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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 2019)
EDUCATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A7 Poverty level estimates change federal funding By JESSICA POLLARD STAFF WRITER Drops in poverty level estimates between 2015 and 2016 resulted in less federal funding for some local rural districts this year, including Hermiston. During the last fi scal year, the district was eligible for more than $85,000 from the Title V Rural and Low Income Schools grant. This year, they weren’t eligible at all, stunning offi cials at the school district. “This came as a surprise to us,” said Assistant Super- intendent Bryn Browning. “We’ve gotten it for eight or nine years.” Funds from the grant are typically distributed between the schools in the district, and go toward hiring substitutes for teachers that miss school for professional and leader- ship development opportuni- ties, Browning said. She added since the dis- trict learned it was ineligible Dirksen Browning to receive the grant for the 2019-20 school year, profes- sional development opportu- nities were put to a halt. “We’ll have to fi gure out other possible ways to do these programs,” she said. Browning said the district would look into using other state funding, or dip into general funds in the future. “We’re not going to count on the grant,” she said. “This will impact conversa- tions moving forward about where professional develop- ment fi ts in.” The Rural and Low Income Schools grant is a federal formula grant with two major criteria — school districts must be in a rural area, and at least 20% of the children ages 5 to 17 Hermiston school board approves bond projects manager HERMISTON HERALD The Hermiston School Board approved a project manager for the 2019 bond projects this week. “This is a very exciting day,” said second vice chair Ginny Holthus. District superinten- dent Tricia Mooney rec- ommended Wenaha Group Incorporated to the board during the school board’s Dec. 9 meeting. She said the project management and consulting fi rm was the lone applicant during the request for proposal process. “Wenaha Group has partnered with Hermiston School District for quite a while,” board chairwoman Karen Sherman said. “I was excited when I heard they put in for request for proposal.” Dave Fischel, current vice president of Wenaha Group, was project man- ager for the 2008 bond projects, according to a recent press release from the district. Wenaha Group provided a facilities assessment for the Umatilla School Dis- trict, which completed con- struction projects from a $10.5 million bond in June. The Pendleton-based fi rm has also worked with the Milton-Freewater and Pendleton school districts, as well as the Confeder- ated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, accord- ing to its website. Voters approved the dis- trict’s $82.7 million bond in November. Bond projects include the replacement of Rocky Heights Elementary School and the construction of a new elementary school. served by the agency must come from families with incomes below the poverty line, according to the Oregon Department of Education. This year, 33 fewer school districts in Oregon fi t the bill than during the 2018 school year, although fi ve did gain eligibility. La Grande School District received more than $35,000 in Title V funding during the last school year, but none this year. “The Oregon local educa- tional agencies that were not eligible in (2019), after being eligible in (2018), were all ineligible because their pov- erty level decreased to below 20 percent,” an offi cial from the U.S. Department of Edu- cation stated in an email to the Hermiston Herald. The U.S. Department of Education uses the most cur- rent available data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates available to deter- mine which agencies make the cut. This year’s funding was determined by 2016 esti- mates, which showed a decline in poverty rates that some administrators found surprising. In Hermiston, the 2015 poverty estimates put the district at 24.4% of students coming from low income families. The 2016 estimates put that number just under 17%. Next year’s eligibility will be determined by 2017’s poverty rates, according to the U.S. Department of Edu- cation. In 2017, Hermiston’s estimated rate showed just over 17% of students came from families with incomes below the poverty line. “But our need seems to be growing,” Browning said. And according to 2018 U.S. Census Bureau esti- mates, she’s not wrong. The district’s poverty rate neared 20% last year. Last year, the Mor- row County School Dis- trict received an allotment of more than $33,000 from the Rural and Low Income Schools grant. And accord- ing to Superintendent Dirk Dirksen, the district has received funds since he took on his current position in 2011. “We use the rural schools grant for teacher profes- sional development as well as Friday school and sum- mer school activities that we do,” he said. “As we process in working through this, it’s kind of a balancing game.” Dirksen said the district will dip into general funds, and hopefully utilize Student Success Act funding to fi ll the gap. “It was a surprise to me,” he said. “I know the Title programs are always up and down.” Dirksen pointed out that fi ve of the district’s schools have high rates of low income students that make them part of Oregon’s Com- munity Eligibility Provisions program. The CEP makes lunch free for all students at those schools. “Homelessness is obvi- ously up,” he added. The district recorded 126 students as homeless last year, an increase of 20 from the year prior. Ultimately, 24 Oregon school districts were allo- cated Rural and Low Income Schools funding. Last year, the state allocated funds to 46. Many of the districts eli- gible for the grant this year, including Athena-Weston, were also eligible for the Small, Rural School Achievement Program for districts with smaller pop- ulations and opted for that funding instead, according to the Oregon Department of Education. Poverty estimates for 2018 from the U.S. Census Bureau put Oregon’s pov- erty level below the 17% national average, at 14.3%. Umatilla County’s 2018 estimate was at 19.8%. High schoolers win Congressional App Challenge By JESSICA POLLARD STAFF WRITER The offi ce of U.S. Repre- sentative Greg Walden rec- ognized a team of four high schoolers this week as win- ners of the 2019 Congressio- nal App Challenge