CHS Named One of America’s Best High Schools
For the third time in four years, Camas High School has been awarded Silver Medal status by US News & World Report. Every year, the magazine rates all U.S. public high schools according to school-specific data on enrollment, ethnicity, participation and success in Advanced Placement classes, and results of state assessment proficiency tests compared to other schools in our state. While its rating formula is imperfect, it is consistent and it does give schools feedback on its students’ level of college readiness. Schools are given a college readiness index score, with the top scoring 4,805 schools receiving a gold, silver or bronze medal and – in the case of gold and silver schools – a numerical ranking. The CHS ranking was 744 nationally and #15 in the state. To put those rankings in perspective: There are over 21,000 high schools in the U.S. and 587 in the State of Washington. To view the rankings, click this link: www.usnews.com/best-high-schools.
To acknowledge this honor and encourage students to continue to challenge themselves academically, the CHS Admin Team scheduled our mandatory monthly evacuation drill for the end of today. When students and staff got outside they received a popsicle or frozen fruit bar to enjoy in the sun while we cleared the campus and took roll. Great work students, parents, and teachers.
Camas teacher makes every day Earth Day
If you ask a student at Grass Valley what makes their school special, they’ll tell you that Grass Valley is a Green School! First grade teacher Julie Della Valle is the leader who makes this happen, and Clark County Environmental Services agrees. The organization will honor Mrs. Della Valle with the “Make Every Day Earth Day” award at a ceremony on April 12.
Della Valle has initiated and managed many activities designed to get students and adults focused on the environment. Most noteworthy of these are: the Eco Officers Club, a school-wide Earth Day celebration, and the accomplishment of being a Level II Washington Green School.
Having the Eco Officers club ensures the school’s green efforts start with kids. Mrs. Della Valle hosts weekly meetings and guides students in their efforts to reduce Grass Valley’s trash output and maximize recycling potential. The kids assess each classroom’s effectiveness in recycling through trash audits and award them for their efforts. Eco Officers teach their peers how to decrease trash production and increase their recycling and reusing habits.
“What we have found is that the adults in our building and parents at home are learning right along with the kids,” commented Grass Valley Principal Patricia Erdmann.
For the past two years, the Eco Officers have contributed to the Washington Green School Summit. The efforts of Eco Officers and their leader have spilled over into other Green Team activities, such as the SOS (Save Our Scraps) program in the cafeteria.
A great example of the community coming together in this recycling effort is the Bottle Cap Drive that Della Valle brought to Grass Valley. In cooperation with a local business, Grass Valley students are collecting thousands of threaded bottle caps that would otherwise end up in landfills. The Eco Officers spend hours collecting and sorting the bottle caps (which are recyclable, but need to be separated from the plastic bottles) to help with this effort. Once again, the grownups in these children’s lives have become caught up in the tide of this effort and are eagerly participating.
For the past seven years, Julie Della Valle has organized an annual, school-wide Earth Day celebration. She involves every single student and staff member in the celebration along with many parents. Each year students design and make their own Earth Day flag to decorate the school. They also host a school-wide garden cleanup to help recognize the day and to beautify the school grounds. Additionally, Della Valle created a walking field guide for nearby wetlands and park areas identifying many local species students can find along the way. Many classes have taken advantage of this resource to explore the native plants and animals in the area around the school. This opportunity is something that all Grass Valley zebras look forward to every year.
Beyond Earth Day, Mrs. Della Valle maintains native perennial plantings in the school garden and composts in her classroom.
In 2012, Mrs. Della Valle led the way for Grass Valley Elementary to achieve Level II Washington Green School status. Reaching Level II acknowledges that they sustained our goals to reduce trash and recycle, and are now making strides to conserve energy throughout the building.
Students and staff members at Grass Valley Elementary are proud of their accomplishments in conservation and stewardship of the local environment and recognize that Julie Della Valle has been the catalyst in these efforts. Her commitment to the environment and the passion for sharing her knowledge empower the children to ensure a green future. Thanks to her determination and enthusiasm the entire Grass Valley community is making our world a better place.
CHS Knowledge Bowl: 4A State Champs!
