CLASS CHANGES

Your student may be noticing that some of their class sizes are larger than usual this year. Additionally, many students have requested a class change as a result of their class size.

We are reaching out to you to inform you of how we intend to solve this issue so that students can have class environments in which they can thrive.

Starting this week we will be visiting with classes and asking for volunteers or anyone who would like to make a switch. It will be necessary to have some student move classes for our school to function at a high level. Our goal is to make class changes that have the least impact on a student's learning as well as their daily schedule.

Feel free to check in with your student to see if they saw us in classes and if they are going to volunteer. If you have any questions or concerns regarding our approach to solving our class size challenge, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Assistant Principal who supports scheduling requests, Mr. Sakshaug at 360.885.5014

Thank you very much. We look forward to offering continued support to your students.

PHS Administrative Team

Attention Families:

As a reminder, all of our sporting events will be cashless.

Tickets will be available for purchase by card or through our online system, GoFan, which is available on falconnation.org.   

We appreciate your support as we make this transition to provide a faster, safer, and more convenient experience for everyone. 

If you would like to purchase a family pass, they are $200 and can be purchased in the ASB office. 

Eighth grade and high school students will have opportunities to take standardized tests for graduation, college, the military and scholarships. Learn about the opportunities and how to sign up in the College and Career Center.

Dear 9th Grade Families,

My name is Carson Vaughan, and I am excited to introduce myself as the school counselor for the freshman class. I look forward to working with you and your students as they begin their high school journey.

Freshman year is such an important time. It sets the foundation for the rest of high school—academically, socially, and emotionally. The habits, mindsets, and support systems your student builds this year can have a lasting impact on their success through graduation and beyond.

As parents and guardians, you play a vital role in this transition. Staying involved—whether by checking in regularly about classes, encouraging healthy routines, or communicating with teachers and staff—makes a tremendous difference. Together, we can help ensure your student feels supported, stays on track, and has the confidence to thrive.

Throughout the year, I’ll be meeting with students individually, in small groups, and through classroom lessons to support their academic growth, social-emotional development, and postsecondary planning. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have questions, concerns, or simply want to connect about how we can best support your student.

I am truly looking forward to partnering with you in making this a successful and meaningful freshman year.

Warmly,
Mrs. Carson Vaughan
9th Grade School Counselor

Dear Prairie High School Senior Parents:

Annie Carmichael & Alice Norton are your student's 12th-grade school counselors. Jenn Miller is their Career Guidance Specialist. Annie Carmichael works with Dual enrollment students who attend Running Start and Cascadia Tech Academy. Together, we are thrilled to welcome you to the Class of 2026's final and most exciting year. This year, we are launching "Ascent 26," a guiding theme for your student's journey to their post-secondary summit, whether that be college, a trade, the military, or a career.

We will provide comprehensive support through classroom presentations, small group workshops, and personalized one-on-one meetings for every senior. We will cover everything from college applications and financial aid to career exploration and stress management.

Your Partnership is Invaluable

Your role in this journey is more critical than ever. You are the foundational support system for your student's success, and your encouragement and involvement make a profound difference. We see you as essential partners in this endeavor. I encourage you to engage in conversations with your students about their aspirations, listen to their concerns, and celebrate their milestones along the way.

Together, as a united team of parents, counselors, and teachers, we can ensure the Class of 2026 is fully prepared to conquer their summit. Please look out for communications from the counseling department for important dates and resources. Let's make this a successful and memorable year for our seniors.

Sincerely,

Annie Carmichael, Jenn Miller, & Alice Norton

The BGPS board of directors is approving a revision to the cell phone policy, with the intention of limiting cell phone use during class time. The revisions also will standardize current practices and consequences for students not following the rules.

Parents - We need your help! As we work to minimize cell phone disruptions to instructional time, we are asking that parents/guardians do not contact students during class. We are asking students to have their phone "off and away" during instructional time, which means that they should not be able to respond to texts or calls anyway. If there is an emergency or other extenuating circumstance, please contact the main office at 360-885-5000, and we can easily contact any student. As always, please communicate with us if there are unique situations that arise.

What students can do:

• Bring cellphones and other personal electronic devices to school, but they must be silenced and remain out of sight (e.g., in a backpack) during class time, unless the student has been given permission by a teacher or school administrator.

• Use cellphones and other personal electronic devices on school grounds before the first bell of the school day and after the last bell of the school day, during passing times and lunch and during emergency situations that involve imminent physical danger.

• Talk to their parent or guardian using the phone in the main office.

What students can't do:

• Use cellphones and other personal electronic devices during class time, unless given permission by a teacher or school administrator for instructional or educational purposes and usage is monitored.

• Use cellphones and other personal electronic devices in locker rooms or restrooms at any time.

• Send, share, view or possess content that violates district policies.

• Take photos of or record other students without their explicit permission.

Discipline:

Students who violate the cellphone policy will be subject to progressive disciplinary action up to and including confiscation of their phone/device and/or losing the privilege of bringing it onto school property. If a school chooses to confiscate the phone, they are required to ensure the security of the device. A school may require a parent/guardian to pick the phone up at the end of the school day.

