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Thursday, January 16, 2014 Vol. 129, No. 28 Oregon, WI ConnectOregonWI.com $1
SCOTT DE LARUELLE
Unied Newspaper Group
Walking into school on her
first day at Oregon High School
several years ago, Madi Klonsin-
ski had no idea what to expect.
But by the end of the first hour,
she knew she would be a part of
a club that would change her life.
The class was Leadership
and You, taught by marketing
teacher John Curkovic, who is
also the schools DECA adviser.
The group, formerly called the
Distributive Education Clubs of
America, is an international orga-
nization of marketing students.
That morning, he only brief-
ly explained what the group
was about, but Klonsinksi was
instantly intrigued, and in the
coming months, she began to
learn more.
Now a seni or, Kl onsi nski
has been recently selected to
be the first DECA vice-pres-
ident of event management,
Students team up to help childrens hospital
Netherwood fourth-graders raise money through craft sale
SCOTT DE LARUELLE
Unied Newspaper Group
Rai nbow Loom r ubber band
bracelets are very popular with ele-
mentary students this school year,
and Lori Lovells fourth-grade class
at Netherwood Knoll Elementary
decided to turn the students love
for making and wearing the brace-
lets into a service project to help
others.
Students worked together to cre-
ate a plan to purchase and make a
few hundred bracelets, then created
posters to put up around their school
and made a flyer to send home to
their third- and fourth-grade class-
mates. Students sold the bracelets
during lunch and recess, collecting
more than $300 as well as several
dozen bracelets to UW send to
Childrens Hospital in Madison.
Lovel l s ai s s he was ver y
impressed and proud her students
thought of others and their needs,
as well as the teamwork they dis-
played.
It was exciting to watch them get
other students on board, she said.
The whole class worked together
and used their various abilities to
complete this project. Some jumped
into leadership roles and taught
their classmates how to make the
bracelets and others used their skills
to create flyers and posters.
Fourth-grader Hope Flitter said
she thought the fundraiser was a
spectacular idea as well as a lot of
fun for the students.
It was a really good experience
for not just me but my whole class,
she said. I believe that giving to
the hospital is a generous idea.
Those kids really need help.
$
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Oregon School District
Year-round idea nears public stage
Netherwood Knoll group almost done researching pros, cons
SCOTT DE LARUELLE
Unied Newspaper Group
School all year?
The thought might seem foreign at first
no more three months of summer vaca-
tion for students and teachers.
But taking a closer look at a year-round,
or balanced schedule makes good sense
to Oregon School District administrators
and staff, who are researching the idea and
will soon ask for community input on hav-
ing classes at Netherwood Knoll Elemen-
tary School every month of the year.
Year-round school doesnt mean more
school days, but rather an adjustment of
schedules. In theory, the calendar could
include several breaks of three weeks or
more.
According to the National Education
Association, the most popular form of
year-round education is the 45-15 plan,
in which students attend school for 45 days
(nine weeks) and then have 15 days (three
weeks) of vacation, not including holidays.
Calendars can also follow a 60-20 or
90-30 schedule.
In a memo sent to the school board
last year, Netherwood Knoll staff cited
research showing that year-round school
can improve grades and lead to better
attendance, fewer disciplinary problems
Rubber band bracelets made by students at
Netherwood Knoll Elementary.
Photos submitted
Students make signs to advertise their Rainbow Loom bracelet sale. The bracelet sales raised more than $300 for the UW Childrens Hospital.
Village of Oregon
Board offers
TIF for Thysse
Businessman sought
help to expand
BILL LIVICK
Unied Newspaper Group
The Village Board Mon-
day aut hor i zed vi l l age
officials to offer business-
man Jason Thysse a pack-
age totaling about $92,000
in response to his compa-
nys request for tax-incre-
ment financing assistance.
Thysse, owner of Thysse
Pr i nt i ng i n t he Al pi ne
Business Park, asked vil-
lage officials in Novem-
ber for $150,000 in TIF
assistance to help cover
the cost of improving the
soi l and expandi ng t he
building at his property in
the park. He wants to dou-
ble the size of his office
and production plant on
West Net herwood Road
to accommodate the rapid
growth of his company.
The vi l l age i nvest ed
$265,000 in TIF in 2011
to lure Thysse to Oregon.
Now, a year-and-a-hal f
after opening the shop, the
company has about twice
as many employees.
Thys s e s ubmi t t e d a
Village of Oregon
State: Rail crossing needs gates
Overruled objection means Braun Road
entrance will cost $250,000
BILL LIVICK
Unied Newspaper Group
Village of Oregon offi-
cials were not successful
in their attempt to persuade
state officials to reconsider
a proposal that the village
i nst al l aut omat i c fl ash-
ing lights and gates at the
Braun Road entrance to the
Alpine Business Park.
The village contested the
proposal in a November
letter but was only able to
persuade the Office of the
Commissioner of Railroads
to delay the completion
dates for the work.
Vi l l age admi ni st rat or
Mike Gracz told the Village
Board Monday the commis-
sioners decision is final
and cannot be challenged.
The commi s s i oner s
order includes a comple-
tion date of June 1 for the
installation of crossing and
interim warning devices
and Oct. 1 for the automatic
Managing Quite Nicely
OHS senior Klonsinski takes new state leadership post seriously
Turn to TIF/Page 2
Turn to Balanced/Page 16
Turn to Rail/Page 7
Turn to DECA/Page 5
Klonsinski
2
January 16, 2014 Oregon Observer ConnectOregonWI.com
Diane Sliter Agency, Inc.
850 Janesville St
Oregon, WI 53575
Bus: (608) 835-5100
dsliter@AmFam.com
Diane Sliter Agency, Inc.
850 Janesville St
Oregon, WI 53575
Bus: (608) 835-5100
dsliter@AmFam.com
Diane Sliter Agency, Inc.
850 Janesville St
Oregon, WI 53575
Bus: (608) 835-5100
dsliter@AmFam.com
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Burst pipe closes
Walgreens for hours
SCOTT GIRARD
Unied Newspaper Group
Janis Story-DeBoer did
not expect to have a story
to tell before shopping at
Walgreens last Wednesday
afternoon.
But by the time she left,
a sprinkler head had burst
in the front entrance and
everyone was evacuated
from the store.
I said Im going to take
some pictures because no
one will believe me, the
Brooklyn resident told the
Oregon Observer.
