by Anne Scheck

SCHOOL DISTRICT READIES FOR “DISTANCE LEARNING”
Central School District 13J is gearing up for online “distance learning” that would send class lessons out to parents, put Chromebooks in the hands of students and seek more WIFI availability for rural areas, Superintendent Jennifer Kubista EdD said Monday night. 
 
Though there’s a likely possibility that school closure will continue past the end of April, perhaps without reopening during the current academic year, “the governor hasn’t said that,” Dr. Kubista stressed. “So, I’m asking everyone to be patient,” she said, adding that “I cannot say thank you enough.” Many of the board members attended the meeting remotely by internet link-up. 
 
“I am thinking of the mom who is a nurse and might leave for the shift at 7 pm,” she said – then faces helping to home-school children after she returns. “I am thinking of the dad who has just been laid off,” she added, noting that the challenge of helping with in-home teaching is tough on parents under circumstances that are “unprecedented.”   
 
Chromebooks, a user-friendly screen-plus-keypad, is a tool being distributed by the district this week, as are “learning packets.” A unit on social-emotional subject matter was sent out the first week in April; the second one includes more academic topics, such as math and reading. A distance-learning draft plan is slated for completion by the end of this week, Dr. Kubista said. 

Central High School (CHS) is the focus of initial, intense efforts – students at CHS need to accrue credits to move toward graduation, she pointed out. “We are hoping that the guidance for high school comes this week,” Dr. Kubista said, an apparent reference to the need for information from the Oregon Department of Education. 

Computer accessibility, including deployment of Chromebooks, is a pressing priority for everyone, Dr, Kubista stated. Since many families have access to their own laptops and tablets, “I think we will have enough” Chromebooks for all who lack the technology, she said. A simple, step-by-step guide for using the Chromebooks will be attached to each, she added. 

For students who live in rural residences where internet is “spotty” or non-existent, the district has compiled a “tech savvy team” who will try to address that problem, among others, she said. 

The online education will be a combination of teacher-led learning and family involvement, she said. Dr. Kubista praised everyone – from the custodians who are responsible for sanitizing buildings to the union leaders who have shown both "leadership and flexibility." The effort has “just been amazing” and it’s coming from everyone, she said, emphasizing that staff members, teachers, teacher’s aides and administrators worked tirelessly over the past few weeks.  

Board Chair Steve Love said Dr. Kubista should be commended, as well. “I’d like to thank the superintendent for leading us in uncharted water and keeping our kids a priority,” Mr. Love said.

OTHER ACTIONS:
District to buy property at 16th Street and Hoffman Road. School board members approved the purchase of 2.6 acres across the street from Ash Creek Elementary School, with an eye toward future growth. The money was taken from an existing fund. The current building at the site has a full kitchen and other amenities. Asked by two board members why another facility is needed when Henry Hill Elementary School was converted to office space several years ago, Board Chair Steve Love said: “I think we can continue to look at Henry Hill,” if school populations continue to swell.  

Grab-and-go meals increase for those across district. In mid-March, the school district provided breakfast-lunch meal packs for 541 students. By week three, that number had grown to 816. The meals are being given out at different school locations.

Chemeketa partnership likely – and pending. A planned partnership agreement between Chemeketa Community College and the school district is likely, but it’s apparently on hold due to the coronavirus crisis. “We will continue those conversations,” said Dr. Kubista. 

FOR THE FAMILIES FEELING STRAIN… 
As calls to law enforcement increase for incidents that seem to be caused by emotional stress – up by 20% or more, according to one official estimate – parents and others can find help at Polk County Behavioral Health services, said Kristty Polanco MPH, public health administrator at Polk County Health Services. Anyone feeling overwhelmed and in need of counseling can call 503-623-9289, she said.  The link to the webpage for related information is https://www.co.polk.or.us/bh.
 
And, as the weeks of shelter-in-place drag on, there appears to be “light at the end of the tunnel,” observed Craig Pope, a member of the Polk County Board of Commissioners. He and Mike Ainsworth, who chairs the commission, agreed that people’s adherence to social distancing and other control measures seem to be paying off – a view echoed by Rep. Paul Evans. “Based on current modeling, Oregon is staying below our hospital, ICU and ventilator capacity,” according to a news release issued today by Rep. Evans. The information “brings hope” that the stay-home-and-save-lives order is working, he stated.

by Anne Scheck

An alternative high-school program by Central District 13J is seeking to engage students who are likely to lose their chance to graduate. It’s a more personalized approach being offered this year at the Henry Hill building in partnership with the Community Services Consortium, which was already providing learning options to at-risk youth there. The program was presented at the last school board meeting. 
  
