Everything in Art

High school artists featured in downtown art event.
Three students from the Camas High School Everything in Art classes participated in the second annual “Arts and Letters” (student art and local authors) First Friday event in March in downtown Camas. It was such a successful event in 2010 that students were asked to participate again. Carrie Schulstad, owner of The Uncommon Gift and Board Member of the Downtown Camas Association said, “The event is such a great way to connect the schools with downtown as well as provide a venue for student expression and development of the love of the arts.” Gina Mariotti Shapard, the teacher of the Everything in Art classes was excited about the opportunity to showcase her students’ art saying, “Students stretched their creative thinking by using a synectic (a tool for generating creative ideas) to show their paper mache’ animals in a new light. I think students ‘get’ that art has meaning and it can go beyond decoration.” Students reported that synectics helped them experiment with ideas as well as the elements and principles of art.

Students who participated in the First Friday were: Noah Shannon “The Mighty Butterfrog,” a colorful hybrid of butterfly and frog; Gabrielle Curtis “Octosushi,” a parody of a purple octopus who made his own sushi; and Alexis Wallen “Johnny,” a snappy alligator morphing into a Converse shoe.

Kindergarten Orientation Events Scheduled

It is time for Kindergarten registration for the 2011-12 school year! Listed below are the dates for registration and orientation events for each school. The purpose of orientation is to meet teachers and staff, and learn about the kindergarten curriculum. If you are not sure which school your child will attend, please call the transportation department at (360) 833-5585. The district registrar, Shanna Nielson, will be on site at each event to register your child. You may access registration packets and requirements for entrance on the district web site. If you are unable to attend kindergarten orientation, please contact Shanna Nielson at 360-833-5410 to schedule a registration appointment.

Please be aware that in addition to the registration forms, you will need to submit the following paperwork:

• State-issued birth certificate
• Immunization information: students must be fully immunized (doctors refer to this as “5-year-old” or “kindergarten shots” or an exemption needs to be on file in order for your child to be registered
• Proof of residency, i.e., driver's license, utility bill, purchase agreement, renter's agreement

If you are aware of or know any future Camas kindergarten students in your neighborhood, preschool, etc., please let them know about kindergarten orientation and encourage them to attend!

Dorothy Fox Elementary
2623 NW Sierra St.
(360) 833-5700
Date: May 11
Time: 4:00-6:00 PM

Grass Valley Elementary
3000 NW Grass Valley Drive
(360) 833-5710
Date: May 5
Time: 9:00-11:00 AM

Helen Baller Elementary
1954 NE Garfield Street
(360) 833-5720
Date: May 11
Time: 9:30-11:30 AM

Lacamas Heights Elementary
4600 NE Garfield Street
(360) 833-5740
Date: May 18
Time: 9:00-11:00 AM

Prune Hill Elementary
1601 NW Tidland St.
(360) 833-5730
Date: May 11
Time: 2:00-3:30 PM

Papermaker Preschool Enrollment for 2011-12 Opens March 28

Papermaker Preschool 
Camas High School’s Papermaker Preschool is open to children who are four years of age by August 31, 2011. The morning session runs 8:45-11:15 a.m. and the afternoon session runs 12:45-3:15 p.m. The full-time preschool hours are 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuition is $230 per month, pro-rated September through May, for part-time preschoolers and $690 per month for full-time (nine-hour maximum/day) preschoolers. Our integrated, developmental preschool follows the Camas School District Calendar.

If you have any questions regarding our program or would like to schedule a visit, please call the Career & Technical Education Office at 833-7258.

If you would like to register your child, please call Shanna Nielsen at 833-5410 to schedule a registration appointment. Registration materials are available online at the CSD website. Registration applications are also available for pick up at the District Office, located at 841 NE 22nd Ave.

Benefit Concert for Camas Schools Music Programs

The Liberty Theatre in downtown Camas is opening its doors again and kicking things off as the host for a three-day movie and concert event to benefit the Camas Schools Music Program. The events are organized by the Camas Educational Foundation and the Downtown Camas Association.

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, the events begin on Thursday, March 17, with a 6:00 PM showing of the 1959 Walt Disney Classic “Darby O’Gill and the Little People.” Tickets for the movie are $2.

On Friday, March, 18, come join in the fun with the sing-a-long version of “Grease”! Showtimes are at 5:30 and 8:00 PM for this event and tickets are still only $2!

Starting at 4:00 PM on Saturday, March 19, come see great talent from across the Camas School District as well as local musicians donating their time and musical talent. Performances showcased during this event will include the Liberty Middle School Choir, talent from Hayes Freedom High School, and two bands comprised of CHS students: Julia’s Misfortune and Storm Runner. Entertainment will also be provided by Jon Hecox, James Kerridge, The Go project, and Social Gravy. An All Day pass (4 – 10 PM) will cost $5 which includes specials at participating downtown business.

