The Falcon Flash

Dear Skamania Families,

Welcome back to a brand-new school year filled with promise and opportunity! As we settle into September, I want to extend my heartfelt greetings to each of you. Our school is once again buzzing with energy, curiosity, and the excitement of fresh beginnings.

As we enter our second year of using LiveSchool, we are excited to build on the positive momentum we started last year! LiveSchool continues to be a key tool in recognizing positive behavior and nurturing a supportive school culture. Students can earn points for demonstrating kindness, responsibility, and respect, which they can redeem for rewards and privileges. We appreciate your partnership in celebrating student successes every day! If you need a refresher on how to log in or need help accessing your account to track your child's progress, please let us know in the office.

We are also excited to bring back our fall session of clubs beginning in October. Keep an eye out for sign-up information coming home in next week's folders!

Our focus remains steadfast on providing a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We remain deeply committed to fostering creativity, critical thinking, and kindness across all grade levels.

We encourage families to stay engaged and connected with our school community. Your involvement makes a tremendous difference in your child’s educational journey. Together, we can continue building a strong partnership that supports growth, resilience, and a love of learning.

Thank you for continuing to entrust us with the education of your children. We look forward to another fantastic year filled with achievements, growing friendships, and memorable experiences!

Warm regards,

Katie Chavarria
Superintendent/Principal
kchavarria@skamania.k12.wa.us

We invite the community to “like” our Facebook page to receive updates. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565517635539

October 2

8:00 am

Coffee Corner w/ Mrs. Chavarria

October 5

Picture Day

October 9

Teacher Professional Development Day

NO SCHOOL

October 26-October 30

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Adjusted Dismissal each day @ 12:30

November 11

Veterans Day Holiday

NO SCHOOL

November 21

Last Day of Trimester

Adjusted Dismissal @ 12:30

November 26-28

Thanksgiving Holiday

NO SCHOOL

• Attention bus riders: If your child rides the bus daily and you intend to pick them up instead, please inform the office as early as possible. We maintain a daily waiting list for families who wish to use the bus when space is available. Early notification allows us to offer these openings to other families who are waiting.

• Please dress your child for the weather. We nearly always go outside - rain or shine. Also, please remember to wear PE-appropriate shoes on PE days (every day but Wednesday and other early dismissal days.)

• Please contact the office if your child is supposed to ride the bus home with another student or get off at another student's stop. We do not have much (if any) extra room on the bus for additional riders. We also like to hear from a parent on both sides to make sure everyone is on the same page.

• Cell phones must remain in backpacks during the school day. Phones that are taken out will be held in the office until the end of the day.

• Gum is not allowed at school. Please help to remind your child of this policy.

• Watch for information on Highly Capable testing coming home at the end of this month. We will be screening all students in 2nd and 5th grades. Students in other grades can be tested at teacher or parent request.

• During school hours, please avoid parking in the staff parking lot on the side of the building.

• If your child arrives after 8:00, an adult must walk him or her into the office and sign in.

Throughout the week, students will have the opportunity to visit the library and check out up to two books at a time. These books can be kept for up to two weeks.

We kindly ask that children take good care of the books they borrow. Students are welcome to take the books home, provided they handle them responsibly and return them on time.

If you prefer that your child does not bring books home, please discuss this with them so they understand not to take books home, even if school permission is given.

Also, the Bookmobile will be visiting Skamania School again this year every Thursday. Students with an existing library card through Fort Vancouver Regional Library can check out books directly from the Bookmobile. If your child does not yet have a library card, applications are available in the office to help you set one up.

Thank you for supporting a love of reading and helping us keep our library resources in great condition!

Skamania School is gearing up for ASB officer elections for the 2026-27 school year! All 6th-8th graders will have the opportunity to run for ASB positions and represent their classmates.

ASB officers will have a range of responsibilities, including attending all scheduled meetings (three unexcused absences could result in dismissal), acting responsibly at events, staying up-to-date on classwork, maintaining good citizenship, and collaborating with others. Officers will also be tasked with sharing input from their peers, planning school activities, and ensuring events run smoothly.

Forms will be given out to all interested 6th-8th graders on 9/8 and will be due back to Mr. Chavarria/Mr. Scott by 9/18. Students will need to get a parent's signature AND two references from staff members in order for their application to be considered. Once the candidates are established, they will receive information regarding the campaign and election processes.

