AN EDITION OF
Bandon
WESTERN WORLD Thursday, August 28, 2014
theworldlink.com/bandon ♦ $1.00
Challenge:
Port Orford:
Inside this edition:
Benefits burn victim, see page A2 for the full story
Business honored, see page A10 for the full story
Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Bandon Police Log. . . . . . . . A6 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4
Arts and Entertainment . . . A5 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A8-9
Lots of new faces at Bandon schools By Amy Moss Strong Bandon Western World
BANDON — School will resume Tuesday, Sept. 2, for students except those in grades 10-12 at Bandon High School, who will have their first day Sept. 3. Registration was held last week, but any student who still needs to register can do so from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. today and Friday. There are some changes for this year’s students in all three schools. “We are looking forward to another awesome year and we extend a special welcome to our new students and new staff,” said retired Superintendent Diane Buche. Some of the new faces joining Bandon School District include: ■ Amy Flora, Bandon High School
athletic director/dean of students, replacing James Freitag, who took an administrative job in Washington. ■ Michelle Inskeep, Harbor Lights Middle School principal, replacing Debbie Greenfield who retired in June. ■ Ocean Crest Elementary also will have a new principal, MaryRae Anderson, replacing Liz Olive, who retired in June and moved to Hawaii. ■ Jeff VanVickle has been hired as the new BHS language arts teacher, replacing Cindy Edson, who retired in June. ■ Nicole Kraynik has been hired as the BHS alternative education and HLMS computer teacher, replacing Gary Chrismon, who retired in June. ■ Carrie Biasca has been hired as a second-grade teacher at Ocean Crest to replace Adrienne Smith, who retired in June.
■ Amber Curtis-Trudell has been hired as HLMS language arts teacher, replacing Terry Rivas, who retired in June. Over the next few weeks, the district also will be hiring two new custodians and a sixth grade teacher (for the position vacation by Amy Flora at HLMS), as well as a couple of teaching assistants. “We look forward to helping you get to know our new staff members as well as our current staff. If you have any questions, please call us or come see us,” Buche said. Buche also retired in June, but agreed to stay on through the summer to help with the new superintendent search. A candidate has not yet been hired, though the district is still reviewing applications.
New calendar and grading period The Bandon School Board approved
the 2014-2015 school calendar, which moves the district from a six-week grading period to a nine-week grading period. This was done to allow more time between report cards, according to Buche. The number of student contact days, conference days, and inservice days remain the same. The new nine-week grading period aligns with most other schools in the state. There are 10 inservice days, two conference days and six holidays. Winter Break is Dec. 19 to Jan. 5. Spring Break is March 23 to 27. Parents will receive progress reports no 1 less than every 4 ⁄2 weeks to keep them informed of their child’s progress. Anyone with questions regarding the new grading period schedule can call or come in to talk to their child’s building
■ See Schools, A7
Tsunami fears spark exodus from local school By Amy Moss Strong Bandon Western World
Photo by Amy Moss Strong
New store The Dollar Tree opened on Aug. 15 in a space that previously was home to Bandon Golf Supply and Begin Agains clothing resale. The location once was home to Sprouse Reitz, a discount variety store. The space was remodeled inside and out. Bandon Golf Supply moved to a different area in the Shopping Center and Begin Agains moved uptown.
Dollar Tree opens in Bandon Shopping Center By Amy Moss Strong Bandon Western World
BANDON — Dollar Tree Inc. North America’s leading operator of discount variety stores selling everything for $1 or less, has opened a new store in the Bandon Shopping Center, 120 Michigan Ave. NE. The store opened Aug. 15, and a ribbon cutting was held Aug. 23 and attended by Mayor Mary Schamehorn and a few city of Bandon employees. The 10,020-square-foot store offers a variety of items, including brandname convenience food and snacks and featuring a refrigerated and frozen case in the back; household and kitchen sup-
plies; gifts and gift wrapping and party wares; school and office supplies; hardware; cosmetics; pet supplies; books and magazines; seasonal items and more. The store was completely gutted and remodeled with a new facade and sign, as well as a sign close to U.S. Highway 101, after Bandon Golf Supply moved to a new location in the Shopping Center. It is roomy, with wide aisles and displays set up to be easily visible and tidy looking. The Bandon Dollar Tree employs 15 permanent part-time people and a few full-time employees, including a manager, Jeff Papineau, who most recently
worked at the Roseburg Dollar Tree and is looking for a residence in Bandon, and assistant manager Lorrie Schoenborn. Temporary employees will be hired seasonally. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays. “Dollar Tree continues to grow and is proud to be part of the Bandon community,” said Chelle Davis, Dollar Tree spokeswoman. “Our stores are open seven days a week and offer a fast, fun and friendly shopping experience.” Davis, who works in the corporate
■ See Dollar, A7
BANDON — A group of local parents plan to homeschool their children this year in response to what they feel is inaction on the part of the Bandon School Board regarding moving Ocean Crest Elementary out of the tsunami inundation zone. At least 11 students, including her own two daughters, will not attend Bandon schools this year, according to resident Jaime Sterling, who has spearheaded an effort to get the school moved to a safer location. Sterling is in the process of moving to McMinneville, partly because of frustration over the issue. Other parents say they feel they have no choice but to homeschool when the board has all but dismissed their fears as hysterical. Parent are concerned that the most recent maps published by the Oregon Department of Geology and Minerals Industry indicate all three schools are either in or at the edge of the tsunami inundation zone. Coos County Emergency Coordinator Mike Murphy and Sterling believe Ocean Crest, built in 1939, has a high probability — some experts, including a local structural engineer specializing in seismic construction, have said 100 percent — of collapse in the case of a major earthquake. That earthquake would be followed by a tsunami, meaning a series of giant waves created by the earthquake could make their way up Gross Creek and right into Ocean Crest. In response, the Ocean Crest Safety Committee, of which Sterling is a member along with teachers, Murphy and former administrator Liz Olive, who has retired and moved to Hawaii,
■ See Tsunami, A7
Education options include virtual public schools By Amy Moss Strong Bandon Western World
BANDON — More families are exploring virtual public school asthey consider various schooling options over the summer months. Enrollment for the 2014-15 school year for the state’s leading tuition-free online public charter school, Oregon Connections Academy, is underway. Parents interested in ORCA can attend real-time interactive online sessions with a school representative or view an on-demand session 24/7, according to Candy Farthing, interim executive director at ORCA.
Local students at ORCA Several Bandon students attend or have graduated from Oregon Connections Academy and have had
positive experiences. Tim and Tina Spanberger of Bandon have two boys in ORCA, Trevor, in third grade, and TJ, in sixth. Tina describes her family’s experience below: “The main reason that we have decided to school our children from home, is that we want to make sure they get a proper education with plenty of one-on-one help. We switched to ORCA three years ago for several reasons. It is fully accredited with the state and the boys will be able to attend any college when they are done. ORCA is also free of charge to the parents because it is funded by school tax we already pay. “As a parent I really enjoy not having to make the lesson plans every day. Each day is already planned out, so I feel more organized. My children also have the
■ See Virtual, A7
Contributed photo by Tina Spanberger
Homeschooled Sixth-grader TJ Spanberger has time during the day to ride his horse because his online charter school, Oregon Connections Academy, allows for flexibility.