Tag Archive for: Schools

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Washougal School Board Approves Purchase of Land For Future School Site 

Washougal, WA — At their October 22, 2024 board meeting, the Washougal School District Board of Directors approved the purchase of a parcel of land to be used as a future school site. The property purchase will use $1,025,000 in funds, based on an appraisal, collected through impact fees on development in the community.

The parcel, located south of SE 20th Street near 340th Avenue, will not be immediately developed.  

“Purchasing the land now allows the district secure a school site that may not be available when it will be needed in the future, when the population of Washougal is expected to be higher,” said Interim Superintendent Aaron Hansen.   

Board President Sadie McKenzie said, “this is a beautiful part of the district, and securing the 31 acres of land now lets us be ready for future growth in the community. Board members have visited the site and concluded it will serve the district well in the future when we need it.”

Board member Jim Cooper stated that the land purchase shows that, “the board is looking out decades, not for what we need next year.” 

Hansen noted that, “the current option agreement expires at the end of December, so it is time for the district to make this purchase. Purchasing the land at this time lets the district use the impact fee resources that are available now and restricted only for this type of use. This will allow the district to purchase the property while it is available and before the cost of the land goes up even further, which we have seen happen with other property.”

The land acquisition is planned for in the district’s current long range Capital Facilities Plan, but there is no plan to develop a school on this site during the current 6-year plan period. Development of the site will be addressed in future plans.

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Washougal SD Welcomes Jane Long as Newest School Board Member

Washougal School District’s newest school board member, Jane Long, was sworn into service at the September 10, 2024 board work session.  WSD Interim Superintendent Aaron Hansen administered the oath of office. 

Long was selected to represent Director District #2 through the end of 2025 when she may run for election to a four-year term if she chooses.

“I’m excited to be part of the board and to serve the community,” said Long. “Washougal has amazing teachers and excellent schools, and I want to use this position to continue to make sure our teachers and schools help every student succeed.”

Long has served as a class volunteer, ReadNW mentor, and been an active member of the boosters at the school her children attend. She has also served as a volunteer with local organizations serving youth. She brings professional experience working in human resources and budgeting.  

“We are excited to welcome Jane to the WSD Board of Directors,” said Hansen. “Her perspective as a current parent and volunteer with experience in our schools will be an incredible asset in serving the community as part of our school board.” 

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Washougal School District Counselors Find New Ways to Help Students

Washougal, WA — The roles of Washougal School District School Counselors have been altered during the pandemic, in the sense that the journey has changed, but not the destination. Their goal remains to build relationships with all students and families and provide children an outlet to be seen and heard.

“During a typical school year, I am able to see my students at any point throughout a school day, which makes it much easier to have quick check-ins, help problem solve in the moment, and to help students de-escalate and be in a state where they are ready to learn and engage with others,” explained Alysia Noriega, Hathaway Elementary School Counselor. “During remote learning, this is obviously much more difficult to do. While I am still able to connect with my students through many different means such as whole classroom lessons, small groups, and one-on-one, it takes much more coordination between myself, the student, and their families to make it happen.”

“Weekly lessons in social emotional learning are important at any time,” said Catherine Post, Gause Elementary School Counselor. “Right now, they are especially important because of the situation we are in. The lessons provide tools for students to utilize when they are struggling with our current schooling situation. These skills will also be of value when we are able to continue with in person learning again.”

It is important that every Washougal student has someone they feel comfortable with and can turn to in times of need. 

“By having these weekly lessons, I am guaranteed time with all my students,” said Noriega. “I can focus on continuing to build on the relationships I have already established with them, as well as develop relationships with our new Hathaway kiddos.” 

Additionally, it is important for students to spend time building social/emotional skills and language. Having a designated time each week to come together as a whole grade level and learn more about themselves and each other provides an enriching opportunity. 

