2015 NE Oregon Healthy Families

2015 NE Oregon

Healthy Families

Your reference guide to the resources and activities available for keeping families healthy in Northeast Oregon.

2

Active Families

Kids gearing up for going back to school

S

oon the first bell will ring to begin the 20142015 school year.

Not to say summer is over just yet, but school registrations are scheduled for next week in Baker, Union and Wallowa counties and students need to have their physicals completed for sports.

They also need school supplies and to make sure immunizations are up-to-date.

We’ve compiled information about registrations in the three counties — public and private schools — as well as other information to help get the school year started right.

Back to School

Tim Mustoe/Observer photo

Inside ■■Baker school registration: Page 4 ■■Union County Schools: Page 6 ■■Wallowa County schools: Page 6 ■■Sports physicals: Page 6 ■■School contact information: Page 8 ■■Kindergarten changes: Page 12 ■■After school programs: Page 14 ■■Immunizations: Page 18 ■■Latchkey kids at the library: Page 20 ■■Sneak peek at Smarter Balanced Tests: Page 22 ■■La Grande schools gets upgrades: Page 23

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Active Families

Baker School District

By Lisa Britton

Registration for Baker School District 5J’s 2015-2016 year happens Aug. 10-13.

In addition to registering students, parents can learn about community resources and agencies at the Kiwanis Parent Resource Fair, held in conjunction with registration Aug. 11-12 at Baker High School, 2500 E St. Most grades register at BHS. A few exceptions are: Grades 7 and 8 register at Baker Middle School, and Keating and Haines both have one day of registration at BHS and one day at the school.

To make registration quicker, parents of high school and middle school students are encouraged to print and complete forms in advance.

Go to the BHS website at bhs. baker.k12.or.us/pages/Baker_HS. Under "News" in the middle of the page, click on "Combo registration 2015 2016.pdf."

Here is the schedule for registration times for Grades K-12: Brooklyn Primary (K-3) ■■ Monday, Aug. 10: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. at Baker High School ■■ Tuesday, Aug. 11: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at Baker High School ■■ Thursday, Aug. 27: Open House and Meet and Greet, 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

South Baker Intermediate (4-6) ■■ Monday, Aug. 10: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. at Baker High School ■■ Tuesday, Aug. 11: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at Baker High School ■■ Thursday, Aug. 27: Open House and Meet and Greet, 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

Keating (K-6) ■■ Monday, Aug. 10: 8 a.m.-11 a.m. at

Kiwanis Resource Fair Held in conjunction with school registration in Baker County, the Kiwanis Resource Fair brings together various community organizations to provide a one-stop place of information for parents and guardians.

HEALTH INSURANCE Also at registration, Northeast Oregon Network (NEON) will be available to give information on health coverage such as Oregon Health Plan and prescription assistance.

DENTAL SCREENING Dental screenings will be available during registration on Aug. 12-13. Those services include: oral hygiene instructions; questions and answers for parents; fluoride treatments.

Marla's Mall Marla’s Mall is a clothing giveaway program for students and their families. It will be open during registration from 8 a.m.11 a.m. at 2725 Seventh St.

Baker High School ■■ Tuesday, Aug. 11: 7 a.m.-11 a.m. at Keating School ■■ Thursday, Aug. 27: Keating Open House and Welcome Back to School, 6 p.m.

Haines (K-6) ■■ Monday, Aug. 10: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. at Baker High School ■■ Tuesday, Aug. 11: 8 a.m.- noon at Haines School 4

Baker Middle School ■■ 7th Grade: Monday, Aug. 10, noon to 6:30 p.m. at BMS, 2320 Washington Ave. ■■ 8th Grade: Tuesday, Aug.11, noon to 6:30 p.m. at BMS Baker High School ■■ Wednesday, Aug. 12: Seniors, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. and Juniors, noon to 2 p.m., at Baker High School ■■ Thursday, Aug. 13: Sophomores, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. and Freshmen, noon to 2 p.m., at BHS Eagle Cap ■■ Aug. 12 and 13: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Eagle Cap, 2725 Seventh St. Baker Valley SeventhDay Adventist Church school ■■ Aug. 13: 4 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Call for information: 541-523-4165 Harvest Christian School ■■ Ongoing: Call for space availability; 541-523-4233; www.bakercityharvest. org Baker Web Academy ■■ Call for information: 541-524-2300; www.bakercharters.org Blue mountain Community College ■■ Process: Application, placement testing, orientation and advising.

