0
students
0
built in
0
rebuilt in

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

Pillars of Fir Grove for self-directed learners


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.

Jim Tangeman building