April 18, 2016

School District News

From Superintendent

Robert Vian

District

Multi-Purpose building at OHS

The batting cage/multi-purpose building at OHS is really taking shape.  I drive by it a couple of times each day and it is remarkable how fast it is going up. 

Each time I drive by this volunteer community funded building I think about how lucky we are to have so many great people in our communities. 

A couple of years, when I was the principal at Timberline, I started a project to build a play shed at Timberline.  Gradi Thomson stepped up when I move to the district office and completed the building.  Many people helped, Carl Stemrich had his crew physically build the structure at no cost to the district.  Norm Stedman donated money for all the concrete.  Dozens of others contributed money for the structure.

Last year volunteers rebuilt the back stop at the OHS softball field.  Several people have worked to bring life to the OES Garden.  When the OHS AP Government students needed to raise some fast cash to save their trip to Washington D.C. the public step up and helped them.

When the legislature has struggled to meet one of their obligations, funding a public school system, the local taxpayer has voted to spend money on education.  The Lewiston Tribune had an article in the paper about the poverty in our community.  Obviously they were only talking about dollars, because this community is very rich in people.

Timberline High School

On 4/12 and 4/13 Timberline High School took a group of 30 students to visit the College of Western Idaho in Nampa and Boise State University in Boise.  This was a powerful experience for our students and aligns with our vision of providing each student with a vision of post-secondary success.  Students were able to compare and contrast the two different college experiences.  This experience was possible with a partnership with the Educational Talent Search TRIO program through Lewis Clark State College. Jason Hunter, Principal, Timberline High School

OJSHS READING PROGRAM

The benefits of reading are endless, from people being more empathetic to better math skills and more.

The leadership team, (made up of principal Dan Hull, counselor Cindy Beck, English teachers, Michelle George and Kaye Weller, math teacher, Sarah Hill and librarian, Carol Robinson) we came up with the idea to have students read books silently whenever possible during the school day.  This requirement has dramatically increase students use of the library and more students are reading. 

Checkout and renewals were exactly the same for January and March, even though we had spring break in March.  In January and March, 223 books were checked out and 76 were renewed. In February only 177 books were checked out and 56 were renewed.  Then at the start of fourth quarter with the push to get students reading, between April 1^st and 12^th, 347 library books were checked out and 125 were renewed.  This is only six school days and we had a third more books than the month of January and two thirds more than February. 

What is valuable is the renewal rate being so high which suggests students are actually reading the books, not just checking them out and then returning them unread.  The whole staff has been great about encouraging the students to read; it should reap great benefits for all—one of which is a stress-reliever for students by reading.

In addition, OJSHS is partnering with the Clearwater Memorial Public Library in their summer reading program for teens.  The youth librarian from the public library will also visit the junior high English classes in May. This is intended to motivate students to join the summer reading program that exists across the state of Idaho to help prevent any decline in reading when school is out during the summer time. Dan Hull, Principal OJSHS

There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book. —Frank Serafini

Orofino Elementary School

On April 21st OES Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) will be hosting the annual Talent Show in the OES Gym at 6:00 pm.  Please come out and see a great group of talented elementary student.  There is no charge for the show.   

OES started the IRI assessment on April 19^th.  The IRI Assessment is for Kindergarten through 3^rd grade students.  It will end April 29^th.  OES will start taking the ISAT 2 on April 26^th . The 5^th grade students will take the Science ISAT on May 12^th.  These two assessments with finish May 18th.  Teachers will be sending home testing dates for each grade level.  Please make sure you child get plenty of rest the night before the test.  Shelley Brooks, Principal, OES