The Oregon Fire Depart-
ment was called to the scene
around 1 p.m., Oregon Fire
Capt. Tony Antoniewicz
told the Observer.
The water was contained
in the front entryway and
no damage occurred, a Wal-
greens customer service
employee told the Observ-
er.
DeBoer said she first
heard a whoosh of water
while in the middle of the
store, and then heard an
employee near the front
of the store say oh my
gosh, oh my gosh before
employees decided to evac-
uate everyone through the
back exit of the store.
It looked like a giant
shower room, DeBoer said
of the entryway. There
was probably a good foot of
water. It was quite chaotic.
The s t or e r e ope ne d
around 5 p.m., the employ-
ee said.
Ta b a t h a We t h a l o f
channel3000 first reported
the story.
Longtime Oregon insurance broker Hagstrom sells business, retires
BILL LIVICK
Unied Newspaper Group
Village of Oregon native
Charlie Hagstrom has retired
after 30 years in the insur-
ance business, but his former
policyholders wont have to
travel far to visit the office
that purchased Hagstrom
Insurance.
The office of William
R. Torhorst & Associates,
located at 104 N. Main St. in
downtown Oregon, is direct-
ly across the street from 113
N. Main St., where Hagstrom
Insurance had operated since
the early 1960s.
Hagstrom joined his father
as a broker at the Hagstrom
Agency in downtown Ore-
gon in 1984. He operated the
business until Jan. 1, when
he sold it to fellow insurance
broker Bill Torhorst.
Back in the beginning
when this (negotiations)
started, Charlie said he wants
to keep this as low-key as
possible, Torhorst said.
Weve mailed out letters to
all the policyholders.
His dad started the busi-
ness and the best part is, its
not leaving town, Torhorst
added. Local service, local
flavor, local people that
was very important to Char-
lie and to me.
Hagstrom said the agency
was actually started by the
late Bill Dunn, whose son
eventually ran the business
until he sold it to Hagstrom
in the early 60s, before
moving to New Mexico.
Its in the fourth gen-
eration of ownership, Hag-
strom said of the business.
Torhorst and Hagstrom
have been longtime friends,
so Hagstrom selling to his
former business competitor
made perfect sense. He said
it was more like a merger
than actually selling the busi-
ness.
Bill was the natural buy-
er, Hagstrom said.
Torhorst has been in the
insurance business since
1978 and has operated an
office in Oregon since 86,
he said. He has three full-
time employees.
We understand that we
are employed and have jobs
because local people do busi-
ness with us, he said. We
truly appreciate that, and we
are all about customer ser-
vice.
In retirement, Hagstrom
plans to spend more time
with his family enjoying
their cabin in northern Wis-
consin, where he is an avid
ice fisherman and outdoors-
man.
Photo by Bill Livick
Charlie Hagstrom of Hagstrom insurance has retired and sold his Main Street business after 30 years
in Oregon.
formal request Nov. 6 for
help with the estimated
$1 million-plus cost to
expand. He plans to add
12,000 square feet to the
company s pr oduct i on
facility and 3,000 square
feet of office space. He
also needs to increase the
parking area for employ-
ees.
Wh e n t h e Vi l l a g e
Boar d emer ged f r om
closed session Monday,
at t or ney Mat t Dr egne
said the board had autho-
rized him to prepare a TIF
agreement that includes
$67, 182 i n f i nanci al
assi st ance, al ong wi t h
waiving up to $25,000 in
building-permit fees.
Most of the TIF Thysse
is seeking would be used
t o prepare t he si t e for
bui l di ng, but he al so
needs the help because
hi s offi ce and produc-
t i on faci l i t y i s so new
that it hasnt accumulated
enough value to use as
equity, he said.
Thysse Printing opened
in the business park in
June 2012. The company
was hoping to add about
five employees its first
year in Oregon. Instead,
i t added 17 or 18 new
workers in the first 16
months here.
The busi ness gr ew
way faster than I antici-
pated, Thysse said. We
are growing and gaining
market share and adding
great new people to our
team. The downside is we
built too small a build-
ing.
The company has 35
employees, and Thysse
wants to increase the size
of his office and produc-
tion facility to accommo-
date twice that number.
Tax Increment District
2 i ncl udes t he Al pi ne
Business Park and prop-
erties on the west side
of Market Street. It was
established in 2005 and
must be closed by 2032.
I n or der t o us e TI F,
which combines revenues
from all the taxing juris-
dictions, the village must
show that the develop-
ment would not happen
without its use, known as
the but for test.
Vi l l age offi ci al s di d
not return a phone call
seeking comments on the
offer before press time
Tuesday.
TIF: Request approved
Continued from page 1
Submit news stories, tips and photos online:
www.ConnectOregonWI.com
Photo by Scott Girard
Witness said a good foot of water collected in the entryway of Walgreens after a sprinker head burst at the store on Jan. 8.
January 16, 2014 Oregon Observer ConnectOregonWI.com
3
Village of Oregon
Board recycles downtown Dumpster issue
New plan for
Jefferson Street
parking lot
BILL LIVICK
Unied Newspaper Group
It s become di ffi cul t
to keep straight the vari-
ous plans for using Dump-
sters in the Jefferson Street
parking lot that the Village
Board has approved and
later discarded over the past
three or four months.
The latest plan that won
the unanimous approval
of the board at Mondays
meeting looked similar to
ones that have been consid-
ered before.
Since late last summer,
trustees have grappled with
t he quest i ons of whi ch
South Main Street busi-
ness owners coul d use
the Dumpsters, where the
Dumpsters should be locat-
ed, how many Dumpsters
should be allowed, how
they should be arranged
inside the Dumpster cor-
ral that the village had
built, and how the costs
of both hauling trash and
repaying the village for its
investment should be div-
vied up.
At least some of those
questions were answered
Monday.
The board took the advice
of Masons on Main owner
Jerry Thiel and will allow
just two Dumpsters in the
corral one for trash and
one for recyclables.
Thiel argued that the cor-
ral is not big enough to hold
more than two Dumpsters
and still allow reasonable
access for trash haulers.
The corral presently holds
four, which is why the two
receptacles Thiel uses for
his business, Masons on
Main, have recently been
left outside the corral, pos-
sibly impeding the flow of
traffic in the lot.
The board also agreed on
a $520 yearly fee for use
of the Dumpsters and cor-
ral much reduced from
the $2,800 per year fee that
was part of a plan adopted
in early December, and then
abandoned as unworkable.
