Principal Julie Johansen reported that Mrs. Ivey’s class had 100% participation in the second Governor’s Challenge and won $100 worth of recess equipment from the PTA. The school is in third place overall.
The Walking Club has been going well. Many students have earned their first five-hour walking tokens. Volunteers are needed in the morning to streamline the signing-in process. The December Dash earned enough money to purchase reward tokens for the rest of the year. A volunteer running coach is needed as the school would like to have a team for the Foggy Bottoms Run this year.
The Holiday Fair was a success. The RAP program and the 7th graders sold goods to raise money for their groups. History Night showed some interesting projects and the December 16 choir concert got rave reviews. School staff had a party and gift exchange.
After school remediation has begun, as have GATE classes. The school purchased an Accelerated Reader for the entire student body and staff has been trained on its use.
Ettersburg students are finishing up their Pennies for Peace. The students are studying clouds and weather and had an earthquake drill. A firewood raffle for a cord of madrone is underway to raise money for a spring field trip. Tickets are $5.
Whitethorn 2nd and 3rd graders are planning on a trip to the Peking Acrobats. The good citizens luncheon is a continued success, as is the after school remediation program.
Southern Humboldt Family Resource Center
AmeriCorps members are planning a service day for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. At South Fork, Cory Lemings, Carole Willard Clark and Aletta Sauer are working on a Career Day for January 28.
Emma Worldpeace is planning a February snowboarding trip for teens through the Mateel Community Center. County Mental Health is offering a short, three-hour course in suicide prevention to community members and staff.
Referrals collected through the FRC totaled 76 families. These families received food bags and teen gift certificates. Toys were distributed to 127 children, 56 of whom were under age 5. This was a group effort with FRC staff, the Baptist Church, Kiwanis, Humboldt Realtors and local Veterans and Marine Toys for Tots.
A small grant has been received to continue the Weekend Food for Kids program. FRC will work with Melissa Reynolds of the YSB youth outreach and Food for People. The Redway program is operating with support from the Rotary Club.
South Fork, Osprey, Agnes Johnson
Principal Jim Stewart reported that the first semester ended on January 15 and that he still strongly supported the six-period day.
He also noted that custodian Mike Parks spent his own time over the winter break to polish the gym floor and refurbish the boys’ bathrooms at the high school. He was assisted by Doug Moody and Lin Jackson.
Aletta Sauer is leading an Accounting field trip to Eureka on January 27 to visit Coast Central Credit Union, an accounting firm, and to examine the business aspects of a local specialty food manufacturer. Culinary Arts students will be along for the trip. Fifteen speakers will participate in the Career Day on January 28. Each student will select from four that they find most interesting.
Ann Constantino is hosting Cash for College Night on February 2. A financial aid expert from HSU will be present to help families through the process. The high school exit exam will be administered on the February 2 and 3 in the Osprey gym. Randi Perkins is the coordinator for the test.
Agnes Johnson School has an enrollment of 60 students divided equally among three teachers. The school is planning a field trip to HSU on January 27 to see “The Spirit of Uganda.”
Casterlin School will have a Winterfest Fair on January 28. There will be a dinner at 5 p.m. and an auction at 7 p.m. Students will be treated to a Valentine surprise on February 12. The community and parents are raising funds to maintain the third teaching position at the school.
Maintenance and Transportation
Transportation and Maintenance Director Donna Anderson reported that custodian Harold English traveled to both Ettersburg and Whitethorn after the 6.5 quake to inspect for any damage or potential problems. None were found.
Water leaks and water pumps were the main problem after the freezing weather in December.
Two pieces of playground equipment were removed for compliance issues after a playground audit. Other minor corrections were made to playgrounds throughout the district with the help of Robin Craig, Greg Teasley, Wade Connell and Harold English. A main concern at each school site is the cushioning material, which must meet the standard of being nine inches deep. The district has used pea gravel for playground cushioning which has sunk into the soil over the years. Discussions at Risk Management Committee meetings are ongoing to come up with a solution that will work at all sites.
The California Highway Patrol will conduct two inspections of the school buses this year. They will inspect the physical condition of the all the buses on the first visit and inspect maintenance records and driver qualifications on the second visit.
The weather has been favorable and road conditions good and passable during the first four months of school. Mechanical staff and bus drivers want to thank parents for their patience and the County Road crews for their daily assistance on cold, icy mornings and afternoons.
Funding for the retrofit program for school buses has been on hold. The district has recently been contacted to update their application so perhaps the money will soon become available again.
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