Page 14 The INDEPENDENT, November 6, 2003__________________________________________________________________ ___ __________________________
Financial considerations dominate school board meeting at Mist
The Vernonia School board
heard many comments from
the, as usual, large crowd of
Mist Grade School parents and
community members who at
tended the October 23 board
meeting in Mist. Carolyn White
praised classroom aide Rena
Titus and teacher Joanie
Jones, telling the board they go
above and beyond what was
necessary and that she wanted
to thank them in a public forum
for their work. Shaney Fitzger
ald told the board that having
the school in the community
was particularly beneficial for
younger children. In response
to a question from Joe Ander
son, Superintendent Mike Fun-
derburg told the audience that
the budget process would be
gin again in January and that
every program, including Mist
School, would be considered,
particularly if it is necessary to
dramatically reduce the budget
for next year (which is likely if
the legislative tax package is
overturned by voters in Febru
ary). Anderson told the board
that the school was a tremen
dous asset to the community
and that this kind of small com
munity America is “what the
Pledge [of Allegiance] is all
about.”
Hambfet leaving district
Vice-chair Darrell Hamblet
presided in the absence of
chair Jim Krahn, who was un
able to attend. With director
Tim Titus also absent and a va
cancy on the board because of
Leslie O ’Leary’s resignation,
the board barely met the four-
member quorum requirement.
In addition to Hamblet, the di
rectors in attendance were Cari
Levenseller, Randy Hansen
and Ed Buckner. Hamblet an
nounced that the November
meeting would probably be his
last, also, because he is mov
ing out of district. Two applica
tions had been received for
O ’Leary’s position (Marion
Johnston and Alice Traverso);
they will be considered at the
November meeting. Applica
tions may be obtained at the
district office and, at this time,
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MGS teacher Joanie Jones
told the board that she loves
her new job, though, by under
taking the multi-age K-5 class
room, she felt like she was just
graduating from college to en
ter the classroom for the first
time. Jones told the board that
her biggest fear was teaching
beginning readers, since she
had been working with fourth
and fifth graders. Ann Kingsley,
principal at MGS, that reading
was a difficult and important
task and that Jones was doing
a great job. Jones introduced
four of her first grade students,
Avery Anderson, Logan Titus,
Reed Jones and C.J. Hieron-
imus, who each read to the
board from a poster about
themselves, which they had
written. All of these first graders
knew complicated words in
cluding favorite, dessert, and
Chinese. Jones told the board
that she “couldn’t do it without”
her volunteers, about six peo
ple in the classroom every day.
VHS student report
Eric Schmidlin, high school
student board representative,
reported that Homecoming was
a big success. He said that atti
tude had declined a little prior
to Homecoming, but built back
up with no more cussing in the
halls. He also said that a few
athletes were given study ta
bles after progress reports but
that they are working to correct
their academic deficiencies.
Veteran’s Day Holiday
The board approved a calen
dar change to recognize Veter
an’s Day on Tuesday, Novem
ber 11. For several years the
holiday has been celebrated on
a Monday and, like several dis
tricts, Vernonia set the holiday
on Monday. School will be in
session as usual Monday, No
vember 10th, and closed the
following day for Veteran’s Day
Holiday.
z
ed at the direction of student needs to start meeting again to
Dawn Plews, district finance groups, not by the district. The provide direction about future
clerk, reported a smooth audit budget does not contain a line projects. The roof of the high
for last year. She also said that item for donations to specific school is “shot,” he reported,
the district had also called in a schools. Money from donations and the gym roof definitely
food services auditor - a spe is transferred to the general needs replacement. The com
cialist in food service opera fund by board action at the end mittee will meet this month.
tions - to review that program. of the fiscal year. In an inter NCLB
Funderburg presented the
The food service committee view, Plews said after the meet
ing
that
the
spreadsheets
track
board
with a two-page synopsis
(Plews, Funderburg and Krahn)
will consider the auditor’s re ing donations had been for of the No Child Left Behind pro
port and develop recommenda warded to MGS. She also said ficiency standards and how
tions for food service supervi the district had received $1000 they work. He also prepared a
from the Mist-Birkenfeld Rural list of the NCLB Annual Yearly
sor Gretchen Lindauer.
According to Plews, some of Fire District for textbooks, and Progress (AYP) subgroups and
the property tax distribution that that the money was used to off a flowchart showing actions
the school receives from the set the cost of textbooks for that must be taken by districts
or schools after two consecu
county may be withheld be MGS.
Throughout the meeting tive years of failure to meet
cause of several large appeals,
particularly that of Boise-Cas speakers told the board that AYP goals. Funderburg also in
cade. Columbia County Asses they were 100 percent behind troduced the board to a set of
sor Tom Linhares is proposing Mist school. In response to sev belief statements developed by
that the county withhold eral comments questioning his the administrative team, that
$500,000 [from taxing districts knowledge of individual dona would be used to apply the
in the county] of the 2003-2004 tions, including a question from NCLB in Vernonia, if the board
property tax collections and Tom Jones about last year’s approves. The statements say
hold it in a reserve account. Partners in Education awards, that the district supports the
District revenue is reviewed an Funderburg said that if Jones philosophy that “no child should
nually by the state and adjust had specific criticisms, he be left behind,” that all students
ments are made based on all needed to address those is can learn, that authentic as
factors in the school funding sues directly with him. Both sessment and data analysis
formula to ensure that each dis Plews and Funderburg said can measure school improve
trict receives the amount deter that they do not have knowl ment and achievement, and
mined by the formula. However, edge of every single donation that adequate yearly progress
the adjustment payments are ready at all times. Donations to should be measured with crite
not made until the following fis the district are an ongoing ria established within the
cal year, so any funds the district process that is closely tracked school environment. The belief
would lose because of a change throughout the year by all statement says that the school,
in local property tax revenue, members of the administrative staff and students are not “fail
would not be received until the team, according to Plews.
ures” and that improvements
Maintenance
2004-2005 school year.
will occur by continuing to im
Gordon Heironimus asked
Maintenance
supervisor plement the district vision, guid
about donations by the Mist John Lewis told the board that ing principles and building
community for support of the the maintenance committee codes.
Mist school. Plews explained
that all donations are tracked
on a spreadsheet. After several
comments about a “line item”
...............The tìest Little ALrscry Around
for donations to Mist, Funder
burg explained that donations
go into a separate donation ac
count and money received for a
specific purpose, is used for
that purpose. Funds donated to
the student body are kept in the
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student body fund and expend
Financial Report
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