Home of the Falcons
VPS is the host district for the Jim Tangeman Center countywide day treatment program for students in first through 12th grades with severe emotional and/or behavioral disabilities. Working in cooperation with community mental health professionals, students receive a structured academic and mental health experience.
Self-directed learners: Jim Tangeman Center philosophy
Respectful, trustworthy, responsible, citizenship, fairness and caring are the program’s guiding principles in supporting students in becoming Falcon Strong and self-directed learners.
Our history
The building that houses Fir Grove/Vista was originally built in 1955 as a Seventh Day Adventist school. When they later vacated the building, Vancouver Public Schools began renting it in 1990 to house a dedicated program for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. The program, Fir Grove/Vista, filled a gap in services for students who needed more than traditional special education support and less than residential treatment. The program, which featured innovative mental health partnerships, became a model for school districts in Oregon and Washington. VPS purchased the building in 1995.
2021 – The current Fir Grove/Vista moved into a brand-new building to fit the unique needs of our students and staff members. The building opened fall 2021 and was named the Jim Tangeman Center.