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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 2018)
6A • January 19, 2018 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com A balanced approach as you raise your child Parenting program at the Heights By Katherine Lacaze For Seaside Signal When it comes to parenting a significant responsibility as- sumed by a majority of people in their lifetime — everyone could periodically use a little extra training and support. “Nobody has all the an- swers,” said Lori Wilson Honl, of Northwest Parent- ing, an organization that is co-sponsoring a six-week par- enting program at the Heights Elementary School in Seaside. The free, group-based program, also sponsored by the Seaside School District, kicked off Jan. 11. Using a curriculum called Active Par- enting Now, Wilson Honl is leading parents and guardians in learning new skills and ways to promote their chil- dren’s success in school and life. The classes take place Thursday evenings, with din- ner served at 6 p.m. and the class running from 6:30 to 8. Dinner and child care is pro- vided for free. About a dozen families are registered for the program, but newcomers can join through the third week. The informa- tion tends to build on itself KATHERINE LACAZE/FOR SEASIDE SIGNAL Lori Wilson Honl with Northwest Parenting leads a group of parents during the first session of the six-week Active Parenting Now program at the Heights Elementary School in Seaside on Jan. 11. and participants benefit from being part of a consistent, cohesive group, said Wil- son Honl, who currently is a teacher at Head Start in War- renton and has instructed par- enting classes for more than 20 years. She believes participation as a group creates an advan- tageous setting for parents to gain insight and support not only from her instruction, but from one another, as well. “Being able to hear from other parents can be really valuable,” she said. Each per- son is “going to bring their own experiences and ques- tions.” The course features a mix of verbal instruction, educa- tional videos and group dis- cussion, geared toward the same philosophy: parenting, as with any job that’s reward- ing and difficult, requires training and support. Parent- ing skills being addressed throughout the course in- clude fostering strong rela- tionships; using discipline to teach lessons; communication with children and co-parents; helping children express their feelings; developing self-care habits; and motivating chil- dren to build self-worth and personal power. The end goal is to “protect and prepare our children to survive and thrive in the kind of society in which they live,” Wilson Honl said. As soci- ety changes, people have to change how they parent. They can help their children learn to make wise choices at a young age, when those decisions are easy and the repercussions are small, as opposed to large and life-threatening. She selected the Active Parenting Now curriculum for the Seaside class because it is targeted toward parents with children who are elementary age or younger. Many of the participants at the first session were raising children between 3 and 7 years old. When asked what they hope to get out of the class, several parents talked about finding a balanced approach to discipline, resorting less to negative emotion, learning how to deescalate conflicts with children and, in general, gaining exposure to new ideas and insights. Being open to having old beliefs challenged or hearing new information “is critical when we’re trying to change some of our parenting habits,” Wilson Honl said. “There are constantly new challenges, and they just help us to keep growing.” She emphasized that not all information presented in the program would be appli- cable or appropriate for every family in attendance, but they should keep an open mind, respect the opinions and expe- riences of other participants, and be patient with them- selves and their co-parent. A proponent of the idea that training is important for all parents, Wilson Honl said she works to dismantle the per- vasive stigma that parenting classes are necessary only for parents of children struggling with serious behavioral issues or because there is a distinct “problem” in the family. She used the example of a violinist who was striving to become a virtuoso, explaining how there would be no negative percep- tion if that person used educa- tion to improve technique and expand their skill set. In the same way, taking a parenting course, she said, is a way for any parent to ac- knowledge, “‘I take this job so seriously, I’m willing to put in the time and effort to be even better.’” Also, many of the skills learned through the program — such as fostering mutual respect, developing patience, taking time for self-care and communicating clearly and consistently — are transfer- able to other areas of life. “Some people don’t real- ize how universal many of the basic skills are,” Wilson Honl said. For more