By Chelly Bouferrache
For The New Era
Teacher Darrelle Parker was recognized for her forestry and natural resources program by the Central Linn School Board at its meeting on May 19.
Board members also heard updates on student achievement, the conversion of an unused locker room into a wrestling practice space, and the fact that there will be no summer school this year.
Parker, who teaches science and forestry/natural resources, received a grant from the Oregon Natural Resources Education fund, presented by ONRE representative Joe Schaefer.
The fund, established in 2001, supports programs that teach students the technical aspects of forest management and highlight career opportunities in the industry.
Parker, who previously used ONRE funds to purchase wildland firefighting equipment, secured this year’s grant to acquire three Nikon Pro Forestry rangefinders for measuring trees and distances, along with two Garmin GPS units. These tools enhanced the FFA club’s performance at the Envirothon competition and fire school.
“Without these funds, we would not have been able to be as competitive as we were this year,” Parker said.
The board also reviewed positive student achievement data. According to graphics presented at the meeting language arts performance increased by 41% from the 2022-23 to the 2023-24 school year.
Science performance saw an 80% improvement, and graduation rates rose by 17%, reflecting significant academic progress across all students.
ASB representatives reported a leadership transition for next year, announcing new class officers, including the election of a new ASB president and vice president, along with other positions.
The board also celebrated the success of the recent prom, held the previous weekend in Corvallis. Open to all grades, the event drew 100 attendees and served as a fundraiser for the junior class.
Joel Sauter, elementary principal, gave a report highlighting state testing, which is underway for multiple grades, with outdoor school scheduled for sixth-graders the following week.
On May 29, kindergarteners will graduate, and early literacy students will be promoted to kindergarten. A senior walk for fifth-graders, allowing them to cheer on graduating seniors, is also planned. Sixth-grade promotion and field day are set for June 10.
The board approved an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Brownsville, represented by City Administrator S. Scott McDowell, for the use of city spaces.
Additionally, the board voted to decommission an unused boys’ locker room in the elementary school, converting it into a wrestling practice space for the community’s youth wrestling team. “This will be a safe space for the wrestlers to practice,” Interim Supt. Cathy Hurowitz emphasized.
The renovation, led by wrestling coach and contractor Tyler Simmons, will begin after the school year ends and take approximately two weeks. The board approved a motion to obtain a quote for the remodel, allowing Simmons to claim the work as a tax-deductible donation.
In her superintendent’s report, Hurowitz announced that next year’s schedule will return to a four-day school week, with a 7.5-hour student day totaling 1,053 instructional hours, exceeding the state’s 990-hour requirement.
However, summer school will not be offered due to insufficient staff commitment.
“We were notified that we were eligible for summer school, and we sent out a survey to our staff,” Horowitz said. “Unfortunately, we did not have the staff that was willing to commit to summer school.”