Central High School’s graduation rate (81%) slightly exceeded the state average (80%), but there was a five percent drop in the number of male students who graduated from Central High School (CHS) in 2019 compared with the year before. Of 227 students, 26 were “non-completers,” a group commonly termed “drop-outs,” noted Superintendent Jennifer Kubista EdD. 
 
Keeping some of those students in school is the goal, she said. Underpinning the need for this alternative form of education – or “Alt Ed” – is recent and better data-tracking of individual class credits for district students in grades nine through 12, which showed some lag so far behind they need a different strategy to earn a diploma. For example, a few who entered CHS in the last cohort had never been in school before; Others showed large gaps in their previous education. “That’s really important for the public to understand this,” observed school board member Jannice Link-Jobe, who previously served as principal for CHS. 
 
CHS students who seemed suitable candidates for the program were identified, advised of this new “learning community,” and offered the opportunity to “transition” to it after application and acceptance into it for the 2019-20 school year.
 
The presentation on the Alt Ed plan was given by Donna Servignat, CHS principal, and Jason Clark, project manager and director for the district’s safety and risk management planning. The Alt Ed program is being financed with state funds.  

A curriculum that includes training in “job-readiness,” hands-on “experiential” learning and “outside-the-box” classes at LaCreole Middle School in Dallas got $30,000 from the Polk County Board of Commissioners, who used those very terms to describe why they allocated the sum – and suggested the program could be exported to districts like Central School District 13J.  
 
In one way, some of that innovation already is: A bus called the “STEAM Machine” – a vehicle dreamed up by LaCreole’s principal, Jamie Richardson – visits Independence and other communities; It’s equipped with a 3-D printer, a robotics station and computers for on-site coding, among other features. (STEAM is an acronym often used in education to refer to Science-Technology-Electronics-Art-Mechanics). 
 
However, the STEAM bus only represents an overall concept, said Principal Richardson. From laser-and-vinyl cutting to video production, LaCreole is offering elective classes designed to capture student interest in skills aimed at the future. “We think it can be a good way for students to find their areas of interest, even their passion,” he explained. The “maker space” at the Henry Hill building in Independence offers similar opportunities through the Community Services Consortium (CSC), he pointed out. “You’ve got Mona K-Hinds over there doing some really great things,” he said.  (Ms. K-Hinds is principal youth advisor for CSC).

To be consistent with changes by the Oregon Department of Education, the non-binary pronoun “they” will be used in lieu of other gender terms, when appropriate, in policies and other documents in the district, Dr. Kubista said. In another follow-up development, a contract solidifying the growing partnership between Chemeketa Community College and the district is likely to be unveiled in the not-too-distant future, she said.

The school board voted to accept revisions to a policy that clarifies bullying, harassment and retaliation; It now also includes language reflecting the definition of domestic abuse.  

By Anne Scheck

K-5 DISTRICT SCHOOLS GET ‘AGE-APPROPRIATE’ SEX ED

A sexual education program for the district’s elementary schools will begin in kindergarten with lessons about personal boundary-setting and, by the end of fifth grade, include more relationship-oriented discussions, according to an introduction to the plan presented at the last meeting of Central School District (CSD) 13J. 
Calling it a “difficult topic,” District Superintendent Jennifer Kubista EdD noted that the elementary-school portion is only part of CSD’s K-12 comprehensive plan on sexual health and education, which is designed to comply with Oregon’s statutory requirement. 

Much of the information will be drawn from the curriculum of “The Great Body Shop,” which received input from the community before its adoption a few years ago. For high school students, providing information about contraception, as well as focusing on abstention, might be seen as “controversial,” Dr. Kubista acknowledged. “But that is a priority of what we are expected to do.” 

Recent results from the district’s “healthy youth survey” indicate a substantial increase (10%) in the number of 11th graders who reported feeling “pressured into sex” since the 2017 questionnaire, she pointed out. The instruction on sexual topics, which is scheduled to take place four times a year, needs to have “high academic rigor and use medically accurate definitions,” Dr. Kubista added. 

The expansion is a result of “Erin’s Law,” which seeks to provide youths with skills to help prevent sex abuse. Parents may review the program; Letters providing notification of how to “opt out” will be sent. Most recently, the CSD committee that created the new program worked on ways in which the requirements can be met in grades K-5. The presentation was made by Julia Heilman, student-services director for the district and Alisha Bowen, physical education teacher at Talmadge Middle School. The Oregon Department of Education has asked to use parts of CSD’s plan as a template for other districts, according to Ms. Heilman.

