Part II, 2010 Staff Award Winners

Join us this summer as we spotlight our 2010 Staff Award winners each week. In our second post, we honor Maria Klein.

Maria Klein has worked in several capacities throughout the district for many years. Currently she divides her time between the ASB office and the Career and Technical Education office at CHS lending her support and expertise. Maria is always professional, friendly, and positive to students, staff, parents and the community in general. She is highly organized, always dependable, and is willing to do whatever is asked with a smile.

Maria also possesses excellent communication skills—every person who comes in contact with her feels understood and valued. Any task that she is assigned is completed in an exceptional manner. Maria is truly an incredible asset to Camas High School.

Part I, 2010 Staff Award Winners

Join us this summer as we spotlight our 2010 Staff Award winners each week. In our first post, we honor Dottie Chadwick.

Dottie Chadwick serves kindergarteners with Title I services at Grass Valley Elementary and has impacted many of our youngest learners at a crucial time—the beginning of their academic careers.

First and foremost, Dottie excites these youngsters! Her enthusiasm is downright contagious. She not only teaches content, but also devotes her time to encouraging students to become better people. Dottie takes the extra time it requires to explain her services to parents. These parents may be hearing their child is struggling to grasp reading for the first time, but her caring heart and optimistic demeanor immediately puts concerned parents at ease.

Dottie has designed her kindergarten support in a Reading Camp program. She meets with her “campers” daily keeping her interventions fresh, upbeat, and with the skills interwoven so discreetly, only a trained eye can see the depth of her instruction. The campers are captivated from the moment Dottie arrives with the result being that all kindergarteners want to be part of Reading Camp. Dottie takes pride in turning students on to learning and making them educationally successful—all while making it look easy.

Three Schools Honored for Achievement

Three Camas schools received statewide recognition this spring for profoundly affecting student learning. Liberty and Skyridge middle schools and Camas High School were among 174 schools statewide to be recognized with a prestigious 2009 Washington Achievement Award. In May, the awards were presented by the State Board of Education and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. “It is simply amazing to have three Camas schools recognized with this honor,” said Superintendent Mike Nerland. “We’re so proud of how hard staff has worked to prove that great gains can be made for all students.”

Nerland said he was most impressed with the gains shown among students identified in the low-income category. The schools were all recognized in the “overall excellence” category. CHS also was honored for improvement in language arts.

The awards are given by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education based on student performance in statewide reading, writing, math and science tests, as well as the school’s extended graduation rate.

Camas School District Earns Energy Star for Superior Energy Efficiency

Liberty Middle School and Prune Hill Elementary are first schools in Camas to earn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) prestigious Energy Star, the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental protection. Commercial buildings and industrial plants that rate in the top 25 percent of facilities in the nation for energy efficiency may qualify for the Energy Star.

Commercial buildings that earn the Energy Star must use an average of 40 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. By following and implementing new energy policies, the District improved energy performance by managing energy strategically across our entire district and by making cost-effective improvements to its buildings. Camas School District conservation efforts have decreased utility cost for the district by 20% from last year.

The EPA’s national energy performance rating system provides a 1-100 scale that helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a rating of 75 or higher is eligible for the Energy Star. Commercial Buildings that can earn the Energy Star include offices, bank branches, financial centers, retailers, courthouses, hospitals, hotels, K-12 schools, medical offices, supermarkets, dormitories, and warehouses.

Energy Star was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the Energy Star label can be found on more than 50 different kinds of products, new homes and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the Energy Star designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. In 2006, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved about $16 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 27 million vehicles.

Visit www.energystar.gov for more information about the Energy Star program.

