By CHRIS COLLINS

Of the Baker City Herald

Baker students have a few more days to enjoy their summer vacations, but their teachers and other school staff have returned to district buildings this week to prepare for the start of classes Sept. 2.

Because of an increase in the number of kindergarten students in the district, an additional half-time teacher has been added at Brooklyn Elementary School. Carolyn Parker, who had been scheduled to teach pre-kindergarten and kindergarten at Haines, instead will be at Brooklyn, said secretary Lorna Swiger.

Lori Sundblad will teach the eight pre-kindergartners and 12 kindergartners at Haines this year, according to secretary Linda Hatfield. The pre-kindergartners are being limited to eight and a waiting list has been made for other Haines-resident students, she said.

Sixth-graders also will be welcomed at Haines as well as at Keating Elementary this year. The students have transferred to Baker City schools in past years.

Five kindergartners are expected at the one-teacher Keating School this year five more than last year. Two sixth-graders also will be part of the 16 to 18 students taught by Kathy Shaw at Keating, said Debbie Radle, teachers assistant.

North Baker Elementary School students will have the largest number of new faces greeting them the first day, although teachers aren’t new to the district, said secretary Cindy Johansen.

Fawn Robertson will teach first grade; Brenda Payton, third grade; John Howlett, fifth grade; Sam Sullivan, sixth grade; and Laura Pointer, English as a Second Language. All taught at other Baker schools last year.

At the Baker Middle School, teachers are preparing for new programs for the coming year, said interim assistant principal Mindi Vaughan. Advisory classes, which had been offered in the past, have returned to the schedule this year.

The sessions will include character education and help students keep track of their assignments and grades, Vaughan said. Some clubs and other special programs will be offered during advisory sessions, as well.

A woodworking program, eliminated from the schedule because of staff reductions in past years, also will return to the middle school schedule this year. The program will be taught in the afternoons by Silas Turner, who has been hired half-time in the position, Vaughan said.

The school will offer a Teen Outreach Program to provide a transition from elementary school for some students. Dean Barnes of the Baker County Juvenile Department and Robert Jones, middle school special education teacher, will team teach the elective class, Vaughan said.

At Baker High School, Tish Bloomer is joining the Baker High School staff as a special education teacher. She replaces Michelle Zevely, who has been reassigned for the year to the district office as special education coordinator.

Two student teachers from Eastern Oregon University also will greet students at BHS. Eric Schwartz will work with music teachers Jeff Sizer and Tom Isaacson and Barbara Campbell will work with science teacher Sharon Defrees, said secretary Tally Newman.

Teachers and administrators are continuing to meet, plan and set up their rooms throughout the district today and Thursday. Friday is a break day and Monday is Labor Day. Classes will resume Tuesday.

Only Baker Middle School seventh-graders and Baker High School ninth-graders will arrive at their buildings for the first day to attend orientation sessions designed to help ease the transition to the new schools. All students will report for middle school and high school classes Wednesday.