The Pendleton Early Learning Center (PELC) celebrated 10 years of teaching kindergartners on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
In the 2015-2016 school year, the Pendleton School District embarked upon a new, exciting venture by opening the PELC. The new school, created by totally remodeling the old Hawthorne building, houses all the district’s kindergartners in one building.
Several teachers and staff members who worked at the PELC in the first year were at the school to celebrate the 10th anniversary. A group of them chatted in the school’s library, remembering what it was like to start working in the new building in fall 2015, which also marked the first year of all-day kindergarten at PSD.
They said they had to start from ground zero with every procedure, like where to line up, how to take kids to lunch, all the recess rules, everything. They commented that procedures changed a lot in that first year as they adapted to the space and to having 200 five-year-olds in one school.
“Over the next couple of years, we changed things and found better ways to do things,” said Jan Levy, former Kindergarten Teacher.
Some of the teachers who started at the PELC came from elementary schools that had only one kindergarten teacher, so the new school provided opportunities to collaborate with other kindergarten teachers. “One of the best parts about the PELC is that because it’s an all kindergarten school, you have teachers who all teach the same level and their resources so that you can figure things out much quicker,” said Brian Zimmerman, who started teaching the first year and is still teaching at the PELC.
Mireya Wolf, Paraprofessional, was there for the first year and still works there. She said that in the first year, everyone was nervous but also excited about the beautiful, colorful building. She said she loves coming to work at the PELC every day, and her favorite part is seeing the kids.
Lori Curtis, Lead Secretary, has welcomed students and families to the school for 10 years. She remembers the first year was all about working out the kinks of a new school building, and the decade since then has gone by so fast. Curtis loves the concept of the PELC and said, “It’s amazing having all the kindergartners in one location, and it’s fun having Head Start and IMESD preschool here and getting to know those families before the kids become kindergartners.”
Pendleton School District Superintendent Kevin Headings thanked the visionary administrators who established the PELC, which is considered a unique early learning center on the West Coast. “Until today, I didn’t realize how many staff who started here 10 years ago are still here, and that says something about the PELC, its culture, and what you all have created. The district is very proud of this school. Thank you to the PELC staff for doing what you do for the youngest learners in our district, it’s much appreciated,” Headings said.
PELC teachers and staff who started the first year and are still working there are: Donna Bostwick, Lori Curtis, Rachele Johnson, Shawndine Jones, Madelyn Naughton, Tracey Perkes, Mireya Wolf, Shellie Wyss, and Brian Zimmerman.
PELC Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgThe Pendleton Early Learning Center (PELC) celebrated 10 years of teaching kindergartners on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
In the 2015-2016 school year, the Pendleton School District embarked upon a new, exciting venture by opening the PELC. The new school, created by totally remodeling the old Hawthorne building, houses all the district’s kindergartners in one building.
Several teachers and staff members who worked at the PELC in the first year were at the school to celebrate the 10th anniversary. A group of them chatted in the school’s library, remembering what it was like to start working in the new building in fall 2015, which also marked the first year of all-day kindergarten at PSD.
They said they had to start from ground zero with every procedure, like where to line up, how to take kids to lunch, all the recess rules, everything. They commented that procedures changed a lot in that first year as they adapted to the space and to having 200 five-year-olds in one school.
“Over the next couple of years, we changed things and found better ways to do things,” said Jan Levy, former Kindergarten Teacher.
Some of the teachers who started at the PELC came from elementary schools that had only one kindergarten teacher, so the new school provided opportunities to collaborate with other kindergarten teachers. “One of the best parts about the PELC is that because it’s an all kindergarten school, you have teachers who all teach the same level and their resources so that you can figure things out much quicker,” said Brian Zimmerman, who started teaching the first year and is still teaching at the PELC.
Mireya Wolf, Paraprofessional, was there for the first year and still works there. She said that in the first year, everyone was nervous but also excited about the beautiful, colorful building. She said she loves coming to work at the PELC every day, and her favorite part is seeing the kids.
Lori Curtis, Lead Secretary, has welcomed students and families to the school for 10 years. She remembers the first year was all about working out the kinks of a new school building, and the decade since then has gone by so fast. Curtis loves the concept of the PELC and said, “It’s amazing having all the kindergartners in one location, and it’s fun having Head Start and IMESD preschool here and getting to know those families before the kids become kindergartners.”
Pendleton School District Superintendent Kevin Headings thanked the visionary administrators who established the PELC, which is considered a unique early learning center on the West Coast. “Until today, I didn’t realize how many staff who started here 10 years ago are still here, and that says something about the PELC, its culture, and what you all have created. The district is very proud of this school. Thank you to the PELC staff for doing what you do for the youngest learners in our district, it’s much appreciated,” Headings said.
PELC teachers and staff who started the first year and are still working there are: Donna Bostwick, Lori Curtis, Rachele Johnson, Shawndine Jones, Madelyn Naughton, Tracey Perkes, Mireya Wolf, Shellie Wyss, and Brian Zimmerman.