Village officials initially
set the price high in hopes
of getting a five-to-seven
year payback of the vil-
lages $17,000 investment
i n bui l di ng a concr et e
Dumpster pad enclosed by
the corral and fencing.
The board also decided
to allow the business own-
ers to determine who would
pay Advanced Disposals
fee of $325 per month for
twice-weekly trash hauling,
and how much each would
pay.
A plan similar to the
one adopted Monday fell
apart in November when
DeBrouxs owner Greg
DeBroux objected to using
Advanced Disposal and
instead insisted on the trash
hauler hes used for years
Pellitteri which charges
$535 per month for hauling
trash twice a week.
Once again Monday, the
board directed village attor-
ney Matt Dregne to draft
a license agreement for
business owners to sign in
order to use the Dumpsters,
which are kept on village
property. Those who dont
sign the agreement will be
required to keep Dump-
sters on their own property,
which in hot weather create
odor and insect problems.
Dregne said before he can
write the license agreement,
he needs to know which
property owners and ten-
ants will be allowed to use
the Dumpsters.
Trustee David Donovan
agreed: I think we should
know whos going to use
it. Then we can amend the
agreement if somebody else
comes in.
The board adopted vil-
lage administrator Mike
Graczs suggestion that
business owners must sub-
mit the list of users by noon
Friday, so that Dregne can
draft the agreement and the
board can consider final
approval at its next meeting
on Monday.
More parking
lot issues
Commercial developer
Paul Lynch, who owns
properties next to the
parking lot occupied by
RX Automotive and Rec-
reational Concepts, asked
village officials Monday
to do something about
parking and traffic pat-
terns in the lot.
He said his tenants are
often blocked from hav-
ing access to the drive-
way because of delivery
vehicles parking along-
si de ot her del i veri es
instead of staying in the
loading zone. Lynch also
said tenants of apart-
ments above South Main
Street businesses, as well
as business employees,
randomly park in places
not designated for parking
and make navigating the
lot difficult, and at times
impossible.
He sent emails to staff
and board members with
photos that illustrated the
problem.
Village officials such
as public works direc-
t or Mark Bel ow and
police chief Doug Pet-
tit explained that for
years the lot had a one-
way traffic pattern. The
lot was redesigned and
refurbished in Septem-
ber and October and now
is designed for two-way
traffic. It also has a des-
ignated loading zone in
the lane closest to the rear
entrances of businesses
on South Main Street.
Pet t i t sai d busi ness
owners need to let deliv-
ery drivers know they
cant block the traffic lane
they have to stack in the
loading zone, even if they
have to walk a little.
Village President Steve
Staton suggested the vil-
lage install no parking
signs in areas not desig-
nated for parking as a way
to alleviate congestion.
Lynch also complained
about sur f ace r unof f
thats been gathering on
his property from the lot.
He said hes concerned
about oil and other con-
taminants from the lot
pooling on his property
and asked to meet with
village staff to find a
way to address the matter
before it becomes a seri-
ous problem.
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UN328414
Man faces two felony charges after 5th OWI
A Town of Dunn man is
facing two felony and three
misdemeanor charges fol-
lowing his fifth OWI on
Dec. 15 with his children
in the car.
Marshall Martinez, 36,
drove into a ditch on Mon-
day, Dec. 16, on Norman
Drive in the Town of Dunn
with his two children in the
car, according to the crimi-
nal complaint.
He f aces char ges of
Operating While Intoxi-
cated (fifth with passenger
less than 16 years old) and
Operating with Prohibited
Alcohol Concentration-
passenger l ess t han 16
years old, both felonies,
along with three counts of
misdemeanor bail jumping,
according to online court
records.
The final pre-trial will
take place Feb. 13, online
court records show.
According to the com-
plaint:
At around 4:20 p.m. Dec.
16, the Dane County Sher-
iffs Office was alerted to a
reckless driver on Hwy. 51
at Hwy. B.
People advised the sher-
iffs deputy the car was
traveling southbound in
the northbound lanes and
al most caused crashes
before the suspects vehi-
cle turned into the Bay
View Trailer Park, where
he picked up his 11-year-
old daughter and five-year-
old son.
The sheri ffs deput y
found the car in the ditch,
and Martinez informed
the deputy he had slid off
of the roadway and gotten
stuck in the snow bank.
Martinez also said he
was coming from Buffalo
Wild Wings in Madison
where he was employed.
The deput y smel l ed
intoxicants as Martinez
spoke, observed bloodshot
eyes and noticed slurred
speech. Martinez told the
deputy he had consumed
two beers.
The deputy administered
field sobriety tests and
took a preliminary breath
test, which showed a .221
BAC.
Scott Girard
File photo
The Village Board has debated plans to use Dumpsters in the Jefferson Street parking lot for the last several months, without resolution.
POLICE REPORT
Reports collected from
the log books at the Oregon
Police Department
Dec. 22
10:37 p.m. A domestic
disturbance allegedly took
place between a 37-year-
old man and a 31-year-old
woman. The man had left
the residence with two chil-
dren, 11 and 6 years old. The
woman had a cut on her right
wrist, but refused to say how
it got there. She was taken
into protective custody. The
man said the woman had
torn his shirt off and told
him to take the kids and go.
The 11-year-old said she
was afraid the woman would
harm her since the woman
was throwing objects around
the house.
Dec. 24
4:58 p.m. An officer
received an anonymous
report of a suspicious
male knocking on doors
in the Prairie Grass Road
neighborhood asking if they
were happy with their cable
company. The individual was
not located.
Dec. 27
11:37 p.m. An employ-
ee at Main Tap reported a
27-year-old man had caused
a disturbance. The employee
told the 27-year-old to leave,
which he refused to do and
punched the employee in
the face. The 27-year-old
was told he was not allowed
back at Main Tap.
Dec. 30
4:00 p.m. A 29-year-old
man reported leaving three
nail guns in the Rinpoche
Lane house he was doing
construction on that were
missing when he showed
up the next day. He said the
house was locked, but that it
could be accessed. The tools
totaled around $350.
Scott Girard
4
January 16, 2014 Oregon Observer ConnectOregonWI.com
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Potential NSA intrusion
doesnt make a police state
I
ve been asking myself
whether I should be con-
cerned about the National
Security Agency specifically,
the federal agencys apparent
ability to monitor not only the
so-called meta-data of our
phone calls and emails, but the
actual content of messages and
calls, as well.
Is it good that the NSA can do
this, or not? I go back and forth.
