The INDEPENDENT, December 2, 2010
VHS Honor Roll
The following students were
named to the Vernonia High
School academic Honor Roll
for the 2010-11 first quarter.
Grade Point Averages (GPA)
are on a scale of 1-4, with 4
equaling a perfect score.
Principal’s Honors, 4.00 –
Aleksa Ajacimovic, Jacob Alf,
Ashlee Archer, Rachel Brown,
Kaytee
Burghard, Austin
Cutright, Daniele Della Rossa,
Janae Easlon, Katie Ellington,
Mackenzie Frantz, Laura Hein,
Quinlan Johansen, Samantha
Lindauer, Marina Mekidiche,
Mason Roberts, Ryan Sand-
strom, Kelly Smith, Ellyssa
Szlavich, Nicole Thompson,
Natalie Wallace, and Saman-
tha Wallace.
High Honors, 3.50-3.99 –
Silvia Barberis, Joseph Benes,
Skylar Binford, Joshua Brandt,
Kelsey Brandt, Jacob Bring-
man, Charlette Burghard,
Joshua Butcher, Crystal-Ann
Carreon, Holly Cavett, Rowan
Cheney, Christopher Dass,
Robin Elliott, Brandy Fosdick,
Jessica Gardner, Kristina
Halvorson, Cierra Henson,
See VHS on page 28
VMS Honor Roll
The following students were
named to the Vernonia Middle
School academic Honor Roll
for the 2010-11 first quarter.
Principal’s Honors, 4.00 –
Macayla
Adams,
Emilee
Easlon, Brett Jones, Jocie
Ranay-Roberts, Meghan Sulli-
van, Dylan Taylor, and Chase
Tolonen.
High Honors, 3.50-3.99 –
Tristan Adams, Kayla Aronhalt,
Marley Bower, Brittany Brandt,
Jacob Butcher, Zi_Xian Chen,
Pearl Cook, Kaitlyn Eyrrick,
Jazmine Harper, Corey Hieron-
imus, Nathanael McCroskey-
Izzett, Sheyanne Pedersen,
Megan Rice, Jamie Scott,
Summer Snow, Winter Snow,
Autumn Sorenson, Jessica
Stringfield, and Payton Wolf.
Honors, 3.25-3.49 – Emily
See VMS on page 22
Chalk Talk
Chalk Talk is a column of information about Vernonia schools. This col-
umn was provided by Superintendent Ken Cox.
As I write this school has been cancelled for the past three
days, Thanksgiving Day is tomorrow, and I find myself contem-
plating what I am thankful for, both personally and as a represen-
tative of the school district and a member of our community.
On a personal level, I have a lot to be thankful for, I have a job
that I enjoy (most of the time) and I get to work with great people.
My wife is very supportive of me and the demands that the differ-
ent aspects of my job place upon us. My children and grandchil-
dren are healthy and doing well in the different aspects of their
lives. In reality, I truly have little to complain about, and much to
be thankful for.
As I started this school year, I set a goal to spend a bit more
time in the classrooms of the district and, for a while there, was
able to do so a couple of times a week. I saw students engaged
in learning, regardless of their surroundings, teachers who,
though perhaps a bit nervous to have me walk in and sit down
unannounced, taught with integrity and concern for each child. In
one high school classroom I was pleasantly greeted by the stu-
dents, which made me feel appreciative of them and what they are
going through. An example from the student perspective – We re-
cently moved 38 lockers from the WGS basement into the cafete-
ria so some students could have one. As Mr. Underwood and I dis-
cussed how he planned to determine who got a locker and who
didn’t, he mentioned that one student, a junior, had said “I’ve nev-
er had a locker before.”
It is my hope that each of us will find thankfulness in some of
the little things in life, as we take the time to consider how much
we have to be thankful for.
As I consider the fact that we have broken ground on the site
of our new schools, my mind is swimming with the names and
faces of those who should be mentioned in thanking them for their
time, dedication, commitment and tenacity to get us to this point.
I think of meeting with two members of the Army Corps of Engi-
neers last month to sign their permit for us to proceed, one of
whom I had never met, but he was aware of our project and com-
mented on the efficiency that had accompanied the project paper-
work as the result of a consultant, who, under the direction of
Steve Effros, our project manager, had met with the Army Corps
early to identify concerns and address them before they became
an issue. I think of the dedicated group of individuals who, every
Friday since last April, participated in a conference call from wher-
ever they were – Seattle, Salem, Washington D.C., Vernonia, to
make sure that the same level of concern and addressing the is-
sues helped us receive the Finding Of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) that came last week from FEMA. I think of all of those
who have participated for the past two years in the Oregon Solu-
tions Vernonia Project, and their commitment to continue through
June of next year, helping us find not only the best site, but alter-
native funding opportunities to make this happen.
One of the most unique and in some ways challenging aspects
of our project is that we have had to work on a fundraising cam-
paign as well as determine the design and construction of the new
schools. More than a year ago, in one example of the ongoing
help of Senator Betsy Johnson, we interviewed a number of firms
that could help us with our fundraising. As a result we contracted
with the Metropolitan Group, who have also shown a great deal of
dedication and tenacity in giving us every opportunity to make our
case to groups in Portland and throughout the region.
Can drive, Dec.11
The next pop can drive for
Vernonia students will help
both the high school trip to
Costa Rica, and the Washing-
ton, D.C., trip for eighth grade
students. It will be held Decem-
ber 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
in the covered playshed area.
Page 11
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a’s
Lis ing
om
PET SUPPLIES,
Gro gain!
a
GROOMING & U-WASH
(503-429-PETS (7387)
OPEN
www.creaturespetshop.com
Mon-Sat 10-6
736 Bridge St. Vernonia
I could go on and on, but I hope you
get the picture. None of us is an island.
We must rely on each other for any of us
to succeed. As a community member I
look to the city council to get to know
each other and work together to
strengthen our community. Our school board is an example of
dedicated individuals who have put aside some of their differ-
ences to make a difference in the lives of our children, and conse-
quently have a positive impact on the rest of the community. I am
thankful to have the opportunity to work with them on a regular ba-
sis.
Finally, I am thankful that I have so much to be thankful for,
great administrators and district office staff, who help me get my
job done, and the rest of the staff who helps them get their job
done, and none of us would even have a job if it weren’t for the
kids. I am thankful for them (as I hope you are), for their smiles,
their energy, and their eagerness to learn and to please. Thanks-
giving was last week, but it is my hope that each of us will take a
little time each day to think about the many things we have to be
thankful for. It is a great way to start the day.
Car seat event on December 9
Columbia County Safe Kids,
in partnership with Alliance for
Community Traffic Safety
(ACTS Oregon) and several
community partners, will be
holding a child safety seat
check-up clinic on Thursday,
December 9, from 4:00 to 6:00
p.m.
The free clinic will be held in
St. Helens at the St. Helens
Fire Station, 105 S. 12th Street.
The clinic provides an opportu-
nity to have a child safety seat
checked by a certified techni-
cian who can correct misuse,
help with installation and teach
you how to correctly install the
seat. Technicians can also
check for seat recalls. There is
no cost to have a technician
check your child safety seats.
Please plan to spend 30-60
minutes at the event.
Additionally, through a grant
funded by the Oregon Depart-
ment of Transportation, Colum-
bia County Safe Kids is able to
provide low-cost child safety
seats to families in need. Fam-
ilies who receive Temporary
Assistance to Needy Families
(TANF) should contact their
worker about payment for a
seat.
For more information about
the clinic or the Columbia
County child safety seat pro-
gram, contact the Commission
on Children and Families at
503-397-7211.