PSD Works to Strengthen Behavioral Systems of Support for Students
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgRecently, Julie Smith, Director of Special Programs for Pendleton School District, discussed some new strategies the district has used to support students during the 2024-25 school year. Here are highlights from that conversation with Dr. Smith.
How is student support different now?
The COVID pandemic drastically shifted the landscape for communities, families, children, and schools. Five years later, schools are still working to refine systems of support to better meet the new and different needs of our students. Our systems were built around pre-pandemic student needs. Using a data-driven approach, the district looked at the high number of students who needed significant levels of support and realized we needed to develop a more proactive system.
What is the current system used at PSD?
All Pendleton schools utilize Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) within our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) for students. The MTSS system has three support levels — Tier 1, 2, and 3. Tier 1 is delivered in the classroom to all students. Some students receive additional support through Tier 2. Some students receive high levels of individualized support through Tier 3.
PSD elementary schools have child development specialists and behavior support specialists providing Tier 2 and 3 supports.
District and school leaders identified there was a higher number of students needing Tier 3 support, indicating practices at the lower tiers of support may not be as effective as they could be. The team worked to identify what was working and what needs adapting to strengthen our system.
How is Pendleton School District responding?
In May 2024, I reached out to colleagues at the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) I had worked with on school improvement projects. The ODE partners agreed to support the district as a pilot developing technical assistance tools potentially for other districts asking for support.
Pendleton School District’s K-8 Administrative Team spent a full day training with ODE experts in Behavior Support Systems at the beginning of the 24-25 school year. Building administrators developed action plans to share with their building leadership teams based on this training and an assessment of where they might refine their systems of support. Building leadership teams worked to adjust the PBIS system based on individual building needs.
What are your takeaways from this process?
Building administrators, counselors, teachers, and paraprofessionals are working hard to meet the needs of every student every day. They are working to identify what is working well and what is not working well. We are trying to be proactive while responding to the needs of students who need a high level of support. We want to work in partnership with our families, community partners, and the Oregon Department of Education to make our schools welcoming and inviting for every person who enters our schools.
District Recommends New Sunridge Middle School Assistant Principal/Athletic Director
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District will recommend that the board approve Doug Gunter to be the new assistant principal/athletic director of Sunridge Middle School, effective July 1, 2025.
With the recent announcement that Sunridge will have a vacancy for an assistant principal, the district decided to draw from the strong applicant pool of principal applicants to fill this position for the 2025-2026 school year.
The position of assistant principal/athletic director was offered to Doug Gunter, and he has accepted. Doug was a finalist in our recent SMS principal search, and he comes highly recommended by his colleagues and current supervisor.
Mr. Gunter has been a teacher and executive director at Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School for the past 12 years in the Salem-Keizer School District, and taught at Adam Stephens Middle School before that, also in Salem-Keizer. We’re excited to have him join the SMS team, the Pendleton School District, and the Pendleton Community.
Mr. Gunter will officially take over as assistant principal/athletic director on July 1st. He is replacing Caleb Patterson as he has accepted a position in La Grande.
District Recommends New Sunridge Middle School Principal
/in District Site News, News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District School Board will be asked at their next board meeting to approve the recommendation to hire Angie Horton to be the new principal of Sunridge Middle School, effective July 1st, 2025.
Horton is currently a principal in the Warrenton Hammond School District. Horton has held Principal, Vice Principal, Behavior Support Classroom Teacher, and a 3rd Grade teacher positions in her district. Before her time in Warrenton, she was a Child Treatment Specialist at the Grande Ronde Child Care Centre in La Grande.
Mrs. Horton attended Wallowa High School, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and business administration in 2001 from Eastern Oregon University, a master’s degree in Special Education in 2019 from Western Governor’s University, and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Western Governor’s University in 2022.
Mrs. Horton will officially take over as principal on July 1st. She is replacing Principal, Piper Kelm, who is retiring effective June 30th.
Pendleton School District Announces Superintendent Selection
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District Board of Directors is pleased to announce that a contract for Superintendent of the Pendleton School District has been offered to Dr. Michelle Jensen, of West Linn, Oregon.
Dr. Jensen is currently a Primary School Principal in the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. She has worked in her current position since 2019. Previously, she worked in the Hermiston School District as a counselor from 2005 to 2014 and Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives from 2014 to 2016; and as a principal in the Hillsboro Oregon School District from 2016 to 2019.
Eleven individuals applied for the position, and the Board interviewed two finalists for the position on March 10. Dr. Jensen will assume the duties of Superintendent beginning July 1, 2025.
Dr. Douglas Nelson and Mrs. Heidi Sipe of McPherson & Jacobson L.L.C. served as consultants in the search process. Mrs. Sipe will continue working with the Pendleton School District Board of Directors and Dr. Jensen in helping establish performance objectives for her.
The Pendleton School District Board of Directors Announces Finalists for Superintendent Interviews
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgFebruary 25, 2025
Contact: Douglas Nelson, Ed.D.
McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C.
