May Newsletter '26

 

Cashmere High School Monthly Newsletter - May ‘26

From the Principal’s Office

We completed our registration process for the ‘26-’27 school year and, while there are some minor schedule adjustments to make, we feel good about our process and the results. Classes are balanced, our CiHS courses are full, and students were overall happy with the outcomes.  There are unique challenges in scheduling our building while maintaining the various learning opportunities that make the Cashmere High School experience special.  Prioritized registration is based on students’ academic performance, attendance and community service.  While this system is not perfect for all, it reflects what we value as a school community and the goals we have established to ensure students are learning and achieving at the highest levels.  For our seniors, this last month of school will fly by.  Class of 2026, sprint through the finish line!  Support each other in ensuring you all share in the special experience of graduation on June 5th.  

We are excited to welcome the Class of 2030!  Trust that we are looking ahead to meet our charge as a school community of readying this class for the world after high school.  Fundamental to their success, no matter what the world looks like in 4 years, is a foundation in respectful communication, empathetic listening, a growth mindset, grit to work through challenging moments, a willingness to take risks, and an ability to balance work and play - That is The Bulldog Way!

From The Dean’s Office

As we enter the final stretch of the school year, remember that we are now in the "beginning of the end." This is the time to truly show what you know on your end-of-year assessments and finish this journey on your absolute best note. Every assignment you turn in and every test you complete should represent your finest work; when you put your name on something, it should be a signature of excellence, signaling that you gave it everything you had.

Beyond the classroom, remember that your actions and words—especially on your toughest, most exhausting days—might be the only impression someone else ever has of you. Now is the time to step up in character, not to let your guard down or simply limp across the finish line. Let’s finish this year strong, with integrity and pride, and show everyone exactly who we are at CHS. 

Always proud to be a Bulldog!

The Deans

May is state testing month at CHS.

State testing is an opportunity for our sophomores and juniors to show evidence of proficiency in mathematics, literacy and science.  Teachers have been preparing students for the test through sample questions and regular review of essential concepts.  We believe that incentivizing students to do their best work on state assessments has a strong impact on their performance.  Bulldog 10th graders will participate in a 30 minute SBA “bootcamp” that reviews test taking strategies, puts them in their testing environment and reminds them of schoolwide incentives they can earn by meeting or exceeding our school goals.  Meeting proficiency on SBA testing opens opportunities:

• Qualifying scores in math and literacy fulfill the state pathway to graduation requirement

• Qualifying scores in literacy open the opportunity to earn the Seal of Biliteracy if the student can also earn a qualifying score on the STAMP language test.

• Meeting our building goals, highlighted below, earn the school community a 20-minute extended lunch next Fall for each goal met next.

• ELA – 78%+ Proficiency 

• Math – 60%+ Proficiency 

• Science – 63%+ Proficiency 

CTE Spotlight

More new and exciting class options are being offered for students next year!  The CTE team is pleased to announce a new course, Introduction to Energy Production and Management; a partnership with Chelan County PUD, Wenatchee High School and Eastmont High School for second semester 2027.  This class will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of energy production, transmission, storage, regulation, infrastructure, and lifespan/maintenance.  There will be a focus on the local power industry, however, hydropower, solar, battery, nuclear and geothermal energy will all be studied in the class. The course will end with a collaborative group capstone project based around the development of a $500 million energy proposal, which will be presented to the board at Chelan County PUD.  Aubrey Loftus, current CMS CTE STEM instructor, will be teaching this class.  We’re excited to be able to offer this course as it provides incredible opportunities for our students interested in many careers with one of the top employers in the valley!  If you’d like more information about this course, please contact Rebecca Swanson, CTE Director.

CTE Leadership Development Happenings:

• 5 TSA students attended their state competition in Spokane in mid-April.  Although they didn’t qualify for nationals, they all had a great time learning and competing in the various technology-driven events they participated in.

• 11 FBLA students attended their state competition in Spokane April 21-25.  The parliamentary procedure team won 5th in state and Eliana Thomas was awarded 2nd place and is a national qualifier.

• 2 students are currently attending DECA Internationals in Atlanta, Georgia.

• 36 FFA students are busy prepping, practicing and studying for state competition in Pullman.  There will be 3 Novice Parliamentary Procedure Teams, 3 Creed Speakers, Food Science Team, Milk Quality Team and Meats Team.  They’ll leave May 13th!

• 3 students in FCCLA are making travel plans for national competition in Washington DC in July.

