WSVSD Announces STEAM Lab Partnership

When the meeting officially began, it started with recognition of board member Kris Kreps for his service on the board for the last nine years. Kreps did not seek re-election.

“It has been an honor to serve on this board, I have enjoyed almost every minute of it,” Kreps said as Superintendent Dr. Jerry Lewis presented him with a parting gift.

Following this moment Superintendent Lewis swore in recently elected Laurie Stanton to fill Kreps position. Stanton was also nominated and elected to be the board’s legislative representative, a posit-ion previously held by Alan Rietz, who was nominated and elected to the position of board chairman. Paul Mosbrucker and David Karlson were nominated for the vice-chair position, to which Karlson was ultimately elected.

In the coming new year, the White Salmon Valley School Dis-trict (WSVSD) will continue to take steps to adopt a new literacy pro-gram for the 2018-2019 school year. Also for the 2018-2019 school year, the WSVSD will be partnering with multiple Oregon school districts to bring a mobile STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) lab to 5th-graders in the Gorge.

“The cost of the program is about $10,000, it would be a four-week program directed at fifth- graders, but has the possibility to expand to other grades,” said Lewis.

The board then opened the floor to public comment.

Stanton wanted to draw special attention to Columbia High teacher John Hadley and the Homecoming Committee, who donated more than $300 to Washington Gorge Action Programs to benefit families affected by the Underwood Fruit fire.

Gabrielle Gilbert, a parent and frequent audience member at school board meetings, expressed her concerns to the board regarding how children with learning and behavior disabilities are treated in classrooms, especially regarding disciplinary actions. Gilbert noted she has been advocating for special teacher training for the last four years.

The meeting closed the way it opened, with a recognition. 80-year-old bus driver Carl Teel will be retiring this year.