Gause First Graders Catch the Learning Bug

First graders in Marvina Bugajski’s class at Gause Elementary became “bug experts” on a wide variety of insects and then shared their knowledge with other students, parents and the community at an Insect Showcase, February 12.

“The students completed their research for this informational writing lesson about insects using books and the internet,” said Bugajski.  “This year we did a lot more research online.  They used what they found for writing the poster information at school and then created a diorama as a family project at home.”

Parent Kristie Williams was impressed with how much daughter, Sawyer, knew about bugs and took leadership in the family project to create her diorama.  “I took her to the store but she knew what she needed like trees and grass because that is where the insect lives,” she said.  “Her dad helped cut the dowels used for trees and hung the butterflies and sister even donated the box.  It was fun to work together on.”

“The students get so excited about the insects and love to share it with their family,” Bugajski said.  “They really take ownership of the project and then love to tell people what they learned.”

Donuts with Dad at Gause

Donuts and a good book were on the menu at the annual "Donuts with Dad" breakfast at Gause Elementary, Friday June 12.  The event is meant to encourage reading and create a special time with dads and their students.

"It is a lot of fun to be here," said Gause father, Zane Dillion, who was the guest of daughters Abby, kindergarten, and first grader Emma.  "And I love books," he added.   Dillion was reading poems from Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” captivating his young girls’ attention.  Daughter, Emma, also enjoyed the special morning and said, "I like the books and seeing everyone walk by with their dad."

The event, now in its fourth year, keeps getting bigger and has outgrown the library where it began and now packs the cafeteria.  The morning also featured drawings for books and prizes courtesy of the Gause Boosters.

Gause Elementary School Science Night Encourages Exploration

Gause Elementary School cafeteria and gym were transformed into science labs for experiments and discovery for their Family Fun Science Night on April 22.  

According to the event organizer, Learning Assistant Program teacher, Wendy Morrill, it has been several years since Gause had hosted a science night.  “We wanted to give kids at Gause a very hands on way to celebrate Earth Day,” she said.  “We have provided a whole variety of interesting science activities for them to experience and enjoy with their family.”   The event was attended by more than 120 people and was funded by the Gause Boosters.

Teachers and parents volunteered to staff learning stations where families could take part in activities such as experiment with the forces of gravity, build and toss paper airplanes, construct a paper skeleton, examine plastic human organs, learn about to the eco system at Steigerwald Natural Wildlife Refuge and make Oobleck.

“Making this stuff is awesome and cool,” said Gause second grader, Brayden Strong, who experienced making Oobleck with his mom, Jasmine.  “And it is messy!”  Oobleck is a classic science experiment made with water and corn starch and a favorite part of the event.  It is an example of a non-Newtonian fluid that acts like a liquid when being poured, but is like a solid when a force is acting on it.  Applying pressure to the mixture increases its viscosity or thickness.  So if it is tapped quickly it will feel solid, but if a finger is pressed slowly it will sink into it.  

The big activity of the night was the eruption of Mt. Gause, a large model volcano.  “At one of the stations, families experimented with the chemical reaction of baking soda and vinegar on a small scale,” Morrill said.  “And then they were able to witness it all on a larger scale with the volcano that we blew ceremonially at 7:00 p.m.

“I overheard many students saying to their families ‘Science isn't as boring as I thought.’  ‘This is so fun!’  Families were having great conversations about making predictions or explaining why something happened in the activity,” Morrill added.

“I got to do experiments that I have never seen before,” said fourth grader, Matt Brown.  “I like to experience new things and have fun with science.”

“I feel like after experiencing these activities in various areas of science they see learning about science as fun and approachable,” Morrill said.  “I hope they are motivated to do more exploring at home with their families.”

Gause Elementary Second Graders Host Famous Person Museum

Students, parents and staff of Gause Elementary School had a special visit with famous people from history such as Neil Armstrong, Steven Spielberg, Jane Goodall, Jackie Robinson and Milton Hersey at the “Famous Person Museum” in the Gause Library on June 18.