The following links will provide more information about the events, how to purchase tickets, or make a donation to give all kids an opportunity to learn music.

Camas Educational Foundation
Liberty Theatre

The Liberty Theatre is located at 315 NE 4th Ave., Camas, and can be reached at 360-859-9555.

K-Bowl Teams Bowl the Competition

Did you hear? One of our Camas HS Knowledge Bowl teams qualified for state by taking first place at the SW WA (ESD 112) Regional tournament this past Monday. This dynamic Varsity team consists of these members: Chris Grote, Chris Emmet, Ryan Gompertz, Alec Maier, and Nick Lim. These five Papermakers are the returning state triple A champions in Washington, and will get the chance to defend that title on March 26  at the state tournament in Richland. This is also the group that traveled to DC last spring to compete in a national tournament. They will be joined at state this year by another teammate Jacob Freedman.

We had four varsity teams compete, and out of 12 triple A teams in our region, we finished in first, sixth, seventh, and ninth. Not a bad tourney!

We also had three teams compete at the Junior Varsity level where the top nine out of all 39 JV teams in our region competed. They finished second, fifth, and sixth, which is fantastic! The team members of the second place team  include these freshmen: Kyle Binder, Xinyang Chen, Rachel Fadlovich, Shicon Wen, Lindsay Weinberg, and Tim Liu.

If you see any of these champions of knowledge, tell them congratulations!

State could cut levy equalization funds for property-poor school districts

Our state is facing a $4.6 billion shortfall for 2011-13, and public education is not immune to significant cuts that will impact students, staff and communities. While Washington’s “paramount duty” is to provide full funding for education, less than 70 percent of a school district’s budget is covered by the state. In the current budget crisis, state support for basic programs and services are at risk.

Read more »

Inclement Weather: Open, Late, or Closed?

Today marks the fourth day of school we’ve missed this year due to inclement weather in the Camas School District. On a day like today, where there is well over a foot of snow in some areas in Camas and trace amounts in others, I thought it would be a good time to cover the process involved in determining a school closure day due to inclement weather.

On a morning when the threat of hazardous conditions exists, district staff members begin driving bus routes around 4:00 a.m. to examine road conditions. We consider weather-related situations that students and staff will face as well as the forecast for later in the day. We also monitor the road conditions through our county’s web site. Our school district covers a large region with remote areas and steep terrain in places. While roads may be passable in town, conditions may be very different just a few miles away—in fact, the elevation within the district boundaries varies from 50 to 2,500 feet. Before we close schools or delay start times, we seek answers to the questions below:

• Can we ensure that buses are able to navigate streets safely?
• Will students be safe waiting for buses, driving, or walking to school?
• What are the predicted weather conditions later in the school day so we can also ensure students a safe return home?
• If we start school late (e.g. two-hour late start), will conditions be substantially improved?

Read more »

CEF Annual Phone-A-Thon begins Wednesday

A group of Liberty and Skyridge students will volunteer their evenings this week to make phone calls on behalf of the Camas Educational Foundation for their fundraising effort titled “Phone-A-Thon.” Each night on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, these middle school students will be phoning school district households to ask for donations to support the Foundation’s important mission of bringing enhanced curriculum opportunities to Camas schools. The Foundation’s Phone-A-Thon is one of two major fundraisers held each year--the other being the CEF Auction held in the fall.

In 2009, through the generosity of Camas families and businesses, CEF supported the following projects through grants given to Camas educators:
· Science Olympiad for elementary schools,
· Camas High School robotics program,
· "Hawkeye Gazette” (Skyridge Middle School newspaper run by students),
· Parenting resource libraries at all elementary schools,
· Alternative energy project at Camas High School, and much more!

Highly Capable Application Window Open

The Camas School District offers a unique program for highly capable (Hi-Cap) students in grades three through five.

The Hi-Cap Gifted Cluster classroom consists of a group of gifted students within a regular, grade-level heterogeneous classroom. This program is offered at grades three through five at all Camas elementary schools. The classrooms are designed to accommodate varied levels of a gifted child's academic needs. Clustering provides students with opportunities to accelerate learning in their gifted areas. It also enables students to work at their own grade level in other subjects as needed. Gifted students experience working with age peers and ability peers as well as mixed ability groups that model their real-world experiences.

Applications for the Hi-Cap program are due on March 11. The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) will take place at Helen Baler Elementary on Saturday, March 19, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Click here to view the application form.

Click here to view the Hi-Cap brochure.

Published Authors

CHS seniors Olivia Jansen and Nicholas Lim are about to be published in their first scientific publication! They have been listed as coauthors in a study approved for publication in the journal Neuroscience. Read the story about their internships at OHSU last summer by clicking here.

