Morrow County School Board rules out consolidation

Published 10:58 pm Monday, February 10, 2003

BOARDMAN – Ione and Heppner high schools will not consolidate next school year, the Morrow County School Board agreed.

Many of the 100-plus district patrons in the crowd cheered when the board reached that conclusion at its meeting Monday.

When the Board decided in December to cut $660,000 districtwide and another $816,000 from individual school budgets, one idea that came out of Heppner was to consolidate grades 7-12 in Heppner and Ione.

At that point, an Ione committee began evaluating the possibility of pulling Ione out of the district all together in order to maintain the community’s schools.

The School Board needed to make a decision on the issue Monday night because district policy requires schools to be alerted six months in advance of closing.

School Board members had mixed feelings about the decision.

Board member John Renfro said he thought there was enough interest among Heppner constituents to continue researching the idea.

“I feel I need additional information about what are the advantages, and what are the disadvantages,” he said.

Board member Larry Mills agreed, saying he’d need more information to make a decision, but also said he’d rather not see the district pursue consolidation for next school year.

Board member Gary Frederickson said the preliminary academic schedule of a consolidated high school appeared it would have been a good move for the district’s students.

“We have to remember the best educational opportunity of the students,” he said. “I hate to see us say take consolidation off the table – There’s no question that the curriculum offered would have been hands-down better.”

Board member John Rietmann said the Heppner and Ione communities worked hard to determine what cuts would make the most sense.

“I’d like to see us operate with those cuts and do the very best we can with the money we have,” he said.

The Ione committee concluded the school could live with one less elementary teacher and janitor, a half-time principal, no art and music, and just half days of kindergarten to help balance the budget.

The Heppner committee suggested cutting 1.5 teaching positions at Heppner Elementary, reducing kindergarten from a full-day to a half-day program, cutting music to a fifth- and sixth-grade band, cutting all educational assistants, a quarter of an administration position, half of a custodial position and half of a library technician. It recommended cutting three teachers, 1.5 educational assistants, half a laundry position and a head teacher designation.

Both communities are exploring revenue-generating ideas.

At a community meeting tonight, Ione residents plan to decide whether they want to move Ione Schools out of the Morrow County School District.

The “Self-Determination Committee,” which is looking at the new district option, will present facts and answer questions about the idea. Al Meunier, a former Hermiston, Pendleton and Athena-Weston superintendent who has been hired by the committee to look into budget and curriculum issues, also will give a presentation.

Also at Monday’s meeting:

The Board declared the district office as surplus. Board Chairwoman Julie Weikel read a letter from city of Lexington officials that said they are interested in the building for a city hall, community center, museum and future site of a fire station. Whether the district will deed it over or sell it to the city must still be decided.

Superintendent Jack Crippen announced that Dirk Dirksen, the vice principal of Riverside High School, will become the school’s new principal. Duane Yecha, current principal of Riverside, will become the director of programs for the district. Bill DeBoard, Columbia Middle School’s vice principal, will split his time as vice principal at both Columbia and Riverside. All of the position changes take effect next school year.

Teri Meeuwsen is a reporter in the East Oregonian Hermiston Bureau. She can be reached at (800) 522-0255 (ext. 1302 after hours) or by e-mail tmeeuwsen@eastoregonian.com.