Fall term begins Sept. 28. For information, call 541-523-9127, or visit www.bluecc.edu.

Eastern Oregon university ■■ Registration: Students need to complete an admissions application

by Sept. 1. Fall term starts Sept. 28.

For information, call 800-452-8639.

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Active Families Union County LA GRANDE ■■ LHS New Students: Aug. 19 from 8 a.m. to noon; 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m.; 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

■■ LHS Seniors: Aug. 20 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

■■ LHS Juniors: Aug. 20 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

■■ LHS Sophomores: Aug. 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

■■ LHS Freshman: Aug. 21 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

■■ LMS: new students Aug. 19-20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

■■ Elementary Schools: Aug. 12-13 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at each school ■■ Kindergarten: ongoing registration.

Packet pickup at Willow Elementary COVE SCHOOL DISTRICT ■■ www.cove.k12.or.us/ ELGIN SCHOOL DISTRICT ■■ www.elgin.k12.or.us/ IMBLER SCHOOL DISTRICT ■■ All students: Aug. 5-6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the high school foyer.

NORTH POWDER School ■■ Middle school/high school students: Aug. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

■■ Elementary students: Registration will be in their classrooms on the first day of school, Sept. 2.

UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT ■■ Information: Call 541-562-6115 in early August for registration information.

EASTERN ORE. UNIVERSITY ■■ Registration: Students need to complete an admissions application

by Sept. 1. Fall term starts Sept. 28.

For information, call 800-452-8639

Union, Wallowa

or email admissions@eou.edu. To schedule a custom campus go to www.eou.edu/admissions/visit.

La Grande Adventist School: ■■ Welcome Back Night for all students: Aug. 23 from 6-7:30 p.m.

Open Registration for: ■■ Head Start, Heidi Ho, Grande Ronde Academy, Lighthouse Apostolic Academy, Little Friends Christian Preschool, Marian Academy

Wallowa County WALLOWA SCHOOL DISTRICT ■■ All students: Open registration: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Registration can be found on www. wallowa.k12.or.us.

Sports Physicals All incoming students in Grades 7, 9 and 11 — as well as new students — need physicals to play sports.

Baker Contact the school-based health center for a physical or call your family physician.

Cove Aug. 14, at 6 p.m. in the high school gym. All kids starting out in Grade 6 (participating in sports) or first-time sports players will need physicals to start practice. Freshman will need physicals as well to begin high school sports.

La Grande Aug. 13, from noon to 6 p.m. and Aug. 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call the Center for Human Development at 541-962-8800 to schedule. The cost is $35.

TROY SCHOOL DISTRICT ■■ All students: Open registration

North Powder School See Baker’s information

ENTERPRISE SCHOOL DISTRICT ■■ All students: K-6 registration is on Aug. 10, beginning at 9 a.m. in the elementary office. Only students new to the district need to register. Junior high and high school students who did not pre-register for classes at the end of the last school year, are asked to stop by the high school office after Aug. 10 and before Aug. 26.

Union Aug. 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call the Center for Human Development at 541962-8800 to schedule. The cost is $35.

JOSEPH SCHOOL DISTRICT ■■ K-6 Welcome Back Night: Aug. 26 from 5:30- 6:30 p.m. (hot dog meal provided).

■■ Open registration continues through August: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

6

imbler Reduced prices for sports physicals offered. Call Dr. Casey McKeown at 541963-0339 or Dr. Daniel Kehr at 541-9639632 to make an appointment.

Enterprise Those who were unable to get their sports physicals last spring, are asked to stop by the high school office and to pick up the forms.

Joseph and Imnaha Every child wishing to play in a sport must have a physical before participating.

