Page 10
The INDEPENDENT, August 21, 2008
More 4-H results from County Fair
47J Board says “no” to energy drinks
Following are partial results
from 4-H competition at the Co-
lumbia County Fair. Due to
space limitations, only cate-
gories with 4-H members in
The Independent’s circulation
area are included. More results
will be published in the Sep-
tember 4 issue of The Indepen-
dent.
At the Vernonia District 47J
School Board meeting, on Au-
gust 14, the board heard from
Grade School Principal Aaron
Miller that the newest modular
classroom is in place on the
California Ave. side of Wash-
ington Grade School and that it
will be used to house fifth grade
classes. He also gave an up-
date on progress for getting the
locker rooms ready in the base-
ment. Miller told the board he is
looking forward to having “no
more rolled ankles” because
the playground will get a new
coat of asphalt before school
starts.
Middle School Principal
Brent McClain told the board
that there are now drinking
fountains by the office bath-
rooms and that new carpets
have been laid in some of the
modulars.
COMMUNICATION
Animal Info Posters - Horse -
Junior: White Award – Kaitlin
Paleck, Vernonia.
Animal Info Posters - Horse -
Senior: Reserve Champion –
Ashley Paleck, Vernonia.
Blue Award – Ashley Paleck,
Vernonia.
BEEF
Angus (Black) Senior Heifer
Calf: Blue Award – Nicole Glass,
Vernonia.
Market Steer: Blue Award –
Marie Hannah, Warren; Amelia
Gibson, Rainier; Cody Erhardt,
Scappoose; Eric Budge, Vernonia;
Jared Bradley, Warren; Seth Honi,
Warren; Katie Johnston, Warren;
Ryan Johnston, Warren; Stacey
Kuhn, Warren; Zach Melton, War-
ren.
Please see page 20
Back-to-schooler need breakfast
(ARA) – A popular TV com-
mercial for an office supply
store depicts a dad gleefully
dancing through the aisles, fill-
ing his cart with back-to-school
bargains while a singer croons
“It’s the most wonderful time of
the year” in the background.
But when it comes to back-to-
school grocery shopping – and
especially breakfast shopping
– you may find yourself feeling
less than wonderful.
For many parents, getting
the kids up and out the door
with a good breakfast under
their belts is a stressful part of
the back-to-school routine.
Leisurely summer schedules,
with plenty of time for breakfast
prep, are gone, replaced by the
hectic pace of school days –
and an even more compelling
Please see page 14
Back to School Safety Tips
IF YOUR CHILDREN WALK TO SCHOOL
• Dress children in light-colored clothing to improve visibility to motorists.
• Stress the importance of how to safely cross streets.
IF YOUR CHILDREN RIDE A BIKE TO SCHOOL
• Make sure they wear a helmet, light-colored clothing and have proper
reflective or lighting devices on their bike.
• Review with them the rules of the road and the proper use of hand signals.
WHEN RIDING THE SCHOOL BUS
• Ensure that children know not to play in the street while waiting for the bus.
• Make sure that children know to wait for the bus to come to a complete
stop before approaching it.
• Be sure that your children can visually see the bus driver at all times
before moving to board the bus.
• Reinforce the rule that the school bus driver is in charge when they are
on the school bus. A school bus driver’s responsibility is to safely deliver
children to and from school. Unruly, noisy children on the bus create a
distraction for the bus driver making it harder to safely focus on driving.
This information sponsored by State Senator Betsy Johnson.
High School Principal Nate
Underwood reported that every
high school staff person was
returning for the new school
year, there had been no staff
turnover this year.
Board member Jim Krahn
reported to the board on the lat-
est Oregon Solution news,
telling them that the Site Com-
mittee will hear engineering re-
ports on possible school sites
in October. After a site is cho-
sen, budget considerations can
start being addressed. Multi-
use is being discussed where-
by the schools and, for in-
stance, a firefighting school,
might be combined. Such mul-
ti-use would increase the num-
ber of potential funders for such
a project.
Four bids have now been re-
ceived for work on the high
school. Bids for the work, which
includes fixing the gym and
tearing down part of the build-
ing, ranged from $555,000 to
over $700,000. The bid docu-
ments scheduled October 1 as
the date for completion of the
work.
Energy drinks will not be al-
lowed on campus anymore, ac-
cording to the newly ap-proved
Student Handbook. Other
changes in the handbook were
minor, such as textbooks being
entered in the library system so
they are checked out at the be-
ginning of the year and
checked in at the end.
The board approved 36 poli-
cies as presented in their on-
going process of updating all
policies.
The next board meeting will
be September 11, starting at
6:00 p.m. at the district office.
It’s not too late to apply for Head Start
Head Start provides children
with activities that help them
grow mentally, socially, emo-
tionally, and physically. The
Head Start staff recognizes
parents as a child’s first and
most important teacher. They
welcome parental involvement
in Head Start activities, and will
work as partners with parents
to help each child progress.
Head Start’s program in-
volves the whole family and
provides education, nutrition,
home visits, medical and dental
check-ups, and other services.
Who can be in Head Start?
Children ages three and four on
or before September 1, will be
considered. Eligibility is based
on income, family situation and
needs of the child, including
whether there is a disability or
serious illness.
Head Start, a federally fund-
ed preschool program, is seek-
ing students for the 2008-2009
school year, applications are
being taken now for all three
and four year-olds in Columbia
County. Recruitment for fall en-
rollment is now in progress and
will be completed in August.
Parents interested in enroll-
ment information are urged to
phone 503-369-7249 for in-
come guidelines and enroll-
ment information.
USDA and the State of Ore-
gon prohibit discrimination in all
USDA programs and activities
on the basis of race, color, na-
tional origin, sex, religion, age
or disability.
Head Start is an agency of
Community Action Team, Inc.,
serving Clatsop, Columbia and
Tillamook counties.