$761,000 in grant funding for Millam Field upgrades

 

Millam Field will soon be under construction

    South Bend School District is slated for over three quarters of a million dollars in grant funding to apply toward the renovation of Millam Field at South Bend High School.  The completed project will include a synthetic turf multi-sport playing surface and new LED lighting.  The facility will be set up for football, soccer, and girls fast-pitch softball.  Estimated completion is set for late August, 2021.

With the construction of the new Mike Morris Elementary School, the district lost the site of the former football/soccer practice field.  That site also hosted several community youth soccer and youth football practices and contests.  Because of limited space on campus, the board felt the district should have the goal of installing synthetic turf on Millam Field, which would allow multiple and repeated use activities that would typically be difficult for natural grass to withstand.  With the large amounts of rainfall each year and the water-saturated grounds that follow, South Bend's new facility will allow for increased use and accessibility to school programs, physical education, community youth programs, and other recreational activities.

The project also includes new Musco LED field lighting.  The current lights are obsolete, have annual maintenance issues and deteriorating wooden light poles.  The new lighting will be installed using steel poles and will carry a 25-year full warranty, while saving electricity demand.

The school district obtained combined grant funding totaling $761,000 from the Ben B. Cheney Foundation and the Washington State Legislature's Capital Budget---additional grant funding is also in the works.  Grant funding is slated to pay the majority of the field costs of approximately $1.3 million dollars.  The lighting project will cost approximately $450,000.  All additional monies needed will come from the district's capital projects fund, which include remaining grant resources from the recently completed elementary school construction project.  No special levy or additional funds from district tax payers will be needed.

Rognlins Inc. will be the contractor used to install drainage and prepare the field for turf.  Turf will be supplied and installed by SprintTurf, and architectural\engineering is provided by Harbor Architects of Aberdeen.  Rognlins will break ground on May 19, 2021.

We want to again thank the Ben B. Cheney Foundation for their generous support of the district and our 19th District state delegation led by Representative Jim Walsh for helping to secure state capital budget resources.  These investments will make a lasting impact on the students of South Bend School District and our South Bend community.

 

Grades 7-12 returning to 4 days of school per week May 10

 

Community Update

  South Bend Jr. Sr. High School will be welcoming 7th-12th grade students back to 4 days of in-person school per week beginning Monday, May 10.  

All students (K-12) were previously scheduled to return to 4 days per week on May 3, but grades 7-12 were delayed due to COVID-19 case rates in Pacific County being above 200 per 100,000.  Grades K-6 (and preschool) returned to 4 days per week on May 3.

County case rates have been below 200 cases per 100,000 for the last four days and look to continue that trend.  As of today, the case rate is 143 and there are 22 current active cases in the county.  Under these conditions, the health department allows for 3 ft. distancing, which enables us to have both A and B cohorts on campus concurrently.

As noted previously, students will be in-person on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.  Wednesday remains a remote learning day and dismissal remains at 2:20 pm.  All other safety requirements remain in place.

Please contact your respective school building at 360-875-6041 with any questions.

Preschool, K-6 returning to 4 days per week, grades 7-12 on hold.

 Community Update

    We are excited to be welcoming back our preschool, and kindergarten through 6th grade students to 4-day per week in-person school beginning this coming Monday, May 3.  As noted previously, both A and B cohorts will be attending school Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Wednesday will remain a remote learning day and school will continue to be dismissed at 2:20 pm.  This change is allowed due to our new ability to reduce student distancing to 3 ft.  All previous safety measure are still required.

    Due to the county-wide case rates of COVID-19 being above 200 per 100,000, the health department does not allow reduced distancing for grades 7-12.  Therefore, we are required to delay 4-days per week in-person school for older students; we simply do not have the space to bring back more students at this required distance.  7-12 students will continue the AA-W-BB hybrid model until further notice.  We are watching the county data and will update students and families in the days and weeks to come.  

    If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your respective school building by calling 360-875-6041.

    

All grades returning to 4-day in-person school May 3

 

April 14, 2021

Community Update

On March 25, 2021 Governor Inslee announced Washington State would reduce school distancing standards for students as recommended by the CDC.  As a result of this change, and with the support of the Pacific County Health Department, South Bend School District will offer in-person school four days per week for all grades beginning May 3, 2021.  Both A and B cohorts will be meeting in-person Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 am to 2:20 pm.  Wednesday remains a remote learning day.

Though the distancing requirement for students who are wearing face coverings is being reduced to 3 ft., all previous health precautions remain.  A summary of these are found below:

1.  All students and staff on campus are required to wear face coverings;

2.  Distancing between adults and students remain at 6 ft as required by WA Dept. of Health;

3.  Students unable to wear face coverings (such as when eating) must remain 6 ft. distanced;

4.  Daily health attestations are required prior to entering school buses and/or campus;

5.  Students and staff are still encouraged to practice safe hygiene, wash their hands, and remain vigilant.

As mandated by the governor, parents who wish their children continue distance learning will have that option for the remainder of this school year.   We will continue to cooperate with the health department and will follow their continued guidance.

The schedule for all schools will remain largely the same.  In-person school will continue on Mondays and Tuesdays, Wednesday will be a remote day, and in-person school will resume again on Thursdays and Fridays.  Dismissal remains at 2:20 pm.

School administrators have planned different eating arrangements in order to safely welcome back both student A and B cohorts concurrently.  Athletics remain under the current guidance and no additional changes are expected at this time.

We are all excited to see our students 4 days a week!  We are hopeful school conditions continue to improve and that we are allowed to continue movement toward normality.  If anyone has questions, please feel free to contact your respective school office.

Thank you for your continued patience and support for South Bend students and staff!

-Jon Tienhaara

Superintendent

WALK TO THE BEACH - Virtual fitness challenge!

South Bend High School is challenging all students and staff at South Bend School District to walk to the beach! That’s 35 miles!

The virtual walking/running challenge is about being healthy, having fun, and being part of the South Bend Schools community! It’s a virtual challenge, so you can walk or run in any location, at your pace, outside or on a treadmill, alone or with a group of friends. You don’t have to do all 35 miles in one day! Walk or run a bit every day or every other day; even if it’s only a quarter of a mile!

How to submit your Miles:

You keep track of your distance every time you take a walk or run and submit your distance at this link. Or, you can find the Walk to the Beach Button on the district webpage at www.southbendschools.org!

When you get to 35 miles, you will be awarded a special South Bend water bottle!

For more information, please contact South Bend teacher Jana Johnson at jjohnson@southbendschools.org