Those famous people were actually Julie Taie’s second grade students sharing research they had completed over the past five weeks.  The students stood like statues around the library, many dressed as the famous people they had studied. When someone touched the magic red dot on the back of their hand, they would come to life as that person and explain what had made them famous, many had memorized their entire speech.

“I am so proud of the kids,” remarked Taie.  “They did such a great job of researching and sharing their information.”  Through this project students learned and used skills in online research, reading non-fiction materials for important information, writing, creating posters and public speaking.

Samuel Evers chose baseball legend Jackie Robinson for his research project. “I wanted to do him because I love playing baseball,” Evers explained, wearing his own grass-stained Washougal baseball uniform and ball cap.  What surprised him most about Robinson was that he played many sports.  “His biggest challenge was being the only black player for the Dodgers”

Taie said she had incredible parent support on this project from Tracey Stinchfield, Jacqueline Chase, Jenae Dryden and Jess Lowery.  “I appreciate them so much and they really helped this come together.”

Gause Artist in Residence Program

According to Picasso, “Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”  Gause Elementary students have enjoyed the chance to explore their creative side thanks to the school’s highly successful Artist in Residence program which invites practicing artists to teach their art form.

“The goal of our program is to allow students a unique artistic experience each year,” said Carly Hack, Artist in Residence coordinator.   “We want the experience to be enriching, age appropriate and to allow them to explore and expand their own creativity and artistic intelligence.   It is an opportunity for the students to be engaged in a different way of thinking, where there isn’t a right or wrong answer, while being exposed to a variety of art forms and techniques.”

Each class level learns about a different medium using a variety of local artists.  This school year kindergarten classes created clay tiles with a garden theme with Karie Okee.  The first grade students explored drawing techniques and strategies with Elida Field.   Field also worked with second graders on a mixed media collage. Maranee Sanders helped third grade students create Native American inspired masks which they used to act out a play.  The fourth grade students worked with fused glass art under the guidance of Lisa Wilke.  Okee also worked with fifth graders on clay self-portrait tiles.

“The fifth grade classes learned hand building methods to make their self-portrait relief tile,” Okee explained. “They used clay to model their faces and glaze to color them.  They learn the various face shapes, positioning of facial features and proportion and drafted sketches.  It is amazing how well they transcribed the two dimensional sketch to the more three dimensional form of relief.”

Student were challenged to captures their essence of self in the tile.  They each practiced public speaking by presenting their work to their classmates.  Class members then offered meaningful observations of the student’s work as well as compliments on specific elements.

“It’s rewarding to see a student’s skills, confidence and pride grow,” Okee said.  “Teaching also informs by practice as an artist and teacher.  I am constantly surprised by what I learn from my students.”

Okee has been an Artist in Residence at Gause for nine years and believes that people were made to be creative in some way, each day.  “Creativity has no bounds, extending into all that we do,” she said.  “Creative thinkers observe, inquire, interpret and express themselves.  Creativity is what engages us and connects us as community.”

Each Fall the Gause Boosters hold a very successful Sport-a-thon which provides 100 percent of the funding for this program.  Costs include artist time and materials.  Okee applauds the Gause Boosters for valuing the importance of art in the schools.  “In my experience, it is one of the premier programs in SW Washington and the Portland metro area,” she said.  “And the Booster support extends into the classroom, where I would not be able to do what I do without the great help of parent volunteers.”

Hack began volunteering for the Artist in Residence program three years ago.  As program coordinator, she works to find just the right artists that can communicate their art with children.  “The most important trait of a guest artist is how well they can relate to and connect with kids,” she explained.  “There are some amazing artists out there but if they cannot teach elementary students it won’t work.”

Hack, a former teacher from the Bay Area, also works with teachers on scheduling and helping to choose the appropriate project and medium and finds parent volunteers to be in the classroom to assist the artists.

“Through this program students are getting opportunities to explore art that they would not have otherwise gotten,” she said.   “It is a chance to put their right side of their brain to work.  It gives them a chance to be creative and express themselves.  This type of experience is critical in a child’s development.

