Ilwaco High School's office is now closed for summer break and will reopen on August 5th. If you need anything in the meantime, please reach out to our District Office at (360) 642-3739. We'll share all the back-to-school details by August 1st—we just need a little time to catch our breath and fine-tune our plans. Also, be on the lookout for updates specific to August athletics including sports sign-up night, practice start dates, and sports physical opportunities . We hope to have that athletics information out to you within the next week or so in order to give you plenty of time to plan. Have a fantastic summer, and don't forget to save the date for the first day of school, Tuesday, August 27th!
Congratulations to Hailey Hightower who just returned from the Skills USA National Competition in Georgia where she earned 7th place in Graphics Imaging-Sublimation. She also received an award of proficiency meaning that she has the necessary skill set to get a job in this field. We are so proud of the opportunities that she is taking advantage of at IHS and of all of her hard work. Congratulations Hailey!
Not that we are at all surprised but...she did it! Congratulations to Rachel Lake on advancing to the next stage. We received notification last night that she has officially been named the 2025 Regional Teacher of the Year. Congratulations! The next step is state.
New link for youtube channel. https://youtube.com/live/IRt5RPb0atQ?feature=share
It's almost "Go" time. Our graduates practiced this morning and then headed off on their last field trip complete with school sack lunches for the trip. Mr. Heath and Ms. Kymm led them through Long Beach and Ocean Park Elementary where they distributed little graduation duckies to all of the future graduates. They then made their way through the halls of Hilltop and back to the IHS where they enjoyed the sunshine with an ice cream party on the loading dock. Thank you to the leadership class for gluing and assembling over 700 rubber duckies with graduation caps.
Tomorrow is the big day and 68 graduates will earn their diplomas and throw their caps. Ms. Anderson will be Facebook Live from our Ilwaco High School Facebook page and Mrs. Lake will be Live from the " Ilwaco Music" YouTube Channel. www.youtube.com/@ilwacomusic Chico's Pizza and The Lost Roo have graciously agreed to help us out and also show the Live option at their establishments. We appreciate their willingness to navigate the tech and juggle this in addition to offering their regular dining experiences.
If you have a ticket and are joining us at the gym, our doors open at 2 pm and graduation begins at 3 pm. Our parking lot fills-up quickly so we've coordinated shuttle parking from the East end of the Port of Ilwaco parking lot near the restrooms by Coho Charters . The shuttle will run from 1:30-3pm with a drop-off right at the steps of IHS. There will be return shuttles afterwards.
The Junior Class Parents are also doing a fundraiser at our front door. This money will go towards next year's senior grad night trip. You can purchase a yellow rose to give to a graduate for $3. Their supplies are limited so it's "while supplies last".
Tonight our community shined with generosity as they awarded thirty-four of our students with scholarships totaling over $117,000. We truly live in the most wonderful community that comes together to ensure that our students are taken care of and that they have the opportunity to go on and pursue their passions. A Special thanks to Sarah Taylor, our Local Scholarship Coordinator, for organizing all of this and the entire event. Thanks also goes to Carrie Barnes, our GEAR Up Coordinator, and Erin Glenn who organized the Graduation Celebration before the awards. Congratulations to the scholarship winners and thank you to our fabulous community.
Today was by far the most exciting. It was the last day for our seniors but on top of that, it was Blasko's 9th Annual Boat Launch Event with the best weather and some pretty successful designs and creations. Thanks again to Oman & Son for the donations to make this possible and to our local Surf and Rescue Team for being in the water and helping to ensure that this event was safe.
Almost just as exciting was the end of the unit in Ms. Anderson's Veterinary Science class where it was time to take vitals . Students tested heart rates, respiratory rates and took temperatures of Ms. Hofer's dogs. They also got some snuggles from these prize winning show dogs.
To top it all off, our windows were tinted today and the deer found our flowers pretty appetizing. So much for the pretty flowerbed for graduation!
There's been so much excitement this week and it's not over yet... Prepare for multiple posts because there are tons of things to celebrate.