Perhaps
its good if
the NSA, by
using this
information,
has prevented
terrorists from
attacking our
country, or
if it has pre-
vented foreign
governments
from stealing
our secrets, which is the NSAs
original mission. Perhaps its
bad if these actions represent a
fundamental shift in our under-
standing of our constitutionally
guaranteed rights to protection
from unreasonable searches and
seizures.
Another important question,
though, is whether this is a prob-
lem that I, or any other citizen,
can do anything about.
Few of us would object to any
of the traditional methods police
use to capture criminals or spies,
and keep us safe, because con-
stitutional protections and court
rulings largely spell out the lim-
its to which government can go.
But the rules have changed.
From what we read in the
press, the original assumption
of American justice inno-
cent until proven guilty has
changed, to one that is more
akin to the standards of the old
Soviet Union, where citizen
activities and movements were
tightly monitored and controlled
to serve the interests of the state.
But do we really live in a
police state, as some have sug-
gested? To look for an answer
to these questions, I started by
going to the official NSA web-
site.
Since it was formed in 1954,
the mission of the National
Security Agency has been to
prevent foreign adversaries
from gaining access to sensitive
or classified security informa-
tion; and to defeat terrorists and
their organizations at home and
abroad, consistent with U.S.
laws and the protection of pri-
vacy and civil liberties. Few
people would argue with the
importance of that mission, but
perhaps more is how the NSA
mission is carried out and how
new technological capabilities
have changed the nature of its
work.
What does seem true is that
the technical sophistication of
the NSAs surveillance project
has allowed it to go much far-
ther than anyone ever originally
imagined.
The NSA now has an unprec-
edented potential command of
our personal information. It has
the ability to use powerful com-
puters to collect the phone num-
bers of the people we call, the
frequency of the calls we make
to specified numbers, the num-
bers they call, and the length of
such calls, all in order to analyze
patterns of calling that can lead
to the possible identification of
networks of terrorists.
It has the ability to listen to
the content of the entire nations
phone calls. If I were to talk to a
friend about terrorism, it is pos-
sible but unlikely that the NSA
would know it and put us tempo-
rarily under the microscope.
However, according to recent
news report, the NSA searched
only around 300 phone num-
bers in 2012, and only those
of people suspected of com-
municating with foreign ter-
rorists (This Week magazine,
12/27/13).
In December, the mass col-
lection of data by the NSA (as
revealed by Edward Snowden)
was declared unconstitutional by
Judge Richard Leon. Judge Leon
called the collection of domestic
phone information Orwellian,
and other commentators chimed
in.
Daniel Ellsberg, the author
of the Pentagon Papers, and
William Binney, a former NSA
official who helped create the
electronic surveillance system,
have both made the claim that
we now live in a virtual police
state or that we are very close
to having such a state with little
effort on the part of authorities.
If we are living in a turn-
key police state, many of us
havent gotten the message.
I have asked a number of
people whether they have
become more careful about what
they say on the phone, know-
ing that its potentially subject
to government monitoring. No
one to whom I spoke has made
the slightest effort to change
his or her words or behaviors in
response to the NSA revelations.
I also asked people whether they
would feel uncomfortable mak-
ing political statements on the
phone, and, again, no one said
that theyd be afraid to do so.
I look out my window, and
nothing seems to have changed.
I drive around Oregon, and I see
a well-ordered, completely nor-
mal town, with citizens engaged
in completely normal activities,
unfazed by the NSA controver-
sy. Police states require fear; as
far as I can determine, we do not
currently live in a police state.
It seems to me that as long
as citizens exercise our rights
and insist that our government
respect them, there seems to
be no need for excessive con-
cern about imminent threats to
freedom from the NSA. There
are certainly other threats to
democracy, including the trend
toward corporate dominance of
campaign finance, and growing
economic inequality but that
is another issue.
Doug Brethauer is a Village of
Oregon resident.
Brethauer
Community Voices
Guidelines for election letters
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proud to offer a venue for public
debate and welcomes letters to the
editor, provided they comply with
our guidelines.
Political endorsements and oth-
er election letters must be submit-
ted about two weeks before the
relevant election.
For the upcoming spring elec-
tion, letters related to the primary
must be received by Feb. 3 and
will be printed by Feb. 6.
General election letters need
to be submitted by March 17 and
will be printed March 20.
Other special rules apply during
election season.
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than 400 words. They should
also contain contact information
the writers full name, address,
and phone number so that the
paper may confirm authorship.
Unsigned or anonymous letters
will not be printed under any cir-
cumstances.
The editorial staff of Unified
Newspaper Group reserves the
right to edit letters for length, clar-
ity and appropriateness. Letters
with libelous or obscene content
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erally only accepts letters from
writers with ties to our circulation
area.
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be of general public interest.
Letters that are strictly personal
lost pets, for example will not be
printed. Letters that recount per-
sonal experiences, good or bad,
with individual businesses will not
be printed unless there is an over-
whelming and compelling pub-
lic interest to do so. Letters that
urge readers to patronize specific
businesses or specific religious
faiths will not be printed, either.
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under limited circumstances, pro-
vided they do not contain material
that should instead be placed as an
advertisement and reflect public,
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and research that are contained
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Uni f i ed Newspaper Gr oup
encourages lively public debate
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This policy will be printed from
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entirety on our websites.
Corrections
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think is in error, please contact editor Jim Ferolie at 845-9559 or at ungeditor@wcinet.com so we can get
it right.
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January 16, 2014 Oregon Observer ConnectOregonWI.com
5
Verona Area Community Theater
Presents
By Harry Segall
January 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 7:30PM
& January 12 2:00PM
Verona Area High School Performing Arts Center
For Reserved Tickets: 608-845-2383 www.vact.org
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achieving a goal she set
back in 2010 to attain a
state leadership post in
the organization. Its a
position she started work-
ing toward in the fall of
2012, putting together a
campaign by building a
portfolio of her academic,
extracurricular and volun-
teer achievements.
After a selection com-
mi t t e e ga ve he r t he
thumbs-up during an ini-
tial screening phase, she
was then invited to Madi-
son last February for addi-
tional review, and later a
state conference, where
she was a final candidate
for a state office. After an
agonizing and long pro-
cess, she was selected
an honor she said is both a
lot of work, but also a lot
of fun.
I am responsible for
hel pi ng pl an l ocal and
state events, setting the
state officer agenda, and
making sure everything
runs smoothly, she said.
