Category Archives: News

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.

Big Learning for Little Learners

Please join us for an evening of family-focused learning activities to support early learning and school readiness skills. This program is open to young learners ages 3-6 in the Camas School District. We will focus on early literacy and math skills and provide free materials for you to take home and use to continue the learning at home. Space is limited to the first 40 families.

Please register by completing the form and returning it to Helen Baller Elementary. The form can be returned by e-mail to diane.loghry@camas.wednet.edu, mailed, or dropped off in the school office. Childcare and refreshments provided!

Registration Form (Word) (PDF)

Kindergarten orientation events

It is time for Kindergarten registration for the 2013-14 school year! Listed below are the dates for registration and orientation events for each school. The purpose of orientation is to meet teachers and staff, learn about the kindergarten curriculum, and take a ride on a real school bus!

If you are not sure which school your child will attend, please call the transportation department at (360) 833-5585.  Shanna Nielson and Becky Stauffer, district registrars, will be on site at each event to register your child. You may access registration packets and requirements for entrance online at www.camas.wednet.edu/registration.  If you are unable to attend kindergarten orientation, please contact the district registrars’ office at 360-833-5410 to schedule a registration appointment.

Please be aware that in addition to the registration forms, you will need to submit the following paperwork:

• State-issued birth certificate
• Immunization information.  Students must be fully immunized including what is referenced as “kindergarten shots” or an exemption needs to be on file in order for your child to be registered.
• Proof of residency (2 items), i.e., driver’s license, utility bill, etc.

If you are aware of or know any future Camas kindergarten students in your neighborhood, preschool, etc., please let them know about kindergarten orientation and encourage them to attend!

Step-Ahead moves to Woodburn Elementary

Enrollment for Fall 2013-14 Open Now! 

Camas School District’s Step-Ahead Preschool is open to children ages 3-4.  Housed in Woodburn Elementary, the morning session is from 8:30-11:00 and the afternoon session is from 12:30 – 3:00.  Tuition is $230 per month, pro-rated September through May.  Our integrated, developmental preschool follows the Camas School District calendar.

If you would like to register your child, please call the District Registrar’s Office at 360-833-5410.  Registration paperwork is available online at or at the Camas School District Office located at 841 NE 22^nd Avenue, Camas.

A registration fee of $25 along with completed registration paperwork holds your student’s spot in the program.  Space availability is on a first-come, first-served basis.  Please call to schedule an appointment.

For more information, please visit: www.stepahead.yolasite.com or www.camas.wednet.edu/preschools-extended-day.

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 11^th 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 11^th 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 11^th 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 11^th 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.

Registration now open

Camas School District is now accepting enrollment documents for new students for the 2013-2014 school year. Please print and complete the registration paperwork found on the Registration page.  Once completed, parents can schedule an appointment with one of our registrars at the Camas District Office located at 841 NE 22nd Ave Camas, 360-833-5410.

Additional documents that you will need to provide are: a state issued birth certificate for enrollment in kindergarten and first grade; grades/transcripts for students transferring to middle or high school; updated immunization information; and two documents to verify proof of residency such as: driver’s license, utility bill, signed purchase agreement, signed renter’s agreement, etc.

Elementary schools are currently preparing for their Kindergarten Orientations in May. Please follow the link for dates and more information.

For families wishing to attend a school other than their resident school, boundary exception paperwork will be accepted beginning April 15 for in-district boundary requests and May 1 for out-of-district requests.

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:

1. 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;
2. 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;
3. 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.