“Because the students don’t have recess and other outlets for interacting with their peers, my lessons are a combination of check-in time to hear what everyone is doing and excited about, lessons from the district approved social emotional curriculum of Second Steps, and extra videos and games that apply to those lessons,” said Post. “The 30-minute sessions with each grade are very organic in feel. Each grade may need something different on any given day, so I remain flexible to let them have more or less of any of the lesson parts depending on how things go.”

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Noriega has a similar approach. 

“I have been able to do a variety of different lessons and activities with my students, and the focus of these lessons vary from week to week, and from grade level to grade level,” she explained. “Topics we have covered this year include coping strategies, problem solving, emotion regulation skills, growth mindset, friendship building, and bullying prevention.” To keep students engaged, Noriega keeps things as interactive and fun as possible, and often incorporates videos, games, drawing activities, read-alouds, and activities that allow them to move.

“This year has brought on a host of different challenges that we didn’t know we would have to endure,” admits Noriega. “I believe one of students’ greatest challenges during this time is not having access to a learning environment that is consistent and structured. As a parent myself, I know how difficult it can be to balance my own work while also helping my kids with their schooling.”

For students to fully engage with their work and get the most out of their school days, it is helpful for them to have a consistent routine, be in a place that is free of distractions, and to be spending an adequate amount of time each day working on academic-related activities. However, it can be difficult for some families to create this kind of environment at home, which can create challenges for our students’ success.

Amongst all the obstacles that this year has brought, Post and Noriega have been able to do their job in a meaningful, successful way. “One main area of success is that I have been able to build strong, positive, and unique relationships with all of my Hathaway students,” said Noriega.  “I have been able to do this not only through my weekly SEL zoom lessons, but also by hosting small lunch groups, working with students 1:1, doing home visits, and delivering personalized notes to students.” 

“This year I have seen success in getting students with barriers to connect with their teachers,” added Post. “I have seen kindergarteners learn how to be students. I have also worked with staff and talked with them about tools to help with their emotional health because we cannot help our students if we do not take care of ourselves. Our Gause students know we care about them, and that is the best feeling of success.”

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Camas Parents Seek Compromise, Better Dialogue With District to Open Schools

Four weeks into a mandated at-home public school learning environment, a growing number of Camas parents are working together and reaching out to Camas School District (CSD) administrators — and School Board members — to find solutions that will bring students back into the classroom as soon as possible.

These parents, led by Bill Criddle and Casey Taylor, have formed a Facebook group called Open Camas Schools, which now has more than 670 members.

“We formed this group as concerned Camas parents because of our desire to get our children back into the classroom as soon as possible,” said Criddle. “We feel our children are suffering academically and emotionally in this remote learning environment, and it’s also causing teachers to be overworked. It’s not a good situation. We feel like the school district administrators and School Board members are not listening to us or hearing our concerns so we’ve created a Facebook group to share our experiences to help create solutions that will get our children in the classroom sooner rather than later. Many other school districts in other states and counties with far worse COVID-19 case numbers have found practical and safe ways to return to school. We want CSD to listen and act.”

The group encourages open and civil discussion because they feel their children deserve to be in a better situation. The group has done extensive research with COVID-19 cases in similar districts in Washington and around the nation. 

Members cite Mead School District near Spokane that found a way to open up safely. They also see districts in Utah (Utah County) and Arizona of similar size, and with more than quadruple the COVID-19 cases operating using a hybrid model — half the time in school, half the time remote learning.

They said many school districts gave parents these options: 1) Attend school full-time; 2) Follow a hybrid model; and 3) At-home remote learning.

The group feels that CSD families were never given an option; they were simply mandated to have distance learning without having a voice.

As of Friday, Clark County Public Health reports that overnight 32 people have tested positive for COVID-19. To date, 3,298 Clark County residents have tested positive since March. Clark County currently has 163 active cases. The number of active cases reflects the number of confirmed cases who are currently in their isolation period. 

Presently, 25 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized in Clark County and 10 persons are under investigation for COVID-19 are hospitalized. Clark County has had 58 COVID-19 deaths.