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Active Families

Baker County ■■ Baker School District 5J

2090 Fourth St. 541-524-2260 www.baker.k12.or.us

■■ Brooklyn Primary School

1350 Washington Ave. 541-524-2450

■■ South Baker Intermediate

1285 Third St. 541-524-2350

■■ Keating Elementary

41964 Miles Bridge Road 541-523-2377

■■ Haines Elementary

400 School Road 541-524-2400

■■ Baker Middle School

2320 Washington Ave. 541-524-2500

■■ Baker High School

2500 E St. 541-524-2600

■■ Huntington School

520 Third St., Huntington 541-869-2204

■■ Pine-Eagle School

375 N. Main St., Halfway 541-742-2811

■■ Burnt River School

201 First Ave. S., Unity 541-446-3336

■■ Baker Valley Seventh-day Adventist School

42171 Chico Lane 541-523-4165

School contacts

■■ Harvest Christian Academy

3720 Birch St., Baker City 541-523-4233

■■ Baker Web Academy

2725 Seventh St., Baker City 541-524-2300 www.bakercharters.org

■■ Eastern Oregon University-Baker Center

3000 Broadway St. 541-523-6822 www.eou.edu

■■ Blue Mtn. Community College

3275 Baker St. 541-523-9127 www.bluecc.edu

■■ Head Start

1927 16th St., Baker City 541-523-2696

Union County ■■ Cove School District #15

www.cove.k12.or.us Cove Charter School 803 Main Street 541-568-4424

■■ Elgin School District #23

P.O. Box 68 541-437-1211 www.elgin.k12.or.us

■■ Stella Mayfield Elementary

1111 Division St. P.O. Box 35 541-437-2321

■■ Elgin High School

1400 Birch St. P.O. Box 68 541-437-2021

8

■■ Imbler School District #11

www.imbler.k12.or.us

■■ Imbler Charter School

Sixth and Esther Avenue P.O. Box 164 Elementary: 541-534-2311 High School: 541-534-5331

■■ La Grande School District #1

1305 N. Willow St. www.lagrandesd.org 541-663-3202

■■ Willow Kindergarten

1305 N. Willow St. 541-663-3550

■■ Central Elementary

402 K Ave. 541-663-3501

■■ Greenwood Elementary

2300 N. Spruce St. 541-663-3580

■■ Island City Elementary

10201 W. Fourth St. 541-663-3270

■■ La Grande Middle School

1108 Fourth St. 541-663-3420

■■ La Grande High School

708 K Ave. 541-663-3300

■■ North Powder Charter School

333 G St. P.O. Box 10 541-898-2244 www.npowder.k12.or.us

See Schools/Page 10

Quail Ridge Golf Course Specials....

Monday Matinee: 1/2 Priced Golf after 2 pm Call 541-523-2358 Taco Tuesdays: 1/2 Priced Golf after 2 pm with the purchase of 2 $2 Tacos. Taco Tuesdays has become a major happening at QRGC serving over 100 tacos each week!

Wednesday is Ladies Golf & Bridge Day: Front 9 reserved for the ladies in the morning and bridge starts at 1 pm.

Call Jennifer Godwin at 541-519-2060 for information The course is beautiful and the greens are fantastic!

Saturday errands.

A perfect moment to talk about alcohol.

An alarming number of pre-teens are drinking alcohol – which makes it urgent to find every opportunity to talk to your kids about the dangers of underage drinking. For tips on how – and when – to begin the conversation, visit:

www.underagedrinking.samhsa.gov

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Active Families

schools Continued from Page 8 ■■ Union School District #5

540 S. Main St. P.O. Box K 541-562-6115 www.union.k12.or.us

■■ Union Elementary School

166 Dearborn St. P.O. Box 908 541-562-5278

■■ Union High School

540 S. Main St. P.O. Box 908 541-562-5166

■■ Eastern Oregon University

One University Boulevard La Grande 541-962-3672 www.eou.edu

■■ Head Start

541-963-3409 Open enrollment at these centers: 180 N. 10th St., Elgin 541-437-5757 810 14th St., La Grande 541-963-4611 542 S. College St., Union 541-562-6057

■■ Heidi Ho Preschool, Kindergarten, and Extended Day Program

Open enrollment 1702 Sixth St., La Grande 541-963-8795

School contacts

■■ Grande Ronde Academy

Open enrollment 507 B Palmer Ave. P.O. Box 819 La Grande 541-975-1147

Junior High and High School: 541-426-3193 ■■ Joseph School District #6

P.O. Box W www.joseph.k12.or.us

■■ Lighthouse Apostolic Academy

■■ Imnaha Elementary (K-8)

■■ Little Friends Christian Preschool

■■ Joseph Charter School

10501 W. First St. Island City 541-963-8674

2702 Adams Ave. La Grande 541-963-6390 www.littlefriends1.com/ Register anytime, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

■■ Marian Academy

Ongoing registration 1002 L Ave. La Grande 541-963-7341 olvcatholic.org/marianacademy/

