2012-2013REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

Washougal School District

As Superintendent of the Washougal School District I submit this report to the community with a deep sense of responsibility to our children and their future. As you review the opportunities provided and the progress made I hope that you share with me the same sense of commitment and pride in the accomplishments of your school district. We have focused our efforts on examining our vision for the future success of our students and have engaged in the work of articulating the skills, knowledge and learning experiences that are needed to launch students successfully into higher education and the world of work. We have focused on the whole child, moving beyond test scores to life-long skills including time management, application of classroom learning to real world problems, fiscal responsibility and civic involvement. In the words of anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.”

Due to careful fiscal management, the summer of 2013 will bring exciting changes to the district. Facility improvements include replacement of the fifty-year-old Washougal High School gym floor, replacement of the turf field, and long awaited improvement to the drainage of the fields between Gause Elementary School and WHS. Though we will only tackle phase I of this project, the elementary students attending Gause will be able to use the grass field next to the playground allowing for increased physical activity for the children during the school day. Using the near million dollar grant received to support energy improvements the district will also be replacing lighting in all district schools and accomplishing other improvements, which will produce energy savings to utilities costs in the coming years.

Please contact me if you have any questions about the school district or would like to get involved in supporting our students as they prepare to apply their learning to the global community of their future.

Sincerely,

Dawn Tarzian

BOARD MEMBERSBlaine Peterson, Board President

District 3

Elaine Pfeifer, Vice PresidentDistrict 2

Ron Dinius, Legislative RepresentativeDistrict 5

Terrie Hutchins District 1

Karen Rubino Distirct 4

MESSAGE FROMTHE SUPERINTENDENT

OUR MISSIONCreating a supportive and welcoming

environment for student success, our schools and community will

collaborate to ensure all students become self-reliant, well-rounded, and productive citizens through a

broad range of opportunities.

OUR VISIONTogether, entrusted with

and accountable for the successof each student.

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About Us

National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP)

To access information about the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), please visit the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s online Report Card: http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/and click on the NAEP tab.

This report includes information from the 2011-2012 school year. If you would like information in greater detail, please visit the OSPI website, www.k12.wa.us, click on School Report Card and select Washougal from the drop down menu.

STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICSENROLLMENT 3,037

GENDER

Male 52.4%

Female 47.6%

ETHNICITY

American Indian/Alaskan Native .8%

Asian/Pacific Islander 1.9%

Black .7%

Hispanic 7.8%

White 83.1%

Other 5.7%

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Graduation Rate 84.5%

TEACHER STATISTICS

Classroom Teachers: 170

Average years of teaching experience: 12.4

Teachers with at least a Master’s Degree: 68.8%

Total number of teachers who teach core academic classes: 134

Total number of core academic classes: 856

Percentage of classes taught by highly qualified teacers: 100%

Did You Know?

Washougal School District staff collaborate weekly through effective teamwork called

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). Teachers meet with their peers to strategize

effective learning and teaching based on individual student performance data. They

share techniques and expertise with each other to effectively and efficiently address student learning and boost achievement.

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A visionFOR THE FUTURE

Performing arts and athletic opportunities allow students to flourish

A state-of-the-art performing arts center is the perfect venue to host student drama and musical productions, which also includes American Sign Language musicals. Our award-winning bands and choirs draw students from grades five through twelve.

Student athletes have the opportunity to participate at both the middle school and high school levels in sports including football, volleyball, basketball, wrestling and track. Additional sports opportunities offered at the high school include soccer, tennis, golf, cross-sountry, softball, baseball, equestrian competitions, and cheer.

Community partnerships bring life experiences into the classroom

Our students are fortunate to benefit from an abundance of programs that bring community members into our classrooms, including the Camas-Washougal Rotary’s Young Women and Men in Action Program, connecting adult mentors and fifth grade students; Washougal High School’s Job Acquisition Skills program, where community members conduct mock interviews with sophomores; and other career day opportunities linking students to various career interests.

Strategic Visioning for the future

As a result of a community wide strategic visioning process conducted in 2011 and 2012, the Washougal School Board adopted a new mission and vision statement for the school district. The process confirmed the importance of providing students with a broad range of activities and opportunities to inspire their learning, tap into their natural talents, and to stretch their potential.

To help guide our work as a school district, we asked community members, parents, students and staff what experiences and opportunities they believed students should have in school to be successful in life. Three major themes emerged: » A wide variety of co-curricular and extra-curricular

activities » Partnering with the community for the students’

futures » Extending learning within and beyond the classroom

Did You Know?

