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Hood River News, Saturday, May 16, 2015
Kim Yasui named principal at Mid Valley Elementary
BY TRISHA WALKER
News staff writer
When longtime Mid Val-
ley Elementary principal
Dennis McCauley retires
June 30, his replacement
won’t need any introduc-
tions.
Kim Yasui, who becomes
Mid Valley’s principal this
summer, not only taught
English Language Learn-
ers (ELL) and migrant stu-
dents there for 12 years, but
attended the school as a
student in the 1980s.
Yasui graduated from
Hood River Valley High in
1990. From there, she at-
tended the University of
Oregon, graduating in 1993
as a Spanish major, and
from Pacific University in
1994 with a master’s in edu-
cation.
Her student teaching
was completed at Whiteak-
Kim Yasui
er Elementary in Eugene,
where she was introduced
to the concept of a commu-
nity school.
“They sent all the high
poverty, homeless, (and)
kids with social workers to
one school and housed all
sorts of services on site,”
she said. “I think it is
where I first learned about
the idea of a community
school, where all sorts of
supports are available at a
school to best meet the
needs of the kids.”
Mid Valley, with its ex-
tended hours both before
and after school, as well as
during breaks and non-
school hours, is another
such community school.
Parenting and nutrition
classes, Spanish GED class-
es, Zumba, Spring Break
Camp, summer library,
OSU Extension Of fice,
SMART (Start Making A
Reader Today), a computer
lab, Mid Valley Preschool
and St. Francis House are
all held within its walls.
Many of the programs
were established in the 11
years McCauley has served
as principal.
“I love the feeling of
community that Dennis
has created at Mid Valley,”
Yasui said. “The building is
never really closed. There
are always groups offering
great classes to our stu-
dents, families and commu-
nity ... Parents who might
have been marginalized at
other schools feel comfort-
able coming to (Mid Valley)
and sharing their hopes for
their children.”
Yasui taught in Mon-
mouth and Pilot Rock be-
fore coming to Mid Valley
in 2002. But she would re-
turn to Odell to teach sum-
mer school each year.
“It always felt like it was
home, and the kids and
families were so apprecia-
tive of the extra support,”
she said. “Summer school
seems to be the best of
everything about educa-
tion: Academic support, en-
SCHOOL CHANGES
As one school year nears
its end, plans are being
made for the next. Watch
Hood River News in May
and June for arrivals, de-
partures, and shifts in peo-
ple, as well as new pro-
grams and facilities.
richment activities, family
connections and a staff
who chooses to give up va-
cation to be with kids.”
She received her admin-
istrative license from Port-
land State University in
2010, and has worked as
summer school administra-
tor for the past three years.
In 2013, she moved to the
District Office to set up the
EXCEL afterschool pro-
g rams at Mid Valley,
Wy’east and Parkdale,
which is funded in part by a
federal grant.
“The schools qualify
based on poverty, second
language, and established
partnerships with commu-
nity agencies ... The federal
program piece encompass-
es a lot of things I am pas-
sionate about: ELL, second
language, poverty, migrant,
homeless — all those kids
who are supposed to be get-
ting more and extra, but
that we frequently forget
about,” she said.
This year, she’s served as
HRCSD coach and AVID di-
rector, and is ready to get
back to Mid Valley.
“I am looking forward to
continuing on the great
things they have already
done and working with the
wonderful staff and fami-
lies to build even more aca-
demic success,” Yasui said.
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