On Wednesday we had our Move-Up Assembly which included recognizing each senior and sharing their plans for next year, welcoming the incoming freshman, awarding the staff selected Oscar recipients to a whole crew of fabulous students, as well as a sports signing for 3 of our students who are going on to play college ball. Beckett Turner will head to the University of Puget Sound to play basketball. Jacob Rogers will take off to play baseball for Anoka-Ramsey in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, and Boston Caron is heading to play baseball at Linn-Benton in Albany, Oregon.
In the evening, we had an FFA Chapter Meeting and celebration where students gave a recap of the year including the competitions and achievements and then next year's officers were selected with Bailey Womack taking over as president.
There are lots of exciting things taking place this week. We have a Red Cross Blood Drive tomorrow, Blasko's Boat Launch on Thursday, a GEAR Up organized Grad Celebration and then our Community Scholarship Awards Night on Thursday, grad practice and the Parade of Seniors through the buildings on Friday and then Graduation Saturday at 3pm. Tickets are required but we will have a live link on Facebook as well as our website and plans to have live viewing at The Lost Roo and Chicos Pizza.
Also, this week during lunch, students can pre-purchase a rose and write a note for their graduating friends. The roses will be delivered at graduation to the recipients. They will be sold for $3 as a fundraiser by our Junior Class Parent group as the first fundraiser for next year's graduating class. For those attending graduation, they will also be sold at the door for purchase, while supplies last.
We've received some questions about Baccalaureate so we got the answers and are passing on the information for those seniors, families, and friends who are planning to attend.
Yes, seniors should wear their caps and gowns if they would like to. Also, if possible seniors should arrive 15-20 minutes prior to the start.
Also, just as a reminder it begins at 5pm this Sunday, June 2nd at Ocean Beach Christian Fellowship in Seaview.
Tonight you can enjoy the talents of our Concert & Jazz Band at 7pm at Hilltop Auditorium. Tomorrow night you can catch our choir, same time and place and on Friday our Mariachi Event and Seal of Biliteracy Recognition will begin in Hilltop's Cafeteria with dinner at 6pm followed by the performance and recognition at 7pm in the Auditorium. Hope to see you there!
The end of the year is fast approaching and we wanted to make sure you had a list of the many exciting events coming up.
Please note: IHS Graduation is Saturday, June 8th at 3pm. Because the ceremony has been moved indoors it will be by ticket only. If you do not receive a ticket from a graduate we would like to invite you to join us by watching the ceremony on one of our live stream options. We will offer the link on our Ilwaco High School Facebook page prior to the event and you can also watch it at The Lost Roo and Chico's Pizza at 3pm.
List of Important Dates:
Choir Concert: Wednesday, May 29th @ 7pm @ Hilltop
Jazz and Concert Band Concert: Thursday, May 30th @ 7pm @ Hilltop
Mariachi Band Performance, Dinner & Seal of Biliteracy Awards: Friday, May 31st @ 6pm
Baccalaureate: Sunday, June 2nd @ 5pm @ Ocean Beach Christian Fellowship
Move-up Assembly & Sports Signing: Wednesday, June 5th, 12:45-1:45 pm
9th Annual IHS Construction Class Boat Launch @ Black Lake: Thursday, June 6th noon-3:15pm
GEAR UP Senior Celebration and Family Night: Thursday, June 6th 5:30-6:30pm @ Hilltop Cafeteria
Scholarship Awards Night: Thursday, June 6th @ 6:30pm @ Hilltop Auditorium
Seniors Last full day: Thursday, June 6th
Mandatory Grad Practice & Senior Parade through schools: 9am-1:30pm
IHS Graduation: Saturday, June 8th @ 3pm (by ticket only)
IHS Field Day: Wednesday, June 12th, 11;45-1:45
Helicopter Landing & Presentation: Thursday, June 13th (TBD but sometime after noon)
Last Day of School: Friday, June 14th (½ day) 12:10 buses leave
We have some awesome coaching positions that we are looking to fill for the upcoming fall here at Ilwaco High School. These include a Head Volleyball Coaching position as well as a Head High School Cheer Coach position. If you or someone you know enjoys working with students, has a desire to make a positive impact and has knowledge to share in any of these areas, we welcome your interest. More information and job specifications can be found at the following link:
https://ocean.tedk12.com/hire/Index.aspx
Parking Lot cleanup was a success! We didn't have a lot of helpers but the ones that came were mighty! Collectively 71 hours of work were contributed today. A special thanks to Jeff Hightower, Anna and Josh Wilkins, Liam Kerwin, Rob, Katie, Mya and Chase Cunningham, Cameron and Tristan Katelnikoff, Johanna and David Gustafson, and Amber and Samantha Brown. Another thanks goes to Peninsula Landscaping Supply for donating a load of soil for our flower bed and Ed Bendzick for stopping by and lending some of his landscaping and plant knowledge. We didn't finish everything and we have a lot of curb painting left to do but it was a day of accomplishment in the sun and our campus got some TLC.
