‘It’s just a really special school’: Parents react to Washougal School District’s proposal to close Hathaway Elementary

Hathaway, the oldest of the Washougal School District’s four elementary schools, could be closed under the district’s plan to consolidate schools. The district announced Sept. 28 that it has begun a 90-day public review process to consider consolidating schools due to declining enrollment, consistent with statewide trends that reflect declining birth rates, families moving their kids to alternative learning options or families moving out of state. A district task force identified Hathaway as a primary candidate to be closed due to its age, location and enrollment, according to a “frequently asked questions” page on the district’s website. The district said in a news release that it would save approximately $1.14 million annually by consolidating schools. “Enrollment in Washougal School District has decreased significantly since 2019, and we believe it will continue to decline over the next few years,” Superintendent Aaron Hansen said in the news release. “Consolidating operations to fewer elementary schools would reduce the amount of funding spent on administrative overhead and other staffing costs, and focus our limited resources in support of classroom learning, which is what our community has prioritized in our budget surveys.” The district will hold two public hearings during the 90-day review period, the first of which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 29 in Hathaway’s gymnasium, 630 24th St. Parents of Hathaway students are encouraging other families and community members to attend to weigh in on the proposed closure. “We love Hathaway,” said Jennifer Birkenfeld, a parent who also serves on the Hathaway Boosters Club. “Hathaway is very family-oriented. … It’s just a really special school. Of course, nobody wants to uproot and go to another school.” Hathaway was built in 1934 on property donated by A.O. Hathaway and Lucy Hathaway. It was remodeled in 2001 along with Cape Horn-Skye and Gause elementary schools, according to the district’s website. Columbia River Gorge, the district’s newest elementary school, was built in 2017. Parents who spoke to The Columbian noted the school houses early learning programs beyond K-5 classes: Washougal Developmental Preschool, Head Start, the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program Preschool Program, transitional kindergarten and Read Northwest, a one-on-one mentorship program. The district’s dual language program also is located at Hathaway. It offers instruction in Spanish and English and includes nearly 70 students who do not live within Hathaway’s boundary. The district said those programs and others would need to be relocated to other schools. “This isn’t just Hathaway families that are being affected,” said Brianna Gallardo, a Hathaway parent. Additionally, 50 percent of Hathaway’s students are considered low income, the highest ratio among the district’s four elementary schools. It also has the most diverse student population. “A lot of these parents only have one car,” Gallardo said. “So, one parent is working and then the other parent, if the child is sick or they’re hurt at school, they’re expected to go pick them up. They walk.” The district projects most Hathaway students would move to Gause Elementary, which is located about a mile away near Washougal High School. Gause had 231 students enrolled in 2025-26 compared with 299 at Hathaway. But Gause has a capacity of 600 compared with 525 at Hathaway, currently making it the most underutilized elementary school in the district, at 38.5 percent of capacity. “Our goal is not to achieve 100 (percent) capacity at any school, but to achieve an optimal building utilization rate of 70-75 (percent),” district spokesperson Les Brown said in an email. Parents also questioned what will happen to teachers and other staffers if Hathaway is closed. The district said 18 Hathaway teachers and most paraeducators would move to other work sites or assignments. “They would be bringing some teachers with, but not all,” Birkenfeld said. “I just don’t see the solution being (to) close Hathaway.” Most of the $1.1 million in annual savings the district calculated comes from reducing duplicate positions, Brown said. That includes one principal; one counselor; two secretaries; two custodians; two recess supervision staff; one library instructor; one health room aide; specialists for music, art or physical education; and the school’s kitchen staff. The district also would cut down on utility costs such as electricity, water and garbage, though Brown said those are “a small portion of the savings.” After public hearings on Oct. 29 and Nov. 12, the Washougal school board will make a final decision during its Jan. 26 meeting. If approved, the changes would begin in either the 2027-28 or 2028-29 school year.

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