Education Briefly: Centralia Levy Vote; Kindergarten Enrollment Opens; Toledo Hosting ‘Mascot Primary’

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Editor’s Note: Education Briefly is a new weekly feature of The Chronicle. Each Tuesday, Reporter Eric Rosane will round up news from the local education scene. He can be reached at ericr@chronline.com.

Voters will have until 8 p.m. Tuesday to have their ballots filled out and in county drop boxes, or postmarked and in mailboxes the day of, for the April 27 special election.

The Centralia School District is for a third time attempting to pass a replacement levy to fund basic educational programs and operations not funded by the state.

The district this time around is asking voters to levy $1.50 per $1,000 assessed value. Centralia previously attempted passing two levies last year, both of which failed and would have levied higher amounts.

Ballots were mailed out April 7 to eligible voters living in the Centralia School District boundaries. Voters can register in-person or change their addresses at the Lewis County Auditor’s Office the day of election.

Initial election results are expected 8:15 p.m. on election night.

 

Districts Begin Opening Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten enrollment for classes starting this fall have opened at select Lewis County public school districts. Students must be 5 years old by Aug. 31 to be eligible.

Registration for prospective kindergarten students in the Centralia School District opened April 14 for fall classes. Registration can be completed either in person at a local elementary school or online at www.centralia.k12.wa.us.

Winlock School District says open enrollment recently opened for students attending Winlock Elementary School. Parents can pick up a registration packet from the school during office hours, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and contact staff at 360-785-3516 for any questions.

More information can be found by contacting your local elementary school.

 

Chehalis Second Graders Returning to Classroom Four Days a Week Starting May 3

Starting Monday, May 3, second grade students attending class at Chehalis School District will return to in-person instruction four days a week.



First-graders returned to four days on Monday and kindergarteners have been on the schedule since late March. The district says it is hoping to continue returning consecutive grade levels as it becomes possible.

School districts statewide are preparing for a full return to in-person learning this fall.

 

Toledo School District Hosting ‘Mascot Primary’

After more than 630 responses and 218 unique suggestions, the Toledo School District is hosting a “mascot primary” to narrow the community-curated list of potential mascot names that will likely replace its Indians moniker.

The rebranding comes at the behest of the state Legislature following the passage of House Bill 1356, which was delivered to the governor’s desk on Thursday last week.

“In order to make this manageable for the focus groups, we’re going to do a ‘Mascot Primary,’” the school district wrote Monday on its Facebook page. “The goal is to narrow the selection to 20 names for the focus groups to consider.”

The form can be found on the district’s Facebook page.

Starting Tuesday, May 11, Toledo School District staff will begin meeting with stakeholders, starting first with members of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and other Native people.

Parents will have their say May 18, coaches on May 25, alumni on June 1, district staff on June 8, community members on June 15, and a Zoom meeting for all other stakeholders not able to attend in-person on June 22, according to the district’s website.

 

Tenino School District Returning All Students to Four Days a Week Starting May 3

The Tenino School District says it plans on returning all of its students to the classroom four days a week starting Monday, May 3. Students will attend class in-person Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

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Have any education-related news items? Send them to reporter Eric Rosane at ericr@chronline.com.