“I feel very passionate about this program and getting art into the hands of youth,” Hack added.  “I didn’t know how much it would mean to me until I got started and could see results.”

Gause 4th Grader wins Regional Contest in Sodexo Future Chef Contest

Gause 4th Grader, Justin Ledbetter, was selected as one of the 35 regional finalists from 65 districts in Sodexo’s Future Chef Contest.

As a regional winner, Ledbetter received a Kindle prize package complete with a Kindle case, headphones, power charger and $10

Food Service director Mark Jasper presents Justin with a Kindle prize package in the Sodexo Future Chef Contest

0 Amazon gift card.  He was surprised with the prize on April 15 by Mark Jasper, Sodexo’s Washougal general manager, during school lunch.  Ledbetter will hear next week if he and his Deviled Salmon Sandwich recipe have made it to the national competition as one of the five semi-finalists.

Gause Students Collect Food Items for Weekend Backpack Program

When Julie Bristol, Gause Elementary School Social Worker, told students that her only birthday wish was for enough food donations to last the Weekend Backpack Program for the rest of the school year, she got her wish and then some!  “The goal was to bring in 2,400 food and personal items,” Bristol said.  “The students and families exceeded that goal and brought in more than 4,200!”

The Weekend Backpack Program sends food home with students who may not have enough food to eat through the weekend. “The goal of the Weekend Backpack Program is to make sure students do not go hungry and to help them come prepared to learn on Monday morning,” said Bristol.  The program helps families Gause Elementary, Hathaway Elementary, Washougal and Excelsior High Schools. The program is in coordination with Children's Home Society, and also receives items from Stuff the Bus donations.

To make the giving more fun with Bristol’s birthday challenge, contests were held to see what classrooms could bring in the most food.  But the project hit a chord with students.  “Kids made comments that demonstrated that they truly understood the need that this food was meeting,” Bristol explained. “They know that the food may be for a classmate or a friend, and they want to help.  Food donations continue to come in, even though the contest is over and there is nothing to win.  Our students' have learned valuable lessons about compassion, empathy, and supporting the whole community.”

Julie Bristol, Gause Elementary Social Worker, with student food contributors Jackson Rauch and Milan Shirakawa.

Students Participate in Battle of the Books at Washougal Elementary Schools

The stage is set for the Battle of the Books at Washougal Elementary schools.

“The idea for the battle started at a Professional Learning Community (PLC) meeting of elementary library assistants last year,” said Kathy Stanton, Hathaway Elementary Librarian.  “We decided then to have a competition between our schools in April of this year.”  Library staff at Gause, Cape Horn-Skye and Hathaway Elementary schools chose twenty books for the battle and in September began encouraging students to read those titles. 

“A student must read eight books to qualify to compete on a battle team,” Stanton explained.  “There are four or five 4th and 5th graders per team. Teams are asked questions from any of the 20 books. Each question begins: "From what book....?", and each team answers with the title and author of the book they think the question is from.”

Points earned with correct answers decide the winners.

This spring, each elementary school will have an in-house battle to choose their top two teams. Then, on April 14, the winning teams will meet at Washougal High School to battle for the top honor.

Hathaway Elementary fifth grader, Brienna Elliott, from Erin Hayes’ class, was recently recognized for having already read 14 out of the 20 battle books.  Her prize?  She was given a special parley with the “Pirate King,” aka David Tudor, Washougal School District Curriculum Director.  The two sat down in the library over lunch last week and discussed her accomplishment and chatted about the books she had read.  Tudor also visited classrooms to help spur on excitement in the contest. 

Washougal Schools Celebrate Veterans Day

Students Honor Veterans for their Service There are a number of wonderful Veterans Day Programs happening in Washougal schools. Veterans, teachers, staff, and volunteers work together to help instill in our students an appreciation of the sacrifices made to preserve our democratic freedoms.