In case you had not heard, yes they did it! Two CHS Knowledge Bowl teams traveled up to Arlington High School last weekend to compete against the very best teams in the state. One team finished 11th out of 18, while our other team took to top spot – State Champs! This was CHS’ first foray at the 4A level, but their fourth state championship in a row.
The Camas #1 team is comprised of juniors. They finished 11th and consisted of Kyle Binder, Rachel Fadlovich, Tim Liu, Lindsay Weinberg, Shicon Wen, and Xinyang Chen.
The Camas #2 team, featured in the photo above, is the the new State Champion team. Coincidentally, this particular time also won State last year at the 3A tournament. The team members this year include (from left to right in the photo): Tim Grote, Captain Marcus Bintz, Griffin King, and Noah Wachlin.
They dominated the competition, winning their bracket in the preliminaries with a score of 120, about 20 points higher than second place. They then won their semi final and final matches by large margins, taking home the trophy. Go Papermakers!
In case you had not heard, yes they did it! Two CHS Knowledge Bowl teams traveled up to Arlington High School last weekend to compete against the very best teams in the state. One of our teams finished 11th out of 18, while our other team took to top spot – State Champs! This was CHS’ first foray at the 4A level, but their fourth state championship in a row.
The Camas #1 team, as we called them at state, is made up of all juniors. They finished 11th and consisted of Kyle Binder, Rachel Fadlovich, Tim Liu, Lindsay Weinberg, Shicon Wen, and Xinyang Chen.
The Camas #2 team, featured in the photo above, is the the new State Champion team. Coincidentally, this particular time also won State last year at the 3A tournament. The team members this year include (from left to right in the photo): Tim Grote, Captain Marcus Bintz, Griffin King, and Noah Wachlin.
They dominated the competition, winning their bracket in the preliminaries with a score of 120, about 20 points higher than second place. They then won their semi final and final matches by large margins, taking home the trophy. Go Papermakers!
Propane buses hit the roads in Camas, district sees cost savings
Camas School District purchased 10 new, full-sized propane buses from Western Bus Sales to diversify its diesel fleet last fall and has realized multiple benefits thanks to this technology.
The Blue Bird Propane-Powered Vision(R) school bus is a conventional Type C school bus which runs on propane instead of diesel fuel. Designed and built for maximum quality and reliability, this bus utilizes the latest advancements in propane technology, including the ROUSH CleanTech Liquid Propane Autogas Fuel System and a Ford 6.8 liter engine.
Propane buses in the Camas fleet can be identified by the protruding engine at the front of the bus and this sticker on the side.
The district is realizing much more than a simple cost savings in fuel (the current propane rate is $1.72 vs. diesel at $3.30 per gallon); use of the propane buses qualifies the district for the Alternative Fuel Excise Credit–a $0.50 per gallon rebate. Additionally, the new propane-powered buses reduce the district’s carbon footprint because propane produces 60% less carbon monoxide, 12% less carbon dioxide, 20% less nitrogen oxide and up to 25% less greenhouse gases than gasoline.
Propane, also known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), is the most widely used alternative fuel in the United States due to its high energy density, clean burning properties, established infrastructure, and domestic availability. Propane is also the third most used vehicle fuel, behind gasoline and diesel.
A colorless and odorless liquid, propane is a mixture of hydrocarbons found in natural gas and is refined from crude petroleum. Propane has a high octane rating and is usually less expensive than gasoline. Propane-fueled vehicles emit less carbon dioxide and fewer smog-forming air pollutants than gasoline-powered vehicles. Propane is non-toxic and presents no threat to soil, surface water, or groundwater.
Propane is used mainly by fleets because propane vehicles have a good driving range and the gaseous state of propane eliminates cold start problems associated with liquid fuels. Propane is also popular because of lower maintenance costs. Propane engines have been documented to have an engine life up to two times that of gasoline engines. For example, Portland Public Schools’ buses have been fueled by propane since 1985.
Benefits of Propane-Powered Buses
* Propane exhaust creates significantly less smog-forming and toxic air pollutants than gasoline or diesel.
* Propane is considered an alternate fuel under the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
* 85% of propane fuel (LPG) used in the U.S. comes from domestic sources.