NEW TOOL FOR ASSESSING SUPERINTENDENT REVIEW

Feedback from CSD staff and local citizens will be included in future superintendent evaluations, School Board Chair Steve Love announced at the January school board meeting.

At a recent work-session retreat by the CSD school board, members decided that future polling of CSD employees and community members would be undertaken as part of the annual superintendent assessment, he said. 

Date to Note

School Board Meeting Monday Feb 3, 6:30 pm, Henry Hill building in Independence.

In terms of demographic trends, CSD in general and Independence Elementary School in particular, are representative of today’s public schools. Nationwide, one in every four elementary-school students is Latinx, and most are English-language learners, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. As a result, dual-language programs are becoming more common – they are linked to increases on standardized tests among students for whom English is a second language.

An anonymous, volunteer questionnaire suggests that 8th grade students at Talmadge Middle School experienced substantially more bullying by social media this past year –as well as unwanted sexual comments or attention – than they did the last two times the survey was taken. However, the reasons why are unclear.
 
The survey is conducted biennially by the Central School District (CHS) during odd-numbered years. It includes only unidentified students from grades 8 and 11.
 
The 8th-grade group this past year had a higher number of students who felt “sad” or “hopeless” daily for more than two weeks, compared with 2017 and 2015. They also had more food insecurity, compared with two years ago.
 
However, a high percentage of CHS and middle-school students – more than 70% – felt that “at least one teacher/adult in my school cares about me.” This category increased for the two groups from both 2015 and 2017.

Scores of students attending CHS, as well as graduates of the high school, have participated in programs at Chemeketa Community College over the past decade that saved them thousands of dollars in college costs, according to a report at the December meeting of the Central District 13J School Board. 
 
The findings were presented by Chemeketa President Jessica Howard PhD and Betsy Earls, a board member from the community college. They presented information showing that, last year, 59 CHS students paid $25 to participate in Chemeketa’s “College Credit Now” program, earning 420 college credits – a savings of $42,625.
 
“I am so excited with our burgeoning partnership,” Dr. Howard said. The program connects high school to higher education, providing a cost-effective pathway and smoothing the transition to college, she added. Figures from 2016 show that 14% of that year’s CHS graduation class enrolled at Chemeketa.  
 
“I think this a valuable partnership that we need to have with the district,” said Superintendent Jennifer Kubista EdD. In the future, there may be more opportunity for expansion in trade and technical education, she said.
 
Enrollment figures released last year show that Chemeketa had the lowest number of students it had recorded in the past 10 years. Statewide, declines on some campuses have been blamed on a strong economy and lagging student recruitment; Gains at some – like Oregon State University, which showed an uptick – have been attributed partly to degree offerings more closely tailored to the job force.

Mental health specialists now serve all schools in the district, and are listed for reference on the Polk County website: Ashley Hunt at Ash Creek Elementary; Sara Weeks at Independence Elementary; Vanessa Unger at Monmouth Elementary; Katie Finley at Talmadge Middle School; Hilary Morris at CHS.

The incidence of gonorrhea increased significantly in Polk County between 2013 and 2017, a recent report shows; It rose from 17 to 75 cases. During the same period, syphilis cases increased only from seven to 11. The incidence of both sexually transmitted diseases is being tracked, according to Kristty Polanco MPH, public health administrator for Polk County Health Services. 

By Anne Scheck

English language learners in the lower grades at Central School District indicate average levels on state testing in English proficiency, but middle school scores drop into the low-performing range. The pattern continues at Central High School.

That was part of the statewide data Superintendent Jennifer Kubista EdD shared at the last school board meeting. For English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA), students in kindergarten through 5thgrade appear “on track,” she said. However, beginning at 6thgrade and beyond, the ELPA tests show troubling trends, compared with elementary school results, she said. 

Absenteeism is associated with relatively low achievement, so special attention is being paid to students who “have struggled with attendance,” Dr. Kubista said. For example, a character called “Captain Attendance” at Independence Elementary School “flies through” frequently to acknowledge good attendance. 

Low attendance not only correlates with learning challenges, but “it’s actually tied to our funding,” she pointed out. State dollars are linked to the number of students present more than 90% of the days they are enrolled, she explained.

