Standardized tests, the death knell of American economic dominance?

By Robert Vian, School District #171 Superintendent

The current debate about Idaho Common Core and the change from Idaho Academic Standards Test (ISAT) is the wrong debate. While Common Core tests will require much more rigor in the classroom and are far superior to the old standards, they are just another standardized test. We should be discussing the impact of standardized tests on America’s ability to produce creative resourceful, imaginative, and talented individuals that will be needed for the nation to continue our dominant status in the world as an economic power.

A couple of historically significant events have created the slippery slope that education in Idaho and the nation attempts to stand upon.

The first was the Cold War of the 1950s and 60s and the launch of the first artificial earth satellite, Sputnik, by the Soviet Union in 1957. The U.S. suffered apoplectic shock, “How was a communist nation able to best a technological superpower like the U.S. in the race to be first into space?” When the Soviets also had the first man in space the sting was even deeper.

Politicians and educational experts started looking for explanations to describe the “failures in education.” Surveys of educational systems in industrialized nations in 1960 indicated that the U.S. math student ranked 12th in the world. No wonder we lost the “space race,” we were sliding into oblivion, how could the U.S. be a world power with math scores like that?

A second partially related event fueled the slide. Educational funding was erratic, while some schools had rich tax bases, others were not so wealthy. Educational advocates started campaigning for a level field (read this to mean equal funding) for all students within a state and across the nation.

When the Feds and the state began providing funds to equalize educational opportunities they started taking away local control of schools and demanded that funds were being spent wisely. Testing students to see if they had learned just made sense, but the tests had to be standardized to allow comparisons between schools and districts across the state. Every student had to be measured by the same standard, like a toaster or television set.

Producing a student capable of passing a standardized test, lead to standardized curriculums, not identical but highly similar. To insure that students were doing well in math, reading, and language arts, those subjects required more classroom instruction. States added additional math and science requirements. Districts had to add additional math and science teachers. With no new money other teachers (art, music, languages, drama, technology, and industrial arts classes) had to be cut. The classes that many students find interesting and the open doors for their individual futures are closed as schools prepare every student to attend a university.

In the U.S. we began chasing the great standardized test, taking nations like Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Finland, Switzerland, and Japan, trying to create an educational system as “fine as theirs.” In Idaho we started mimicking other states. What did the standardization and emphasis on math and science for all students accomplish?

The U.S. student currently ranks 31st in math, and 24th in science. My mom told me that “once the horse dies I should quit beating it and get off.” Instead we are hell bent on bringing the horse back to life with cattle prods and training wheels.

While many shudder at the thought that we cannot compete with other nations on tests, we should consider what makes us the industrial leader of the world by a wide margin, and what those countries gave up to test well. In China two-year-olds start preparation for a college entrance exam sixteen years away. No country in the world focuses on all their students like the U.S. does. We test over 95% of our children. They test only their best.

China has 19% of the world’s population and each year applies for one percent of the world patents. China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the market value of all final goods and services from a nation in a given year, is 50% of the U.S. GDP. The U.S. Gross Domestic Product accounts for 22% of the world’s total GDP despite the fact that the U.S. population is only 4.3% of the total world population. If China produced at the rate the U.S. does, their GDP would be four and a half times the U.S. GDP, not one half our GDP.

We are chasing the wrong goal, and seem to be more obsessed every day with achieving that wrong goal.

Education should be about the maintaining our identity as a nation, raising children to continue our dream of a country where each generation is at least as well off as the past.

Training our youth to all be the same ignores what makes this nation the industrial leader of the world. Our creativity, perseverance, resourcefulness, diversity, and imagination is what makes us a great industrial power.

Yong Zhao, Presidential Chair for Global and online Education at the University of Oregon writes in his new book World Class Learners that in the U.S. at age five 98% of the kids tested are at the genius level “for creativity,” by age ten 32% reach the genius level, and by age 15 only 10% still score at the genius level. The number actually declines to about 4% during the work years (if I get creative I may lose this job). At about age 65, when people start doing things they like to do, the genius level increases, and some people become creative again. It’s hard to argue that we are encouraging creativity in schools or the workplace. It appears we are doing an outstanding job of destroying creativity.

The modern public school has become a sausage grinder, taking a young person’s creativity, diversity, resourcefulness, perseverance, imagination, and talent and turn out one product where all of the product is exactly like all the other products.

Other nations are now looking at the U.S. to see how we develop such creative students. How can they develop a Steve Jobs, Sergey Brin, Lady Gaga, Mark Zuckerberg, or Steve Wozniak? Steve Wozniak said, “When you’re very structured almost like a religion…Uniforms, uniforms, uniforms…everybody is the same.” Look at structured societies like Singapore, where bad behavior isn’t tolerated. You are extremely punished. Where are the creative people? Where are the great artists? Where are the great musicians? Where are the great singers? Where are the great writers? Where are the athletes? All the creative elements seems to disappear.

The Chinese are not ignorant or satisfied with the outcomes of their test oriented system.

The Chinese Ministry of Education wrote in 1997, “Our nation’s tendency to simply prepare for tests,…and blindly pursue admission rates to colleges and higher-level schools while ignoring the real needs of the student and societal development…pays attention to only a minority of the student population and neglects the majority; it emphasizes knowledge transmission…as well as the cultivation of applied abilities and psychological and emotional development; it relies on rote memorization and mechanical drills…Which makes learning uninteresting, hinders students…and prevents them from taking initiatives…hurting motivation and enthusiasm, squelching their creativity, and impeding their overall development.”

It sounds like they have learned what we have not, standardization stifles creativity. Other nations study the U.S. educational system because they think we know how to foster creativity, the reality is more likely that we have not progressed to their level of destroying creativity, yet.

We should demand that the educational system stop trying to produce cookie cutter students. A world class educational system should start with the student, consider their strengths and weakness, help them build on their weakness, but focus on their strengths. Rather than a funnel into the sausage grinder, education should be inverted so that a student’s creativity, imagination, and perseverance expands and grows with support from educators.

Two school levies go to vote March 11

The Orofino Joint School District #171’s two school levies will go to voters Tuesday, March 11. Voters will decide on a two-year Maintenance & Operations levy with no increase either year. If passed by patrons the amount will remain at $2,285,000 per year for two fiscal years (total two year levy is $4,570,000.)

According to School Superintendent Bob Vian a two-year levy would allow the district to better plan for the future, providing more security for younger staff by assuring more stable funding and allow the taxpayers to know what taxes will be in the future for personal budgeting. The two-year levy will also reduce the cost and number of elections by 50 percent.