* Propane is less expensive per gallon than gasoline or diesel.
* Propane vehicles have the longest driving range of any alternative fuel – more than 250 percent farther than compressed natural gas, about 60 percent farther than methanol, and 25 percent farther than ethanol.
* Those who drive propane-powered vehicles say that there are no significant driving differences between dedicated propane vehicles and diesel-powered ones.
* Many propane vehicle fleets have reported 2 to 3 years longer service life and extended intervals between required maintenance compared to diesel vehicles.
* Propane vehicles have reduced cold start issues than diesel vehicles.
Camas placed on the College Board’s 3rd Annual AP® District Honor Roll
Camas School District 117 is one of 539 public school districts in the nation being honored by the College Board with a place on the 3rd Annual AP® Honor Roll, for simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement coursework while maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP exams. Achieving both of these goals is the ideal scenario for a district’s Advanced Placement program, because it indicates that the district is successfully identifying motivated, academically-prepared students who are likely to benefit most from rigorous AP coursework.
Since 2009, Camas School District 117 increased the number of students participating in AP from 253 to 478 in 2012, with nearly 78% scoring a 3 or higher on AP Exams. More than 90 percent of colleges and universities across the U.S. offer college credit, advanced placement or both for a score of 3 or higher on an AP Exam — which can potentially save students and their families thousands of dollars in college tuition.
“Camas is one of 73 districts in the nation to appear on the honor roll for the two consecutive years. In Washington, only three other districts hold this distinction,” commented Superintendent Mike Nerland. “It is a testament to the hard work of our students, talented staff and quality educational program offered not only at the high school level, but at our middle and elementary schools as well.”
A total of 539 school districts across 44 of 50 states in the U. S. and six Canadian provinces achieved honor roll status. The state of Massachusetts was represented by the largest number of AP Honor Roll districts, with 46, followed by Michigan, with 39.
“We applaud the extraordinary efforts of the devoted teachers and administrators in these 539 districts, who are fostering rigorous work worth doing. These educators have not only expanded student access to AP course work, but they have enabled more of their students to achieve on a college level—which is helping to create a strong college-going culture,” said College Board President, David Coleman.
Helping more students learn at a higher level and earn higher AP scores is an objective of all members of the AP community, from AP teachers to district and school administrators to college professors. Many districts are experimenting with a variety of initiatives and strategies to determine how to expand access and improve student performance simultaneously.
“There has been a great victory among educators who have believed that a more diverse population could indeed succeed in AP courses. In 2012, AP scores were higher than they’d been since 2004, when one million fewer students were being given access. These outcomes are a powerful testament to educators’ belief that many more students were indeed ready and waiting for the sort of rigor that would prepare them for what they would encounter in college,” said Trevor Packer, the College Board’s senior vice president of the Advanced Placement Program. “While we recognize that there is still much work to be done to prepare students for college, I find myself inspired daily by what they are achieving.”
Inclusion on the 3rd Annual AP District Honor Roll is based on the examination of three years of AP data, from 2010 to 2012 for the following criteria:
Districts must:
- Increase participation/access to AP by at least 4 percent in large districts, at least 6 percent in medium districts and at least 11 percent in small districts;
- Ensure that the percentage of African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native students taking AP Exams did not decrease by more than 5 percent for large and medium districts or by more than 10 percent for small districts;
- Improve performance levels when comparing the percentage of students in 2012 scoring a 3 or higher to those in 2010, unless the district has already attained a performance level in which more than 70 percent of the AP students are scoring a 3 or higher.
When these outcomes have been achieved among an AP student population made up of 30 percent or more underrepresented minority students (Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native) and/or 30 percent or more low-income students (students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch), a symbol has been affixed to the district name to highlight this work.
The complete 3rd Annual AP District Honor Roll can be found here.