The top goal adopted by the district is student growth and achievement. But the second priority is family involvement. District-wide community chats that were held last year by Dr. Kubista -- and at the beginning of this academic year -- have provided a good foundation for families to connect, said Sharman Ensminger, director of equity, access and instructional technology for the district. Now, district staff are working on a formal plan to bring more family involvement into the schools, she said.

A pilot program in Polk County that will place 30 high school students in business internships is scheduled to kick off Dec. 1, with plans to go to different school districts when they’re also ready to start, said Brent DeMoe, the county’s family and community outreach director.  Mr. DeMoe announced the plan at the Board of Commissioners meeting last Tuesday. 

The inaugural effort, which will place 10 students per school-year term, begins at the Morrison Campus Alternative School in Dallas. “We want to give them the opportunity to be ‘job-ready’ when they graduate,” explained Morrison teacher Charlotte Vidrio.

Students get school credit for successful participation in the internships, and they are being offered the chance to receive dual community-college credit by Chemeketa, according to Roxanna Glang, a psychology professor at Chemeketa who is assisting with the program. 

Career and technical education (CTE) – internships, in particular – are a top objective of Central School District, said Julia Heilman, director of student services for the district. In a presentation at the recent school board meeting, she said the district is seeking to expand CTE.  “This is really to help support the success of students in school, career, college, work and community,” Ms. Heilman said.

As part of "Fight Crime: Invest in Kids," a group that's working to raise awareness of the role preschool can play in getting kids on a good educational pathway, Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton and Independence Police Chief Robert Mason, among other county law-enforcement officials, spent time recently at the Oregon Child Development Coalition in Independence. During their time there, the duo read a whimsical story to an audience of enraptured preschoolers. 

On behalf of the Lions Club, District Governor Steve Moser awarded Central School District 13J a sum of $10,500 for emergency preparedness this month at the Henry Hill building in Independence. The grant was received by Jason Clark, director of safety and security for the district; The school district contributed $500, bringing the total to $11,000. Mr. Clark was joined by Terry Cable, president of the Central Lions Club and Mike Ward, secretary of the Lions Club, and Rod Bach, also of the local Lions Club. Ben Stange, chief of Polk Fire District No. 1 and Kimber Townsend, were also present. Ms. Townsend will provide disaster instruction and expertise. Mr. Moser, former president of District 13J’s school board, represents Lions Club District MD-36R, that runs from Polk County westward to the Oregon Coast and south to Florence.

The incidence of sexually-transmitted disease is on the rise across the county -- repeating a pattern that’s been seen for the past few years, according to county medical reports. Gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis “continue to go up,” said Kristty Polanco, public health administrator for Polk County. The agency is attempting to pin down with more precision the most contributory factors, Ms. Polanco said. The findings were reported at a recent meeting of the Polk County Board of Commissioners. 

A 70-acre tract of land for mixed-use housing was annexed into the city of Independence last week, and a direct effect on the school district appears to be the potential increase in the number of families. The plan includes 100 new homes in southwest Independence; State estimates put typical population gains from new subdivisions at two-per-household in the Willamette Valley, over a range of ages. 

At the Independence City Council meeting, two of the councilors – Shannon Corr and Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith – asked if school administrators had been informed of the proposed expansion. Mayor John McArdle said he had spoken with former superintendent Buzz Brazeau about it before Mr. Brazeau left the district in 2017. Councilor Ranstrom-Smith then observed that local schools already are at capacity, adding that she found the issue “concerning.” She noted that in 2006 Henry Hill was an elementary school on the south side of Independence, but it no longer is open for students. Instead, it was converted to district offices.  

Later, when Superintendent Jennifer Kubista was asked privately at the meeting if she’d been contacted by the city about the annexation, she responded only: “I am here to learn.

Breakfast will be available for late-coming students at all three elementary schools and at Talmadge middle school, even if students enter the building after the morning bell has rung. “We want to offer them the opportunity to eat” even if they’re not on time, explained Alex Singer, head of food service for the school district. 
 
More funding for free school meals is part of the School Success Act, but money won’t kick in till 2020. Meanwhile, for students in the district, “we want to take away the worry of hunger,” he said. Independence Elementary School has the highest poverty rate of any district school, according to a report at the November school board meeting. 

An unusual weather pattern of windless fog that trapped poor-quality air across the region is making the days to come potentially unhealthy for some segments of the population with respiratory problems, despite sunny blue skies this week. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has said the air quality concerns will remain till Tuesday, Nov. 12.

By most measures, students in Central School District 13J lagged behind state averages on English language arts and math – but 7th-graders showed consistent growth year-over-year from mid-elementary school onward. 
 
