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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 6, 2019)
A6 • Friday, September 6, 2019 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com Schools invest to keep students coming back By EDWARD STRATTON The Astorian Chelsea Archibald was working as a pastry chef at the Stephanie Inn in Can- non Beach when she saw a listing for a new culinary teacher at Seaside High School and decided to take a chance. Now in her second year, Archibald runs four daily classes in one of the high school’s most popular programs. Seaside’s investment in a culinary instructor was part of around $750,000 a year added to the budgets of Clatsop County school districts by Measure 98, a voter-approved initiative to improve graduation rates, add career-technical classes and expand students’ access to college credits. As school districts invest, they are also creating school improvement plans to secure even bigger pots of money from the Student Success Act. The new gross receipts tax is projected to add $1 billion a year in funding for K-12 initiatives statewide. Oregon voters passed Measure 98 in 2016 to help improve the state’s dismal graduation rate of 74%, the third-worst in the U.S. The measure added $170 mil- lion over the past two years earmarked for dropout pre- vention, career-technical courses and expanded col- lege credit opportunities. The state’s graduation rate increased to 78.7% statewide last year, the fi fth year of improvement but still nearly 6% behind the national average. Measure 98 New and improved pro- grams have popped up at school districts around the county — construction in Jewell, welding in Knappa, automotive in Warrenton, agriculture in Astoria and culinary in Seaside. Seaside spent nearly half its money hiring Archibald, the fi rst full-time instruc- tor in several years, and strengthening a culinary program Jeff Roberts, the school principal, said half the student body was fore- casted to take. “Given our community, with such a strong hospi- tality base, it dovetails with our goals to provide kids Chelsea Archibald/The Astorian Edward Stratton/The Astorian Warrenton-Hammond School District used part of its Measure 98 funding on a back-to-school night for incoming ninth graders at Warrenton High School. real-world opportunities,” he said. Roberts tracked the demise of career-technical programs to Measure 5, a 1990 state ballot initiative that capped property taxes and made schools more reli- ant on more volatile income taxes. “When Measure 5 passed, trade programs were some of the fi rst to get cut,” Roberts said. “Now you’ve seen a shift in attitudes, with trades coming back into schools.” By Halloween, Rod Heyen, the principal of War- renton High School, hopes to be holding automo- tive and metal fabrication classes in a new career-tech- nical building going up next to the school. The building was donated. Its construc- tion was paid for by a career-technical revitaliza- tion grant. The school dis- trict tapped into Measure 98 funds to hire new auto- motive instructor James Veverka, who is developing a four-year automotive and metal fabrication program, starting with basic automo- tive classes this fall. Lynn Jackson, the princi- pal at Astoria High School, has spread his Measure 98 funding throughout several academic programs. Astoria brought back a dormant agriculture pro- gram and restarted a local chapter of Future Farmers of America. Tess Hamby, the school district’s new agricultural and wood shop teacher, said the chapter now has more than 20 stu- dents. Travel and her class- room equipment are largely Research shows ninth graders who fi nish the school year on track aca- demically are four times more likely to graduate. School districts have uni- versally invested Measure 98 funds on easing the tran- sition into high school, add- ing tutoring and increasing staffi ng to keep closer tabs ‘GIVEN OUR COMMUNITY, WITH SUCH A STRONG HOSPITALITY BASE, IT DOVETAILS WITH OUR GOALS TO PROVIDE KIDS REAL- WORLD OPPORTUNITIES.’ Seaside principal Jeff Roberts, on the school’s newly expanded culinary program paid for by Measure 98 and a state law passed this year to help improve agricultural education. Jackson advertised to hire a robotics coach for the school district’s fl edg- ling robotics program using Measure 98, which has also provided funding for business courses, another career-technical program. “It has allowed us to develop a wide variety of interventions and enrich- ments,” he said. on students’ progress. Ian O’Brien, a former teacher at Warrenton High School, returned several years ago from a short stint as athletic director at Laker- idge High School in Lake Oswego. He became one of Warrenton High School’s two assistant principals, overseeing a team of sev- eral teachers who all focus on ninth graders. “We’re just getting in their business, caring,” O’Brien said. “We want Chelsea Archibald, top left, was hired as a full-time culinary instructor at Seaside High School using Measure 98 funds meant to support career-technical learning opportunities. them to succeed.” The school district has seen its ninth grade on-track metrics jump by more than 20% with the increased focus, he said. Warrenton’s graduation rate has steadily increased for at least the past seven years. Astoria has paid for its attendance initiative, Strive for Five, using Measure 98 funds and hired a grad- uation coach, along with other efforts to improve the high school environment, said Superintendent Craig Hoppes. Student Success Act The state Legislature this year narrowly passed the Student Success Act, a gross receipts