CSD Newsroom

At the May 11 regular board meeting held via Zoom:

Garver Theater Bids – Heidi Rosenberg, our Capital Programs Director, shared that the construction bids for Garver Theater came in about $2 million higher than anticipated. This was a bit of a surprise to us as our cost estimators have been closely aligned with current market rates for previous project construction bids. The school board reiterated the importance of this project to them and the community. They asked that staff take a bit of time and bring back alternatives to moving forward. Options include looking for additional funding within the capital budget and reassessing the scope of the project. We do know, however, that Garver Theater will be refurbished and re-opened.

Superintendent's Report – Jeff Snell updated the board on the work staff members are doing around COVID-19 related issues: graduation and summer activities, budget implications, and recovery planning for fall. While we are forming plans, considering contingencies, and receiving guidance from the State, our overarching questions are: how can we provide the best possible education and support our community? How can we keep students and staff safe?

Jeff also talked about the feedback we've received from our community on remote learning. There was a lot of appreciation in areas such as staff, providing weekly content with flexible options, and video conferencing check-ins. Areas of concern included access and support for students, students who are struggling, and a desire for consistency in remote learning and communication. He indicated we would include this feedback as we finish this school year as well as preparing for the uncertainty of the future.

“We recognize that each family is going through a very challenging time with a lot of unknowns. We appreciate the partnership with families as we try to provide the best possible support to our students.”

Often times at our board meetings we honor those who have exhibited the characteristics we think define our Mill Town Pride: Hard Work & Dedication; Persistance & Achievement; Contribution & Community. On Monday we gave (virtually) the Mill Town Pride Award to Tami and Meghan.

You've probably heard about our school grab-and-go meals program which was implemented right after we closed our school buildings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, we've served over 40,000 meals! One of the many, many people who are at the front lines in this vital activity is Tami Westmoreland. From the get-go, Tami has worked tirelessly to innovate and remove obstacles to get more meals in the hands of students. In fact, she was just featured in this KOIN story below. Thanks for all you do to support students and families, Tami!

If we still earned badges like in Girl Scouts or Campfire Girls and Boys, we would need to provide at least 5 sashes to hold all of Meghan’s badges! She has always been a creative, out-of-the-box thinker, and when we entered the period of school closure, she pivoted immediately. She focused on what tools and supports teachers would need in order to reach their students remotely. Meghan connected with teacher leaders to design online learning modules for Google Classroom, SeeSaw, and Zoom, and then Google Meet. She offered synchronous “drop-in” sessions to respond directly to staff questions and helped vet and test (and retest and reset) tools alongside of our fantastic Tech Department. Meghan is unflappable, and above all, her humor and kindness reach out to so many. We are so fortunate to have Meghan on our team!

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

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The first week in May was teacher appreciation week, but this year, staff members at Odyssey wanted to give a special shout out to our parents who have been key partners in teaching during our school closure. Take a peek!

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Check out the latest in our annual Report to the Community. Topics include distance learning, social-emotional wellness, our report card, and district finances: https://bit.ly/CamasReport2020.

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There were smiles and tears on Wednesday and Thursday this week as seniors picked up their caps and gowns in a contactless, curbside drive-thru at Hayes Freedom High School (above) and Camas High School (below). Thanks so much to our Grad Night committee which purchased and distributed yard signs for all of our seniors!

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We hosted a virtual parent wellness event on May 7 that focused on how to support our younger students' emotional health during this unique time. If you missed it, you can watch the recorded session. Please join Jennifer McMillan (linked above) for an hour of thoughts, information, and community as we work to understand we aren’t alone, we’re in this together.

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In the style of the book "Flat Stanley," our preschool teachers from The Heights Learning Center sent their students flat Bitmojis of themselves and encouraged students to return photos and stories about their learning and adventures.

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Camas Community Ed is moving forward with the planning of summer camps and JWR Summer Day Camp. We will only be able to have in-person camps if State guidelines will allow. Please continue to check our website for the most updated information at http://communityed.camas.wednet.edu/

For now, check out our Virtual Online Activities offered by our instructors at http://communityed.camas.wednet.edu/classes/virtual-activities/. Stay well!

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Discovery High School teachers dug deep into their personal archives to help create this fun ad for yearbook sales. Get a closer look on the DHS Facebook page!

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Well, now is time to register for fall! We are so very sad that we're not having our normal Kindergarten Roundup events in our schools this month. However, we're tentatively planning for kindergarten orientation in August where families will meet teachers and staff, learn about the curriculum, and take a ride on a real school bus!

To get started, visit http://bit.ly/CamasReg to register online. Questions? Contact our district registrars at CSD.Registrar@camas.wednet.edu or at 360-833-5410.

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In addition to our schools having WiFi 24/7, and plenty of parking space, we have hot spots in buses. The wifi on these buses only works for district-owned Chromebooks (not personal devices or staff laptops). The map below shows the parks that will have buses parked during the school day (9-4). Park within 100 yards to connect.

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The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, & Families recently published a handbook to assist families during this pandemic. Topics include: Concrete Supports; Knowledge of Parenting and Child/Youth Development; Parental Resilience; Social and Emotional Development; and Social Connections. Check it out here.

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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