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.
https://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/02/PSD-Shield-logo-color.png1050975rthornburghttps://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/03/Mckay-Logo.pngrthornburg2024-05-08 11:04:452024-05-08 12:42:22Pendleton School District Announces Administrative Changes
Kindergartners from the Pendleton Early Learning Center and first graders from the district’s elementary schools enjoyed the Pendleton School District Farm Day on April 24-25, 2024. The event was held at Sunridge Middle School. The event was organized by Kylee Hunt, Agriculture Teacher at Pendleton High School, and students enrolled in Agriculture classes at the middle school and Pendleton High School ran the event.
A variety of stations were set up in the large field adjacent to the school parking lot. Students rotated to each station, learning about the parts of a pig, different types of cows, what products goats can provide, and what commodities are grown and produced in Oregon. Animals, including swine, a steer, sheep, goats, ducks, chicks, and a bunny, were big hits for the young learners.
PHS Freshman Isabelle was helping at the sheep station, where fluffy wool was made into bracelets or key chains for the kids to take home. She said the students seemed ready to learn and were having a lot of fun doing it.
At one station, students made their own “Garden in a Glove” with grass, wheat, and bean seeds placed in each finger of a glove. The welding station highlighted welding equipment and let the students “weld” two crackers together with spray cheese.
Kaitlyn, an eighth grader at SMS helping at a station, said she was enjoying seeing all the kids’ faces and hoping the experience leads them to find new interests as they get older. “It’s also good to learn where everything comes from and how we get food on the table.”
Alden, Addison, and Bethel, three kindergartners who were asked about their favorite part of Farm Day, all agreed that petting the sheep was one highlight because they were so soft and petting the rabbit was also great, as he was very cute. It was fun to see him hopping around.
PHS Teacher Hunt said she is grateful for Abbie Wilks, who was the Farm Day Committee chair and did a lot of work organizing and planning the stations. Hunt also appreciates the help of the Ag students and the teachers and staff who bring the students. “Farm Day is a great opportunity for our older students to share what they have learned and for young students to see what agriculture is about; plus, it’s a lot of fun!” Hunt said.
Farm Day was on Wednesday and Thursday for students and also included an evening event open to the public on Wednesday.
https://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/04/Farm-Day-April-2024-8.jpg17491677rthornburghttps://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/03/Mckay-Logo.pngrthornburg2024-04-30 16:08:162024-04-30 16:08:16Pendleton School District Farm Day
Hundreds of Pendleton School District students took field trips to the annual District Art Show on April 9 and 10 to see their own artwork and that of fellow students in the district. The event at the Pendleton Convention Center was also attended by hundreds of district parents, families, and community members.
A wide variety of artwork was on display at the event, from textiles, wooden collages, and painted masks to bird sculptures and paintings.
The show kicked off on Monday, April 8, with an Opening Night celebration that included free books and cookies handed out by Altrusa International of Pendleton.
Abbey Prevot, Art Teacher at Pendleton High School, and John Bradt, Art Teacher at Sunridge Middle School, organized this year’s show. “It’s very exciting to have the show up, and for me, it’s completely new. It’s great to see all K-12 art together. It’s helped our programs make connections with the elementary schools and be able to collaborate on this huge project,” Prevot said.
Bradt said since this is the first year he and Prevot have organized the event, it was a little stressful, but the show turned out great. His favorite part is the variety of the art, even within each classroom where they are doing the same project, but all the pieces look different.
The district thanks the Education Foundation of Pendleton for funding this year’s art show.
https://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/04/IMG_3309-scaled.jpg25601920rthornburghttps://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/03/Mckay-Logo.pngrthornburg2024-04-11 15:19:092024-04-12 07:54:22PSD Art Show Recap
https://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/04/Art-show.png500566rthornburghttps://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/03/Mckay-Logo.pngrthornburg2024-04-05 17:46:082024-04-05 17:46:08District Art Show
McKay Creek Elementary is proud to announce that Teacher Noele Mead’s 3rd-grade class has been crowned Oregon State Reading Champions for READBowl 2024.
READBowl is a free global reading competition where Pre-K through 8th-grade teams around the world compete to read for the most minutes over four weeks. This year’s seventh annual competition was held from January 8 (the day of the American College Football National Championship Game) through Super Bowl Sunday in February. The program is organized by Read with Malcolm, the youth literacy initiative of NFL Super Bowl Champion and children’s book author Malcolm Mitchell.
In a press release from READBowl, Mitchell said, “Winning a state championship is always prestigious. However, this year is especially notable, as there were more than 280,000 students from all 50 states and 14 countries on the reading field for the big game this year. I am so proud of every student who competed and congratulate our state and national champions.”