Kl onski nski sai d t he
best part of becoming a
state officer has been the
chance to host the Cen-
tral Region Leadership
Conference in Milwau-
kee l ast mont h, whi ch
was of particular impor-
tance because it was the
first time in more than a
decade the event was held
in Wisconsin.
High praise
Ti m Fandek, educa-
tion consultant with the
Wi sconsi n Depart ment
of Public Instruction and
Wisconsin DECA char-
tered association advisor,
said Klonsinski demon-
strated outstanding pub-
lic speaking skills in front
of the more than 2, 200
attendees from around the
country at the conference,
and has accompl i shed
much i n her t i me wi t h
the organization, includ-
ing strategic use of social
medi a t o get feedback
from the states 10,000
member s on ways t o
improve upcoming events,
Because her position is
newly created, she is blaz-
ing a trail for all who fol-
low.
A l l o f h e r
a c h i e v e m e n t s a n d
accomplishments this year
will create a legacy for
our organization, he said.
While DECA is known
for its business emphasis,
Klonsinski said the group
al so i ncl udes commu-
nity service, networking
and building professional
skills that can be used
far beyond the marketing
classroom.
Being a DECA mem-
ber provides opportunities
the normal high school
student will never have,
she sai d. What real l y
sparked my interest was
watching the state officers
at my first district com-
petition command a room
of over two thousand with
leadership very few could
exhibit. In that moment I
knew I would eventually
be a state officer, too.
Dur i ng t he l ast t wo
year s, Kl onsi nski has
qualified and competed
at state and international
conf er ences, t r avel i ng
across t he count ry and
meeting thousands of
the leaders of the next
generation, all the time
building invaluable pro-
fessional skills.
True leader
Cur kovi c s ai d he s
s uper pr oud of her
for being so active and
involved during the past
few years.
Shes always displayed
the characteristics of a
dependable and respon-
sible young woman and
many positive attributes
of bei ng an i deal rol e
model in this school com-
muni t y and t he DECA
organi zat i on, he sai d.
As a marketing student
and state officer she has
been a leadership event
organizer, and a constant
volunteer for many causes
we have had her.
She is a model student
and thats an understate-
ment.
Curkovic said being a
DECA offi cer requi res
self-direction, self-moti-
vat i on and t he abi l i t y
to take on tasks without
di r ect i on f r om ot her s.
Citing her achievements
in making the OHS Hon-
or Rol l and success i n
DECA state competitions,
Curkovic said Klonsinski
has always taken pride in
her accomplishments with
a refreshing sense of
tenacity.
By far what separates
Madison from others is
her genuine enthusiasm
about taking on respon-
sibilities and leadership
activities, he said. Mad-
ison is the kind of person
people are drawn to and
cant help but respect. Her
ability to have such sin-
cere integrity and resolve
is inspirational. She also
has an amazi ng abi l i t y
to be a great negotiator,
dealing with difficult situ-
ations and making them
ri ght . As an observer,
Madison will successful-
ly take charge and make
those around her change
for the better as she dem-
onstrates a sincere con-
cern and caring for others.
Its been wonderful to
watch her grow.
Busy schedule
These days, Klonsin-
ski is keeping busy plan-
ni ng t he St at e Car eer
Devel opment Conf er -
ence in March design-
i ng T-shi rt s, searchi ng
for keynote speakers and
trying to make the con-
ference the best it can be.
She is also about to pub-
lish a Fundraising Action
Plan, which enables local
chapters to raise funds to
attend events for DECA.
At the same time, shes
studying and working to
qualify for a third time to
the international confer-
ence held in Atlanta in
May all this while she
waits to see where she
will attend college in the
fall.
A l ot t o do, but she
wouldnt have it any other
way.
DECA is about put -
ting yourself out there,
knowi ng maybe youl l
fail, maybe youll embar-
rass yourself, but youll
most likely succeed and
at least learn something
new about yourself, she
said. Its about building
those skills that you strug-
gled with before, trying
new things and finding a
passion. I have an undy-
ing love for DECA that
allows me to be involved
in things so much larger
than myself.
DECA: OHS senior busy planning conference
Continued from page 1
Photo submitted
Punt, pass, kick winners
Knights of Columbus State Punt Pass and Kick Competition was held in Marshfield on Nov. 2. Drew
Kessenich, of Oregon, won first place in the boys age 9 competition. Pictured, from left, are Jack
Anderson (Oconomowoc) in second place, Kessenich, and Kenny Satori (Denmark) in third, along with
Timothy Guski, Knights of Columbus State Secretary.
Photo submitted
The Holy Mother of Consolation Knights of Columbus Council 13480 free-throw contest winners are,
from left: Aaron Hakes, Jane-Isabella Ciambrone, Luke Thelen, K.T. Schwass, Lauren Denu, Lizzie Prew
and Jake Mullenberg.
Free throw contest winners advance to district level
On Jan. 6, an enthusias-
tic group of girls and boys
aged 9 to 14 participated
in the annual free throw
contest sponsored by the
Holy Mother of Consola-
tion Knights of Columbus
Council 13480 at Prairie
View Elementary School.
Girls winners were: Jane-
Isabella Ciambrone (age 9);
K. T. Schwass (11); Lauren
Denu (12) and Lizzie Prew
(13). Boys winners were
Aaron Hakes (9); Luke
Thelen (11) and Jake Mul-
lenberg (13).
The wi nner s i n each
group qualify to advance
to the district level KC
Free Throw Contest at Gla-
cier Edge School in Vero-
na, along with kids from
Waunakee, Verona, Cross
Plains, Middleton and Ore-
gon. District winners can
compete in additional levels
of competition, culminating
in the state championship.
The KC council mem-
bers who prepared for and
officiated at the contest
included Mike Martin, Tom
Fisher, Jim Vogt, Dan
Krause, Marty Prew, Rich
Hackner, Mark Faber and
Dick Rydecki.
WE HAVE
MOVED!
We are excited to announce that
we have moved to our location
at 152 ALPINE PKWY.
New Patients Always Welcome
CARING DENTISTRY
FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY
Mueller Dental
(608) 835-0900
www.muellerdental.com
Proudly Serving the Oregon Area for Over 16 Years!
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Your opinion is something we always want to hear.
Call 835-6677 or at connectoregonwi.com
WERE
ALL
EARS
Questions?
Comments?
Story Ideas?
Let us know
how were doing.
