CSD Newsroom

At the February 10 regular board meeting:

Capital Programs Report – Captial Programs Director Heidi Rosenberg gave the board an update on where we are in our overall 2016 bond program, which is nearing its end with its swan song: the restoration of our Garver Theater. In recent weeks, Heidi worked with the Camas Tree Protectors to determine if the Deodar cedar tree, located on the southwest corner of the site, could be preserved. Alas, it cannot. For many factors (including its size, age, proximity to the theater, and critical root zone), two separate, certified arborists indicated the likelihood of its survival would be small. The great news is that we will plant a new Deodar cedar tree on the east side of the theater in an area large enough to accommodate a tree of this size.

If you'd like a sneak peek at what the theater will look like inside and out, check out the video below which Mahlum Architects produced for us.

Pictured: Board President Connie Hennessey, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Charlene Williams, Jeryln Holland, Sarah Yee, Chelsey Mach, and Superintendent Jeff Snell.

Congratulations to our community members Jeryln Holland, Sarah Yee, and Chelsea Mach who have devoted the better part of a year working to help us gather resources for our equity work. Their commitment is inspirational and will allow us to accelerate our efforts to provide quality resources for our community.

Pictured: Kris Cavin (in red hat) and a ton of student supporters.

Community member Kris Cavin was honored for his longtime Papermaker support through photos he takes at many, many of our athletic events. Although he's not a photojournalist by trade, you wouldn't know it based on his body of work. Also, Kris takes the time to share his photos with students and families solely for the joy it brings them. Thanks for all you do, Kris!

Would you like to see more? Agendas, supporting documents, and minutes are always posted here.

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In early January, we asked you, our staff and families, "What is on your mind?" We received great feedback! We’ll address a few concerns or questions in this and in future editions of this newsletter.

Continue equity work in all areas. I’ve seen improvements but there is a continued need to understand and support differences among staff and students.
Use Teaching Tolerance and other resources to create more inclusive classrooms. Help reduce bullying, harmful school incidents and increase acceptance.

Our students and their well-being are our “north star.” We know, and research confirms, that we must provide conditions of safety and belonging in order to ensure that each student is able to learn and grow. We listen closely to the voices of our students - and especially those whose voices are often missing from or silenced in the dialog. Those voices are at the heart of our equity work.

We believe that in Camas we can model and engage in the kind of discourse that remains respectful across differences. We can and will continue to talk about hard things and to engage in dialogue and mutual learning. We will continue in that commitment as we define the path moving forward.

CSD parent Jeryln Holland said it best during public comment at Monday's board meeting, "Inclusive classrooms help increase feelings of safety, self-esteem, and as well as GPAs while decreasing bullying and harassment, and helping with issues like depression and suicide. Equity creates an environment where acceptance thrives."

Skyridge and Camas High Are Overcrowded.

It certainly can seem overcrowded, but interestingly, enrollment at Skyridge is down from a high of 937 in 2015 to 797 in 2019. Our target size for Liberty and Skyridge is in the 800’s based on school capacity and infrastructure. Camas High’s enrollment this year is 2,149. The largest enrollment at CHS was 2,229 in 2017. Adding grade levels to Discovery High School each year will provide enrollment relief at CHS. Of course, Hayes Freedom High School continues to serve students each year.

How many students do we have in CSD?

Check out our enrollment figures here.

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Camas High received news yesterday that all five of our five Semifinalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program have advanced to Finalist standing in the competition!

Say congratulations to Jaden Kim, Rose Leveen, Xiang Liu, Sierra Mellor, and Kenneth Wright!

From this point, the 7,500 winners that come from a group of more than 15,000, will have their applications in process for the awarding of scholarships beginning in March.

Pictured: Kenneth Wright, Xiang Liu, Jaden S. Kim, and Sierra Mellor. Not pictured: Rose Leveen.

Rose was at a leadership conference today when we took the group photo. We didn't want to leave her out, so we've included her senior picture!

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Over the last several weeks, 80 students from the Camas High School DECA program – a nationwide organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management – stood out in regional written and role-play competitions. On Wed., Jan. 15, Camas brought home some hardware from the Area 9 DECA Conference. Thirty students took home medals and 73 students qualified in their event and will be heading to the DECA State Career Development Conference (SCDC) March 5-7 in Bellevue.

On Tues., Jan. 28, Camas DECA also got word that 25 written projects also qualified to compete at SCDC. These written projects are 20-page papers that students spend months researching, coordinating, and writing.

Please join us in congratulating all of our DECA participants! For a full listing of state qualifiers, click here.

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There are just a few more days to place your bids on more than 50 student experiences, gift cards, themed baskets, and things to do/eat/enjoy in the Camas Education Foundation Online Auction. This weeklong opportunity is completely separate from the annual auction and gala coming up in March, and absolutely everyone can bid, be they parent, grandparent, friend, or neighbor. Every donation supports extraordinary teaching and learning in Camas schools. Visit the online auction now.

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As part of our Student Wellness Program, Camas School District families are invited to a free showing of "Screenagers NEXT CHAPTER: Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience" on Tues., Feb. 18, 2020, at the Camas High School Theater, 7-8:30 p.m.

This is the sequel to "Screenagers THE MOVIE: Growing Up in the Digital Age," previously shown in the district. Recommended age: 6th grade and older. See the trailer here. For more information on the CSD Student Wellness Program, please visit bit.ly/CSDwellness or contact Social-Emotional Liaison Jennifer McMillan at jennifer.mcmillan@camas.wednet.edu.

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Middle school parents, don't miss the chance to join CSD Social-Emotion Liaison Jennifer McMillan as she takes you on a tour of the adolescent brain and teaches you how to help your adolescents build their emotional muscles. It's FREE!

This event is brought to you by the Camas School District Student Wellness Program with support from the Camas Educational Foundation.

Questions? Contact Jennifer at jennifer.mcmillan@camas.wednet.edu.

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Email: communications@camas.wednet.edu
Website: camas.wednet.edu
Location: 841 Northeast 22nd Avenue, Camas, WA, USA
Phone: 360-335-3000
Facebook: facebook.com/CamasSchools
Twitter: @CamasSchools