If the levy passes it will also guarantee taxpayers that there will not be a tax increase in locally funded operating expenses over the three years that the current and proposed school levies are in effect.

Last year’s levy of the same amount, $2,285,000, resulted in a property tax rate of approximately $4.55 per thousand dollars of taxable property value during the 2013-14 fiscal year.

The second levy is a School Facility Plant Levy for 10 fiscal years at $100,000 per year. This is for health and safety improvements in the district’s five schools. If approved by 55% of voters the tax rate is expected to be less than 20 cents per thousand of property tax value.

For more information on the election see the Sample Ballot on page 4B of this week’s Clearwater Tribune.

School Board approves two levies for March

By Bob Vian, School District Superintendent

The Orofino Joint School District #171 Board of Trustees voted at a special School Board meeting Jan. 14 to place two levies on the ballot for March 12, 2014.

The trustees voted to maintain the current levy request for Maintenance and Operating (M&O) of the district at $2,285,000 per year. The current levy resulted in a property tax rate of approximately $4.55 per thousand dollars of taxable property value during the 2013-14 fiscal year.

Superintendent Bob Vian asked the trustees to approve a two year M & O Levy with no increase either year. The trustees agreed to the request. The two year levy will allow the district to better plan for the future, provides more security for younger staff by providing more stable funding, allow the taxpayer to know what taxes will be in the future for their personal budgeting, and reduces the cost and number of elections by 50%.

Passage of the two year request assures taxpayers that there will not be a tax increase in locally funded operating expenses over the three years that the current and proposed levies are in effect.

The Maintenance and Operating Levy provides 28% of the district’s operating budget.

The board of trustees also supported Superintendent Vian’s request for a School Facility Plant Levy (SFPL). This second levy is allowed, by Idaho Code, for “health and safety improvements” in the district’s five schools.

If approved by 55% of the voters in March, the SFPL will run for ten years at a rate of $100,000 per year. The tax rate is expected to be less than twenty cents per thousand of property tax value. A homeowner whose home is valued at $70,000 (the average home value in Clearwater County) would be taxed on $35,000 worth of value (due to the home owner’s exemption). The cost would be $7 per year, or less than 2 cents per day. A home owner whose home is worth $200,000 could expect to pay about $24 per year.

The funds raised with the SFPL would be used for safety and health related repairs only, specifically to replace the single pane windows in all buildings with double pane, high efficiency windows, replace the heating systems at Timberline and Orofino High School with heat pumps and back up “emergency” heat, and add electronic controls to the heating systems to reduce energy costs and provide fresh air in the classrooms as required by building occupancy codes.

Providing fresh air in classrooms is expected to reduce the spread of illness and improve attendance.

Because the health and safety conditions in the buildings can be declared an Emergency, the district would seek to use the ten year SFPL as collateral to borrow funds to do the necessary building upgrades in the summer of 2014.

Vian stated, “Putting off the repairs and doing them as individual heaters fail or replacing a few windows at a time, over the next ten years greatly reduces the savings on energy and increases the cost due to inflation The board and I are committed to spending this money to save taxpayers money over time, improve the health of our students and staff, and improve security in the classrooms.”

Energy savings are expected to be in the 30% range with the new windows and HVAC systems.

School board meeting shy in attendance

A School Board meeting for Joint District #171 was held Dec. 16, at Orofino High School. Attendance was low, as music concerts and holiday programs were taking place throughout the district. A comment was made in regard to planning next year’s events around the board meeting.

The evening’s agenda was approved without additions or changes.

The board approved the last meeting’s minutes and bills to be paid.

Certified and Classified Employees of the Month were announced by board member Amy Jared. They are: OHS Principal Dan Hull and Jerry Bordoni, respectively. Next Volunteers of the Month, Earl Vicory and Rex Robinson were introduced by Mr. Hull. Watch for articles in the near future featuring these incredible and dedicated members of our school community.

Superintendent Vian reported that enrollment is up 14 over last year at this time.
 

Committee reports

The Wellness and Nutrition Committee met to select policies which were long overdue to be updated. Policies changed were presented before the board for approval later in the meeting listed under “Action Items.”

Due to the recent survey results not being available, the Strategic Planning Committee will postpone their discussion scheduled for the December meeting until the meeting in January 2014.

Building and Program Reports were exceptionally brief. It was noted that some parents and the principal were attempting to attend all the events in one evening. The board watched them scramble from one site to the next in order to attend everything. Unfortunately, OES Principal, Mrs. Brooks was ill and had spent the day at home. Hence, most building and program reports were postponed.

The board did receive a report from Mr. Jenkins with the Transportation Department. He explained that everything had been running up to par, therefore he had little to report other than news of the three furnaces which received a good cleaning and a little maintenance for better efficiency

Technology report

Next, Russ Miles, informed the board that there had been a disconnection of internet service from Friday, Dec. 13, until sometime Saturday afternoon on Dec. 14. The reason for the disruption was due to the district implementing an increase to the broadband width available for students

Superintendent’s report

Mr. Vian reported to the board that he has signed a contract with the National Guard to provide food service to the Youth Challenge School in Pierce for the second half of the school year, Jan. - June 2014.

The contract amount is $228,852.46 and is for “Reimbursement of (to) Joint School District 171 for actual costs and related expenditures for approved food services provided by the school district.”

Because Youth ChalleNGe students attend school seven days a week and are there all day long, food expenses are higher per student than those for the rest of the district. By providing the food service to the new school on the hill, the district makes 14 % of the contract amount for compensation.

Next, Vian explained that engineers from Aerton Environmental Control Systems visited Orofino Elementary School. Orofino High School and Timberline Schools in late November to help the district control energy usage. The team will return to the district with some heating and window contractors to submit quotes for renovation. Aerton will give the district an estimate for a control system for the heating and ventilation units.

Accreditation

Both high schools continue to work on Accreditation. Site visits will take place in February. Accreditation occurs on a six-year cycle and assures that student transferring to other high schools and moving on with a post-secondary career or education will received credit for their high school learning.

District vehicles

The district needs to make a decision concerning the vehicles which are tired, and which vehicles need to retire or be repaired. A direction for the future needs to be determined, to either purchase newer vehicles, convert to a mileage system, or purchase a couple of vans for multi-employee use and have individual trips bill mileage.