From the School Counselors

Senior Awards Night, May 27th at 6:00 pm in the CMS Commons.  All are welcome to celebrate the success of our seniors.  CHS Department Awards will be presented as well as local and state scholarships.  Any questions, contact Ms. Fall

 

Upcoming Community Service Opportunities - 

• Cashmere Public Library - Wed./Thurs. 3pm-6pm (Library Support)

• 4/29 3:30 – 4-6pm Rotary Highway Cleanup - Meet at Martin’s Parking lot

• 5/7 6-8pm Cashmere Cemetery Beautification (Mrs. Blomquist)

• Friday, May 1st is National College Decision Day.

Please join in celebrating our seniors by wearing a college or career t-shirt.

Seniors-congratulations on making plans for your next big move. We look forward to celebrating your success.

• 5/8 530-8pm (Friday) Migrant PAC Mothers Day Event - (CHS)

• 5/14 6-8pm (Thursday) Cashmere Cemetery Beautification (Mrs. Blomquist)

• 5/16 10am -5pm (Saturday) CMS Junior Olympics (Mrs. Wood)

• 5/21 6-8 pm (Thursday) Cashmere Cemetery Beautification (Mrs. Blomquist)

• 5/22 3-6pm (Friday) CHS District Track Meet  (Mrs. Wood) 

Students Spotlight - 10 Bulldogs earned the Seal of Biliteracy on the CHS diploma in April.  Qualifications for earning the seal include a proficient SBA Literacy score and a qualifying score of Intermediate-Mid on the STAMP test, where students are assessed on their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in a three-hour exam.  Congratulations to:

                                                    Mia Lopez Bastida

                                                    Emerson Sanchez 

Rafael Rojas

Vanessa Cornelio

Angela Ceja- Alvarado

Danna Moreno Montelongo

Sara Andrade

Adrianna Herrera Bazan

Hillary Hernandez 

Avril Guerrero (Modelling the 

Seal of Biliteracy Medallion)

AI at CHS - Our District AI Team met this month to reflect on our use and growth in understanding of AI in education. See takeaways below:

How People Are Actually Using It

Teacher side 

•      Lesson planning, worksheet generation, and multiple-choice assessment drafting

•      Presentation building and text leveling / rewriting for differentiation

•      Specialized tools: rubric generators and informational text creators

Student side 

•      Study bots, Quiz Me, and standards-aligned AI tutoring

•      Writing feedback and general-purpose learning assistants

•      College and career counseling via the custom counselor bot

Super User Highlights

A handful of practices from our most advanced users are worth elevating as models for the broader staff:

•      Standards-based tutoring in 6th grade math and science — teachers upload existing quizzes and worksheets, and the bot generates aligned practice with immediate feedback. Misconceptions surface for the teacher to address in class.

•      Career readiness — the College and Career Counselor bot ingests Myers-Briggs or Enneagram results and produces personalized career lists, outlooks, and pathway guidance. One bot can effectively give 30 students individualized exploration at the same time.

•      Data Academies — students are building infographics, simulations (Wordle solvers, life simulators), and game code through vibe coding. The AI handles implementation so students can focus on logic and question design.

Important Dates

May 2                -Prom at Chelan County Fairgrounds              8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. 

May 4           -Evening of Excellence in Fine Arts (Drama/Music) in Community Center – 7:00 p.m. 

May 12         -Honor Society Induction -  Community Center – 7:00 p.m.  

May 19         -Choir Pops Concert at Cashmere Middle School – 7:00 p.m. 

May 20         -Band Pops Concert at Cashmere Middle School – 7:00 p.m.

May 22         -NO SCHOOL

May 25         -NO SCHOOL – Memorial Day

May 27         -LATE START (HS Only) for Senior Presentations 

May 27         -Senior Recognition Program in the Community Center – 6:00 p.m. 

June 2          -Spring Sports Awards in the gym      7:00 p.m.                                                                 June 5           -Graduation Ceremony – 8:00 p.m. in the football stadium (weather permitting).  

June 9          -FFA Awards Banquet in the Community Center 6:00 p.m. 

Jun 11          -Last Day of School – Early Release 11:10 a.m. 

 

Contact Us

Please share any questions/feedback at cmackenzie@cashmere.wednet.edu

March CHS Newsletter

 

Cashmere High School Monthly Newsletter - March‘26

From the Principal’s Office

We are proud of the positive school culture at Cashmere High School.  We also acknowledge that school culture is fragile, and often hinges on the attitudes stakeholders bring to the table daily...Teachers, Administrators, Students, Maintenance, Custodians, Bus Drivers, Parents, Community Members all have the potential to impact positive school culture.  When we all contribute to the positive, our culture grows strong.  I ask myself daily, "What can I contribute to making CHS a better place?" daily, and I'm asking all Bulldogs to do the same.  The Cashmere High School Diploma has value.  That value grows as we make our school a better place - in our own eyes and in the eyes of the world.  Our shared goal is that we leave CHS -  daily, when we graduate, and when our children and grandchildren graduate - a better place for our time here.  As principal I'm grateful to the generations of Bulldogs who continue to contribute to our school in positive ways.  Our tradition of service is one of the many reasons why Cashmere School District is special!

