Tag Archive for: Camas Schools

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Dozens Attend Camas School Board Meeting to Protest Teacher Layoffs

Camas, WA — Dozens of students, teachers, and parents gathered together Monday evening at the Camas School Board meeting to express their frustration, anger, and concerns about how budget cuts are affecting the Project Based Learning schools (Discovery and Odyssey). 

The attendees heard from school board members about the agony of the cuts, with Board member Connie Hennessey saying “we are short staffed, and we have to cut, it’s a horrible position to be in … it sucks, basically. It’s not a fun time.”

Using the public comments time during CSD’s regular board meeting, students expressed what is happening to their schools, and are worried about the future. 

This video contains an explanation about the cuts from Hennessey and fellow Board member, Cory McEnry, as well as public comments from multiple students. 

Please watch the video report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S03LB1l5xa4

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Discovery, Odyssey Students Walk Out in Protest of CSD Staff Cuts Totaling 47

Camas, WA — About 125 local Project-Based Learning (PBL) students walked out of their classrooms today to protest staffing cuts at both Discovery High and Odyssey Middle Schools, which may total 20 percent of their respective staffs.

The students have expressed their concerns throughout the week, first by speaking up at Monday’s Camas School Board meeting, rallying, and participating in today’s walkout. They initially gathered in front of the Discovery High School, then marched down the school’s long driveway to have their signs visible to passersby.

Camas School District (CSD) is grappling with a $7.4 million deficit, and today CSD Superintendent, Dr. John Anzalone, released a statement to parents on how these cuts will be made to balance the budget.

To balance the $7.4 million deficit, CSD will draw down $1.8 million from reserves, layoff 10 district wide employees ($1.9 million), let go of eight school-wide support staff that are non-classroom ($1.9 million), and layoff 29 classroom teachers ( eight elementary, nine middle school, and 12 high school) totaling $2.6 million. Anazlone said their priority was to do as little disruption to classroom experiences as possible. 

Students
Students protest against looming staff cuts at Discovery and Odyssey.

CSD explained why this situation has happened. In their statement, they said the following:

The shift in public education funding prompted by the McCleary Decision in 2018 has been quite a journey for our state and public school system. Five years later, expenses continue to outpace revenues, and our district anticipates a $7.4M shortfall.

Four key factors are at play: declining regionalization funding, the prototypical school funding model (McCleary), a dramatic enrollment drop, and the sunset of COVID Relief Funding:

1. Regionalization factors were put in place to adjust funding based on the cost of living in different communities. Factors for a handful of districts began declining in 2020-21 at a rate of 1% per year. It is unclear why this is the case. Camas is the only district in the ESD 112 region that experienced this reduction. The annual decreases are counter-intuitive, given that the cost per employee continues to rise and the cost of living in Camas continues to increase.

2. In the state’s prototypical school funding model, funding for staff relies on an experience factor average, not actual experience. Because most of our teachers have many years of experience and are, therefore, near the top of the pay scale, Camas fared better in the previous funding model, which funded districts based on their teaching staff’s actual years of experience and education level.

3. From March 2020 to February 2023, our student enrollment dropped from 7,262 to 6,973 (FTE*), primarily due to COVID, while our staffing levels have remained relatively unchanged.

4. COVID Relief Funds, including Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER), food service, and enrollment and transportation stabilization, total $10.8M to date. These funds, which are nearly expended, provided temporary relief and will not be reinstated going forward.

Students
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Camas School Board Votes to Begin Layoff Process; Cites $7.4 Million Deficit

Camas, WA — At Monday’s Camas School District’s (CSD) Board meeting, the five-member board voted unanimously to begin a district-wide layoff process by ratifying Resolution No. 22-04, a Modified Educational Program.

CSD has been working for months analyzing where to make budget cuts to bridge at $7.4 million budget deficit. Monday’s vote gives the CSD cabinet the authority to formally begin the process to make those cuts, which will include layoffs to certificated, classified and administrative employees.

