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 March 21

 


Dear Constituents and Friends,

The 2016 Session of the 78th Legislative Assembly ended on March 5.  Now, two weeks afterwards; I assume you have read many reports by the media and politicians on the session.  Thus, I'll spare you my opinion and let you decide based upon all these reports and how the passed legislation impacts you and your family. 

The following is a summary of my work for you and Oregon during the interim.  Many incorrectly think an Oregon State legislator only works when we are in Salem. 

On Tuesday, March 8; I drove to Portland to participate in the Task Force on School Nursing meeting. In the 2015 session, SB 698 established the Task Force on School Nursing.  The Task Force is charged with providing recommendations for the future funding of health services in schools.  We definitely need more school nurses.  Speaker Kotek appointed me as the only House member on this Task Force.  Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson was appointed as the Senate member by President Peter Courtney. The goal is have one registered nurse or school nurse for every 750 Oregon students by July 1, 2020.  This is a major objective since we currently have one nurse for 4,664 students.

On Monday, March 14, I was scheduled to attend a Bend meeting of the "Oregon Forest Fire Program Review Committee."  I was appointed to this committee with other legislators to find a better way to fund our "firefighting" expenses.  The meeting was canceled on Sunday due to adverse weather for the committee members crossing the passes for the meeting.

Also, on Monday, Vicki Olson attended the Task Force for Incarcerated Veterans in Salem for me since I planned to be at the Fire Review Committee.  Vicki has attended the previous Task Force meeting.  Vicki reports that the Task Force members are looking at better ways to help veterans during the intake process and when they are released.

On Monday, I had the pleasure of meeting with Oregon's Teacher of the Year, Heather Anderson to congratulate her and discuss her outstanding teaching achievements.  Heather is a fourth grade teacher from Juniper Elementary in the Bend-La Pine School District.  Heather as the Oregon Teacher of the Year will attend in April the Washington DC Recognition Week for Teachers of the Year where she will meet President Obama and the US Secretary of Education.  I especially enjoyed learning about her work in Mexico teaching, her work with students in poverty and her work as a National Board Certified Teacher.

On Wednesday, I met with Central Oregon Community College (COCC) President Shirley Metcalf after the Sunriver Rotary Club meeting.  Dr. Metcalf discussed her work at COCC and her plans to continue to improve several aspects of the COCC mission.  She came to COCC first as Dean of Extended Learning, overseeing the college's non-credit instruction and the Redmond, Madras, and Prineville.  We discussed her experience with the Small Business Development Center and the COCC program at the Deer Ridge Correctional Institute.  She assumed the role as President of COCC in September 2014.

Upcoming meetings include attending a National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Education Standing Committee meeting in Denver, April 8-12. One of the major agenda items is the discussion of the "Every Student Succeeds Act" (ESSA) and its implications for State's education policy. 

I have heard from several that they do receive and read our newsletters.  We are glad that you do and hope you recommend friends sign up to receive our newsletters.


Respectfully submitted,
 

 
Gene Whisnant 
 


 
Contacting our Salem office

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Rep. Whisnant, Josie Whisnant and Vicki Olson

Address-
900 Court St. NE   H-383
Salem, OR  97031

 Office phone number-
(503) 986-1453

Rep. Whisnant's email-

 

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Heather Anderson, Oregon's Teacher of the Year
 

 
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