HSD News Round-Up

Pictured: Totally Red! cast members from Hockinson High School color and connect with audience members at last Saturday's Character Breakfast.

Read on to learn about Career & Technical Education students excelling at a regional competition, Culture Kick-Off Award banners getting unveiled at all three schools, an exciting facility transformation, ways to learn more about the bond, and other HSD news.

In this video, HHES Assistant Principal Mr. Olson shares how the proposed Hockinson School District bond would fund the construction of a second elementary school to address overcrowding at Hockinson Heights Elementary School, plus safety and facility improvements for all Hockinson schools. Learn more about the bond proposal at hocksd.org/bond. Remember to vote by February 11.

Learn more about the upcoming bond at our final in-person informational open house today Sat. Jan. 25 at 2:00 pm at the HHES Library.

In response to repeated questions about synthetic turf and tax exemptions, we've added a Bond Q & A interactive webinar for next Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 5:30 pm. Clark County Assessor Peter Van Nortwick, Greg Swenson, a regional sales manager for Astroturf, HSD Superintendent Steve Marshall, HHES Principal Meredith Gannon, and HHS Athletic Director Kathy Pacheco will be available to answer your questions. You can ask questions ahead of time using this form or ask questions live. Questions and answers will be recorded and added to our Bond FAQ page.

If you are unable to attend either informational session, you can access a video recording of the Jan. 16 Open House here. Below is the index to the presentation’s “topical” chapters:

• Chap. 1 Introduction & “What is a Bond?” (0:00-7:44)
• Chap. 2 Proposed Construction of Second Elementary School (7:44-13:20)
• Chap. 3 Proposed Safety Improvements at all Schools (13:20-15:10)
• Chap. 4 Proposed Improvements to HHES Campus (15:10--21:36)
• Chap. 5 Proposed Career & Technical Education Building at HHS (21:36-34:39)
• Chap. 6 Proposed Replacement of HHS Track & Installation of Synthetic Turf Field (34:39-46:34)
• Chap. 7 Proposed Outdoor Covered Area at HMS (46:34-50:20)
• Chap. 8 Bond Financial Information (50:20-1:15:45)
• Chap. 9 Conclusion (1:15:45-1:20:20)

At the January 7 Silver Social, guest speaker James Malloy, a registered dietitian with Chartwells Food Service, shared information and strategies for making healthier food choices in the new year. Malloy's presentation covered a lot of topics, including school nutrition standards, the confusing world of diets and food studies, recommended healthy foods, and the power of goal setting. He also shared a food sample and recipe and numerous examples of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-based, and Time-bound) Goals relating to diet variety. Here is his salad recipe and presentation.

Silver Socials are open to everyone in the Hockinson community. The next Silver Social is on Tuesday, February 4 at 11 am at the Hockinson Community Center. It will feature guest speaker Hailey Landon, a community risk reduction specialist from Clark Regional Fire. New Fire District 3 Chief Chris Drone has also been invited for a meet & greet.

HHS Band musicians are renown for their talent and dedication. We can add "citizenship" to that list, too. Instead of spending the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday at home, members of the HHS Band collected over 200 pounds of roadside trash around Hockinson. Their volunteerism was rewarded with unseasonably sunny weather. Thank you to all student and community volunteers who participated! Thanks, too, to the HHS Band Boosters for organizing this annual service activity.

What is your favorite subject in school right now?

Reading! Because I love books that take me on adventures.

What do you look forward to most at school?

My teacher and the fun things we do in our class.

How has After School Adventures (ASA) made after-school time special?

Right now we are putting together a play at ASA and I'm so excited to perform it!

What's your favorite after-school activity?

I love doing arts and crafts at ASA.

What has been your favorite school activity this far?

I loved the giving tree assembly because we were able to sing songs and help other people.

What do you like best about TK?

My favorite thing is centers. I like playing with cars!

What is your favorite thing to learn about?

Math because I like adding numbers.

Can you share something fun you did at school this week?

This week we read a snowman book and then painted a snowman with our fingers!

What's something fun you like to do after school?

I like going to ASA and building marble tracks. I like eating snacks there too!

Can you tell me about a favorite memory from TK?

Our Halloween party where we got to wear our costumes and eat snacks and treats.

HUnder the guidance of Head Coach Brandon Redeau and the team motto "Soaring into Excellence," the HHS Boys and Girls Wrestling Program is experiencing new competition, new levels of energy and crowd support, and a new level of success. Over winter break, Redeau and his athletes traveled to the midwest for a high-level wrestling tournament. They have been on a roll ever since. The team is currently 6-0 in GSHL 2A dual meets and was featured in the recent Reflector article, "Hockinson wrestling program continue dual meet dominance." You can watch the HHS wrestlers compete at the Battle of the Bridge Wrestling Tournament all day today at Hockinson High School and when they host Seton Catholic on Thursday, January 30 at 6 pm.

The Hockinson School District would not be able to offer sports like middle school and high school wrestling without the community's levy support. Educational Programs & Operations Levies fund services like nursing, supplies like curriculum and instructional technology, and opportunities like band, theater, and athletics.

