Gary Carpenter
In the coming months the Fern Ridge School District will begin the process of bargaining a successor agreement with the Fern Ridge Education Association (FREA), to the one that is currently in place for our certified staff (teachers.) The current agreement expires June 30, 2018.
The District looks forward to working together with our teaching staff through this process. The Superintendent and School Board have identified 3 goals to help guide the District. They are:
- The District will participate as a partner with the Fern Ridge Education Association (FREA) in these complex negotiations.
- Given the importance of this new labor contract and the overall impact of labor costs to the District’s budget, the District will devote the time and resources necessary to secure a labor contract which is responsive to the public’s immediate and long-term interest.
- The District will negotiate a labor contract which addresses legitimate employee concerns and seeks to continue to maintain good labor relations.
Congrats to the fantastic Middle School band and choir students that performed at their winter
concert last night at FRMS. The teacher Mr. Cameron Siegal, and his instructional assistant Mrs.
Kimberly Taylor, have obviously been working very hard with them! Learning music at a young
age provides so many benefits to students. By learning to understand beat, rhythm and scales
students are learning how to divide, create fractions and recognize patterns. It improves short
and long-term memory, it improves physical skills such as coordination, and it cultivates social
skills, as performing in a group requires peer interaction and the ability to work as a team. Music
teaches discipline, the concept of delayed gratification and it boosts self esteem just to name a
few. It was great to see so many FRMS students engaged in music! Thanks again to the staff
and the parents that are supporting them.
School and District Report Cards
The Oregon Department of Education produces yearly report cards for schools and districts. These reports were mandated by the 1999 state legislature and provide educators with an opportunity to communicate directly with parents and community members about how local schools are performing.
In 2013, the Oregon Department of Education released a redesigned school and district Report Card. This redesigned Report Card was the product of a year of review and revisions, led by an external Report Card Steering Committee and informed by feedback from thousands of stakeholders around the state.
The goals of the redesign were to:
- More accurately reflect student learning and growth
- Incorporate key measures of college and career readiness
- Align the report card with district’s achievement compacts
- Make the Report Cards more user friendly and accessible
For more information on the school and district report cards please visit: http://oregon.gov/ode/schools-and-districts/reportcards/reportcards/Pages/default.aspx.
The link to the report cards page for all schools in Oregon, can be found under the Parents link here on the FRSD website.
EHS Powder Puff Game, November 9th, 6:30 PM. Click link for more info.
Fern Ridge School District 28J is accepting applications to fill a nearly two year appointment on the school board for position #3. This appointment is through June 30, 2019. Registered voters who have lived in the District for at least one year are encouraged to apply. Applications are available at the District Office, 88834 Territorial Road, Elmira or by clicking here. Applications are due by Wednesday, October 11th at 3:30 PM. Applications will be reviewed by the board, discussed in open session on Monday, October 16th, and a selection will be made. For more information call 541-935-2253 ext. 1203.
See the attached flyer for information around the Homecoming parade scheduled for next Friday. Go Falcons.
Thank you very much to the EHS Booster Club and all of their volunteers for their work in hosting the golf tournament fundraiser yesterday at Diamond Woods Golf Course. The ladies that run booster club (they do allow men to join by the way–hint hint…) put in a ton of work to put this event on, and they did a fantastic job. Thank you for all your hard work. In addition, thank you to all those that registered to golf, and all of the businesses that donated. It is much appreciated and goes to a great cause. Go Falcons! If you are interested in volunteering for the Booster Club, visit their site at: http://www.fernridge.k12.or.us/elmirahs/?page_id=745
The air quality has suddenly turned poor. Current readings have us needing to go back to inside recess/activities. More updates as needed.
Wildfire smoke is affecting the air quality in the Fern Ridge area. I have been, and will continue to monitor the quality of the air to ensure the safety of our students and staff. The FRSD will be using the Air Quality Index site to give us up to date air pollution readings. These numbers can then be used to guide activities using the Oregon Health Authority guide. I have directed principals to utilize indoor recess for the first day of school, Tuesday, September 5th and we will be evaluating the need to continue this practice each day. In addition, there will be no classroom activities that will be taking place outside.
I have communicated with our District maintenance personnel who are confident that any outside air that is drawn into our buildings through the ventilation system will be adequately filtered. Maintenance staff will be double checking all buildings and systems first thing in the morning, and staff have been informed to let their building principals know if any problems arise. At the High School, decisions around athletics will be made as early in the day as possible and posted to the school webpage.
The Oregon Health Authority advises that parents of children that are sensitive to air pollution should follow their health care providers’ advice about prevention and treatment of symptoms, and watch the forecast to decide when to limit their child’s activities. Children who may be more sensitive to air pollution include those with asthma, respiratory infection, lung or heart disease.
Gary Carpenter
Superintendent, FRSD
Please join me in welcoming the new principal at Veneta Elementary School, Mrs. Lisa Leatham. Mrs. Leatham comes to us with a wealth of experience, K-5, right here in the FRSD where she has been a teacher in a variety of roles over the past 26 years. A Committee of 8, made up of teachers, classified staff, board members, administrators and a parent, chose Mrs. Leatham after conducting interviews from a very strong pool of applicants. We are all excited to have Mrs. Leatham on board in a new and challenging role for her. I am confident that in the months and years to come she is going to be a tremendous asset to our students and families.