CONNECTIONS
Spring 2024
Dear Communities,
Thank you very much for supporting the Cascade School District levy requests that were on the ballot on February 11.
The final election results of 67.39% voting yes on Proposition 1 (Educational Programs and Operations Levy) and 66.04% voting yes on Proposition 2 (Technology/Safety/Facilities Levy) were very encouraging to our district. We remain grateful to our communities for their consistent support of our students and programs.
We welcome you to our student activities! Please come support our Cubs, Eagles, Mountain Lions, and Kodiaks, and see why the future is bright.
Best wishes and thank you again,
Dr. Tracey L. Edou
Cascade School District Superintendent
CHS girls’ varsity basketball team blazed through their season. Their winning percentage impresses, surpassing recent history, and their seamless coordination rivets spectators’ attention.
This rising force owes much to head coach Cody Bench and the players embracing her high standards. A 2000 Cascade graduate, Bench’s athletic accolades speak for themselves. “Cody holds the record for most free throws in a season with 137,” explained Athletic Director Tim Barnes. “She holds the record for most career rebounds at 912 and scored 1216 points in her four years as a Kodiak.”
After coaching college ball for fourteen years, Bench returned to Leavenworth to raise her four children. She now coaches after teaching at the Upper Valley Christian School. A self-described “firm coach” she said, “I give them a task, and they do it; I’m giving them a vision and getting buy-in.”
Practices are demanding and efficient. Warmups combine varsity and JV before splitting to two gyms for drills, breakdowns of offense and defense, and scrimmaging. In one drill, a player sprints the length of the court, exchanging four quick passes with teammates before taking a shot. Then everyone rotates position, sharpening spatial awareness, quick decision-making, and clear communication. There’s no room for hesitation.
Maizy Groff, team captain, and Teyva Dillon are the two seniors, and they lead the team in rebounds. Maizy credits Bench for helping her push beyond limits. “I enjoy her style of coaching; no one has ever motivated me for a sport as she has. She knows what she’s doing, so if she's yelling, I listen. I have all my trust in her.”
Their record—three times more wins than losses—reflects the team’s growing assertiveness. They have comfortably beaten smaller schools like Liberty Bell, Entiat and Omak, and they’re challenging historically strong schools.
“When we played Chelan, it came down to the last minute,” Teyva recalled of their first match up. “We led for three quarters but did not come out on top. We also played Nooksack Valley in a very close game. We gave the defending state champs a run for their money as we led the second quarter. We did not win but put up a formidable fight.”
In addition to the seniors’ leadership, the team benefits from an influx of freshmen who have trained together for years. Maizy values their contributions. “I spent a lot of time with them over the summer getting ready for the season. I'm sad I won't keep playing with them, but I’m excited to watch them play in future years.”
Tevya added, “Being a senior means showing the freshmen the etiquette of any sport: how to respond to coaching, treat refs, and keep good relationships with each other.”
Through daily hard work, the team has grown close. “I love my teammates,” said Teyva. “We are constantly playing games before our actual games, and I enjoy our bus rides.”
For the first time in a decade, the team went all the way to Districts, where they came away with a win over Royal, a loss to powerhouse Naches Valley, a satisfying win at home over rival Chelan, and a close but unsuccessful crossover game against Lakeside in Nine Mile Falls.
The impressive trajectory of the CHS girls basketball team was recognized with several Caribou Trail League All League awards, with Groff and freshman Sydney Melody earning First Team honors, and Dillon making Second Team. Bench won Coach of the Year.
Recently, the Cascade School District received a “Soil Friendly School District” award from Winton Manufacturing Compost Works. Winton General Manager, Robbette Schmit presented the award at a recent school board meeting. The recognition highlights the District’s efforts in “teaching students and staff the importance of composting through food waste recycling, the importance of compost as a soil resource, and the benefits of composting for positive climate action.”
It celebrates the collaborative spirit that has enabled the district to create a successful composting program, significantly reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions while connecting students with their environment.
The initiative began with separating the cafeteria food waste at Peshastin-Dryden Elementary (PD) in fall of 2022. CSD Director of Operations and Food Services, Teresa Disher, shared, “We decided to start at PD because they had the most food waste. We were surprised by how quickly and enthusiastically they embraced the process. This positive outcome made the decision to compost across the district an easy one.”
PD was also chosen for the pilot because of its lack of bear activity. Winton received a grant and donated bear-proof carts to the District, enabling the Leavenworth schools to start composting.
Pioneering can require adjustment, and Disher recalled one example. “At PD, we had to make some changes in the shape and height of the compost bins to allow for students to sort easier. When we went with short, round bins, the K-2 students were less likely to spill food while sorting.”
Sorting separates items into three streams: food waste (including napkins), trash (like milk cartons and wrappers), and liquids. “If you visit a school at lunch time, no one bats an eye about composting,” Schmit pointed out. “PD is a testament to the fact that five-year olds can do it.”
Schmit applauded District leadership, saying, “[Superintendent] Tracey Edou has a background in wanting to have operations be sustainable. And it was a bit of a scary jump to figure out all the procedures, but Teresa had courage.”
The day-to-day operations hinges on staff commitment, particularly that of custodians and school principals. “We could not have made this happen without the custodians who work with the students each day to ensure the food bins are not contaminated,” said Disher. Local nonprofit Waste Loop has served as a resource. “Amanda Close with Waste Loop has supported us with ideas, outreach and waste audits.”
Winton hauls the food waste eighteen miles north to their facility, where it is combined with yard waste and transformed into compost over several months. The District has used the resulting compost in various projects.
Composting at CSD aligns with the District’s commitment to community partnerships, outdoor learning, and environmental stewardship. “Receiving the ‘Soil Friendly District’ recognition signifies that we practice what we stand for,” said Disher. “We take pride in being pioneers, stepping forward to implement innovative practices. We hope other districts will look to us as a model for sustainable practices.”
Beginning in fall 2025, Cascade School District will prohibit access to personal cell phones, smart watches and wireless earbuds/headphones during the school day. The district performed extensive research that informed this decision, including engagement and surveys with parents, staff and students, learning from other schools that have implemented cell phone restrictions, and holding discussions at school board meetings and a public forum.
While students do not agree with the idea that cell phones have a negative impact on learning and behavior, teachers provided evidence of their deterrence, and the majority of parents believe that cell phone use reduces learning and social interaction and can lead to anxiety and depression. This is backed by research that attests to linkage between the use of smartphones and both mental health issues and limitations in cognitive capacity.
Concern about communication between students and parents is alleviated by options: the office phone, email via student’s school account, and communication before and after the school day.
The school board is in the process of updating relevant policies and procedures. For information and FAQs, visit: cascadesd.org/o/csd/page/cell-phone-free.
