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Wednesday, June 18, 2014 | Serving the Reedsport area since 1996 | theworldlink.com/reedsport | $1.00
Schools narrow search to one BY STEVE LINDSLEY The Umpqua Post
The Reedsport School District board has an interim superintendent candidate, but that candidate had not accepted the job as of The Umpqua Post press time. The board interviewed three candidates in an executive session Monday night at district offices. The district received six applicaPhotos by Lou Sennick, The World At the end of graduation ceremonies Sunday afternoon, the graduated Class of 2014 at Reedsport Community Charter School tosses their hats in the air tions for the part-time position and decided last week to interview four in celebration. candidates: Dennis Friedrich, from Veneta, currently the superintendent at Fern Ridge School District; Kathryn Hedrick, from Junction City, currently the superintendent and special education director at Nestucca Valley School District and BY STEVE LINDSLEY George Winterscheid, from The Umpqua Post Waldport, most recently the executive director and school psycholoMore than 600 people jammed into the gist at Kihei Public Charter School, Reedsport Community Charter School gym to Kihei, Maui, Hawaii. watch 35 seniors graduate Sunday. A fourth finalist, Steve Swisher, The motto for the class of 2014 is a paradeclined an interview. phrase from a Rolling Stones song. After discussion in executive “You don’t always get what you want, but if session, the board voted unaniA new principal has been hired for you try sometime, you just might find, you get mously to offer Friedrich the job. Highland Elementary School. what you need.” “We had a lot of good discusRebecca Lupton comes to the Reedsport Bailey Tymchuk was the class salutatorian. sion, ” board chairwoman Kerrie School District from Florence, where she is “We have faced tons of obstacles,” she said of Palermo said in open session. currently a Title I reading specialist, but has the class of 2014. “We laughed until we cried. Palermo was directed to negotiserved as a first, second and third grade also We overslept. We underslept. And, we stayed up ate and contract with Friedrich. teacher and was the district all night just to do it again. By the end of the day, The district found itself in need ELD (English Language it was clear that our hard work had paid off.” of a superintendent when Jim D e v e l o p m e n t ) She gave credit to the school’s teachers for Thomas, the current superintendteacher/coordinator for staying with the students and also gave credit to ent and principal at Highland years. four the community. Elementary School decided to step Lupton, who was cho“It is clear to me that this community wants down on June 30. an administrative by sen to see its students achieve,” she said. “It is safe to A previous effort to find a percommittee, will replace say that it not only has, and will continue, to see manent superintendent, last month, R e e d s p o r t success from the class of 2014.” Ruby Cardosa reaches for a rose after she fell apart when two of the three Lupton Superintendent/Principal She said, no matter where students go, received her diploma Sunday afternoon at finalists, including Thomas, Jim Thomas, who will leave Reedsport will “always be home.” Reedsport Community Charter School. superintendbecome 30 to the district June out. The district had held a dropped Rachel Lacewell was the 2014 valedictorian. ent of the McKenzie School District. involving citiof interviews series She pointed out some of the activities gradu“I’m thrilled,” Lupton said. “I’m excited “They come early and stay late just to help us zens, district staff and the board. ates would take on after their school years. about the opportunity.” The board, on June 4, had offered “It is clear we are taking different paths,” she succeed,” she said. She thought becoming a principal would Reedsport coach, and product of Reedsport the permanent job to Kathleen Ryan said. “As we set out on our new journey, I think be a good next step. schools, Shane Nelson gave the commencement Jackson, who currently works at the it’s safe to say we all feel excited. to become an “I finished the program address. Center for Teaching and Learning at “I am sure we’ll all be successful.” administrator last July,” she explained. “I’ve “As I tried to figure out what my speech is the University of Oregon and is a She also gave credit to the community. been applying around the state, looking for a former principal in Albany. She “Living in a small town has it’s challenges,” about, today,” he said, “I realized the reason that declined the Reedsport offer to take Lacewell said, “But, Reedsport has given us I’m up here is because of the lessons I learned as a position in the University of North more opportunity than I ever dreamed of.” SEE PRINCIPAL, PAGE A6 Carolina system. She also had high praise for RCCS teachers. SEE GRADUATION, PAGE A6
Hats off to the class of 2014 Highland hires new principal
Robertson to step down as Douglas commissioner The longest serving commission in Douglas County history, and perhaps the state of Oregon, will step down at the end of next month. Doug Robertson has resigned, effecting July 31, to spend more time with his family. He made the announcement June 10. Robertson has served for 33 years. He has a family member who is recovering from a head injury. He also said his 70th birthday in April made him stop and prioritize. The long-time comRobertson missioner said he has some things he feels he accomplished. “I think you look at different levels,” he said. “Obviously, when you go through this process you kind of think of that sort of thing. Certainly, most recently, the issues revolving around getting the O&C (Oregon and California Railroad lands) on the highest level in the federal government and actually working on legislation with some of our federal legislators to get
a bill through the House of Representatives, in combination with, starting in 2000, with the first county payments bill.” Robertson is president of the Association of O&C Counties, a post that’s led him to Washington D.C. on several occasions. He also called a project to keep Mildred Kanipe Memorial Park, near Oakland, from being forested as a positive project he was involved with as a commissioner. He said he just wanted to help. “I refer to the times where I’ve been able to help people that have been, maybe one way or another, caught in the system,” he recounted, “whether it was planning, or whatever it might be, and have an issue that to other folks wouldn’t be a big issue but to them it’s a huge issue. “Those are all very positive as you look back over the years.” He remembers helping a Roseburg elementary school create a fish hatchery program on Deer Creek. “That was great project,” he said.
SEE ROBERTSON, PAGE A6
Lacewell earns Ford scholarship
Winging it
Reedsport graduate Rachel Lacewell is one of 120 students in Oregon and Siskiyou County, Calif. to receive a Ford Scholarship. Lacewell plans to attend the University of Oregon this fall. A news release from the Ford Family Foundation Lacewell states this year’s scholars were chosen from 5,282 applicants. Eligibility requirements include financial need and merit qualifications. Scholars must attend a school in their home state and be By Lou Sennick, The World
Bob King works the wings for his sculpture Friday at the Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting Championships. King, of Edgewood, Wash., is formally from Reedsport and started this event held in Rainbow Plaza. See photos, Page A2.
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SEE SCHOLARSHIP, PAGE A6