6
January 16, 2014 Oregon Observer ConnectOregonWI.com
Church Listings
BROOKLYN LUTHERAN CHURCH
101 Second Street, Brooklyn
(608) 455-3852
Pastor Rebecca Ninke
SUNDAY
9 a.m. Holy Communion
10 a.m. Fellowship
COMMUNITY OF LIFE
LUTHERAN CHURCH
PO Box 233, Oregon, 53575
(608) 286-3121
ofce@communityoife.us
Pastor Eric Wenger
SUNDAY
10 a.m. Worship at 1111 S. Perry
Parkway, Oregon
COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH
Brooklyn
(608) 455-3344
Pastor Dave Pluss
SUNDAY
9:30 a.m. Worship
FAITH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN
CHURCH
143 Washington Street, Oregon
(608) 835-3554
Pastor Karl Hermanson
SUNDAY
9 a.m. Worship
Holy Communion 2nd & last
Sundays
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
408 N. Bergamont Blvd. (north of CC)
Oregon, WI 53575
608-835-3082
fpcoregonwi.org
Pastor Le Anne Clausen de Montes
SUNDAY:
9:30 a.m. Blended Worship
10:30 a.m. Coffee Bar/Fellowship
11 a.m. All-ages activity
FITCHBURG MEMORIAL UCC
5705 Lacy Road, Fitchburg
(608) 273-1008
www.memorialucc.org
Pastor: Phil Haslanger
Associate Pastor Twink Jan-
McMahon
SUNDAY
8:15 and 10 a.m. Worship
GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN
CHURCH ELCA
Central Campus: Raymond Road and
Whitney Way
SATURDAY
5 p.m. Worship
SUNDAY
8:15, 9:30 and 10:45 a.m. Worship
West Campus: Corner of Hwy. PD
and Nine Mound Road, Verona
SUNDAY
9 & 10:15 a.m., 6 p.m. Worship
(608) 271-6633
HILLCREST BIBLE CHURCH
752 E. Netherwood, Oregon
Eric Vander Ploeg, Lead Pastor
(608) 835-7972
www.hbclife.com
SUNDAY
8:30 am & 10:15 am Worship service
at Oregon High School PAC
Quest for grades 1-6 during 10:15
service
HOLY MOTHER OF CONSOLATION
CATHOLIC CHURCH
651 N. Main Street, Oregon
Pastor: Fr. Gary Wankerl
(608) 835-5763
holymotherchurch.41pi.com
SATURDAY: 5 p.m. Worship
SUNDAY: 8 and 10:15 a.m. Worship
PEOPLES UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH
103 North Alpine Parkway, Oregon
Pastor Jason Mahnke
(608) 835-3755
www.peoplesumc.org
Communion is the 1st & 3rd
weekend
SATURDAY
5 p.m. Worship
SUNDAY
9 and 10:30 a.m. Worship
ST. JOHNS LUTHERAN CHURCH
625 E. Netherwood, Oregon
Pastor Paul Markquart and Pastor
Emily Tveite
(608) 835-3154
5 p.m. Saturday evening Worship
8 a.m. Traditional Sunday Worship
9:15 a.m. Sunday School & Coffee
Fellowship
10:30 a.m. New Community Worship
(9:30 a.m. Summer)
VINEYARD COMMUNITY CHURCH
Oregon Community Bank & Trust, 105 S.
Alpine Parkway, Oregon
Bob Groth, Pastor
(608) 835-9639
SUNDAY
10 a.m. Worship
ZWINGLI UNITED CHURCH OF
CHRIST - Paoli
At the Intersection of Hwy. 69 & PB
Rev. Sara Thiessen
(608) 845-5641
SUNDAY
9:30 a.m. Family Worship
7 p.m., Alcoholics
Anonymous meeting
at First Presbyterian
Church, every Monday
and Friday
7 p.m., Alcoholics
Anonymous closed
meeting, Peoples United
Methodist Church, every
Tuesday
6:30-7:30 p.m.,
Diabetes Support Group
meeting, Evansville
Senior Center, 320 Fair
St. Call 882-0407 for
information. Second
Tuesday of each month
6:30-8 p.m., Parents
Supporting Parents,
LakeView Church,
Stoughton. Third
Tuesday of every month
Relationship & Divorce
Support Group. State
Bank of Cross Plains.
Every other Monday
night at 6:30 p.m.
Support groups
Call 835-6677 to advertise on the
Oregon Observer Church Page
Coming up
Thursday, Jan. 16
2-4 p.m., Free e-reader and tablet classes, library,
835-3656
Saturday, Jan. 18
2 p.m.,Town of Oregon Caucus, 1138 Union Road
Monday, Jan. 20
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - no schools
6:30-8 p.m., Dane County Christian Womens
Connection dinner, Radisson Hotel, 517 Grand
Canyon Dr., Madison, gdburoker@charter.net
Tuesday. Jan. 21
6:30 p.m., Green Tuesdays and Thursdays, viewing
of Vegucated, Oregon Public Library
Wednesday, Jan 22
1 p.m., Get the Job You Want with Dane County
Job Center staff member Jennifer See, library
Thursday, Jan. 22
Oregon Public Library closed all day for building main-
tenance
Saturday, Jan. 25
7 p.m., Trivia Night in Oregon, library
Sunday, Jan. 26
7 a.m. to noon, pancake breakfast and bake sale,
Oregon Senior Center, 835-5801
5 p.m., Oregon Straw Hat Players auditions, Oregon
High School Performing Arts Center, 456 N. Perry
Pkwy., auditions@oshponline.org
Monday, Jan. 27
6:30 p.m., Oregon School District Board of
Education meeting, Rome Corners Intermediate
School, 1111 S. Perry Pkwy.
Tuesday. Jan. 28
7 p.m., Oregon Straw Hat Players auditions, Oregon
High School Performing Arts Center, 456 N. Perry
Pkwy., auditions@oshponline.org
Sunday, Feb. 2
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Chili dinner, Brooklyn Cub Scouts
Pack 352, Brooklyn Community Center
Community calendar
Thursday, Jan. 16
Oregon Village Board
Meeting (of Jan. 13)
Friday, Jan. 17
Readers Theater: Chapter
9 (of Sep. 10)
Saturday, Jan. 18
Oregon Chamber Awards (of
Mar. 13)
Sunday, Jan. 19
Worship Service: St. Johns
Lutheran Church
Monday, Jan. 20
6 pm--LIVE--Oregon Village
Board Meeting
Tuesday, Jan. 21
Oregon Chamber of
Commerce Meeting (of Jan.
