The end of the school year illustrated just how much support there is for the
Welches Schools in the community.

In May, the annual ABC Auction and Dinner raised more than $12,000 for the
school’s parent/teacher community organization (PTCO). That was followed by

a surprise donation by the Mt. Hood Area Chamber of Commerce for $1,000,
now earmarked for technology, and support by the Hoodland Women’s Club to
create incentives for student attendance.

“That was my sense coming into this principalship, we had a lot of untapped
resources willing, able (and) ready to help,” Welches Schools Principal Kendra
Payne said. “I know there’s a lot more to go,” citing the US Forest Service and
ski camps as examples of partnerships she’d like to make happen.

The end of the school year also saw an influx in technology with the addition
of 60 new chromebooks (laptop computers featuring Google applications,
including Google Drive and Google Docs). Payne noted every student in the
building got to use and benefit from them in the final month of the year,
including studies on the Civil War, globalization and oceans, while they also
began submitting papers online through Google Docs.

“It was just a real benefit and the kids were so appreciative of them,” said
Payne, who added she’d like to get some sort of tablet or device in the hands
of every student in the future.

The transition to new security upgrades at the school, including a vestibule
with security camera, was a smooth one for the community. And in light of
the recent shooting at Reynold’s High School, the upgrades have eased the
minds of staff and families.

“That was really close to home,” Payne said. “Everybody appreciates the
added security we have.”

There will be some changes for the next school year, including upgrades to
the school heater units and air conditioners. The upgrades feature digital
controls and will result in more efficient and cleaner heating for the buildings.
Payne reported the schools will also participate in the “Right Brain Initiative”
program starting this coming fall, a Portland-based program that uses arts
integration to help students link learning from one area to others.

As part of the program, the school is expected to feature year-long artists in
residence in the coming years.

The PTCO also purchased a greenhouse for the school, which has been
assembled in the playground area and will get up and running this fall to help
teach students about agriculture, food, healthy living and more.

The 2014-15 school year will start a week earlier than usual, on Monday, Aug.
25, and the year will end earlier, too, on Friday, June 5, 2015.

And the next school year will be missing a couple of familiar faces on the staff,
thanks to the retirements of Molly Espenel, a library assistant, and Joyce
Reynolds-Ward, a special education teacher.

Espenel, who worked at the school for 27 years including her first as a year-
long substitute cook, noted she will miss the look on the faces of students
when she helped them find something that inspired them to read.

“They get so excited when they actually find that perfect book,” said Espenel,
who plans on continuing to work for the county library system, including at
the Hoodland and Sandy branches, while also spending time gardening,
wandering the forest with her dog and volunteering in the community.

Reynolds-Ward spent 10 years at Welches after working as a bookkeeper,
secretary and paralegal before becoming a teacher.

She noted she will miss watching how the students grow and change
throughout middle school in particular.

“I think its even more of a change than kids going through high school; they
come in as little kids and they leave as young adults,” said Reynolds-Ward,
who plans on spending time hunting, fishing, camping and continuing writing
as a freelance fiction writer, including two books that will soon be released by
a small press publisher.