 From The Dean’s Office

• One of our favorite things about walking our hallways is seeing the incredible spark and talent you all bring to this building every day; we truly have a remarkable group of young people here. However, as we navigate the busy rhythms of the school year, it is easy to become so wrapped up in our own individual worlds—our own stresses, schedules, and social circles—that we forget we are part of something much larger than ourselves. I want to challenge you to view a warm and pleasant school atmosphere not just as something you experience, but as something you have a personal duty to create.

When you choose to lead with “others first” attitude and offer a genuine smile to someone outside your friend group, or simply prioritize the "good of the all" over a momentary personal feeling, you transform our shared space. It is a group responsibility to ensure that no one feels like an outsider and that our environment remains a thriving hub of mutual respect. By shifting our focus from "me" to "us," we make this school not just a place where we learn, but a community where everyone feels they truly belong.

Soon we will begin preparing for course registration for next year We are a small school that prioritizes registration by grade levels, beginning with seniors and ending with sophomores.  The freshmen class is scheduled by administration.

You receive a priority schedule time based on a combination of your:

• Attendance

• grades  

• community service hours

Now is the time to work towards ensuring that come April, you have the greatest selection of courses available to you when you schedule.

 

From the School Counselors

College In The High School Information Night is Wednesday, March 18th at 5:30 pm.

Come to the CHS Commons to learn about our college classes and options through UW, CWU, EWU and WVC.

Teachers will be introduced and a student panel will help explain the programs and the benefits of College In The High School, Dual Enrollment or Running Start.

This event is open to all students and parents grade 8-11.

Any questions, reach out to mfall@cashmere.wednet.edu

 

Seniors-Scholarships are still available

Check out the CHS Guidance Scholarship website or stop by the office for more details.

All scholarship applications are different, so please read the directions carefully.

Any questions, reach out to mfall@cashmere.wednet.edu

 

Career Week at CHS

March 23-27th is Career Week at CHS with the Theme-Now Playing:  Your Future.

This week highlights CHS Alumni and Community Partners who are sharing their career journey.

To add a little spirit to the week, we have dress up and music themes.  (See poster)

Wednesday- students are encouraged to Wear Their Future Career Field Attire

Thursday- students are encouraged to Wear a College or Career T-Shirt

Thursday will include a Career Expo with visitors from:  Crunch Pak, Selland Construction, Air Force, GCU, Perry Tech, WVC, WWU, Wenatchee Valley Human Society

Friday-All 9-12th graders will be attending 3 career speakers or field trips and students are expected to Dress Their Best-Interview Clothing for this event.

Friday’s speakers will include over 25 presenters (Alumni, Parents and Community Partners) highlighting their career journey.  We will take field trips to Cascade Medical in Leavenworth and to HITT Construction Site-Data Farm in East Wenatchee.

Thank you to all community partners for inspiring our students during Career Week.

​​Sophomores, Juniors and Parents-

Spring break is a great time to start visiting colleges. It’s never too early to start making your list of universities to learn more about.

Most colleges have tours all throughout the academic year and summer, so start making your plans today.

College tours are free and typically a GREAT way to learn more about the campus.  Some colleges offer specific days for STEM tours or opportunities to meet with the professors.

Check out college admissions websites today and start making plans.

Department Spotlight - Spanish

Attention Juniors and Seniors, If you earned a proficient score on your 10th grade SBA test, have completed Spanish 3, or as a native speaker have a high level of Spanish proficiency, you are eligible to take the STAMP assessment to earn a Seal of Biliteracy on your diploma. 

 

• The Seal of Biliteracy is a resume piece that will enhance your applications for jobs, scholarships and admission to colleges.

• The STAMP test is a three hour assessment of your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in the target language.

• If you meet the above criteria you will receive an email from Mr. Mac regarding your interest in taking the STAMP test on March 19th.  Those interested will be invited to a meeting during school hours to learn more about the STAMP and confirm your interest.

Mr. Theiss and Ms. Yousey are currently piloting three different texts over quarter 3 to identify the resources best suited to support our students.  Students are providing their own feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of each text through surveys at the end of each pilot.  While the texts piloted are different, they all mirror the curriculum we have had in place.  We hope to roll out the newly selected resources next year.

CTE Spotlight

Students are actively taking advantage of extending learning and leadership opportunities in CTE!  All students have the opportunity to become members in CTSOs (Career and Technical Student Organizations) throughout their high school CTE experiences.  Enrollment and participation in CTSOs consists of local projects, community service, leadership development as well as the opportunity to compete in various events specific to each CTSO.

