Battle Ground Public Schools honor 2022 retirees

June 9, 2022 edition of the BGPS Bulletin: Highlighting the great things happening in Battle Ground Public Schools

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Honoring our 2022 retirees

Clockwise from top-left: Rene Soohoo, Eileen O'Connor, Kathy Davis, Julie Schile and Sarah Lashua

Battle Ground Public Schools is bidding a fond farewell and a heartfelt "thank you" to our dedicated staff members who will be retiring at the end of this school year. Many of those moving on to the next phase in their lives have spent decades in public education. Betty Melton, an office assistant at Amboy Middle School is leaving after 41 years with the district. Pleasant Valley Middle School teacher Rene Soohoo is retiring after 48 years as an educator, including 30 with Battle Ground schools. Chief Umtuch Middle School teachers Eileen O'Connor and Julie Schile, as well as Laurin Middle School teacher Sarah Lashua, have been educators for nearly four decades. Kathy Davis, a 3rd grade teacher at Tukes Valley Primary School isn't far behind with 36 years in public education, including 22 here in Battle Ground.

View the full list of our retiring educators and support staff on the district website, and be sure to tell them "thank you!" before the school year wraps up. We appreciate all you've done for our students!

Highlighting the Class of 2022

All week long, the Battle Ground Public Schools Facebook page has been honoring some of our exceptional high school graduates. People like Jessica Bailey, a BGHS grad who said she has "a whole list" of favorite teachers, or Prairie's Kaelyn Shibley who enjoyed the variety of school clubs during her time in high school. In all, nearly 900 seniors will walk across the stage this week at District Stadium to receive their high school diploma. All graduation ceremonies will be available to watch on the BGTV 27 YouTube channel, as well as Clark-Vancouver Television for Comcast customers. The schedule is:

Thursday, June 9, 7:00 p.m. - Prairie High School
Friday, June 10, 7:00 p.m. - Battle Ground High School
Saturday, June 11, 11:00 a.m.* - River HomeLink
Saturday, June 11, 3:00 p.m. - Summit View High School
Saturday, June 11, 7:00 p.m. - CAM Academy
*no ticket required to attend in person

Congratulations to all of our graduating seniors!

Daybreak Primary 3rd graders give back to their community

What does "altruism" mean? That was the question behind a recent 3rd grade project at Daybreak Primary School. Students were asked to find something to do for their family, friends or community. Then, they had to create a presentation about their altruistic actions and explain the project to other students, teachers and visiting parents. Some students helped with yard work, others donated toys or pet products, visited with the homeless or the elderly, made beds for their family members, or took on extra chores around the house. The presentations gave them a chance to inspire younger students at the school to also give back to those around them. Great job, Dragons!

Yacolt Primary students plant trees

Windy Ridge Tree Farm's Bob Kramer helped these Yacolt Primary students go home with a free Douglas Fir sapling

Kindergarten students at Yacolt Primary School recently learned about the importance of trees and taking care of the Earth. Windy Ridge Tree Farm and the Yacolt PTO also worked together to provide a free Douglas Fir sapling for every kindergarten student to take home, as well as instructions on how to plant and care for it. The event was a chance to educate students about the 1902 Yacolt Burn that destroyed 239,000 acres of forest and killed 38 people. Several murals about the fire are on hallways inside the school. Students learned about what it took to recover from the fire, including replanting thousands of trees. They also learned how trees help to clean the atmosphere, reduce flooding and provide habitat for local wildlife. Thanks to kindergarten teachers Elizabeth Burke, Shawn Connell and Becky Long for putting this fun project together.

June 14 open house for new preschool at Battle Ground High School

A new preschool option is coming to Battle Ground High School starting next September, and interested parents are invited to check it out during an open house. The open house will be held on Tuesday, June 14 from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. in room A5 at the high school, accessible from Stadium Way on the northwest side of the campus.

Battle Ground Preschool will initially have space for up to 20 children, with classes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. Afternoon classes are planned for the future, depending on community interest. Registration costs $60 and tuition is $165 per month. Families who qualify for free and reduced meals can apply to pay a reduced monthly rate.

Learn more about early childhood education available through Battle Ground Public Schools and our partners in Community Education by visiting the district website.

Join the BGPS team!

Many positions are available now, including:

Assistant Principal - Battle Ground High School and Tukes Valley Middle School
Dean of Students - Prairie High School
Special Services Coordinator (district wide)
Head Secretary - Captain Strong Primary School
Teachers (various subjects and schools)
Special Programs Paras (Baseload and Student Specific)
Prevention-Intervention Specialist - BGHS
Teacher-Librarian - Tukes Valley Middle School
Certificated Substitutes (District wide)
Classified Substitutes (District wide)
Assistant Coaches (BGHS - Baseball, Boys Basketball, Football, Wrestling, Track; PHS - Cheer Team ; BGHS/PHS - Gymnastics)
Athletic Trainer (PHS)
Head Coach (PHS - Baseball, Slow-pitch Softball; Middle Schools - Volleyball)

View the full list of current job openings and apply online at the district website.

Bus Drivers
BGPS' transportation provider, First Student, is in need of part-time bus drivers. For more details on First Student driving careers, including sign-on bonuses starting at $2,500, visit https://bit.ly/3rHwRxc.

Cafeteria Workers
Sodexo, the district's food service provider, is looking for employees in a number of specialties. Most positions provide on-the-job training and start at $14.70 per hour or more. More information: https://bit.ly/3Fzd8VM

Right At School
The district's new before/after school care provider, Right At School, is looking for Program Managers and Educators. Learn more at https://www.rightatschool.com/careers or email your resume to darcie.torres@rightatschool.com.