- Lt. Matthew Bezold, flying in from Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, will present at an assembly for Cape Horn-Skye students. Immediately afterwards local veterans and current military are invited to a brunch hosted by Cape Horn-Skye staff. The staff are expecting around 30 guests.

- Hathaway Elementary students will honor veterans at a special assembly where the WHS X-tet choir will perform. Students and staff are inviting veterans they know and have created a Wall of Honor with photos and stories of veterans from their families that is on display

- Gause Elementary traditionally commemorates the holiday by having 5th graders perform a patriotic music program for the entire school. Veterans are invited to attend in uniform, and are recognized and honored at the end of the program, with each student in the school shaking their hand and saying thank you for their service.

The Washougal School District thanks all veterans for their service and time, and to those who came to share their experiences with our students.

Gause Elementary School Hosts Family Fitness Night Feb 7, 2013

Gause Elementary School and the Gause Parent Boosters hosted the third annual Family Fitness Night. More than 250 attendees (students, parents, and staff) came together to learn the importance of fitness and nutrition. There were six stations that focused on cardio respiratory endurance, upper body strength, abdominal strength, flexibility, agility, and nutrition. Families spent ten minutes at each station, which were run by Gause teachers.

Gause 3rd Grade Teacher Heidi Kleser leads students and parents through stretching exercises at the flexibility station

“The goal of Family Fitness Night is to get students and their parents moving and having fun while emphasizing the importance of physical fitness,” said Mark Bauer, Gause Elementary School Physical Education Specialist and event host.

In addition, the Gause Parent Boosters collected non-perishable food items to be used for the Weekend Backpack Program. This program provides food to help students and families in need have food to sustain them through the weekend.

Gause 2nd Grade Teacher, Erin Darling helps a student perform a abdominal twist on a stability ball.

The evening concluded with a parents versus students game of “Ultimate Energy Ball”, which is similar to dodge ball, but students learn about the following energy sources: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. The concept for the Family Fitness Night came from the Box Tops for Education program, which provided sports balls and other fitness equipment to be given away as prizes.

No Name Calling Week Held at Gause Elementary

Students and staff at Gause Elementary School didn’t have a bad hair day, they had a crazy one!  It was all a part of celebrating “No Name Calling Week,” to invite students to show their individuality and embrace what makes them special.

Teachers used the special week to focus on positive behaviors and draw attention to forming good relationships, practicing refraining from name calling and to prevent bullying of any kind.

“When students are focused on a certain positive behavior or expectations, they are more likely to continue on that path,” explained Julie Bristol, Gause Social Worker.  “We want everyday at Gause to be a No Name Calling Day!”

Fifth grade classrooms pilot iPad project

This fall, Washougal fifth graders began piloting an exciting project using iPads in their classrooms. Three classrooms (one at each elementary school) plus a group of special education students are taking part in this technology integration experiment into subjects including Science, Social Science and Language Arts.

In preparation for an all-new teaching and learning model, teachers Chelsea Meats, Erin Hayes, Erin Maier and Stephanie Closson received an intensive “boot camp” training over the summer and will continue to receive training and support throughout the year.

Classroom use varies by class and subject, depending on what students are studying at a given time. Teachers work with students to use iPad features, such as text-to-speech and built in word definitions and dictionaries that help students answer questions immediately. These tools have been particularly helpful for struggling learners and also help bridge the achievement gap between student groups. When asked the question, "How has the iPad changed the way you learn?" one student responded "We can do class activities together where we're all on the same website instead of just using one computer or having to share a few computers."

In Erin Maier’s class at Gause Elementary, students used the iPads to film themselves presenting to their peers. The students could then immediately review their work and answer questions such as “Did I speak clearly?” “That was huge in terms of helping them explain their thinking,” said Maier. “Hearing themselves speak helps with clarity of thought.”

Technology Director Les Brown says the project opens doors to new resources. “Technology can engage students in meaningful learning experiences where they research topics they are interested in, receive and give peer feedback, and carry their work through to completion or publication.”

