About FlashAlert on Twitter:
FlashAlert utilizes the free service Twitter to distribute emergency text messages. While you are welcome to register your cell phone text message address directly into the FlashAlert system, we recommend that you simply "follow" the FlashAlert account for Battle Ground Public Schools by clicking on the link below and logging in to (or creating) your free Twitter account. Twitter sends messages out exceptionally fast thanks to arrangements they have made with the cell phone companies.
Battle Ground Public Schools recognized the winners of its 63rd annual District Art Show on Monday during a regular school board meeting held at the Lewisville Campus.
High school students received juried awards in four categories: 2D, 3D/Sculpture, Photography and Digital, while middle school students received juried awards by grade level. The district also presented special awards to students from all grade levels. Special awards include Best of Show, the Bob Peck Awards, the Superintendent Award, Board's Choice Awards; and new for 2022, the Art Show featured a People’s Choice category to allow the community to actively participate in the event. More than 500 people voted online for their favorite pieces of art in the virtual gallery!
The District Art Show is an ongoing tradition that was started in 1959 by then Battle Ground High School art teacher Bob Peck in collaboration with Battle Ground city librarian Florence Rieck as a way to share students’ artistic talents with the community.
This year's winners include
SUPERINTENDENT AWARD
Nellie Davis, Captain Strong Primary
BOB PECK AWARD
Sylvia Carlson, Impressionist Trees, Yacolt Primary
Colby McGraw, Frank Lloyd Wright Recreation: Tall Chair, Amboy Middle School
Marcus Rotschy, Battle Ground High School
BEST OF SHOW
David Tribon, Cardboard Mask, Yacolt Primary
Mason Bruckelmyer, House on the Hill, Amboy Middle School
Sydney Schafte, Prairie High School
BOARD’S CHOICE AWARDS
Sydney Whisenhunt, The Commonality, Prairie High School
Eda Homola, Tukes Valley Middle
Emma Flowers, River HomeLink
Vivianna Nguyen, Pie Jar with Lid, Prairie High School
Emerson Hoyt, Captain Strong Primary
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Pippa Crouch, Pleasant Valley Primary
Lucy Humphrey, Chief Umtuch Middle School
Brianna Morrell, Night at Radio City, Prairie High School
1ST PLACE by grade
5TH GRADE: Jonathan Libhart, Amboy Middle School
6TH GRADE: Lexie Hunt, Laurin Middle School
7TH GRADE: Allison Le, Pleasant Valley Middle
8TH GRADE: Emma Muonio, Chief Middle School
1ST PLACE by category
2D: Sydney Schafte, Prairie High School
3D/SCULPTURE: Kiera McKee, Prairie High School
PHOTOGRAPHY: Lanae Rhoades, Ike, Battle Ground High School
DIGITAL: Zoey Turner, Prairie High School
View the entire art show gallery and the winning artworks by students in our district by visiting battlegroundps.org/district-art-show-2021-22/
The Prevent Together Coalition and the DREAM Team at Chief Umtuch Middle School are hosting an interactive event for parents and students on June 7 to provide information and awareness about youth vaping and substance use.
"Vape 101: What every parent should know," will be held on Tuesday, June 7 at Chief Umtuch Middle School. This family-friendly event will equip you with critical knowledge about the youth vaping epidemic and provide the tools and resources needed to keep your kids safe. It will feature a 6:00 p.m. presentation on vaping, as well as an interactive exhibit for parents, youth activities, and time for questions and answers. Parents will learn what vaping is and how to identify it, and get tips for talking with their children about the risks of vaping. Pizza and beverages will be provided courtesy of Amerigroup, Washington.
The schedule of activities includes:
- 5:30 p.m. - Parents are invited to walk through a mock adolescent bedroom to try and spot the signs of vaping and other substance use. School resource and Battle Ground Police officer Josh Phelps will answer questions about the interactive “Right Before Your Eyes” exhibit, which will also be open after the presentation.
- 6:00 p.m. - Presentation: Jennifer Kirby from the Prevent Together Coalition will be joined by Chief Umtuch Middle School's prevention intervention specialist Kari Koller and Dr. Gregory Flick. Parent activities will be held in the school's cafeteria.
- While parents are learning about vaping, students can join members of the Chief Umtuch DREAM Team in the gymnasium for peer-led activities focused on prevention.
- Childcare will be provided for primary students and potty-trained toddlers who are self-sufficient at using the bathroom.
For the eighth year in a row, Battle Ground Public Schools has received a clean audit from the Washington State Auditor’s Office.
The audit covers the areas of accountability, financial statements and federal grant compliance for the district’s fiscal year, from Sept. 1, 2020 to Aug. 31, 2021. Auditors examined the district’s payroll, use of restricted funds such as local levy dollars, compliance with supplemental contracts for enrichment activities, accounts payable disbursements, open public meetings act compliance, financial condition, Title I Grants, and ESSER funding.