Zebras Receive Green Award

On June 1, Grass Valley Elementary School attained Level One status in the Washington Green School program. To achieve certification, schools must earn a minimum of 100 points per level in a six-step process designed to take approximately one year. Under the leadership of the building Green Team and advised by Erin Rowland, Clark County Waste Reduction Specialist, staff and students conducted an Earth Day trash audit, earning points in the Recycling and Waste Reduction category. Washington Green Schools is organized into this and four additional environmental categories:

· Energy Efficiency

· Transportation & Outdoor Air Quality

· Toxics Reduction & Indoor Air Quality

· Water Quality & Conservation

With data from a Green Team waste and recycling assessment and the trash audit, staff agreed to make two lasting changes for the coming year: 1) develop and implement a plan to increase the percentage of recovery for a material already recycled at our school, and 2) develop a program to decrease the uneaten and unopened food in the garbage. With the help of classroom monitors, teachers and students aim to reclaim more clean paper for reuse and recycling. Also, our SOS (Save Our Scraps) cafeteria monitors plus a group of Eco Officer representatives from grades second through fifth can: encourage students to make better lunch choices, save leftover lunch for snacks, and take reasonable servings, going back for seconds instead if they choose.

To complete the certification process, schools must implement action in each of the other four environmental categories. At Grass Valley these include:

· Energy Efficiency: Improving school-wide strategies for turning off lights when adequate sunlight is available.

· Toxics Reduction & Indoor Air Quality: Making sure all air vents are unblocked to maintain healthier indoor air quality.

· Transportation & Outdoor Air Quality: Offer a bicycle safety workshop such as a bicycle rodeo.

· Water Quality & Conservation: Establish an environmental club that focuses on environmental issues and projects at your school.

Each year after attaining certification, schools can either renew at the current level, maintaining the same lasting changes, or build on those changes to advance to the next higher level. Currently in our district, Skyridge has also achieved Level One status. A representative from the WA Green School steering committee will present Grass Valley with a flag and certificate at the end-of-the-year assembly on June 17.

For more information on the Washington Green Schools program, visit: http://www.wagreenschools.org

Baller Bears Shine at Junior Rose Festival Parade

The combined jump rope, juggling, and tumbling teams from Helen Baller Elementary took first place in the Dance/Drill Juvenile Class yesterday at the 2010 Junior Rose Festival Parade in Portland.

PE Teacher Amy Wing said:

Our teams completely filled two city blocks, and I couldn’t have been more proud. Looking out at those kids while they walked along the parade with red cheeks and smiles ear to ear makes my job COMPLETELY worth the time! They feel so proud! We had 30 parent helpers and three amazing teachers assist, which made my job so much easier. The whole experience brings tears to my eyes every year and I feel like the luckiest teacher in the whole world. Thanks to teachers like Cheryl Richey who pass on traditions that can last forever, the families and kids at Helen Baller continue to create lifetime memories. GOOOOOO BALLER BEARS!!! We are so lucky to be in the Camas School District.

Camas Athletics 2009-2010 Year in Review

Camas had an awesome 2009-2010 athletic season! CHS Papermakers shined with high placements in state championships for baseball (2nd place!), boys and girls soccer, girls track, volleyball and golf. To read more about the Papermakers’ awesome winning season, Coaches of the Year and scholar athletic teams, please read the list below.

League Champions

Boys Golf

Boys Swim

Baseball

Boys Soccer

Girls Track

District Champions

Boys Golf

Volleyball

Girls Basketball

Boys Swim

Baseball

Girls Track

Bi-District Champions

Girls Track

State Placers

Boys Golf – 5th

Volleyball – 7th

Girls Soccer – 3rd

Boys Soccer – 3rd

Baseball – 2nd

Girls Track – 3rd

Student Athletes of the Year

Logan Grindy - Football

Daniel Snoey – Boys Golf

Kailee Esser – Girls Soccer

Stefani Sorenson – Volleyball

Melissa Williams – Girls Basketball

Justin Natyzak – Boys Swim

Nick Palodichuk – Boys Soccer

Stuart Jergenson – Boys Soccer

Megan Kelley – Girls Track

Taylor Williams - Baseball

All State Student Athletes

Kailee Esser – Girls Soccer

Stuart Jergenson – Football

Coaches of the Year

Mike Bemis – Boys Swim

Jennifer McDonnell - Gymnastics

Rolland Minder – Boys Soccer

Alisa Wise – Girls Track

Tom Wallenborn – Girls Golf

Joe Hallead - Baseball

Varsity Grade Point Averages Winter and Spring

Boys Cross Country – 3.62 (11)

Boys Golf – 3.46 (14)

Boys Tennis – 3.33 (10)

