HSD News Round-Up

Pictured: The cast and crew of The Sound of Music pulled out all the stops for this year’s HHS Spring Musical, culminating in a sold-out closing night. Thank you to everyone who came out to support HHS Theatre! The show's final lyric contained a great message for the Class of '25: "Climb every mountain...until you find your dream."

We are closing out the month with stories that look to the future and celebrate the present. The May 23 edition of the HSD News Round-Up features a look at how the HSD is responding to statewide budget challenges, career exploration at the annual Hockinson Launch Fair, a peek at the 2025–26 school calendar, upcoming graduation/promotion events, and more!

We’ve updated our newsletter format to make it more reader-friendly. Enjoy quick story highlights with links to full stories for when you want to learn more.

Congratulations to three Hockinson Theatre students who took the lead on Sound of Music tech production behind the scenes and delivered stellar performances! Stage Manager Ava Hall managed cues, lighting, and costume research; Paisley Schmitz coordinated backstage crew and cues actors; and Hazel Soot designed lighting for each production. Extracurriculars like theatrical productions are made possible through levy funding.

School districts across the state are facing financial challenges due in part to lower-than-expected state and federal funding. While the dollar amount will increase for 2025-27, K-12 funding is far below post-McCLeary levels of nearly a decade ago. Inflation, fewer students and a state model that does not fully fund all staff nor extracurriculars, music, arts, athletics, and other programs create a challenging environment for Washington schools. The HSD aims to balance its 2026-27 Budget by:

• Prioritizing cuts furthest from student programs.

• While there will be personnel reductions, the goal is to minimize the elimination of positions. To retain valued team members some staff may be reassigned to new positions in the district.

• Deferring technology and curriculum replacement cycles.

• Trimming building and department budgets. Wherever possible, the district will look to cover expenses using grant and levy funding.

• Scaling back utilities, paper use, tech subscriptions, and non-essential maintenance.

View Superintendent Steve Marshall’s message to staff and families here, and view the new HSD Budget webpage here.

"Preparing all Students for Lifelong Success" is more than the HSD's motto. It's a commitment to providing our elementary learners with opportunities to explore a variety of careers, creating career preparation experiences for middle school students, and equipping our graduates with the tools and support they will need to successfully launch into gainful employment, the military, or post-secondary education.

As part of their “ABCs of College Degrees” countdown, students in Mrs. Warunek-Lane’s fifth-grade classroom are exploring different careers and college majors one letter at a time. The day's focus was on "B for Business," and students received a hands-on lesson they will not soon forget. Students worked through advertising challenges, analyzed competition, and brainstormed their own business ideas. The lesson brought the concept of entrepreneurship to life in a creative and engaging way. Link to full article.

HHES received a special visit today from the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Department that brought excitement and inspiration to its youngest learners. Deputy Sheriff Kyle Souvenir stopped by to talk with first-grade students about the importance of community safety, the role of law enforcement, and the value of following rules. This visit is part of Hockinson School District’s broader future-readiness initiative, a multi-phase approach designed to prepare students for life after graduation, whether they choose to enroll in college, enlist in the military, or enter the workforce. Link to full article.

The News Round-Up has the scoop on a story that hasn't made it to the newspapers just yet. Tony Ayala, Head Coach of the HHS Boys Soccer Program, was named the 2025 Greater St. Helens 2A Coach of the Year. This is a big accomplishment on its own. However, it is all the more impressive because Ayala was also voted the league's Girls Soccer Coach of the Year this past fall! Ayala has increased participation in both programs and helped his varsity teams compete for post-season berths. "Tony is an amazing coach. He is organized, knowledgeable, and motivates and prepares our teams so they play their best," said HHS Associate Principal/Athletic Director Kathy Pacheco.

Work began on energy-efficiency projects on HHES campus last week and gave us our first before/after success story: Contractors removed a 49-year-old hot water tank from the 800 Building and replaced it with a new programmable water heater.

This energy-efficient water heater is a 3 x win for the HHES community as well as the HSD community overall. Why? First, grant dollars instead of tax dollars purchased the new units. Second, they are energy-efficient and heat only when school is in session rather than 24/7. And finally, they will be a reliable source of hot water in the years ahead. The same could not be said for the circa 1976 water heater! We look forward to sharing more grant-funded equipment and energy-efficiency upgrades with Hockinson families in the months ahead. Click here to learn more about the $580,000 Department of Commerce Grant that made this projects (and future projects) possible.