■■ Seventh-day Adventist Christian School K-8

2702 Adams Ave. La Grande 541-963-6203

Wallowa County

78976 Imnaha Highway Imnaha 541-577-3119

400 E. William Ave. P.O. Box 787 Joseph Elementary: 541-432-5361 High School: 541-432-7311

■■ Troy School District #54

www.troy.k12.or.us Troy K-8 School 66247 Redmond Grade Enterprise 541-828-7788

■■ Wallowa School District #12

www.wallowa.k12.or.us

■■ Wallowa Elementary and High School

315 First Street P.O. Box 425 Elementary: 541-886-2061 High School: 541-886-2951

■■ Head Start

Open enrollment at these centers:

■■ Enterprise School District #21

670 N.W. First St. Enterprise 541-426-4225

■■ Enterprise Elementary and Enterprise High School

315 First St. Wallowa 541-886-3261

541-426-3193 www.enterprise.k12.or.us

201 S.E. Fourth St. Elementary: 541-426-3812 10

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Brook Jorgensen, MS ATC is Head Athletic Trainer at La Grande High School, working with student athletes performing injury prevention, treatment and rehabilitation during practices and events.

is a Women’s Health Specialist that can treat health issues such as:

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11

1207 Dewey Ave. Baker City, OR (541) 523-9664

650 W. Main John Day 541-575-0264

301 S. Main Pendleton 541-564-6800

162 W. Front Prairie City 541-820-4601

1739 N. First Hermiston 541-564-0264

2036 Broadway Baker City 541-523-5535

709 Ponderosa Village, Burns 541-573-3143

Active Families

Kindergarten

Schools implementing full-day kindergarten

By Lisa Britton and Alyssa Sutton

T

his fall, schools in Eastern Oregon are welcoming kindergartners into full-day programs.

Brenda Payton, head teacher for kindergarten at Brooklyn Primary in Baker City, says the kindergarten staff is looking forward to extra hours in the school day.

“We’ve been working toward getting all-day kindergarten for years.

We are thrilled,” she said.

In the Baker School District, Haines and Keating already had full-day kindergarten. At Brooklyn, the switch meant hiring three more teachers, two additional paraprofessionals and putting in another modular.

Two of the new teachers have experience teaching all-day kindergarten.

Each modular contains two classrooms. Last year, one room was used for a program called BOOST, which extended the kindergarten day by two hours. This helped staff adjust to a longer kindergarten day.

“It showed us what we can do with the extra time,” said Gwen O’Neal, Brooklyn principal.

By the end of the year, as many as 45 percent of all kindergartners had participated in BOOST. “Kindergarten screenings were the best we’ve had,” O’Neal said.

And what will a typical day look like in all-day kindergarten?

Students will have scheduled blocks of time for reading, writing and math, but those topics will be taught with movement and small group time to practice new skills.

“Young kids need to move, talk and

S. John Collins/Baker City Herald

Another modular will be placed at Brooklyn Primary in Baker City to add more classrooms for six full-day kindergarten classes.

"We've been working toward getting all-day kindergarten for years. We are thrilled."

- Brenda Payton, head teacher for kindergarten at Brooklyn Primary in Baker City

do things,” Payton said. “It needs to be fun and interactive.”

A period of “downtime” for reading or resting is also planned for right after lunch, and classes for P.E., music and library are scheduled for the end of the kindergarten day.

“When kids are more tired,” she said.

12

L

a Grande School District made the decision last year to switch from half days to full days and added it into the budget once school leaders knew the state would provide funding for full-day kindergarten classes, starting in the 2015-16 school year.

See Kindergarten/Page 21

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For most people, gambling is a form of recreation.

However, for some gambling can become a serious problem.

Problem gambling is any gambling behavior that has a negative effect on your life or the lives of people close to you.

How would you know if gambling is becoming a problem?

Here are some signs to look for: • Preoccupied with gambling and unable to stop • Unsuccessful attempts to cut back or stop gambling • Increasing bet amounts to get the desired excitement • Spending more time or money than you intend or borrowing money for gambling • Restless and irritable when not gambling • Gambling to escape worries, frustrations or disappointment

Center for Human Development, Inc “Working for Healthy Communities” www.chdinc.org

• Lying to hide time spent gambling or unpaid debt • Gambling to win back losses • Losing work time or missing school because of gambling • Doing something illegal to get money for gambling • Putting a significant relationship at risk

It is important to know that there is hope and help. If you or someone you know is gambling too much, contact the Oregon Problem Gambling Resource to speak with a problem gambling specialist.

Help is available at no cost for the problem gambler, friends or family.