Drivers Education faces the same issue, as the cars are worn out. The district subsidizes driver’s education. Newer vehicles will mean larger subsidizing in the future. We should consider whether we want to continue the driving portion of driver’s education or turn it over to a local business.

Last in his report, Mr. Vian gave a PowerPoint presentation on maintenance projects which were completed over the summer, to include before and after pictures of the boilers and water heaters at OES, the patchwork and painting of Timberline Schools and the roof and skylight repairs of the bus barns. A new covered walkway was constructed to access the new portable.

Bob Reggear exercised his first opportunity to thank Mr. Vian for his tireless efforts in moving education forward and in his leadership of the school district to date, during the Public Comment section of the meeting.

As mentioned earlier, the board listened to the first reading of suggested policy updates recommended by the Wellness/ Nutrition Committee. These include: Policy # 8200 Healthy Lifestyles; #8210 District Nutrition Committee; #8220 Food Services, #8230 Child Wellness; #8235 Water/Energy Drink Consumption; #8240 School Meals; #8245 Competitive Food Services; #8250 Individual Food and Beverage Sales; #8260 Vending Machines.

Before adjourning, board member Charity Robinson thanked other board members for sharing information they received from the November conference in Coeur D’Alene, as she was unable to attend.

Head Start seeks our support

By Elizabeth Morgan

Lewis Clark Early Childhood Program (LCECP) has been serving the community of Orofino for over 20 years. Presently, a group of devoted community members who call themselves Friends of LCECP Orofino Head Start Project are asking the community for support in raising $30,000 to be eligible for other grants needed to purchase and place a classroom on the elementary school site.

LCECP has applied for a supplemental funding grant from Head Start to cover the site development costs associated with development of the center including the playground and parking areas. It is hoped to bring the project to the school site within the next year.

Friends of LCECP strive to raise $30,000 from the Orofino business and private communities. The remainder of the $91,000 is to be earned through private grants and foundations.

Years of monitoring and research confirm that children who attend the Head Start program, have immediate positive effects on cognitive and social/emotional development. In addition, it was discovered that there was significant influence on the health of the child as well as his/her family. This typically improves the entire family’s emotional and economic social status, which in turn benefits the community.

Head Start’s present location is on the county’s road maintenance complex. Immediately behind their playground, heavy equipment travels back and forth, through a parking lot that floods during the storm season. Costs for ongoing maintenance for flooding and dated heating cut deeply into a budget that is already stretched to afford only the absolute necessities.

The building is small, and is not in compliance with the American Disabilities Act, Classroom size may accommodate no more than 14 children at a time and lacks space for supplies.

The center’s size and location limits activities, access, class size and instruction, and presents numerous safety issues of serious concern. Besides being located somewhat inconveniently in an industrial area, there is no connectivity to other education programs or schools.

In the past, the school district has absorbed the cost of transporting students who qualify for Head Start services to and from Orofino Elementary School.

Keeping the kids on school grounds will save money and provide less interruption to their school day. The transition from Pre-School to Kindergarten is made easier, less intimidating because the child is more comfortable and familiar with their surroundings.

Moving the Head Start to OES would allow children to attend preschool in a high quality modular classroom manufactured by Northwest Building Systems in Boise. large enough to accommodate an office separate from the classroom. The building would not interfere with the additional parking area that OES intended to create. The new location will create a seamless unison between Head Start and OES.

Clearwater County is one of the most economically depressed counties in Idaho, with over 36% of children aged 0-4, living in poverty.

Parent intensive programs such as Head Start draw parents to school early in the child’s academic career, promoting greater participation as the child progresses through grade school and beyond.

Research indicates: “Parent involvement promotes a healthy and consistent learning environment by establishing mutual goals between parents and educators and developing activities that bridge home and school.” (Christenson, S.L.; 1995).

Furthermore, children who attend Head Start earn significantly more than their siblings who did not attend preschool. Those that attended Head Start are nearly 30% more likely to have completed high school than their siblings and are more likely to attend college, less likely to be assigned to special education classes; and less likely to commit crimes. It is estimated that society receives nearly $9 in benefits for every dollar invested in Head Start children.

Joint School District #171 Superintendent, Bob Vian believes the program will benefit both students and community. He fully supports the efforts of Friends of Lewis Clark Early Childhood Program to find a way to move the current facility to the Orofino Elementary School grounds.

Seeking additional funds from the community for education is a sensitive issue, especially in light of the school district requesting and receiving the supplemental levy which passed in May. But there is much taking place within the district to maximize the quality of education available for our children. As a former teacher, I see many wheels in motion that will encourage lifelong learning and well being throughout the community. The education our children receive will be relevant to the needs of tomorrow, and become more efficient as the district’s future goals are realized.

Friends of LCECP are planning a bake sale for starters on Friday, Aug. 2. The time and location has yet to be announced. Watch for details in next week’s Clearwater Tribune. Please show your support; Head Start works, and our children deserve whatever it takes.

School district breathes a little easier as levy ensures important changes in the district

The School Board met on May 22. Superintendent Bob Vian and Business Manager Trina Snyder presented the budget outline for the 2013-2014. The board also reviewed the District’s Strategic Plan as is customary to make sure progress is continuing as planned and in a timely manner. Board members received their Self-Assessment forms which are due back on June 10.

With the passing of the district’s request for the supplemental levy increase of $345,000, the projected overall revenue increase from this year’s budget is $424,239.

State funding is based on student average daily attendance (ADA) which generates funding units. The district budgeted 60.77 units this year and based on the current ADA, 57.4 units are proposed for next year. At this time enrollment is down 18 students from this same time last year. Several months ago 19 students withdrew as work for area loggers ended. It is hoped that when work resumes, the students will be back.

Included in the General Fund expenses:

· All day Kindergarten staffing.

· $150,000 Technology funds included

· Certified staff movement over for education, if applicable and movement down one step, if applicable.

· 2% increase on salary for all classified staff.

· Additional days included for Administrative staff, Data Base Administrator, District Office /Program staff, Assistant Secretaries and Food Service Director.

· Retirement Benefits increased from 10.39% to 11.32%.

· Insurance increased by 11.1%.

· Textbook Budget increase

· Soccer and Drill/Dance team salaries/benefits included.

· Increased stipend for Jr/Sr and Student Council Advisors.

· $2,000 increase for OHS, THS and OES field trips.

· Includes different Salary/Benefit and Professional Leave.

· Increase in School Board budget to fit “actual” budgetary needs.

· Decreased utility expenses because of modular removal.

· Increased Transportation/Mechanic supervisor salary – reimbursed at 85% and 50%.

