HSD News Round-up

We want HSD families to be aware that the US Department of Agriculture’s emergency grant program that provides free lunches to students will end at the end of this school year.

Beginning Aug. 31, 2022, the first day of the 2022-23 school year, students will again be charged for breakfast and lunch. Although pricing has not yet been determined, it will be shared with families and posted to the HSD Nutrition Services webpage along with other updates and the new FRL application soon.

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. FRL Eligibility does not automatically roll over from year to year.

The Prevent Together Coalition will be hosting an interactive event for parents and students on June 7 at Chief Umtuch Middle School to provide information and awareness about youth vaping and substance use. Dinner and childcare will be provided. Click here for more details.

Levies make it possible to provide extracurricular activities for students and this season’s state tournaments were another reminder of how HHS student-athletes make the most of these opportunities. Congratulations to all of this spring’s state qualifiers and placers listed below. State place information is listed in parentheses. For reference, there are 62 high schools in the 2A classification.

Girls Golf: Grace Phillips (15th); Hailey Saeman. Boys Golf: Grant Gumringer. Girls Tennis: Molly Romanchock (5th); Girls Track & Field: Gracie Birkinbine, Ellie Ritter, Nora Roscoe, Zieynita Stidum (7th - 4x200 relay); Celia Racanelli (5th - Pole Vault, 11th - Triple Jump). Boys Track & Field: Kenyon Johnson; Andre Northrup; Enzo Oliverio (5th - 100m, 4th - 200m); Cody Wheeler (2nd - Javelin).

On May 25, the Hockinson Middle School Rainbow Club, PWT volunteers, and HSD staff planted sensory-themed plants in the new Early Learning Garden. They planted a variety of herbs (many that bloom) for color, scent, and taste. Grasses were planted for touch. Several other plants with texture were added for feel. In the months ahead, these plants will be experienced not only by people, but also by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

The new Early Learning Garden is located between the Hockinson Community Center and Hockinson Middle School. It will be enjoyed by Hockinson Community Education After School Adventures and Camp Hockinson students as well as the broader community. This new gathering spot in the heart of Hockinson will give parents and children a spot to explore, runners a place to tie their shoes before circling the track, and middle school students a quiet location to center themselves before or after school. Thanks to the two benches donated by the Ranck Family and Hockinson Chevron, the garden also provides a place for all to enjoy a snack or watch the sunset.

What's next? Three raised beds for a vegetable garden were installed on Sunday, May 29, courtesy of Hockinson Community Education and the Carter Family. Educational displays and other sources of interest will come as funds become available. If you are interested in supporting this project you can make a donation here.

Gordon Smith, School Board Director for District 5, and his wife Anna visited Hockinson Heights Elementary School on Friday, May 27 to share information about the Makah Tribe and its history and traditions. Their experiences helped to bring social studies standards to life for 2nd Grade students, who are currently learning about Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest. Thank you, Smiths!

HHS student Ben Schierling performed the national anthem at a recent Portland Winterhawks game. You can view his performance here. After the game, Ben was invited to visit the Winterhawks’ locker room, where Head Coach Mike Johnston recognized Ben for helping to inspire his team. Ben was also featured in a KPTV news story on the Mother’s Day playoff game. Way to go, Ben!

Joe Wambach, HMS lead custodian, was given a spirited send-off by students and staff on his last day of work on Wednesday, May 25. Wambach attended Hockinson Junior High as a student and returned to the school after graduating from college as its custodian - a role held for the next 37 years! What’s next for this dedicated employee? Wambach will be relocating from Hockinson to his cabin in Klickitat County, where he will read, pursue his hobbies, and spend time outdoors. Congratulations on your retirement, Joe!

On Tuesday, May 24, Ann Anderson presented a special gift to members of the HHS Boys Soccer Team: A donation of over $4,000 that will help defray expenses for players in need of financial assistance. The donation was in honor of Anderson’s late son, Nate, a 2020 HHS graduate, soccer player, and volunteer soccer coach.

A big thank you to Mike Veley for organizing this gofundme account and to the donors throughout our community who contributed to it!

Pictured (l to r): Bryce Anderson, Jeff Behrend, Ann Anderson, 2021-22 HHS Boys Soccer Players, Head Coach Tony Ayala and Assistant Coach Josh Nichols

This year’s June 10 HHS Graduation ceremony will again be held outdoors in the HHS Stadium. While the stadium was built for in-person games and events, Craig Barnhill, HSD Tech Supervisor, has been working long hours this spring to install infrastructure needed for a second option: A live-stream video feed of the ceremony that can be viewed at home by friends and family.

While Barnhill and co-workers produced live-streamed videos of games and concerts last year, they were all done on an emergency basis. For example, last year’s graduation was broadcast using a long run of cable that stretched from the field house to the bleachers over the school’s tennis courts. Due to shortages, the only cable that the Tech Department could find and afford was rated for interior use! So Barnhill and colleagues kept their fingers crossed throughout the 2021 ceremony, hoping rain would not spoil the live-stream. Thankfully, it remained dry, but Barnhill knew the school needed a more permanent solution for the future.

Last week, HSD tech workers partnered with contractors to pull cable through underground conduit. This cable and permanent power source (no more extension cords!) will make it possible for fans of the Class of 2022 - both near and far - to watch their favorite Hawk cross the stage on June 17.

HSD building leaders know that when students are involved in school activities and interest-based clubs they not only feel a stronger sense of belonging, they perform better academically. These outcomes are even more important post-COVID, so each school has stepped up their promotion of extracurricular and co-curricular opportunities. This spring, HHES even created two new clubs: Cross Stitch Club and Pokemon Club.

Both clubs, which met after school once a week, were a huge hit! HHES Associate Principal Bess Colpron said, “Students had a great time and told me that they want to do it again next year.” Colpron credited the club advisors for cultivating such a positive experience. “Our parent volunteers were amazing,” said Colpron. “They were reliable, enthusiastic, and had so much to share with our students.”

Colpron is excited to announce the addition of another new after-school activity for 2022-23: Robotics Club. “Besides giving students a chance to apply STEM principles,” Colpron said, “robotics encourages students to problem solve and work together. It will also link really well the existing programs at the middle and high schools to create a tech pipeline for students who are interested in continuing on that pathway.”

If you have an idea for a student club or are willing to serve as a volunteer advisor, contact bess.colpron@hocksd.org.

If your student has not completed their Smarter Balanced Assessments, please contact your school’s assessment coordinator asap: Bess Colpron (HHES), Karent Johnson (HMS), or Kathy Pacheco (HHS). The make-up testing window closes this Friday, June 3. Students who do not complete, or who opt-out of, the required assessments not only miss out on the opportunity to see where they are skill-wise, they lower the HSD’s percentage of students who meet standard because the state scores non-completed tests as zeroes.

Saturday, May 28 marked the second appearance of the new Hockinson Artisan Market (HAM) in the Hockinson Community Center parking lot. The market features a number of new and creative vendors. This new market will be held periodically through September, making it the perfect opportunity to take care of your gift giving needs and self-care treats without having to leave Hockinson! The next HAM will be held from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm on Saturday, June 18. For more information about vendors and details, check out the Hockinson Artisan Market Website.

Website: hocksd.org
Location: 17912 NE 159th St, Brush Prairie, WA 98606
Phone: (360) 448-6400
Facebook: facebook.com/HockinsonSchools