By contrast, Spokane County has had 6,808 COVID-19 cases since March, and 168 COVID-19 related deaths. Spokane County has also reported more than 100 overnight COVID-19 cases over the last three days.

Mead School District reports one confirmed positive COVID-19 case at Midway Elementary School, with seven close contacts in quarantine, as of September 24. There are no reported cases in the district’s 14 other schools.

The group says the nationwide COVID-19 numbers show it’s possible to operate schools using a hybrid model, and they want a real explanation from CSD about why they’re not doing that now.

“We have created a set of questions that we are presenting to the CSD administration,” said Criddle. “To date all we’ve received are canned responses from Superintendent Jeff Snell, and absolutely no responses from School Board members.”

Snell said they are following Clark County Public Health guidelines for reopening schools.

“Twenty-five to 75 cases per 100,000 in the county is moderate,” said Snell. “And this is the window in which we can have a hybrid model. Anything below 25 is full onsite. But we have to meet that indicator over two to three weeks staying in the moderate range. After three weeks of staying in that range, we plan to sit down with public health, and the following week we would start K-5 in a hybrid model.”

The week of September 21, according to Clark County Public Health, the numbers spiked to 76.15 cases per 100,000, which puts the county back in the HIGH range, which comes with the following recommendation: “Distance learning with the option for limited in-person learning for students who need it most, such as children with disabilities and students living homeless. Sports and extracurricular activities postponed or canceled.”

The moderate range — 25 to 75 cases per 100,000 — has this health recommendation: “Distance learning with the option for limited in-person learning for students who need it most, such as children with disabilities and students living homeless. Gradual expansion of in-person education, beginning with elementary students. Over time, consider adding hybrid in-person learning for middle or high school students. Sports and extracurricular activities postponed or canceled. Consider low-risk activities when all students have some level of in-person learning.”

These CSD parents feel like their students may miss half or more of the school year, which includes sports, dances, academic contests, etc.

“So far, the dialogue has been constructive among Camas parents, and we have appreciated the responses,” said Criddle. “Now, we simply want them to hear us, work with us, and come up with a smart solution.”

To that end, the group has drafted these questions for CSD administration:

  1. What considerations have you made, what studies have been done or considered to estimate the specific educational / intellectual deterioration taking place in the minds of the kids by not attending in-person school? How have you determined this risk is less than the risk to our children attending in-person school now? (The longer this goes on the worse academic outcomes become for everyone. One of many studies and estimates: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/covid-19-and-student-learning-in-the-united-states-the-hurt-could-last-a-lifetime#)
  2. How many kids will drop out of school before we return or after as a result of how far they are getting behind? What is your estimate? How have you determined this risk is less than the risk to our children attending in-person school now?
  3. What considerations have you made, what studies have been done or considered to estimate specific mental, social and emotional damage being done to kids by not attending in-person school, participating in extracurricular activities, etc.? How have you determined this risk is less than the risk to our children attending in-person school now? (Current studies are showing the isolation of no school and perpetual lockdown is causing childhood depression and anxiety to skyrocket. Here is one of many articles – https://time.com/5870478/children-mental-health-coronavirus/)
  4. What considerations have you made, what studies have been done or considered to estimate the increase in violence against children being waged in the homes of Camas? How have you determined this risk is less than the risk to our children attending in-person school now? (We believe data shows that child abuse reports, which is often reported by teachers, nurses etc. is down 30% – 50% – One of many sources: https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200512/covid19-lockdown-increases-child-abuse-risk
  5. How many suicides have you considered may take place sometime this year as a result of the extended isolation many kids are feeling? What have you done to test or seek information on this? How have you determined this risk is less than the risk to our children attending in-person school now? (Childhood suicides could be going up with the isolation from school. One analysis from London: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-uk-child-suicide-mental-health-nhs-a9617671.html)
  6. Given that children contract COVID-19 at rates much lower than they contract the flu, that they pass it less easily or frequently to adults (teachers) and once having caught COVID-19 survive at much greater rates than they do versus contracting the seasonal flu, what studies, data, medical opinions are you basing your decision to not be convening in-person school today?