· One bus was purchased this year. Transferred via depreciation from the General Fund.
 

Other expenses

· OES boiler replacement will cost $170,000.

· $60,000 to repaint Timberline building

· To replace bus barn roofing $73,000 is estimated.

· Technology budget is set at $40,000.

· $150,000 was appropriated to summer maintenance projects.

· Leaving $317,100 for projects repairs not listed.

The district will offer contracts to current Food Service Director Carmen Griffith, Special Education Director Kerrie Raines, Transportation Director Ben Jenkins, and Business Manager Trina Snyder for the upcoming school year.

An ISEE grant of $33,600 was awarded to the district to hire a mentor teacher for teachers. Traditionally, the school principal took on this role, but his duties have also expanded. The mentor teacher will work one to one if necessary with teachers to find resolutions for situations that arise from time to time.

Other grants in progress are the Nez Perce Tribal grant, Driver’s Education grant, Jim Gustin Science grant and the Valerie Armichardy Recycling and Project grant. A grant for technology awarded $27,140 for Classroom Technology and $10,000 for IT Personnel.

Most aides are funded through the grants provided by Title I, Title VI-B, and Title VI-B PreSchool programs. The Carl Perkins grant funds the district’s vocational activities and programs. Money from Title II-A is used for professional development, credit reimbursement and stipends for mentor teachers.

Currently, there is a balance of $41,000 in the District Property account from the sale of Weippe Elementary School.

Carmen Griffith and her staff of four, received lots of praise and even (a little money) J for doing such a tremendous job this year.

The breakfast program has helped finances tremendously. After closing April’s financial statements, the fund balance was $7,681. Last year at this time the fund balance was short $42,756.

The district will hire and pay six certified staff members; One Admin/ teacher and five instructors. They will be District employees. The District will receive ADA funding for the students that are enrolled and will pay these personnel expenses with these funds. The District will received 14% of the total of these costs as “overhead” for the fiscal and supervisory duties that will be required.

The District and Carmen Griffith, Food Service Supervisor, will also oversee the food service needs for the Youth Challenge Program. Again, the salaries, benefits and food will be reimbursed via the National Guard.

Recognition went to Carl Stemrich, Empire Lumber, Norm Steadman, Orofino Builders Supply, Jason Berreth and Gradi Thomas for donations and their help toward the construction of a play shed at Timberline.

Shaun Ball gave a brief report concerning ISAT test scores for Timberline. Overall, reading scores were good. There is still much that can be done to improve proficiency in math. This will be one of the areas of focus next year.

At OES, students in grades 3-6, worked very hard to raise ISAT scores from previous years. Individual grade levels improved as much as 9 to 14 points in a year, but perhaps more importantly, Orofino students achieved and exceeded state target goals for proficiency in both Math and Reading.

Shelley Brooks, OHS Principal believes that changes in programs, instruction scheduling, school improvement and staff development is making a difference and improving achievement.

Other announcements Brooks shared with the Board were: an Idaho Common Core Standards workshop held May 10, for OES certified staff to develop a unit of study and pre/post assessment aligned to common core in math.

Orofino Elementary held the first Annual Young Author’s contest and Literary Showcase. There were five categories to enter, for the 27 students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Field trips will continue through May 30. Fifth grade visited the Clearwater Courthouse and participated in a case study, fourth grade will participate in the LCSC Rendezvous Event at OES, third grade is visiting the Science Center in Pullman, second grade will visit smoke jumpers and the mammoth exhibit in Grangeville, and Kindergarten visited the Clearwater Memorial Public Library. Clearwater Marine Patrol presented a water safety training called Idaho Sports Paddle Up for the sixth grade students.

All grades have been holding their spring music programs. Parents and families have enjoyed some excellent presentations. Thank you to both Mrs. Holzer and Mrs. Tetwiller.

Mr. Thomas, OES PE Teacher, has organized and facilitated the OES Annual Track meets for both primary and intermediate grades this week. Thank you to the OHS students and faculty, community members, and parents that help out and supported this event.

Orofino Elementary School will end the school year with the final Rewards and Recognition Assembly on June 6.

Changes in Grading and Progress Reports

Changes to begin next year for students in grades 9-12, are:

· Letter grades will be used to report academic performance on report cards for students in grades 9-12 based on the following numerical values; A – 4.0 for standard classes, 5.0 for advanced classes. B - 3.0 for standard, and 4.0 for advanced. C will earn 2.0 for standard, 3.0 for advanced, and D receives 1.0 point for standard and 2.0 for advanced.

· Students will be encouraged to challenge themselves. Advanced classes will include Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, Spanish IV, Honors classes, Dual Credit College classes, LCSC Tech Prep classes, and certain IDLA classes as identified by school counselors and approved by the Superintendent.

· The calculation of GPAs for determining Valedictorian and Salutatorian will not change until the class of 2016.

Action Items

Alyce Arnsberg declared Jerry Nelson elected as Trustee of Zone 4; Theresa Graber declared Charity Robinson elected as Trustee of Zone 5.

All classified staff except Medicade would be rehired for next year. At this time last year classified staff was still waiting to learn if they would be rehired or not, due to lack of funds. If any changes are to be made, it would be by attrition.

Orofino Jr. High School property is still for sale and has been re-appraised at $295,000, with the agreement that the school district would maintain a 10 year lease of the gymnasium.

Policy 3060 concerning “Homeless Children” will in the future address the students as “Youth in transition” to comply with Federal Laws, required by the SDE. This refers to children living in shelters, vehicles, campgrounds, motels, etc.

And finally the Board approved the travel of THS football team and their equipment to training camp in Montana on June 7-9 at no cost to the district.

School Board approves maintenance and operating levy

By Danielle Hardy, Trustee

The District 171 School Board approved the 2013-2014 maintenance and operating school levy for $2,285,000. That is an increase of $345,000 from last year’s levy. Voters will decide on the levy May 21, 2013.

Superintendent Bob Vian presented information to the school board on the needs of the district that will be met with current funds and those that will be met if the levy passes.  Current funds will be used to replace the Orofino Elementary School boiler, paint the exterior of Timberline, and replace the bus barn roof. These are issues that must be done now in order to prevent further costs in repairs.

Next year’s increase will help to provide full time kindergarten in Orofino, update technology district-wide, and maintain the current staff. Vian explained that voters have approved the annual levy for many years and stated “we are fortunate to have a community that supports education”.