DECA: 25 students competed at the Distributive Education Club of America State Competition at the end of February.  Projects and competitions consist of various events related to marketing and business.  The school based enterprise team earned a ticket to the International DECA competition in late April held in Atlanta, GA!

FBLA: Students competed at the regional level and are preparing for state competition in April in Spokane.  Sophomores Oliver Chalmers, Oscar Green and Judah Lewis will be competing in digital video projection, along with many other members.  All competing will be hoping to win a ticket to the Future Business Leaders of America National Competition held in San Antonio, TX in late June.

FCCLA: Seven sophomore girls will be heading to Spokane from March 11-13th to compete at the Family Career and Community Leaders of America State Competition.  Projects and presentations consist of career investigation, food innovations and sports nutrition.  Winning a ticket to nationals will land them in Washington DC during the beginning of July!

FFA: New Future Farmers of America teams are beginning to be assembled for career development events and many freshmen are working on their public speaking and parliamentary procedure skills.  Sub districts will take place on March 12th.  The state competition will be held mid-May in Pullman, WA.

TSA: Students in Technology Student Association are also actively preparing to compete at the state level April 15th-18th in Spokane.  Students have submitted projects related to engineering design, music production and will also compete at state for some on-demand events in design and building.

Did you know CTE teachers are also CTSO advisors?  All of our CTE teachers offer extended learning opportunities to students and couldn’t be more proud to see them compete at the state and national levels.  Way to go teams!!

If you have any questions or would like to become more involved in Career and Technical Education at Cashmere High School, please contact Rebecca Swanson, CTE Director.

CTE is good for students, good for businesses and good for communities!

Student Spotlight - Alejandro Serna Rojas is a senior Bulldog whose language skills have grown incredibly over the past four years.  Social by nature, Alejandro's English improved each year as he grew more comfortable and confident in testing his language skills in the classroom and in his social life at school.  An accomplished player and a captain of this year's soccer team, Alejandro credits the support of his teachers and the encouragement of his friends for his improved language skills.  After graduation, he plans to pursue a career as a diver, either working at Chelan PUD or through enlistment in the Navy.

AI at CHS

Last month we explained Prompt Engineering -  the art and science of communicating effectively with an AI. Think of it like giving a very talented, but very literal, intern a set of instructions.

As we begin to teach students to this “art and science”,  here are some ways we are exploring to train students to develop this critical skill.

Teaching the Skill: The "C.L.E.A.R." Framework

To help students develop proficiency, teach them to build prompts using these five elements:

• Conciseness: State the goal clearly.

• Logic: Structure the request in a sequence.

• Explicit: Provide constraints (e.g., "Write for a 5th grader," "Limit to 200 words").

• Adaptability: Use the "Iterative Loop"—if the AI misses the mark, how do you refine the prompt?

• Reflective: Critique the AI's output for bias or inaccuracies.

Monitoring Growth & Assessing Proficiency

How do we know they are getting better? Move from "using AI" to "evaluating AI."

• Growth Goal Example: "By the end of the quarter, students will be able to refine a vague prompt into a multi-step structured prompt to achieve a specific academic outcome."

• The "Reverse Prompt" Assessment: Give students an AI-generated response and ask them: "What prompt was used to create this? How would you improve that prompt to make the output more accurate?"

• The Prompt Log: Have students submit a "Version History" of their prompts alongside their final product. Assess the iteration—how did they change their language to get a better result?

Important Dates & Reminders

Important dates in March

March 2nd – First Day of Spring Sports

March 4th – 6th – Mid Winter Break

March 9th – Winter Sports Awards 7:00 p.m.

March 11th – Future Freshman Night 5:30 p.m.

March 11th – March 13th -FCCLA State Competition in Spokane

March 12th – FFA Sub Districts at CHS 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

March 13th – Key Club Spring Fling 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

March 17th – Festival Band Concert @ CMS       7:30 p.m.

March 18th – LATE START

March 19th - STAMP testing 8-11am

March 18th – Targeted Conferences 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

March 18th – College in the High School 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

March 24th – Festival Choir Concert @ CMS 7:30 p.m.

March 25th – CHS Band Large Group Contest @ Chelan

March 25th – FFA District Leadership/Speaker Contest @ Chelan

March 26th – Career Expo in Community Center 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

March 26th – March 28th – Jazz Tour

March 27th – Career Day

April 1st – CHS Choir Festival @ Wenatchee

April 6th – April 10th – Spring Break

Contact Us

Please share any questions/feedback at cmackenzie@cashmere.wednet.edu