Kindergarten Expansion Puts Pressure on Facilities

24 November 2014
Coast Radio News
Local News

School Board Takes A Field Trip

Members of the Siuslaw School Board will hold a special meeting this evening to talk about plans for expanding kindergarten from half-days to full days.

Ethel Angal – “It’s exciting to think about full-day kindergarten and what that will bring to our kids. I truly believe we will see large jumps in performance.”

Superintendent Ethel Angal says the Legislature expanded kindergarten requirements from a half-day to a full day last year. The expansion means they’ll need at least two more classrooms next fall.

Ethel Angal – “It’s been pointed out to me that we used to have a lot more kids in that space and make it work. So that’s one of the reasons we’re doing a building walk-through at the elementary and taking a look at how our classrooms are being utilized right now.”

If space can’t be found within the existing walls, Angal says they may need to bring in modular classrooms to accommodate the additional demand. The School board will convene at the District Office at six this evening before taking the tour.

Sailors Forever

Community efforts to help ease the financial strain on families of Mapleton students who died in a car crash earlier this month are under way.

This evening, from five to eight pm, the Little Brown Hen Cafe in Florence will be turned over to volunteers who will cook and serve a benefit spaghetti dinner. Hen owner Stacy Brown says all proceeds from tonight’s feed will be given to the Mapleton School District for distribution.

Superintendent Jodi O’Mara says another effort is underway… special t-shirts with the message “Sailors Forever” are on sale for only $15.  They commemorate 17 year-old Abby Boydston and 16 year old Weston Bowman who died in the November Sixth crash. Three other students were injured. One of those, Olivia Nicol, suffered severe injuries and is facing reconstructive surgery.

Community Thanksgiving Dinner Expanding

Additional seating will be available this year for the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. The Florence Kiwanis, with plenty of help from other volunteers, will cook and serve the dinner once again this year at the Florence Elks Lodge on 12th Street from noon until two Thanksgiving Day.

Organizer Pam Thompson says last year some people left before eating because they had to wait outside in the rain to get in. This year they’re adding more seats and have revamped the serving process to make things work quicker.

River Cities Taxi will once again provide free transportation to and from the Elks Lodge from addresses in town.

Recount Likely on 92

An Oregon ballot measure that would require labels for genetically engineered foods may be heading for an automatic recount.

Measure 92 appeared to have been rejected, but results released Thursday by Multnomah County pushed the margin of defeat statewide to a mere one-tenth-of-one-percent. That’s well within the two-tenths of one-percent margin that calls for a required recount.

Out of 1.5-million ballots counted, fewer than 15-hundred votes separate the two sides.

Counties have until five pm Monday to publish their final results. Several thousand ballots remain unreported. If the margin holds up, the recount would likely begin the first week in December.

Give Thanks for Safety

In the past five years there have been five cooking related fire deaths in Oregon; 222 people have been injured and there has been more than $32-million in property damage because of cooking related fires.

That’s why the Oregon State Fire Marshall is urging caution and care when you’re preparing Thanksgiving Dinner this year.

Jim Walker says follow some simple tips… keep a close eye on your cooking; keep your prep area clean and uncluttered; keep flammables away from the stove; and have a “kid-free zone” around the stove.

Walker discourages the use of a gas-fired outdoor deep fryer some people use for their Thanksgiving bird; but if you do choose that method… do it outdoors, well away from the house and never leave it unattended.