Overall, students from across the globe read for more than 180 million minutes during READBowl 2024.
Mead’s class read a total of 102,788 minutes to become the Oregon champions!
“We were completely shocked!” Mead said. “There was an uproar of WOO-HOO’s when I read the email out loud. As a teacher, it is such an honor to have my students recognized for their hard work and dedication to reading. Not everyone enjoys reading and for every student to be excited to participate was a highlight.”
Each day, students counted the reading they did while at school – reading instruction, reading silently, group reading, and anything they read during the day. They also kept track of the minutes they read at home. Mead said she saw an increase in her students completed weekly reading logs, which made her book-loving heart happy. Her students were the most excited when she told them the class was getting a box of books. One student stated that they were excited to have a prize they could keep forever.
McKay Teacher Shelby Cook’s 2nd-grade class also participated in READBowl 2024.
https://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/03/182898.jpeg689909rthornburghttps://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/03/Mckay-Logo.pngrthornburg2024-03-14 08:34:112024-03-14 08:42:113rd-Grade Class Named Oregon Reading Champions at McKay Elementary
The Pendleton School District School Board has selected Mrs. Anne Sokoloski as the new Principal at McKay Creek Elementary School.
Sokoloski is currently the Dean of Students at Loma Vista Elementary School in the Hermiston School District. Prior to that, she was a Counselor at Desert View Elementary in Hermiston and a Child Development Specialist at the Pendleton Early Learning Center in Pendleton.
“I am thrilled to return to Pendleton to serve as principal of McKay Creek Elementary,” Sokoloski said. “The past two years as Dean of Students at Loma Vista in Hermiston have been invaluable in helping me grow as a leader. The Hermiston School District, colleagues, students, and families have played a pivotal role in my career, and I appreciate their support and collaboration.”
Sokoloski earned a bachelor of science in Speech Communication from Oregon State University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Eastern Oregon University. She received her Professional Administrator Licensure from Lewis and Clark College in 2019.
According to Superintendent Kevin Headings, “Mrs. Sokoloski possesses the qualities we are looking for in our next McKay Elementary principal. She’s a skilled leader, student-centered and a strong communicator. Finding someone with knowledge and understanding of our region and who is familiar with Pendleton is an added bonus.”
Sokoloski will replace the outgoing principal, Sherri Kilgore. Sokoloski’s contract begins on July 1, 2024.
https://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/03/Anne-Sokoloski-scaled.jpg25601920rthornburghttps://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/03/Mckay-Logo.pngrthornburg2024-03-13 08:07:212024-03-13 08:07:22District Selects New McKay Creek Elementary School Principal
https://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2021/08/McKay-mustang-in-front-of-M.jpg163200rthornburghttps://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/03/Mckay-Logo.pngrthornburg2024-01-30 12:42:062024-01-30 12:45:00Video – McKay Battle of the Books 2024
Who needs the Super Bowl in February? McKay’s students have the Read Bowl!
Second graders in Shelby Cook’s classroom and third graders in Noele Mead’s classroom have been highly focused on reading with a fun football component. The students in the two classes are participating in Read Bowl, which uses a football theme and some friendly competition in the four weeks leading up to the Super Bowl.
Each day, students get to count the reading they do while at school – this could be reading instruction, reading silently, group reading, or anything they have read during the day. They also keep track of the minutes they read at home. On their own football tracker, they color in how many minutes they read every day.
Second-grade teacher Cook said she saw the idea of Read Bowl on social media and thought she would try it to get her students reading more because she has a lot of students who really like football. “My main goal is to help my students find books they really like so they start loving to read!”
Mead’s third-grade class is also participating. At halftime, or halfway through the Read Bowl of four weeks, Mead’s students have read 26,838 minutes (about 447 hours). “This competition has really helped all my students, even the non-readers, find a love for reading!” Mead said.
So, no matter who wins the Super Bowl, these young readers are stars!
https://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/01/DJI_20240110_132516_821-scaled.jpg19202560rthornburghttps://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/03/Mckay-Logo.pngrthornburg2024-01-25 08:27:152024-01-25 09:04:20Read Bowl for Grades 2 & 3 at McKay Creek Elementary School
On Thursday, January 25, 2024, the Oregon Department of Education released graduation rates for school districts in Oregon.
The Pendleton School District’s graduation rate for 2022-2023 was 76.70%, as compared to 81.99% the previous year. This number includes Pendleton High School, Hawthorne High School, and Nixyáawii Community School. Kevin Headings, district superintendent, said, “Our rate dropped slightly, and while that’s of some concern, there are a lot of positives in our numbers. Considering all our students have been through the past few years, we’re considering these numbers a success.”
