Draft:Knappa School District

Knappa School District was founded in the 1990’s when the region between Clifton (to the east) and Astoria (to the west) separated from the Columbia 5J School District ( now referred to as the Clatskanie School District).

Knappa School District has two schools. Hilda Lahti Elementary which serves grades P-8, and Knappa High School which serves grades 9-12. Both schools are located on the same campus located about halfway between the unincorporated areas of Svensen and Knappa.

Students live in Brownsmead, Knappa, Clifton, and Svensen.

The District serves approximately 450 students. The students enjoy small class sizes, personalized learning, visual arts and music programs, and have vibrant athletic programs, most notably basketball (boys and girls) and baseball.

In 2021, the community passed a Capital Bond by a 67.4% margin allowing for construction of a dedicated middle school building and gym at Hilda Lahti Elementary as well as updates to current facilities. In 2023, Knappa High School initiated an Alternative Education program. The career and technical education program is primarily focused on natural resources pathways. In 2021, a pre-K program was added.

The students and teachers of Knappa benefit from the generosity of the Knappa Schools Foundation, which provides approximately $50,000 in scholarships each year and numerous classroom grants. Other notable financial supporters of Knappa Schools include Teevin Bros, Sen Betsy Johnson, Hampton Lumber, the Assistance League of Clatsop County, and ABCDE Paving.