16)
Wednesday, Jan. 22
Movie: Casablanca (1943)
Thursday, Jan. 23
Oregon Village Board
Meeting (of Jan. 20)
WOW 98 & 983
Monday, Jan. 20
9:00 CLUB
9:00 Wii Bowling
9:00 Rubber Stamping
9:00 Caregivers Support
12:00 Market Day Due
1:00 Get Fit
1:30 Bridge
Tuesday. Jan. 21
8:00 Strength Training
8:30 Zumba Gold
9:00 Stretch & Strengthen
10:45 Tai Chi
11:30 Silver Threads
12:30 Sheepshead
12:30 Stoughton Shopping
1:15 & 2:15 Piano Class
Wednesday, Jan. 22
AM Foot Care
9:00 CLUB
10:45 Steven Kozar paintings
11:00 Online Games Class
1:00 Get Fit/Euchre
2:00 Knit/Crochet Group
Thursday, Jan. 23
AM Chair Massage
8:00 Strength Training
8:30 Zumba Gold
9:00 Pool Players
9:00 Stretch & Strengthen
9:30 Mindfulness Class
10:45 Gentle Yoga
12:30 Shopping at Bills
1:00 Cribbage
5:00 Market Day Pickup
Friday, Jan. 24
9:00 CLUB
9:00 Wii Bowling
9:30 Blood Pressure
Monday, Jan. 20
Goulash Casserole, Mixed
Veg., Peach, Multi Grain
Bread, Margarine, Jell-O
VO: Soy Casserole
Tuesday, Jan. 21
Baked Chicken, Mashed
Potato/Gravy, Winter Blend,
Mandarin Oranges, W.W.
Bread
VO: Veggie Patty
Wednesday, Jan. 22
Breaded Fish on Bun With
Cheese Slice, Peas & Onions,
Banana
VO: Cheesy Sandwich
Thursday, Jan. 23
Meat Balls w/Sauce,
Spaghetti, Carrot Coins,
Pineapple, W.W. Bread
VO: Soy Beef Sauce
SO: Taco Salad
Friday, Jan. 24
Sliced Turkey Ham, Au
Gratin Potatoes, Broccoli
Flowerets, Applesauce, W.W.
Roll
VO: Au Gratin With Soy
ORE 95 & 984
Thursday, Jan. 16
Oregon School Board
Meeting (of Jan. 13)
Friday, Jan. 17
OHS Girls Varsity Basketball
vs Ft. Atkinson (of Jan. 14)
Saturday, Jan. 18
OHS Boys Varsity Hockey vs
McFarland (of Jan. 16)
Sunday, Jan. 19
OHS Boys Varsity Basketball
vs Monroe (of Jan. 16)
Monday, Jan. 20
OHS Girls Varsity Basketball
vs Portage (of Jan. 17)
Tuesday, Jan. 21
Is He Dead? OHS Play (of
Feb. 11)
Wednesday, Jan. 22
OHS Band Thank You
Show (of July 13)
Thursday, Jan. 23
RCI Band Concerts (of Jan.
21)
Village of Oregon Cable Access TV program times same for all channels. A
new program begins daily at 1 p.m. and repeats at 4, 7 and 10 p.m. and at 1, 4, 7
and 10 a.m. 900 Market St., Oregon. Phone: 291-0148;
email: oregoncableaccess@charter.net, or visit www.OCAmedia.com.
Community cable listings Senior center
The Appendix
If you studied human anatomy twenty or thirty years ago, you
were probably taught that the appendix (or vermiform appen-
dixthe small wormlike pouch that hangs from the cecum
of the large intestine), was a useless structure, perhaps some
vestigial organ that served a purpose in our long-distant past. I
distinctly remember an argument some thirty years ago between
my father (who argued that it must have some purpose) and my
brother (who was in his first or second year of medical school,
and who argued that it had none that could be discerned). My
fathers argument was based on his belief that God would not
have created something without a purpose. He didnt necessar-
ily know what the purpose was, but there must be one. People
do just fine without one, my brother rejoined, and he asked,
furthermore, what is the purpose of eyebrows? To keep sweat
from getting in your eyes was my fathers answer, and wouldnt
we look pretty strange without eyebrows? Medical science now
believes that the appendix is a repository for the good bacteria
that colonize our intestines and which aid in all sorts of impor-
tant functions, from digestion to our immune system. So score
one for Dad, and the view that to everything under heaven there
is indeed a purpose. We may not always know that purpose but
should trust to Providence that there is one.
Christopher Simon via Metro News Service
The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked
for the day of trouble.
Proverbs 16:4
Christian Womens Connection
The Dane County Wisconsin After
5 Christian Womens Connection din-
ner is set for 6:30-8 p.m., Monday,
Jan. 20, at the Radisson Hotel, 517
Grand Canyon Dr., Madison.
The theme is Music and Move-
ment, and how to include both in a
daily routine.
For reservations, email gdburo-
ker@charter.net or call Gloria at 219-
9865 or Joan at 233-6847.
Get Vegucated
Go to the Oregon Public Library
at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, for a
viewing of the film, Vegucated,
about three meat- and cheese-loving
New Yorkers who agree to adopt a
vegan diet for six weeks.
Brewing Questions
The group meets Tuesday, Jan. 21,
and the third Tuesday of every month
in the Firefly Coffee House back
room at 8:30 a.m.
This is an open-minded discus-
sion group about faith, life and
things which matter to us. All faith
perspectives welcome for respect-
ful dialogue and making new friends.
For details, contact Le Anne at
515-1515.
Pancake breakfast and bake
sale
People are invited to the Oregon
Senior Center from 7 a.m. to noon on
Sunday, Jan. 26, for a pancake break-
fast and bake sale. Call the center at
835-5801 for more information on the
event.
Oregon Straw Hat Players
auditions
Auditions for the @5th Annual
Putnam County Spelling Bee, will be
held at 5 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 26, and
7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 28, in the Per-
forming Arts Center at Oregon High
School, 456 North Perry Parkway.
Auditioners should prepare a portion
of one minute or less of a song from a
contemporary musical.
Selections from the show are wel-
come. An accompanist will be pro-
vided, and a cappella auditions are
strongly discouraged. Auditioners
may also be asked to read from the
script.
Performers age 12 and older are
welcome to audition. There are no
additional age requirements for any
role in this production.
There may be roles for ensemble
performers in addition to the named
characters in the script.