information about joining, contact Northwest Parenting at 503-325-8673, ext. 1 or The Heights Elemen- tary School at 503-738-5161. Blue Heron Pointe back with changes na, according to a city staff report. The prior 46-lot plan would have ac- commodated a duplex on every lot with the exception of one, Cupples said. The revised plan presents 59 lots. Only three of these would be large enough to permit the development of duplexes, reducing the maximum number of potential units. Owners revise plans for affordable housing By R.J. Marx Seaside Signal Ten months ago, developers of the 15- acre plot of land on the corner of South Wahanna Road and Avenue S called Blue Heron Pointe walked away after the city issued a requirement for sidewalks for a proposed affordable housing project. At the time, the owners decided the city’s call to have a section of sidewalk built along Avenue S in the first phase of their 46-lot project would not be feasible. A revised 59-lot plan seeks to address past concerns with the number of housing units and a design for pedestrian and bike lanes within the subdivision. But mapping, drainage and traffic remain at the top of the list of questions. Seaside resident Ken Thysell said he feared accidents and delays, particularly driving west from Avenue S to U.S. High- way 101. “You’re going to have some accidents you don’t have right now, or you’re go- ing to have huge backups on Broadway,” Thysell said at a Planning Commission meeting Tuesday. More lots, fewer units The Planning Commission originally required a bike path and pedestrian side- Safety concerns R.J. MARX/SEASIDE SIGNAL South entrance to Blue Heron Pointe on Avenue S. Residents fear traffic may create safety issues heading to the new school campus and U.S. Highway 101. walk along Wahanna Road, City Planner Kevin Cupples said. “In lieu of doing that, they’re looking at putting a bike lane through the develop- ment rather than coming around the out- side,” Cupples said. “It would be in their development rather than on the outside of it.” Developers Bruce Ritchie and Max Ritchie of Nordoff Pacific Capital LLC returned to the Planning Commission in December with revised plans reducing the number of lots and including a cross-sec- tion that would allow for a 5-foot wide bike path running from the intersection of Avenue S and Cooper all the way up to the intersection of Cooper and Wahanna. The redesign is intended to provide an alternative route for pedestrians and bikes along the corner of Avenue S and Wahan- Neighbors said they anticipate a po- tential boost in cars and buses headed to the new Seaside School District campus, scheduled for a fall 2020 opening. The development could create a “huge” traffic problem, Thysell said. “I live over there, and on school days, it’s tough to get onto (Highway) 101,” he said. “In the summers, it’s almost impos- sible — and we’re adding 40 to 50 new houses plus what’s happening at the high school.” Resident Maria Pincetich said she wants to make sure the plan is well- thought out and safe. “I’m concerned that the kids in the neighborhood can arrive to school in one piece,” Pincetich said after the meeting. “You’re going to have a lot more cars on Avenue S and Wahanna. The concentra- tion of kids and cars is not a good mix, without any mitigating factors, like a stop sign or speed bumps.” The public hearing will be continued at the Planning Commission’s Feb. 6 meeting. Grant helps children’s theater take the stage Theater from Page 1A KATHERINE LACAZE Katherine Lacaze accepts a grant from Charlene Larsen of the Clatsop County Cultur- al Coalition. lated play sponsored by Provi- dence Seaside Hospital. Eventually, she said, she would like to establish a non- profit Clatsop Children’s The- atre Company. “I love theater in general,” she said. “It allows me to ex- plore the world around me. It gives me different perspec- tives. I can explore grief and difficult hardships in a safe place.” Lacaze, who moved to Sea- side four years ago to be a re- porter for the Seaside Signal, said she wanted to help the community develop activities for children, something she felt was missing. “I feel this community doesn’t have a lot of afford- able outlets for children,” said Lacaze. “This is such a tourist-ori- ented town. We work hard to provide activities for tourists. tumes, they had so much fun. I love providing that. And the kids are so forgiving when it comes to the production. I’m such a perfectionist, but the kids don’t see it that way.” Lacaze also enjoyed intro- ducing theater to the children, many who were on the stage for the first time. “The kids came out of their shells,” she said. “They were proud of themselves and what they had accomplished.” Archibald, whose daughter was in the play, called the per- formances “amazing.” Lacaze, he said, “pulled it all together. She had some long days and long rehearsals, but I think the children will fondly remember it.” Council seeks details Campus from Page 1A The property, rezoned as