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The INDEPENDENT, June 6, 2012
Chalk Talk
Chalk Talk is a column of information about Ver-
nonia schools. This column was provided by Su-
perintendent Dr. Ken Cox.
Congratulations to the class of 2012! Last
Saturday’s graduation ceremony dodged the
rain, and even the wind seemed to cooperate,
as 62 students received their diplomas. This
class spent their entire high school career in the
mods. Next year’s graduation will be just as
memorable, but the students will have spent the
year in our new building.
As the school year winds down for the rest of
the students, it seems that concerns that have
been brewing under the surface throughout the
year come to a head. The District has spent a
great deal of time in the past couple of years ad-
dressing the issue of bullying. I would like to
think that we have made progress, but for those
whose students are still being bullied it may
seem like we still have a long way to go.
I would encourage any student or parent who
has had an issue with bullying, or any other is-
sue for that matter, to contact us. We ask that
you address the issue at the lowest possible lev-
el. If you know the parents of the student who is
bullying, then contact them to address the situa-
tion. If you have a concern about grades or the
way your student is being treated in a class-
room, please contact the teacher directly, either
by email or phone. If you do not hear back from
the teacher within 48 hours please feel free to
share your concerns with the building adminis-
trator. This same guideline applies to concerns
that you might raise
with a building adminis-
trator, once you have
contacted them about
a concern and you
have not been contacted, or the issue has not
been resolved within 48 hours (or at most a
week), please feel free to contact me and share
your concerns.
My greatest concern is that some issues have
not been mentioned because it wasn’t that big a
deal at the time, and then it happens again, and
pretty soon it has become a big deal that should
have been addressed much sooner. Please let
me know if you have a concern about our
schools before it becomes a big deal. I am here,
and I am willing to listen.
When someone comes to visit with me I take
the time to listen. I jot down some notes and
may even ask some questions. I do not try to de-
fend anyone, I am gathering information. I will
take a number where I can contact them and
then I talk to those staff involved to gather more
information. I want to help resolve situations,
and to improve relations wherever possible. We
are in the people business and I want to ensure
you that it is our job to establish a good working
relationship with you throughout your children’s
time in school.
If you have a concern, please share it with me
by email, phone, or stopping by, and I will ad-
dress it. I would also point out that I am human,
and if you feel I have not addressed your con-
cern appropriately, please let me know that, too.
State results for VHS Track team
From page 1
Nicolo Casale also earned a
second place finish in the Boys
100 Meter Dash (11.22).
Nathan Fleck took sixth place
in the
1500 Meter Run
(4:28.31) and Samantha Lin-
dauer had a seventh place fin-
ish in the Girls 400 Meter Dash
(1:03.69).
Other members of the team
included Lane Sullivan, Paul Ji-
ranek, Tynstan Talantov, Meg-
han Sullivan, Julie Zhunosso-
va, Kim Allen, Lea Wilson,
Stephanie Castro and Dezi
Roberts.
Pet of the Month
Find the pet that’s right for you at the Columbia Humane Society
2084 Oregon Street, St. Helens. Phone 503-397-4353
Open Mon - Fri 1 pm to 5 pm & Saturday, 11 am to 5 pm
I’m Sunny and they tell me I am a
Labrador/Pitbull mix. I'm about 2
years old. I am potty trained, and
mostly like other dogs. I love to go
for walks. If you have a fenced yard
and want to play with me, I’m your
girl. Once I’m out of the kennel, I’m
as sweet as can be. I can be a bit
nervous of new places and situa-
tions (oh, yeah, and cats). If you
think you might want to be my new
family please stop by and say hello.
The Columbia Humane Society is a No-Kill non-profit shelter
dedicated to helping friends find each other since 1985.
This Month’s Pet is Sponsored by:
THE
INDEPENDENT News & Information you can use
School board finds way to keep
Middle School sports in budget
The Vernonia School Board
meeting of May 24 was preced-
ed by the district’s budget hear-
ing. After discussion, the budg-
et committee reinstated the
middle school sports program
by raising fees and using a do-
nation from the Vernonia Com-
munity PTA. The changes will
pay for an assistant coach only
for track; other sports will have
to rely on volunteer assistant
coaches.
The staffing cuts approved
by the budget committee were
still in place when the board
approved the final budget, fol-
lowing completion of the budg-
et hearing.