13

Active Families

Afterschool

Baker City ■■ Baker County Library

The library has added a new upper-level AWE touch screen computer, and the Discovery Center has seven Internet computers for homework help, research, or surfing the Web. The website www.bakerlib.org is full of resources to help students of all ages with databases such as Live Tutors on Demand and Learning Express, which provides process tests and lessons on almost every subject.

“If you have a library card and the Internet at home you don’t even need to come to the library to use these resources,” said Melissa Shafer, children’s librarian.

The regular story times will reconvene in September. The schedule is babies and toddlers at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, preschool at 10 a.m. Wednesdays and elementary age at 10 a.m. Fridays. Each session includes stories and activities.

Also, the Teen Room has computers with Internet access and more books.

There is also “Games Un-plugged” offered after school, which includes board games, Legos and other activities. The library is accepting donations of Legos, Megablocks, K-nex and other toys of that type for the Lego Club.

Also in the works is a “Makerspace” program for older kids to invent and build.

For information about the library, call 541-523-6419.

■■ Crossroads Carnegie Art Center

Art sessions are offered on Fridays from 1:45 p.m to 3:45 p.m. at Crossroads, 2020 Auburn Ave.

Photo by Lisa Britton

Instructor Paul Hoelscher mixes paint colors for Haley Searles, 12.Young Artists Studio meets Fridays at Crossroads Art Center in Baker City.

Young artists can choose to attend pottery or an open studio, where students are encouraged to experiment with different media.

These are geared for ages 10 and older. Cost is $15 per session or $50 for four sessions.

For information, call Crossroads at 541-523-5369. A full list of classes is available on the website www.crossroads-arts.org.

Union Couny ■■ La Grande Public Library

Cooke Memorial Library has storytime and crafts every Thursday at 11:30 a.m. and Baby Tot Bop (storytime, fun, and playtime) for 14

ages 0-3 on Fridays at 10:30 a.m.

The Ready-to-Learn Card program is for ages 0-6, and it offers opportunities for earning money for college and free pizza! Storytime for the Ready-to-Learn Card program is on the second Monday of every month at 11:30 a.m. and the third Saturday of every month at 11 a.m.

An American Doll Book Club will be beginning in the fall.

On weekends, there is something for students of all ages at the library. Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. is Lego Day. See Afterschool/Page 16

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Before and After School Child Care Year Round

Providing safe and affordable daycare for 20 years!

Riveria Activity Center: 2609 Second St., La Grande Open Monday-Friday 7:00 am to 5:30 pm Fun, reliable care for your child ages 5-12 years old

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$2.50 per hour Janine Thomas, Director: 541-663-1492

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Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services

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NEW LOCATION: 10901 Island Avenue

It helped me. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or go to www.quitnow.net/oregon/

Between GrandScapes Nursery and Legacy Dodge

15

Active Families

Continued from Page 14

Activities for teens, Grades 6-12, include Book Club, iCraft, and Movie Nights. Visit the library’s Web page at www.cityoflagrande.org/library or its Facebook page for a schedule, or call 541-962-1339.

■■ Kids Club

Kids Club, located at 2609 Second St. in La Grande, is open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, plus other days when school is closed.

This program is for children ages 5 to 12, with a maximum of 80 children each day (space is available on a first-come, first-served basis).

After-school activities include Homework Club, recess and snack time.

There is a $75 registration fee for the school year. Registration is at Kids Club from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The price per day is $2.50 per hour for those registered, or $5 per hour for those who drop in.

For more information, call 541663-1492.

■■ The Art Center & ArtsEast

For information about ongoing exhibits, classes, and activities for children and adults, visit the website, artcenterlagrande.org; stop by the Art Center at 1006 Penn St. (corner of Fourth and Penn) in La Grande from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; call 541-624-2800; email ucartctr@eoni.com; or find them on Facebook.

■■ Youth for Christ

Middle school and high school students are invited to hang out at the J House at 1001 Second St. in La

Afterschool

Grande, right across from the high school. Youth for Christ offers activities, food, fun, and a place to meet other kids in a safe environment. For more information, call 541-963-4190 or go to www.eoyfc.org.

WALLOWA COUNTY ■■ Building Healthy Families

207 N.E. Park St., Enterprise. 541426-9411, www.oregonbhf.org.

There are several programs for youth, including: • Exploration After School Program: Serving students in kindergarten through Grade 4 in all three Wallowa County school districts, the Exploration After School Program runs four days per week and includes a snack, story and homework time, and an enriching curriculum in literacy, math, science, and arts.

