Water safety and staff reductions key points for Hood River County school board

During the Recognition and Good News portion of the meeting, Human Resources Director Gus Hedberg introduced Wylde, Wind & Water founder Fiona Wylde and Hood River County Sheriff Marine Deputy Joel Carmody. For the past two years, Wylde and Carmody have volunteered to teach water safety in elementary classrooms in English and Spanish.

“Thinking about their time outside of the pool — out in the rivers and lakes — Joel and Fiona play a really big role in helping keep our kids safe,” Hedberg said.

“It is an absolute pleasure to share information about water safety and about the resources that we have in this community, a lot of which are free to students …” Wylde said. “We want to say thank you to the school district for sharing your time, to the teachers as well, for sharing your time and class space so we can pass on this information.”

“I appreciate the opportunity to bring the message into schools — and just for me, personally, it’s so good for my spirit to interact with kindergarteners on my work Monday,” he said. “It’s hard to walk out of there not smiling.”

Hedberg also presented the first of four action items: Authorization of a reduction in workforce. Three licensed staff positions and one classified staff position have been cut due to the anticipated shortfall in the Oregon State School Fund and declining enrollment, among other factors. The board unanimously — and somberly — approved the motion.

“These decisions are never easy, and have a profound impact on our schools, our staff, and, most importantly, our students,” Hedberg said. "Every reduction affects the quality of education and support we can provide.”

“It’s unfortunate that we have to do this,” said Board Chair Corinda Hankins Elliott. “… We’re all really saddened by the fact that we don’t have the funds to continue at our current level of service. As Director Hedberg said, we have to keep asking and saying, ‘This is what we need [to legislators] for our school districts,’ and hope we can make a difference in the future.”

The board also approved a new K-12 health curriculum adoption, Resolution 24-25/13, in recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month, and the donation of in-kind labor valued at $5,888, to Hood River Middle School by Cody Johnecheck of Ken Randall Homes,LLC.

The entire meeting is available to view on the district’s YouTube channel.