HSD News Round-up

The final day of the school year is this Friday, June 17. All three Hockinson schools will begin at their regular start times but releasing students early at the following end times:

HHES 11:15 am

HMS 12:20 pm

HHS 12:30 pm with grab-n-go lunch @ Noon

Bus transportation schedules have been adjusted accordingly. Enjoy your summer!

Nearly 200 total years of service to the Hockinson School District was recognized at the Tuesday, May 31 HSD School Board Meeting. Seven HSD retirees were saluted for their countless contributions to Hockinson's schools and students:

• Julie Cecil, HMS Paraprofessional: 9 years HSD, 40 years overall
• Joanne Graham, HHS Registrar: 18 years HSD
• Jennifer Teegardin, HHES Teacher: 27 years HSD, 38 years overall
• Georgine Tomayer, HMS Teacher: 35 years HSD
• Beth Tugaw, HHS Teacher & Athletic Coordinator: 19 years HSD, 37 overall
• Joe Wambach, HMS Custodian: 35 years HSD + 3 years as HSD substitute
• Sandy Weber, HHES Paraprofessional: 27 years HSD

The departure of this "Magnificent Seven" is bittersweet. We are sad to lose this special group of educators, but thankful for their service and happy for the new opportunities that await them in retirement.

The career and June 7 send-off of Beth Tugaw, one of the founding teachers at HHS, was profiled in a recent article by Clark County Today reporter Paul Valencia.

On Monday, June 15, HHES 5th Graders were treated to an invigorating run through cold water sprayed on them by firefighters from Fire District #3. This wet rite of passage returned this year to celebrate the achievements of students as they wrap up the year and prepare for middle school in the fall. Thanks to our friends at FD 3 for making this memorable event possible, and to the PWT, which provided ice cream treats to students from the Sweet Tooth Ice Cream truck. Congratulations, 5th graders!

(Photo from Megan Kramer)

Hockinson High School band students have a lot to look back on as summer starts! In recent weeks, they have traveled to California with the HHS Drama Club for fun, clinics and performances, marched in two parades on the same rainy day, debuted a newly commissioned piece to celebrate Hockinson’s history at the District Band Festival, and played at HHS graduation. Drama students have had a couple of eventful weeks as well! Along with the California trip, HHS thespians were recently been nominated for a Fifth Avenue Theater Award - the Tony’s of the High School Musical world! See the links below to see these talented students in action:

A large and enthusiastic group of HHS band and drama students flew to California earlier this month for five full days of fun, learning and performances. Band and drama students’ attended personalized clinics at Biola University. The band took part in a clinic to enhance their Disney music performances with Professor Bob Feller, while drama students completed a 90-minute session with Professor Zachary Bortot who taught the students the Meisner technique for acting.

Students also took part in Performing Arts workshops through the Disney Imagination Campus that took them backstage and gave them the Disney Cast Member perspective. Band students brought their "A Game" to an Instrumental Soundtrack Session with a Disney Teaching Artist and performed on-stage at Disney California Adventure. Drama students put their skills to the test with a Vocal Soundtrack Session featuring songs from Moana and The Muppet Show and learned about “Disney Broadway Magic” by rehearsing and performing a scene from Tangled. These soundtrack sessions were especially fun because the groups got to experience their performances synched to Disney film scenes.

In between learning and performing, students also had fun at Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure, Knotts Berry Farm, Universal, Medieval Times, Warner Brothers Studio and at the beach. They returned home exhausted but with memories that will last a lifetime.

Link to band performing a Pixar medley at Disney’s California Adventure: https://photos.app.goo.gl/G6MYANDPjcVTPgRE9 (video, Colleen O’Brien)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/G6MYANDPjcVTPgRE9

On June 4th, the HHS Marching Band soldiered through not one but two rainy parades. They anchored the annual (returning) Hockinson Fun Days parade through the heart of Hockinson and then added lights to their uniforms and proudly represented our community in the Portland Starlight Parade. See Fox12 coverage of the band’s performance here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dgYMY6X21fQ_UlUs-f137s7xp3vmk89b/view?usp=sharing

Did you know that the Hockinson School District has its own musical tribute? It's true. As part of the district's 150-year history, Superintendent Steve Marshall and the 150th Anniversary Committee commissioned a piece of music. The composer, John Neumann, named it The Hockinson Sesquicentennial Saga. Although the piece was written in 2020, COVID restrictions kept it from being played until 2022. You can hear the HHS Wind Ensemble premiere the 'Saga at its June 7 concert HERE at the 1:39.55 mark.

Finishing off the year with an exciting nomination, HHS thespians deserve a hearty ovation for their nomination for a 5th Avenue Theater Award. Announced on June 14, Hockinson won a nomination for Outstanding Work by Students in Music Direction. This nomination is in recognition of the hard work of student assistant Jonah Charles, adult vocal director Barbara Choltco and all of the student singers in the production. What an honor for all involved! Winners will be announced live at an online ceremony at 7 pm on June 26.

If you were unable to attend year-end events in person, you can still watch them on the HSD YouTube Channel. Click on the following links to view video recordings of concerts, awards ceremonies, and even the HMS Promotion and HHS Graduation:

District Band Festival (June 7)

HHS Senior Awards Assembly (June 8)

HHS Graduation Ceremony (June 10)

HHS Semester 2 Awards Assembly (June 15)

HMS 8th Grade Promotion (June 15)

Clark County recently informed the HSD that its application for a Safe Routes to School Program grant application, submitted in 2020, is being considered for funding. If awarded, this the scope of this $445,350 project would include the:

• Retrofit of six ADA curb ramps;

• Installation of three school zone flashing beacons to designate a 1,700 foot long 20 mph speed zone in front of the school along 162nd St.;

• Installation of new pedestrian crosswalk markings and repair of damaged pavement at three pedestrian crossings;

• Illumination of the pedestrian crosswalks;

• Update of school signage to match Clark County School Zone Traffic Control Policy

throughout the project corridor.

If approved, these improvements would likely be completed this summer! We will keep HSD families posted on the status of this exciting safety project.

While the 2021-22 school year will draw to a close this Friday, school safety planning will continue throughout the summer in preparation for next school year. If you are interested in learning more about our district’s safety plans or would like to volunteer to serve on the HSD’s School Safety Task Force, please plan on attending this webinar at 6 pm on June 22.

At their first-ever Transitional Kindergarten Graduation ceremony on June 14, HHES teachers Sean Sears, Virginia Grimes, and Ashley Crowley celebrated an exciting year of learning with students and their families. Sears informed the audience that all incoming Kindergartners had mastered 55 critical Kindergarten-ready skills, which include: Knowing all numbers, upper case and lower case letters, letter sounds, and even demonstrating the ability to read a book!

(Pictured: HHES Transitional Kindergarten teacher Ashley Crowley)

You may not know that the former Hockinson Middle School has been converted into the Hockinson Community Center. Many may also not know that a former Hockinson student, Alex Elerick, is now leading the Hockinson Community Education program inside the community center and providing learning opportunities across the district! Click here to learn more about Alex and here for summer offerings.

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