Clark County School
Retirees' Association
Staff Room News
Second Quarter
October ~ December 2025
Big sound, big smiles--Ethan Chessin electrifies the room with joyful, high-energy accordion performance!
Christmas Luncheon Big Success
Fun, Food, and Good Energy!
Our CCSRA Christmas Luncheon was a joyful celebration—and it came with extra sparkle this year. We were thrilled to welcome many new faces, and even more excited that most of them signed up to join the fun. The energy in the room was warm, welcoming, and unmistakably CCSRA.
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The Culinary Program students at Cascadia Tech spoiled us with a cozy winter feast, served with big smiles, confidence, and style. Members enjoyed their lunch at 50% off, which somehow made it taste even better. Laughter and conversation filled the room as friends old and new connected, and our icebreaker added to the fun—nine lucky members even walked away with prizes.
Then the Camas World Choir, led by Grammy-nominated Ethan Chessin, took the afternoon to the next level. Their music represented cultures from around the world and also lifted holiday spirits. Click on our Photo Fun page for more great pictures!
Great Space and Great Food!
Great food and a great partnership! ESD 112’s fabulous catering is just the beginning—this space also supports CCSRA workshops, provides expert tech support, and opens doors to promotional fairs that help grow our community.
New Venue for Luncheons
Catering, Classrooms, and Tech Help!
We’re excited to announce our new luncheon home at ESD 112—and it’s already a game changer.
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​Great Food ~ Enjoy outstanding in-house catering with fresh menus and thoughtful options for a wide range of dietary needs.
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Professional Space + Tech Support ~ ESD 112 has opened their classrooms and presentation spaces to CCSRA, with their team handling technology setup. Our upcoming AI Workshop will be hosted here, making presentations smooth and stress-free.
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Growing Our Community ~ CCSRA has been invited to host a booth at an ESD 112 curriculum fair, giving us a wonderful opportunity to connect with educators and welcome new retirees.
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Spring Luncheon Highlight Join us at ESD 112 for our Spring Luncheon featuring John Zingale, ESD 112’s Regional Teacher of the Year. A history and social studies teacher at Vancouver iTech Preparatory, John’s real-world approach inspires students and strengthens our educational community.
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Join us at our next luncheon for inspiration and friends!
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No Substitute for Showing Up!
Winter Luncheon Fun Sparks Committee Enthusiam
The Winter Luncheon was buzzing as members learned new ways to get involved, and many jumped right in, signing up and saying, “Yes—I’ll help!” Here’s a snapshot of the momentum and what our teams are up to:
COMMUNICATIONS — One new member stepped up to help share the good stuff! This team is building our website, growing our social media presence, and finding easy ways to keep members informed through emails and texts. This is necessary to keep our community connected!
LEGISLATIVE — Another member joined the Legislative team to help advocate for retirees and education. With tools from WSSRA, contacting legislators and making an impact has never been easier. This is necessary to make our voices heard!
SCHOLARSHIPS — Nine members said YES! This enthusiastic group is already working together to award scholarships to Clark County students who dream of becoming educators. This is necessary to our goal of supporting future teachers!
GRANTS — Two members joined the Grants team to support local teachers. This year alone, CCSRA awarded $6,800 in grants to 17 teachers—and the fun continues with school visits, check deliveries, and sharing the benefits of WSSRA membership. This is necessary to our goal of helping classrooms thrive!
The Scholarship Team has already met! Volunteers gathered with CCSRA leadership to plan how to get our scholarship applications into the hands of students pursuing careers in education. You could feel the spark in the room—genuine connection, contagious energy, and a shared desire to make a difference. The team is now reaching out to career counselors across Clark County high schools and colleges to spread the word about our scholarship opportunities.
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Want to get involved, make new friends, and have fun doing meaningful work? We’d love to hear from you—click the button below to connect with us!
Planning, plotting, and lunch! Carol Patton, Donna McBride, and Melanie McDaniel Bailey came together over a CCSRA meal to make sure Clark County career counselors hear all about our scholarship program.
Making New Friends Longtime CCSRA and WWSRA secretary Eileen Wascisin and CCSRA’s new treasurer, Kathy Bounds, have quickly become a dynamic team—building community, strengthening CCSRA, and forming a great friendship along the way.
February 5th @ 1 pm
ESD112 ~ Wahkiakum Room
2500 NE 65th Avenue
Vancouver, WA 98661
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ONLY 24 SEATS AVAILABLE SO REGISTER NOW IF YOU WANT TO COME!
Curious about AI but not sure how it fits into everyday life? This hands-on workshop is designed for retirees and focuses on practical, real-world uses—like organizing health information, planning trips, tackling home projects, or supporting creative ideas.
We’ll start with a simple overview, then invite your questions and show live examples using ChatGPT in real time. Help will be available for anyone who wants assistance downloading or getting started.
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No tech experience required—just curiosity. Click on our Ai Workshop page to register. First come first serve!
AI Chat GPT Workshop
24 Seats Available for Hands on learning!
A Luncheon to Inspire
Celebrating civic the power of teaching
March 12, 2026 @ 11:30
ESD 112
500 NE 65th Ave, Vancouver, WA 98661
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Enjoy a delicious catered lunch at ESD 112 while hearing from John Zingale, 2026 Regional Teacher of the Year. Known for bringing learning to life, John blends civic engagement, hands-on experiences, and real-world connections that leave a lasting impact on students.
Former student Kaitlin Medina shared, “He didn’t just teach us history — he taught us how to be responsible and engaged citizens. He made sure we understood our power to impact the world.”
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oin the fun! Stay connected, enjoy great food, learn something new, and leave inspired. CCSRA keeps it affordable by capping lunch at $15 — and we cover the tip!
Click on our to register!
Budget Pressures, Earned Benefits
2026 Legislative Session Matters
Washington retirees—especially TRS 1 and PERS 1 retirees—are continuing to fall behind as pensions fail to keep pace with inflation. The 2026 legislative session is underway under intense budget pressure, making permanent fixes harder—but fairness, dignity, and long-term retirement security remain critical issues for retirees.
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This is a short session, and decisions will be made quickly. That’s why your voice matters right now.
Click the link to learn about the most important issues being considered this session—and how you can take action.
A few minutes of action now can help protect benefits retirees have earned and depend on.
Mini Grants
Countless Classroom Smiles
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We’re excited to share that $6,800 in CCSRA Mini Grants are heading straight into classrooms this year! As part of our rotating commitment across Clark County, this year’s district is Camas School District—and 17 teachers will each receive $400 to purchase much-needed classroom supplies.
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These grants mean fresh materials, creative tools, and hands-on resources that teachers can put to work immediately—fueling learning and sparking curiosity for students. We’ll be receiving photos of these teachers with their students for future newsletters soon! Those snapshots help us show, in future newsletters, how our work directly supports teachers and positively impacts students.
Want to be part of this feel-good work? Join the Mini Grants Committee! We still have checks to award, and extra hands make it possible to reach more classrooms. As we like to say, "Many hands make for light work!"
If you enjoy supporting educators and seeing real results, this committee is a great fit. Let’s keep the momentum going—and keep classrooms thriving! Just click the link below and let us know you're wanting to be part of this team!
Remember . . .
We're Living the Dream!
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As retired educators, we truly are living the dream—free to enjoy our time while staying connected to what matters most.
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CCSRA is working hard to build a vibrant community that offers connection, purpose, and plenty of fun along the way. Showing up matters, because this organization is powered by its members. You truly get what you give.
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Join us—attend an event, volunteer on a committee, or lend a hand—and help shape the community you want to be part of.
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Questions? Contact us!