• Tutoring and Mentoring Program: Pairing students in Grades 5-12 with a caring adult, the Tutoring and Mentoring Program provides academic support, goal setting, and life-skills support to referred youth.

• Books Bridging Generations: This community-based program pairs students in kindergarten through Grade 4 with a volunteer reader for weekly one-on-one reading sessions. Students take two books home monthly.

• Youth Entrepreneurship: This program provides a unique opportunity for students in Grades 11 through 12 to design and launch their own business while learning the skills and the drive it takes to become a successful entrepreneur.

• Wallowa County Alternative Education: Providing an innovative, hands-on option for referred Wallowa County high school students, the 16

Alternative Education Program addresses traditional academic needs as well as life-skill development, community connections, and post-secondary planning.

■■ Family and Youth Center

In Joseph, there is a Wallowa Family and Youth Center that offers fun and activities for all ages, preschool to teens. They have a game room, play area, and outdoor area and are located at 83346 Joseph Hwy. Call 541-4320750 for more information.

■■ Community Happenings

Family activities in Union County can be found on a Facebook page called #Fun4Families.

■■ 4-H

Kids can join various 4-H Clubs through the Oregon State University Extension Service.

• Union County: 10507 N. McAlister Road, Room 9, Island City, 541963-1010.

• Wallowa County: 668 N.W. First St., Enterprise, 541-426-6418.

• Baker County: 2400 East St., Baker City, 541-523-6418.

■■ Boy Scouts

Boy Scouts of America has several troops. For more information in Union and Baker counties, call 541-963-2858.

The Council office in Kennewick, Washington, also can provide information at 509-735-7306, or go to www. scouting.org.

■■ Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts of America has several troops. Go to www.girlscouts.org to find a council and troop or for more information.

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Immunizations

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A child 18 months or older entering

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A student entering

Kindergarten or Grades 1-6 needs*

Check with your child’s program or healthcare provider for required vaccines 4 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP) 3 Polio 1 Varicella (chickenpox) 1 Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) 3 Hepatitis B 2 Hepatitis A 3 or 4 Hib

5 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP) 4 Polio 1 Varicella (chickenpox) 2 MMR or 2 Measles, 1 Mumps, 1 Rubella 3 Hepatitis B 2 Hepatitis A

A student entering Grade 7 needs*

5 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP) 1 Tdap 4 Polio 1 Varicella (chickenpox) 2 MMR or 2 Measles, 1 Mumps, 1 Rubella 3 Hepatitis B 2 Hepatitis A

A student entering Grades 8-12 needs*

5 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP) 1 Tdap 4 Polio 1 Varicella (chickenpox) 2 MMR or 2 Measles, 1 Mumps, 1 Rubella 3 Hepatitis B

*At all ages and grades, thehttp://public.health.oregon.gov/PreventionWellness/VaccinesImmunization/GettingImmunized/Documents/SchBusEng15.pdf number of doses required varies by a child’s age and how long ago they were vaccinated. Other vaccines may be recommended. Please check with your child’s 12/14 school, child care or healthcare provider for details.

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Active Families

Afterschool

Latchkey kids and their hangouts

By Trish Yerges and Lisa Britton

W

ithin the 11 contiguous states that comprise the western United States, only four of them are known to have age restrictions on children left home alone without supervision — Oregon, Washington, Colorado and New Mexico.

The age restriction in Oregon, Washington and New Mexico is 10 years of age. Colorado’s is higher at age 12. The remainder of western states have no age restrictions.

Children ages 5 to 13 who care for themselves at home have come to be called “latchkey kids” since they typically have access to a house key to open the door (or latch) to their homes. The term was first introduced during World War II when fathers went off to war and mothers went to work in their place, leaving their children to fend for themselves for a period of time.

Today, about 70 percent of women work outside the home, and the number of latchkey kids is just as robust.

However, instead of just being home alone, they have found new territories to occupy unsupervised — public libraries. Thus a new phrase has come into vogue: “library latchkey kids.”

The Cook Memorial Library in La Grande had changed its policy about three years ago to prevent unattended kids from hanging out at the library.

“We actually have an ‘unattended child policy’ in place that we enforce for kids young enough to be of that (latchkey) category,” said Ryan McGinnis, library technician level 2.

“There are a lot of issues here when

S. John Collins/Baker City Herald

Dennis Anderson of Estacada visited the Baker County Library earlier this year with his twin daughters, both 5. Ruby, foreground, and Emerald discovered wondrous things on the children's computers.

kids are unattended.”