Grass Valley students raise money for Humane Society
Two Grass Valley Elementary School fifth graders took their strong interest in helping animals to the next step last week by organizing a large-scale donation drive and assembly at their school. Megan Bauer and Lily Thompson, both 11, are part of the Kids Club at the Humane Society for Southwest Washington. They decided to take extra strides toward the cause of aiding animals in need by putting on the week-long drive, where they set up shop in their school and asked for contributions. The girls were helped in their mission by Grass Valley jazz teacher Natalie Wilson, Principal Patricia Erdmann and Humane Society customer service manager Shonda Feathers. The drive kicked off with an assembly held to talk about the girls’ goals of spreading awareness and bringing in needed items and money for the Humane Society. Donations flowed in throughout the week, including cat and dog toys, collars, blankets, pet food and kitty litter. One student dropped off a small bag of collected coins.
Retreived from The Columbian
Three qualify as National Merit Finalists
Marcus Bintz
Jake Hsu
Evan Roche
The National Merit Scholarship Program has announced the names of three CHS finalists in the National Merit Scholarship competition. Seniors Marcus Bintz, Jake Hsu, and Evan Roche are all part of this elite group. Congratulations and good luck!
The National Merit® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test—a test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year–and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements.
National Letter of Intent Signing Day
Camas High School honored several Papermakers as they signed their National Letters of Intent on February 6, 2013, at Camas High School.
Amee Aarhus
AMEE AARHUS has already signed with Portland State University to play on their Women’s’ Softball team. Amee has earned her varsity letter three years. In 2012, Amee was named the 3A Greater Saint Helens League All-Region Player of the Year. She was also the 2012 Offensive Player of the Year as a junior. The 2012 season was incredible for Amee as she set records in number of hits, runs scored and triples in a single season. Amee was instrumental in helping the Lady Papermakers place fifth at the 3A WIAA Washington State Tournament last year. Amee carries a 3.0 GPA.
Kimberly Knight
KIMBERLY KNIGHT will be taking her running skills to compete in cross country and track at Clark College. Kimi has earned her varsity letter in cross country (4 years), basketball (1 year) and track (3 years) with her senior season of track just around the corner. Kimi was a member of the 2011 and 2012 Girls’ Cross Country Team that brought home the WIAA State Championship trophy. As a track athlete, Kimi was a member of the 4 X 400M relay team that placed sixth overall at the 3A State Championships a year ago. Since kindergarten, Kimi has never missed a day of school and will complete her high school career with perfect attendance. Kimi carries a 3.4 GPA.
Connor Dyehouse
CONNOR DYEHOUSE will be traveling to Wisconsin as a new member of the Men’s Lacrosse Team at Carthage College where he also hopes to pursue economics. In 2012, Connor’s team made it to the semifinals of the Washington High School Boys’ Lacrosse State Championship Tournament. He was also named a U.S. National All-Star for his indoor lacrosse team. Connor is a four-year honor roll student and carries a 3.77 GPA.
Jack Beall
JACK BEALL will become a Penguin as he takes his lacrosse skills to compete at Dominican University of California. In addition to lacrosse, Jack is a three-year letterman in football. Jack’s lacrosse achievements include 2010 and 2011 All-State honors, team captain for the last three years, and he was the 2010 point leader in Washington State with 108 goals. In 2010, Jack was an integral part of winning the silver medal in the Lacrosse World Championships for his age division. Jack is a three-year, Greater St. Helens League Academic All-League winner and carries a 3.89 GPA.
Emily Ponce
EMILY PONCE has already signed with Concordia University to play on their Women’s’ Soccer Team. Emily has earned her varsity letter three years with the CHS Soccer Team. In 2010, Emily helped her team win the 3A GSHL League Championship as well as the District IV Championship before reaching the quarterfinals of the state tournament. As a senior, Emily and her teammates earned a fourth-place finish in the WIAA State Championship Tournament at the 4A level this fall. Emily earned All-League honors as a First Team player in 2011 and a Second Team player in 2012. Emily is a two-year, Greater St. Helens All-League Academic Award winner and carries a 3.43 GPA.
Diane Dyra
DIANE DYRA will be joining her teammate Emily to continue their efforts on the soccer field as she has also signed with Concordia University to play soccer. Diane is a two year varsity letterman with the Girls’ Soccer Team. In her career at CHS she, too, has been a part of winning a GSHL League Championship and District IV Championship at the 3A level as well as a GSHL League Co-Championship this year at the 4A level. Diane earned All-League honors as a Second Team Forward in 2012 and was voted by her team as the Offensive Player of the Year. Diane has also received the GSHL Academic All-League award and carries a 3.26 GPA.