The Auditor’s Office concluded that the district provided sufficient controls to safeguard public resources and complied with all laws and regulations.
“These audits take a lot of work, and getting a clean report isn’t easy,” said Superintendent Denny Waters. “Doing this eight years in a row demonstrates the commitment of our leadership team when it comes to being both efficient and transparent with public funds.”
The State Auditor's Office audits school districts annually as part of its efforts to track public money and provide essential accountability and transparency for district operations. "This information is valuable to management, the governing body and public stakeholders when assessing the government's stewardship of public resources," according to the report.
In addition to the annual state audit, Battle Ground Public Schools also has a formal Audit Committee that reviews district expenditures on a monthly basis. District leadership proposed this additional layer of fiscal oversight more than five years ago.
The Audit Committee, which was the first of its kind in the state, comprises two school district board members, the district's Chief Financial Officer, and two staff members from the district's Business Services office. The committee meets monthly to go over district expenditures including vendor invoices, payroll and timesheets. Committee members discuss the expenditures, ask questions, and pull supporting documentation. The committee reports its findings to the board at regular meetings.
“Maintaining this record of accountability and transparency is a key part of the district’s commitment to fiscal responsibility,” said Michelle Scott, the district’s Chief Financial Officer. “Our board and superintendent understand the importance of these monthly and annual audits when it comes to ensuring we are being accountable to our community and our employees.”
The final reports for Battle Ground's 2020-21 audits are available on the State Auditor’s Office website:
- Accountability Report: Examines the use and safeguarding of public resources from fraud, loss, or abuse. Looks at compliance with state laws and regulations, internal policies and procedures, and internal controls.
- Financial Statements and Federal Single Audit Report: Provides an opinion on whether financial statements are presented fairly and in accordance with the applicable reporting framework. Examines records for fraud and/or large errors or misstatements. The Federal Single Audit is required when a district spends more than $750,000 annually in federal assistance funding and determines compliance with federal requirements.
The 63rd annual Battle Ground Public Schools District Art Show gives the community a chance to pick their favorite student creations by voting online for the first-ever People’s Choice Award. Community members can vote for their favorite submission at each grade level (primary, middle and high) through Sunday, May 15. The top selections will receive an inaugural People’s Choice Award at the May 23 Board of Directors meeting. Board meetings are open to the public and available to watch online.
“One of my favorite things to do has always been to wander through the exhibits at the Clark County Fair and feel like I have a voice in what I think is artistic, even if it varies from the judge's perspective,” said Allison Tuchardt, the district’s co-Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment and one of the organizers of the art show. “I hope the People's Choice Award gives everyone in our BGPS community that opportunity and increases excitement around art in general.”
Tuchardt is the daughter of the late Bob Peck, an art teacher at Battle Ground High School for 37 years who created the District Art Show in 1959 along with Battle Ground city librarian Florence Rieck as a way for the community to enjoy the creativity of its students.
The District Art Show has morphed and grown over the years and remains a favorite event for students, parents, teachers, and community members alike. The show features art by students in grades K-12. This year’s high school pieces include 2D, 3D, Photography and Digital art. Planning for the annual event began in the fall when COVID cases were high, leading to the decision to keep the event virtual for at least one more year.
“My father loved being in the building to hang the art for the show,” Tuchardt said. “He would have been disappointed that COVID took away the opportunity for people to come to a school and experience an art gallery, but I think he would have been thrilled about the possibility that more people could see the students’ work in the online format. I am proud of his legacy, and he would be proud of BGPS for keeping it going through the adversities of a pandemic.”
After a brief, pandemic-induced hiatus, judging will resume this year. In addition to the People’s Choice Award, voted on by citizens, winning students will receive the coveted Bob Peck Award, the Superintendent Award, the Board’s Choice Award, Best of Show, and juried awards.
The public is invited to view students' art on the district website and choose their favorites for the People's Choice Award through May 15 at battlegroundps.org/district-art-show-2021-22/.
Jane Austen’s beloved novel "Sense and Sensibility" comes to life on the Prairie High School Auditorium stage starting Friday, May 6. This playful adaptation by Kate Hamill follows the fortunes (and misfortunes) of the Dashwood sisters—sensible Elinor and hypersensitive Marianne—after their father’s sudden death leaves them financially destitute and socially vulnerable.
“It is a joy to work on this exuberant comedy with this spirited cast,” said Prairie Drama’s director Claire Verity.
Set in gossipy late 18th century England, with a fresh female voice, the play is full of humor, emotional depth and bold theatricality. "Sense and Sensibility" examines how we react to societal pressures, from the reasonable to the ridiculous. When reputation is everything, how do you follow your heart?
Show times are Friday, May 6 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 7 at 1:00 and 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 12 at 6:00 p.m. and Friday, May 13 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online and seating will be based on best available at the time of your order. The cost is $6 for students, $15 for adults, and $12 for senior citizens.
"Sense and Sensibility" is being performed by permission of Dramatists Play Service.