Newsletter
Facilities Advisory Committee Meeting #6
The Facilities Advisory Committee held its sixth meeting on March 18, focusing on a critical piece of the funding puzzle: the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP). This deep dive helped the committee better understand what financial support might be available to WSVSD under different facility improvement scenarios.
SCAP funds are available through the state to assist school districts with major construction projects, but they come with some important stipulations. The funds must be used to either build a new facility or replace an existing one—and they are tied to specific grade levels. SCAP funding can be applied to either K–8 or 9–12 facilities, but not both at once unless part of a unified K–12 project.
With that in mind, the committee examined three potential paths forward:
In the new elementary school scenario, the district could access approximately $11 million in SCAP funding. For context, a new elementary school is estimated to cost around $62 million.
In the new high school scenario, SCAP could provide approximately $12 million toward construction. However, a new high school is projected to cost nearly $107 million.
In the consolidated school model—where the district would operate two schools on a shared K–12 campus—OSPI would treat this as a unified K–12 site. This would allow the district to access $27 million in unrestricted SCAP funds, meaning they could be used across grade levels where most needed.
It’s important to understand that SCAP funds are restricted by building and grade level. For example, if SCAP funds were used to build a new elementary school, there would be no SCAP funding available to modernize Henkle Middle School/WPSIS—and vice versa. It's also worth noting that accessing SCAP funding requires a local commitment. Districts must contribute their own resources and formally commit to capital improvements in order to qualify for state assistance.
This funding information gives the committee essential context as we continue developing a recommendation for the School Board’s consideration. While no decisions have been made, understanding how state assistance might support different scenarios is a key part of identifying a path forward that is both educationally sound and fiscally responsible.
Our committee will meet again on April 15, where we plan to review an architect’s rough rendering of what remodeling CHS and Henkle/WPSIS could look like under a modernization plan. We look forward to continuing this work and sharing more with you soon.
Columbia High School Leadership Changes
I’m excited to share an important leadership update for Columbia High School.
At the March 27 board meeting, the White Salmon Valley School District Board of Directors unanimously approved the appointment of Assistant Principal Kelly Hume as Co-Principal at CHS, beginning with the 2025–26 school year. This decision is part of a thoughtful leadership transition plan, as current Principal Craig McKee plans to retire at the end of that school year.
The co-principal model will allow Assistant Principal Hume to step into her new role with Principal McKee’s mentorship, ensuring a smooth transition and continued momentum on key CHS initiatives—such as AVID, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, facility improvements, and the expansion of our online school.
Over the past week, Superintendent Polkinghorn met with CHS staff and students to gather feedback on Assistant Principal Hume’s leadership. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Staff described her as a “strong communicator,” a “systems thinker,” and someone who “motivates others to be better at their jobs.” Students highlighted her consistency, presence, approachability and expressed how much they value her leadership. One student shared, “She’s approachable, she listens, and she always shows up when we need her.”
At last night’s board meeting, Superintendent Polkinghorn shared, “Assistant Principal Hume is truly among the top-tier of school leaders I’ve ever worked with. Like the staff and students at CHS have affirmed, she is a systems thinker, a collaborative problem solver, she speaks Spanish and she gets things done and done well.”
Assistant Principal Hume will assume her new role beginning in the 2025–26 school year.
We’re excited for this next chapter at CHS and confident in the leadership that will carry the school forward.
Community Health Needs Assessment – We Need Your Input!
White Salmon Valley School District is proud to support our community partners, Skyline Health and Klickitat Valley Health, as they work alongside Klickitat County Public Health to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment. This initiative aims to better understand the health challenges facing our county and ensure that local healthcare services meet the needs of our residents.
Your voice is essential! By participating in this brief, anonymous survey, you can help identify key health priorities such as access to care, chronic disease management, and mental health support. Your input will directly shape future healthcare services in our community.
The survey only takes a few minutes to complete—please take a moment to share your experiences and make a difference!
2025 Klickitat County Community Health Survey