Tax payers will see an increase of $2.71 per month (on an assessed value of $100,000) for the increased levy. Even with the increase, Orofino still has a low per student cost of $1,637. In comparison, Nez Perce has a rate of $3,248 per student cost.

While the State of Idaho constitution requires that the state provide for a complete and thorough education for all of Idaho’s children, funding has steadily decreased. As a result, local communities have had to make up for the difference. Of the 115 Idaho school districts, more than two out of three request local levies each year to supplement state funding.

A recent study done by the non-partisan, non-profit organization Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy outlines how much public school funding has changed since 1980. You can read the study by going to idahocfp.org and going to the “reports” link at the bottom.

Anyone with questions on the budget is strongly encouraged to contact the district office at (208) 476-5933, which is open Monday through Friday.

You can also go to the district website at sd171. k12.id.us to view various budget reports, including an updated year-to-date budget (go to “Finances and Public Reports” link on the left side of the homepage).

In addition, a series of informational presentations on the district budget will be given to a variety of community organizations by Superintendent Vian to educate the public on the importance of supporting the levy.

Federal government wants Idaho school funds back

The federal government has sent a letter to the governor’s office demanding a return of 5.1 percent of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funds that were distributed to counties, highway districts, schools, and Resource Advisory Committees (RAC’s) across Idaho. 

The letter allows the Governor’s office two options: a) the money can be collected back from all the receiving entities at 5.1 percent, or b) 5.1 percent of the total can be withheld from the Resource Advisory Committees.

In an effort to protect the taxpayers of Clearwater County, the commissioners sent a letter to the governor requesting that he choose the second option. If the monies were withheld from the tax supported entities it could result in higher property taxes.  
The RAC’s don’t receive any local property tax dollars. The RAC’s were established as part of the original legislation that started payments to local entities to compensate them for revenue losses caused by cutbacks in logging on federal forest lands. RAC’s are made up of representatives from a wide variety of groups interested in the management activities on the forest. The RAC’s get a percentage of the secure rural schools’ money each year to spend on special projects on the National Forest.  
This is the last payment under the Secure Rural Schools legislation, and the odds of getting it reauthorized are looking dismal. The tax supported entities who just received their last check are facing significant revenue shortfalls in the next fiscal year. Clearwater County’s portion is over $550,000, all of which goes into the road department. The local highway district and schools receive lesser amounts.  
When asked to comment on the return of SRS dollars, Commissioner Stan Leach said, “This is indicative of the state of affairs in Washington, D.C. right now. The federal government is going back on its promise that it made to support roads and schools when the forests were put into reserve in 1908. So, not only can we not count on that support into the future, we can’t even cash the checks that have already been sent. This really points out the need for more active forest management so that we can pay our own way and not have to count on the whims of Washington, D.C.”  
There are several efforts underway to increase forest management. Commissioner Don Ebert is working as part of the Clearwater Basin Collaborative to accomplish this. Commissioner Leach is working with the other county commissioners around the state to establish a Community Forest Trust, where a portion of forest lands would be managed on a sustainable basis with generated revenues helping to offset some of the shortfalls created by expiration of the SRS legislation.  
There is also an effort to authorize another SRS type bill, but even that would only be a temporary fix.

“A permanent solution has to be found,” said the commissioners, “because even if the SRS funds stop coming, the needs that those funds pay for will not.”

No shortage of laughter in donkey basketball tournament

Josh Stemrich, Brian Larman, Garret Cochrell, Jon Syed, Hunter Skiles, and Sara Stemrich were the winning team at this year’s donkey basketball event at Timberline.

By Gradi Thomson

The second annual Donkey Basketball tournament was enjoyed by all who attended. There was no shortage of laughter or fun!

In the first game the Weippe Fire Department team fell to the dominating Clearwater County Sheriff’s Department players. A quick half-time took place and door prizes were given away. The lucky winners were Sheila Barteaux, Zarek Cochrell and Ethan Jared.

Half-time also included a donkey meet and greet where all were welcome onto the floor to get up close and visit with the four-legged players.

In the second game Timberline students and staff went head to head; it was a good game and the students prevailed in the end. The playoff game between the sheriff’s office and Timberline students was definitely captivating! A volley of scoring and a nail-biting tie at the buzzer pushed them into sudden death.

Timberline students pulled it out in the end to be crowned the 2013 Donkey Basketball Champions. The sponsors, Timberline Booster Club, appreciate all who participated and made the event a big hit!

Julie Jared having a yahoo moment.

Detective Amanda Barlow with her donkey.

Superintendent and police chief discuss school safety

By Alannah Allbrett

School Superintendent, Bob Vian, spoke out about one of America’s biggest concerns right now, the safety of our children in the public school system. Mr. Vian brings with him many years of experience in leadership and administrative roles in both the Idaho and Oregon school systems as well as that of having been a teacher.

Mr. Vian said when he came to Timberline Schools (TLS) as Principal, he brought with him the emergency plan used in Oregon but found it was not applicable here. “The schools are so dissimilar,” he said “that it had no basis here.” In Klamath Falls, Oregon, where he was the principal, they had one single building with a single entrance. Joint School District #171, which consists of Orofino, Timberline, Peck, and Cavendish schools, are diverse structures. Both Orofino and Pierce high schools have outer shop buildings – separate from the main buildings. Neither school has an out front office entrance, separate from the main building. At OHS, for instance, one must enter double doors in front, go up several steps, and proceed down a hallway to enter the office doors inside the school – not the best setup for school security.

As Mr. Vian pointed out, when our schools were built, security was not the issue that it is today because shootings at schools were unheard of. “Nowadays,” he said, “school safety is something we always think about. Things are better today than they were a year ago, however. The buildings are significantly more secure. But you have to realize these buildings were built at a time when no one could anticipate this” he said.

He added, “This year, we’ve attempted to lock as many outside doors as possible, directing the public to enter in only one or two areas.” When asked what communication systems are in place he said that nowadays everybody carries a cell phone, and Orofino Police Officer Monte Toombs works closely with the school. He has thought of the possibility of getting prison staff involved in the event of an emergency, in securing the facilities, as they are close and already trained in security issues.

Speaking of crises training in the schools, Mr. Vian said they have begun to practice “lockdown drills.” During a lockdown drill, rooms are locked, and children are pulled out of the hallways and instructed to stay away from windows and doors where they would be visible to anyone outside. Police are notified when schools are conducting a drill, and Officer Toombs has been present to watch the drills take place. Vian said that Toombs attended a meeting Wednesday morning, Jan. 9, with the principals of both OHS and OES. “Drills took place at least twice here,” he said, “before the recent shootings in Connecticut occurred.”