• Initial offense: Student is warned and reminded of the rules.

• Repeat offenses:

  • The student’s mobile device will be confiscated and returned to the student at the end of the day.

  • Parents or guardians will be notified.

  • A meeting may be held with the student and their parent/guardian to discuss a success plan if excessive offenses continue.

  • The district may administer appropriate interventions and student discipline.

We invite our staff, their families and alumni to come together for the annual Battle Ground High School vs. Prairie High School football game on Friday, Sept. 19, at 7pm!

The game will take place at District Stadium, located on the Battle Ground H.S. campus (300 W. Main St., Battle Ground). Tickets are $10 for adults and students without an ASB card,  $5 for visiting students with an ASB card and children ages 5 - 12 years old. Purchase tickets at the door or in advance online through GoFan.com.

During halftime, staff and alumni will be recognized on the field for their important role in shaping our schools and community. Optional: Wear the colors of either Battle Ground (orange and black) or Prairie (crimson and gold) to show school spirit.

Before and after the game, stop by the BGPS table to learn about our strategic plan and share your input.

Let’s fill the stands and celebrate our students, staff, and community!

We hope to see you there!

Bus route information is available for your child(ren) in their Skyward Family Access account or on the district website. There may continue to be slight adjustments to stop times. 

To view your child's route in Family Access, log in and select the “transportation” tile on the home screen. You will be able to view the bus number, stop address and approximate pickup and dropoff times. 

Due to road construction in areas of the district, some buses may need to take a detour and/or may be delayed. To receive information about delays or route changes and track your child’s bus in near real-time, please install the FirstView app from First Student. The FirstView app is available for Android and Apple devices. Get instructions for installing the app. NOTE: A code is required to set up your account. You probably received a News to Know email containing that information, or you can request it from our office.

For questions about school district bus service, call our office or First Student at 360-841-7099, ext. 103 or 104. 

Due to the levy failure, the cost of participating in sports and attending games will increase. Levy dollars covered a portion of the costs associated with athletics. Please note: Students who receive free or reduced-price meals AND have a 2025-26 consent to share form on file will be eligible to have these costs waived. Prior school year consent to share form does not roll over.

For those that don’t know me, my name is Micki Moss, and I am the School Nurse for Prairie High School and Prairie Preschool. This will be my 12th year with Battle Ground Public Schools and my 3rd year here at Prairie. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or if I can help support your student in any way.

Please encourage your student(s) to carry a water bottle with them and hydrate throughout the day, especially if they play sports. With the warm weather, hydration is very important. Additionally, encouraging nutritional choices for breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner will help benefit their learning both while at school and at home. And lastly, getting enough sleep is important to stay healthy.

For the rest of the notes from the nurse, click here.

If you see or hear of a possible threat, please report it to law enforcement directly and/or to school staff. This is the best and most helpful action because it begins an investigation and helps to limit the potential for misinformation to spread.

You can report bullying, intimidation, harassment, threats and safety concerns using our anonymous reporting system. Emergencies should always be reported to 911.

You are invited to provide input on a potential new teaching and learning resource. If approved, the textbook would be used beginning in January 2026 for the high school natural resources science class.

• Online review: Visit the Goodheart-Wilcox website and log in using the following information:
  Username: bgcomm1
  Password: nrs25

• In-person review: To review this text in person, please make an appointment with Paula DeLano at delano.paula@battlegroundps.org or by calling 360-885-5438.

How to provide feedback: After you have reviewed the text, please provide your feedback using this form. The deadline to provide feedback is Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, at noon PST.

Prairie High School participates in the Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) this fall. Youth in Washington State have been taking the HYS since 2002. The survey asks about how youth are doing, social relationships, mental health, substance use, risks for injury, and more.

Communities, districts, schools, and public health agencies use survey results to inform policies and programs designed to support youth well-being. The HYS is a meaningful way for youth to guide the future of our state. Your youth's participation is appreciated. Please share this information with your youth, and then talk about the survey and decide if your youth will participate.

If you have any questions about the purpose of the survey or survey procedures, pleast contact the Healthy Youth Survey Principal Investigator at (377) HYS-7111.

Guidelines for senior pictures can be found here.

Battle Ground Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation,  gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

Information about the district’s nondiscrimination and sex-based discrimination policies and grievance procedures are located on the District’s website at: https://www.battlegroundps.org/notice-of-nondiscrimination/.

The following employees have been designated to receive and respond to questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Title IX Coordinator/Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator: Lynnell Tsugawa-Murray, Assistant Superintendent, Battle Ground Public Schools, PO Box 200, Battle Ground, WA 98604, EMAIL  PHONE: 360-885-5340

Section 504/ADA Coordinator: Michelle Reinhardt, Executive Director of Human Resources, Battle Ground Public Schools, PO Box 200, Battle Ground, WA 98604, EMAIL  PHONE: 360-885-5481