HSD News Round-Up

The HHS Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter is sending 15 members to the Washington FBLA State Business Leadership Conference following the group’s stellar performance at the regional competition. Twenty Hockinson High School students competed in 21 events at the Southwest Region Winter Conference on February 3. These events were career-specific and ranged from business calculations to social media strategies.

Hockinson High School’s FBLA chapter embodies the goals of Career and Technical Education Month through by preparing students for career and college success. We are very proud of our FBLA members and wish them luck as they prepare to compete at the state level in April. Thank you to the Hockinson community for supporting FBLA and other extracurricular activities through levy funding.

Pictured - Front (l to r): Avrie Kellogg, Olivia Barton, Kendall Zabel, Sarah DeRoos, Lyla Taylor, Ainsley Burkhard, Sophia Sermone. Back (l to r): Evan Heder, Aidan Willis, Jacob Dark, Ani Vossler, Brentson McNair. (Not pictured: Audrey Davis, Madi Garrett, Ava Hall, Evan Taylor, Timothy Sjothun, Sienna Morrison-Mitchell)

February 6-10 was National School Counselor Appreciation Week, which gave our schools an opportunity to say "Thank You" to our amazing counselors: Vickie Hermann (HHES), Nicole Schneider and counseling intern Nick Maudlin (HMS), and Chantelle Henry and Wayne Svilar (HHS).

We are so lucky to have this "Fantastic Five" team of counselors to support our students with academic achievement strategies, managing emotions and applying interpersonal skills, and college and career planning!

Pictured (l to r): Nicole Schneider, Vickie Hermann, Chantelle Henry, Wayne Svilar, Nick Maudlin

After-school clubs are ramping up at Hockinson Heights Elementary this month. Last week, HHES students and staff facilitators kicked off the beginning of Volleyball Club, Car Repair & Safety Club, Pokemon Club, and Cross Stitching Club.

February is Career & Technical Education Month, when schools across the United States celebrate job-readiness technical education for all ages. These four clubs and upcoming Robotics Club teach basic technical and practical skills in hopes of sparking interest and providing students with an elementary-middle-high school pipeline through which they can continue to develop their skills and career readiness. "For me, there are three benefits [to after-school clubs]. They give us a chance to share our knowledge, give students something to look forward to, and they introduce students to skills they might choose to develop later," said Doug Firth, who volunteers as the advisor for the Car Repair & Safety Club.

Hockinson School District strives for all students to find shared interests and connect via after school activities. HSD offers several clubs at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Contact your school administrator if you are interested in joining or starting a club.

As the robotics season ramps up this year, students in robotics Team 2471, also known as Team Mean Machine, meet nearly every night in preparation for their first competition on March 10 and 11. Students from Camas School District, Hockinson School District, and Washougal School District form this combined team to put their programming, machining, and design skills to the test.

This week, the team is also working on nominations for the FIRST Dean’s List nominees. Teammates collaborated to nominate one 10th grade and one 11th grade team member who is a leader, raises awareness among students and community members of STEM opportunities, exemplifies gracious professionalism, and has achieved personal technical expertise. In 2014, HSD student Bryce Croucher was selected as a FIRST Dean’s List winner and was honored in Houston at the FRC World Championship. Nominations for this year’s FIRST Dean’s List winner closed on February 9. We look forward to seeing how our nominees fare!

The Hockinson High School Boys Swim Team and Boys and Girls Wrestlers advanced to their respective post-season tournaments this past weekend, with many qualifying for state competition!

The following swimmers competed at Mark Morris HS: Jaden Atchley, Evan Bergstrom, Nathan Chung, Parker Dangleis, Liam Dunn, Jorge Losada, Owen MacDonald, Ben Maitland, Tobias Maitland, Jack Smith, Evan Taylor, Alex Wendler. Meanwhile, girl wrestlers Teagan Trenda and Lilah Hines traveled to Shelton High School and boy wrestlers Preston Armes, Thomas Kovalchuk, Connor Leibfried, Justin Martsolf, Keegan McAfee, Jake McKee, Liam McKee, and Maki Vaka to Aberdeen HS to compete in their Regional Wrestling Tournaments.

HHS swimmers finished first in eight individual and relay events! View full results here. HHS Wrestlers heading to state include Liam McKee (3rd-106 lb), Jake McKee (1st-132 lb) and Teagan Trenda (1st-125 lb). Congratulations to all participants and good luck to our state qualifiers!

Pictured: HHS Boys Swim Team, 2023 GSHL 2A Boys Swimming Champions

Contractors will begin facility improvement and energy efficiency projects at three HSD sites beginning February 20, 2023.

These projects, slated for the Hockinson Community Center/HSD District Office, Hockinson Heights Elementary School, and Hockinson High School, include:

• Replacement of electric resistance fan coil units with energy-efficient heat pumps (District Office/Community Center)

• LED lighting upgrades to reduce energy usage (HHES and HHS)

• Building automation controls upgrades to improve comfort and reduce energy usage (HHES and HHS)

The good news: These projects will result in better facilities, improved comfort, and lower ongoing costs for the HSD.

The great news? These upgrades will be more than 65% grant-funded, including a $470,000 grant from the State of Washington and $65,000 in incentives from Clark Public Utilities.

Read more

Valentine's Snow Surprise?: HSD Staff & Families, please monitor the weather forecast. There's talk of possible ice or snow on Valentine's Day or later this week. A cancellation would mean we attend school on Friday, March 17 which is currently the designated Snow Make Up Day.

Artwork of 3 HHS Students in ESD Art Show: Congratulations to HHS students Malcolm Chapel, Olivia Henwood, and Tobias Maitland, whose artwork will be featured in the 2023 SW Washington Regional Art Show sponsored by ESD 112.

Spring Sports Coming Up: HHS Spring Sports - Girls Tennis, Boys Soccer, Girls Golf, Baseball, and Softball - begin on Monday, Feb. 27. Click here to register. HMS Track & Field begins on March 27. More information is available on the HMS Athletics website.

2023-24 School Calendar Set for Late March Release: Next year's calendar will be presented for School Board approval at its March 27 General Meeting. If approved, the calendar will be published on the HSD website and shared with staff and parents soon thereafter.

Feb. 13 HSD School Board Work Session 6 p.m. @ HCC and Zoom

Feb. 15 Fun Days Planning Meeting 6 p.m. @ HHS Library

Feb. 20 President's Day (No School)

Feb. 23-24 Matt de la Pena Author Visit at HHS

Feb. 24 HHS Environmental Club Tree Planting

Feb. 27 First Day of HHS Spring Sports

Feb. 27 Regular HSD School Board Meeting 6 p.m. @ HCC and Zoom

Mar. 2 Dr. Seuss Read Across America Day

Mar. 6 Citizen Advisory Committee Meeting 6 p.m. @ HHES

Mar. 6-10 Classified Employee Appreciation Week

Mar. 17 Snow Make Up Day - No School unless we have a prior school cancellation

HSD Upcoming Events Calendar

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