Football – 3.16 (47)

Girls Cross Country – 3.36 (11)

Girls Soccer – 3.69 (18)

Girls Swim – 3.71 (24)

Volleyball – 3.70 (10)

Boys Basketball – 3.33 (12)

Boys Swim – 3.43 (22)

Cheer – 3.18 (10)

Girls Basketball – 3.44 (10)

Gymnastics – 3.27 (14)

Wrestling – 3.28 (21)

Dance and Drill – 3.29 ((28)

Baseball – 3.34 (19)

Boys Soccer – 3.50 (18)

Boys Track and Field – 3.14

Girls Golf – 3.39 (9)

Girls Tennis – 3.82 (9)

Girls Track and Field – 3.67 (27)

Softball – 3.48 (12)

May 18 Chipotle Fundraiser to Support CSD Athletics Boosters

On Tuesday, May 18, Chipotle Restaurant will host a fundraiser for Camas School District Athletics. From 5:00 - 8:00 p.m., 50% of sales will be donated to the CSD Athletic program to benefit our high school and middle school student athletes.

Earlier this year, Union High School raised $6,000 during their 3-hour Chipotle fundraiser--and our goal is to surpass that total. Join the CHS band, cheerleaders, students and parents on Tuesday! Chipotle is located at 915 SE 164th Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98683. Hope to see you there!

CHS Knowledge Bowl Bound for Nationals; Requests Support

This year on March 27th, Camas High School had two Knowledge Bowl teams competing in the Washington State Knowledge Bowl State Tournament, and the team we call “Camas #2 Varsity” won the 3A WA State Knowledge Bowl Championship for the first time in school history!

As a result of their accomplishment, this team received an invitation to compete in the 28th annual National Academic Championship tournament, which will be held in Washington D.C. on June 4-6, 2010. This is a wonderful opportunity for this team, which has not lost a competition the entire school year. This is also a great honor for them to represent Camas and the State of Washington at the national level. The opportunity, however, comes with a price tag – airfare, room and board, registration fee – costs that will need to be shared personally by each of the team members unless funds can raised to assist them.

Thanks to the support of the Camas Educational Foundation, online donations are being accepted at the CEF website. Click here to visit the donation page.

The team members, Coach Dale Croswell and Principal Marshall would like to express their gratitude in advance for any assistance from the CHS community to help support this endeavor. Thank you very much!

District studies tuition-based; full-day kindergarten

Administrators in the Camas School District are gauging the parent interest level in a full-day, tuition-based kindergarten program. If adequate participation levels are reached (50 students), the program could begin as early as this fall.

While the opportunity would be afforded to all students in the district, a single full-day class would be offered at two locations: Dorothy Fox Elementary and Lacamas Heights Elementary. Transportation to and from school would be provided by parents, unless the student’s resident school is the program school where they are assigned for full-day kindergarten. For students participating in the district’s before-and-after school care program, transportation would be provided and regular rates would apply.

The tuition-based program could allow for as many as 50 students. The fee for the program would be $5,000 for the full year payable in three installments in July, November and March. If more interested parents respond than slots available, then a lottery will be held to determine placement. Equal lottery slots would be divided up among the five existing elementary attendance areas.

Parents who think they may wish to enroll in tuition-based, full-day kindergarten program can indicate their interest by completing a short form at registration or by clicking here for the online form.

Two Opportunities for Budget Input

The School Board will be making a decision on possibly altering the kindergarten schedule for next school year at its regular meeting tonight, April 26, at 5:30 p.m. at the JDZ Administration Center. The decision to alter or retain the current kindergarten schedule will be made tonight in order to relay accurate information to parents at kindergarten registration events which begin next week.

Additionally, the Board will be taking input on other possible areas for budget reductions at a listening post at Grass Valley Elementary tomorrow, April 27, at 7:00 p.m. No board decision or action will take place at this event. Topics will include:

• Reductions in athletics;
• Implementation of half-mile or one mile walk zones;
• Reductions in administration;
• Reductions in teaching staff;
• Reductions in support staff; and
• Reductions in elementary music.

