Free Summer Lunch Program for Youth Ages 1-18

There is a Free Summer Lunch Program at Hathaway Elementary School each weekday Monday to Friday from Noon to 1 PM, July 9 through 31.  All children are welcome ages 1-18.  There is no paperwork to fill out, meals must be eaten on site, and adults may not eat any portion of the child's meal.  However, thanks to our generous community partners, adults will be provided a free snack when accompanying a child.  

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). “USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”

In addition to the above federal rules, Washougal School District also does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

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?

Congratulations Excelsior High School Graduates

A video of the Excelsior High School is available on YouTube. Click the link below to watch it!

http://youtu.be/CuK6OQODHD0

Congratulations to all of the students and to their families as well.  We wish you well!

Congratulations, Graduates of the Class of 2012

Congratulations to the graduating class of 2012!  A total of 173 students graduated from Washougal High School on Saturday, June 9th during a ceremony at Fishback Stadium.  Please use this link to see a copy of the Graduation Program, listing the senior class and their accomplishments.

Washougal's 2012 Teacher of the Year - James Bennett

WHS Physics Teacher Jay Bennett, Washougal Teacher of the Year!

Washougal School District is proud to announce that Jay Bennett has received the 2012 Teacher of the Year award.  Mr. Bennett teaches math and physics, including Advanced Placement Physics, at Washougal High School.  He has been teaching for 13 years, 12 of those in Washougal, since graduating from San Jose State University with a degree in Physics.  


Mr. Bennett is an exceptional educator with a passion for his subject, who strives daily to make physics interesting and applicable to the real world for his students.  His communication with students and parents is also unparalleled.  He uses a teacher website to provide course syllabi, homework packets, practice tests and many additional educational resources and videos to families.  Mr. Bennett also frequently emails students and parents with assignment deadline reminders and updates.


In a recent letter from a Washougal High School parent, Mr. Bennett was praised for “communicating in a style that draws his students in and makes them want to learn the material, even to the point of re-teaching it to their families at home.”   The parent thanked Mr. Bennett for  “finding ways to help students and parents be successful in his challenging physics course”.  


Washougal School District also thanks Mr. Bennett for his deep dedication to students and student learning.  Congratulations, Mr. Bennett!

Students benefit from outdoor school program

Washougal middle school students will participate in Outdoor School 2012, a 2-day outdoor science education field trip at both Beacon Rock Park and Steigerwald Natural Refuge. Sponsored by Friends of the Gorge, the experience offers students hands-on science learning about trees, leaves, animal footprints, the nature trail and even a snapshot of Lewis and Clark. Students will walk the Steigerwald nature path, learn about plants, animals and how the mountains were formed, and participate in a Service Learning Project, pulling invasive plants. Students will interact with experts in the fields of biology, naturalist, arborist, botanist, and history.

David Shapiro, author of Terra Tempo spoke to Canyon Creek Middle School students May 17. The story starts in Portland, Oregon and takes readers on an adventure with three kids traveling through the ice age to see how the Columbia River Gorge was formed.

“Outdoor School is no ordinary field trip,” said teacher Lori Schilling. “It gives students an interactive and hands-on learning experience on how the Missoula Floods and Ice Age formed the Columbia River Gorge, which is Washougal’s backyard.”

Students will participate in the program May 24-25 and May 31-June 1.  The program is a partnership between Washougal School District and the Friends of the Columbia Gorge with funding from the Clausen Youth Fund, which was established in 2008 by long-time supporter and Vancouver resident Phyllis Clausen in honor of her late-husband.

The goal of the program is to expose local youth to the wonders of the ColumbiaGorge, its significance as a national treasure, and story of its preservation through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Act.

To view a slide show of last year’s adventure, visit: https://picasaweb.google.com/Maegan1979/YouthProgram?authkey=Gv1sRgCNbzja-p3cfRBQ#slideshow/5630889672148327042

Rotary Scholar of the Month for May: Christina Zack

Christina Zack was selected as the Camas Washougal Rotary Scholar of the Month for May 2012.  Christina is a sophomore at Washougal High School and has a 3.944 GPA.  WHS Social Studies Teacher Jim Reed says that “Christina is one of the best students I have ever had the pleasure of teaching,” and that “she is kind, caring, and can truly light up a room.”  

WHS Biology Teacher Pauline Rule says “Christina is highly intelligent, has a cheerful disposition, is responsible, dependable, a team player, respectful, polite, and helps fellow students to understand concepts in a positive way that brings them along.”  Pauline also notes that Christina “has a fantastic smile.”  WHS Math Teacher Jason Blaesing describes Christina as “really bright and always happy,” noting that it is “ a pleasure to have her in my class.”  Christina is the daughter of Mark and Karen Zack.

Congratulations, Christina!