tax estimated to add $1 billion a year in funding starting next school year. Half the money school districts receive will be earmarked for reducing class size, increasing learn- ing time, safety and well- rounded learning expe- riences. Up to 30% goes toward statewide initiatives such as fully funding Mea- sure 98, improving cafete- ria nutrition, school safety, equity and other support funds. At least 20% must be spent on early learning. To access the money, school districts must submit school improvement plans to the state by early Decem- ber. Many are parlaying their strategic plans into the application. Sheila Roley, the super- intendent in Seaside, said the passage of the Student Success Act was fortuitous with her district just fi nish- ing up a fi ve-year strategic plan. “The focus is emotional and mental health for stu- dents,” Roley said of how funds would be utilized. Much of the focus is on increased trauma-informed care. The education model takes into account the past traumatic experiences and how they affect a student’s ability to learn. The legislation will help school districts expand pre- school. A recent study found about 40% of 3- and 4-year- olds from lower-income families in Clatsop and Til- lamook counties are not going to preschool. Educators will meet next month with the state to ensure they know how to apply for Student Success Act money. Many have not received the application and don’t know how much to expect in extra funding. “It’s a new experience for us to have more money, because we’re so accus- tomed to the budget going down,” Roley said. Rotary fundraiser: Tailgate with Team Rotary Seaside Signal The Rotary Club of Sea- side and its Foundation pres- ent the annual dinner buf- fet and auction at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Seaside Civic and Conven- tion Center. The theme this year is “Tailgate with Team Rotary — Seaside.” This is the single larg- est fundraiser of the year for the Seaside Rotary Founda- tion and allows the fouun- dation to assist in serving the needs of not only our local community, but also worldwide. Some examples of these programs include: Schol- arships for Seaside High School graduates, the renowned international youth exchanges for high school students; and spon- sorship of the all night “alcohol-free and safe” Sea- side High School grad night party, which Rotary has been supporting and lead- ing for more than 25 years. Holiday programs includ- ing Santa’s workshop which provides holiday presents to hundreds of area children and families, Shop with a Cop and Adopt-a-Family. Rotary also supports the needs of seniors in our local community, providing water and sanitation in remote vil- lages in third world coun- tries, and the eradication of polio worldwide. A key component of the dinner/auction are many live auction “packages” that can be bid on. Some exam- ples this year include a New York Experience for two with tickets to the Jimmy Fallon Show and the Broad- way musical “Aladdin” with a backstage tour, four tickets to the Oregon-Or- egon State civil war game, a traditional Spanish paella dinner for eight and doz- ens of silent auction items donated by area businesses. Tickets are still avail- able, but don’t delay. Cost for the buffet dinner/auction is $65 per person and $650 for a table of 10. For questions, contact auction chair Sandy Mac- Dowall at 503-738-6391. FREE TASTING Infused Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar & Gift Wrapping At WESTPORT WINERY Lewis and Clark Salt Makers SATURDAY • SEPT. 7 th 9a-6p SUNDAY • SEPT. 8 th 9a-3p Presenting the Pacific Northwest Living Historians. Between the Beach & the Prom at Avenue U Trail to the Beach Seaside, Oregon www.seasideoregonmuseum.com 503-738-7065 FREE! Family Friendly Home of Seaside Kites All Ages Welcome — Daily 11-6 810 Broadway — 503-739-7322 Seaside-Museum-Historical-Society Funded through grant from Seaside Tourism Advisory Committee. MARKETPLACE Signal T o pla ce a cla ssified a d ca ll 503-325- 3211, log on to w w w .sea sidesign a l.com or stop in a t 1555 N. Roosevelt in Sea side | D ea dlin e is M on da y a t n oon Planning to move? Sell those items you can’t take with you with a classified ad in The Seaside Signal! SHOP LOCAL! Check the Business Directory daily to utilize the local professionals advertising in The Seaside Signal. To place an ad in our Business Directory, call 503-325-3211. 107 Public Notices 360 Garage Sales 504 Homes for Sale 604 Apartments 651 Help Wanted PUBLIC AUCTION Westlake Restaurant and lounge 1480 S Roosevelt Drive, Seaside Sept 21st 2019 at 10am TOTAL LIQUIDATION OF RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT ETC...call for details COX Auctions 503-298-7396 MOVING SALE My sister is moving, everything must go. 92159 clover rd, Astoria, OR WAIT LIST OPEN at Shorewood Apts 1121 Spruce Ct. Cannon Beach, OR 97110 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom Units Water, Sewer & Garbage Paid! Call (503) 436-9709 TTY711 Income Limits Apply This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer Cascade-Management.com REST AREA TECHNICIAN Sunset- SE of Seaside On-Call, $18 hourly Full Details @ www.oregontic.com Let your pockets “jingle” with extra cash from The Seaside Signal classifieds. Sat, September 7th Sun, September 8th Mon, September 9th 9am-3pm 1178 SW Long Lake Dr, Warrenton Classified Ads work hard for you! 2 bed, 1 bath, fireplace, large bacyard w/creek frontage. $160,000, 503-325-2068 pegzorich@gmail.com 503-325-2068 Buyers and Sellers are brought together daily with the help of classified ads. Call 503-325-3211 to place your ad today!
