Greetings From The Principal

Hello and welcome to our school’s website. I am pleased that you have inquired about our school, and hope you will take the time to browse through the rest of our website to gather more information about our staff, our students, and our community.

Gause Elementary School first opened its doors in 1953 when it was originally designed as a junior high school. Over the years it has also housed high school students as well. For a long time, it was home to only grades 3, 4 and 5, receiving K-2 students from Hathaway. In 2001 it was remodeled and began its current run as a K-5 elementary school. In 2002, a Community Education sponsored pre-school was added to make us a PreK-5 elementary school. Gause was named after longtime Washougal resident and school board member Omer Gause. Several of his family members still live in the Washougal area.

With the addition of our newest elementary school, Columbia River Gorge Elementary, our enrollment decreased from over 600 students to approximately 350 students.  Fourth and fifth grade classes that were previously housed in the portable buildings are now located inside the main building.  Significant renovations to the roof and HVAC systems ensure students are provided a comfortable learning environment, while improvements to the front entrance address security at Gause.  All of these improvements, and many more, were made possible when Washougal voters showed their support for schools in February 2015 by approving a $57 million capital improvement bond to address safety, student capacity and facilities needs for Washougal’s schools!

We have 44 dedicated staff members at Gause who sustain our mission and our beliefs about education. Our 24 certificated staff members represent a blend of styles and experience, and work and plan together in Professional Learning Communities. In addition, 16 classified staff members provide vital services in various roles throughout the school. At Gause, every employee is considered a ‘teacher’ whether they spend their day in the classroom, in the office, on the playground, doing maintenance, or in the kitchen.

Our staff also believes that education is best conducted in a spirit of close cooperation and positive communication between teachers, parents, students, and community. All parents and citizens are invited and encouraged to participate in school activities.

The Gause School staff has worked very hard to identify and meet the academic needs of ALL Gause students. At Gause we truly believe that ALL children can learn. We also know that parents and guardians still play the biggest role in their child’s education. By encouraging your child to develop his or her skills and knowledge, you’ll be sending the message that a good education is important. The following tips are worth sharing.

  • Be a model and a partner in your child’s learning
  • Value and support the importance of good attendance.  Attendance is a major component to your child’s academic success
  • Read to your child or have your child read to you
  • Stay involved
  • Make learning fun
  • Connect what happens in the classroom to real-life experiences
  • Have high expectations
  • Expect that homework will be done
  • Ask your child’s school how it is working to ensure that students meet federal and state standards
  • Remember that you are the most important influence on your child

To specifically find out how Gause School has done in trying to meet the needs of its students and their families, please follow the web site link to Gause School’s School Improvement Plan.

Thank you again for visiting our website. If you do not find the information you are looking for here, please don’t hesitate to call our office at 954-3700.

Sincerely,
Tami Culp, Principal