Hough Elementary School Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day With Annual Paddy Hough Parade - 03/17/26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2026

Hough Elementary School Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day 

with Annual Paddy Hough Parade

Vancouver, Wash. – The annual Paddy Hough Parade made its way along Main Street in Vancouver’s Uptown Village Neighborhood today, bringing together students, staff, and the community in a celebration of school pride and history. 

The parade began at Hough Elementary School and students from every grade level, along with school bands, honored the legacy of the school’s namesake, Patrick “Paddy” Hough. Students passed out candy, cookies, and potatoes to the crowd.

This year’s theme, “The Heart of Hough — Cultivating Learning through Connection and Community,” was on full display as students marched through the neighborhood before returning to campus to continue the celebration.

In addition to students, the parade included local businesses and vintage cars that all added to the festivities.

Patrick (Paddy) Hough was born in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day in 1846, and dedicated his life to teaching and mentoring future educators.  Sixteen years after his death, Hough Elementary School was built and named in his honor.  Soon after, the Hough Neighborhood sprouted up around Hough Elementary. In 1991, a Hough teacher established the Paddy Hough Parade, and the tradition continues more than three decades later.

Find b-roll here.

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Vancouver Public Schools Kindergarten Enrollment For 2026-27 School Year Now Open - 03/03/26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2026

Vancouver Public Schools Kindergarten Enrollment
for 2026-27 School Year Now Open

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Vancouver Public Schools (VPS) is now enrolling kindergarteners for the 2026-27 school year. Families with children who will be 5 before August 31 should choose the program or school they would like to enroll their child in and submit an application. Applications for Choice schools and programs need to be submitted by May 11. 

VPS offers a variety of kindergarten options to meet the needs of students and families:

• Neighborhood Schools: The traditional option, allowing children to attend school close to home, fostering strong community connections.

• Dual-Language Programs: Available in Spanish and Mandarin at select neighborhood schools.

• Choice Schools:

  • Ruth Bader Ginsburg Elementary – A fully Spanish-English dual-language school.

  • VITA Elementary – A project-based learning school.

  • Vancouver Home Connection – A hybrid learning environment for students in grades K-8.

To help families explore these options, VPS invites parents and guardians to attend an upcoming event to learn more about their neighborhood school or any Choice school or program they may be interested in. These events are an opportunity to learn more about the schools and programs, meet staff, and understand what to expect in kindergarten. For more details, head to the VPS Elementary Options page.

Families who need help enrolling their child can receive in-person help during weekday business hours at the VPS Welcome Center, 2901 Falk Road, Vancouver, WA, 98661. Help is also available over the phone at 360-313-1330.

For more details on our elementary programs, visit vansd.org/elementary-options/. Parents who are ready to register their child should visit vansd.org/kindergarten/.

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