The graduation rate for Pendleton High School (PHS) for 2022-2023 was 82.4%, above the state average, but a decrease from 89% in 2021-22. Hawthorne High School’s rate continued a 5–year upward trend with a 44.7% rate, as compared to 39.1% in 2021-2022. Nixyáawii Community School’s rate was 76%, which was a slight decrease as compared to 2021-2022.
Headings said the real improvements were among our Native American students. PHS’s Native American graduation rate was 82.4%, which represents a 10% increase from last year and is 13% above the state average. Nixyáawii Community School’s Native American graduation rate was 78.3%, which is a 2% increase over last year and well above the state average. PSD’s overall Native American graduation rate was 80%, which is 12% above the state average and a 13% increase from last year. “Our staff have not stopped working to help all students graduate. Our overall numbers continue to be positive with continued improvements in key areas,” Headings said.
“Although the district would like to see more students graduate, the results across the board are positive, especially with our Native American students,” Headings said, “These increases reflect the many hundreds of hours PSD staff, students, and families pour into their efforts to find success. We are working to improve and grow at all levels in our schools and remain committed to every student, every day,”
https://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/04/2019-PSD-ESED-logo-color.jpg480446rthornburghttps://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/03/Mckay-Logo.pngrthornburg2024-01-25 08:04:322024-01-25 08:04:32District Responds to ODE Graduation Rate Release
The Pendleton School District School Board has approved the appointment of TJ Presley as Principal of Sherwood Elementary School, effective July 1, 2024.
Presley is currently the vice principal at Sherwood Elementary. Prior to his time in Pendleton, Presley worked in Pilot Rock School District, where he taught middle school math before being hired as their secondary principal and athletic director. Before going into public education, Mr. Presley worked in senior-level management at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Hermiston.
Colleagues describe Mr. Presley as a talented leader who is thoughtful, considerate, and passionate. He is also described as a leader who has a high level of integrity and puts the needs of students, staff, and parents at the forefront of every decision he makes.
Mr. Presley earned a bachelor of science in business and management/finance from Western Oregon University in 2007. He earned his Master of Arts in education from Eastern Oregon University in 2017.
According to Superintendent Kevin Headings, appointing Mr. Presley as principal of Sherwood was an easy decision. “Mr. Presley has proven to be a skilled and talented administrator – both during his time in Pilot Rock and in his two years with Pendleton. He has the respect of the Sherwood staff, students, and families. He possesses the qualities needed for Sherwood Elementary’s continued success – high integrity, student-centered decision making and strong communication skills. We’re fortunate he works in Pendleton School District.” Headings said.
Mr. Presley will officially take over as principal on July 1. He is replacing Principal Ronda Smith, who is retiring effective June 30, 2024.
https://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/01/TJ-Presley.jpg604490rthornburghttps://mces.pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2020/03/Mckay-Logo.pngrthornburg2024-01-10 14:07:322024-01-10 14:23:25District Appoints New Sherwood Elementary School Principal
Pendleton School District Announces Administrative Changes
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgThe 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.
Pendleton School District Farm Day
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgKindergartners from the Pendleton Early Learning Center and first graders from the district’s elementary schools enjoyed the Pendleton School District Farm Day on April 24-25, 2024. The event was held at Sunridge Middle School. The event was organized by Kylee Hunt, Agriculture Teacher at Pendleton High School, and students enrolled in Agriculture classes at the middle school and Pendleton High School ran the event.
A variety of stations were set up in the large field adjacent to the school parking lot. Students rotated to each station, learning about the parts of a pig, different types of cows, what products goats can provide, and what commodities are grown and produced in Oregon. Animals, including swine, a steer, sheep, goats, ducks, chicks, and a bunny, were big hits for the young learners.
PHS Freshman Isabelle was helping at the sheep station, where fluffy wool was made into bracelets or key chains for the kids to take home. She said the students seemed ready to learn and were having a lot of fun doing it.
At one station, students made their own “Garden in a Glove” with grass, wheat, and bean seeds placed in each finger of a glove. The welding station highlighted welding equipment and let the students “weld” two crackers together with spray cheese.
Kaitlyn, an eighth grader at SMS helping at a station, said she was enjoying seeing all the kids’ faces and hoping the experience leads them to find new interests as they get older. “It’s also good to learn where everything comes from and how we get food on the table.”
Alden, Addison, and Bethel, three kindergartners who were asked about their favorite part of Farm Day, all agreed that petting the sheep was one highlight because they were so soft and petting the rabbit was also great, as he was very cute. It was fun to see him hopping around.
