CTE program hires Mr. Tim Bale

 

SOUTH BEND, WA - May 26, 2023 - South Bend School District is excited to announce the hiring of Mr. Tim Bale as a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher for the 2023-24 school year.  Mr. Bale was hired by the South Bend School Board of Directors at their regular meeting May 25, 2023.

South Bend's newest CTE teacher, Tim Bale

Mr. Bale comes to South Bend with extensive experience in a variety of industries, and will join CTE teachers Mr. Aaron Blevins and Mr. Joel Bale, also teaching for South Bend. Mr. Bale brings expertise in civil engineering, welding, metal fabrication, computer-aided design (CAD), and various construction experience, all skills valuable in helping to prepare students with the skills needed to pursue the industry workforce or post-secondary training.

"We're thrilled to have Mr. Bale join our teaching team," said Jon Tienhaara, superintendent. "His skills and experience will be instrumental in achieving our vision for the CTE program, ultimately providing our students with additional learning opportunities that directly translate to real-world applications."  “Personally, I see our CTE programs as a critical pathway for students.  For too long the public education system as a whole has seemingly emphasized the “university” path as the gold standard.  We need to re-think what has been traditional education and develop quality vocational programs that work alongside the university path, with the goal of developing all student interests and abilities.”

South Bend seeks to develop a unique instructional approach that includes the integration of a business model allowing students to produce goods for sale to the public. “The eventual goal is that our students will design, make, and market products such as custom fire pits, outdoor furniture, custom signs, and other products that align with our vocational instruction,” says Tienhaara. “This hands-on learning strategy reinforces technical skills while encouraging entrepreneurship and the development of marketable products.”  “We have the equipment and staff, now we need to put everything together with our students.”

School district staff led by Principal Jason Nelson are currently working on developing curricula and projects, and will be working on potential expansion efforts as the program evolves. Superintendent Tienhaara met with new Grays Harbor College President Carli Schiffner earlier this week to discuss future partnerships. "Our school board agrees on the significance of providing meaningful, hands-on vocational skills that can be transferred to post-secondary vocational schools or career pathways," says, Tienhaara. “We have had a productive relationship with Grays Harbor College in the past and we are looking at re-establishing and expanding our partnership.  Dr. Schiffner is very interested in our programs and I think we have the potential to build some even greater programs for kids.”  “Now that COVID is completely behind us, we can re-start where we left off in developing our hands-on programs. The addition of Mr. Bale to our staff, along with our other CTE teachers, provides a lot of opportunity for us to build upon.”  “I look forward to everything that’s to come for our students,” concludes Tienhaara.

2023 Wall of Fame

 

Ben B. Cheney Wall of Fame

2023 Induction Ceremony

The committee for the Ben B. Cheney Wall of Fame at South Bend School District is proud to announce the following inductees for 2023:

Gary Wilson

Kasey Wilson

1979 Boys Basketball

Mark Madison

Larry Lunke

Ray Lorton

Mike Rogers

Karen Richey

Linda Brown

We are tentatively planning for the ceremony to be on Saturday, September 30, 2023 at the Willapa Chamber of Commerce building in South Bend.  Dates and times will be confirmed soon.  

Congratulations to all!

Building lockout cancelled

For Immediate Release

Update on South Bend School District Lockout

SOUTH BEND, WA, May 11, 2023 - South Bend School District is pleased to report that the precautionary building lockout, initiated earlier today across the district, has been lifted without incident.

At approximately 11:05 am, the district received information about a possible active shooter situation at Ilwaco School District. Similar threats were also reported at neighboring districts in the region. Though no threat was made toward South Bend, given the circumstances and in the best interest of student and staff safety, a decision was promptly made to initiate a building lockout. This meant that no one was permitted to enter or exit the buildings.

Shortly after, we received information that the reported incident in Ilwaco was not an active shooter situation. The initial report was based on a 911 call during which gunshots were heard on the phone before the call was disconnected. Similar incidents have occurred in Washington State this week.

Despite the updated information, the lockout was maintained until South Bend Police Department (SBPD) officers could verify that no threat was imminent for South Bend Schools. At or around noon, SBPD's Chief Luke Stigall confirmed the situation in Ilwaco was all-clear and that there was no threat to South Bend schools.  SBPD officers arrived on campus to provide support, the lockout ended at approximately 12:10 pm.

Throughout this event, communication remained a top priority. All building administrators were consistently updated and parents were promptly informed of the lockout and reassured that all safety precautions were being taken. Information was also disseminated via the district's social media platforms. A second call was made to parents notifying them of the end of the lockout.

South Bend School District would like to extend its gratitude to all building principals, administrators, office staff, teachers, and other personnel for their professionalism, dedication, and quick response during this event. Their efforts ensured the safety of our students and a smooth operation under challenging circumstances.  We also wish to thank South Bend Police Department for their constant communication, and Pacific County Emergency Management director Scott McDougall for his prompt response.

Questions or concerns regarding this incident can be addressed to your respective building principal or directly to the district at jtienhaa@southbendschools.org.

 

Buildings in Lockout

 

May 11, 2023

[Update:  the lockout at South Bend is over as of 12:10 pm]

SOUTH BEND SCHOOLS IN LOCKOUT

At 11:05 am we received reports of shots fired at neighboring schools within the county and region.  There are no threats to South Bend Schools.

Out of an abundance of caution, we have implemented a building lockout, which means no one may enter or leave the buildings.  This will continue until we have an all-clear from South Bend Police Department.

Again, there are no threats to South Bend Schools.  Parents, please do not come to campus.  We will send out a call to all parents when the building lockout is over.