This is the board’s resolution:

WHEREAS, the Camas School District No. 117 (“District”) faces financial issues due to inflation, increased staffing costs, reductions in enrollment and the state funding model;

WHEREAS, all general fund cash reserves and contingency funds have been considered for use by the Board;

WHEREAS, the District formed the Superintendent Budget Committee, sought input from and conferred both collectively and individually with the Camas Education Association (“CEA”), Public School Employees (“PSE”), Camas Association of Educational Office Professionals (“CAEOP”), building administrators, unrepresented employees, and other community stakeholders;

WHEREAS, the District will identify all persons within the CEA, PSE, CAEOP, building administration & unrepresented employees who willingly will agree to a Reduction in Force through resignations, leaves of absence and/or retirement;

WHEREAS, unless corrected, budget and cash flow analysis by the District anticipates a budget deficit of approximately $7.4 million for the 2023-2024 school year;

WHEREAS, the District has determined that unreserved/unassigned cash reserve of approximately $1.4 million should be budgeted for the 2023-2024 school year.

WHEREAS, the Superintendent has recommended that the Board adopt a Modified Educational Program.

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by the Board of Directors of Camas School District No. 117 as follows:

  1. The Superintendent is directed to implement a Modified Educational Program; and 
  2. The Superintendent is directed to prepare a 2023-2024 operating budget that reduces expenditures nearly to the level of reasonably anticipated revenues and reasonably available fund balance, subject to unreserved/unassigned cash reserve limitations noted above; and 
  3. The Superintendent is directed to take such action as may be required by law to notify certificated, classified, and administrative employees who will be affected by reductions in positions; and 
  4. The Superintendent is authorized to make such other plans to implement the reduced educational program as are necessary to comply with the legal obligations of the District. 

RESOLUTION adopted this 27 day of March, 2023.

Board members are: Connie Hennessey, Corey McEnry, Erika Cox, Tracey Malone, and Bamini Pathmanathan

The Camas Education Association (CEA), who represents a majority of certificated teachers, responded with this statement:

On March 27, the School Board passed Board Resolution 22-04.  The title of the resolution is “Modified Educational Program.”

The resolution is more commonly known as the RIF (Reduction in Force) Resolution, which directs the Superintendent to begin the process of laying off staff, thereby reducing the amount of support our students receive at school.

During the Public Comments portion of last night’s meeting, CEA Vice President Michael Sanchez urged the Board to reconsider any and all cuts.

Along with the rest of the community, the Camas Education Association is saddened to hear that this resolution unanimously passed.  Cuts always mean that our students are the ones who ultimately suffer the most.

Last night’s meeting was standing room only, with many first-time attendees.  These attendees aren’t necessarily familiar with the machinations of school budgets, and they’re certainly not as up-to-speed as those who deal with this on a regular basis.  

Customarily, members of the Board will discuss among themselves the Motion to adopt a resolution of this magnitude.  

At least, Board members should.  

However, at last night’s meeting, the Board did not see fit to offer any sort of rationale that would be entered into the public record.  For the many people who were attending their very first Board meeting and were there to advocate for their schools, they heard ZERO discussion from their School Board that evening regarding the RIF Resolution. 

CEA finds this especially galling, especially from a District that claims to value transparency.  

The School Board missed an important opportunity to provide those observing the proceedings with insight as to how they arrived at their decision.

We hope that in the future, the School Board will take the time to give even the most perfunctory statements the next time they make decisions with such far reaching consequences. 

-The Camas Education Association Executive Board

Layoff notices will be distributed before this school year ends.

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Camas School District: Hayes Freedom High School Not Closing

Camas, WA — In response to social media posts about local teachers, parents and supporters rallying to save Hayes Freedom School from the chopping block, Camas School District (CSD) Superintendent, Dr. John Anzalone, issued a clarifying statement Wednesday afternoon to parents. 

The Camas Education Association (CEA), the local teacher’s union, rallied supporters beginning Tuesday night to meet at next Monday’s CSD School Board meeting to express their support of Hayes and the work they do there. They had received credible information that closing Hayes was part of a broader cost cutting measure to save the district $6 million.

“I was able to get more information and the proposal was to move Hayes and merge it with Discovery, not ‘close’ the program,” said Marci Zabel, CEA President. “While I understand that is good for business, that would not be good for the population of students served at Hayes Freedom HS. No decision has been made as of yet, it is an option they are considering. We will continue to push our members and community members to urge the CSD School Board to keep HFHS where it is and come up with another solution that does not have such a negative impact on students.”  