PHS Teacher Hunt said she is grateful for Abbie Wilks, who was the Farm Day Committee chair and did a lot of work organizing and planning the stations. Hunt also appreciates the help of the Ag students and the teachers and staff who bring the students. “Farm Day is a great opportunity for our older students to share what they have learned and for young students to see what agriculture is about; plus, it’s a lot of fun!” Hunt said.
Farm Day was on Wednesday and Thursday for students and also included an evening event open to the public on Wednesday.
PSD Art Show Recap
/in District Site News, News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgHundreds of Pendleton School District students took field trips to the annual District Art Show on April 9 and 10 to see their own artwork and that of fellow students in the district. The event at the Pendleton Convention Center was also attended by hundreds of district parents, families, and community members.
A wide variety of artwork was on display at the event, from textiles, wooden collages, and painted masks to bird sculptures and paintings.
The show kicked off on Monday, April 8, with an Opening Night celebration that included free books and cookies handed out by Altrusa International of Pendleton.
Abbey Prevot, Art Teacher at Pendleton High School, and John Bradt, Art Teacher at Sunridge Middle School, organized this year’s show. “It’s very exciting to have the show up, and for me, it’s completely new. It’s great to see all K-12 art together. It’s helped our programs make connections with the elementary schools and be able to collaborate on this huge project,” Prevot said.
Bradt said since this is the first year he and Prevot have organized the event, it was a little stressful, but the show turned out great. His favorite part is the variety of the art, even within each classroom where they are doing the same project, but all the pieces look different.
The district thanks the Education Foundation of Pendleton for funding this year’s art show.
District Art Show
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District is having its annual District Art Show April 8 through 10 at the Pendleton Convention Center.
3rd-Grade Class Named Oregon Reading Champions at McKay Elementary
/in District Site News, McKay Elementary /by rthornburgMcKay Creek Elementary is proud to announce that Teacher Noele Mead’s 3rd-grade class has been crowned Oregon State Reading Champions for READBowl 2024.
READBowl is a free global reading competition where Pre-K through 8th-grade teams around the world compete to read for the most minutes over four weeks. This year’s seventh annual competition was held from January 8 (the day of the American College Football National Championship Game) through Super Bowl Sunday in February. The program is organized by Read with Malcolm, the youth literacy initiative of NFL Super Bowl Champion and children’s book author Malcolm Mitchell.
In a press release from READBowl, Mitchell said, “Winning a state championship is always prestigious. However, this year is especially notable, as there were more than 280,000 students from all 50 states and 14 countries on the reading field for the big game this year. I am so proud of every student who competed and congratulate our state and national champions.”
Overall, students from across the globe read for more than 180 million minutes during READBowl 2024.
Mead’s class read a total of 102,788 minutes to become the Oregon champions!
“We were completely shocked!” Mead said. “There was an uproar of WOO-HOO’s when I read the email out loud. As a teacher, it is such an honor to have my students recognized for their hard work and dedication to reading. Not everyone enjoys reading and for every student to be excited to participate was a highlight.”
Each day, students counted the reading they did while at school – reading instruction, reading silently, group reading, and anything they read during the day. They also kept track of the minutes they read at home. Mead said she saw an increase in her students completed weekly reading logs, which made her book-loving heart happy. Her students were the most excited when she told them the class was getting a box of books. One student stated that they were excited to have a prize they could keep forever.
McKay Teacher Shelby Cook’s 2nd-grade class also participated in READBowl 2024.
District Selects New McKay Creek Elementary School Principal
/in District Site News, News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District School Board has selected Mrs. Anne Sokoloski as the new Principal at McKay Creek Elementary School.
Sokoloski is currently the Dean of Students at Loma Vista Elementary School in the Hermiston School District. Prior to that, she was a Counselor at Desert View Elementary in Hermiston and a Child Development Specialist at the Pendleton Early Learning Center in Pendleton.
“I am thrilled to return to Pendleton to serve as principal of McKay Creek Elementary,” Sokoloski said. “The past two years as Dean of Students at Loma Vista in Hermiston have been invaluable in helping me grow as a leader. The Hermiston School District, colleagues, students, and families have played a pivotal role in my career, and I appreciate their support and collaboration.”
Sokoloski earned a bachelor of science in Speech Communication from Oregon State University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Eastern Oregon University. She received her Professional Administrator Licensure from Lewis and Clark College in 2019.
