Message from Superintendent Newton
Link to message from Superintendent Bill Newton including Hood River Valley High School students.
Content of this newsletter:
- Hood River Valley High School spotlight
- Calendar and upcoming activities
- School community listening sessions
School board information
Partnering for student wellness: A special thanks to FoodCorps
- Keep your student healthy and in school
- School-Based Health Center
- Hood River County Health Department monthly tip
- Nutrition Services monthly recipe
- School meals menus
- SafeOregon tip line
- Powering the future: New electric school bus chargers installed in Odell
- Facilities support during inclement weather
Become a volunteer
Learn about opportunities for your students
Better Screen Time monthly tech tip
Job opportunities
HRVHS Athletics
Hood River County Education Foundation
Extracurricular excellence
From sports to clubs and service projects, our students shine beyond the classroom! Teamwork, leadership, and community spirit make the high school special.
Supportive staff and teachers
Dedicated teachers and staff are the heart of our school, empowering students to achieve their full potential. Their guidance helps students thrive.
Partnering for Student Wellness: A Special Thanks to FoodCorps
We are grateful for our partnership with FoodCorps, a nationwide organization dedicated to improving health and nutrition education in schools. This year, FoodCorps is supporting two of our elementary schools—May Street Elementary and Mid Valley Elementary—by bringing valuable nutrition education directly to the classroom.
Through this partnership, students at May Street and Mid Valley are receiving hands-on lessons that not only teach them about healthy eating, but also engage them in activities like gardening, cooking, and learning where food comes from. The program encourages a lifelong appreciation for nutritious foods and helps students build skills that promote wellness both in and outside of the classroom.
We are incredibly grateful to FoodCorps for their commitment to enhancing the health and nutrition curriculum for our students. Their expertise and support are invaluable as we continue to prioritize student health as a vital part of our school district's mission.
This fall, Food Corps team member Zane Yinger organized a mango testing experience with May Street Elementary School students. Check out this video to see an example of this program's efforts!
We look forward to seeing the positive impact these programs will have on our young learners, and we thank FoodCorps for making this opportunity possible.
School-Based Health Center
The school-based health center (SBHC) remains committed to providing high-quality healthcare services for students. In addition to medical care, they offer a variety of health care services including: sports physicals, behavioral health support, and dental care. Learn more about all our school-based health services HERE!
The health center will be closed from December 23 to January 3. SBHC staff look forward to seeing students in the New Year, and wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. For more information, please visit the SBHC website.
Hood River County Health Department monthly tip
Coughs spread germs all over town. Vaccination for the flu, COVID-19 and whooping cough can prevent or minimize the worst effects of these illnesses and reduce the spread to those at the highest risk. It is a good time to make sure your child is up to date with vaccinations because whooping cough (pertussis) cases continue to increase in Oregon. Get your defense against three common causes of coughs at primary care clinics, pharmacies, and the health department.
SafeOregon tip line
Students are encouraged to share with a trusted adult any information that is concerning them. “See something, say something” is a critical and proven part of preventing incidents of school violence. Please encourage your students to speak up if they see something distressing. Students can report their concerns to a school administrator or school counselor. Additionally, students can report their concerns electronically via the SafeOregon tip line. To submit an anonymous tip or incident report, use one of the three following methods:
- Email tip@safeoregon.com
- Call or text 844-472-3367
- Enter information on SafeOregon website
- Enter information on SafeOregon webpage for Hood River County School District
Powering the future: New electric school bus chargers installed in Odell
Our school district is committed to advancing sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint through electric school transportation. Recently, we were awarded grants to help transition to electric school buses and install the necessary chargers to support them. As part of this initiative, we have successfully installed new chargers at the bus barn in Odell, ensuring our fleet is ready for the future of clean energy transportation. This is a significant step in our ongoing effort to promote environmentally friendly solutions while providing reliable, modern transportation for our students. Thank you to transportation director, Kyle Rosselle, and transportation team for their leadership and coordination!
Facilities support during inclement weather
When Hood River County experiences inclement weather, Hood River County public works crew and our school district staff take extra measures to continue operations and to prepare school campuses for use.
Please do not park in school parking lots, in drop-off zones, or near street curbs when schools are closed due to inclement weather. Typically, our maintenance team is working to clear snow and ice during these times. Thank you for your cooperation!
Holiday popcorn garland
As we close out the year we set our intention towards resourcefulness and tradition. While decorating this holiday season, we share the activity of making a popcorn garland from LearningHereThere. The tradition of stringing popcorn is tied with resourcefulness. In times when elaborate decorations were not readily available, families found joy in repurposing everyday items to create festive adornments. Stringing popcorn perfectly embodies this spirit of simplicity and creativity. Also, did you know that Oregon is ranked third for cranberry production?
Be sure to pop extra popcorn while setting up this activity as a fibrous fun filled treat!
School meals menus
This HRCSD webpage (Department>Nutrition Services>Menus) includes the December breakfast and lunch menus for elementary, middle, and high school students.
Tech tip #4: Have your first family tech talk about using technology as a tool
The Toolbox Lesson: Have a family chat about using technology with purpose! Grab paper or a whiteboard and draw a line down the middle, making a "+" column and a "-" column. Start a conversation with your kids by asking: "How is a device like a tool, such as a hammer?" Just as a hammer can build or break, technology can help or harm.
Fill the "+" column by asking: What do you like about technology? What do you enjoy doing on devices? Then move to the "-" column: What are some downsides we should watch out for? What worries you about technology? Teens especially appreciate being asked for their perspective and insights on digital life.
End by discussing: How can we use technology as a tool that helps us? This builds digital discernment— the ability to make good technology choices. Research shows that families who have regular conversations about technology develop healthier digital habits, and children who think through decisions ahead of time make better choices.
Watch for Tech Tip #5 next month, where we'll use these insights to create your family's tech plan. To review all tech tips offered by Better Screen Time, please visit this HRCSD webpage.
Learn about opportunities for your student
We use Peachjar to share digital flyers containing school and community resources. Please visit this Peachjar website for current opportunities for Hood River County School District students.
Join our team
Student-athletes and teams place at state championships
Congratulations to our Eagle student-athletes and teams for their hard work and dedication!
State Championship Top Awards
Water polo
Girls won their third consecutive state championship!
Boys earned fourth place in the state championship
Cross country
Boys earned fourth place
State Tournament Honorable Mention
Cross county
Girls team member Syl Perrin earned 26th place
Football
Football made it to the first round of the state playoffs
Soccer
Boys made it to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs
Girls made it to the first round of the state playoffs
Applications open for HRVHS local scholarship program
Every year seniors receive over $500,000 in scholarships from the local scholarship program, with approximately 200 scholarships awarded annually. Scholarships range from $500 - $20,000.
Scholarships are available for students seeking trade / vocational certificates as well as two-year and four-year degrees. These scholarships are only open to graduating seniors attending HRVHS or HROA, and all seniors are encouraged to apply.