HSD News Round-Up

The slogan “Upward Together” says a lot, but it doesn’t say it all. As we head into what we hope will be a school year with little - or hopefully no - COVID impact, Hockinson Schools are committed to improving teaching and learning as well as our students’ experiences at school. These topics are the centerpieces of our 2022 Learning Improvement Days during the Week of August 22. Once discussed and clarified by staff, we will be reaching out to HSD families to seek ways students, parents, and staff can join together to create gains in student learning and school culture. More to come on this exciting initiative in the weeks ahead!

Our “Upward Together” campaign directly addresses two of the three main goals of the HSD Strategic Plan: Academics and School Culture & Facilities. We invite you to help inform us how we are doing in these areas by participating in the Hockinson School District Parent Perception Survey. This survey, open now through Sept. 6, covers a range of topics relating to academics, facilities, school culture, and student/family experiences in schools and the HSD. We want to hear from you so we can maintain our areas of strength, make improvements wherever needed, and go Upward Together in 2022-23 and beyond. Click HERE to share your thoughts.

We assessed the third area, Communication & Community, through a parent survey last spring. Over 300 families responded to the anonymous survey, providing valuable perspectives on methods of communications utilized by our schools and district. You can view a summary of the survey results HERE.

We understand that starting elementary school and transitioning from elementary to middle school and middle to high school can be a little scary. This is why our schools have created new programs to support the success of incoming students and help them get excited about their next chapter. Click HERE to learn more about your school’s transition and orientation programs.

The CDC and Washington DOH recently updated COVID guidance for schools for Fall 2022. While some requirements were revised, all protocols relating to symptomatic students and staff will remain the same as last spring. Click HERE to review these procedures.

We encourage every secondary student to participate in sports and clubs. Research studies consistently show a positive correlation between involvement and attendance, GPA, and happiness with school.

Since we are just a few days away from the start of the Fall Sports Season at HHS and HMS, we wanted to send out a registration reminder:

Click HERE to sign up for a HHS Fall Sport (Football - starts 8/17; Boys & Girls Cross Country, Boys Golf, Girls Soccer, Girls Swimming, and Girls Volleyball - start 8/22).

HMS athletic registration opens 8/19, but you can get started on registering your 7th or 8th Grader for a HMS Fall Sport HERE (Boys and Girls Cross Country and Girls Volleyball start 8/29).

A list of active student clubs and activities will be available at school orientations.

While classrooms take a break for summer vacation, our custodians and maintenance staff shift into summer mode and tackle a variety of large-scale projects. This summer, these projects included: Sanding and refinishing of all gym floors; installation of monitors in the HHS Cafeteria and live stream camera at HHS Stadium; painting of HHES restrooms; inspection of kitchen hoods and fire suppression systems; aeration and sanding of playing fields; and inspection and repair of all HSD bleachers and basketball apparatus.

We would like to thank two local companies for their assistance with keeping our facilities safe and looking their best: Greenwood Painting (HHS press box) and Superior Sweeping (parking lots). The latter will enable us to begin the crack sealing of the HHES and Community Center parking lots next week.

It is said “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Similarly, HHS leadership students and student-athletes are demonstrating that the improvement of the HHS Weight Room and Fieldhouse begins with a single paint brush. On June 12, student and adult volunteers began painting the weight room in school colors to help set the stage for the addition of new equipment and upgrades in the years ahead. This coming weekend, another group of students and staff will be painting and installing plywood backstops throughout the Fieldhouse to protect the walls and make it more of a multi-purpose facility. Thank you volunteers!

The US Department of Agriculture’s emergency grant program that provided free lunches to students expired at the end of the 2021-22 school year.

This means beginning Aug. 31, 2022 students will again be charged for breakfast and lunch. 2022-23 prices are: Elementary - Breakfast: $1.60/Lunch: $3.10; Middle School - Breakfast: $1.85/Lunch $3.25; High School - Breakfast: $2.10/Lunch: $3.50.

Please note that applications for Free/Reduced Lunch (and fees/services covered by HB 1660 such as ASB and sports fees) must be submitted in the first 30 days of each school year. Parents can access the Free/Reduced Lunch application HERE or apply through Skyward Family Access.

Families in need of supplementing their student’s school supplies can find confidential assistance at the HSD Care Closet. The Care Closet, located at the HSD District Office, is available on an appointment-only basis. Please contact Kelly Trinklein, counseling intern, by phone at (360) 430-9059 or by email at ktrinkle@mail.umassglobal.edu to set up an appointment.

You are in luck! We have put together a one-page Quick Reference Guide (eg, start/end times, office staff, calendar) for each school:

Hockinson Heights Elementary School

Hockinson Middle School

Hockinson High School

Be on the lookout for online ordering information for HHES and HMS spirit wear in upcoming school newsletters. Hockinson and HHS branded clothing is available now online and at the Back-to-School Pop Up Shop on Aug. 29 (9 am - 3 pm) and Aug. 30 (9 am - 2 pm) inside Hockinson High School. Thank you for showing your Hockinson school spirit!

- Aug. 25: HHES Open House at 5 pm

- Aug. 29: HMS 6th Grade Orientation 8 am - Noon; HHS Orientation (Grades 10-12) starting at 9 am; and Regular HSD School Board Meeting at 6 pm (HCC and Zoom)

- Aug. 30: HHS 9th Grade Orientation 9:30 am - 12:30 pm

- Aug. 31: First Day of School!

- Sept. 5: Labor Day (No School)

- Sept. 6: HMS Open House at 6 pm

Email: amelia.holmes@hocksd.org
Website: https://www.hocksd.org/
Location: 17912 NE 159th St, Brush Prairie, WA 98606, USA
Phone: (360) 448-6400