541-410-8292
The Pendleton School District Board of Directors Announces Finalists for Superintendent Interviews
Pendleton, Oregon – The Pendleton School District Board of Directors is pleased to announce that they have selected two candidates to interview for their superintendent vacancy. The district had twelve applicants for the position, and candidates were vetted through a variety of reviews prior to consideration by the school board. The results of these activities were presented to the school board at an Executive Session on February 24, 2025. The two finalists were selected based on their educational attainment, depth and breadth of experience, and alignment to the priorities of the Pendleton School District stakeholder input. The candidates selected for interviews are:
Interviews are scheduled to be conducted on March 10, 2025, with both candidates. Several stakeholder groups will have the opportunity to meet the final candidates and submit input to the board about each of them. The board intends to make their selection by the week of March 17.
The Pendleton School District retained the services of McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C., to assist in conducting their search. The consultants reviewed, screened, and conducted extensive background checks on all applicants. On Monday, February 24, 2025, the consultants presented the applicants to the Board of Directors and provided them with detailed background information on each applicant.
Sunridge Middle School Drama Presents Charlotte’s Web in February
/in District Site News, Sunridge News /by rthornburgThe Sunridge Middle School (SMS) drama program is presenting the play “Charlotte’s Web” on February 26th and 27th at 7:00 PM in the school Commons. It’s free and open to the public.
Including both cast and crew, there are 20 students putting on the production.
Carly Elder, Choir/Drama Teacher at SMS, said the play is about an hour long with no intermission; families with children are welcome, but she would recommend ages five and older for the audience.
The play is based on the book by E.B. White and adapted by Joseph Robinette.
The poster for the production was designed by Autumn Kolacz, an eighth grader at Sunridge Middle School.
2024 Pendleton School District Graduation Rates
/in District Site News /by rthornburgPSD has much to celebrate in recently released graduation rates.
On Thursday, January 30, 2025, the Oregon Department of Education released the graduation cohort and dropout data for all public school districts in Oregon. The Pendleton School District results are very strong, with a couple of very specific areas needing improvement.
The four-year cohort graduation rates are calculated by following students from the fall of their first year in high school to the end of their fourth year. This tells us the percentage of those students who graduated within four years. The Pendleton School District graduation rates represent a combination of all students who attended Pendleton High School, Hawthorne High School, and Nixyaawii Community School.
This year’s four-year cohort is made up of the students who first entered high school in the fall of 2020. This is important to note since these students started high school 100% online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There has been much to overcome for these students and many challenges our staff have faced head-on to ensure these students graduate. We celebrate the successes of these students and staff and thank them for their efforts.
The Pendleton School District’s four-year cohort rate is 83.2%. This is a 6.5% increase from the year before and almost 2% higher than the state average.
We have listed areas to celebrate success and a few areas of improvement. Areas of success:
Areas of improvement:
We also look at specific school rates as we celebrate successes and try to replicate them in all schools. The Pendleton High School rates increased in nearly every area and exceeds the state average in every area. PHS’s outstanding graduation rates are a great tribute to the many hours of hard work our staff and community invest in our students.
The Pendleton High School four-year cohort rate is 88.8%. This is a 4.9% increase from the year before and 7% higher than the state average.
Areas of success:
Areas of improvement:
The Hawthorne High School four-year cohort rate is 55%. This is a 10.3% increase from the year before and almost 27% higher than five years ago.
Areas of success:
The Nixyaawii Community School four-year cohort rate is 87%. This is a 14.3% increase from the year before and 6% higher than the state average.
Areas of success:
New TAPP Family Coordinator, Ray Fox
/in District Site News, Sunridge News /by rthornburgThis school year, Sunridge Middle School has a new member on its team to help improve attendance. Ray Fox is the new Family Advocate for the TAPP (Tribal Attendance Promising Practices) program. He started working at SMS in November and explained that his job has two components.
The first part focuses on attendance of Native American students, including tracking data, identifying potential barriers to attendance and creating connections with Native students and their families. The second part of Fox’s job is to be a resource every day for all students at the middle school. Fox’s office, which is located in the Counseling Office, offers a space to talk with students and a place where a student can take a quick break.
“A big part of my job is helping to build the school’s sense of community and being a connection point for students. Every day when I listen to students and work with them, they are teaching me about their needs and how to better support them,” Fox said.
Many Native students have extreme diversity in their lives, Fox said, as their home life may be much different than their school life. Although school attendance may be important for a student and their family, sometimes cultural activities like hunting with their family my cause them to miss school. Fox said the Pendleton School District now offers cultural leave for students, which is a positive step.
Sunridge Middle School had a regular attendance rate last school year of 59%, so building administrators are committed to improving it to 69% this year. Through their Attendance Matters campaign, the school established a chart where teachers can track days of 100% attendance in classes, and the school has “No Tardy Parties” where students can earn treats at lunchtime.
Piper Kelm, Principal at Sunridge, said the school is emphasizing positive behaviors they want students to exhibit and having Fox onboard is a helpful addition to the effort.
What does attendance/school success look like for Kelm and Fox? SMS students having a positive experience at school, a sense of belonging and the feeling that they are being heard, all of which contribute to students wanting to be at school.
School Board Recognition Month – January 2025
/in District Site News /by rthornburgJanuary 2025 is School Board Appreciation Month. Thank you for your hard work and continued service to the Pendleton School District.