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Steve Earnest, 60, left, who has served 28 years on the Jefferson County School Board, stands next to Jeff Sanders, 70, who has spent nearly 22 years on the board. The men, both of whom are retiring at the end of the month, are standing in front of Westside Elementary School on Wednesday morning. Last year, the school board voted to close the school to balance the books.
Lauren Dake The Bulletin
It was always about the students
Longtime Jefferson County School Board members retiring
By Lauren Dake / The Bulletin
Published: June 20. 2009 4:00AM PSTMADRAS —
Before No Child Left Behind and Adequate Yearly Progress reports, Jeff Sanders and Steve Earnest were keeping track of students’ progress in Jefferson County.
Before Westside Elementary School in Madras closed, they were used to making unpopular decisions to keep the district in the black.
And before Warm Springs Elementary School became a source of pride for the area, they worked behind the scenes to stabilize the school.
Earnest, 60, and Sanders, 70, have nearly 50 years of combined experience serving on the Jefferson County School Board. Both men are retiring at the end of this month.
They’ve made tough decisions from asking for former superintendent Guy Fisher’s resignation to slashing $3 million from the 2008-09 budget.
They’ve spent countless hours poring over budgets, driving to special meetings, hiring superintendents and letting teachers go.
But the reason they stayed for so long — Earnest was on the board for 28 consecutive years and Sanders for nearly 22 — was always the same.
“The interest in the students was always there,” Sanders said. “It kept the momentum going. … There were dips and bumps in the road. But overall, we kept our focus (on the students). And that made me want to stay and keep going.”
Both Sanders and Earnest have seven children. And they are both from the area; Earnest grew up in Culver and Sanders in Warm Springs.
“For me, the importance of education was always stressed by my parents, and I tried to stress how important it is to my kids. And they have all graduated from college,” Earnest said. “(Education) is a big deal for us. I wanted to make sure other kids have the opportunity to get the education they deserve.”
Looking Back
Earnest first joined the board after he started attending meetings during a budget crisis in the 1980s. The district, he said, was discussing whether to cut kindergarten, and he started to get involved.
Sanders’ seat has traditionally been held by a person from Warm Springs. When his predecessor had health problems, Sanders stepped up to the plate.
Over the years, they’ve both served as chairman of the board at various times.
In 2003, when Earnest was the chairman, he found out Sanders had never graduated from Madras High School. Sanders enlisted in the Army instead of finishing school. So that year on graduation day, Earnest handed Sanders his high school diploma.
“It was really a highlight of my career,” Sanders said of the moment.
The two men were on the board as Warm Springs Elementary School transformed into a school with high test scores, improved attendance rates and quality teachers. Hiring Dawn Smith as the principal of the school played a big part in the school’s success, both men said.
There have been tough times, such as in April 2007, when Guy Fisher resigned.
“I happened to be chair at the time it went down,” Earnest said. “It was the first time we had ever been through something like that. … His management style didn’t fit the district. I’ll tell you the reason the board came to the decision, there was no way he was going to be successful in the district. We came to that decision, and we acted on it.”
And there have been some major changes for school districts across the state.
“We used to have to go out every year to voters in the district for a budget levy to balance our budget,” Earnest said. “It worked. The majority came from local property taxes instead of from the state. People had a voice every year. … They had a mechanism to say you’re doing a good job or we don’t think you are.”
Plus, Earnest said it was less frustrating than having to wait for the Legislature to decide on the budget before the districts’ books could be balanced.
On the school board
Their styles are different, but they said they have learned from each other.
“Jeff’s demeanor is calm, quiet and he’s always prepared for a discussion,” Earnest said. “I don’t think you can ask for a board member with a better demeanor. He doesn’t get excited, he doesn’t get down, he doesn’t yell. … If I got a little excited (angry), I could count on Jeff to quietly say, ‘We’re going to end this right here.’”
Sanders said Earnest always backed him when it came to educating Native American students.
“I recognize that for the Native American and Hispanic population there aren’t many spokespeople with banners leading the parade for them,” Sanders said.
“I think Steve has looked out for the interest of all students in the district. An example, he’s been committed to the Warm Springs population and Warm Springs Elementary School.”
Jefferson County School District made news when the schools didn’t meet AYP progress reports, or when the middle school was placed on a persistently dangerous watch list by the Oregon Department of Education a couple of years ago. Those are the times, both Sanders and Earnest said, when it’s important to have a sense of perspective.
“Laws have come and gone. Education policies have come and gone,” Earnest said. “As long as our schools are making progress every year, in this district we can’t simply make progress like Lake Oswego, or Bend. Our socio-economics are not in our favor. But it’s the card we’re dealing with. I don’t think the playing field is level with NCLB. But you know what? That’s the playing field. It’s the card you were dealt and you do the best you can.”
Sanders said he would like to see the grade point average for American Indian students rise, and he would like to see 100 percent of the students go on to college. He believes someday that will happen. But, he said, there are a few things that need to be understood about Jefferson County.
“You have to look at the big picture,” Sanders said.
“The general trend toward academic achievements of Native Americans, and I’m a Native American and I know the problems we have there with education … we’re moving in the direction to where we’re competitive,” he said.
“The crime rate on the reservation is a lot higher than the national average. So, when you get a Native American to school, their focus isn’t always on education. Sometimes it’s where am I going to get my next meal, or how mom and dad are in jail, or how come the living conditions are equivalent to a third world country.”
Lyle Rehwinkel, who is currently the third most experienced board member, after Sanders and Earnest, with four years, said both members bring “old-time wisdom” to the board.
“Sometimes we would get all excited and think things were a big deal, and they would say, ‘calm down, this happens,’” Rehwinkel said.
Cindy Harris, who has been the executive assistant to the board since 1991, said she watched both board members make tough and sometimes unpopular decisions with grace.
“When Steve made a decision it was because he felt it was the right thing to do,” she said. “And sometimes that wasn’t always so easy. … And Jeff had a great love and concern for all the children, especially Warm Springs children. He wanted to see that they were well-prepared for the global community. He was continually seeking to raise their achievement level and calling the administration to task to do so.”
The future
This year, as school districts across the state face devastating cuts, the Jefferson County School District will cut $1.5 million from the budget. The cuts still hurt, but they aren’t as deep as other districts.
The reason, Earnest said, is because after Guy Fisher tendered his resignation due to his “management style,” the board hired Interim Superintendent Kay Baker. Who, Earnest said, was fantastic.
“You have got to hire good people,” Earnest said. “Then you have to let them do their job. You have to listen to them, you let them build their own team and you can’t meddle. If you don’t like how they are doing their job, you can’t do it for them. You stay out of their way. I can’t overemphasize the importance of hiring a good superintendent and letting them build their team.”
Sanders has a piece advice for the new board and other boards across the country as well.
“Communication,” Sanders said. “Communication is key.”
Lauren Dake can be reached at 541-419-8074 or at ldake@bendbulletin.com.
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