The board had only one ad-
ditional item of business, the
passage of Resolution #11-08
authorizing the district to partic-
ipate in the Oregon Depart-
ment of Energy small scale en-
ergy loan program. The loan
will be used to help complete
the new K-12 school.
The next regularly sched-
uled board meeting will be held
June 14, starting at 6:00 p.m.
at the district office.
New school Facebook page ready
to help with fundraising efforts
The fundraising effort for the
new Vernonia schools has now
gone social with a Facebook
page.
“We hope to build on the
momentum of the strong sup-
port generated from within the
Vernonia community to further
spur a statewide barn-raising
campaign for Vernonia’s new
school and community center,”
said John Donovan, from the
Metropolitan group, in a letter
about the new site,
The site, set up by the Ver-
nonia Education Foundation is
at www.facebook.com/Vernon
ia Education Foundation.
Results of the first CCRA 2012 race
Sportsman Division – Fast
Time: Eric Lindquist, Milwaukie
15.30. Trophy Dash: Bud Rus-
sell, St. Helens. Heat 1: Koish
Somor, Portland; Brian Raden,
Portland; Jake VanOrtwick,
Portland. Heat 2: Aaron El-
wess, Portland; Russell; Smith.
Main: Elwess, Russell, Smith,
Brad Beehler, St. Helens; Clark
Tenney, Scappoose; Raden,
Lindquist, Matt Taylor, St. He-
lens; Travis Williams, Portland;
Jesse Allen, St. Helens.
Street Stock – Fast Time:
Jeremy Weatherbee, Portland
16.03. Trophy Dash: Todd
Newton, Portland. Heat 1: Curt
Zelmer, Portland; Ron Dodge,
Vernonia; Aaron Snook, Port-
land. Heat 2: Rick Rehanek,
Vancouver; RT Cutler, Port-
land; Steffan Strawn, Deer Is-
land. Main: Rehanek, Justin
McMullen, Deer Island; New-
ton, Strawn, Ken Bryan, Tole-
do; John Haagenson, St. He-
lens; Gerardo Maya, Portland;
Zelmer, Cutler, Dodge.
Mini Stock – Fast Time:
John Oyler, St. Helens 16.52.
Trophy Dash: Tim Oyler, St.
Helens. Heat 1: Brad Beehler,
Jerry Winchester, Longview;
Lisa Oyler, Gresham. Heat 2:
Joel Beehler, St. Helens; Rich
Gooding, Castle Rock; John
Oyler. Main: Joel Beehler, John
Oyler, Winchester, Lisa Oyler,
Brad Beehler, Gooding, Darrin
Rye, Deer Island; Gary Brag-
don, Kelso; Russ Krein, Port-
land; Ron Krein, Portland.
Modified Division – Fast
Time: Doug Davenport, Ver-
nonia 14.45. Trophy Dash: Don
Jenner, Vancouver. Heat 1:
Dave Walters, Gresham; Clark
Tenney, Rick Graham, Port-
land. Heat 2: Clint Petty, St.
Helens; Dan Smith, Don Jen-
ner. Main: Petty, Don Jenner,
Robert Jenner, Vancouver;
Walters, Graham, Tony Hen-
don, Portland; Mike Harrison,
St. Helens; Matt Jenner, Van-
couver; Curt Zelmer, Smith.
Women's Division – Fast
Time: Jenae Frelich, St. Helens
15.96. Trophy Dash: Sundee
Hamrick, Portland. Heat: Ham-
rick, Frelich, Susan Nelson,
Portland. Main: Hamrick, Nel-
son, Frelich.
Pacific Mini Sprints – Fast
Time: Greg Lane, Portland
12.84. Trophy Dash: Lane.
Heat: Lane, Walters, Mike Opo-
ka, Phoenix, AZ. Main: Lane,
Walters,
Keith
Everson,
Marysville; Dan Beck, Castle
Rock; Opoka, Vinny Villiggiarie,
Portland; Kalista Ross, Port-
land.
Dwarf Cars – Fast Time:
Kevin Hicks, Portland 15.02.
Trophy Dash: Lucas Eaton, St.
Helens. Heat: Ryan Martinez,
Portland; Kevin Hicks, Eaton.
Main: Martinez, Doug McVae,
Scappoose; Eaton, Brian
Hicks, Portland; Jenelle Harri-
son, St. Helens; Kevin Hicks.