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District Recommends New Sunridge Middle School Principal

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The 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.

Angie Horton

SMS Play Flyer

Sunridge Middle School Drama Presents Charlotte’s Web in February

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The 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.

SMS Play Flyer

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2024 Pendleton School District Graduation Rates

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PSD 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:

  • 5% increase in general graduation rate
  • 2% increase in Hispanic student graduation rate
  • 2% increase in students w/disabilities graduation rate
  • 7% increase in 4-year completion rate
  • No “gap” between general population and Native American students or between white students and Native American students
  • Student dropout rate lowered by 1% to 3.8% as compared to previous year
  • Exceeded state average in every area except dropout rate and 5-year completion rate

Areas of improvement:

  • A graduation rate of 83.2%, although an increase from the previous year, is still much lower than our goal to help all students
  • Our 5 year completion rate is 3% lower than state average (83.7%). This is much lower than the goal of helping all students receive a diploma, certificate or

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:

  • Dropout rate lowered from 3.16% to 9%
  • Virtually no gap between Native American students and the general student population (1.3% difference)
  • Graduation rate for students with disabilities increased by 2.3% to 2%
  • Exceeds state average in all areas

Areas of improvement:

  • Graduation “gaps” still exist between some student groups and the general student graduation rate
  • 5-year completion rate, although higher than state average, is still an area to improve upon to ensure the success of all students

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:

  • 4-year completion rate of 72.5%, highest ever achieved for Hawthorne
  • 5-year completion rate at 69.1%, highest ever achieved for Hawthorne Areas of improvement:
  • Dropout rate very high at 8%

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:

  • Dropout rate lowered by 1.57% to 1%
  • 2% increase in 4-year completion rate
  • Native American student graduation rate is 87%, 17% higher than state average for Native American students Areas of improvement:
  • Dropout rate at 5.1% is higher than desired and above the state average of 3%
  • 5-year completion rate is 75.8%, well below the state average of 7%
Ray Fox

New TAPP Family Coordinator, Ray Fox

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This 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.

Ray Fox

Thank You School Board Jan 2025

School Board Recognition Month – January 2025

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January 2025 is School Board Appreciation Month.  Thank you for your hard work and continued service to the Pendleton School District.

Thank You School Board Jan 2025

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Online Survey to Provide Input

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If you were unable to attend the open forum (January 13, 2025, at 7:00 pm in the PHS Auditorium) with the consultants from McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C., Executive Recruitment, and Development, who were selected to assist the Pendleton School District in the important task of selecting superintendent candidates for the board to interview, you may provide input using the online survey link provided.

The five-question survey, available in English and Spanish, will be open for participation from Monday, January 13, through Monday, January 20, 2025.

https://survey.k12insight.com/r/Pendleton2025

Sami Spriet

Welcome to PSD – Sami Spriet

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Sami Spriet
7th & 8th Grade Science Teacher
Sunridge Middle School

Sami grew up in Pendleton and graduated with the Pendleton High School Class of 2020.

She went to college at Eastern Oregon University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Ecological Biology as well as her Master of Arts degree in teaching.

“I am super excited to get to know all of the students as well as get to work with some amazing people!” Sami said about her new job.

When she has free time, Sami likes to attend concerts, read, be outdoors and spend time with friends and family.

Sami Spriet

Kevin Headings

Pendleton School District Superintendent Announces Resignation

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Pendleton School District Superintendent Kevin Headings announced he will not look to extend his contract past the 24-25 school year and will resign effective June 30, 2025. Headings was hired as Superintendent of Pendleton School District in April of 2022. He signed a three-year contract through June 2025.

Headings said upon being hired, he was thrilled with this new chapter in his life and excited about the opportunity to lead Pendleton School District as superintendent. Headings said he’s pleased with what’s been accomplished during his time as superintendent and positive with the direction the school district is headed.

However, while Headings said he was excited with the new opportunity and the progress of the district overall, he realized over time that his heart is still in working as a building principal. “I’m pleased with our work around improving instruction and making our buildings safe for our students and staff and I’m confident with the direction the district is headed. I look forward to finishing out the year strong.” Headings said, “But I’ve realized, over the past year and a half or so, that my heart just isn’t in it. I kept thinking it would change, but it really hasn’t.  I’ve been a principal in several different districts and superintendent in two. Working as a building principal with daily interactions with teachers, staff, students and parents is truly where my heart and passion are,” Headings said.

Headings said he is grateful for his time in Pendleton and for the opportunity the Pendleton School District afforded me. He has enjoyed getting to know the people of Pendleton, working with the various staff in the district, and working with the school board, he said.

Erin Zacharias

Welcome to PSD – Erin Zacharias

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Erin Zacharias
Special Education Teacher
Sunridge Middle School

Erin grew up in Pendleton and Pilot Rock. She attended Lincoln Elementary and graduated from Pilot Rock High School.

For college, she went to Grand Canyon University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Special Education.

About working in the Pendleton School District, Erin said, “I am excited I get to work with all the same coworkers I have had for the last two years and collaborate with them in a different role.”

In her free time, Erin likes to cook, bake, go on walks, and watch movies.

Erin Zacharias

SMS Weight Room

Sunridge Middle School Receives Grant for Weight Room Equipment

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Students at Sunridge Middle School have some new equipment to help them get physically stronger this school year. The school received a grant of $7,850 from the Pendleton Foundation Trust to purchase new items for the weight room.

They purchased 20 40-pound dumbbells, 10 weight benches and three floor mats.

Tim Cary, P.E. Teacher, said the new equipment has allowed them to expand the variety of lifts, allowed for a safer environment to exercise in, and provided the opportunity for several students to lift more weight and set new goals.

“We want to say thank you to the Pendleton Foundation Trust for helping us continue to improve our facilities. The grant money has truly changed the weight room and the students’ attitudes in a very positive way,” Cary said.

SMS Weight Room SMS Weight Room SMS Weight Room SMS Weight Room SMS Weight Room

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

The Pendleton School District assures that no person shall on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability or income as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related authorities, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any Pendleton School District sponsored program or activity.

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