Evergreen schools start Wednesday

The 2015-2016 school year will begin Wednesday for thousands of kids in Southwest Washington, including more than 26,000 students in Evergreen Public Schools.

District administrators welcomed 150 new teachers to the district during the annual New Teacher Induction.

Some new programs and initiatives include:

• Elementary last bell: To comply with new state regulations, the elementary school day will be extended by 10 minutes. Schools will now release students at either 3 p.m. (early schools) or 3:45 p.m. (late schools).

• Family and Community Resource Centers: The district continues to add support for families this year, opening Family and Community Resource Centers at an additional five elementary schools — Ellsworth, Endeavour, Image, Mill Plain and Sifton. The centers, now at 10 schools, provide food, clothing and more to families in need.

• Free bus passes and access to community centers: A new partnership with C-Tran and Vancouver Parks and Recreation will provide middle and high school students in need with free bus passes that can be used anywhere in Clark County, and access to the Marshall and Firstenberg community centers.

• Before and after school child care: The Southwest Washington Childcare Consortium will add before and after school care for students at Burnt Bridge Creek, Endeavour, Fircrest, Marrion and Sifton elementary schools. SWWC already offers care at 11 other district schools.

• School supplies distribution: New this year, schools will directly disburse school supplies collected by the Evergreen School District Foundation’s Stuff the Bus event and the citywide school supply drive. This change will ensure that students in each school receive needed supplies.

• Clothing drive: Employees at the district’s Administrative Service Center started a Fresh Start Clothing Drive for Students in Transition Program geared to provide students in need with new clothes and shoes. Like the school supplies, clothing will be donated in the schools.

The school board unanimously passed the 2015-2016 budget at last Tuesday’s board meeting.

For school hours, district events and news, visitwww.evergreenps.org or follow the district on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.