Dear Patrons,

On February 9, 2016, our community approved a bond to address a growing student population and care for existing facilities. The ballot measure presented to the community was the product of more than a year’s worth of investment and outreach. A committee comprised of community members and district staff developed recommendations based on a review of existing facilities, enrollment forecasting, and educational programming. The committee shared ideas for the plans with the community and ultimately presented their recommendations to our school board for approval.

Projects Recommended by the FACTSS Committee:

• Build a new, standalone, 600 student capacity high school next to the CHS campus.

• Improve traffic around CHS by creating new entry points and traffic flow patterns for drivers, and increase parking capacity on campus.

• Replace the 50 plus years old Lacamas Heights Elementary with a larger new school north of Lacamas Lake near new housing developments.

• Purchase property for future schools.

• Improve student safety and security by remodeling the entry/office areas of Prune Hill Elementary, Dorothy Fox Elementary, Skyridge Middle School, Liberty Middle School, and Hayes Freedom High School.

• Improve student safety and security across the district by upgrading fencing, lighting, and security technology.

• Make repairs to major building systems such as roofing, flooring, HVAC, lighting, ADA access, and mechanical systems in schools throughout the district.

• Renovate Garfield Building to house community education programs and preschool programs.

• Restore historic Garver Theater within the Garver Building for community use and school performances.

The world we are preparing students for is changing. After graduation, students will be asked to collaborate, create, design and problem-solve more than ever before. And because the world is changing, the learning experience of students must evolve as well. In Camas School District, we’re tackling changes head on—and leading our students into the future.

Addressing Growth While Enhancing Opportunity

No one can deny that we must address the growing population at Camas High School. In considering how to do this, the facilities committee discovered there was an opportunity to do more than just provide additional space: we found that creating a new secondary school gives us a chance to build on the success of our current models by developing another option for the students of Camas. Through in-depth research, intense analysis of data and statistics, numerous brainstorming sessions, consultation with nationally recognized education leaders, and conference with pioneering, high-achieving schools in our region, the facilities committee, and district team believe a solution is in sight.

Merits of Project-Based Learning

The new school will be centered on a powerful teaching and learning concept called “project-based learning.” Through project-based learning, students will acquire knowledge and skills by collaborating on complex questions, problems, and challenges, rather than largely independent work. Projects generally take place over an extended period of time, like a quarter or semester, rather than wrapping up in a single class period or two. Additionally, projects integrate multiple subject areas and address real-world problems. Instead of learning biology for one period and then moving on to math, students who are learning about colonization and migration patterns, for instance, might construct a model of a ship (art, math), compose a journal from the perspective of the fictional persons aboard the ship (literacy), and conduct experiments to determine the point at which seawater becomes drinkable (science). In this way, students are engaged, inspired, and invested in learning—together.

We envision that many of the projects undertaken will propel students to explore real-world problems such as improving water quality at Lacamas Lake or tackling traffic patterns in our growing community, ending in actual recommendations being proposed to a live city council or relevant organization. Beyond the projects, students will also have the opportunity to connect with our community through mentorships, partnerships, and internships, further enriching their learning experience. While students will experience more in-depth, hands-on learning, they will also experience traditional classroom instruction like taking notes, writing reports, and working math problems. Additionally, instructors will have the flexibility to adjust the daily schedule to ensure that the deep inquiry of project-based learning can take place.

Continuing a Legacy of Excellence

Make no mistake, students of this new secondary school will be held to the same high academic standards, participate in the same assessments, fulfill the same national and state requirements, and graduate with a “real” diploma—just like all of our high school students, wherever they are enrolled.

In the Camas School District, we are extremely fortunate to support our students with diverse academic and extra-curricular offerings led by world-class educators who are committed to preparing their students for the world, equipped, energized, and excited to take part. In turn, we are excited to add another choice to the menu of options available for our high school students and ensure that each student has the opportunity to thrive wherever their dreams take them, in their career, college, citizenship, and beyond.

With your support, this new secondary school will be open to any Camas students based solely on their interest in attending. If interest exceeds capacity, a fair system of enrollment will be developed. What’s more, because a great deal of the school’s focus and framework would be developed by its staff members, a team would begin planning and be making the school come to life during the time of construction, with a target opening in September 2018. We truly believe the possibilities are endless.

Bond = Building, Levy = Learning

A bond is a request by a school district of voters to sell bonds to raise cash for capital expenses, usually substantial projects. Bonds are the only means through which districts can build schools.

State matching funds help supplement local bond and capital levy dollars to build, remodel, and renovate K–12 schools. For example, if a district needs to build new school buildings and remodel others, voters are asked to approve a construction bond. The bond, once approved by voters, may be supplemented by state matching dollars to help the district fund facilities needed.

Only after a district passes its bond or capital levy is it eligible to apply for a matching grant from the state. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) approves projects and administers the state matching funds to K–12 school districts based upon a mix of factors, such as the need for space, building conditions, project timelines, as well as local and state funds available.