Vian said that ultimately, safety issues are their number one concern “Any security measures need to be done building by building. As the Superintendent, it [responsibility] comes back to me, but I task that out to the principals because each building is different. Our motto here is ‘slow an intruder down,’ put as many obstacles in the way as possible.” With that in mind, the schools are now attempting to keep outside doors locked where possible – a big undertaking considering OHS alone has 12 outside doors and students, and staff alike, are not used to having locked doors.

Vian said things are a little different in Pierce, being situated in Clearwater County, not Orofino proper. Sheriff Deputy, and School Resource Officer, Dave Koontz, maintains an office at Timberline. “He spends a couple hours a week up there. Sometimes, he just catches up on reports, but he’s in the building so that the kids get to know him,” said Vian. “Peck, though part of our school district, is in Nez Perce County. In the event of an emergency Orofino Police Department and Clearwater County Sheriffs would, no doubt respond. As they have mutual response plans.”

Police Chief Jeff Wilson corroborated: “It is very possible that Clearwater County and Orofino PD would respond to Peck. We are often closer to Peck than any Nez Perce County deputies so if any serious incident occurs in the Peck area we may be requested by Nez Perce County to respond and we would do so upon that request.”

“Video recording systems are in place in both Timberline and OHS” said Mr. Vian. “We were able to get good video of the guys walking down halls when the school burglary took place” [last year]. “Although they had masks on, we could tell other important details that helped identify them” said Mr. Vian.

When asked if students understand the purpose of lockdown drills, Vian said, “The kids, fifth grade and above probably do, and we just tell them we’re going to have a drill. The younger kids don’t need a reason and usually respond better to directions.” Different kinds of drills are held, for example, if an angry parent shows up wanting to remove their child versus someone seen entering the school with a gun.

“We’re required by law to have a fire drill every month, and two earthquake drills a year,” said Vian. “We should be doing safety drills once a month and we’re working towards that. We’re trying to determine what the best safety drill is. Officer Toombs is putting a drill together now.”

Orofino Police Chief, Jeff Wilson, said they partner with the schools in assisting them with the lockdown drills and have, for years, made safety recommendations as to what kinds of access the public should or should not have to the schools. He stated that the schools should have the ability to lock people out, but it’s costly to carry out the safety measures which should be undertaken. He stated, “At the present time there is no way to know for sure if an intruder has entered a school building.”

Wilson said, “Locked doors may give a false sense of security, however, as an intruder can throw a rock or break glass to get inside a building.” Wilson elaborated on the difference between a Code Red versus a Code Yellow Drill Procedure. Without going into details about the procedures themselves, he said the nature of a Code Red drill covers steps students, teachers, and administrators are to take in the event of an intruder being INSIDE the school building. Code Yellow covers steps to be taken if an intruder is OUTSIDE the building.

Wilson said, “There has been a tremendous amount of money that has been put into fire safety – from the cost of the school structures being made out of non-flammable materials, to sprinkler systems." He went on to say, “To my knowledge, over the last 30 years, no student in the United States has ever died due to a school fire. But we’ve lost hundreds of children in schools due to lack of school security. Comparing the amount of money spent for fire safety protection to dollars spent on school security for the safety of students and teachers,” Wilson said, “we haven’t even scratched the surface.”

Mr. Vian stated that the schools’ main job is to provide a safe school environment. “If kids don’t have a safe environment,” he said, “then no learning takes place. There are some things we could do, but it would take a million and a half dollars to make all our schools safe.” When asked what measures he would take if money were no object, Vian said that he would build a new office in front of OHS. On his dream list would be, connecting the shops with the main buildings at both high schools so that the students never had to leave the building. “That would take a few hundred thousand dollars,” Vian said. He would like to see an entry system in place, at the elementary level, where a visitor would step into an entry hall, and have to be ‘buzzed’ through at the second door. “That could be done relatively cheaply,” he said. The very least that could be done at this time would be to provide all schools with doors which may be locked to the outside, but still provide rapid exit from the inside. Mr. Vian stated that, as a private citizen, he is a gun owner himself, but that today’s safety issues in schools do not revolve solely around the use of guns but also stem from poor mental health care programs in this state. Chief Wilson concurred that Idaho has consistently had one of the least effective mental health programs in the U.S. due to lack of funding dollars allotted to that area.

School District news

By Superintendent Bob Vian

District level

During the last budget cycle the district lost a significant amount of revenue when the Federal Jobs Program ended with a loss of nearly $200,000. In addition we built a budget without assurance that the Craig/Wyden “timber money” which Western States have relied upon for years would be renewed. In July we received notice that there would be Federal timber funds, but at a level approximately $100,000 less than the prior year. In addition the district lost 45 students over the past year. State funds are based on students so funding from the state will be reduced.

Local taxpayers were generous and passed our operating levy of $1.94 million, the same level as the 2011-12 fiscal year.

The budget for 2012-13 was written to “right size” the district based on fewer students and funding cuts. The majority of the cuts to teaching staff were made via retirements and resignations. Several Instructional Aides were cut, but we are currently working to reallocate funds to rehire some of those lost positions. It is our intent that no student’s special needs will be neglected.

Putting money into facilities maintenance was a major concern. As you will read in the building reports several projects are underway. Our goal is to spend our money locally and most of the maintenance work is being performed by local contractors and companies.

Dr Kerrie Raines joins the district as our new Special Education Director. Dr. Raines served as a vice-principal, Federal Programs Officer, and Special Education Director in Glenn’s Ferry Idaho for the past couple of years.

Ben Jenkins will assume the duties of Lon Blades, who retired, as Transportation Director. Ben will continue as the head mechanic along with the Director’s position.

Cavendish School

Teacher Jenine Nord will start school with a logging theme this year, preparing for the county fair. Students will do research on logging the first couple of weeks of school. Jenine plans to ask local loggers to speak to the students. Students will take a field trip to the Dam Visitor Center and the Orofino Museum on Aug. 28 to learn about logging.

The furnace was replaced at Cavendish.

Peck

Mindy Pollock will have the Peck students working on projects for the Clearwater Fair as well. The logging theme of the fair will dictate projects.

Timberline Schools

New Principal Shaun Ball has moved to Pierce from Bonners Ferry. He reported that the one portable which was purchased has been moved from the east side of the school. The portable is sited next to the current Timberline Elementary building. TES will now have six classrooms for the seven K-6 grades. No elementary students will have classes in the high school this year. The second portable was returned to the vendor.

