Timeline Stories

The Propstra Baseball Stadium, located on the Hudson’s Bay High School campus, is dedicated on May 28, 1998.  George and Carolyn Propstra donated $1.1 million to build the stadium.

Hough Community Pool opens at Hough Elementary School. Paul Christensen, a local businessman who grew up in the Hough neighborhood, provides funding for construction of the pool, which is operated by the City of Vancouver.

To ease overcrowding in the district’s north end, Skyview High School opens in the fall of 1997. The school’s national award-winning design includes applied learning areas such as marketplace and a food court. Skyview also [...]

First magnet school opens—Vancouver School of Arts and Academics. The school is one of five selected nationwide to receive a $250,000 research grant from the College Board and the Getty Center for Education in the [...]

Discovery Middle School opens in 1995 to replace Shumway Middle School, which was converted to an arts and academics magnet school. Discovery earns several national awards for its innovative design elements, including a distributed media [...]

Washington Elementary School’s 60 sixth-graders are announced as the first “I Have Dream” class in Southwest Washington.  Local individuals and families each pledge $100,000 over a 10-year period to provide mentoring and support and guarantee [...]

Vancouver School District began offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, a rigorous pre-college course of study for highly motivated high school students. Located at Columbia River High School, IB is a magnet program open to [...]

The Center for Educational Leadership opens as the district’s professional development center. Vancouver Public Schools is one of 24 sites in the nation and the only district on the west coast to be a field [...]

The National School Boards Association honors Vancouver Public Schools as one of three pace-setting districts in the country for the use of educational technology.

Future site of Chinook Elementary School and Alki Middle School.

The first computer lab is piloted at Washington Elementary School.  The pilot’s success in raising student achievement leads to computer learning centers in all elementary and middle schools.

First computers used in the classroom.

Dr. James Parsley is named superintendent.  During his 22-year career, Parsley leads the district to national recognition for its accomplishments including technology in the classroom, magnet schools and programs of choice, partnerships and patron donations, [...]

HOSTS (Help One Student to Succeed) begins when Vancouver teachers develop the concept of a reading lab with volunteer mentors from the community and a single reading instructor. The HOSTS organization becomes a for-profit corporation [...]

Gerald Hester becomes superintendent in July 1973 following the retirement of Robert Bates.

Demolition of the old Fort Vancouver High School, circa 1913, begins in 1972-73, nearly 10 years after the building was declared unsafe.  Tearing down the old high school was unpopular with many citizens, who filed [...]

On April 5, a tornado hit Peter S. Ogden Elementary, destroying the 1955-era building and sending 90 students and three staff to the hospital. Students in the gym were literally blown down the hall or [...]

A group of Washington Elementary School youngsters leave their classes for the last time Friday, January 8, 1965. The school was ordered closed by district 37 officials after word that the structure would be unsafe [...]

Columbia River High School opened on Sept. 4, 1962.  The school operated as a junior high and high school until 1965 when Jason Lee Junior High opened.

Robert C. Bates appointed superintendent.

Hough Elementary School, Miss Eliason's 5th Grade class, 1955.