“This is what we need to look at, and we need to try to determine what’s happening – and if we can learn why, that can be very helpful to us,” said Jennifer Kubista EdD, superintendent of the district. Dr. Kubista made her observations at the final “community chat,” which was held at the Henry Hill Hawk meeting room this past week. However, she unveiled the test scores at the last school board meeting, prompting one board member to note the data sets were beginning to show trends. 
 
The results were based on the previous years’ “Smarter Balanced Assessment” test, which showed this particular group, ages 12-to-13, improved more than 4% per year, for an overall rise of 16.6%. “Data collection is just so very important,” Dr. Kubista said. By having the same test annually and, in general, the same students taking it as they move through grades, “we can get information that is valuable.” 
 
In a brief interview after the community chat, Dr. Kubista added that the data-building effort at the district is being designed so that different categories, even individual students, can be tracked over time to give a clearer picture of gains and losses in periodic testing. “We aren’t there yet, but we’re headed there,” she said. 

A technical-training career track could become a more successful path for some students. That point was made at a town hall forum held by the City of Independence this month – and Dr. Kubista said she’s in full agreement.
 
Asked during the meeting if such career preparation at the high school level has merit, Dr. Kubista said she is an advocate of it, noting that radiologic technicians earn as much as $75,000 annually -- and they don’t require a four-year college degree. 
 
Career and technical education sustain high-school student involvement, she said. In fact, it’s linked to “on-time graduation,” she added. In addition, it means some high school graduates can “hit the ground running” in terms of immediate job opportunities, she said.  

Roth Grocery’s current home won’t become the school district’s new headquarters, once it vacates Independence and moves to a new building under construction at the S Curve – despite the popular rumor that relocation would free up the Henry Hill building to return to an elementary school. “No, this isn't the case,” said Dr. Kubista, quashing the gossip. However, a long-desired Taco Bell is likely to land next to the new Roth’s store, fulfilling a decade-long wish for the fast food eatery by students at Central High School. An email and phone call to Taco Bell’s headquarters in Irvine CA failed to elicit a denial.  

The Independence Police Department issued 58 citations and warnings this past year for “Operating a Motor Vehicle While Using a Mobile Communication Device.” Officers have found that there is often confusion as to what constitutes using a cell phone while driving, noted Independence Police Chief Robert Mason in a news release on the topic. “Basically, what regulations allow is that you can utilize hands-free devices,’’ he stated, adding that “the only time that the phone can be touched is to activate or deactivate it -- not dialing, texting, holding it to talk, entering directions or taking a selfie." Also, “we ask you to slow down for the kiddos heading to and from school, turn on your headlights, and be ready for weather-related hazards on the roads,” the chief concluded.

By Anne Scheck

TACKLING DAILY ATTENDANCE GAP

School is off to a good start this month, but Thursday seems to be the day more absences are occurring at the elementary school level, Jennifer Kubista EdD noted. Any school day that shows a relatively high level of absenteeism can be a problem – funding is directly tied to student attendance, she said. 
 
And, increasingly, chronic absenteeism is viewed as an important measure of school quality. Three weeks ago, Gov. Kate Brown issued a proclamation declaring September “School Attendance Month,” to help bring attention to the need for addressing chronic absenteeism in the state. Oregon has one of the highest absenteeism rates of any state in the nation, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. 

“You have the ingredients to get this (better attendance) done in Oregon,” according to Pedro Noguera PhD, who gave the keynote speech at the annual meeting of the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators, which was held last week. Dr. Noguera is distinguished professor of Education at UCLA. 

After his speech, he said that local schools in Oregon can follow the same formula as those in Los Angeles that have significantly increased their attendance rates. Teachers and administrators who call out and greet students at every opportunity have seen declines in absenteeism, he pointed out. Another important factor: Programs that allow all kinds of students to participate, such as expansion of sports and clubs beyond traditional offerings.
 
Dr. Kubista said she wants to see more emphasis on career and technical education – enabling students to have different kinds of engagement, including shop-style, hands-on experience. Some of that training was once considered a typical part of the curriculum.  

MENTAL HEALTH AT ALL SCHOOLS

A behavioral health specialist will be at every school in the district this fall – consistent with survey results last year from all local schools, which showed emotional well-being for students is a priority for families.  
 
In outreach meetings held during the 2018-19 academic year, District 13J parents and other attendees cited student health – including care for mental and emotional needs -- as the second-most important goal for the future. Topping the list was a call for examination of class size. 
 
