News

The annual retiree celebration at the district office recognized the contributions of 33 GAPS teachers, classified staff and administrators who are leaving the District after serving Greater Albany students for a combined total of 478 years.

Family members and friends joined retirees at the reception. Human Resources Director Randy Lary introduced the following retirees:

Paula Guerrero, Kindergarten Teacher, South Shore: 3 years

Galen Sinkey, Bus Driver, Transportation: 5 years

Michelle Coon, Bus Attendant, Transportation, 9 years

Kathryn Grant, Grade 4 Teacher, Central: 11 years

Virginia Hammond, Special Education Assistant, Clover Ridge: 11 years

Chava Neuhaus, Industrial Arts Teacher, South Albany: 11 years

Isela Avery, Bilingual Assistant, Lafayette: 12 years

Robbe Hood, Trip Bus Driver, Transportation: 12 years

Sharon McKinney, Grade 1 Teacher, Liberty: 12 years

Rebecca Robinson, Social Studies Teacher, Calapooia: 12 years

Leonardo Gonzalez, Custodian, Periwinkle: 13 years

Joanne Miller, Food Service Assistant, Oak: 13 years

Carlene Vey, Secretary I, Special Programs: 13 years

Karen Perry, Grade 1 Teacher, Liberty: 14 years

Margaret Coburn, Science Teacher, Memorial, 15 years

James Haggart, Executive Assistant, District Office: 15 years

Vicky Hughes, Special Education Assistant, Waverly: 17 years

Julie Buchert, Music Teacher, Memorial: 19 years

Peter Claycomb, Behavior Intervention Teacher, Calapooia, 19 years

Cynthia Miller, Grade 3 Teacher, Lafayette: 19 years

Pamela Dodson, Clerical Specialist II, South Albany: 20 years

Janece Vanderburg, Grade 1 Teacher, South Shore: 22 years

MaryLou Boydston, Special Education Assistant, Albany Options: 23 years

Roberta Ingram, Special Education Assistant, Waverly: 23 years

Terri Bridenbeck, Registrar, West Albany: 24 years

Marlene Susnik, Grade 3 Teacher, Liberty: 26 years

Tim Mills, P.E. Teacher, North Albany Middle: 27 years

Jill Clark, Library Assistant, Waverly: 30 years

Cindy Mills, Clerical Special II, Memorial: 30 years

Chris VanCauteren, Social Studies Teacher, South Albany: 31 years

Brent Belveal, Principal, South Albany: 34 years

Jana Swearingen, Social Studies Teacher, Memorial: 36 years

Connie Whipple-Mills, Social Studies Teacher, Memorial: 36 years

This month, some of the best spellers in the district moved up the ranks to earn a chance to compete at the statewide level. After the district and county competitions, two students from GAPS earned the chance to compete at the Oregon Statewide Spelling Championship in Salem on Sept 1.

The winners are Paige Rogers from Memorial Middle School and Kate Looney from West Albany High School.

Both students won the district spelling competition for their grade levels. Read the press release from Linn County Spelling Coordinator Kaynor Heineck.

Congratulations to the other GAPS students who competed. The following students had top two finishes:

Elementary:

1st Place: Gabriella  Kesinger, 4th grade, Timber Ridge
2nd Place: Logan Falotico, 5th grade, Liberty Elementary

Middle School:

1st Place: Paige Rogers, 8th grade, Memorial Middle School
2nd Place: Caroline Gao, 7th grade, North Albany Middle School

High School:

1st Place: Kate Looney, 12th grade, West Albany High School
2nd Place: Jonah Willard, 11th grade, West Albany High School

Los ganadores de ortografía competirán en el concurso a nivel estatal en el mes de septiembre.

Este mes, algunos de los mejores deletreadores en el distrito subieron de categoría para tener la oportunidad de competir a nivel estatal. Después de las competencias del distrito y del condado, dos estudiantes de GAPS obtuvieron la oportunidad de competir en el Campeonato de Deletreo Estatal de Oregon, en Salem el 1° de septiembre.

Las ganadoras son Paige Rogers de la secundaria Memorial Middle School y Kate Looney de la preparatoria West Albany High School.

Ambas estudiantes ganaron la competencia de deletreo del distrito, para sus respectivos niveles de grado. Lea el comunicado de prensa de la Coordinadora de Ortografía del condado de Linn, Sra. Kaynor Heineck.

Felicitaciones a los otros estudiantes de GAPS que compitieron. Los siguientes estudiantes obtuvieron los dos mejores lugares:

Primaria:
1er puesto: Gabriella Kesinger, 4to grado, Timber Ridge
2do puesto: Logan Falotico, 5to grado, Liberty Elementary

Secundaria:
1er puesto: Paige Rogers, 8vo grado, Memorial Middle School
2do puesto: Caroline Gao, 7mo grado, North Albany Middle School

Preparatoria:
1er puesto: Kate Looney, 12vo grado, West Albany High School
2do puesto: Jonah Willard, 11vo grado, West Albany High School

Greater Albany Public Schools recently selected Albany resident Lisa Harlan for the assistant superintendent position. The post is currently held by Tonja Everest, who will assume superintendent duties at the Linn Benton Lincoln ESD on July 1.

Harlan was offered the position after an extensive application process. Her official appointment is pending School Board approval at its June 4 meeting.

“A very rigorous hiring process revealed that Lisa is all about kids,” said Everest. “The committee was impressed with her passion, practical decision-making and authentic communication style. They also appreciated her deep knowledge in the areas of curriculum, instruction, and behavior,” she said.

Harlan is currently the Director of Elementary Education for Salem-Keizer Public Schools. She brings bilingual skills and extensive experience in educational leadership. She has taught high school and middle school Spanish at Corvallis High School and Western View Middle School. She has served as a middle school assistant principal at Linus Pauling Middle School, a middle school principal at Cheldelin Middle School and an elementary principal at Lincoln Elementary Dual Language School in Corvallis. She has also been a Director of School Improvement for the Oregon Department of Education.

Harlan earned her B.A. in Education from Western Oregon University, her M.Ed. From University of Oregon, and her administrative licensure from Portland State University.

Harlan is an Albany resident with children in GAPS schools. Upon accepting the offer for the position, she said, “I am so glad to serve a district that has served my family so well.”

North Albany Middle School will have the only choir from this part of the country at a Carnegie Hall school performance next May.

The school program, directed by LeAnn Wind, was selected based on music skills they demonstrated through and audition recording.

Students will begin fundraising for the trip this summer.

Read more in the Democrat-Herald.

The last district middle school track meet was May 10. The four middle schools competed on the West Albany High school track.

The track program is a popular GAPS middle school athletic sport. This season, more than 300 athletes participated from all four GAPS middle schools.

More photos are posted on Facebook.