District News

Today’s HSD History goes back to 2011, when the article “Family has had five generations in the Hockinson School District” appeared in The Reflector. In addition, it has an amazing 2024 post script. First, though, let’s go back to when it all started...

The students and staff of HHES were treated to a surprise this past Monday: A brand-new sidewalk awaited them at the juncture of the school’s library and classroom buildings. The initial reviews were positive and enthusiastic.

Today’s Spotlight on HSD Facilities reaches back 17 years into the yearbook vault. As you can see, these trailblazing graduates had style and spirit. The trailblazing legacy of Hockinson’s first graduating classes lives on at HHS. Go Hawks!

The HHS Jazz Band competed in the Clackamas Community College Instrumental Jazz Festival on March 15 and 16 and once again finished atop the 5A division! Levi Brown (trumpet) and Thilo Kluth (piano) were also recognized as outstanding musicians. You can watch the band perform here.

The HHS Boys and Girls Track relay teams have already set three school relay records this season! According to HHS Assistant Track Coach Melissa Peterson, participation in HHS Track and Field has nearly tripled over the past two years and with the new athletes has come a new energy. 

At its March 25 meeting, HSD School Board members voted unanimously to approve the purchase of over 700 new Chromebooks and protective cases. This purchase will help to put our district on a sustainable cycle for replacing Chromebooks as they reach the end of their usable life. 

Six students from HHS's Future Business Leaders of America initiated a fundraiser to provide high-quality feminine products in HMS and HHS restrooms. You can read about their service project in a recent article by The Columbian, linked here.

Read about levy-funded classroom technology and facilities upgrades, new course offerings within HHS' Career and Technical Education program, TK and Kindergarten enrollment information, and much more in the March 28 edition of the HSD Round-Up. Find it here! 💙

This winter, Hockinson educators participated in three trainings focused on utilizing trauma-informed social-emotional learning practices to build classroom cultures that promote students' sense of belonging. Teachers learned about effective classroom practices, teaching moves to promote deeper learning, and how to target support to meet the academic and behavioral needs of their learners.

There’s a new addition to campus security at HMS: A hallway security gate. The gate made its debut this winter sports season, enabling the school to 1. Better control spectator access and 2. Limit those spectators’ access to the rest of the building. 

Most Hockinson families are aware of the HSD’s robust K-12 music program - its high participation rates, its success in music competitions, and its amazing concerts and performances. However, not everyone is aware that music in our schools has a long tradition in Hockinson’s schools.

This Friday’s post is an illustration of a quote by the famed Mr. Rogers: “It's not so much what we have…that matters, it’s what we do with what we have.” It is also an update to the Nov. 10 Spotlight on HSD Facilities post “HHS Gym: Updated, Refinished, and Safe.”

Read about what HMS has been doing to uplift school culture, HHS student artwork on display at the state's regional art show, HSD Facilities Planning Committee priorities, and more in the March 15 edition of the HSD Round-Up. Find it here!

Today’s HSD History story is not so much a throwback to the HSD’s past as it is to Hockinson’s. Some area residents are aware of the story of Otto Brown and his handcrafted bicycle, but not all. So, with springtime bicycle rides just around the corner, we thought we would share a unique story from the 1890s.

This Friday we again turn our attention to a facility in need of some attention: The HHS roof and HVAC units. We anticipate that this may come as a surprise to many, if not most, Hockinson families. After all, isn’t Hockinson High School relatively new? On one hand, yes. The building is 20 years old. On the other hand, 20 years is about the time when big-ticket items (roofs, HVAC, carpet, appliances) need to be replaced. 

Today’s HSD History piece takes us back nearly 7 years to the day when an article “High school art show celebrates exceptional student artwork” appeared in Clark County Today, which you can find here. The article saluted five then-students, Zoie Bryant, Juana Ladunskiy, Corey Brooks, Kyle Brabek, and Ben Tilkin, whose works received awards at the ESD 112 Southwest Washington Regional High School Art Show. Fast forward to 2024.

Today's Spotlight on HSD Facilities is about improvements to one of the most important spaces in a home or school: The kitchen! Specifically, we are talking about the HHES Kitchen and Cafeteria. Every day, over 900 students eat lunch in the HHES Cafeteria in shifts from a little after 10 am until a little after Noon.

This winter, middle and high school band students in Hockinson School District showcased their musical talents and dedication at North County Honor Band, Jr. All-State Jazz Band, and Lower Columbia River Music Educators Association (LCRMEA) performances. Twenty-two students from Hockinson Middle School and Hockinson High School were selected to rehearse with leading mentors and perform among top student musicians at regional and state-wide performances.