Cascade School District

Sending a big shout out to all the Kodiaks who competed on Saturday in the FBLA regional conference! There were multiple students who earned their place at State in April, including Reese M, who took 1st Place in Job Interview; Gabe P, who won 2nd Place in Business Law; and Reese M & Coal F who were awarded 2nd Place in Public Service Announcement! Go Kodiaks!

Congratulations to the IRMS Math is Cool Team who competed Friday night in the regional competition! The 6th grade team placed second overall! Huckson W took second place for all 6th graders in the region. The 7th/8th grade team also finished second place overall in the top division of 8th grade students! Ben C-K won first place in the Pre Algebra division. Both teams have been invited to continue competing at Masters in April. Great job, Mathletes!

Congratulations to all our band students who participated in this year's Solo and Ensemble Competition! The following students each earned 1st place in their instrument category: Kate S and Kai K - 1st Place Regionals, Woodwinds Small Ensemble; Edith P V - 1st Place Regionals, Trombone; Todd L - 1st Place Regionals, Trumpet; Kai K - 1st Place Regionals, Mallets AND 2nd Alternate for the State level competition. Great job, students!

Cascade High School's monthly newspaper is out!! The January edition of The Kodiak Chronicle is here! https://thekodiakchroincle.wixsite.com/news Are you curious about Cocoa and Cram? Do you want to know the details of the upcoming Grizzled Old Men game? Have you always wondered how the CHS Knowledge Bowl team has so much success? Do you want details and insight into student perspectives regarding the new CSD Phone Policy implementation? Did you miss the 2025 Winter Concert and want to know how the event went? Would you like to learn more about our CHS Wrestling program and Senior Night? It's all in there and MORE!

CHS just had a Glow in the Park dance at the Leavenworth Adventure Park where students arrived at the party by rollercoaster!

Good luck to our CHS Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) students who are competing today in the regional competition!

Another facility improvement project for the district, is modernizing the Peshastin-Dryden Sport Complex Restrooms. If the levy is approved in February, this project will provide modern, accessible facilities for students, staff, and community members, enhancing everyone's experience. Be sure to vote by February 11. Learn more about how levy dollars are making a difference in our community on our website: www.cascadesd.org/page/2025-levies

EP&O Levy Facts: Levy dollars help our district cover the costs of essential positions that are not funded by the state! This includes funding for more than 28 in-school positions and over 71 after-school positions, such as librarians, custodians, paraprofessionals, nurses, mechanics, food service workers, and counselors. Be sure to vote by February 11. Learn more about how levy dollars are making a difference in our community on our website: www.cascadesd.org/page/2025-levies

Congratulations to Beaver Valley Elementary School students! They were selected to present their trailcam video project at the State Environmental and Sustainability Literacy Student Summit in Olympia!

The voter-approved technology/safety/facilities levy supports district-wide security. If the levy is passed in February, the district can implement security features to ensure a safer environment for all students and staff. Be sure to vote by February 11. Learn more about how levy dollars are making a difference in our community on our website: www.cascadesd.org/page/2025-levies

Cascade School District has bus driver openings. Paid training, benefits, $24/hr to start. We would love to have you join our team! Please contact us at 509-548-6039.

EP&O Levy Facts: Levy dollars help our district cover additional operating costs, including unforeseen expenses! With operating costs for school districts rising across the state, these funds are crucial for snow removal, fuel cost inflation, employee benefits, and special education needs, ensuring smooth operations throughout the district. Be sure to vote by February 11. Learn more about how levy dollars are making a difference in our community on our website: www.cascadesd.org/page/2025-levies

Levy Facts: The proposed levy rates for collection years 2026-2029 are strategically redistributed to better support district needs without increasing the overall tax rate. In 2021, voters passed a 4-year EP&O levy and a 4-year Capital Levy, both of which expire in December 2025. Voters passed an estimated rate of $0.99 for the EP&O levy and an estimated rate of $0.15 for the capital levy, for a combined total estimated levy rate of $1.14. If the replacement levies pass in February 2025, the dollars will be redistributed due to the new proposed rates for each levy. The combined total estimated levy rate would stay at $1.14. Be sure to vote by February 11. Learn more about how levy dollars are making a difference in our community on our website: www.cascadesd.org/page/2025-levies

Come out to the next 4 home basketball games and grab some Whistlepunk ice cream 1/23, 1/31, 2/3, 2/4 from 5:00-8:00pm in the CHS Athletic wing. All proceeds go to help Cascade High School students go to their state competition in April. THANKS Matt Collins and Whistlepunk for donating to help out CHS TSA Chapter! Go Kodiaks!

The upcoming Cascade School District levy requests will have two propositions on the February 11, 2025 ballot. Proposition 1 is a proposed replacement Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O, formerly called M&O) levy. Proposition 2 is a proposed replacement technology/safety/facilities levy. Local levies support educational activities that are not funded by the state. These proposed levies are not new taxes but would replace the ones currently being collected. For more information on these, please visit https://www.cascadesd.org/page/2025-levies

The Department of Health’s Washington Tracking Network (WTN) is launching the 4th year of the Washington Tracking Network Youth Science Contest. The WTN Youth Science Contest is an opportunity for high school students in Washington State to develop their science and communication skills by working with health and environmental data from their own communities. The contest was designed, with student input, to engage students across a broad range of areas of interest: health, equity, social and environmental justice, data science, etc. Participants can choose from three tracks: • Health Science • Science Communication • Program and Policy Design Registration is open from February 1st to March 1st, and the official contest period is from February 15th through April 15th. Winners will be announced in late May. See: https://doh.wa.gov/data-and-statistical-reports/washington-tracking-network-wtn/youth-science-contest

The 2025 EngineerGirl Writing Contest opened in September. The theme this year is “Innovating Smarter” and we’re asking students to write a piece describing a common object they would make “smart” and tell us what it would do, how it would help people, and what could go wrong. The contest is open to all students, of any gender, in grades 3-12 and the deadline is February 1, 2025. The prize for first place in each of three grade categories is $1,000. See: https://www.engineergirl.org/154382/2025-Writing-Contest-Innovating-Smarter

We have had an OVERWHELMING response for the After School Ski and Snowboard Club this year. 70 students signed up to learn how to ski or board! Most of these students have never skied or boarded before and can use help getting started. The first day of Ski Club is Wednesday, January 15th, 3-5pm. The club runs 3-5pm at Leavenworth Ski Hill: • January 15th, 22nd, 29th • February 5th, 12th, 26th We will need the most help on January 15th & 22nd when students are learning how to put on their boots and getting used to their gear. NO SKIING EXPERIENCE NEEDED. However, if you have skis or a snowboard and would like to help teach students how to ski or board that would be great! Please share with anyone who may be interested. If you are not an employee of Cascade SD, you will need to fill out the online volunteer form: https://www.cascadesd.org/page/volunteer-information Please contact Abde Elshafei or Isabelle Auty for questions or comments.

Go check out the Featured Artist's Exhibition at the Leavenworth City Library to see some amazing creations of Cascade High School students! The exhibition is open through January 24.

Cascade High School has a new option for students to receive free 24/7 live chat tutoring, essay review, test prep and enrichment via Varsity Tutors. Students can access this free support on the Clever link on the CHS website. See: https://www.cascadesd.org/o/chs, then For Students>Clever.