The new library policy now states that “children who are 6th grade and below aren’t allowed to be in the library unattended.” The reason for the policy change, McGinnis said, centers around safety.

“They can get hurt, and they can hurt others,” he said. “We don’t want any of those things to happen. This policy came into effect after a little girl, about age 5, was 20

climbing on one of our displays that wasn’t visible to any of our staff members. She fell and got hurt.”

Prior to this policy-changing incident, though, the library was a popular alternate hangout for a latchkey kid to spend time at during the school year.

See Latchkey/Page 21

Active Families

Latchkey Continued from Page 20

“The number of unattended kids varied, but on average there were between 5 and 10 kids here unsupervised every day at a minimum,” said McGinnis. “It was kind of a shifting thing so it might actually be as many as 30 or 40 kids here during different parts of the afternoon. They might go to visit other kids for a little while, or do homework at school first before ending up here. Then somebody might come and get them or they walked home.”

The Baker County Library District also has an “unattended children” policy, and in 2013 the library board raised the age from 7 to 10.

Director Perry Stokes said that was the year when library staff became included as state mandatory reporters for suspected child abuse or neglect.

“Age 10 was selected to match the state restriction on children left alone,” he said.

“We want kiddos and adults in the library as long as they are show-

kindergarten Continued from Page 12

The state will provide the funding for extra teachers and supplies but not for the additional classroom space that will be needed.

“The funding doesn’t cover the space,” La Grande School District

Afterschool "The library is a very busy place with all kinds of people in and out."

- Perry Stokes, Baker County Library director

ing proper library behavior and aren’t frightened, unsafe, disruptive or have no way home at closing time, as the policy states. In those cases, the Unattended Child policy may come into effect.”

It is not the job of library staff to watch over unattended children.

“Unfortunately, that’s not a service we can provide for both legal and logistical reasons,” Stokes said.

“The library is a very busy place with all kinds of people in and out.”

The Baker branch averages 300 to 500 visits per day.

“Staff are constantly multitasking and wouldn’t be able to properly perform their library duties or assist the public if needing to supervise particular kids,” Stokes said.

“We do our best to make the library as safe as we can for every-

Superintendent Larry Glaze said.

“But the bond that was passed will.”

The school bond measure that passed was on the November 2014 election ballot and will provide the funding to create extra space for the full-day kindergarten classes.

Currently Greenwood Elementary will house the majority of the kindergarten students this year, but Glaze said he believes that in two 21

one. But sometimes leaving a child alone at a busy library is about as wise as leaving them at a truck stop for an hour, albeit an incredibly cool truck stop with loads of free books, movies, magazines and computers.”

SAFEKIDS

The SAFEKIDS Campaign recommends that no child under age 12 be left home alone. Latchkey kids under 10 years of age often feel loneliness, boredom or fear at home alone; whereas unsupervised young teens may succumb to peer pressure, drug abuse or other harmful behaviors.

Even kids age 12 must be judged individually as to their ability to self-supervise and demonstrate logical thinking, especially in the area of cause and effect.

years all of the students will be back in their own neighborhoods.

The number of kindergarten teachers will go from three and a half to seven during this school year.

“If additional kids end up coming in we’ll add another teacher,” Glaze said. “Right now our numbers only justify seven.”

Active Families

Testing

Sneak peek at preliminary test scores

By Trish Yerges

The results for 95 percent of Oregon students who took the online, adaptive Smarter Balanced assessments in spring 2015 have been released by the Oregon Department of Education, and the state reports that students did better than expected for their first attempt at the tougher, more rigorous test.

The Smarter Balanced test is designed to measure skills in three areas — reading, writing and math — that are all common core skills required to enter college or a career after high school.

The English Language Assessment (ELA) measures reading, listening, writing, research, and inquiry skills.

The math test measures concepts and procedures, problem-solving and modeling and data analysis as well as communicating reasoning.

The published results reflect students who have received a 3 or 4 rating (college- and career-ready standard) in a 4-point scale at skills expected at their grade level and who are considered on track to graduate high school collegeand career-ready.

“We will release the final results later this summer, but the current indications are that the students (Grades 3-8 and 11) are doing a lot better than expected, and that’s wonderful news, and it shows the great work that’s going on in our school districts around the state,” said Crystal Greene, communications director for the Oregon Department of Education.

Based on field tests given in 2014, the department projected that roughly one-third of Oregon students would meet the new, higher bar.

