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District and First Student Bus Co. Awarded Federal Grant for Purchase of 13 Electric School Buses

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Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the recipients of their Clean School Bus rebate program.  In Oregon, ten school districts will receive over $22.6 million, with the Pendleton School District and First Student receiving $4,165,000.  These rebate funds will be used to purchase 13 electric school buses and aid in the infrastructure required to run and maintain a fleet of electric school buses.

In 2023 the EPA announced the availability of at least $500 million for its 2023 Clean School Bus rebates.  Due to an overwhelming response from school districts across the nation, the EPA doubled the funding to nearly $1 billion.   The Pendleton School District partnered with First Student in applying for these funds.

This program exists to further improve air quality in and around schools, reduce greenhouse gas pollution, and help safely transport our students to and from school.

The selections announced provides funding to school districts in 47 states, along with several federally recognized Tribes. Prioritization was given to school districts in low-income, rural, and Tribal communities.

Matt Yoshioka, director of student transportation, said these buses will be owned and maintained by First Student Bus company and be used primarily for our bus routes which run within the Pendleton city limits.

“We’re grateful for our partnership with First Student and their willingness to be proactive in their approach to student transportation.  We look forward to seeing these new buses being added to the Pendleton fleet and hope to see more new and innovative ideas and opportunities happen for our district and students in the future” Yoshioka said.

The timeline for when these buses will be purchased and in use is not know at this time; it will take at least a year for the buses to arrive and for the needed infrastructure to be completed.

SMS 5th Grade Night

Sunridge Middle School – 5th Grade Night

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On Tuesday evening, May 21, 2024, Sunridge Middle School staff was on a mission to get fifth grade students and their families excited about middle school! The school hosted the 5th Grade Night to introduce fifth grade students from the district’s three elementary schools to Sunridge, where they will attend sixth grade in the 24-25 school year.

The event got off to a great start, with families enjoying hamburgers served by SMS Leadership students. Then, Principal Piper Kelm introduced all of the sixth-grade teachers and went through a short slideshow to discuss what sixth grade is like. She reiterated that some things are the same in middle school, like math, language arts, and science, but some things are different because students go to separate classrooms for each one. Other points Kelm made were the school’s No Cell Phone Use policy for students during the school day and three-minute passing times to get to your next class.

Principal Kelm also mentioned that sports are available, more food choices at lunch, the importance of regular attendance, and the social-emotional learning and supports that Sunridge Middle School has in place for students.

A couple of students from SMS Leadership talked about fun school spirit/dress-up days, Friday reward activities, and student Activity Nights that occur throughout the year. “You will want to get involved in these activities here!” they said.

After the presentation, fifth graders and their parents toured the sixth-grade hallway and classrooms, met teachers, and asked questions.

Principal Kelm said that 5th Grade Night is always a positive time to showcase SMS and connect with fifth grade students and parents. “We want them to feel comfortable when they arrive at Sunridge in August, and introducing them to our building and teachers now helps in that process,” Kelm said.

Currently, the Pendleton School District has 238 incoming fifth graders to the middle school in the fall.

SMS 5th Grade Night SMS 5th Grade Night SMS 5th Grade Night SMS 5th Grade Night SMS 5th Grade Night

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Pendleton School District Announces Administrative Changes

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The Pendleton School District has announced the appointments of Kevin Dinning, Director of Human Resources, and Heidi Paullus, lead Principal of Washington Elementary School, for the 2024-2025 school year.

Dinning is currently the principal at Washington Elementary.  Prior to his time in Pendleton, he was superintendent of Ione School District.   Dinning began his administrative career as a secondary principal and then elementary principal with the Bonners Ferry School District in Idaho.

Dinning is pleased with his new appointment but will miss leading Washington Elementary.  “Being part of the Washington family has been and continues to be a blessing.  I am proud of the hard work, focus on improvement, and commitment to kindness that the staff and students have embraced this year.  The Pendleton School District and community have continued to be a great place for my family. I look forward to supporting Washington Elementary School and the Pendleton School District from a position that allows me to engage with a broader range of the district staff and community.”

Paullus is currently the vice principal at Washington Elementary.  Before becoming vice principal at Washington, she was an instructional coach with the InterMountain Educational Service District (IMESD).   Paullus has worked in education for 25 years as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator.

“I’m pleased to remain at Washington Elementary as the lead principal.  We’ve made good progress over the past year with our building goals and priorities, and I look forward to continuing this work alongside our teachers, staff, students, and families.”  Paullus said.

According to Superintendent Kevin Headings, moving Dinning and Paullus into these administrative positions will be beneficial to the district.  “HR responsibilities have been divided among our current directors, in addition to their other full-time responsibilities, for several years.  Having Mr. Dinning assume all Human Resource responsibilities will allow our other directors to focus on supporting our schools with our district goals and mission.”  Headings continued, “and appointing Mrs. Paullus to the lead principal position at Washington Elementary was the right move.  She has gained the trust and respect of Washington’s staff, students, and parents over the past two years.”

Dinning and Paullus will begin their new positions on July 1, 2024.

Heidi Paullus Kevin Dinning

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Pendleton School District
107 NW 10th Street, Pendleton, OR 97801
Phone:  541.276.6711  Fax:  541.278.3208

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