The findings were tallied from thousands of responses gathered during the public meetings, said Superintendent Jennifer Kubista EdD. Dr. Kubista shared the results at one of the first “community chats” scheduled this fall, which was held last week at the Henry Hill meeting room. 
 
At a mental health forum last week, Steve Allen, the behavioral health director for the Oregon Health Authority, said programs that are simple, responsive and meaningful are key to success in addressing mental-health needs. 
 
“I agree with that,” said Eugene Superintendent Gustavo Balderas EdD during a brief interview at a meeting of school administrators held the same day as the mental health conference. Dr. Balderas, a graduate of Western Oregon University, was named superintendent for the year 2020 by the Oregon Association of School Executives and the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators. 

Making it simple: Being able to see a behavioral-health specialist by having one right there at school is a good step, Dr. Balderas said. And for responsiveness: Knowledge that a caring person is immediately available is hugely important, he added. “For students to learn, they need to feel safe,” he pointed out. 

To make it meaningful, it’s good to establish a “baseline” so that comparisons can be made year-to-year, he said. Dr. Kubista has said she would like to establish benchmarks and data points for many of the points in the district’s plan.
The next community chat with Dr. Kubista will be held Oct. 10 at Ash Creek Elementary School from 6 to 7:30 pm.

NOTE
 
The new Student Success Act is going into effect with an estimated delivery of $1 billion to public schools -- but districts won’t start seeing the new money from the legislation until the 2020-21 academic year.

By Anne Scheck

School Enrollment: Significant Increase

Early enrollment figures suggest an increase of more than 180 students in Central School District 13J, surpassing a prediction made last year by a Portland-based consulting firm -- and closing off transfers from outside the district. The uptick has strained capacity at several grade levels, Superintendent Jennifer Kubista said at the monthly school board meeting Monday night. 

“Students who live in our community – that is our priority,” she said. Noting that the “numbers could change,” she said there were an estimated 3,180 students last year and this fall 3,363 have “stepped into the buildings.” That tally may fluctuate – it reflects only the first few days of the new academic year, she pointed out. And the data are subject to state-mandated formulas, making direct comparisons potentially imprecise so early in the process, she added. 

Several months ago, a team from the consulting agency Flo Analytics predicted an upward enrollment trend in the district at the elementary-school level for every year in the near future. In a brief interview after the forecasting was presented, personnel from the company said housing growth in the area, including several scheduled subdivisions, mean an annual rise of at least several dozen students is a fairly certain finding.

NOTE: Dr. Kubista will hold a series of “community chats” on the district’s strategic plan. The first one is scheduled for Sept. 24, 2019, at Henry Hill. Free childcare is provided for children 3 years and older. Refreshments will be provided. 

History Teacher Receives Award

Frank White, a history teacher at Central High School, was honored with the Gilder-Lehrman award Monday night – but he gave much of the credit to his students. 
 
Accepting the award, which included $1,000 for the educator, Mr. White said “none of this happens because of one person.” His students are “extraordinary” and filled with “curiosity,” which is one reason they “knocked the stuffing out” of other schools in a recent competition, he said. 
 
Mr. White was selected out of 600 applicants from across the state for his innovative and inclusive teaching style, said Amit Kobrowski, who bestowed the award. Mr. Kobrowski is an education specialist in social sciences at the Oregon Department of Education. 
 
With his wife Lola and young son looking on, Mr. White said that his passion for history comes from knowing its importance. “History is the way culture teaches us about our identity,” he said. 

Looking Ahead

A summertime rite of passage for Central High School teens – tubing on the Willamette River – may have an added layer of safety next year if the county sheriff’s concerns about trees in the water is heeded by the Oregon State Marine Board.
Citing “log jams” that can snag rafting groups – including an outing this past summer that involved his own wife – Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton said he plans to ask the board for mitigation of underwater trees. After a recent tube-rafting death, in which a woman who was wearing a life jacket became entangled and drowned, it’s clear that these submerged trees need management, he said. “She did everything right,” Sheriff Garton said of the victim. The sheriff made his comments at the Polk County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday. 

There is no age restriction on adolescents using either rafts or inner tubes to float down the Willamette River, according to state authorities. Riverview Park, a launch location in Independence, is listed as one of the most popular raft-staging sites in the area by Travel Oregon.

The Final Word

High school student Kendrah Hastings, now seated as part of the District 13J School Board after a recently completed selection process for student representation, took her place among the elected school board officials Monday. Way to go, Kendrah.