Timberline High School will have one new teacher this year; Joe Lawrence replaces Shannon Poppe, long time School District #171 teacher who moved to Wyoming. Mr. Lawrence will teach Language Arts. Joe attended high school in Lewiston, did his student teaching in Lewiston, and substituted there last year.

The new sewer system is nearing completion. The nearly $300,000 project is being built by local contractor Riverview Construction. The new system will replace a system that used two sewage ponds that were beyond their life span. The majority of funds for the project has come from the districts $232,784 Building Fund (money from property which the district has sold, we are currently receiving $250 per month due to the sale of Weippe Elementary on a contract) which will be depleted. The balance will come from Federal forest funds.

Orofino Elementary

New Principal Shelly Brooks has joined our staff from Priest River. Mrs. Brooks has six years of experience as a high school principal in Priest River and Kellogg. Prior to becoming a principal she served in several administrative positions and as a Special Education Teacher.

Deidre Jenkins will become a full-time fourth grade teacher. Lindsay Waggener was hired to fill Mrs Jenkins’ half time position. Jennifer Jyler will be the Special Education teacher at OES.

Mrs. Brooks and head custodian Justin Howard have been overseeing several building upgrades at OES. The portable classrooms are being removed from the school grounds. Avista has removed several power poles and upgraded insulation on the overhead wires near the school. Two restrooms are being remodeled due to floor joist dry rot and generally poor condition. Two classrooms, where odor problems have persisted for the past couple of years, were stripped to subfloor level. New floors and carpets have been installed to make the classrooms ready for students and staff for the new school year.

Orofino High School

Principal Robert Alverson is the “old timer” in the district administration. He will begin his second year as principal at OHS. Doug South, hired from Marsing High School, will be the new Vice Principal. Mr. South will also serve as Activities Director. Doug will handle all aspects of school administration including teacher supervision, student discipline, and student safety. Michael Tetwiller has been hired to teach math at OHS. Mr. Tetwiller replaces retired social studies teacher Bo Cummings.

Space has been adjusted to make room for the seventh grade move to OHS. Seventh grade lockers and a computer classroom used by the seventh graders were moved from OES.

OHS has received a wiring upgrade to allow all computer labs to operate simultaneously, something that the building wiring could not handle in the past. New rain gutters have been ordered for the front of the building. Old worn and torn carpet is being replaced in three classrooms by local contractors. The carpet was a safety hazard as students and staff tripped on the seams that had four inch gaps of missing carpet.

One year reprieve for rural school districts

By Alannah Allbrett

A one year extension has been approved by the U.S. Congress to continue payments under the Se­cure Rural Schools (SRS) Act which has provided $3 billion dollars to rural counties which were hit hard by timber industry restrictions by the feds.

Congress authorized a one-time distribution of $346 million to 700 rural counties across 41 states. Idaho is pegged to receive $27.4 million which is a 31 percent reduction from the previous year’s funding. Since 2000, SRS funds have been supplementing school districts that otherwise would have floundered due declining shares of federal logging revenues. Environmental protection for fish and wildlife in national forests in the 1990’s forced sharp cutbacks in the timber industry and subsequent revenue it provided to school districts.

Local School Superintendent, Bob Vian, said that the district (Joint District 171) is just grateful to receive anything at this point. He believes the amount the district receives will be in the $220,000 range. It is funded to the district’s budget typically in January, but was not received in 2012 until March. Vian said he would like to see $100,000 go towards special one-time maintenance projects and the rest into a rainy-day fund. Timberline Schools need a new food mixer in their Food Service Program; that mixer alone cost over $9,000. Vian said there are so many needs right now; the board will have to determine how monies are allocated.

It’s not your mother’s school district

An interview with Superintendent Bob Vian

By Alannah Allbrett

Bob Vian, former Timberline Schools Principal, has taken the reins as Superintendent of Joint School District 171. It’s not your mother’s school district anymore. In a recent interview Vian shared some of the plans being implemented right now to change the way the school district performs.

With state budget cuts, staff cuts, and low SAT scores, things have been grim. Vian explained that that is prevalent now, throughout the state, and that other school districts were hit even harder. Horseshoe Bend got a 20% budget decrease and had to lay off a good portion of their staff. But budgets don’t determine destination; people do.

Vian thanked the people of Orofino for passing the school bond levy, saying it was crucial for this district. He says the formula for funding schools in Idaho is upside down. “We ask for money, and then decide how we’re going to spend it instead of asking for what we need.”

Vian said we no longer have the assurance of timber money (Rural School & Community Trust) to count on as schools did in the past. He stated that if the district does get any monies from that source, they are set aside as a “rainy day fund” and not part of the regular budget.

“We lost 45 students this year,” he said, “which is the equivalent of about three teaching positions.” That means that families are leaving the community, which downsizes both the budget, and how many teachers can be kept on the payrolls.

Vian said they had a choice to hire people for two years, which is better than not hiring them. In all, the district lost almost five full teaching positions. The jobs were lost through attrition, so no one had to be terminated. “A couple of teachers lost period (teaching time)” he said.

“With only four kids in the music program, it was hard to justify continuing that, so it had to be cut. A total of 19 aids, some full time and some part time, and some summer grounds maintenance was cut,” said Vian. Administrators went through each position, name by name, to see what the particular needs were. For example, one child may have required a male or female aid, and that was the determining factor on which aid was kept or let go.

With former superintendent Dale Durkee’s departure, Vian was put in the position of meeting with union members for the first time. He said he got to sit down with teachers who have not had a raise in pay in the past five years, so basically they had no incentive to increase their education which is expensive and time consuming.

Moving forward Pay incentive

The district wants to have teachers teaching dual-credit classes so that students may participate in earning college credits while still in high school – saving the students’ time and parents’ money. To do that, teachers’ credentials have to be adequate to teach at a college level.

Using the money freed up from not rehiring teachers, the board decided to give present teachers a one percent bonus. That translates to about $317 for beginning teachers and $500 to experienced teachers. Vian said it will cost the district about $36,000 for the bonus increases which works out to about 25 cents an hour per teacher. Those teachers who improve their education will get step increases. “Nobody should have to live five years without a pay raise,” said Vian. However, the district is not locked into pay raises.

Maintenance

An amount of $75,000, from salary savings, was put towards building maintenance. A new furnace, needed at Cavendish, will cost $20,000. Vian said expenditures like that eat right through the maintenance budget.