“We’ve been patient, but if these questions aren’t answered soon, and if we continued to be ignored by CSD administration and the School Board, we will pursue other means of getting our voices heard and that could include picketing and having peaceful demonstrations in town,” said Taylor.

Snell added what he said publicly a couple days ago: “As we previously shared, our goal is to get students back to in-person learning as soon as we can. We are entering the transition part of our planning timeline as we begin to add in-person learning experiences for more students. Hybrid learning blends in-person experiences (2 days per week) with remote learning.“ 

“Over the next three weeks, we will monitor COVID-19 activity levels in Clark County to determine if we can start our transition to hybrid learning. Parents will continue to have the option to keep their students learning remotely if they prefer. If we are below the high COVID-19 activity level for the weeks of 9/28 and 10/5 we will start transitioning our kindergarten students the week of October 12. If we continue to stay below the high level we will transition grades 1 – 5 the week of October 19. We will follow a similar three-week model for transitioning secondary students that goes through the weeks of October 19 to November 2 with a full transition scheduled for the week of November 9. For more details about the timeline and rationale please refer to the CSD Phased Return to In-Person Learning Plan.”

“The transition plan brings up a lot of questions, concerns, and emotions for many people. I want to address some of them in this communication, and also share more information in the Town Hall scheduled for Tuesday, September 29 from 5 – 6 pm. The Town Hall will be recorded for anyone who cannot attend at that time.”

Lacamas Magazine is also in the process of conducting a poll asking these questions:

  1. As of today, what would you choose for your child/children’s learning if given the choice?

        a. Online

        b. Hybrid

        c. In-Person

2. Should the CSD School Board take community input into consideration when deciding on when to send students back to school?

        a. Yes

        b. No

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Washougal School Board Agrees to New Two-Year Teacher Agreement

Washougal, WA — The Washougal School Board approved a new, two-year contract with the Washougal Association of Educators at its Tuesday, August 25 board meeting.

The contract puts equity, diversity, and inclusion front and center for the district, with a major investment in teacher training on equity this coming school year.  The district is excited to be partnering with the Washougal Association of Educators (WAE) as well as the statewide Washington Education Association to provide culturally responsive practices training for all teaching staff. The contract includes new language around inclusive practices, and language to remove barriers to student participation that are created through discipline processes.  This work will help both groups work to eliminate the achievement gaps for our diverse learners, as school leaders and teachers work together to authentically know all learners, nurture relationships that build common understanding, and challenge each of us to disrupt systemic racism in our society. 

The contract also features an investment in additional teacher training focused on technology to build skills and to ensure quality implementation of the new impactED remote learning model.  

“Our vision to know, nurture and challenge all students to rise remains in place,” said WSD Superintendent, Mary Templeton.  “This training will help our teachers deliver positive and engaging learning experiences for our students.”

The contract includes a state provided increase in compensation across two years, along with additional paid training time.

“This keeps the district’s overall compensation in alignment with our region, so that we can continue to attract and retain great teachers,” said Aaron Hansen, Assistant Superintendent of HR & Student Support. 

“WAE are happy to have the contract in place for the next two years,” said Eric Engebretson, WAE President.  “It is one less item on teachers’ plates.”

Washougal
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This agreement makes changes to Special Education language that provides more equity to Special Education teachers as compared to general education teachers.

Other contract features are additional non-discrimination language, changes in leave provisions, creation of a guest teacher (substitute) handbook, and more structure for teacher involvement in equity and school building leadership teams.  

“This was an unusual bargaining process for many reasons,” said Hansen. “We held about 18 bargaining sessions; all were done over Zoom.  Both sides worked extremely hard to listen, to seek common ground, and to collaborate as we solved issues in the contract. It is the first time in quite a while we’ve settled a contract without support from a mediator.”  Engebretson added “I think that this is one of the earliest contracts to be settled between WAE and WSD.  We appreciate the work the Union and District did together to come to an agreement.”

