Awards, honors presented in Naselle

School, staff, and board members received accolades at the Naselle-Grays River Valley School District board meeting on October 20.

Dr. Diana Gilsinger, Phi Delta Kappa chapter president for Washington and deputy superintendent for Battle Ground schools, attended the meeting to present Interim Superintendent Rick Pass and school board Chair Deanna Moomjian-Gjovik with the Great Schools award for Naselle Junior High School. The award honors the top five percent of improving schools in Washington. Phi Delta Kappa partners with the Center for Educational Effectiveness to sponsor the recognition. The partnership is working to make sure schools that are improving are rewarded, said Gilsinger.

Pass gave former Superintendent Alan Bennett a marble apple as a token of appreciation for his four years of service as the head of the district. Bennett resigned in August to take a teaching position within the district.

Principal Karen Wirkkala received the Small Schools Principal of the Year award from the Washington Library Media Association.

“She is one of the best principals I’ve worked with. She truly cares about kids,” said Pass.

Retiring board member Nancy McGuire was honored with a plaque for her four years of service to the district.

“I still think it’s the greatest school on the face of the earth," McGuire said. "We moved here 10 years ago specifically for my children to attend this school.”

Pass also presented Moomjian-Gjovik with a plaque. She has served eight years on the board. She reflected that she had initially planned to homeschool her daughter but changed her mind after getting to know the school. Because no one filed to run for her seat on the board, Moomjian-Gjovik submitted her resignation, effective at the end of the board meeting, in order to leave the seat open to appointment.

Pass announced that a community member had called to inform him of his interest in interviewing for Moomjian-Gjovik’s position.

The board discussed a policy regarding international student exchanges.

Board member Hollis Fletcher inquired why Naselle hasn’t received any foreign exchange students in recent years. Wirkkala explained that the exchange coordinator who had worked with area families and schools had retired and she had not received phone calls from any exchange organization this school year.

Business Manager Jon Tienhaara reported that enrollment counts were 302 for September and 308 for October and that the district currently holds fiscal reserves of around nine percent of its total budget.

“We’re right where the ESD (Educational Service District #112) recommends,” said Tienhaara.

Fletcher asked Tienhaara’s opinion on Initiative 1033, a ballot measure set to be decided by the November 3 election which, if passed, would limit local, county and state government revenue growth and apply the excess to property tax relief. Tienhaara replied that during his time as an educator he’s seen the school district impacted by past measures affecting property taxes and urges prudence by voters.

Wirkkala reported that 20 percent of high school students were absent that day and detailed measures the school is taking to prevent the spread of flu.

Naselle Youth Camp School Principal Lisa Nelson stated that the state’s Office of Financial Management recently released a consultant’s report with recommendations on how to eliminate 245 beds in the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration system.

Specifically, the report examined whether those beds could be cut by closing either Maple Lane or Green Hill, two other juvenile correctional facilities in western Washington. Nelson explained the consultant’s findings stated that closing Maple Lane would be more feasible but did not recommend closing either facility.

Last spring, Naselle Youth Camp was slated for closure, but the decision was later reversed.