In today’s statement, Anzalone said the following:

“We are aware of posts and comments on social media implying that Hayes Freedom High School will be closed due to impending budget cuts. This information is false, and I’d like to clarify our process and outline our budget development timeline. 

“We mentioned in our communication on February 1, 2023, that our leadership team is examining ways to reduce our budget by a target of $6 million, representing 5% of our budget. One of many options under consideration is looking for ways to share staffing among our smaller, choice high schools: Camas Connect Academy, Discovery High School, and Hayes Freedom High School. I want our community to know that we will not eliminate any of our high schools during this arduous budget process, and Hayes Freedom High School will not be relocated. 

“Our exploration and planning, which are still in development, will include reductions at the central office, building administration, classified staff, and certificated staff. In order to minimize impacts on students, we will first focus reductions on district office personnel and building administration.

“As we continue to examine possible areas for reductions, these principles will help guide decisions, including reducing staff positions and programs. Each principle is just one lens; we acknowledge that some may create tension when put up against others.

  • We will continue to use Seeing and Serving EACH Student as a guide and filter.
  • We will reduce or delay non-employee-related costs first.
  • For each reduction, we will consider the impact on students, particularly those with the highest needs.
  • Whenever possible, we will use attrition and consider not filling vacant positions.
  • We will look at our current initiatives and consider which are having the most impact on learning.
  • We will consider reductions that create closer alignment with the state’s prototypical school funding model.
  • We will focus on additional operational efficiencies and consider what the impacts would be.”

The following represents a general budget and staffing timeline, said Anzalone:

  • Late February to early March – Possible board resolution to reduce the budget by $6M. There would be no specificity regarding how the reductions are made. This is the formal first step in the budget reduction process.
  • Mid-March – First round of staffing cuts announced
  • End of March – Target date to notify all impacted staff
  • May 15 – Contractual deadline to notify impacted certificated staff
  • June 1 – Contractual deadline to notify impacted classified staff
Hayes
This is the graphic used in social media posts to support Hayes Freedom.
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Camas School Board Appoints Anazlone As New Superintendent

Camas, WA — The Camas School Board met Wednesday night in special session and unanimously voted to appoint John Anazalone, Ed.D as the new superintendent for Camas School District, administration officials said this afternoon.

Pending contract negotiations, Anzalone will take the helm at Camas School District on July 1, 2022. 

Anzalone is currently an assistant superintendent for Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada. On Tuesday, board President Tracey Malone and Board member Erika Cox visited Anzalone’s district to meet with staff and get a feel for Anzalone’s leadership style and reputation among his peers. 

“It was clear that the staff hold John in high regard. We were impressed with how John is able to support and nurture school communities in such a large system with a wide range of diversity and needs,” said Board President Tracey Malone. “Although we are a much smaller system, we feel like John has the experience and the heart to lead our district.” 

“I very much appreciate the time Tracey and Erika took to visit and get to know the district that supported me for many years,” said Anzalone. “I firmly believe that creating strong, personal connections with students and staff members is how we make a larger district feel small and a smaller district feel like family.” 

Anzalone was named as an assistant superintendent for Clark County School District in 2021, and he has 16 years of experience in school administration at both middle and high school levels in his current system. He holds a doctorate from Walden University and a master’s from the University of Phoenix. 

“As we head into the new year, I plan to visit Camas often to start creating those connections to hit the ground running on July 1,” Anzalone said. 

“This has been quite a journey, and we are thankful for the hundreds of people, including staff, students, parents, and community members who helped us make this decision,” added Malone. “We are excited for the next chapter in Camas School District’s story and for John to help us write it.”

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EDUCATION: Q&A With Camas Schools Superintendent, Dr. Jeff Snell

Camas, WA — Several days ago, Dr. Jeff Snell, Superintendent of Camas School District, announced he accepted an offer to lead Vancouver Schools. Snell answered several questions about his tenure and what to expect going forward.

Question: When will you start your new job as Vancouver Schools Superintendent?

Answer: July 1.

Question: What appeals to you about Vancouver Schools?