94-Year-Old Papermaker Receives Honorary Diploma

Lila Robertson would have graduated from Camas High in the 1930’s; however, for reasons left unsaid, she did not attend her high school graduation and never received her diploma. Nearly three quarters of a century later, she did just that. At a school board meeting last night, Lila Robertson Trammell, now 94, was bestowed an honorary diploma from Camas High School.

In 1928, Lila’s father obtained a job at the Crown Zellerbach Mill in Camas and moved Lila, her mother, and four siblings from Lewiston, Idaho, in an open car with all their possessions.

Lila was known as an outstanding student having earned a Citation for Meritorious Service in 1934 from Camas High, which incidentally, was signed by Educator of the Century Nora Self.

After high school, Lila married Truman E. Sanders and they had five children. While raising her family she lived and worked in Idaho and Oregon; always finding work in the schools and volunteering for local non-profits such as the YWCA. Lila returned to Camas after marrying Don Trammell in 1969. When Don retired from the Paper Mill in the late 1980s, they spent nine years as Park Hosts in Washington and Oregon State Parks.

Lila served as a Camas City Councilwoman from 1971-1979. Her niece, Roxanne Jones, remembers that Lila was known for her extensive knowledge of city ordinances, building codes, and financial accountability. “She was hard-headed, honest, and respected. And she didn’t take any guff from the men on the council,” Jones noted.

Today, Lila is still an active senior here in Camas. Additionally, she has been a dedicated volunteer at the Vancouver Veterans’ Hospital Barns Medical Center for many years. Eleven times each year, Lila brings hand-made crafts, or favors, on holidays as a way to honor our veterans. “She is famous at the Center. When the staff and veterans see her walk in the door, they exclaim, ‘Here comes the Queen!’ The little favors she gives the vets really brighten their day and her visits are something the men really look forward to,” commented Jones. “In fact, over the years, she has had four marriage proposals!”

While working for the city of Camas, School Board member Doug Quinn remembers meeting Lila regarding City improvements taking place around her home. “Lila was an incredible advocate for her neighborhood. She was a clear thinker and very focused on her community,” Quinn commented. “She left a mark that impressed me.”

At the board meeting, Superintendent Mike Nerland showed the audience the citation from 1934 plus another plaque Lila received from Camas High School. School Board President Connie Hennessey and Nerland bestowed the honorary diploma to Lila surrounded by friends and family as well as her pastor, Ken Campbell. Lila thanked the board for the honor and she joked to Nerland that someone had “stolen” her plaques from her home and that she’d now like them returned to her.

Secondary Late Start; Wednesday Only

This is a reminder that Wednesday, January 26, is a scheduled late start for Camas High School, Liberty Middle School and Skyridge Middle School. Students should arrive at bus stops two hours and twenty minutes later than their regularly scheduled time. All classes begin at 10 AM. Typically we have two late starts, Wednesday and Thursday. Please note that ONLY Wednesday is a late start day. On Thursday buses will run on the regular schedule.

Hoops 4 Pink 2011

The CHS Girl’s Basketball’s Hoops 4 Pink campaign to raise money for Breast Cancer research is underway!  All proceeds will be donated to the Kay Yow Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.  This campaign will culminate on Friday, February 4, at 5:30 p.m. during their game with Mt. View High School.   Mountain View fans will be in blue t-shirts with the H4P logo and Camas will be in our black H4P shirts.  Newly designed H4P shirts are on sale in the ASB office at the high school for $10.  During the game there will be door prizes and a silent auction, with items such as hotel getaways and Blazer ticket packages.  Following the girl’s game, the boys will play at 7:00 p.m. 

Cash donations can be made at the ASB office or through any Lady Papermaker basketball player.  Last year both schools together raised over $8,000 and hope to exceed that amount this year.  Tax deductible donations of door prizes and/or silent auction items can be given to Nadine Knight (Ph.  360-910-5435). Come out on February 4 to support this great cause!

Three Great Fitness Classes

Are you looking for a way to rev up your fitness level? Community Education has the answer for you! As always, there are several session choices for Zumba classes. New this year is the 6-Week Weight Loss Challenge. If you need a session with a personal trainer, check out the Health and Fitness Workout Seminar.

• Zumba
  
• 6-Week Weight Loss Challenge
  
• Health and Fitness Workout Seminar

Skyridge water leak

If your student attends Skyridge Middle School and has a cell phone, you may have heard that we had a water leak overnight. The leak occurred in an upstairs hallway as the result of a burst coupling. Six classrooms had water damage, and students have been relocated to other parts of the school. We anticipate having the issue repaired by noon. Please know that students are safe, and there has been no interruption in access to water. We intend to have a full and productive educational day. If you have any questions, please contact the Skyridge main office at 833-5800.