The tentative agreement was reached at the bargaining table July 29.   WAE membership ratified it in a general meeting on August 21, and the WSD Board approved it at the August 25 board meeting. 

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Local Teens Organize Online Learning Resource to Help Fellow Students

To address student learning gaps happening during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to sharpen minds during summer vacation, several local teens have created a non-profit learning and tutoring organization called Youth Hand in Hand, which offers free online classes and tutorials on a wide range of topics.

The organization, which is comprised of talented student teachers, hosts weekly 40-minute ZOOM class sessions, teaching topics that include Coding (Scratch and Python), SAT tutoring, Chemistry, Biology, Math, National History Day, Creative Writing and Cartooning.

“A lot of these classes are things we are passionate about,” said Ares Zhang, a Camas High School senior, and one of the group’s student teachers. “We know a lot of people who have missed out on opportunities over the summer. This all started out as friends trying to help each other, but it’s turned into something bigger. There’s no cost! All of it’s free. All you have to do is sign up.”

As a non-profit, Youth Hand in Hand is able to procure funding to purchase full ZOOM subscriptions for all teachers, and they are accepting old routers to help students to have better WiFi access.

“Technically, we started in April during the pandemic, and my sister wanted to learn scratch coding, and several neighbors were interested,” said Spencer Chang, a junior at Mountain View High School, and the organization’s founder. “I asked if anyone would also want to do it, and other four kids helped us.”

After initial setup, Youth Hand in Hand now has 18 student teachers and offers 15 classes. Most classes have two teachers and typically 15 kids are in each session. 

Learning
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“Last month, we had 250 people sign up,” said Chang. “It’s a month-to-month program. Most classes are 4 weeks long. We provide resources to help kids get through online learning.”

Zhang said they are adapting the curriculum to help kids through the school season, and they will shift toward tutoring.

“We can help them learn concepts since they’re not in regular school,” said Chang. “Our goal for September is to expand curriculum and get ZOOM subscriptions for all our teachers. All teachers are teens. The youngest one will be a freshman this year. We are mostly juniors and seniors.” 

Youth Hand in Hand plans to do face-to-face classes and tutoring sessions when life returns to pre-pandemic normal.

“It’s mostly so people can keep on learning throughout the pandemic,” said Chang. “Some people don’t learn as well online, and we’re hoping we can make an impact, to provide people opportunities to learn.”

To learn more about the program, visit https://sites.google.com/view/youthhandinhand/home?authuser=0 or email the team at Youthhandinhand@gmail.com

“We just channeled our passion into this,” said Zhang. “This is great way to make an impact in our community.”

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Q & A: Superintendent Snell Discusses Camas School Reopening Plans

Camas Superintendent, Dr, Jeff Snell provides to frequently asked questions regarding school reopening for the 2020-21 school season. He said this week there will be an opportunity to engage in a question and answer session about Camas Connect Academy, the Camas School District (CSD) full online option.  CSD recommends the Camas Connect Academy only for families that do not have a desire to return to on-campus learning at any point during the school year.  For all others, CSD recommends starting the school year remotely and then transitioning towards more on-campus learning during the year.

So how do we start school? 
During remote learning, we will keep the same school hours.  This provides a consistent structure for students and families and defines the workday for staff.  Schools will be providing orientations to help staff and families partner together in support of students. 

Does full remote learning mean my student will be on Zoom for more than six hours per day?
No, the State Board of Education has provided some flexibility in how we meet our yearly instructional hour requirements, and sitting in front of a screen all day long is not a best practice for students.

We designed our scheduling framework to have a combination of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) learning with brain/movement breaks for students. Our remote learning schedule is aligned to our full hybrid schedule to help transition to more on-campus time when community health indicators improve. In our full, hybrid learning delivery model, students will receive at least two days of on-campus, live instruction. We’ve included a similar expectation in our remote learning schedule. The equivalent of at least 2 days of “live”, synchronous instruction will be distributed across the week. Other learning time will be asynchronous instruction from our teachers with specific learning tasks for students to complete with support. This allows for some flexibility for students and families when they access this instruction. Each school will develop a schedule that supports students and helps families at home. Prior to each week, teachers will post the week-ahead schedule that includes opportunities for student support and communication with families.

