Newsletter

The Facilities Advisory Committee held its second meeting on Tuesday, November 19, diving deeper into an essential question: "Where does the money come from to fund large-scale capital improvements?" The group explored various funding options, including:

• Capital Bonds

• Capital Levies

• Education Programs and Operations Levies

• School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP)

• Small School Modernization Grants

• Targeted Grants (e.g., seismic improvements, emergency grants, and more)

Community Input at the Forefront

Committee members also reviewed the homework from our previous meeting: connecting with community members to gather input on priority facility improvements and gauge support for these efforts. While the ideas collected were handed over to our consultants at CSG (Construction Services Group) for analysis, the group did not dive into them during this session.

What’s Next?

The Facilities Advisory Committee will meet again on December 17, bringing organized feedback on project priorities. At that time, we’ll see which ideas and improvements are resonating most strongly within the community.

Thank you to our committee members for their commitment to shaping the future of our schools! Stay tuned for further updates as this work progresses

WSVSD is implementing snow routes this year to enhance safety and maintain continuity of learning during winter weather. Snow routes will allow buses to stay on main roads that are more likely to be cleared and safe, minimizing the risks posed by ice or snow-covered back roads with the hope of improving safety for our buses and avoiding weather-related school closure.

Snow routes have been developed for families that live off of Snowden Road, and off the Cook-Underwood Highway. Families whose regular bus stops are affected will have designated alternative stops along these routes.

The pick-up and drop off times are posted to our webpage. Please follow this link to review.

Notification of when we will be using snow routes will be made in the same manner as our inclement weather notifications; which is outlined in this newsletter.

We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we prioritize the safety of students and staff while adapting to winter conditions​.

Notification of when we will be using snow routes will be made in the same manner as our inclement weather notifications; which is outlined in this newsletter.

We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we prioritize the safety of students and staff while adapting to winter conditions​.

Student safety and our ability to safely operate school buses to and/or from school is our top consideration when making weather related closures or delays. There are two ways WSVSD sends messages to staff and families about delays, closures, and other weather-related decisions: emails and text messages.

WSVSD will communicate with families in their preferred language. If a family is not receiving information from their student’s school or, if family contact information has changed, please notify their student's school office.

If staff and/or families “opted out” of receiving information from WSVSD via text messages, you can choose to opt back in by texting the word “start” to 98900.

WSVSD also posts updates online:

• Facebook: Connect with WSVSD at www.facebook.com/whitesalmonschools

• WSVSD website: Go to www.wsvsd.org and look at the “live feed.”

• Inclement weather protocols can be found on www.wsvsd.org/o/wsvsd/page/snow-closures

• FlashAlert: Download the FlashAlert app for updates about closures and delays.

The White Salmon Valley School District is excited to announce a new partnership with Champions, a leading provider of after-school programs, to support the education, health, and wellness of our students. Beginning after Winter Break, Champions will offer high-quality after-school programming for Kindergarten through 6th-grade students.

Champions has over 30 years of experience, and is designed to balance education and fun in a safe, enriching environment. Key details include:

Location: Wallace & Priscilla Stevenson Intermediate School (Whitson Elementary students will have transportation provided).

Activities: Hands-on projects in art, literacy, STEM, and more, along with homework support, healthy snacks, and daily fitness activities.

Focus: Building confidence, curiosity, and community while ensuring a safe and engaging environment after school hours.

To learn more about the Champions experience, take a virtual tour here: Champions Virtual Tour.

Registration is now open! Visit Champions Enrollment for details and to sign up.

We are thrilled to bring this opportunity to our school community and encourage families to consider Champions for their after-school care needs.

OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER
Donate new and like-new outerwear for local youth (toddlers to teens)
Donate in Bingen & White Salmon:
Whitson Elementary | 450 N Main Ave
Insitu | EaglePoint

Harvest Market | 77 NE Wauna Ave

WAGAP | 115 W Steuben St

Several juniors participated in a National College Fair hosted by NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) at the Oregon Convention Center on Monday with 2,000+ other high school students. There were over 225 colleges in attendance from all across the United States, and several schools from the UK, Italy, Tokyo, and Canada. Students shared they learned a lot and had so much fun discovering potential colleges!