Schools

First-grade students to celebrate birthday of Dr. Seuss

"I do not like green eggs and ham, I do not like them Sam I am." 

The famous line from the much celebrated Green Eggs and Ham book by author Dr.

Evergreen Public Schools' Transportation Department earns award

School Bus Fleet magazine has named Evergreen Public Schools' Transportation Department as one of its 2010 Great Fleets Across America.

The annual series profiles five outstanding pupil transportation operations around the country and highlights their safety practices, innovative training programs and open lines of communications.

The article on Evergreen mentioned the district's outstanding inspections the last 20 years, including the fact that many of those years, the department has had an out-of-service rate of less than one percent.

Evergreen Public Schools has 240 school buses and transports 16,000 students daily.

The other school districts featured include: Dare County Schools, Nags Head, North Carolina, with 46 buses transporting 1,910 students each day; Garfield School District, Rifle, Colorado, which transports 2,000 students on 43 buses, Hanover Park Regional High School District, East Hanover, New Jersey with 40 buses carrying 3,000 students; and Stumbo Transportation, Ogden, Iowa, which each day transports 350 students on 10 buses.

Heritage grad still playing well for defending national champs

Keisha Gordon hasn't missed a beat.

The sophomore guard is playing in her sophomore season on the George Fox University women's basketball team (a school in Newberg, Ore.) and is the squad's leading scorer this season at 14.9 points per game and averaging the most minutes per game on the team (29). Gordon, a Heritage High School grad, was also a key factor on George Fox's team last season -- a squad that finished with a 32-0 record and won the Division III national championship.

Last season, Gordon started every game for the Bruins and 12.7 points, including scoring a season-high 30 points in a win against Carleton on Nov. 29, 2008. While Gordon wasn't the primary focus of the opposition's defense last year (George Fox also had the Final Four MVP Kristen Shielee and National Freshman of the Year Sage Indendi on the squad), things have changed.

This season, Gordon has the attention of every team's defense, but it hasn't mattered much for Gordon and the No. 5-ranked Bruins (19-2 overall).

Voters approve Vancouver school levy

If it’s not a record in the state of Washington, it’s got to be close. 

Voters in Clark County have approved a maintenance and operations levy for Vancouver Public Schools for every year since 1964 and on Feb. 9, the latest school levy appears to have been passed by Clark County residents.  

This levy will provide local support for basic education and services for the years 2011, 2012, and 2013. That will make 50 years of continuous support for Vancouver Public Schools. 

According to preliminary results, the news was good for Clark County schools. The replacement levy was overwhelmingly approved, with 68 percent voting to approve in the first results released at 8:10 p.m. Feb. 9. In Washington, ballots may be postmarked as late as Election Day or ballots may be dropped off until 8 p.m. on Election Day, so some ballots still need to be tallied. 

Check out the unofficial results.

Final election results will be certified by Feb.

Make sure your vote counts in school levy measures

Mail ballots are due today for property tax levy measures proposed by eight Clark County school districts to replace their current expiring levies.

All ballots must be postmarked by the day's end or turned in at one of 36 ballot drop locations across the county. Elections workers will be present at these sites until 8 p.m.

Here's the full list of drop sites for your ballot.

Go to the Clark County elections page.

VSAA students to perform original screenplay Feb. 19

Students in the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics (VSAA) will perform an original screenplay co-written by VSAA teacher Anne Averre and student Sarah Eaton, called Storms and Scoundrels, beginning Feb. 19.

These performances are part of the annual PTSA Dinner Theatre, PTSA’s largest fundraiser. Proceeds go toward student and faculty grants, staff appreciation efforts, senior class activities and much more.

The play takes place in 16th century Havana, Cuba with an entertaining cast of characters. In keeping with the theme, dinner will include a Cuban-inspired menu.

Tickets can be purchased through mail order or online at www.vsaaptsa.org/dinner-theatre.

Auction bid winner takes birthday ride home from school

Chandler Rea celebrated his 11th birthday Thursday with a ride home from school with three friends in a Fire District 3 fire engine.

Chandler's mom, Jamie, purchased the ride at the Hockinson High School Booster Club Auction in October.

Chandler (second child from the left) was joined by John Briggs, Chase Benson and Drew Henderson. All proceeds from the auction benefit extracurricular activities at the high school.

Happy Birthday Chandler!

Dick Hannah Honda to give away big money or car to student

Dick Hannah Honda has created an exciting program aimed at encouraging high school students in the Green Mountain, La Center, Battle Ground, Hockinson, Vancouver, Evergreen, Camas and Washougal school districts to improve their grade point average in the 2009-2010 school year by offering a new 2010 Honda Civic or $15,000 in cash to the winning student.

High school students are asked to do three things to be eligible to win the 2010 Honda Civic or $15,000 in cash:

  • Students must improve their grade point average (GPA) from the first semester of the 2009-2010 school year to the second semester by one-half point (for example, students must improve their GPA from a 2.5 to a 3.0). Students who average a 3.6 or higher for both semesters will also qualify.
  • Students must join Dick Hannah Honda’s Fans Page on Facebook.
  • Students must send in their completed entry form.

Parent teacher organizations, booster clubs and support groups will also have a chance to get into the action.

Evergreen Public Schools to host informational presentations on 2010 levy measure

Evergreen Public Schools' Superintendent John Deeder will host two Community Forums to discuss the district's replacement levy.

The first forum will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 13 in the auditorium at Evergreen High School. Information on the proposed levy, which will be on the ballot Feb. 9, will be shared, followed by a question and answer session.

The second forum is scheduled for noon Jan. 21 noon at the district's Administrative Service Center in the Evergreen Room, Tan Complex (13501 NE 28th Street).

The district will also hold a webcast to discuss the levy at 6 p.m. Jan. 21. The program will be simulcast on Comcast Channel 28.

Heritage High School photography students win Adobe Youth Voices International Photo Competition

Eight students from Lee Emmert's digital photography class at Heritage High School (HHS) were named winners in the fall 2009 Adobe Youth Voices International Photo Competition.

The students were among 19 worldwide that submitted work in the ‘under 18 category.'

The HHS winners include Alicia Burgett, Alex Ellinburg, Roberto Fykes, Derek Julian, Lindsey McKim, Emily Myers, Devin Napier and Jamie Winter. The Adobe Youth Voices competition theme was entitled "Crisis and Hope: In Images and Words," and open to photographers around the world.

The winning photos will appear in a traveling exhibit as well as in a book to be published later this year.