-Sheena Burke
Last week at IHS was all about focus and productivity! Our students and staff dedicated themselves to the Smarter Balanced State Testing, ensuring everything ran smoothly and that we had the best testing environment possible. While seniors had the opportunity to wrap up any remaining graduation requirements, our juniors took on their state science tests and engaged in meaningful community service projects across the peninsula.
One standout project, led by the dedicated parent Cyndi Athmanathan, saw students assisting at the Peninsula Wild Care facility, constructing enclosures for future wildlife rescues. We also teamed up with the Dylan Jude Harrell Community Center for various activities, from prepping for summer programs to environmental cleanup efforts like beach and forest cleanups, even contributing to a microplastics research project. Other projects included inventorying and organizing gear and equipment for Peninsula Youth Sports and helping out at the center's preschool.
Meanwhile, a group of students put their skills and talents from our Construction I & II courses to use under the guidance of Mr. Blasko and Mr. Pierce, building a shed that will soon serve as our new concessions stand at the stadium. A special thanks to Oman & Son who generously donated the windows that will be used.
Overall, it was an incredibly fulfilling week at IHS, showcasing the power of collaboration and community engagement. If you're eager to join in, mark your calendars for this Sunday, the 19th, from 8 am to 3 pm, as we host our Parking Lot Cleanup Party. We'll be sprucing up the area with pressure washing, weeding, repainting curb and parking lines, and adding some floral flair to brighten up our beloved old building. If you are interested in donating supplies for this project please reach out to sheena.burke@oceanbeachschools.org
Let's make a difference together!
Sorry to say, but our helicopter event is needing to be canceled for today. Don't worry though, we'll get it rescheduled when we can get our hands on the chopper again.
Tomorrow, Friday, May 10th at IHS: Brim Aviation & Columbia River Bar Pilots will wow us with a special helicopter landing and informative presentation to our students. We don’t want you to be alarmed. The helicopter landing is a planned experience for our students.
Update from IHS:
It's been a whirlwind of activity here at IHS over the past couple of weeks! Our Mariachi Oro y Azul group placed top 6 in the state at Solo Ensemble competition. Our talented solo trombone player Hayden Gentry, also had a great performance receiving an exceptional score. Meanwhile, our FBLA team led by Mr. Adams excelled at the state level, with Andrew Walls III securing an impressive 7th place in the cyber security category.
Not to be outdone, our WAHSET competitors dazzled with Alexis Ahlers bringing home two gold medals in poles and barrels, earning her a spot at the upcoming state competition. And that's not all—last week, our high school students took on leadership roles at the 5th Grade Outdoor Camp, guiding the next generation of adventurers in outdoor learning. A large crew took off to warmer weather in Hawaii as Rachel Lake led our Jazz Band on an unforgettable journey where they had the honor of performing at the Pearl Harbor Memorial, a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.
But our adventures are far from over! This week, we dive into state testing with the Smarter Balanced Assessment, engage in Community Service Projects, and our FFA crew heads off to their state convention for the second half of the week. We are also anticipating a special helicopter landing and presentation by the Coast Guard this Friday and let's not forget about our spring sports teams, who are gearing up for post-season competition. Good luck to all! May all of your preparation meet opportunity and your best version shine through. We are proud of all of you!
With so much happening, there's never a dull moment here at IHS!
Save the Date: Sunday, May 19th will be an opportunity to help polish our campus.
Today's soccer game at Montesano (4/29/24) has been canceled.