Will daily student attendance be taken?
Yes, attendance will be taken for both synchronous and asynchronous learning sessions. 

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Will this look different than it did in the spring?
Yes, our staff are committed to our students and have been planning based on the experiences from the spring.  Staff training this summer includes social and emotional learning/wellness, design for remote learning, learning management and communication tools, video creation, synchronous interaction, and priority learning standards. As you know, we have an amazing staff who were put into a very challenging situation last spring.  They want to create an engaging learning experience for your student this fall!

What if I need emergency childcare as we transition back to on-campus learning? 
We recognize that each family is in a unique situation and may need support.  We are trying to develop options for families in these situations.  Please contact us using this LINK. 

What if my family relies on school breakfast and/or lunch services?
We will develop a similar process to how we provided these meals in the spring during remote learning.  

When will we start phasing into on-campus instruction?
Decision Tree K12 Schools provides a framework that puts regions into COVID-19 activity levels using several indicators. One of those indicators is the rate of cases per 100,000 people. The rate divides COVID-19 activity into three levels: HIGH >75, MODERATE between 25-75, and LOW <25.  The most recent rate of cases per 100,000 in Clark County was 74.3.  Even though we are on the upper limit of MODERATE we are trending in a better direction considering our previous two rates were 99.7 and 96.4 (The Columbian, 8/5/2020, Clark County at ‘moderate risk’ for school reopenings).  Your effort and the efforts of our community of following the Safe Start Washington guidelines are starting to pay off so thank you!  Please help keep lowering the rate by socially distancing, wearing your mask, and washing your hands.  

As our rate per 100,000 lowers, we will bring students on campus in small groups starting with our youngest students and those with specific support needs.  We will then add more small groups of students easing our way towards a full hybrid model of at least two days of on-campus learning for each student.

I have greatly appreciated your feedback and patience during this journey to our first day of school.  

Jeff Snell, Superintendent

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Camas Schools Superintendent Addresses At-Home Learning Stages, Scenarios

Camas Superintendent, Dr. Jeff Snell, explains in today’s letter that Camas School District is one of eight Southwest Washington school districts to recommend at-home learning when school resumes for the 2020-21 season:

CSD Families,

We have been working this summer through all of the different scenarios for starting the 2020-21 school year with the goal of having students return to campus in some form. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new recommendations for schools last week which stress the importance of onsite experiences.  I think we all agree how important it is to have our students back on campus.   The CDC also suggests “Administrators should coordinate with local public health officials to stay informed about the status of COVID-19 transmission in their community.” The guidelines also advise us to monitor “COVID-19 transmission rates in the immediate community and in the communities in which students, teachers, and staff live” (CDC, 7/23/20). 

Unfortunately, conditions in our community are not trending in a positive direction.  We have been working with Dr. Melnick, director of Clark County Public Health, as a region to determine the best course of action for schools in our community.  As the numbers of positive COVID-19 cases continue to trend up in our region, it has become clear that the safest way to start the school year is a more robust fully remote learning delivery model.  The growth rate trends need to change in our community before being able to bring students and staff together on campus. Without those changes we risk rapidly spreading the virus between students, staff and throughout our community with the reopening of schools. More detailed information about our current trends in Clark County can be found at Clark County Public Health Novel Coronavirus.

What does this mean for my family?

Over the next four weeks we will refine plans based on this decision and begin communicating specific information to you from your student’s school.   We have taken student, staff, and family feedback from our experience last spring to provide a more robust remote learning experience for students.  

Our hope is to start to transition from full remote learning to a blended delivery model with some version of on campus learning as soon as possible.   The timing for this transition is dependent on regional health indicators.  Our learning delivery models stages are below.