Answer: I started my career there, and spent 15 years and when you’re in a relationship business and you spend that much time with people those relationships don’t go away. There’s work that I still want to be a part of. There are things we can do better on behalf of students. I’ve been very fortunate in Camas to learn about all aspects of an organization and that happens when you’re in a smaller district so I’m excited to apply that learning.  People reached out and said I’d be a good fit there in Vancouver and I’m humbled to have this opportunity.  It was the right time to consider something, and it’s been a whirlwind and also bittersweet. I love Camas and I love this community. 

Question: What are some of the challenges you will face at Vancouver Schools?

Answer: Similar challenges as we deal with the pandemic. The way we’ve served students has had to change so dramatically and there have been challenges for kids, staff, and families.   All schools want every kid to be successful so the challenges are similar to what we face in Camas.  How do we empower staff to create conditions for students to be excited about learning and be their best? So pandemic response is priority number one. 

Some other priorities I identified in the selection process and what they shared with me is they want a more collaborative culture and a focus on student equity. 

Question: What do you mean by student equity?

Student equity means that we shouldn’t be able to predict a student’s success based on their race, gender or economic/social status. It’s about the opportunities we create. Our society needs every child ready to contribute as young adults. 

For me, I really try to start and stop with student voice. Ask students what is working for them, what’s not working for them. In Camas, we’ve done a lot of that. That empowers a community so I’d like to continue that practice moving forward.

Question: When did you begin your tenure as Camas Superintendent?

Answer: 2016.

Question: How long were you Assistant Superintendent?

Answer: 2011.

Question: You’ve dealt with heavy issues like the teacher’s strike, the Liza Sejkora situation, and a yearlong pandemic. What’s been your legacy at CSD? What have you learned?

Answer: I learned that you need a great school board that’s really committed to the community, that doesn’t have an ego, and wants the best for the children and families they serve. We are blessed in Camas to have a school board that has consistently been that way. They focus on how we best raise our children in this community. We have gone through many crises. This last year has been significant for everyone. Consistent leadership from a school board is critical and we’ve been fortunate to have it in Camas for a long time. I know this year has been hard for people.  I really challenge people to appreciate their school board; they really want what is best for everyone and volunteer as leaders.

We have a really talented staff in Camas and I have been so fortunate to work with these amazing people for 10 years.  They’ve done so many great things for kids. I am grateful to a community that supports its schools and rallies around each other.  I’m grateful to our amazing students.  I learn something from them every day.  I’m proud of being able to be a part of this district. 

Question: What’s it been like to work with parents and all their concerns?

Answer: Why are people passionate about this issue about our pandemic response? They love their family. They want what’s best for their students. They care about each other. They want to be safe.  These core values have sometimes come in conflict during the pandemic because we can’t adequately address them all at the same time. I’ve had to sacrifice some relationships with people because my family wellbeing has been a priority, and I know others have had to make these really difficult decisions in working through their core values of safety, friendship, and family.  Regarding stakeholders that are frustrated or upset about the decisions our district has made, I’m grateful they trust me enough to be honest with me and share their concerns. I think about why the reason for why they share with me and it is because they love their kids; they love their spouse and want their spouse to be safe at work. They want the best for their kids and their families.  When you are genuine about that people know. The majority of people are appreciative of that.  We may not always agree on whatever the next step is, but we do have common ground about the care we have for our families, community and hopefully each other. 

Question: What’s happening with getting vaccines to Camas teachers?

Answer: It’s a really good situation now, as the Governor’s proclamation is making this a priority and community health providers have been amazing. We think we will have everyone who wants to be vaccinated, vaccinated by spring break.  

Question: Given the decreased enrollment, issues parents have with so many teachers, and the curricula, is public education in a free fall? Or is this a bump in the road?

Answer: Our student enrollment has been very consistent over a long period of time (Enrollment data).  With that consistency in mind, what might be causes for a drop in enrollment this year?  I think the natural conclusion is the impact of the pandemic.  Our world has changed pretty dramatically in a lot of different ways including public education.  Bumpy moments like navigating pandemics create great opportunities to innovate for the future.  I believe public education will be stronger on the other side of the pandemic.

Question: What are the priorities of the next CSD administration? How will the next Superintendent be selected?

