Hood River County School District (HRCSD) is in the process of reviewing and updating its Community Use of  District Facilities Policy as part of an effort to ensure students continue to benefit first and foremost from the school district's facilities, while also supporting strong and effective partnerships with the broader community.

Putting students first
At the heart of this policy review is our commitment to student success. Any updates to the policy will center on maintaining student access to school spaces and aligning facility use with educational and enrichment goals.

Coordinating with Hood River Parks and Recreation and local youth partners
In recent years, the Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District has taken on the lead role in coordinating and managing youth recreation opportunities, a responsibility previously overseen by the school district. As part of this transition, Parks and Recreation has also been scheduling district facilities for many youth activities.

As HRCSD updates its Facilities Usage Policy, the district is taking a more active role in bringing partners together—Parks and Recreation and local youth nonprofit organizations—through a regular, quarterly scheduling process. This collaborative approach is designed to promote equitable access by creating a transparent and consistent structure that provides all youth-serving nonprofit organizations, regardless of size, resources, or existing connections, with equal opportunities to request facility use. It also helps prevent scheduling conflicts and ensures that student-centered programming remains a top priority.

If you lead or facilitate a local youth nonprofit that requires use of school district facilities, please contact Stephanie Hoppe, HRCSD Communications Director, at stephanie.hoppe@hoodriver.k12.or.us to receive more information and be included in these quarterly meetings.

What is under review
District leaders are making updates in four key areas:

• Facility hosting: HRCSD will oversee evening and weekend use of school buildings.
• Scheduling: Working toward a streamlined process where local youth nonprofit organizations and Hood River Parks and Recreation will schedule activities through a school district representative
• Technology tools: Adopting Facilitron, an online platform to handle reservations and fees
• Fee structure: HRCSD is reviewing its current fee structure to better understand how it supports facility upkeep and operations. This process will include collecting data and input from community users and partners to inform any potential adjustments. Our intent is to have a new and adopted fee structure approved at the September 10, 2025, school board meeting. The new structure would be implemented on January 1, 2026.

Commitment to community access
“We recognize that community use of our schools is important,” said Superintendent Bill Newton. “As we move forward, its goal is to maintain open, equitable access through a process that supports both our students and our community values.”

Superintendent Newton said the school district appreciates the continued support and patience of staff, families, and community partners as this important work progresses. Additional updates will be shared as the review phase concludes and draft revisions are finalized.

For questions or to share feedback, please contact Stephanie Hoppe, HRCSD communications director (stephanie.hoppe@hoodriver.k12.or.us).