Skip to main content
Main Menu Toggle
Contact
Communication Archive » April 2016

April 2016

Friends and Key Communicators:

 

Our Board of Education recently heard from the Citizen’s Review Committee regarding its recommendation for next steps in addressing the district’s student growth, aging infrastructure, and safety & security challenges. The committee recommended a $104 million improvement package, continue reading for more information behind the recommendation and what the package includes. Though some of our facilities need improvements, we continue to offer top notch and highly recognized programs, such as the Columbia Basin Student Homebuilders Program and our music education offerings. Below you will find an update on the Fieldstone #2 student-built home and a release naming HSD a 2016 Best Community for Music Education (BCME) by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation. In this message you will also find information on our Special Programs Department and the district’s 2014-15 Annual Report.

These monthly messages are intended to keep key stakeholders informed about the happenings in Hermiston School District and to provide an opportunity to give the district timely feedback about its initiatives. If you have suggestions for other topics you believe should be addressed in a future Key Communicators message, please let us know!

With regards,
Dr. Fred Maiocco
Superintendent of Schools

Citizen’s Review Committee Recommendation: After five months of in depth evaluation, the Citizens’ Review Committee presented its recommendation to the Board of Education at its March business meeting. The Committee recommended $104 million in capital needs for the next bond measure.

The Board-established CRC first met last October with the task of reviewing the 2008 school bond outcomes and evaluating the infrastructure challenges facing Hermiston School District – aging schools, high student enrollment growth, safety and security risks, and the district’s current tax burden – by building on prior work of the Facility Master Planning Committee, including its Comprehensive Facility Master Plan.

The CRC assessed the $131 million in total need outlined by the FMPC and prioritized it down to $104 million in identified projects, during its presentation to the BOE. Considering different package levels, starting at an ~$84 million minimum package, the committee recommended a ~$104 million improved package to meet the following needs:

  • Replace RHES with Prototypical Elementary School (identified in 2007 program)
  • Replace HHES in Lieu of Access/Safety and Engineering Upgrades With a Larger, Prototypical Elementary School
  • Build New Prototypical Elementary School (identified in 2007 program)
  • High School Expansion to 2000 Students
  • SMS Access/Safety and Engineering Upgrades

Work of the CRC is part two of a deliberate five phased approach to a potential capital construction bond tentatively planned for May, 2017.

  • Phase 1. Technical Analysis. Oct. ’13 – June ’15: Facility Master Planning Committee Work-research, data, and analysis performed
  • Phase 2. Focus Groups. Nov. ’15 – Mar. ’16: Citizens’ Review Committee/Staff & Consultant Involvement-CRC presents to Board in Mar. ’16, Develop school/stakeholder teams, Consultant procurement for technical assistance
  • Phase 3. Initial community outreach. Mar. ’16 – Jun. ’16: Initial Community Outreachand Feedback-Community interactions, Phone and other survey mechanisms
  • Phase 4. Community refinements. Jun. ’16 – Jan. ’17: Continued Community Outreach and Refinement-Additional input and feedback mechanisms, Credit rating analysis, Etc.
  • Phase 5. Ballot question consideration. Jan.’17 – May ’17: Board Considers Bond for May ’17 Election-Board authorizes bond, Community engagement and information opportunities, May ’17 election

The district will now proceed with Phase 3, including community outreach to gauge sentiment toward the recommended projects and work internally with staff, stakeholders, and consultants to identify educational specifications for each project. Schematic designs and project budgets will be prepared, and HSD will work with consultants to develop tax rate implications for both the recommended and minimum package concepts.

For more information on future planning, please visit the Facilities Planning web page.

Columbia Basin Student Homebuilders Program: Local students from Hermiston, Umatilla and Stanfield High Schools continue to make impressive progress on the second student-built home in the Fieldstone subdivision, located at 885 SW Angus Ct. off of 9th street.

The Columbia Basin Student Homebuilder Program is a unique career and technical educational opportunity for local high school students, where they have the opportunity to participate in the design, construction, and sale of a residential home. Working with local contractors and suppliers who are associated with North Eastern Oregon Home Builders Association, students are building a modern, high tech, energy efficient house.

Fieldstone #2 is a 2,300 sqft, 3 bedroom, 2 bath home, with a den/office and many additional amenities such as:

  • Large great room
  • Vaulted and coffered ceilings
  • Spacious master bedroom with walk in closet and custom shower/Jacuzzi tub
  • Two car garage
  • Outdoor kitchen

For plans, current pictures and a live video, visit the program web site at www.columbiabasinstudenthomes.org.