Email director Duane Draper at
auditions@oshponline.org for more
information.
Learn about depression
Winter got you down? Is it normal
sadness or something more?
Join Dr. Daniel Staddler, Family
Medicine Physician, to learn about
depression including Seasonal Affec-
tive Disorder. Learn about the signs
and symptoms of depression and what
can be done to help you feel better.
The event is 6-7:30 p.m., Wednesday,
Jan. 29, at Stoughton Hospital.
To register for this free event,
please contact Sonja at 835-2356 or
pr3@stohosp.com
AARP smart driver program
This classroom course helps older
drivers become more aware of the
changes that occur due to aging. This
program will be offered at the Oregon
Area Senior Center from 11:30 a.m.
to 4 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 30.
January 16, 2014 Oregon Observer ConnectOregonWI.com
7
flashing lights and gates.
Gracz told the Village
Board in November that he
and public works director
Mark Below thought the
estimated $250,000 cost
to install gates and flash-
ing lights was unnecessary
because only two-to-three
trains per week will run on
the rail line. Instead, the
village wanted to install
crossbucks and stop signs.
The Wi s c ons i n a nd
Southern Railroad expects
to operate the trains to serve
Lycon Inc.s new ready-
mix concrete facility in the
business park when the line
is reactivated in the spring.
The line has been closed
since around 1997. At least
initially, trains will run only
from the Alpine Business
Park to Madison to serve
Lycon.
But the railroad commis-
sioners office foresees a
time when the line will be
activated south of the vil-
lage and serve more users.
In denying the villages
request, the railroad com-
missioner noted that the
crossing would have three
sets of tracks because of a
spur off the main line that
will reach into the business
park to serve Lycons pro-
duction facility.
Lycon is building a rail
spur off the main line so
that freight cars hauling
aggregate can reach its
plant in the business park.
The presence of mul-
tiple tracks is one of the
key factors warranting the
installation of automatic
flashing lights with gates,
the commissioners office
wrote in a letter to the vil-
lage.
In September, Gov. Scott
Walker approved a $2.29
million grant to reacti -
vate the 10-mile rail corri-
dor between McCoy Road
i n Fi t chburg and West
Netherwood Road in Ore-
gon in order to serve the
Lycon facility.
Trains running on the line
will be restricted to travel-
ing at 25 mph, and 20 mph
when reaching Braun Road
and the business park.
Given those speeds and
the number of trains that
will use the line, village
officials felt the order to
i nst al l aut omat i c fl ash-
ing lights with gates was
overkill, Below told the
Observer in November.
On Monday, Gracz told
t he Vi l l age Board t hat
while he didnt agree with
or want to justify the com-
missioners decision, he
did feel that if the village
would ever have to install
the warning devices, now is
a good time because the vil-
lage has the funds in its TIF
2 account.
The Alpine Business Park
is in the villages Tax Incre-
ment-Financing District 2.
The vi l l age was al so
ordered to raise the eleva-
tion of Braun Road at the
rail crossing by one foot.
When the village construct-
ed Braun Road in 2010, it
decided to build the road
with a surface elevation
slightly more than eight
inches below the existing
top of rail.
But Wi s c ons i n a nd
Southern Railroad wants
Braun Road to be about
four inches above the top of
the rail.
Village officials initially
objected to the change,
but Gracz told the Village
Board Monday the village
had withdrawn its objection
and that Lycon had agreed
to pay the cost of changing
the crossing elevation.
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and more positive well-
ness conditions for teach-
ers.
Furt hermore, Net her-
wood Knoll principal Dan
Rikli said, there is a criti-
cal mass of Netherwood
teachers who support the
idea. Now, if district resi-
dents have a large role in
deciding whether the dis-
trict gives it the green light,
and will be asked their
opinions in the coming
months.
Logi cal l y, i t makes
sense, but change is hard,
he said.
Stopping the slide
School officials started
meeting in July to look into
the possibility of a bal-
anced calendar, though
Rikli said the group is still
in the fact-finding stage.
Were looking at what
does research say about
it, what are other districts
doing, what do they like,
(whats) the impact on stu-
dent learning, the stress on
kids and staff? he said.
Ri kl i sai d one of t he
main motivating factors in
exploring a balanced calen-
dar is eliminating the dread-
ed summer slump, where
students lose some of what
theyve learned because
theyre away from classes
for nearly three months.
Last year, 40 percent of
Net her wood s t udent s
scores on readi ng t est s
between spring and fall. In
math, 44 percent of kids
saw their scores drop.
A second major factor is
the level of stress in schools
during the past few years,
relative to student achieve-
ment, he said.
School i s di f f er ent
than it used to be, Rikli
sai d We have a l aser-
sharp focus on st udent
achievement, and we do
see stress levels of children
and staff elevating because
of that. Would a differ-
ent calendar help alleviate
that? Some research says it
does.
To find some answers,
st af f have t al ked wi t h
school administrators in
Indiana, where the year-
round model has been com-
monplace for some time,
and are planning to travel
soon to Aurora, Colo., to
speak with school district
officials about their year-
round school calendar.
In Wisconsin, its rela-
tively new, but Indiana,
Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado,
its not that new of a con-
cept, Rikli said. Some
folks in Wisconsin are start-
ing to take a look at it, as
far as its merits.
Next steps
Rikli said the earliest
a change could be made
would be for the 2015-16
school year, providing a
years worth of planning if
OSD were to approve the
idea this fall. He said the
group will update the board
on its findings next month,
but just as importantly, is
planning some parent infor-
mational nights later in the
school year to invite people
to hear whats been discov-
ered and provide feedback
that will ultimately provide
the deciding factor whether
or not to make the change.
A website is also being
developed to provide infor-
mation.
Based on whether or not
the community as a whole
can support this that will
determine whether we rec-
ommend it to the board,
he sai d. Once we get
some communication out
there, we can offer parents
a forum. We value their
input.
Balanced: District will seek public input on proposal for Netherwood Knoll this spring
Continued from page 1
Photo by Scott Girard
If district residents approve the idea, Netherwood Knoll Elementary School could turn into a year-round school as soon as the 2015-16
school year. A school staff task force will make a recommendation to the Oregon School Board later in the school year.
E-reader help
The Oregon Public Library
hosted an e-reader help session
as part of a series of events on
helping people learn to use their
technology devices. Left, Jackie
Symdon helps Bob Wardell.
Right, Susan Kosharek takes a
look at Doug Sutters e-reader.
Photos by Scott Girard