Thursday, June 18, 2026

Cashmere High School Monthly Newsletter - Summer ‘26

From the Principal’s Office
Congratulations to The Class of 2026! Welcome Class of 2030! CHS had a strong close to the school year, highlighted by the many Senior events, as well as our Underclassmen Awards Ceremony, NHS Induction, FFA Banquet and a strong push by all grade levels to sprint through the finish line academically. We are excited to hear about the many ways Bulldogs are supporting our community through service this summer, and celebrating the Next Big Moves of The Class of 2026. Thanks to Cashmere School Foundation and all our scholarship donors for their generous support of our graduates!

From The Dean’s Office
As we look back on an incredible school year, the Dean’s Office is immensely proud of the historic achievements our students have made in and out of the classroom. Together, we have reached new heights, shattered previous benchmarks, and established a completely new standard of academic excellence as well as excellence in so many other areas. Moving into next year, we are fully committed to building upon this momentum by deepening our focus on the vital traits of personal character and grit. While we want every student to enjoy a safe, restful, and well-deserved summer break, it is important to remember that we have permanently elevated our baseline. When we return in the fall, we will be excited about stepping into an era of higher expectation.
Have a wonderful summer! We can’t wait to see you again in the fall!
Ms. Carlson & Mr. Groce
May is state testing month at CHS - June UPDATE!
Our Sophomores and Juniors took our state testing seriously and delivered their best efforts, evident not only in our scores but in their commitment to preparation for testing. I am proud of our school community's commitment to doing their very best when the stakes are high.

Sophomores delivered outstanding results in SBA state tests, surpassing our goals and running away from state average scores. Juniors came in early on a late start to prep for science testing with Mr. Kenoyer and showed determination and focus during testing. We anticipate great results in August.
ELA – Goals - 78%+ Proficiency Result - 86% Proficiency
Math – 60%+ Proficiency Result - 66% Proficiency
Science – 63%+ Proficiency Result - No Scores Yet

CTE Spotlight
The CTE Department is proud to announce that Buck Lewis was awarded the ESD’s Friend of Children Award for his 25+ years of volunteer service to our Ag Shop.

Buck has been a constant presence in the Cashmere High School CTE Ag Shop for over 25 years. Retiring from a career as a machinist serving in the Navy and later working for Wells and Wade and Alcoa, he continues to share and teach his trade with the hundreds of students that have taken classes in the ag shop at Cashmere High School. Every school day, Buck volunteers in multiple Ag Mechanics classes and pours hours of teaching, instructing and assisting in refining student skills. Currently, over 25% of Chelan County PUD Hydromechanics started their career path and instruction under Buck's careful watch. Jed Odenrider, Cashmere High School Ag Shop teacher says, " [Buck is] one of the best natural teachers I have ever seen. Has built countless parts for the school district that couldn’t be purchased anymore. Turns projects for the community and school into learning opportunities for kids. Many kids would have dropped out of school if not for Buck and the skills he has taught them."

Buck has spent a majority of his retired life in Cashmere High School's CTE Department. Not only has he daily been volunteering in the ag shop, but he has also served on the CTE Advisory Board for the past 25 years. His years of experience and expertise has helped Cashmere continue to offer high quality CTE programs that benefit all students. We are beyond thankful for Buck's longstanding commitment and dedication to students and programs at Cashmere High School.

Not only has Buck dedicated his retired life to Cashmere, so has his wife, Gladys. Gladys has volunteered countless hours (years!) at Vale Elementary School helping young minds learn to read. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Cashmere students have been positively impacted by both Buck and Gladys. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Buck and Gladys!

CTE Leadership Development Happenings:
Cashmere CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organizations) are growing for the 2026-2027 school year!
We’re excited to announce HOSA and SkillsUSA will be organizations that include leadership options, competitions and career-readiness skills for students next school year. HOSA is a student organization focused on leadership and career development in all areas of health sciences. SkillsUSA is a student organization focused on technical, skilled and trades development. Both organizations will join the list of CTSO options available for students, which already include DECA, FBLA, FCCLA and FFA.
For more information on any CTSO, please visit the following websites and/or contact Rebecca Swanson, CTE Director.
www.deca.org
www.fbla.org
www.fcclainc.org
www.ffa.org
www.hosa.org
www.skillsusa.org

From the School Counselors
Freshman Orientation is Tuesday August 25, 9am-12:30pm. Not a drop-in... be on time to progress through all the stations! Get your class schedule, check out a Chromebook, tour the school, meet your teachers, and enjoy games and root beer floats! See you then.
Class Schedules will be available on the first day of school, as we move to our new student information system, QMLATIV.
CHS says a fond farewell to Marcia Fall, who is moving on to new opportunities and leaves our school stronger for her tireless investment in students, staff and families. We welcome Julie Pierson, who will serve as our transition counselor, working with 8th-10th graders, while Tera Semanko takes over Ms. Fall's responsibilities with upperclassmen
Department Spotlight - Spanish Department
Mr. Theiss and Ms. Yousey worked through the textbook adoption process over the course of last school year, including piloting curricular resources in their Spanish classrooms during 2nd Semester. We are proposing the adoption of Entreculturas. Find an overview of the curricular resources at the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxPfkeUZNwo&t=338s
Please direct any questions or feedback on this resource to cmackenzie@cashmere.wednet.edu
Important Dates
Registration/Scheduling support begins - Aug. 18th
Football Begins - Aug 19th
Fall Sports Begin - Aug. 24th
Freshman Orientation-Aug. 25th
First day of school- Aug. 26th
School Picture Day-Aug. 28th
Football Jamboree - Aug. 29th

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

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

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.

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

Cashmere High School Parent Newsletter