“I am pleased with the progress and work ethic from our student builders and our local contractors,” said Program Coordinator Curt Berger. “Our local contractors and suppliers provide a tremendous opportunity for students to get real-life work experience while in a high school class.”

The students work side by side with local contractors, giving them a true job experience, which they may pursue after high school. The goal of the Columbia Basin Student Homebuilders Program is to build one house a year during the nine months that school is in session. Student builders are onsite working from 11:50 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. during the school day, with some Saturday work sessions as needed. The projected completion day for Fieldstone #2 is May 31st.

HSD is 3-time Best Community for Music Education! Hermiston School District was named a 2016 Best Community for Music Education (BCME) by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation, marking the third year in a row HSD has received the distinction.

Hermiston is one of 476 districts across the nation, and one of four in Oregon, to earn the honor. The designation identifies districts for their outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who work together to ensure access to music learning for all students as part of the school curriculum. Evaluated factors for the BCME designation include funding, staffing of highly qualified teachers, commitment to standards, and access to music instruction.

This award recognizes that Hermiston is leading the way with learning opportunities as outlined in the new federal education legislation, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The legislation, signed into law in December 2015, replaces No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which was often criticized for an overemphasis on testing—while leaving behind subject such as music. ESSA recommends music and the arts as important elements of well-rounded education for all children.

As Hermiston finalizes its 2016-2017 budget, the NAMM Foundation’s Best Communities for Music Education Award and the implementation of the federal ESSA law bring attention to the importance of keeping music education part of the school’s core education for all students. It also highlights music’s vital role in students’ overall success in school.

Research has shown a connection between participation in music education programs and student success, notably an improvement in brain function and a person’s ability to process language, which makes earning the BCME honor especially significant.

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information about the NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.

Special Programs Department: The Special Programs Department is making great strides in serving our students with specific educational needs. The HSD 2014-2015 Special Education Report was recently released by the Oregon Department of Education, and it is posted to the department web page. Take a moment to browse the report and read more about the great things in that department.

The department will host its first annual Special Education Linkage Fair on Tuesday, April 26. Parents and families are encouraged to attend!

Hermiston School District will assist in connecting families with special needs children (birth thru age 21) to agencies and resources within our community. Guests will learn how to access services and supports to best meet the needs of your child.

A potato bar will be offered for families, along with supervised open gym for kids.

For more information, contact the HSD Special Programs Department at 541-667-6021.

2015 Annual Report: 2015 was the first year in which Hermiston schools participated in the Smarter Balanced assessment. Like other schools across Oregon, the higher standards and rigor required of Common Core state standards represents a new baseline for Oregon. Students took the assessment in the spring of 2015 and their results were reported in September.

The new test is much different and requires a higher level of rigor and critical thinking than prior assessments. Here are a few important facts related to the new assessment.

  • Students and teachers are rising to the challenge of higher standards and their hard work is paying off. More students met Oregon’s college- and career-ready standard on new state tests than originally projected.
  • The online tests ask students to engage in new ways through interactive questions, multi-step problems, and student writing. These types of tests take longer than purely multiple choice tests, but they also provide more accurate information on student learning and are designed to be more engaging than previous state tests.
  • Students who receive a 3 or 4 on the test (on a 4-point scale) are considered on track to graduate high school ready for college and/or career. Scores in English and math are more detailed and able to highlight student’s strengths and areas for improvement.
  • Test results provide important feedback to students, parents, and educators. While they are only one measure of students’ academic success, this information allows parents and educators to address learning gaps early and better prepare students for success.
  • Because this is a new baseline for our state, we expect the percent meeting to increase in the coming years. In the past, when Oregon raised expectations, there was an initial drop in scores followed by an increase as students and teachers rose to the challenge of higher standards.
  • The transition to higher standards and new tests requires patience and persistence. Our educators will continue to focus on implementation of the standards and high-quality instruction.
  • Working to close the achievement gap is a top priority for Oregon. The standards and tests promote equity by ensuring all students, especially historically underserved students, are offered access to high-level content. No student will be held back a grade or kept from graduating based on the results of the tests.

Overall, Hermiston schools scored about the same as other schools across Oregon. We have much work ahead of us as we strive to become the premier public school district in the State of Oregon.

For the complete annual report, click here.