October 5, 2015

School District News

From Superintendent

Robert Vian

District

The district’s three large schools all need new roofs within the next few years.  Orofino High School’s roof is in the worst shape.  Timberline and OHS both have the original roof, installed in 1969 when the buildings were constructed.

Timberline was built to withstand a 55 pound per square foot snow load, about half of what today’s code requires.  In the past, when snows have been heavy, the district has hired a crew to shovel snow off the roof.  Regardless of how careful the crews might have been, shoveling the snow has caused hundreds of small tears in the roof which were repaired each year.  This year we repaired 76 tears, and we haven’t shoveled the roof the past four years.

No one I have spoken with has been able to identify if or when the OES roof was last replaced.

I believe the district can continue to flourish with the current operational levy funding.  I plan to propose to the Board of Trustees a two year operating levy for the same amount as the voters have approved the past three years.  That would make five years with no increase in property taxes for operation of the schools.

The operating levy allows us to employee teachers and para-professionals to maintain class sizes and small group instruction.  It accounts for nearly 28% of our operating funds.  Over the past three years, the additional paras have been a great help, working with teachers to improve elementary math and reading scores. 

Orofino also has full time kindergarten thanks to the operating levy.  The state only pays for half time kindergarten.  Study after study shows that early childhood education is most beneficial in promoting education.  Full time kindergarten for the past two years has improved reading and math scores and saved the district transportation costs by not requiring a mid-day bus to take students home or bring them to school.

The dramatic improvement in technology within the district is a direct result of local property taxpayers approving funds for technology. 

Each year for the past three years we have spent nearly $100,000 of the money the local taxpayers have given us to maintain your schools with smaller maintenance projects like the 2 wheel chair access ramps at OES, a new freezer for food service at Timberline, fencing to keep cows off the Timberline play field/football field, new floor covering at OHS, OES, Peck, Cavendish, and TS, replacing dry rotted floors at OES, and painting OHS and Timberline.

I would like to encourage public comment on to a proposal to maintain the operating portion of the levy but increasing the maintenance portion of the levy for two years, in the amount of $400,000 per year to replace the roofs at OHS and Timberline.  In two years this levy would expire and voters would be able to decide on the future as they see fit.  Meanwhile the district would re-roof OHS next summer (2016) and Timberline the summer of 2017.

The current operating levy is approximately $4.66 per thousand of property value.  Half of the value of a home, up to $179, 160 is exempt from taxation.  $400,000 per year would result in an increase of approximately 82 cents per thousand of non-exempt valuation.  For the average Clearwater County homeowner the increase would be about $30 per year for the next two years.  A person with a home valued at $300,000 home would see an increase of approximately $172 per year.  After two years the district would have to return to the voters to ask for a new maintenance and operating levy.

I would like to encourage you to call or e-mail me with your thoughts on how we can pay for the roofs. vianr@jsd171.org or 476-5593

Doing nothing is really not an option, as one sees every time you drive be the new ShopKo parking lot.

Orofino Junior High School

The Orofino seventh and eighth grade officers helped put the junior high dance together. The dance was held at the Maniac Teen Center. The Mediacs played the music at the dance. Everyone had a great time.

This is the first time that junior high had royalty. The royalty was eighth graders: King Andrew Bird and Queen Jenna Johnson. For seventh grade it was Prince Tucker Litostansky and Princess Chloe Jones. A big thanks to all the of our officers for seventh and eighth grade, which are 8th grade President Austin Bird,  Vice President Alli Waggener, Secretary: Michael Corder, Treasurer Kennedy Howell,  Class representative Trevor Dennison.  For 7th grade: President Jessie Ludiker, Vice President Jacqueline Salzman, Secretary Sydnie Zywina, Class Representative Kyle Hairston, Treasurer Thomas Tighe.

Contributed by Jacqueline Salzman, 7^th grade student

Peck

We are preparing for a Veterans Day Program that will be scheduled around Veterans Day. The program will take place during the day for our families and the community.  Things are going along smoothly and Mrs. Pollock is a great help.  Brenda Drobish Peck Teacher