Vancouver Public Schools' Mike Stromme to lead Lynden School District - 05/07/21

Dr. Mike Stromme, deputy superintendent, is leaving Vancouver Public Schools to lead the Lynden School District as interim superintendent for the 2021-22 school year. 

“Although I will greatly miss working with my talented colleagues in VPS, I am excited about this opportunity and look forward to serving the students, families and employees of Lynden schools,” said Stromme. 

Stromme has dedicated 33 years to education. In VPS, he has been a classroom teacher, associate principal/athletic director, principal, planning administrator, chief of secondary education, associate superintendent/chief information officer and associate superintendent for teaching and learning.

He also was associate superintendent for instructional services and technology at Educational Service District 112, and he was interim superintendent at Green Mountain School District and superintendent at Washougal School District. 

Stromme’s community involvement includes service with Clark County Juvenile Justice Council, Clark County Schools Advisory Council, Marshall Youth Leadership Award Program and the Children’s Center board of directors. 

Submit request to transfer into or out of Vancouver Public Schools - 04/28/21

Starting May 3 at 7 a.m., parents and guardians may request that their child transfer into or out of Vancouver Public Schools for the 2021-22 school year.

Leaving VPS
Parents who live in VPS’ boundaries but want their child to attend a school in another school district, including online programs such as WAVA or Insight, should fill out the out-of-district choice transfer form. Once the form is completed, the requested district will be notified. 

Families who move out of the district should visit their child’s school, if possible, to withdraw. Alternately, they can contact the school by phone or email or ask their new school to initiate the withdrawal process.

Entering VPS
Parents who live outside of VPS’ boundaries but want their child to attend a school in the district should complete a PDF out-of-district choice transfer form and email it to the school district that serves their address. That district will notify VPS of the request. Within 45 days, parents can expect to hear whether the request is approved.

Get the PDF form and email addresses, as well as see more details about the process, at https://vansd.org/student-welfare-attendance/boundaries.

Please note that requests are valid for only one school year. 

Questions? Please visit the district website or contact the student welfare and attendance department at 360-313-1330 or boundaries@vansd.org.

Increased in-person learning days beginning May 3 - 04/21/21

VPS plans to offer students more in-person learning days beginning May 3, with the goal of serving the maximum number of students within space constraints and safety guidelines. The VPS school board reviewed these plans at its April 20 workshop. Schools will share additional details with families.

Preschool

Starting May 3:

• Early Childhood Special Education and Inclusion Preschool students will attend school in person on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursday and Fridays. 
• Students in the preschool at King Elementary will continue in-person instruction on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

Preschool start and end times will remain the same.

Kindergarten through Grade 3

Starting May 3:

• Students will attend school in person on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
• Wednesdays will remain a remote learning day for all students. 
• In-person days will continue on the current schedule.

Grades 4-6 and 9

Starting May 10: 

• Students will attend school in person on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
• Wednesdays will remain a remote learning day for all students. 
• In-person days will continue on the current schedules.

Grades 7-8 and 10-12

• Most students in these grades will remain in the current hybrid model of two in-person days per week. 
• Some students in these grades are being identified for increased in-person support. Families of these students will be contacted to begin additional in-person learning days. 

Opting into or out of hybrid learning

Families who want to switch from full remote learning to hybrid learning or vice versa should contact their school’s principal. Schools may be able to accommodate changes if space is available.

Maintaining safety

The expansion of in-person learning follows new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Gov. Inlsee permitting reduced physical distance of 3 feet between students in classrooms. Schools must still maintain 6 feet of distance as much as possible in other areas and situations, as well as among adults and adults and students.

Administrative changes announced for the 2021-22 school year - 04/19/21

The following changes in administration will take place in July for the 2021-22 school year. All personnel assignments are subject to final approval by the school board.

Vancouver Public Schools will open two new elementary schools in the fall of 2022. Vancouver Innovation, Technology and Arts Elementary School is under construction at 1111 Fort Vancouver Way. In addition, a neighborhood school will be built at NE 25th Avenue and 88th Street. A planning principal will oversee program development and hiring for both schools during the 2021-22 school year.

VITA and NE 25th Ave. elementary schools

• Planning principal: Jennifer Blechschmidt, current principal at Eisenhower Elementary 

Anderson Elementary School

• Principal: Brent Harrison Bardo—From Harmony Public Schools in Houston, Texas, where he has served as an elementary principal, teacher, intervention specialist and director of academics 
• Associate principal: Denisse Barba—Currently a middle school assistant principal in the North Clackamas School District. Barba was a dual language teacher at Anderson for five years before taking a position in North Clackamas.
• Associate principal: Kevin Coffey—Current dean of students at Anderson Elementary; Coffey will serve as associate principal at both Anderson and Sacajawea elementary schools.

Chinook Elementary School

• Associate principal: Amos (AJ) Brown—Currently an elementary associate principal at Federal Way School District; he previously served in VPS as a math teacher and dean of students at Gaiser Middle School

Eisenhower Elementary School

• Principal: Craig Homnick—Current principal at Lincoln Elementary 

Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School

• Associate principal: Dana Re-Bloom—Currently a teacher on special assignment and administrative intern in Clover Park School District

Lake Shore Elementary School

• Principal: Anna Supplee—Current associate principal at Anderson Elementary, will take the lead at Lake Shore following the resignation of Starlett Stone at the end of the school year.  

Lincoln Elementary School

• Principal: Steve Lindblom–Current principal at Vancouver Flex Academy

Roosevelt Elementary School

• Principal: Jill MacKenzie—Current associate principal at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary

Sacajawea Elementary School

• Associate principal: Kevin Coffey—Current dean of students at Anderson Elementary; will serve as associate principal at both Anderson and Sacajawea elementary schools

Truman Elementary School

• Principal: Lee Gunter—Current associate principal at Truman Elementary
• Associate principal: Connie Hogan—Current associate principal at Anderson and Sacajawea 

Walnut Grove Elementary School

• Principal: Katie Arkoosh—Current principal at Anderson Elementary
• Associate principal: Jody ViDelco—Current principal at Jason Lee Middle School

Gaiser Middle School

• Principal: Esteban Deladillo—Current principal at Walnut Grove Elementary
• Associate principal: Katherine Howard—Currently a middle school associate principal at North Clackamas School District; will take the associate position following the retirement of Sheri Backous

Jason Lee Middle School

• Principal: Megan Vickery—Current principal at Roosevelt Elementary

Vancouver Flex Academy

• Principal: Abby Davis—Current principal at Gaiser Middle School

Lieser Campus

• Associate principal: Kathleen Paradis—Current dean of students at Fort Vancouver High School; will take the associate principal position following the retirement of Anita Chase

Jim Parsley Center

• Executive director for teaching and learning: Kristie Lindholm—Currently the senior director in the Office of School Improvement at Portland Public Schools; named executive director for teaching and learning following the announced retirement of Debra Hale in June
• Director of IT infrastructure and operations: Trevor Dodson—Previously the senior director of IT infrastructure and operations at Lewis and Clark College in Portland (employment approved at the April 13 school board meeting)