In addition, we will also elect a student representative from all classes 3rd grade and up to help in making each class's voice heard.

These are great opportunities for students to develop leadership skills and make a positive impact on our school community. We can’t wait to see the fantastic ideas and activities our new ASB team will bring to life!

Hello Skamania Families,

My name is Ms. Pearl Brown, and I am excited to be joining this community in the role of school counselor! I will be on campus every Tuesday and Thursday. Before Skamania, I spent several years supporting TK–6th grade students in their social-emotional development. This year, I will be working with students through one-on-one meetings, small skill-building groups, and whole-classroom activities.

Students can reach me by filling out a slip outside of my office. Families are welcome to connect with me via email at pearl.brown@esd112.org.

I am looking forward to a wonderful year!

Ms. Pearl

Hello, my name is Mr. Scott. I am new to the Skamania School District this year and I look forward to building relationships with you. I have a passion for working with students and helping them grow into productive citizens in society. It is going to be a great year! Please feel free to reach out anytime if you have any questions!

~Mr. Scott

P.S. Please ensure your child wears sneakers on PE days for their safety and full participation. Thank you!

Skamania Families,

We're making attendance a top priority this year! Being in school regularly helps students learn, build friendships, and stay on track. Even missing just a few days can make it harder for students to keep up.

Why Attendance Matters

• Missing 10 percent of the year, about 18 days, makes it harder for students to keep up in reading and math.
• Even missing a day or two every few weeks adds up and can create gaps in learning.
• By sixth grade, absenteeism is one of the strongest signs that a student may not graduate.
• By ninth grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation than eighth grade test scores.
• Being present helps students learn, build friendships, and connect with caring staff who model our values of connection, growth, and responsibility.

How you can help: We miss your child when they’re absent! Please make sure they attend regularly. If they’ll be out, let us know at 509-427-8239 or attendance@skamania.k12.wa.us. You can also respond to attendance alerts in ParentSquare.

We're here for you: We understand there are challenges, and we’re committed to helping. Our team is ready to support you and your student to make attendance easier.

Stay informed: Washington State law requires students from ages 8-17 to attend school. We’ll work closely with you to address any attendance concerns and develop plans if needed.

Please check that we have your correct contact information so we can stay in touch throughout the year. Let’s work together to make this year successful for all students!

Skamania School will once again provide free breakfast and lunch to ALL students. In an effort to express the need for this program, we encourage all families that believe they may qualify to complete the Free and Reduced Meal Application that was sent home on the first day of school. Ms. Amber has additional copies as well.

Milk is included at no charge with school meals. Skamania School does not have a free a la carte milk program. Students must purchase milk at the regular price of $0.50 if they bring a cold lunch and want milk with their lunch. Breakfast and lunch menus are available on our website (skamaniaschooldistrict.org) or in the school office.

Parents, grandparents, or other family members are welcome to have breakfast or lunch with their children. To make planning in the kitchen easier, please call the office ahead of time if you plan to come for breakfast or lunch. The price of an adult meal is $5.00.

Dear Skamania School Families,

My name is Boyd Becker, though the students know me as Mr. Boyd . It has been a pleasure cooking for and serving your kiddos as the Head Cook for the last 6 years.

As you may know, we operate an 80% scratch-cooking kitchen. We bake fresh goods like bread and cinnamon rolls, craft savory dishes like broccoli cheddar soup, homemade pizza, and chicken tikka masala, and offer Ms. Franki’s made-to-order fresh salads.

Because we cook so much from scratch, we need all lunch orders submitted by 9:30 AM each day so our team can prepare the right amount of food. Thank you for your support!

This year I am looking to engage our responsible 7th and 8th graders who have an appetite for the culinary arts by joining me in the Kitchen to learn basic cooking skills. To ensure safety and proper instruction, I will select two students at a time to join me in the kitchen twice a week. We will rotate students throughout the school year so multiple kids get a turn. Because this involves real kitchen experience, candidates must demonstrate strong maturity and be able to handle the extra responsibility.

A survey is going home asking for feedback about the kitchen and the dishes we serve. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us! I will do my best to accommodate your requests and ideas. Please keep in mind that due to budget limits, time constraints, or National School Lunch Program guidelines, we may not be able to implement every suggestion—but we value every bit of input!

Sincerely,

Mr. Boyd