Answer: Those are questions that our school board will be working towards in the coming months.  We have been working towards a strategic plan for 2025 which the Citizen Advisory Committee spent the last several years drafting and the board has reviewed several times this year.  There is still some fine tuning needed as the district moves forward.

Snell
Camas School Board.

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Camas School Board Report: CHS To Begin Hybrid In-Class Learning March 8

Camas, WA — Camas School District (CSD) Superintendent Dr. Jeff Snell said schools continue to open up to in-class learning as COVID-19 cases numbers continue to drop across Clark County. The public also learned CSD is facing a $3.5 million shortfall this fiscal year.

“Clark County Health Department will release the latest COVID-19 data for this week later today with rates expected to be below 150 new cases per 100,000 population,” he said today. “This number indicates that Clark County continues to be in the “moderate’ risk level for a fourth consecutive week. This is good news and reinforces the importance of our COVID countermeasures as across the region we’ve added in-person learning experiences for our students and county rates have continued to drop.”

The school board reviewed COVID-19 level data and the current Reopening Plan again on February 22 and made the following decisions around elementary and high school transition timing and programming.

Elementary: At our elementary schools, instruction will move away from a 2-day hybrid Cohort A/B model to 4-day, in-person instruction on March 22, which aligns closely with the end of the trimester. Schools will still be following the 6 foot istancing requirement, masking, and other countermeasure strategies. Staff will be looking at how to maximize classroom and school space. In certain cases, additional staff may need to be hired to support smaller groups of students. Families who indicate a desire for on-site learning will have students attending on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays will continue to be remote learning days and also used by staff to support planning for both on-site and remote learners.

High School: With cases of COVID-19 in Clark County below 200 cases per 100,000 over 14 days, our high schools will have in-person orientation/small group activities during the week of March 1, and we will begin 2-day, hybrid instruction beginning March 8. Students will have a Cohort A/B model. Note: Hayes Freedom High School is already in a hybrid model.

Budget

Business Services Director Jasen McEathron gave a monthly budget status report indicating we are trending to end the fiscal year with a $3.5 million shortfall largely due to the pandemic. There are still many variables at play in the 2020-21 budget including Federal and State relief funding and how that might impact us in Camas. 

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www.clarkcountyrelocations.com

Social-Emotional Learning

Assistant Superintendent Lisa Greseth and Helen Baller Principal Melissa Hutton were on hand to share an update on the social-emotional wellbeing of our students. District-level data was shared from our second student survey. Highlights for our students were in the areas of supportive relationships with staff and at home, and opportunities for growth in the way we help support emotion regulation for our students. Principal Hutton gave specific examples of how a school uses the data as part of the overall school plan for social-emotional learning and support. 

Becky Stauffer

CSD digital automation specialist Becky Stauffer received the 2021 Laserfiche K-12 Education Impact Award at this year’s virtual Laserfiche Empower Conference.

This award recognizes influential industry leaders who exemplify leadership within the Laserfiche community and empower others to drive transformation within their organizations. Congratulations Becky!

Noah Christensen

CHS junior Noah Christensen was honored with an MTP award by Coach Jones. Noah has grown a lot over his years at Camas, in all facets. One of the biggest ways in which he’s grown is by not being too proud to ask for help when he feels himself getting out of sorts.

“Noah displays good leadership qualities on the football field and in the classroom and he’s just a really fun young man to get to work with and coach,” stated Coach Jones. Great work, Noah!

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Open Camas Schools Group to Hold 2nd Rally, ZOOM Blackout Thursday

Camas, WA — Parents and students in the Camas School District are holding their second rally along with a ZOOM classroom blackout December 17 to once again ask the district to open Camas Schools to wider in-class instruction. 

This Thursday, December 17 at 3:30 pm (setup at 3 pm), parents and students will meet in front of the Camas School District office located at 841 NE 22nd Avenue and at 4 pm march to 5th Avenue and proceed down 4th and 3rd Avenues. 

Andrea Seeley, one of the event’s organizers, said “the group is gathering in a safe, socially distanced manner aimed at sending a message to the Camas School District that we want our students to have the choice to be back in school, in person. We are marching in solidarity with other Clark County school districts (Hockinson, Ridgefield, Evergreen and Vancouver) on the same day to their respective district offices.”