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Learning Delivery Models Stages

  1. Remote Learning – all student participate in distance learning
  2. Remote Learning transitioning to Blended Learning – students identified through a set of district/school developed criteria in greatest need of additional support participate onsite with in-person instruction.
  3. Blended Learning – all students participate onsite with in-person instruction a minimum of two (2) days a week.  Transition to more on campus days for students as conditions improve.
  4. On Campus Learning – all students and staff participate onsite with in-person instruction five (5) days a week.

What if my student prefers a full online model regardless of the health trends in our county? 

If your preference is a full online model for your student, we have developed the Camas Connect Academy.  This program will not shift through the phases above.  It will stay online throughout the year.  It will operate as a separate school/program within our district with district staff and the same learning standards.  We will provide more information about the Camas Connect Academy in the coming weeks including a Q&A session prior to the enrollment window. 

What if I need emergency childcare during learning delivery models 1 through 3? 

We recognize that each family is in a unique situation and may need support.  We are trying to develop options for families in these situations.  Please contact us using this LINK. 

What if my family relies on school breakfast and/or lunch services?

We will develop a similar process to how we provided these meals in the spring during remote learning.  

We have all been on a rollercoaster ride since early March as we’ve collectively tried to manage through a very different world.  School is a big part of everyone’s lives.  We had hoped to provide you with a return to on campus school this fall.  Our staff is committed to provide the very best educational experience possible for your students no matter what the learning delivery model. It will not be without challenges and there will continue to be opportunities to improve.  We will continue to engage with our public health partners to help determine when we can safely shift to more on campus learning.  

Sincerely,

Jeff Snell

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8 Clark County School Districts Recommend Full Remote Learning This Fall

CLARK COUNTY, WA – The superintendents of eight Clark County school districts are recommending to their school boards that a return to school this fall should happen through an improved version of remote/distance learning. The recommendation is based on reviews of the latest health and science data on the Covid-19 virus, discussions with health department leaders and input from staff and families.

These are the eight school districts recommending remote/distance learning:  

  1. Battle Ground
  2. Camas
  3. Evergreen
  4. Hockinson
  5. La Center 
  6. Ridgefield
  7. Vancouver
  8. Washougal

According to state guidance, school boards must approve a district reopening plan two weeks prior to the official start of the school year and before any plan can be implemented.

“Clark County Public Health supports school superintendents who have made the very difficult decision to recommend starting the 2020-21 school year online,” said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County’s Public Health director and county health officer. “We all agree that in-person education is best; however, the data and science of COVID-19 suggest it’s just too dangerous to head back to the classroom right now.”  

“The virus growth trajectory in Clark County and our surrounding region makes it clear that resuming school in-person this fall could result in more widespread infections,” said Vancouver Public Schools Superintendent Steve Webb. “That’s a risk we simply cannot take. Protecting the health and safety of our students and staff is our number one priority.”

A peer-reviewed study recently released by Seattle-area researchers for the Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) concluded that the relationships between reopening community, workplace and schools are intertwined—as community activity rises, so does the level of infection within a community. Further, the study estimated that if community activity were to rise above 70 percent of pre-COVID activity, no amount of intervention in schools (masks, physical distancing and hand washing) would prevent the virus from spreading rapidly in the community. Additionally, recent data collected since the report was drafted indicates that levels of disease activity following counties moving to Phase II are too high to support the reopening of schools at this time. 

School
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In preparation for the possibility of remote/distance learning, Clark County school districts have enhanced their remote/distance learning 2.0 plans. After receiving feedback from families and educators, districts have made the following improvements:  

  • Streamlining education apps and tools for more seamless content delivery,
  • Investments in remote learning infrastructure that support internet connections, updated devices and online-friendly curriculum for students,
  • Providing additional training on best practices for remote instruction to educators.

“Distance Learning 2.0 is an improved and more accountable model than the version experienced by families and students this past spring,” said Washougal School District Superintendent Mary Templeton.  “Clark County educators are committed to ensuring students continue to make progress in their learning during the pandemic, and Distance Learning 2.0 reflects that commitment.” 

