The INDEPENDENT, May 21, 2009
47J announces a Town Hall on May 28
The first meeting of the Ver-
nonia School District Budget
Committee, to discuss the
2009-10 Fiscal Year budget,
was held May 14, prior to the
regular school board meeting.
After presenting the budget
message and an overview of a
potentially dismal fiscal year,
Superintendent Dr. Ken Cox
explained that, until the state
presents a final dollar amount
for schools, the district can dis-
cuss reductions and expendi-
tures only in general terms.
Some possible reductions that
have been identified by the
Budget Assistance Team (BAT)
include reducing staff, books
and supplies in all program ar-
eas, cutting five more school
days, and eliminating outdoor
school. There may also be an
increase in Pay to Play fees for
athletics. The Budget Assis-
tance Team includes some dis-
trict staff, two budget commit-
tee members and two school
board members.
More information will be
available at the next Budget
Committee meeting on May 28
at 6:00 p.m. A public hearing on
the budget is scheduled for
June 11 at 6:00 p.m.
District residents who at-
tended the May 14 board meet-
ing to hear about the various
potential uses of space in Ver-
nonia’s new schools were dis-
appointed to find that the archi-
tects postponed the presenta-
tion. Dr. Cox announced that
there will be a presentation on
Thursday, May 28, during a
Town Hall meeting at 7:00 p.m.
in the school cafeteria.
The board approved 10 re-
vised policies and a new policy
on nondiscrimination. Dr. Cox
reported that some of the
equipment for a new policy on
Video Surveillance had been
installed, but that the cameras
cannot be used until rules and
regulations have been devel-
oped regarding how the equip-
ment and records will be han-
dled. The board approved the
policy contingent on develop-
ment of the rules.
Women’s shelter seeks time or donations
Columbia County Women’s
Resource Center is closing its
shelter, The Starting Place, for
three weeks in order to repair
and clean the building and
grounds. Work will start on
Monday, June 1 and continue
until Friday, June 19. The shel-
ter will accept clients again on
Monday, June 22.
This summer the shelter will
be celebrating its 10th year of
service. One of the major re-
pairs the shelter is anticipating
is the replacement of all the
floors. This added another
week to their usual 2-week clo-
sure.
In order to clean, repair and
maintain our 26-bed facility and
the grounds, the shelter is look-
ing for help from the communi-
ty. If you, your family, your or-
ganization, church, or friends
can donate a few hours during
the two-week shutdown, please
call their office at 503-397-
7110. Every kind of help imagi-
nable is needed: gardening,
painting walls, scrubbing cup-
boards, airing mattresses,
cleaning light fixtures, repairing
picnic tables, etc.
As with most other non-prof-
Sign up now for Art Day Camp
Celebrate Oregon’s sesqui-
centennial with Art in the
Woods Youth Music and Art
Day Camp brought to you by
Vernonia Hands on Art. The
camp will be held July 27 to 31
at the Scout Cabin in Hawkins
Park.
All youth who have complet-
ed first grade through high
school are invited to attend.
Classes in Art, Singing, Recor-
der, and Folk Dancing will be
offered, with the theme of 150
years of Crafts, Arts, and Music
in Oregon. Teens will be able to
select from classes in Chamber
Music, Art, Drama, and
Singing. The instructors are tal-
ented artists and musicians
who have experience working
with young people.
The public is invited to at-
tend the final musical presenta-
tion on Friday evening. Cost is
$75, or $20 per class for teens.
Financial aid is available, as
well as lower rates for multiple
children in families and for
teens who assist at camp. Ap-
plications are available at the
Vernonia School offices and at
the library.
For
more
information,
please call Rachel at 503-708-
8980, Shellee at 503-329-
5895, or Carol at 503-429-
0437.
Mariolino’s
it organizations, funding is
shrinking in these unstable
economic times. Any help from
the community with donations
of cleaning supplies, paint sup-
plies, money for new bedding,
etc., will be very much appreci-
ated. Help with supplies for the
clean-up and repair projects
will free up funds that can be
better used to help clients in
more direct ways.
For
more
information,
please call 503-397-7110.
Page 11
Chalk Talk
Chalk Talk is a monthly column of information
about Vernonia schools. It is written by vari-
ous staff members. This column was provid-
ed by Grade School Principal Aaron Miller.
In the past, students at Washington
Grade School (WGS) in need of extra reading help from our fed-
eral Title I reading program have had to “qualify” for these servic-
es by being the furthest behind in their age group. While Title I has
been able to help many of these students develop their reading
skills, other students were not able to get this much needed help,
because they weren’t far enough behind to be “targeted for assis-
tance.” That will all be changing as WGS works to implement its
Title I reading program “School-Wide.”
While employees funded by a Title I Targeted Assisted program
are by law able to help only those students who qualify for servic-
es, employees funded by a Title I School-Wide Program (SWP)
are able to help all students develop their reading and literacy
skills.
The WGS Title I School-Wide Program Development Team
(SWPDT) has been meeting every two weeks since late October
to prepare the Oregon Department of Education application and
program plan to change WGS’ Title I program from a Targeted As-
sisted School (TAS) to a School-Wide Program. The SWPDT,
consists of four teachers, three parents, an instructional assistant,
and the principal.
The SWPDT has taken information regarding student achieve-
ment, building organization, curriculum and instruction,
family/community involvement data, and our school strengths and
weaknesses, as well as information gained from visiting other
schools’ Title I programs, and has developed a plan to improve
the way our Title I program provides reading intervention services
for all of our students.
Being able to meet the needs of all learners by utilizing our Ti-
tle I staff more effectively through the SWP, and providing instruc-
tion to students that is closer to their level of reading skill devel-
opment, should be a great help and resource for our students.
If you have any questions regarding the specifics of this plan,
please contact Debbie Stahlnecker, or Aaron Miller at WGS, 503-
429-7941.
Class of 2009 asks for help their party
The Vernonia High School
Class of 2009 will be celebrat-
ing graduation with a Safe &
Sober All-Night Grad-Party at
the Scout Cabin.
The class has raised money
money for the grad party
through a number of fundrais-
ers, and has received greatly
appreciated donations from
Vernonia Sentry, Black Bear
Coffee, Vernonia True Value,
Dairy Queen and others.
Donations are still needed to
help purchase food and prizes.
This is your last opportunity to
C OME ON IN FOR
B REAKFAST , L UNCH
O R D INNER
And Please Drive Carefully
Memorial Day Weekend
721 Madison Ave.,Vernonia • 503-429-5018
give to the Class of 2009.
All contributions should be
sent before June 1, to Vernonia
High School, Attn: Senior Grad
gnm
i
s
n
ll Co
A
f
f
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Night, 299 Bridge St., Vernonia,
OR 97064. Call Kathi Fetch at
503-429-3521 with any ques-
tions. The class of 2009 thanks
you.
ent
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503-429-TACK (8225)
1103 Bridge St, Vernonia
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