Seeley added: “We believe our teachers and our schools are essential and that kids need and deserve the option to return to in-person learning. On this day, December 17, our students will not be engaging in any classwork, attending any ZOOM classes or doing homework.”

Heather Deringer, who is also helping with the rally, said parents and students of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend, wearing masks and with their own homemade signs. 

The group has partnered with several local businesses to set up stations to sign petitions for a return to a broader in-person learning option. Currently, Camas School District has about 600 students in the classroom. Petitions will be set up at Hidden River Roasters (536 NE 5th Ave), A Beer at a Time (216 NE 3rd Ave), Camas Barber Shop (214 NE 4th Ave), Squeeze and Grind (537 Cedar St) and Salud (224 NE 3rd Ave). 

“We encourage the community to sign the petition and order takeout at these businesses at the same time, supporting our local community during the recent extension of the shutdown in Washington State,” said Seeley.

The Open Camas Schools group cites a growing body of evidence at the national and state levels, including the Director of the CDC, UNICEF and Dr. Anthony Fauci, who  have all stated that schools are the safest place for kids to be. 

“Washington State School Superintendent, Chris Reykdal, recently acknowledged the failure of distance learning to appropriately engage students,” said Seely. “Numerous research studies around the world have documented the alarming rise of depression, anxiety, suicide, alcohol and substance abuse, domestic violence and child abuse as a strong driving factor that support the return of children to in-person learning.  The skyrocketing number of failing kids is a trend that needs to be addressed differently and immediately. Other Washington state school districts and private schools within the state where COVID case numbers are similar are open to in-person learning and are providing good models for moving ahead safely and effectively.”

Today, Governor Inslee encouraged school districts statewide to start re-opening.

“Now that we have a better understanding of how the disease spreads and have developed health and safety protocols specific to schools, we are in a better position, we have more confidence when it comes to phased-in, in-person learning,” he said.

Inslee said that while he does have the ability to close schools for emergencies, he does “not have the statutory authority to make them reopen.”

He is, however, hoping that these new recommendations will give school districts the confidence to begin in-class instruction.

Open
Open Camas Schools rally on Everett several weeks ago.

Inslee’s new reopening guidelines include the following:

  • Districts where COVID cases are less than 50 residents per 100,000 people: In-person learning should be made available to all students.
  • Districts where COVID cases are between 50 and 350 residents per 100,000 people: Districts are encouraged to phase in in-person learning, starting with elementary and middle school students.
  • Districts where COVID cases are greater than 350 per 100,000 people: Districts are encouraged to bring elementary students “and those with the highest needs” back into classrooms in small groups of 15 or fewer.

Clark County has 450 cases per 100,000.

The Washington Education Association (WEA) issued a statement following Inslee’s announcement that said:

“The trust and confidence that we can safely return to school is something that must be earned. It would have been easier to build that trust with educators with more communications in advance from the Governor about these pending changes.

“We agree with the Governor that the spotlight should be on L&I safety requirements, which are key for building trust with educators, students and families. Districts must meet those requirements on day one. We need to know that there is adequate PPE, distancing, ventilation, an active and trained safety committee in each building, effective plans for contact tracing, testing and clear communications regarding protocols for what happens when a case is detected in school.

“Implementing these guidelines in areas where school is still remotely operating will take time. We are concerned that the way these changes were rolled out implies that school can resume before there is time to put these safety measures in place.

WEA’s focus will be to advocate that these requirements are fully in place before any expansion of in-person teaching and learning.”

The Open Camas Schools group feels they represent many students.

“Students are not being heard,” said Seeley. “Their pleas to return to school and resume extracurricular activities fall on deaf ears as administrators from school districts to teacher’s unions to health districts all seem to want to point fingers in other directions without taking responsibility. Nobody is asking students what they need or listening to their voices. Open Camas Schools believes that the district needs to put the students first.  We are hopeful that Dr. Snell will renew his focus on the Camas School District and its students, teachers and staff. Our hope with the event is to keep the focus on putting ALL kids first.”

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Rally and march map.
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Annual Stuff The Bus Event Changes With COVID Restrictions

Washougal and Camas, WA — The 14th annual Stuff The Bus event is happening now through December 11, and the need is greater than ever, say event organizers. 

