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NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER

Superintendent update

Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn
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Last Day of School

The official last day of instruction will be June 18, 2024. As is customary, this will be a half-day of school, 12:05 release.


At the March board meeting, the directors were provided an overview of the District’s intent to request a waiver for two days of instruction for the school year. The waiver request was submitted to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction on April 8, 2024. The District was notified on Thursday, April 18 that our request for a waiver was approved. The approval letter can be found by following this link.


The graduation ceremony will be held as originally planned, on June 8, 2024, at 11:00a.m. at the CHS Stadium. Eighth Grade Promotion will be on June 17, 2024, at 6:00 in the Henkle Middle School Gym.


The updated school calendar can be found by following this link.

Art Walk and Health and Wellness Family Fair

Mark your calendar for May 18. The White Salmon Valley School District Art Walk and Health and Wellness Family Fair will be happening across multiple sites in the District. Whitson student art will be displayed at Whitson Elementary School from 2 pm - 5 pm at the beehive located on the NW corner of the campus. WPSIS, HMS, and CHS student art will be displayed at the multi-purpose/fieldhouse facility at the Columbia High School campus from 4 pm - 7 pm. Come by and enjoy the wonderful and creative efforts of our students.


Additionally, the Health and Wellness Family Fair will be happening in the Henkle Middle School gym. From 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, students and families can come to learn a variety of topics, including summer camps, mental health supports, community wellness, and a variety of other health and wellness topics. Please find more information on the flier below.


Standard Response Protocol

At the April board meeting, Superintendent Polkinghorn presented information to the board of directors regarding an update to the District’s Emergency Response Protocols. At the meeting, it was shared that WSVSD will be adopting the Standard Response Protocols (SRP) as a tool for standardizing language and actions across the district.


The SRP is action-based, flexible, and easy to learn. It organizes the tactics for response to weather events, fires, accidents, intruders, and other threats to personal safety. The SRP is based on the response to any given situation and not on individual scenarios. The premise is simple - these five specific actions that can be performed during an incident. When communicating these, the action is labeled with a "Term of Art" and is then followed by a "Directive." Execution of the action is performed by active participants.


The District will formally implement the SRP in the fall of 2024. For an informational video about the SRP, please follow this link.

Key Communicators

This is a second call for anyone to sign up to be a key communicator. WSVSD would like to share key communicator updates with several groups from the community. This includes receiving WSVSD e-newsletters, and emergency information including updates from Superintendent Polkinghorn and from our school principals. If you are interested in receiving “key communicator” information, please share your information on this Key Communicator Sign-Up.


Current WSVSD parents and staff do not need to sign up as Key Communicators. However, if you know people in the community who would like to receive information from the district, please share this information with them.


“Key communicators” receive and share important topics with their neighbors, friends, and family with the goal of helping our schools be the very best they can be. Thank you for your support of WSVSD as we strive to deliver on our mission: To develop lifelong learners who are encouraged to dream, inspired to succeed, and prepared for the future.

Budget Update

Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn shared a report about enrollment and the budget at the April 25 school board meeting. Actual revenues continue to trend higher than actual expenditures as of March 31. The District's projected end fund of nearly $2 million represents approximately 10% of planned expenditures.


Enrollment has remained steady through March. The current full-time enrollments numbered almost 1,063, which is 21 higher than originally planned. This means the district is receiving more state revenue to be paid over the rest of the fiscal year, which ends August 31


The District facilitated the second Finance Advisory Committee on April 18. At the Finance Advisory Committee meeting, Superintendent Polkinghorn presented a comprehensive review of the district’s financial situation and enrollment picture. The committee reviewed budgeted and actual revenues and expenditures for the current school year and budget projections for the remainder of the fiscal year..


The district is seeking community member representation on the committee. If you are interested, please contact Superintendent Polkinghorn via email: rich.polkinghorn@whitesalmonschools.org.
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SBAC Testing

STATE TESTING: State testing begins soon. There are two major state tests happening during the remainder of the year. The Smarter Balanced (SBA) tests in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math are administered annually for students in grades 3 - 8 and again in grade 10. The Washington Comprehensive Science Assessment (WCSA) is administered in grades 5, 8, and 11. These tests are required for state and federal accountability and help the district and families know (along with classwork and grades) how the student is doing in school. Additionally, the ELA and Math test in high school can be used as one method for achieving a graduation pathway. For more information about testing, please see the OSPI’s Frequently Asked Question page HERE. You can also reach out to your building administration for more information.

School News

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Gearing Up for Kindergarten

Are you preparing to send your child off to kindergarten this fall? If your child will be five years old by August 31, 2024, it's time to get them enrolled!

Enrollment for kindergarten at Whitson Elementary is now available online for your convenience. Simply visit the Hulan L. Whitson Elementary School website to begin the enrollment process.

Do you know a family with a child who will be five by the start of the school year? Help us spread the word about kindergarten registration at Whitson Elementary. Encourage them to visit our website and enroll their child today.

If you have any questions about the enrollment process or kindergarten readiness, please don't hesitate to reach out. Sheila Spring, our enrollment coordinator, is here to assist you. You can contact Sheila by phone at 509-493-1560 ext. 501 or via email at sheila.spring@whitesalmonschools.org

5th and 6th Grade Ski Trip

The ski trip provided students with a well-organized and enriching experience on the slopes. Students, equipped with appropriate gear and guided by instructors, honed their skiing and snowboarding skills. The journey culminated in a shared sense of accomplishment and fond memories, underscoring the value of experiential learning beyond the classroom.

Southwest Regional Art Show

Colt Calloway, Destiny Lawrence, Nanako Mori, Jessie Polkinghorn, and Romeo Ramsland recently participated in the Southwest Regional High School Art Show. Their photographs, sculptures, digital paintings, and embroidery were chosen out of hundreds of pieces to represent our school. Colt Calloway and Nanako Mori both won Educational Service District 112 awards for their artwork as well as $3000 Art Excellence scholarships to PNCA Pre-College Intensive Program. All of the artwork can be viewed HERE.

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Colt Calloway, "A Different Perspective"

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Nanako Mori, "Shock Wave"

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Jessica Polkinghorn, "DJ Disco Dino"

White Salmon Valley School District
www.wsvsd.org