School Boss Terminated – Top Education Story
The superintendent of Siuslaw Schools was pretty much “missing in action” for most of the time between March and August. Shawn Wiencek was in her second year at the helm of local schools before the school board voted in early August to fire her.
Wiencek had taken a personal leave in the spring to deal with personal issues that were never explained.
She was only back to work a few weeks before being placed on paid administrative leave in early June.
Officials were mum on the reason for the leave, saying only they were personnel issues and they could not comment on them.
A termination hearing was scheduled for August 14th. It was originally slated to be open to the public at the request of Wiencek, but at the last minute, she withdrew that request and it was held behind closed doors.
Following the closed session, board members voted unanimously to fire Wiencek for a variety of reasons including behavior unbecoming of a school district superintendent. No specific details accompanied the reasons.
In a later action, the board approved a two-year contract with Special Programs Director Ethel Angal to serve as Superintendent, a role she’ll hold until the end of the school year in 2016.
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The Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for their annual Oscar Anderson Volunteer of the Year and their Business Person of the Year awards. Both recognize outstanding citizens of the Reedsport Winchester Bay community. The Oscar Anderson Volunteer of the Year is someone who may or may not be a business owner, but is an individual who gives generously to our community through volunteer activities. The Business Person of the Year Award is presented to the person or persons who exemplify community leadership and community service. Nomination submissions need to be into the Reedsport Winchester Bay Chamber no later than January 07th. The awards will be presented at the Chamber’s annual membership event on January 17th.
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A young sea turtle roughed up by chilly, choppy waters off the coast of Washington state is making a strong recovery in Oregon.
“Solstice” was found on the beach near the north end of the Long Beach Peninsula on Dec. 21, the winter solstice. The female olive ridley turtle was dehydrated, and her body temperature was about 15 degrees below the typical 75 degrees.
Olive ridley turtles are typically found in tropical waters from Peru to California.
Erin Paxton of the Oregon Coast Aquarium says that during storms, warm currents sometimes carry sea turtles into the colder northern latitudes. As the warm water dissipates, the turtles get hypothermic.
Paxton says the aquarium has in the past released sea turtles near San Diego. Federal authorities must approve any release of Solstice.
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