Our school

The mission of Hudson’s Bay High School is to create lifelong learners and responsible, compassionate, literate citizens by melding the resources of students, staff, parents and community.

• We recognize that students are the focus of all of our efforts as all staff members impact teaching and learning.
• Students are more successful when all staff members work collaboratively, rather than in isolation, with common expectations around student behavior, engagement and academic rigor.
• Effective classroom instruction and authentic student engagement improve student learning and close the achievement gap.
• All members of the learning community must identify and utilize learning targets, regularly assess student learning of those targets, and make adjustments to their instructional practice accordingly.
• Learning is a life-long activity for both staff and students.
• Reflection and refinement of our instructional practices have positive effects on teaching and learning.
• The school community includes all stakeholders, such as parents, neighbors and businesses, and their participation and support is vital to the success of our school.
• All students need teachers who believe all students can learn and reach levels of high academic rigor through authentic student engagement and multiple learning styles.

Hudson’s Bay High School’s beginnings are one of a shared history.

The school shares its beginnings with Fort Vancouver High School, as both student bodies originated from the city’s first high school: Vancouver High School.

VHS was established in 1888 and was one of only six high schools when Washington was admitted into the union in 1889. The inaugural VHS senior class of 12 students graduated in 1891.

The high school had two different homes prior to a June 17, 1911, special election that approved a purchase of a site for a new high school on the southwest corner of 26th and Main streets. The public approved a bond measure for $100,000 to construct the school.

The doors to the new Vancouver High School opened in time for the 1912-13 school year, and the school graduated 44 students that spring.

The community approved another bond in 1933 for an addition to the high school, which was completed in 1935 and consisted of an auditorium with seating capacity for 1,700, a gymnasium, a cafeteria and eight more classrooms.

In 1955, the last class graduated from Vancouver High School. Hudson’s Bay High School was given its name and separate existence beginning in the 1955-56 school year and the student body thus divided. One half moved to the new Hudson’s Bay High School, which opened its doors in 1956 in the historic area of the Vancouver Barracks military reservation. The other half remained in the 1912 building, which became Fort Vancouver High School.

Thanks to a voter-approved bond in 1994, Hudson’s Bay was remodeled to today’s building in 1998.

March 13, 2006 — Opening ceremony for new softball fields at Hudson’s Bay High School. Built through a partnership with Clark College, the fields are shared by Hudson’s Bay and Clark teams.

September 2008 — AVID expands from McLoughlin Midde School to include four more schools—Gaiser and Jason Lee middle schools, and Fort Vancouver and Hudson’s Bay high schools.

2021–22 —Hudson’s Bay High School received state recognition for closing gaps for english learner progress.