for Ore- gon’s District 2. Seniors Rogelio Lemus, JJ Fitzgerald, Laine Whelan and junior Adamaryz Lopez Naverette won the compe- tition for their creation of an application known as FINANA (Finances Incor- porated Nationally Allowing Non-profi t Automation). According to a press release recently issued by the school district, the app assists non-profi ts in fund- raising efforts by allowing users to inventory their pro- ceeds and acts as a point of sale system. “It’s a web app that allows many non-profi t organizations to manage Contributed photo by Hermiston School District Seniors (right to left) JJ Fitzgerald, Laine Whelan, Rogelio Lemus and junior Adamaryz Lopez Naverette won the Congressional App Challenge for Oregon’s District 2 this week. their fundraising using an SQL database to store and track all items being sold,” Lemus said in a video used to explain the application. The four high schoolers utilized multiple program- ming languages and two web servers to create a web page for the application. This is the second year in a row that Hermiston teens won the App Challenge for District 2. Last year Lemus was a junior when he and Ethan Orozco developed BANANA (Basic App to Notify Authorities of Non-Authorized Abduc- tions), which utilizes facial recognition technology to locate missing people. Lemus got the idea for FINANA while helping out with a church fundraiser. In 2016, Courtney Cash, Marvin Hozi and Jordan Liebe were the fi rst high schoolers to win the Con- gressional App Challenge. This year’s winning team has been invited to a spring- time reception in Washing- ton D.C. to show congress members how FINANA operates. “The FINANA app stood out because it had a great amount of detailed cod- ing,” stated Hermiston High School computer science teacher, Robert Theriault in the recent news release. 24 th Annual Christmas Spirit Award Presentations Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation is pleased to announce Roger & Karen Bounds and Charlie & Carol Clupny as the 2019 Christmas Spirit Award Recipients. Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation is pleased to honor Roger & Karen Bounds as recipients of the 24th Annual Christmas Spirit Award. This award is given to those who exemplify the Spirit of Christmas by giving of themselves to others all throughout the year. Roger & Karen Bounds have a long history of community service in the greater Hermiston area. They have spent countless hours seeking to help individuals in need or to enhance the ability of others to be successful. Karen has participated as a charter member of the Desert Arts Council and chaired many events. They are both enthusiastic supporters of the Hermiston Warming Station, dedicating countless hours to help the indigent or underserved of our community. They have provided two buildings to house the station at various times when there was a need. Roger & Karen have given many unsolicited and anonymous acts of kindness to those in need. They quietly support a multitude of non-profit organizations through donations and contributions, and volunteer the use of their personal skills and abilities to promote education and literacy within our community. Their various acts of kindness include visiting the shut-ins, the aged, providing dinners for the underserved and to those who are grieving. They are examples of benevolent service and a willingness to dedicate their time and energy to assist others and make the Hermiston community a great place to live. It is for these reasons that Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation, which strives to make our community a better place to live, has selected Roger & Karen Bounds as 2019 Christmas Spirit Award recipients. Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation is pleased to honor Charlie & Carol Clupny as recipients of the 24th Annual Christmas Spirit Award. This award is given to those who exemplify the Spirit of Christmas by giving of themselves to others all throughout the year. draw your discount! Save up to 40% STOREWIDE at the Western Store Reach into our grab bag and let the holiday savings begin! CTUIR members receive 20% or whatever discount is higher! Charlie & Carol Clupny are kind, compassionate, and enthusiastic members of our community who give of their time, talents and resources to various organizations to benefit others. Their dedication and work ethic has blessed the lives of many community members. They actively give service to the Lions Club, been avid supporters of the Hermiston High School band, and volunteered to help individuals in need without hesitation and formal requests. They exemplify the virtues of integrity, compassion, and caring concern for others less fortunate. Both have served the Parkinson’s Support Group that brings comfort and understanding to those who are afflicted with Parkinson’s disease. Carol has written a book that has been widely acclaimed in documenting her journey and experiences that has helped others through this debilitating and life-changing experience. Charlie has been an emcee for various worthy causes, and is a CASA worker, and both are supporters of Made to Thrive helping the youth within our community. You will not find a more kind, loving or gentle couple to grace any community. They do not seek the limelight but are known for their benevolence by friends and strangers alike. It is for these reasons that Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation, which strives to make our community a better place to live, has selected Charlie & Carol Clupny as 2019 Christmas Spirit Award recipients. The Foundation mission is to enhance the quality of life and general health of residents living in West Umatilla and Morrow County communities by raising funds and giving to community projects. Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation reviews funding requests and makes awards for worthwhile projects twice a year. The next deadline for submitting grant applications to the Foundation is January 31, 2020. Groups or individuals interested in making a donation or being considered for funding are encouraged to call the Foundation office at 667-3419. Best wishes for a happy holiday season. December 19 & 20 10am-7pm Coupon has no cash value and excludes saddles. Must be surrendered at the time of purchase. Valid at Hamley Western Store only. Discounts cannot be combined. Management reserves all rights to alter, suspend or withdraw promotions/offers at any time.
