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The Milepost: Getting Ready for the Journey Ahead

Posted Date: 8/15/25 (5:00 PM)
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The Milepost newsletter logo which features the image of a mountain with the Chehalis School District compass logo rising above it like a sun

Getting Ready for Our Journey

Back to School Season Tips for Families

August 14, 2025
The start of the 2025-2026 school year is just a few weeks away and we want to help you feel prepared for the journey ahead. Consider this edition of The Milepost as your road map to starting the new school year on the right foot. Do you have more back to school questions? Find the answers in our Back to School Guidebook at THIS LINK.

Back to School Dates to Know

  • Aug 19 is Bearcat Readiness Day & Freshman Link Day for 9-12th graders. Schedule: 9th grade Freshmen - 8 a.m. to noon. Freshman Link Day. Please plan to stay for the entire time; 11th grade Juniors and 12th grade Seniors - drop in between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.; 10th grade Sophomores - drop in between Noon and 2 p.m.
  • Aug. 19 applications for free & reduced meals for the 2025-2026 school year will open at THIS LINK.
  • Aug. 18 teachers from James Lintott Elementary will begin reaching out to families to schedule conferences. If you do not hear from your student's teacher by Aug. 25, please call the office at (360) 807-7215
  • Aug. 20 is the day the Chehalis Middle School office re-opens to the public for families of 6-8th graders
  • Aug. 25 is the date you will be able to view your student's classroom assignments in ParentSquare and Skyward Family Access
  • Aug. 25 is the date Orin Smith Elementary office re-opens to the public for families of 3rd-5th graders
  • Aug. 26 5:30-7:30 p.m. is W.F. West High School open house for students in grades 9-12 and their families
  • Aug. 27 4:30-6 p.m. is Orin Smith Elementary open house for students in grades 3-5 and their families
  • Aug. 28 is open house for Chehalis Middle School grade 6-8 students: 8:30-10 a.m. for 6th graders; 10:30-Noon 7th graders; 1-2:30 p.m. 8th graders.
a trio of students in bearcat T-shirts

Labor Day & First Week Schedule


First Day Schedules:
  • Sept. 1 - All Schools Closed for Labor Day
  • Sept. 2 (Tues) First Day for students in grades 4-12
  • Sept. 3 (Wed) First day for students in grades 1-3. Regular schedule not early release for PAWS
  • Sept. 5 (Fri) First day for Kindergarteners

School Hours:
  • 9-12 graders at W.F. West High School have classes 7:40 a.m. to 2:10 p.m.
  • 6-8 graders at Chehalis Middle School have classes 7:50 a.m. to 2:20 p.m.
  • 3-5 graders at Orin Smith Elementary have classes 8:50 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.
  • K-2 graders at James Lintott Elementary have classes 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

 

STEM Week In Our Schools

August began in our district in a way we hope will become an annual tradition: STEM Week. Students and staff gathered for: a STEAM camp to help students at James Lintott and Orin Smith get a jump on the school year; a robotics and drones STEM Camp at Chehalis Middle School; and the University of Washington Summer STEM Camp at W.F. West High School.
Participants in the CMS STEM Camp watch two robots battle while one student raises their arms in celebration

Summer STEM at CMS

This year's STEM camp at Chehalis Middle Middle School gave incoming 6th through 8th graders a look at coding, drones and, more importantly - robot battles!
Three students in matching purple T-shirts pose with a boat they made at the UW STEM Camp

UW STEM Camp at W.F. West

Our long-standing University of Washington Summer STEM Camp at W.F. West is still growing strong, this year attracting more than 90 participants.
A mural of activities from the W.F. West and CMS STEM Camps

STEAM Camp at OSE

Orin Smith elementary once again challenged the minds of our incoming 3rd through 5th graders at its annual STEAM camp. Each day was filled with fun math games, reading challenges and hands-on STEM activities. In one challenge, teams of students competed to create the a bag to transfer their beach ball quickly and efficiently from one person to another.
Students at OSE STEAM Camp work in a design for a beach ball bag
A student and teacher look at each other and smile while working on a classroom exercise

Getting a Jump on the Year at JLE

At James Lintott, incoming kindergarten through 2nd graders got a jump on school readiness during their annual STEM camp. Students got a chance to brush up on their reading and math while also practicing classroom behavior and even getting some time on the playground.
A mural of activities at the James Lintott and OSE summer camps.