The INDEPENDENT, April 15, 2004
Page 3
Changes in grad requirements and sixth grade coming next year
From page 2
boiler room roof needs to be re-
placed, as well. Lewis and Fun-
derburg told the board that the
boiler room roof is not a high
priority since it is a non-student
area and moisture can do little
damage there.
According to Ingram, the
cost of the seismic improve-
ments would be approximately
$35,000, plus $150,000 -
Between the Bookends
By Nancy Burch, Librarian
Vernonia Public Library
April showers are said
to bring May flowers, but
they also have brought
“April flowers.” The daf-
fodils and tulips at the li-
brary have been bloom-
ing, as have the forsythia
and the ornamental plum
trees. Next to come will be
the rhododendrons, dog-
wood and mountain laurel. The mountain laurels
(kalmia) are those three shrubs that resemble
azalea plants, but maintain their leaves all year.
When they first begin to bloom, the blossoms are
bright red and as they open, they become pink-
ish and last for quite a long time. Many people
have asked about these pretty little shrubs which
were recently featured in an issue of Buds and
Blooms (just one of the gardening magazines
that may be found at the library). The beauty of
the flowers and plants is especially noticeable
this Spring, due to the weeding and general
clean-up done by Carol and Andy Senn and the
entire Huntington family. This was a wonderful
contribution by these families to aid the library in
a manner not covered in its budget. In another
much appreciated effort to bring beauty to the li-
brary, Jo Ricker continued her tradition of giving
the library a lovely Easter lily.
Contributions were also recently made in the
form of donations to memorials for both Penny
Michener and Chris Collins. The memory of
these long-time residents and lovers of learning
will be kept alive as appropriate books are added
to the library’s collection in their names.
Newest additions to the library’s collection in-
clude Glorious Appearing by Tim Lahaye, The
Body of David Hayes by Ridley Pearson,
Firestorm by Iris Johansen, It Had to Be You by
Jill Churchill, Three Weeks with my Brother by
Nicholas Sparks, Nighttime is My Time by Mary
Higgins Clark, Sleeping Beauty by Phillip Mar-
golin, My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult and
The Cloud Atlas by Liam Callanan.
I’ve just finished reading My Sister’s Keeper
and feel that it is Jodi Picoult’s best novel yet. It
introduces the concept of the right of a teenager
to make decisions concerning her own body.
Anna Fitzgerald was conceived as a bone mar-
row match for her sister, Kate, who has acute
promyelocytic leukemia. It, of course does not
end with Anna’s giving blood and bone marrow
one time, but many, many times to the point
where Kate is now needing a kidney trans-
plant—of course from the perfect match, Anna.
This story has a completely (at least to me) un-
expected ending, and is about so much more
that just Anna’s wishes. The effect that Kate’s ill-
ness has on the sisters, their brother and their
parents is really what this book is about. It’s
about what it means to be a good parent, a good
sister, a good person and whether it’s worth dis-
covering who you really are if that quest makes
you like yourself less.
The Cloud Atlas, a debut novel by Liam
Callanan, is the other book I’ve recently read.
This is the story of a young soldier, Louis Belk,
who was sent to Alaska during the final days of
World War II. Louis’ top-secret mission was to
find and defuse the ingenious, deadly Japanese
balloon bombs. As his superiors usher him into a
world of dark secrets and an Eskimo woman in-
troduces him to a disorienting world of spirits,
Louis makes a discovery and a choice that
changes the course of his life. The topic of these
rice paper balloon bombs has become fascinat-
ing to me since Rick Francona’s Chautauqua
presentation last spring, and I couldn’t resist pur-
chasing and reading this novel.
The library’s quota of Chautauqua programs
for this period ended with Ed Edmo’s presenta-
tion April 13th. The Friends of the Library and Li-
brary Board members would like to thank the
public for their attendance and favorable com-
ments regarding these programs and hope to
continue to bring these educational, entertaining
presentations to the community.
The next entertaining event to come will be
Thursday, April 29 at 8 p.m. when Paul Linnman
will be at the library. One of the most recogniza-
ble broadcasters in the Northwest, Paul began
his career as a film editor with KATU. It was dur-
ing this time, in 1970, when he was sent to Flo-
rence to cover the infamous “exploding whale”
episode. Paul will be discussing this and other
events he has covered as a newscaster and
probably mentioning some of the remarkable
stories he related in his “Spirit of the Northwest”
segments. Copies of his book, The Exploding
Whale: And other Remarkable Stories from the
Evening News, will be available for purchase
and signing by Paul. We’re hoping for a large at-
tendance at this presentation to show support for
Paul and his book and because it should be very
enjoyable.
