
unnecessary classes.
“Investing in community
colleges now will help col-
leges continue this path of
profound change in how we
serve students,” the news
release stated.
The 2018 legislative ses-
sion began Monday.
N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston
t. PH: 567-6672
We are an all inclusive Church
who welcomes all.
1520 W ORCHARD AVE
Sunday Worship Service
10:30 am Classes for Kids @ 9:15 am
SEEKING JESUS, SHARING LIFE,
SERVING PEOPLE
www.hermistonnazarene.org
To share your
worship times call
541-278-2678