Educational visit
U.S. Congressman Greg Walden visits Vale Elementary School Thursday
By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
Friday, February 22, 2008 12:57 PM PST
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| U.S. Congressman Greg Walden (standing left) asks Vale Elementary School sixth-graders questions about himself from the quiz projected on the board (at left) from a laptop. Walden visited the school and students Thursday morning. The quiz was developed by teachers from Walden’s Web site. |
VALE — U.S. Congressman Greg Walden, R-Oregon, Thursday listened to Vale School District officials share their concerns about the challenges rural districts confront to provide the level of education necessary for students to graduate and meet state and federal standards.
Walden spent about an hour in the morning at Vale Elementary School where he observed how sixth-grade students and teachers utilize computers in the classroom to help with homework.
The stop in Vale was part of a wider, Eastern Oregon-area tour. After spending about an hour in Vale Walden, who was accompanied by Colby Marshall, director of Walden’s Eastern Oregon office, which was officially opened Wednesday in La Grande, and John Snider, director of the Walden’s Medford office, moved on to Prairie City.
Matt Hawley, Vale School District superintendent, and Darlene McConnell, elementary school principal, met with Walden in the school district board room, and talked about how the district has started full-day kindergarten and has already seen progress in the students.
However, Hawley cautioned that program could be lost if the funds do not come in from the state. Hawley said the district uses school improvement funds to cover the extra cost of the full-day program.
“We don’t have the dollars out of the general fund,” Hawley said.
McConnell said the program is already a success.
“We’ve already seen improvement in our children,” McConnell said.
School officials also talked to Walden about another key issue — finding qualified staff.
They are supportive of the higher graduation requirements, but noted obtaining the right faculty to teach the necessary classes can be difficult.
“In can be a struggle with finding qualified teachers,” Hawley said. Walden and the two school officials agreed that students should be able to receive the same education all across the state.
McConnell talked about the school’s program for students who have dyslexia and have problems learning.
She said there has been real progress in helping students read and in math.
“We’re very proud of the program. About 50 students have been in the program over the three years it has been in existence, McConnell said, adding there has been about three years of growth.
“Success comes from children feeling good about themselves,” she said.
In taking questions from the sixth-grade students, Walden said the best part of his job is working with people to solve problems and that he does not have any plans to run for president.
Answering questions about alternative energy, Walden said he is on a committee dealing with that issue, and is looking at solar, wind and geothermal potential, as well as a project to make ethanol.
Marshall said more than 100 people crammed into the new district office in La Grande Wednesday for its opening.
He said this was the first Second Congressional District office for Eastern Oregon, and La Grande was chosen because is it about halfway between Ontario and Nyssa and Hermiston and the Wallowa area.