Please join us and share your thoughts about areas for budget reductions. If you are unable to attend, you may e-mail your ideas to the entire school board at school.board@camas.wednet.edu.

Calling All Youth Bands

The 2010 Camtown Youth Festival will be once again offer a performance site at the event to feature local youth “garage” bands. Twenty-minute performance slots are open to local youth band performers under the age of 18. All sound equipment plus a drum set will be available for your use – just bring your own instruments. Performance slots are available by reservation only and space is limited. Lyrics and attire need to be approved and deemed appropriate for both school and families. Call Krista Bashaw with Camas Parks and Recreation at 360-834-5307 to reserve your spot or for more information. Reservation deadline is June 4.

2010-11 Budget Listening Post

The state concluded its session this week solidifying reductions in the area of public education funding for the coming year. Now the work to firm our budget figures begins. The School Board would like to hear your thoughts on possible budget cuts for next year. If you would like to express your thoughts, join us on April 27 at Grass Valley Elementary from at 7:00 in the commons.

Knowledge Bowl Team Takes State

For the first time in ten years, Camas High School was not the host site of the Knowledge Bowl State Championship. So it is a bit ironic that they not only qualified two teams to state for the first time ever, but also that one of the teams earned the first CHS state championship in Knowledge Bowl.
“It was fun to travel with the team to Richland, and it was especially nice for me to not be trying to run the meet while my kids were competing,” commented Dale Croswell, Knowledge Bowl coach for the last 25 years.

Camas Varsity #1 -- consisting of senior Devynne Barret, juniors Jacob Freedman, Connor Sullivan, and Keira Alkema, and sophomores James Marsh and William Sarchet -- competed very well at state, finishing in 11th place out of 18 teams, but falling short of the top 9 which would have advanced them to the final rounds.

Camas Varsity #2 -- consisting of juniors Ryan Gompertz, Chris Emmet, Chris Grote, Nicholas Lim, and Alec Maier -- won their preliminary division and advanced to the Semi-Final and Championship rounds, a first ever for a Camas HS Knowledge Bowl team.

At the end of their Semi-Final Oral Round, the team was tied with North Thurston, forcing a tie-breaker session. They were still tied at the end of the first tie-breaker set, and the end of the next tie-breaker found the two teams tied even still. However, the Camas team decided to officially challenge one of the questions in which their answer had been ruled incorrect. Their challenge was accepted and their point was granted, which earned them the right to advance to the championship oral round.

In the Championship Oral Round, three very good teams -- Camas, Charles Wright Academy, and Port Angeles -- were engaged in a close match to determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd final places. At question 40 out of 50, the teams were all tied up at 10 points apiece. By question 45, Port Angeles had forged ahead, but the Camas team was able to tie it up with one question remaining. As the last question was read aloud by the reader/judge, a moment came when the teams seemed to recognize the answer all at once, and they buzzed in. The Camas team got in first, discussed it, offered their correct answer, and won the state championship.

“I have been coaching Knowledge Bowl at Camas HS since 1986, and the state coordinator since 1999. This is the first time I can recall that both the 4A state championship (Skyview HS) and the 3A state championship (Camas HS) were earned by teams from Clark County in the same year,” remarked Croswell. “That is fantastic, and speaks to the strength of the schools and knowledge bowl teams in our area.”

Osprey Return to Their Doc Harris Home

They’re back! The pair of osprey who’ve made the stadium lights at Doc Harris their home for several years are back in town and have apparently embraced their new digs.

When planning for the new Doc Harris stadium, there was much concern for the wellbeing of this pair of birds who would arrive for the 2010 nesting season to find the old stadium lights missing. In fact, it became a condition of the building permits that a new nesting place be created for the birds.

The Doc Harris design team from DOWA, Inc., tapped the expertise at Clark Public Utilities to design the nests. TEAM Construction, the contractor for the project, then built the extensions on existing poles. In order be attractive to the birds, the nests were designed to be higher than the new stadium lights will be when Doc Harris is completed this summer. Twigs and nesting material from the ospreys’ previous nests were also placed in the nests.

“It was a thoughtful, concerted effort of those involved,” commented capital program manager Heidi Rosenberg. “We’re thrilled to see the birds return.”