Among the activities for National Library
Week, April 18-24, we will have a coloring con-
test, guessing contest and library scavenger
hunt. Check in the library for information about
these events. That week will also be a week of
amnesty for overdue library materials. Return
overdue materials that week along with a dona-
tion of non-perishable food for Vernonia Cares
and accrued fines on those materials will be for-
given. This is a week to benefit the library (mate-
rials returned), patrons (fines forgiven) and Ver-
nonia Cares (donations).
Vernonia Public Library: 701 Weed Ave.
Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.;
Tues., Thur. 2 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Preschool Story Time: Mondays, 10:30
a.m., when school is in session.
Phone: (503 ) 429-1818
$165,000 to replace the roof.
Change in graduation
requirements
The board approved a
change in the courses required
for graduation, but not in the
number of credits required
(25.5). The major change is re-
moving the senior project from
senior English and adding a ca-
reer-learning project. Students
will receive one credit for ca-
reer education and the project,
for work accomplished through-
out their high school career, pri-
marily during advisory time.
Family Living will be re-
moved from the curriculum be-
cause the course content is re-
dundant, being covered in per-
sonal finance and health class-
es. The change will allow
greater flexibility in student
scheduling. The remainder of
graduation requirements are
unchanged.
Middle School Changes
Sixth grade classes will be
restructured next year, WGS
Principal Nate Underwood re-
ported. Currently, teachers
share some duties, but the
sixth grade is somewhat isolat-
ed from the rest of the school.
Best practices for this grade
level, he explained, conclude
that increasing electives, plus
contact with a broader age
range of students and several
teachers, allows children to
make the transition from the
self-contained
elementary
classroom to junior high and
high school more easily. Under-
wood also told the board that a
6-7-8 grade mix is easier to
manage and allows students
and teachers better opportuni-
ties to resolve the inevitable
personality conflicts.
Next year, sixth grade stu-
dents will have a homeroom,
where core classes will be
taught, including physical edu-
cation. The students will also
be included in some of the elec-
tive classes taught at the junior
high level. This limited integra-
tion of sixth grade will allow
more electives for students and
greater flexibility for teachers.
Transportation
Funderburg reported that
Vernonia Rural Fire District
Chief Paul Epler has been in-
strumental in establishing radio
contact between the schools
and buses. When complete,
the district will have a repeater
on the Corey Hill emergency
communications tower. The
district and Curl Transportation
are sharing costs related to the
school district.
Negotiations on a new trans-
portation contract will soon be-
gin, Funderburg added.
Letters
Senior Spelling Bee Thanks to all during
was a great success Spring Charity Bazaar
To the Editor:
Vernonia’s fourth annual
senior spelling bee was a huge
success, with contestants from
Vernonia, Clatskanie and Mist
taking part in a very competi-
tive contest.
Thank you to the Senior
Center for their help and sup-
port, and to Sentry Market for
providing refreshments for the
event. Thank you to Carolyn
Keasey, who presided over the
refreshment table.
Thanks to Tobie Finzel, who
pronounced the words, and to
Bob Wagner and Carol Sawyer
for serving as judges. (Tobie
and Carol are both previous lo-
cal and state winners, and both
brought home trophies from the
national competition last year.)
Audeen Wagner
Coordinator
To the Editor:
We wish to thank all who
came out and supported the
first annual Spring Charity
Bazaar. With your help we
were able to raise both money
and canned food for Vernonia
Cares.
We want to thank all the
vendors, as well as the follow-
ing for their help and donations:
Pastor Grant Williams, The In-
dependent, Mike Pihl Logging,
Paul and Julie Ramsey, Derek
Ramsey, the Portland Trail Bla-
zers, Vernonia Sentry, Shannon
Dotter, Denal Wardell, Mike
Ferguson, Pastor D. J. Dickey,
Clayton Smith, and Chantel
Trass.
Sincerely,
Corrie Smith
Kristin Ramsey
Sharon Ferguson