November 13, 2012
School notes for Nov. 13, 2012
G.E.T. program enrollment open Parents wanting to save for college can open a Guaranteed Education Tuition account. The new enrollment year runs through May 2013.
G.E.T. program enrollment open Parents wanting to save for college can open a Guaranteed Education Tuition account. The new enrollment year runs through May 2013.
Students, city officials and school administrators gathered to watch a piece of history come home Friday.A 4,500 pound anchor from a decommissioned World War II Liberty ship was unveiled at Liberty Middle School. It was an event several years in the making. "This is a very exciting day," said Liberty Principal Marilyn Boerke. "It has been in the works for six years." Eunice Abrahamsen, a local community member, pitched the idea of procuring a piece of a Liberty ship to install in the school when it first opened. The goal was to teach the students the history behind Liberty's name. "I was thinking a cute little porthole or doorknob or some kind," Boerke said. "Then I got a call, 'Do you want to take the anchor?' I thought it would be something small. Then I saw it and realized it was ginormous."
When teacher Erin Hayes first told her students they'd be using iPads in class, the general response from the fifth-graders was, "What's an iPad?" Two months later, the students are becoming experts in using apps, doing Internet research and using the devices as a resource for a majority of their class work. "The iPads extend learning in every subject," Hayes said. "They have apps for math, spelling, writing, everything. (The students) are recording themselves to practice public speaking, they are using Google Earth to take virtual field trips of the locations they're studying, and they are interacting with each other to discuss new ways to create projects and solve problems."
Cape Horn names Super Citizens Cape Horn-Skye Elementary School in Washougal has named its Super Citizens for the month of September.
School lunches have definitely evolved in the past 65 years. Gone are the mystery meat and rubbery pizza. Instead, students have choices of fresh fruit, veggies and whole grains in addition to traditional favorites such as burgers and chicken nuggets. "My lunches at school were boring compared to what they have now," said Washougal Mayor Sean Guard. "(They have) fajitas, chili, and lots of fresh options. Our lunches were good, though. My neighbor was the head cook forever. I think it is better now, just fast!"
The members of Junior Girl Scout Troop 40145 are working on projects to earn their Bronze Award, the highest honor a Junior Girl Scout can attain. The troop meets twice a month in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church and is led by Theresa Cole. Girl Scouts Syerrah Wilson-Brown and Kendra Short chose a project to help support the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society in Washougal.
Being energy conscious is paying off for local schools. The Washougal School District has saved $379,000 in energy costs since beginning a new program two years ago. Money saved from lowering costs has been used to support facility operations and fund future energy-saving measures throughout the district, according to a press release. In addition, Washougal High School, Canyon Creek Middle School and Cape Horn-Skye Elementary schools have earned Energy Star certification.
Community Education Zumba class changes times A popular Zumba class has changed times from last year. It is still offered at Gause Elementary School, 1100 34th St., but the new times are as follows: Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 9:30 to 10:20 a.m.
CHS hosts college and career event The annual Camas High School college and career options fair will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the CHS gym, 26900 S.E. 15th St. During the event, students and parents may visit with representatives from two- and four-year colleges, technical schools and all military branches. There will also be workshops such as, "Demystifying the Financial Aid Process," "College 101" and "Standardized Testing."
After a year of combing streams and rivers for aquatic bugs, Shane Southerland's sometimes painstaking Eagle Scout project is complete. Southerland, 16, presented racks of what are known as "benthic larvae macro-invertebrates," to the Camas School Board last Monday. Collecting the bugs was a long and challenging process, and the Camas High School sophomore rallied scouting volunteers and friends in Washington, Wyoming, Kansas, Georgia, Utah, Montana and Oregon to help him with the project. "It took a lot of weekends to collect all of these," he said. "But I really enjoyed going to the rivers, that was the most fun part of this project."
