HOOD CANAL

🏀 ORCAS FINISH STRONG AT STATE! 🏀 In their final game at the State Championships, the Orcas battled hard but fell in a close one to Coeur d'Alene White, 57-53. In their first-ever State appearance, they went 2-2, finishing top 32 out of 1,300 middle schools—holding their own against much larger schools and club teams! We are incredibly proud of these boys, their coaches, and all they’ve accomplished! 💙🐋💛 #GoOrcas #OrcaPride #StateBound

Congratulations to Lin Spichiger, our 2025 Mason County Forest Festival Button Design Contest winner! 🎉 Out of over 560 entries, Lin’s design took the top prize. We’re proud to share that we had three students in the top 10 countywide, Lin along with Lindy June Kufman and Harper Myirsky were honored. Lin’s winning design has already gone to press. It was a wonderful evening at the ceremony, filled with proud families and a great sense of community. A huge shoutout to Mr. Max for making this opportunity possible for our students (and for being there to support them tonight)! 🌲🎨👏 #ForestFestival #ProudMoment #HoodCanalStudentsRock

🏀 ORCAS DOMINATE! 🏀 The Orcas took care of business tonight with a decisive 52-27 win over Eastlake White! 💪🔥 Next up: Hood Canal vs. Coeur d'Alene White (2-1) on Sunday, March 16, at 11:30 AM. Let’s keep the momentum going! 💙🐋💛

🏀 ORCAS STILL GOING STRONG! 🏀 Palouse fell to Brewster, placing the Orcas in the consolation bracket, now competing for 16th-32nd in the state! Next up: Hood Canal vs. Eastlake White on Saturday, March 15, at 5:20 PM. With 1,300+ middle schools in WA, making the top 32 is incredible! 💙🐋💛 #GoOrcas #OrcaPride #Top32

🏀 ORCAS FIGHT HARD, STILL IN THE HUNT! 🏀 Despite a strong finish, the Hood Canal Orcas fell to Brewster 36-60 this morning in a tough battle. 💪👏 Now, all eyes are on the Brewster vs. Palouse game at 12:40 PM—since we defeated Palouse last night, if they win by 25+ points, the Orcas will advance as the first-place team in our pool! Let’s go, Palouse! And as always, Go Orcas! 💙🐋💛 #OrcaPride #StillInTheFight #GoOrcas

🏀 ORCAS WIN AT THE BUZZER! 🏀 What a game! In Game 1 of the State Championships, the Hood Canal Orcas pulled off a thrilling 52-51 victory over Palouse, sealed by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Tommy Gouley with just 1.1 seconds left on the clock! 🔥👏 Next up, the Orcas face Brewster at 8 AM on Saturday—let’s keep the momentum going! 💙🐋💛 #GoOrcas #BuzzerBeater #OrcaPride

Our PK, TK and Kinders had a wonderful trip to the Seattle Aquarium!

🌟 As we wrap up Classified Staff Appreciation Week, we want to give a HUGE shoutout to the amazing team that keeps Hood Canal School running smoothly every single day! 🎉 From driving buses 🚌 (and managing the unexpected sing-alongs), to serving meals 🍎, keeping our school clean 🧹, assisting in classrooms 📚, and handling a hundred other behind-the-scenes tasks—you are truly the glue that holds our school together. Your dedication, patience, and hard work make a difference in the lives of our students, staff, and families. We simply couldn’t do it without you! THANK YOU for all that you do—not just this week, but every day of the year! 💙💛

📚🥞 Read Across America & National School Breakfast Week! 🌮🎩 Hood Canal School is celebrating Read Across America Week and National School Breakfast Week with fun dress-up days, great books, delicious breakfasts, and special lunches! Join us for a week of reading, creativity, and school spirit. 📅 March 3-7 Dress-Up Days ✨ Monday – Fairytale Day ✨ Dress Up: Be a prince, princess, knight, fairy, or any fairytale character! 🌮 Tuesday – Taco Tuesday 🌮 Dress Up: Wear taco colors (red, yellow, green) or go all out as a taco! ❤️📖 Wednesday – I ❤️ Reading Day 📖❤️ Dress Up: Show your love for books by dressing as your favorite book character! ☁️🍝 Thursday – Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 🍝☁️ Dress Up: Inspired by the book, dress as your favorite "Cloudy" character or wear food-themed outfits! 🎩🐱 Friday – Dr. Seuss Day 🐱🎩 Dress Up: Celebrate Dr. Seuss by dressing as your favorite Seuss character!