The primary beneficiary, Children’s Home Society, is serving 350 families a month, which is about 100 more families than a year ago. Children’s Home Society is also serving local families through the backpack program.

“We’ve had to come up with a new plan,” said Stuff The Bus organizer, Tabitha Shaffer. “All schools in Washougal and Camas are allowing anyone to drop off food at the schools during normal business hours. You may also drop off food at the Camas Fire Department (Station 42) on Parker Street.”

What type of food is needed?

Non-perishable canned food, such as fruits, vegetables, stew, beans, and soup. They need cereal (small boxes), oatmeal, peanut butter, tuna fish, canned meats, such as SPAM, ham, etc. Spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, individual sized apple sauce, Mac and cheese, rice.

The C.A.R.O.L. Program works hard every year to serve 150 families each Christmas, which includes serving dinner, extra food, and presents.

Cash donations are also accepted via www.donatetostuffthebus.com

Under normal circumstances, students from both school districts participate by gathering donated food from all schools, and then distribute that food to various charitable organizations, such as Children’s Home Society, C.A.R.O.L., and American Legion Skamania County.

Key Stuff The Bus sponsors are: Long Building Technologies, Dan Jones Conveyor, and Caliber Home Loans.

Builder
www.clarkcountyrelocations.com

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Camas Schools: 6 Staff Members COVID-19 Positive; No Outbreaks At Schools

Camas, WA — Camas School District (CSD) Superintendent Dr. Jeff Snell confirms that six staff members have been infected with COVID-19, but “there have been no outbreaks at schools or other facilities.” 

He said the district provides an updated dashboard, which is emailed to parents.

“… It references our COVID-19 dashboard which shows any cases we’ve had and resulting quarantines,” he said.

The latest update says that district currently serves 600 students in-person.

UPDATE: Transition to Increased, In-Person Learning Experiences

Camas School District has issued the following statement:

Our trend of high COVID-19 activity levels has continued which is extremely frustrating as it delays our full-hybrid transition.  Despite the trends, we have been able to safely and successfully grow the number of small group learning experiences for students this fall.  These small groups have focused on students who receive special services, our youngest learners, and students with significant struggles in the remote learning model for various reasons.  Serving small groups of students on campus aligns with the Washington Department of Health (WA DOH) recommendations for high COVID-19 activity level.  An important reason for our success has been the ability of staff to implement the five mitigation strategies from the CDC that include the following.

  • Consistent and correct use of masks
  • Social distancing to the largest extent possible
  • Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
  • Cleaning and disinfection
  • Contact tracing in collaboration with the local health department
COVID-19
www.resultsfitnesstraining.com

With the scheduled start of kindergarten in small groups next week CSD will continue to expand the number of students experiencing some type of in-person learning experience. The plan is to build on this success and continue to increase in-person experiences cautiously and thoughtfully through small groups of students.  

Approximate # of Students Served Through In-Person ExperiencesPercentage of Total Enrollment
Summer 20202003%
September 20203004%
October 20206009%

The CSD statement continues:

Current guidelines recommend to wait to transition to a full hybrid learning model (in-person and remote learning experiences for K5 and secondary students) until our COVID-19 activity level is in the moderate range.  Given the current rates, the soonest this could be possible is the week of 11/30 for our elementary students.  As we get further into the 2020-21 school year more data is becoming available about transmission rates in schools.  In a recent article from the Seattle Times (Early data suggests some schools can safely reopen, Washington state health officials say) the WA DOH was cited in reference to this data and in-person learning experiences.  We recognize how important these experiences are for our students and will consider adjustments to our reopening plans to align with any updated guidance from public health.  

This has been such a challenging time for students, staff and families to navigate. We understand and appreciate all of the concerns that come up in managing risks and making decisions as to the best course for each student, their families, staff, and our entire community.  We have scheduled another Town Hall for November 16th from 6 – 7 PM to share updates and answer questions.  ZOOM Information to come.

The public can view all details of their transition plan including timelines, resources, past notifications, presentations, and a COVID-19 dashboard that tracks COVID-19 cases in Camas School District at http://www.camas.wednet.edu/covid-19/2020-reopening/. 

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