Wiring upgrades

Orofino Junior and Senior High Schools presently have four computer labs. Old-time wiring could not meet the needs of that many computers, however, causing frequent circuit breaker problems. Vian said the emphasis will be to get the computers we have working, rather than increasing the number of computer labs; $10,000 will be put toward upgrading electrical circuits at that school.

Extra curricular fee increases

The board voted to raise the fees for extra curricular activities. Athletic programs need to raise more of their own money if scholastic cuts have had to be made. Some coaching positions have had to be cut as the district cannot afford both varsity and junior varsity coaches.

Temporary housing

The temporary school structures at Orofino Elementary School will not be present when school begins. The buildings, which have housed students outside the permanent structure for years, were costly to heat and will be salvaged, with the exception of one building being placed at the bus barn area as a maintenance building.

New staff

Timberline Schools will get a new principal. Dan Holst, who has been working at an Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana, has been hired to fill that position. Holst was a former coach at the University of Montana which won two Big Sky Championships during his coaching tenure there.

Shelly Brooks, who has six years experience in Priest River and Kellogg, has been hired as the new principal at Orofino Elementary School.

Dr. Kerrie Raines, from Glenns Ferry, was hired as a new Special Education instructor, as Orofino has an inordinately high special needs requirement at present.

Seventh graders to move

The seventh grade classes will be moving to OHS to join the eighth graders already there. The walls will be painted, designating a junior high hallway. While there will be some necessary movement between areas, junior high students are intended to be segregated from the high school population as much as possible.

Food service

Mr. Vian said while he was principal at Timberline Schools the breakfast program went from 60 percent to 97 percent participation. He plans to use the same techniques used there to achieve a more efficient food service program in Orofino.

Vian explained that two sources pay for running the kitchens: the federal government pays for children below poverty level, and children who buy lunches pay for the other part. The income does not cover running the kitchen. It is subsidized approximately $30,000 to $40,000 per year.

“The cost to run it doesn’t get any higher,” said Vian. “The more kids that eat there, the more we get from the federal government. All our kids are entitled to a free breakfast,” said Vian.

Studies show students work better in school if they eat breakfast. Students in seventh through ninth grades will have a breakfast in the classroom rather than a cafeteria during the first 10 minutes of class. Students in 10th through 12th grades will get a “nutrition break” at about 9 a.m.

Scholastic testing

In annual progress scores, OES failed in a number of categories. The high school is scholastically disadvantaged in both math and special education areas. Vian said the state does not test in social studies, so emphasis will be placed on math, where testing is done. The district is not going to replace social studies teachers.

“We are going to help the kids who need help,” said Vian, “with two math periods a day. They will be doing homework with a math teacher. Any kids who do not put forth the required effort will lose an elective until they are motivated to pass the next test.”

Vian explained that there is very little incentive for kids to pass scholastic achievement tests. They click through them randomly, sometimes out of rebellion. “They are killing us on state tests,” he said.

On-grounds study time

A study time, detention style, will be held during lunch time for kids who slack in their work. They will be provided a sack lunch and get the opportunity to do school work during their aid supervised lunch time.

“Teachers should not be working harder than students,” said Vian. Vian served in a school in Klamath Falls, OR that, out of a population of 480 students, had a quarter of the students fail a class. The school was turned around from a sub-standard school to a school of excellence. Vian said parents came to him saying, “My kid’s never had a report card without a fail on it before.”

Curbing dropouts

The program will begin in the 7th and 8th grades, where Vian said dropouts begin. “Our goal is to make sure kids are on course and on track by the time they become juniors and seniors. By that time, they usually help themselves. Some of it has to be done by the kids,” he said.

Flipping the classrooms

Flipping the classroom changes the emphasis in how work is done. Students will concentrate on following video lessons at home to introduce a lesson and its concepts. They will do their homework in class, assisted by a teacher.

Kahn Academy is a company that has provided thousands of educational video learning programs (of 7-10 minute duration) for students, ranging from math to how the banking crises happened. The student watches the video, does some problems, then goes over it in the classroom where questions may be asked.

New laptops

The state has a three year roll-out program of providing laptop computers for student use. High school students will be provided a laptop, for which they are financially responsible and, as an incentive for taking good care of it, allowed to load their own music and pictures on it. Parents will be allowed to use it at home to help their children. Vian said he wasn’t a big fan of the program initially, but now sees its merits.

In a classroom setting, students will be given a school log-on. The teacher can freeze all laptops to address the class and can also see when the last time a student moved on to another problem. If a student skips class, they will not be allowed to log-on to their computer and will be sent to the library for additional work.

These laptops are not high line equipment but basic $400 computers which the state will purchase at volume discounts. Replacements will be available for damaged computers, but students must settle up the bill before being allowed to “take the walk” during graduation. Each student will sign a contract for responsibility for the unit.

The way students learn

It’s a different age. Students are already very computer and video savvy. “This will change the way schools look,” Vian said, “and the way kids learn. Kids learn differently today than we did and, through technology, we will have to change to keep up with the times,” said Vian.

“Unfortunately, some people want to do it the way they’ve always done it. You wouldn’t go to an optometrist or dentist who has not upgraded the way he has done things over the years,” said Vian, “and it’s malpractice to do it the old way.”

Vian wanted to get across the message that, “This is not a place of employment. We are paying you [the teachers] to see that they [the students] get it. Figure out what works. There is no reason OES should not be at least average in the state of Idaho. We are at 80 percent poverty in Timberline, but successful there,” he said.

Four day school week

Addressing the four-day school week Vian said that if teachers teach from “bell to bell” (a 56 minute class), with no wasted time, they achieve the same teaching time as a five day week. A four day week also avoids interruptions and allows for doctor and other appointments to be scheduled on the off day.

In addition, students will not be released early for athletics. Vian plans to curtail that. A lot of school time was missed busing kids to far away games, forcing teachers to re-teach what the student missed, or do nothing.

Workshops and techniques

Wayne Callender, of Partners for Learning (http://partnersforlearning.org/), will be coming to Orofino for coaching two weeks before school starts. The district has also spent $20,000 of federal money for teachers to attend a Teaching for Excellence (http://www.teachingforexcellence.com/), conference in Pasco, WA.

Ten teachers and two administrators will be attending for five days. They began with sixth grade teachers, and worked their way down to select teachers. Educators will be taught the nature of learning and focus on a coaching style of teaching.

“We are going to be the place people visit to ‘see how they do that,” said Vian.