Jemtegaard Middle School staff have seen a tremendous reduction in

behavior referrals since implementing the Positive Behavior Intervention

System (PBIS).

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Washougal students show community support and school pride as they Stuff the Bus with non-perishable food items for those in need in our local community.

PREPARINGSTUDENTS FOR SUCCESS

Did You Know?

Washougal High School students received $1,709,209 in scholarships and

awards in 2012.4

Opportunities extend learning within and beyond the classroom

Several district programs help extend classroom walls and allow students to gain hands-on experiences with the environment, our community, local businesses and other organizations.

Elementary students connect with our community through field trips to local organizations including the Washougal Library, Community Center, City Hall, and the Two Rivers Heritage Museum. Elected officials, including Washougal Mayor Sean Guard, interact with students on a regular basis and even worked in school kitchens through the Serving Up Smiles program. An artist-in-residence program brings a local artist into elementary schools to complete a hands-on art project with students.

Each spring, middle school students participate in outdoor school, visiting Beacon Rock Park and Steigerwald Natural Refuge studying plants, animals, geology and history thanks to the Friends of the Gorge Foundation. The program allows students to interact with experts in science and history and gain real-world applications of the lessons they are learning in the classroom every day.

Eighth grade students complete a career or volunteer-oriented project and high school students complete a comprehensive senior project, often mentored by a community member.

Washougal High School’s Interact Club is a student version of the Camas-Washougal Rotary Club, through which students participate in international and local community service projects.

WHS sophomores begin career preparation by interviewing for “jobs” with local community and business members through the Job Acquisition Skills program.

Our ASB supports community projects including Stuff the Bus, a food drive to benefit our local community.

Advanced learning opportunitiesWashougal students benefit from the following Advanced Placement (AP) opportunities:

Planning for the futureWashougal High School’s Career Center offers a wide variety of

information and resources to help prepare students for the next step in their education or career. These include: career research, scholarship opportunities, university, community college, and voc/tech school links, a job opportunities board, job shadows and more.

Gaining career and technical skills Students gain skills that will help them pursue a career or future

education through a rich offering of Career and Technical Education offerings, such as: Computer Applications, Business and Personal Law, Accounting, Financial Fitness, American Sign Language, Textiles and Apparel, Foods and You, Culinary Management, Child Development, International Cuisine, Relationships, Life On Your Own, Web Design, Scene Design, Introduction to Drafting/CAD, Metals Technology, Basic Carpentry, Small Engine Repair, Fine Arts Woodworking, Guitar Building, Metal Arts, Yearbook, Architectural Drawing, Metals Technology, Digital Photography, and Applied Mathematics.

• Human Geography• Literature and

Composition• Calculus• Chemistry• Biology• Physics

• World History• U.S. History• Art• Statistics• United States

Government and Politics

Students and staff explore Beacon Rock State Park.

Student AchievementIMPROVING AT ALL LEVELS

2011-12 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT DATA

These are the Washougal School District MSP/HSPE results:

Grade Reading Math Writing Science

3rd 71.6% 67.3% NA NA

4th 72% 60.8% 56% NA

5th 65.6% 58.9% NA 70.5%

6th 67.9% 48.1% NA NA

7th 80.2% 57.6% 77.3% NA

8th 62% 50% NA 66.4%

10th 82.3% See EOC results below 83.9% See EOC results below

Standardized TestsThe Washington Comprehensive Assessment Program (WCAP) was introduced in 2010. It

comprises two tests: the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP), given to students in Grades 3-8, and the High School Proficiency Exams (HSPE). Students also take End-of-Course (EOC) Exams in Math.

Did You Know?

For the third time, Cape Horn-Skye Elementary was named one of the most improved schools in the state as it received the 2012 School of Distinction Award. Cape Horn-Skye is among the 5% highest improving schools in the state of Washington for increased Reading and

Math achievement over the past 5 years. The school also achieved the award in 2009 and 2011.

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End-of-Course Exam Results

Students in grades 7-12 take math and biology end-of-course (EOC) exams. EOCs allow students to be tested on the knowledge and skills they’ve gained from a specific course, rather than on a comprehensive test such as the High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) that assesses overall knowledge.

End-of-Course Assessment

7th-10th Grades

Math Year 1 64.4%

Math Year 2 66.2%

Biology 72%

Fiscal Responsibility2011 - 2012 REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES

Our fiscal year begins September 1 and ends August 31.

