St Helens School District

St. Helens Middle School sports may lose funding

ST. HELENS — It appears the St. Helens School District will not fund middle school sports in the 2011-12 school year.

That is not to say there will not be sports at St. Helens Middle School next year, as SHMS athletic director Mark Janke remains hopeful a fundraising solution will be found. But notice was given last week that the district's proposed budget will not provide any funding for the six sports that have been offered at SHMS.

A formal decision will not be made until June 27, when the 2011-12 budget is adopted at the school board meeting.

Janke, however, said on June 6 he is hopeful sports will remain at SHMS.

"I am working to find alternative ways to fund middle school sports without district funding," Janke said. "If successful, we hope to continue all sports.

"I'm feeling optimistic we'll be able to come up with something for next year," he said.

At the high school, there are no entire programs on the chopping block. Instead, savings will come from assistant coaches' salaries.

At a June 3 St. Helens Sports Boosters Club meeting, SHHS athletic director Cyndy Miller said nine assistants received pink slips the previous day. This is estimated to reduce district expenses by approximately $35,000.

Miller said under the latest proposal two assistant football coaches would no longer receive district funding, as well as one coach each from the following programs: volleyball, wrestling, girls basketball, boys basketball, track, golf and baseball.

Miller explained that if entire programs were cut, there would be no one to pick up the slack in fundraising efforts. By instead spreading the burden over the eight sports, she said those teams will be able to help fundraise to cover the deficit.

Booster Club vice president Steve Mood said on June 6 the group was still discussing how it may be able to help and would visit the situation during its June 10 meeting.

Budget Timeline

• When : June 15, 6:30 p.m.

• What : Budget Committee deliberation of proposed 2011-12 budget; approval for board approval

• Where : TBA

• When : June 27, 6:30 p.m.

Finalists named in St. Helens search for new superintendent

Two finalists have emerged from the St. Helens School District’s search for a new superintendent.

Contenders for the open position are Jack Henderson, the current superintendent of the Dufur School District in Wasco County, and Joseph Hunter, the current superintendent of Central School District in Polk County.

Henderson has spent his entire career at the Dufur School District, starting as a physical education, biology and health teacher in 1987, before becoming the high school principal in 1994 and the superintendent in 1996.

Hunter has served in his position as the superintendent of the Central School District for six years. He was previously an elementary principal in Beaverton.

Both will visit St. Helens for a number of events and a final interview on Feb. 25.

The new hire will replace Superintendent Patricia Adams, who will step down in June.

The St. Helens School Board is expected to announce their choice on Feb. 28 and determine the length of the contract, which could be up to three years.

After her final day as superintendent, Adams will teach in the administrative licensing program at Lewis and Clark College in Portland. Adams said it was important for her to stay in the education field. She was recently named a for superintendent in Corvallis.

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