One dimension of injury prevention is a quality strength and conditioning program. Over the past two years, Hockinson High School (HHS) has been replacing and upgrading the equipment in its weight room. It also launched a Central Washington University College-in-the-Classroom Strength and Conditioning course. Meanwhile, Hockinson Middle School (HMS) began exploring how it could create a strength and conditioning space on its campus for its students and athletes. In November, Principal Bess Colpron, Athletic Director Sid Slom and HSD Superintendent Steve Marshall collaborated and came up with a solution: Clean out and transform a room that was part of the former HMS campus into a workout annex that could be used by middle school PE students and athletes as well as our Community Ed program.

How'd this happen over winter break? As is usually the case, it was a team effort. District operations and grounds employees, custodians, AmeriCorps members and even HSD administrators contributed to this makeover. Yesterday, Sid Slom and HHS Athletic Coordinator Kasey Powers from HHS helped push the project to the finish line by transferring and re-assembling some of the weight equipment that is no longer in use at the high school.

By reusing this room, the HSD is reclaiming and maximizing a space that was underutilized. Superintendent Marshall is excited about the possibilities. “We worked hard in December so we could have the room ready for [HMS] Girls Basketball and Track,” said Marshall. “But it doesn’t end there. Our middle school PE teachers are thinking of ways to incorporate strength training into their classes and Community Education is also exploring the idea of evening classes for teenagers and seniors [citizens]. To me, that’s a ‘win-win-win.’”

More accurately, there are roses coming up for Valentine's Day. HHS has dozens and dozens of beautiful preserved roses and is in the process of organizing a fundraiser to support its clubs. While we do not have any specifics to share at this time, more details will be announced soon. We do know that preserved roses will be sold individually and by the half- and full-dozen and we wanted to make sure HSD families were aware of this opportunity.

What is a preserved rose? Also known as an eternal or everlasting rose, it's a real rose that has been treated with a silica solution that coats the flower's petals, stem and leaves so they retain their natural appearance and vibrant colors. These roses can last for 1-3 years in the right conditions.

- Tech Replacement Cycle: Out with the Old, In with the New: When our Tech Dept deploys new desktops and monitors at HHES this month, the school will bid farewell to the oldest tech in our district. While most of the outgoing computers are 11 years old, some of the computers and projectors are 14 years old! We are very pleased to report that, through careful planning and spending prioritization, the tech replacement at HHS, HHES and upcoming tech refresh at HMS will be completed within our single Educational Programs & Operations Levy.

- Mark your Calendars for HMS, HHS Sports: HMS Girls Basketball begins this coming Monday, Jan. 25. The first day of practice for HHS Spring Sports (Girls Golf, Boys Soccer, Boys Baseball, Girls Softball, Girls Tennis, and Boys and Girls Track) is Monday, March 3. HMS Boys and Girls Track begins on Monday, April 14.

- HHS FBLA in Competition Mode: Yesterday, Hockinson FBLA students participated in the SW Washington Regional Leadership Conference where they competed in a series of business-related events, such as role-playing and product presentations. Advisor Taylor Guzman anticipates many HHS students will advance to the state-wide competition in Bellevue later this spring. Updates will be included in the next Round Up.

- Ballot Box now open: The Clark County Elections ballot box at the Hockinson Community Center opened Wednesday, Jan. 22 and will remain open 24-7 through 8 pm on Tues. Feb. 11.

- Calendar Questions: For those of you who are resolving to have a 2024-25 school calendar on the refrigerator door, here is the link. It's available on the district and school websites under "Students & Families" and "Calendar." The 2025-26 HSD Calendar will be approved at the HSD School Board's Regular Meeting on Feb. 24.

- Sat. Jan. 25: Bond Open House at 2pm @ HHES Library

- Sat. Jan. 25: Battle at the Bridge Wrestling Tournament All Day @ HHS

- Mon. Jan. 27: First Day of HMS Girls Basketball 3:30 pm @ HMS

- Mon. Jan. 27: School Board Regular Meeting at 6-8 pm @ HCC and Zoom

- Tues. Jan. 28: Bond Q & A (Turf and Tax Exemptions) 5:30 pm @ Zoom

-Thurs. Jan. 30 Clark County Jazz Festival

- Mon. Feb. 3 Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting at 6-7:30 pm @ Zoom

- Tue. Feb. 4 Silver Social: Household Safety at 11 am @ HCC

- Fri. & Sat. Feb. 7 & 8: Select 8th North County Honor Band

- Mon. Feb. 10: School Board Work Session at 6-8pm @ Zoom

- Sat. & Sun. Feb. 15 & 16: HMS Jr. All-State Band @ Spokane

-Tues. Feb. 11 Election Day - Remember to Vote

-Mon. Feb. 17: President's Day - No School

-Thurs. Feb. 20: Second Grade Concert at 6:30-7:30 pm

- Mon. Mar. 3: First Day of HHS Spring Sports

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