Jamie Carter
JAMIE CARTER will be moving to Montana to protect the goal as she has committed to play soccer at Carroll College as a Fighting Saint. Jamie lettered all four years as a varsity soccer player and three years as a varsity softball player. As a ninth grader, Jamie contributed to the third place finish in the WIAA 3A State Championship Soccer Tournament. As a junior, Jamie was a First Team All-League player and named to the First Team All-State Team. As a senior, Jamie earned First Team All-League honors again, All-State Honorable Mention and was nominated as a team captain. Since her sophomore year, Jamie has been named a GSHL Academic All-League award winner every year in both soccer and softball. She carries a 3.92 GPA.
Roldan Alcobendas
ROLDAN ALCOBENDAS will be taking his kicking skills to Cheney, WA, as he will play football for Eastern Washington University. Roldan has earned his varsity letter three years as a varsity football and soccer athlete, with his fourth season of soccer just around the corner. Roldan has earned GSHL All-League honors in 2011 as a Kicker/Punter as well as the Special Teams Player of the Year. In 2012, Roldan was selected as an All-League midfielder for soccer, All-League punter and Special Teams Player of the Year once again. Roldan also made the All-Region Team as a kicker/punter. Since his freshman year, Roldan has been named a GSHL Academic All-League award winner every year. He carries a 3.59 GPA.
John Norcross
JOHN NORCROSS will be staying close to home as he will commit to play football at Portland State University on a full scholarship. John is a three-year letterman as a varsity football player. John led the Papermakers to the Tacoma Dome and a third place finish in the WIAA 3A Football Playoffs in 2011 and then at the 4A level this last fall. John is a First Team All-League athlete and nominated as the GSHL Defensive Player of the Year and All-State Linebacker in 2011 as a junior. As a senior he was selected a second time as the GSHL Defensive Player of the Year and All-State Linebacker. In addition, John was recognized on the offensive side of the ball on the All-State Team as a tight end. John’s leadership on the field was recognized by his teammates as they nominated him team captain this year. John is an honor roll student and carries a 3.83 GPA.
Please help us celebrate their academic and athletic accomplishments. Congratulations Papermakers!
In May, Camas will be recognizing other athletes who will be moving on to play at the collegiate level. There will be more to follow at a later date.
Board appreciation month
As citizens who serve children and represent their communities, individual school board members face complex and demanding challenges. Yet, few people fully understand the scope and far-reaching implications of board members’ responsibilities. Camasonians should recognize the vital contributions of these men and women and focus attention on the crucial role these elected leaders play in the education of our children. They truly make a difference every day.
Their job is to establish a vision for the education program, design a structure to achieve that vision, assure schools are accountable to the community, and strongly advocate continuous improvement in student learning. That job entails an endless string of meetings and school functions to attend; multitudes of reports, agendas, proposals, and other information to read and study; and a host of difficult decisions to make.
School board members come from all walks of life. While they wear many hats in their day-to-day roles, board members put on a collective hat when they get down to the business of leading their school districts. Board members must pull together as a team toward a common goal—helping our students achieve.
Our board members contribute hundreds and hundreds of hours each year governing this district. Whether crafting policies, hiring administrators, listening to staff and student concerns, or recognizing outstanding programs, board members always keep their eyes on the goal of student achievement.
The time spent in board meetings represents just a small fraction of the hours school board members devote to their jobs. They work hard at seminars and training sessions to keep abreast of the latest changes in state and federal regulations and learn trends in educational leadership. They also are deeply involved in community activities, and spend many hours in the schools and at extracurricular events. Their love of learning and concern and caring for students, staff, and the community drive board members’ desire to ensure every student can succeed.
In recognition of this service, January is designated as School Board Recognition Month and countless districts across the state will take this opportunity to say thanks to our trustees for giving so much to their communities. Make a special effort to tell each school board member
that his or her hard work has been noticed and is truly appreciated.
Click here to meet each board member.