REVENUE

STATE FUNDS: $18,858,615-Apportionment (FTE enrollment)-State Levy Assistance-Transportation Funds

FEDERAL FUNDS $2,440,190-Special Education-Vocational Educatin-Title I, Title II,Title IV-USDA Commodities-Limited English Proficiency-American History Grants

LOCAL TAX FUNDS $5,122,588-Maintenance/Operations Levy

LOCAL NON-TAX FUNDS $869,537-Facility Rentals/ Community Ed.-Donations-Grants-Library Fines-E-rate Funds-Non-High Participation

TOTAL: $27,290,930

EXPENDITURES

BASIC EDUCATION: $14,429,641This category includes salary and benefits for all employees including teachers, classified support staff and administrators. This also covers the cost of instructinal materials, textbooks, classroom supplies and professional development.

SPECIAL SERVICES: $4,375,790Used for educating students with special needs.

VOCATIONAL INSTRUCTION: $778,333Used to provide approved high school courses in career and technical education.

STATE; $898,396Includes costs for educating students in Title I, Learning Assistance, bilingual programs and highly capable programs.

SUPPORT SERVICES; $6,214,596Used for purchased services and other non-instructional expenses.

TRANSFERS FOR OTHER FUND COMMITMENTS: $227,375

TOTAL: $26,924,131

EVIDENCE OF EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

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BUDGET

Beginning Fund Balance: $4,455,930

Revenue: $27,290,930

Expenditures: $26,924,131

Ending Fund Balance: $4,822,729

Ending Fund Balance Detail6% Minimum fund balance, Board Resolution $1,599,904

Inventory Reserve, prepaid $44,807

Capital FacilitesMaintenance/Repairs $541,414

Textbooks $270,707

Turf replacement $550,000

HS Gym Floor $250,000

New School Reserve $250,458

Facility Rental/Van repair $73,917

Energy Conservation $347,361

Funds Carryover $440,372

Building towards other need $453,789

TOTAL: $4,822,729

EXPENDITURES

Purchased Services: 13.9%

Supplies: 4.3%

Travel & Capital Outlay: 0.6%

Salaries & Benefits: 81.2%

Local Tax Funds 18.8%

Local Non-tax Funds 2.8%

Other 0.3%

Federal Funds 9.0%

State Funds 69.1%

REVENUE

Non-discrimination statement:Washougal School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status,

sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

The following employee has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Allan Fleck, Title IX Officer, ADA Coordinator, and Section 504 coordinator, (360) 954-3000.

futureGOALS AND PLANS

Did You Know?

Students can earn a varsity letter in community service by completing a

number of service hours.

The Washougal School Board has made it a priority to engage in regular and scheduled opportunities to connect with the community and receive feedback on programs. These “linkage” activities include staff, parents, volunteers, students, business leaders, and community agencies. The 2012-2013 outreach focus was on former students and graduates of Washougal and Excelsior High Schools. Survey questions were developed by School Board members as well as the WHS staff and addressed the impact of programs and systems as well as issues of school culture.

“The demands placed on our students after graduation change quickly as innovations in technology, global economics, and world events impact career opportunities,” said Dawn Tarzian, Washougal School District Superintendent. “We are not designing programs to last us for the next 20 years but are listening and adjusting to meet the needs of our students today. It is a tall order, but it starts with asking our graduates what we need to adjust.”

The district is reviewing the results with the Board, administration and staff. In many cases the information confirms what the district has also identified and provides reinforcement that the programs developed are addressing issues that former students identify.

District staff members, including school counselors, are collaborating with the Washougal Community Coalition to address community issues including drug and alcohol use. “Based on the input of former students this has been the right work to do and we need to continue to be very vigilant in working with students and families on issues of alcohol and drug use,” said Tarzian.

Results also showed that students wished that they had received more money and time management skills, an area that was also identified as a priority by the community through the District Community Visioning process conducted in 2011-2012. “WHS currently has a very effective Financial Fitness class but not all students take this class,” said Tarzian. “We will be implementing a program to target all students during their four years in high school to cover money and time management, likely involving banking and financial businesses in the community that have offered their support and involvement to address this need.”

“It was good to learn the number those surveyed who are attending institutions of higher education,” said Tarzian. Of respondents, 51% of the class of 2011 and 58% of the class of 2009 reported that they are currently attending a 4-year university. Approximately 28 percent are working toward a two-year degree. About 60% of students from all graduating classes reported taking at least one AP or Advanced/Honors course.

Teachers were listed as the most supportive group for the past three years with administrators also receiving high marks, more than 60% rating them as supportive or very supportive in 2012. Fewer students reported bullying to be a problem in 2012 than the previous two years.

Listening to our community and addressing needs