According to Superintendent Kevin Headings, “Mrs. Sokoloski possesses the qualities we are looking for in our next McKay Elementary principal. She’s a skilled leader, student-centered and a strong communicator. Finding someone with knowledge and understanding of our region and who is familiar with Pendleton is an added bonus.”
Sokoloski will replace the outgoing principal, Sherri Kilgore. Sokoloski’s contract begins on July 1, 2024.
Video – McKay Battle of the Books 2024
/in District Site News, McKay Creek School News /by rthornburgRead Bowl for Grades 2 & 3 at McKay Creek Elementary School
/in District Site News, McKay Creek School News /by rthornburgWho needs the Super Bowl in February? McKay’s students have the Read Bowl!
Second graders in Shelby Cook’s classroom and third graders in Noele Mead’s classroom have been highly focused on reading with a fun football component. The students in the two classes are participating in Read Bowl, which uses a football theme and some friendly competition in the four weeks leading up to the Super Bowl.
Each day, students get to count the reading they do while at school – this could be reading instruction, reading silently, group reading, or anything they have read during the day. They also keep track of the minutes they read at home. On their own football tracker, they color in how many minutes they read every day.
Second-grade teacher Cook said she saw the idea of Read Bowl on social media and thought she would try it to get her students reading more because she has a lot of students who really like football. “My main goal is to help my students find books they really like so they start loving to read!”
Mead’s third-grade class is also participating. At halftime, or halfway through the Read Bowl of four weeks, Mead’s students have read 26,838 minutes (about 447 hours). “This competition has really helped all my students, even the non-readers, find a love for reading!” Mead said.
So, no matter who wins the Super Bowl, these young readers are stars!
District Responds to ODE Graduation Rate Release
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgOn Thursday, January 25, 2024, the Oregon Department of Education released graduation rates for school districts in Oregon.
The Pendleton School District’s graduation rate for 2022-2023 was 76.70%, as compared to 81.99% the previous year. This number includes Pendleton High School, Hawthorne High School, and Nixyáawii Community School. Kevin Headings, district superintendent, said, “Our rate dropped slightly, and while that’s of some concern, there are a lot of positives in our numbers. Considering all our students have been through the past few years, we’re considering these numbers a success.”
The graduation rate for Pendleton High School (PHS) for 2022-2023 was 82.4%, above the state average, but a decrease from 89% in 2021-22. Hawthorne High School’s rate continued a 5–year upward trend with a 44.7% rate, as compared to 39.1% in 2021-2022. Nixyáawii Community School’s rate was 76%, which was a slight decrease as compared to 2021-2022.
Headings said the real improvements were among our Native American students. PHS’s Native American graduation rate was 82.4%, which represents a 10% increase from last year and is 13% above the state average. Nixyáawii Community School’s Native American graduation rate was 78.3%, which is a 2% increase over last year and well above the state average. PSD’s overall Native American graduation rate was 80%, which is 12% above the state average and a 13% increase from last year. “Our staff have not stopped working to help all students graduate. Our overall numbers continue to be positive with continued improvements in key areas,” Headings said.
“Although the district would like to see more students graduate, the results across the board are positive, especially with our Native American students,” Headings said, “These increases reflect the many hundreds of hours PSD staff, students, and families pour into their efforts to find success. We are working to improve and grow at all levels in our schools and remain committed to every student, every day,”
District Appoints New Sherwood Elementary School Principal
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District School Board has approved the appointment of TJ Presley as Principal of Sherwood Elementary School, effective July 1, 2024.
Presley is currently the vice principal at Sherwood Elementary. Prior to his time in Pendleton, Presley worked in Pilot Rock School District, where he taught middle school math before being hired as their secondary principal and athletic director. Before going into public education, Mr. Presley worked in senior-level management at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Hermiston.
Colleagues describe Mr. Presley as a talented leader who is thoughtful, considerate, and passionate. He is also described as a leader who has a high level of integrity and puts the needs of students, staff, and parents at the forefront of every decision he makes.
Mr. Presley earned a bachelor of science in business and management/finance from Western Oregon University in 2007. He earned his Master of Arts in education from Eastern Oregon University in 2017.
According to Superintendent Kevin Headings, appointing Mr. Presley as principal of Sherwood was an easy decision. “Mr. Presley has proven to be a skilled and talented administrator – both during his time in Pilot Rock and in his two years with Pendleton. He has the respect of the Sherwood staff, students, and families. He possesses the qualities needed for Sherwood Elementary’s continued success – high integrity, student-centered decision making and strong communication skills. We’re fortunate he works in Pendleton School District.” Headings said.
Mr. Presley will officially take over as principal on July 1. He is replacing Principal Ronda Smith, who is retiring effective June 30, 2024.