NEWS TO KNOW

March Newsletter for Parents (posted 2-26-2015)
The Gause Newsletter for March is now ready. Please read this newsletter to find information about things going on in our great school. This month's newsletter talks about Spring Conferences, which are coming soon, April 1-3, 2015. You'll also find the calendar & information about snow-makeup days.

Thank You Voters! Bond Passing at 61.03% (posted 2-25-2015)
Washougal voters showed their support for schools by approving Proposition 5, a capital improvement bond that will address safety, student capacity and facilities needs for Washougal School District students. At the time of this writing 4,485 returns from Clark and Skamania Counties were counted with 61.03% voting in favor. The vote will be formally certified by the Clark County Election Office on February 24, 2015. 

"We are grateful to the citizens of Washougal for demonstrating their support of education in our community by voting yes for this important work," said Dawn Tarzian, Washougal School District Superintendent. "We saw a higher than normal turnout of parent-aged voters and appreciate that they are modeling to their children the importance of being involved in the democratic process by voting." The $57,685,000 bond will raise property taxes by $.48 per $1,000 of home value, costing homeowners with a $300,000 home around $12 per month or $144 per year. These taxes will go into effect in 2016.

District staff will begin working with Bond counsel to work to sell the first wave of bonds, with the first sale likely taking place in July 2015. The district will also plan timelines for the work, including permitting, design, and construction activities to take place over the next three years. 

Safety was a main focus of the work outlined in the bond. Security enhancements to the foyers at all district schools are expected to be completed in the summer of 2016. 

The new Jemtegaard Middle School and new K-5 school were included in the bond to address safety as well as overcrowding and should be open in Fall 2018. Community input will be sought in a process to reconfigure district boundaries as the new K-5 school is completed. Some Gause students may start the school year in 2018 at the new school. The redrawn boundaries would work to balance enrollment among the four elementary schools. The new Excelsior High School and new transportation facility would also be expected to open in the Fall of 2018. Roofing work and some of the HVAC projects at Gause and Hathaway will be completed in the summer of 2016. 

Planning for the bond began with the nearly year-long work of the Long Range Facilities Planning Committee. This group of local experts in construction, architecture, engineering and facility management worked diligently and thoughtfully to identify the most critical facility needs of the district. "Our Board considered every aspect of their recommendations," Tarzian said. "They then acted on those improvements most important to insuring our Washougal school facilities support a safe, positive environment for student learning and success. With this bond's success we will be prepared for future growth of our schools and community." 

Gause Boosters News for January/February 2015 (posted 1-20-2015)
Find out about the Winter Book Share & Ice Cream Social, Family Fitness night, the Weekend Backpack Program, 5th grade T-Shirts, and a new way you can support the Gause Boosters while shopping on Amazon.com. Read our newsletter to find out more about upcoming Booster events.

2014-2015 School Improvement Plan (posted 11-19-2014)
Each year the Gause School staff gathers data about student achievement, analyzes it for areas of concerns, and builds a set of goals and strategies to help increase student learning. This year's School Improvement Plan, presented to and approved by the Washougal School Board on Nov 18, 2014, is available here.

Snow Makeup Days for November 13 and 14 (posted 11-14-2014)
Parents, guardians, and staff should note that Friday March 13, 2015, and Friday May 1, 2015, will now be regular attendance days per the school board adopted calendar. The next available makeup day is now after the end of the school year, June 16, with additional days added as we need them.

Building in snow makeup days helps our school comply with Washington State law, which requires that schools provide 180 calendar days of education for students.

Free Dental Care for Students (posted 9-19-2014)
Medical Teams International will provide a couple days of free on-site dental care to Washougal students this fall. Through this mobile service, a dentist and dental assistants will provide needed dental care for students who otherwise can't afford it. Parent do not need to be present during the treatment, however medical and permission forms must be completed in advance.

If your child has unmet dental needs, please contact your school's secretary to find out more, and to sign up for treatment. You may also download additional information about this free dental care in English or Spanish. This link includes the required medical forms.

Important - Changes to After School Pickup for Students (posted 9-15-2014)
In order to ensure a safe way for parents to pick up students after school that maintains student safety, we are changing the way that Kindergarten students are picked up in the afternoons. We are also asking parents of grades 1 - 5 students to review and follow the rules for picking up older students. Please read these letters: Kindergarten pick up letter | Grade 1-5 pick up letter

Gause Boosters needs Volunteers!
The Gause Boosters have many great activities for our students planned for the 2014-2015, and we look forward to these enrichment activities, which make our school a fun and exciting place for students! But to put all of these activities on, the Boosters need help! Parents, grandparents, or other guardians are asked to download this form, and let the Boosters know what activities you might be interested in helping with. Forms need to be turned in at least 2 weeks before you can volunteer, as all volunteers are run through the District background check process. Thanks for helping us provide these great activities for our students!

Parent/Student Handbook 2014-15 (posted 8-14-2014)
Please use this link to download the updated parent/student handbook for the 2014-2015 school year.

                             

Discipline Philosophy & Procedures - a Handbook for Parents (posted 8-9-2014)
Help us teach all of our students how to become a positive and productive citizen by becoming familiar with our easy to use Discipline Philosophy and Procedures - A Handbook for Parents. Its contents will provide you with important student expectations, which will help your child be more successful at school and in class.