Tim Mustoe/Observer photo

“The preliminary results show that it’s closer to one-half in most grades, so that’s good news,” said Greene. “We anticipate that the percentages will go up over time. When you raise the bar for kids, we’ve seen that initially there’s a drop in scores, but then those rise over time as the kids rise to the challenge and teachers and students get more familiar with the standards.”

Across the board, Oregon students performed at a higher percentage of proficiency in the ELA segment of the test than they did in math. In the math segment, elementary students performed better at their grade level (most in the 40th percentiles) than the students in Grade 11 at 31 percent.

“High school math results were slightly below our projections, and 22

definitely we’re going to look into the factors that contributed to that,” said Greene. “Math in general for all grades was lower than the ELA results.”

Greene said the lower scores in math might be attributed to the shift to a more challenging test with longer questions, a required demonstration of the student’s work processes, written explanations of analytical thinking and level of motivation.

“It’s good news that the (preliminary) test results are higher than expected,” said Greene. “We have a lot of work to do to get all of our students college- and career-ready. But the tests give us important feedback about where they are at so we can make sure the kids are provided the support they need to be successful.”

Active Families

School bond

LG schools will be cooler this year

By Dick Mason

Life is a 42-inch balancing act for Shane Colton of Emmett, Idaho â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one he mastered years ago.

Colton is a drywall contractor working long days this summer to help install cooling systems at La Grande High School and La Grande Middle School.

Colton has to reach into high places to practice his craft, work he does while atop 42-inch metal walking stilts he dons everyday.

"If I wasn't using these stilts I would have to haul around a ladder,'' said Colton, who works for Interior Systems Inc. of Boise.

Colton appears as comfortable on stilts as most people do walking in a pair of slippers. Colton says getting around on stilts has become second nature for him after doing it for 25 years. He admits though that sometimes it becomes tiring.

"When you are on them for eight to 10 hours you start feeling it,'' said Colton, who said he has fallen twice while on his stilts during his career but was not hurt either time.

Colton is helping install cooling systems in the second floor of LHS's west building and the entire upstairs portion of LMS. The air conditioning is being installed at these sites with funding from the $31.85 million bond La Grande School District voters approved in November for maintenance and capital construction. The cooling systems are needed because temperatures in the upstairs classrooms of LMS and the LHS west building sometimes top 90 degrees in September and the late spring, said Chris Panike, the La Grande School

District's business and operations director.

"That makes it pretty tough to concentrate and stay awake,'' Panike said.

The second levels of LMS and LHS's west building were supposed to have air conditioning when they were built in the 1970s, but it was never put in due to lack of funding.

Panike said had it been known air conditioning would have been cut from the budget, the LMS and LHS classrooms likely would have been built with more windows that could be opened.

The air cooling work is just a portion of the summer projects being conducted in the La Grande School District with money from the $31.85 million bond.

A number of steps are being taken to boost security at schools with the funding, including the installation of doors on dozens of classrooms in the LHS west building, LMS and Island City Elementary School.

These classrooms have no doors because they are in buildings constructed under an open concept in the late 1970s.

The addition of the classroom doors is meant to boost security.

"We want to prevent an intruder from getting in,'' Panike said.

He said that all the doors being added are solid and have small windows.

Major work is also being conducted at Greenwood Elementary School where two classrooms for kindergarten students are being added to provide space for full-day kindergarten starting with the 2015-16 school year.

The classrooms will each be about 23

1,250 square feet. This is about 350 square feet more than the size of a typical classroom, Panike said, which provides space for small group activities.

The new kindergarten classrooms at Greenwood should be completed late this year or in early 2016, Panike said. Kindergarten will be taught in Greenwood's music classroom area before the new classrooms are completed.

Greenwood's music teacher will not have a home room during this time and will have to move her materials from classroom to classroom while providing instruction.

"She will be moving around using a cart,'' Panike said.

Also at Greenwood all exterior windows are being replaced with energy-efficient windows, which will allow less heat to escape and also keep the school temperature down in hot weather.

"They are coated with a light reflection material, which will keep the building cooler,'' Panike said.

Other work at La Grande schools include significant changes to the main entry points at most of the schools so secretaries at the main desk can easily see each person entering their building.

Over the next three years, funding the bond will go to renovations of the LHS gym and auditorium, the construction of a new vocational technical building at LHS, the construction of a new Central Elementary School building to replace its current 61-year-old building, the construction of new classrooms at Island City Elementary, additional security updates and more.

Michael Hetrick, MD sees himself as a health resource and has years of experience to share.

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