Hockinson School District is now accepting enrollments for the 2025–26 school year. If interested in our full-day TK preschool program for 4-year-olds, please complete the interest form available on the TK program page. To begin the enrollment process for Kindergarten or any other grade, visit the Hockinson School District Enrollment Page. We look forward to welcoming new students and families to the Hockinson community!

On May 9, the Hockinson High School Commons transformed into a salon-style gallery displaying carefully crafted sculptures, vibrant paintings, and other imaginative works from every grade level. The TK-12 Visual Arts Showcase once again allowed families and community members to celebrate the artistic talents of all Hockinson students, from the district’s youngest learners to graduating seniors. Link to full article. Click through this slideshow to view a sampling of student artwork displayed at the showcase.

Hockinson was well-represented at the May 20 Cascadia Technical Academy (CTA) Awards Reception. Seniors Brian Webster and Robbie Matheson were both recognized as Distinguished Graduates. Webster and Matheson are enrolled in the academy's Pre-Electrical and Fire Science programs, respectively. Earlier this spring, a third member of the HHS Class of 2025 was also in the spotlight: Charlie Varney, a standout in CTA's Aviation program, received the Greater Clark County Youth Service Award.

We are aware that we are still finishing up the 2024-25 school year, but we also know our families are already synching up their family and school calendars for next year. The HSD's 2025-26 Calendar is available here. he calendar includes a 5-day first week (starting Aug. 25), full-week breaks at Thanksgiving and Presidents Day, and two built-in snow days. Hockinson Community Education will offer low-cost camps during the Thanksgiving and February breaks.

Congrats, Class of 2025!

HHS graduates will gather for the June 6 graduation ceremony to close out their high school career with classmates, family and staff. The Class of 2025 has laid the foundation for future success by building a positive culture of kindness, determination, and hard work. We look forward to seeing the great things that these Hawks accomplish!

Senior students and families: Please check out the Senior Info document for an overview of festivities and other important information.

HHES/HMS Students to Cheer on 2025 Hockinson Grads

On June 5, students at HHES will get a glimpse of the future at the Grad Walk. HHS seniors make a trip to the elementary and middle school just before graduation each year. Grad Walk is not only a time for high school seniors to reflect on their accomplishments over the past 13 years, but also an opportunity for elementary and middle school students to envision graduation as a future milestone.

Post-Grad Plans

Graduation for the HHS Class of 2025 is right around the corner! We're very proud of our graduates and are excited to watch our seniors embark on their next journeys. Seniors were invited to fill out a Google form to share their post-grad plans. Survey responses will continue to trickle in throughout the next week, but here is an overview of fall plans for the class of 2025:

• 69% are heading to 2- or 4-year college
• 13% are attending a trade school or apprenticeship program
• 14% are entering the workforce
• 3% are going on a mission
• 1% are entering the military

Stay in touch with our HSD Facebook Page in the coming weeks as we will soon begin celebrating 5 graduating seniors and learn more about their individual post-grad plans each Sunday.

TK Graduation - Next Up: Kindergarten

On June 5 at 5:30 pm, the Class of 2038 will experience their first graduation. Join us in celebrating the academic and social growth that these young students have achieved this school year. Our Transitional Kindergarten program prepares students to enter kindergarten with confidence in the fall.

Middle School Promotion: Welcoming New Hawks!

Eighth-grade students at HMS open a new chapter of their student careers, preparing for high school at the 8th-grade promotion ceremony on June 10 at 6 pm.

This is a free, ticketed event. Not enough tickets for the whole family? No problem! The event will be live-streamed. More details will be shared by HMS.

Hockinson has many end-of-the-school year traditions, including the 5th Grade spraydown by FD3, HMS Promotion, and the painting of the HHS Spirit Rock. But perhaps one of the most memorable is Hockinson Fun Days! Join us for Bingo (Friday, 5/30 at HHS) and a full day of activities - pancake breakfast, parade, vendor bazaar, and carnival - on Saturday, 5/31 at the community center. We love Hockinson!

Clark County will be holding an Open House to preview an upcoming community traffic project. A roundabout is slated for the NE Ward Road-NE Road intersection for Summer 2026. Residents are invited to learn more at a June 5 info night, which is offered in in-person and online formats. Details available here. Click here to view the flyer that was recently sent to area residents.

Spring Sports Schedules can be found at hockinsonhawks.com.

ICYMI: In case you missed a previous newsletter, our Round-Ups are archived here!

Email: justine.hanrahan@esd112.org
Website: https://www.hocksd.org/
Location: 17912 NE 159th St, Brush Prairie, WA 98606, USA
Phone: (360) 448-6400