Our Founding Group
Most of the founders of the Nord Country School are members of the Nord Cana Community Association, an organization that represents the interests of the community surrounding Nord located near Chico, California.
Over many years the Nord Cana Community Association has supported Nord School; therefore when the Chico Unified School Board voted to close the Nord School, these people came together with the parents and staff at the Nord School to form a charter school. The founding group wants to make sure that families have the option to attend a small neighborhood school instead of being bussed to a large school.
Many of the families with students are low income and belong to a minority ethnic group. All the parents of the students at the school expressed their wishes to attend the small neighborhood school instead of being bussed to a large school.
As a charter school, the Nord Country School welcomes all students whose families share this vision of education. The vision of the founding group is to provide a quality basic education for students in a small rural school which provides a safe, respectful, nurturing and supportive learning environment. Their past support for Nord School is evidence of their sincere commitment to the charter school project.
Over many years the Nord Cana Community Association has supported Nord School; therefore when the Chico Unified School Board voted to close the Nord School, these people came together with the parents and staff at the Nord School to form a charter school. The founding group wants to make sure that families have the option to attend a small neighborhood school instead of being bussed to a large school.
Many of the families with students are low income and belong to a minority ethnic group. All the parents of the students at the school expressed their wishes to attend the small neighborhood school instead of being bussed to a large school.
As a charter school, the Nord Country School welcomes all students whose families share this vision of education. The vision of the founding group is to provide a quality basic education for students in a small rural school which provides a safe, respectful, nurturing and supportive learning environment. Their past support for Nord School is evidence of their sincere commitment to the charter school project.
Mr. John Dahlgren
CAD Teacher, Butte College
Mr. Ernest Dalton
BS University of California, Berkeley, Plant Science
Substitute instructional aide and volunteer garden grant writer at Nord Elementary School
Substitute instructional aide and volunteer garden grant writer at Nord Elementary School
Mr. Robert Hennigan
BA Liberal Arts, CSU San Jose, Teaching Credential
Commercial Pilot
Agribusiness man
Commercial Pilot
Agribusiness man
Mrs. Barbara Hennigan
Master in Library Science, University of Pittsburgh, Researcher
Mrs. Junell Lawrence
Small School Office Manager for six years
Four years experience assistant manager of Wards
Foster parent for nine years
Instructional aide for CUSD for four years
Publicity manager for Wings of Eagles for two years
Mother of 4 children who graduated from Nord School
Four years experience assistant manager of Wards
Foster parent for nine years
Instructional aide for CUSD for four years
Publicity manager for Wings of Eagles for two years
Mother of 4 children who graduated from Nord School
Mr. Luke Messenger
BA Industrial Arts, CSU Humboldt
General Contractor
Owns property adjacent to Nord Country School
Father of one Nord Country School graduate and one Nord School graduate
General Contractor
Owns property adjacent to Nord Country School
Father of one Nord Country School graduate and one Nord School graduate
Mrs. Donna Messenger
BS Speech Pathology, CSU Chico
Account Technician
Mother of two children, one Nord Country School graduate and one Nord School graduate
Account Technician
Mother of two children, one Nord Country School graduate and one Nord School graduate
Mr. Edgar Oviedo
AS Electrical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno
Agribusiness man
Volunteered to make Stone Soup at Nord Country School
Father of two children who attended Nord School and who are both college graduates
Agribusiness man
Volunteered to make Stone Soup at Nord Country School
Father of two children who attended Nord School and who are both college graduates
Mrs. Catherine Oviedo
BA Spanish, University of Nevada, Reno
Teaching Credentials: Single Subject in Spanish & English, Multiple Subject, Language Specialist
Retired teacher (Elementary School, High School, Junior College)
Teaching Credentials: Single Subject in Spanish & English, Multiple Subject, Language Specialist
Retired teacher (Elementary School, High School, Junior College)
Mr. James Paiva
Agribusiness man
Owner/Operator of Paiva Hulling and Shelling and River West Processing
Thirty years in agriculture
Parent of two children who attended Nord School and two grandchildren who attended Nord Country School
Owner/Operator of Paiva Hulling and Shelling and River West Processing
Thirty years in agriculture
Parent of two children who attended Nord School and two grandchildren who attended Nord Country School
Mrs. Shelly Paiva
Mother of two children who attended Nord Country School
Mr. Roy Roney
Agribusiness man, alumni of Nord School
Parent of one child who attended Nord School and graduated from college
Parent of one child who attended Nord School and graduated from college
Mrs. Emma Roney
Past School Board Member of the Nord School District
Retired counselor and teacher of 20 years from CUSD
Parent of three children and one grandchild that graduated from Nord School
Retired counselor and teacher of 20 years from CUSD
Parent of three children and one grandchild that graduated from Nord School
Dr. John Worden, PhD.
PhD from University of Southern California
Retired Professor, CSU Chico
Retired Professor, CSU Chico
Mrs. Marcia Worden
BA University of California, Berkeley
Retired elementary school teacher
Retired elementary school teacher