Clark County school districts also will follow requirements from the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to:  

  1. Work with community partners to identify child care options for school-aged students whose families don’t have the option to stay home with a child each day;
  2. Address gaps in connectivity and technology access so each student has sufficient opportunity to continue their learning outside of the classroom;
  3. Continue providing school meals to the students who rely on them; and
  4. Utilize local data to determine which of their students need additional intensive learning supports, and provide those supports remotely if possible or in-person when that is the only effective delivery method.
  5. Have weekly schedules for each student, daily engagement or assigned work for each student, and requirements for daily attendance.
  6. Meet the number of instructional days and hours required in state law, consistent with the State Board of Education’s rules on the definition of an instructional hour.

“School districts will continue to work closely with public health departments to transition eventually to a hybrid learning model, which combines in-person learning with remote learning,” said Ridgefield School District Superintendent Nathan McCann. “The transition to in-person education will depend heavily on how much the virus is spreading in the community and the steps we take now to slow the spread of COVID-19.”  

School superintendents recommend using the Washington State Safe Start Phases as a framework for returning to in-person instruction. Phase III would enable districts to begin transitioning to limited, in-person instruction (a hybrid model of some in-person and some remote/distance learning). Phase IV would enable districts to adjust this hybrid model to include more students.

“We all play a role in stopping the spread of the virus and helping schools to return to in-person learning,” said Dr. Alan Melnick. “By wearing a face covering, maintaining physical distancing and washing our hands frequently, we can help get kids back in the classroom.”

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Gause Elementary Receives Parking, Circulation Improvements Over Summer

Washougal, WA — A parking and circulation project was completed over the summer at Gause Elementary to enhance student and staff safety while increasing parking capacity.  These improvements were one of the final projects to be completed using funding by the voter approved 2015 capital facilities bond.

The Gause Elementary Circulation Project added a drive lane in front of the school with a pull-out lane that allows families to drop students off in the driveway rather than on the street.  This will reduce congestion along 34th Street during peak pick up and drop off times.

In addition, the north parking lot was expanded to accommodate additional vehicles, and to create a loop for cars to more easily enter and exit without drivers needing to do a 3-point turn at the end of the lot.  The parking area includes crosswalks for pedestrians to increase safety and trees to make the area cooler in the warmer months.

“Gause Elementary is excited to start the school year with a major redesign of the front of the school for safer and more efficient student pick up and drop off,” said Tami Culp, Gause Principal.  “We are also grateful for the extended north parking lot to provide more adequate parking for our families and community for the school day and events. 

“Student safety is a priority in the Washougal School District and these renovations align with the improvements needed to ensure the safety of our students,” said Culp.  “We wish to thank the Washougal community for the dollars provided by the Bond for these features to Gause.  I would like to invite the community out to Gause to see the investment they have made in our school!”

The Gause project was approved by the WSD Board in January 2018. It was paid for with excess funding resulting from excellent fiscal management of the 2015 $57 million capital bond.  This project had been identified as a needed safety improvement during the 2014 Long Range Capital Facility Planning process.

Gause Elementary
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The original bond funded safety and security remodel and upgrades at all schools, a new 550-student Columbia River Gorge Elementary (CRGE) and new 600-student Jemtegaard Middle School (JMS), a new Excelsior Building at Washougal High School, roof and HVAC improvements at Gause and Hathaway Elementary and building a new, modern transportation facility.

The other additional projects funded with excess bond funds were: construction of covered play areas for Gause and Hathaway Elementary Schools; construction of a dry storage building for athletic equipment at Canyon Creek Middle School; and improvements and upgrades to the Fishback Stadium (including replacing existing restrooms with ADA accessible facilities, relocating the concessions area, additional dry and secure equipment storage, replacing wood plank seating with aluminum seats, and installing new visitor side bleachers) all finished during the 2018-19 school year.

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