Parents were included in the roll out process, with meetings were held at each school to define expectations and explain what the district hopes to gain through the project.

Curriculum Director David Tudor hopes the pilot will significantly impact student learning based on the experiences of other districts. “We anticipate seeing increases in student achievement particularly in Reading and Math, and especially among struggling students,” he said. “We’re hoping to see gains for special education students and students below grade level in reading.  We anticipate seeing lower attendance problems, fewer discipline referrals, and increased time on task.” 

Maier says the devices have increase motivation and engagement in her classroom. “When we use the iPads, I automatically have 100 percent participation. This is their world and they are quick learners.”

District staff will measure the project’s success by comparing test score data between iPad and non-iPad classrooms to gauge the impact on student academic achievement.  Staff will also consider data on student attendance, discipline, and surveys on student/family perceptions about technology.

Gause Student Poetry Featured in National Publication

Students in Gause Teacher Julie Taie's classroom submitted poems they wrote as part of a the "Creative Communication: A Celebration of Today's Writers" program through PoeticPower.com. Mrs. Taie received a communication from the editors saying that they normally only consider a portion of the poems "publication ready" but that every one of the ones from her classroom will be published! 

Poems will be published online and in printed books, available after June 21, 2012.

Below is one of the poems students wrote, edited, and submitted.

The Closet

by Trenton H.

When I hear laughs

and other eerie sounds

coming from the closet,

I get frightened.

What kind of monsters

are living

in my mind?

Family Fitness Night Returns to Gause Elementary - February 23

Gause Elementary School is inviting you and your family for a night of healthy and active fun at our 2nd annual Family Fitness Night on February 23 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. There will be 6 Activity Stations to get your family moving and grooving in a fun atmosphere. Each station will be set up with different exercises for you to try. It’s your chance to find out who in your family is the fastest, strongest, and most agile. It’s also an opportunity for your whole family to exercise together while learning about keeping active and making healthy everyday choices. There is no cost, so grab your sneakers and come dressed to move!

Jump Rope for Heart at Gause Elementary Feb 24, 2012

February is Jump Rope For Heart month. On February 24, Gause students will

participate in Jump Rope For Heart. Jump Rope For Heart is a community

service-learning program of the American Heart Association. Jump Rope For

Heart teaches students the importance of developing heart-healthy habits; that

being physically active can be fun, and that by raising funds to support research

and education they can help save lives across the country and in their

community. Gause Elementary School will qualify for gift certificates for free

physical education equipment based on the amount that our school raises.

Students will qualify for individual thank you gifts based on the donations they

collect. Every student is welcome to participate (donations are not required).

Additional information will be sent home with your child, as we get closer to the

event date. For more information about Jump Rope For Heart, you can visit

their website at http://www.heart.org/jump.

Gause Elementary Hosts Family Fitness Night

Gause Elementary School and the Gause Parent Boosters hosted its first Family Fitness Night on February 15, 2011. More than 300 attendees (students, parents, and staff) came together to learn the importance of fitness and nutrition. There were five exercise stations that focused on cardio respiratory endurance, upper body strength, abdominal strength, flexibility, and agility. Families spent ten minutes at each station, which were run by school staff and parent volunteers. Brooke Churchman, the school’s nurse, hosted a nutrition station in the cafeteria that focused on the food pyramid and making healthy meal choices.

“The goal of Family Fitness Night was to get families moving, and to do it in a fun way, with many of the exercises that could be easily replicated at home”, said Mark Bauer, Gause Elementary School Physical Education Specialist, who hosted the event.
“With childhood obesity rising, I also wanted to show what our physical education program is doing to help combat this growing epidemic,” Bauer stated.


In addition, the Washington State Health Care Authority hosted a booth where they passed out information regarding changes in state-sponsored health care.

The evening concluded with a parents versus students game of “Ultimate Energy Ball”, which is similar to dodge ball, but students learn about the following energy sources: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. The concept for the Family Fitness Night came from the Box Tops for Education program, which provided sports balls and other fitness equipment to be given away as prizes.