institutional-campus, would be withdrawn from the Sea- side Rural Fire Protection District and included in the city of Seaside for fire pro- tection. The campus would be included in the Seaside Road District and receive both police protection and water from the city. Councilors had questions about traffic, infrastructure and the disposition of school- owned properties. Councilor Tita Montero asked how the district will meet increased city infra- structure costs for roads, wa- ter, fire and public safety. “The district anticipated system development costs,” Seaside School District Busi- ness Manager Justine Hill said. “We anticipated our share for increased water, in- creased sewer.” The cost of a water tank to be installed on the property will be shared by the city and the school district, she said. The tank will replace two outdated water pump sta- tions, Public Works Director Dale McDowell added after the public hearing, including the 1940s station at Sunset Heights and the 1938 station at the bottom of Underhill Road. “We are very excited about a new water tank,” McDowell said. “This is something that has been on the construction long-term for many, many years, before Expires 1/26/18 kids who help Sherlock ferret out clues. Older kids will play Sherlock, Mr. Watson and Mrs. Hudson. Auditions will be this spring, and rehearsals will be- gin in May or June for perfor- mances in August. She is seek- ing kids “that have confidence in themselves; who can follow instructions; and be able to get outside themselves, who have the intrinsic ability to be silly and goofy,” she said. Theater has long been a part of Lacaze’s life. She be- gan teaching children’s theater as a high school student in Arizona and in college. Her productions included “Music Man,” “The Importance of Being Earnest” and “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.” Although she works full time at the Seaside Conven- tion Center, is a freelance writ- er and takes care of her 3-year- old daughter, Juliette, Lacaze is also active at the Coaster Theatre in Cannon Beach. Last year, she played the lead in “Barefoot in the Park” and will appear this year in “Nois- es Off” at the Coaster. She also plans to do the choreography for “Musical of Musicals” at the Coaster this summer. In addition, Lacaze is di- recting “Peter Pan” this spring for the Astor Street Opry Com- pany and a one-act health-re- But we also say we’re a fami- ly-oriented town, and we need to provide fun, enjoyable and educational activities for chil- dren, something they can take pride in.” Lacaze’s idea of partnering with the Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District fits well with the district’s goals, said Skyler Archibald, district director. “Certain interests are well represented — such as athlet- ics — but this one was not,” Archibald said. “We want to provide positive activities for children, and this was right up our alley. The recreation district offered rehearsal space and some business structure to support Lacaze. “It was a good partnership for both of us.” Jeremy Mills State Farm Insurance also sponsored the play last summer. While she had some as- sistance with “Alice in Won- derland” last year, thanks to friend Ellen Jensen, who also performs at the Coaster The- atre, and the Coaster’s cos- tume designer, Judith Light, Lacaze did most of the pro- duction work herself, which presented some challenges. “The plays might not have been the highest caliber, but we were giving the kids a chance they could get excited about,” Lacaze said. “When the kids were in their cos- SEASIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT A schematic design presentation delivered at Broadway Middle School in December. the school district decided to move up there.” Montero voiced addition- al concerns about potential traffic issues at the new cam- pus site. Hill said traffic and road improvements are under discussion with the public and among the construction team. An open house for neigh- bors of the new campus, in- cluding residents of Spruce Drive and Cooper Street, was held in December, she said, and community meetings are scheduled in Seaside and Cannon Beach. “We’re hop- ing that community members come and talk about their concerns, so we can build a campus everybody is happy with,” Hill said. A meeting is scheduled for Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. in Cannon Beach at the Cannon Beach Chamber of Com- merce, 207 N. Spruce. A Spanish presentation takes place Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Broadway Middle School, 1120 Broadway. After unanimous endorse- ment by the City Council in its first reading, the revised ordinance will come before the council for second and third readings in its next two meetings, Mayor Jay Barber said. “There will still be a lot of issues regarding traffic and infrastructure, but this is a big stop moving forward in that direction,” Barber said. “The voters voted for this and it is going to happen.”