Hood Canal Boys Basketball Gets Custom Warm-Ups for State! 🏀🔥 Our Hood Canal boys basketball team just got a special gift for the state championships—custom warm-up jerseys donated by Skokomish Tribal Council Member Brett Peterson! A huge thank you to Brett for his generosity and support of our athletes. Some of the boys couldn’t resist hamming it up as they showed off their new gear—looking sharp and ready to bring their best to the court! Let’s go, Orcas! 💙🐋💛 #HoodCanalPride #OrcaStrong #StateBound

🎉 Congratulations to Belinda Ratke and Carl Gray, our latest recipients of the Hood Canal Education Foundation Volunteer Award! 🌟 Belinda has been making an incredible impact with our Builder’s Club (Kiwanis student service club), guiding students to serve and lead in our community. 🔨💙 Carl has dedicated countless hours volunteering in our after-school programs, most recently helping out with our LEGO Club ✨ We’re so grateful for their outstanding service and the positive difference they’re making at Hood Canal School! Please join us in celebrating Belinda and Carl! 🎉👏

🚨 2-Hour Delay Today, Tuesday, Feb. 25 🚨 Due to a power outage, Hood Canal School will start 2 hours late today. Buses will run 2 hours later than normal, and there will be no AM preschool. Thank you for your patience and understanding. We will provide updates if anything changes. Stay safe!

🌟 Highly Capable Program Referrals Are Open! 🌟 Hood Canal School is now accepting referrals for the Highly Capable Program! This is an exciting opportunity to recognize and support students with exceptional abilities. 📅 Referral Deadline: March 3rd, 2025 📬 Referral forms have been mailed to HCS families, but you can also complete a referral online on our HCS webpage: https://www.hoodcanal.wednet.edu/page/highly-capable If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Lankford at mlankford@hoodcanalschool.org.✨

Due to current weather conditions, Hood Canal School District will be on a 2-hour delay, Friday, Feb. 14. There will be no developmental preschool and no out of district transportation, but Transitional Kindergarten (TK) will still be offered. Please check your email, our district website, app, and on Facebook for updates. Stay safe and warm!

🎉 Great News, Hood Canal! 🎉 BOTH of our school levies have passed! ✅ The EP&O Levy was approved with 59.94%, and the Capital Levy passed with 53.63%! With only a few votes left to count, these results are nearly final. A huge THANK YOU to our amazing community for supporting our students, staff, and school! Your investment means we can continue providing great programs and making much-needed improvements to our facilities. What’s next? We’ll be working to finalize designs and plans for the upgrades, and we’ll keep you updated along the way. Stay tuned! Want a sneak peak check out here: https://www.hoodcanal.wednet.edu/page/2025-levies We are so grateful to be part of this incredible community. 💙

📢 Weather Alert: After-School Student Activities Canceled ❄️ Due to snowfall expected over the next few hours, all after-school activities for students are canceled today, Thursday, Feb. 13. We apologize for the late notice and appreciate your understanding. Additionally, 8th Grade Registration Night at Shelton High School is postponed—stay tuned for a new date. However, this afternoon's school board meeting will continue as planned. Stay safe and warm! ❄️💙

Election Day is Here! Your vote matters, and it directly impacts the future of Hood Canal students. There are two important measures on the ballot that support our schools, ensuring students have access to quality learning environments and essential resources. If you haven’t already, make sure to drop off your ballot by 8 PM tonight, Tuesday, Feb. 11, at an official ballot box. Every vote makes a difference in shaping the opportunities we can provide for our kids. Thank you for being a part of our school community and for making your voice heard! 🗳 #HoodCanalVotes #EveryVoteCounts

Support Our Builders Club & Give Back! 🏀❤️ Our amazing Builders Club students have been hard at work making beautiful blankets—and now you have a chance to win one! They’ll be selling raffle tickets at tonight’s girls’ basketball game, with all proceeds benefiting A Gift for Special Children, an organization that helps community members in need. Come out, cheer on our team, and grab a ticket to support a great cause! 🎟️🏆 #HoodCanalOrcas #BuildersClub #CommunityMatters Hood Canal Kiwanis

🏀 Game Day Alert! 🏀 Our Hood Canal girls basketball team is ready to hit the court for their first home game against St. Mike’s today, Tues Feb. 11 at 3:30 PM! Check out these shots from yesterday’s practice—our Orcas are putting in the work! 💪🐋 No charge for entry—let’s pack the stands and cheer them on! Go Orcas! 🔵⚪ #HoodCanalOrcas #GameDay #GoOrcas #CommunitySupport

🌅 Morning Views Like No Other! ❄️ One of our staff members captured these stunning shots of snow-capped mountains glowing in the sunrise over Hood Canal on their way to work this morning. A breathtaking reminder of how lucky we are to live and work in one of the most beautiful places on earth!