As part of National School Lunch Week, October 13-17, 2025, Pendleton School District is celebrating the district’s nutritional services. First, some numbers:
How many meals does the district provide every day to students in schools?
Pendleton Early Learning Center: breakfast 166, lunch 221
McKay Creek Elementary: breakfast 85, lunch 142
Sherwood Heights Elementary: breakfast 149, lunch 301
Washington Elementary: breakfast 168, lunch 324
Sunridge Middle School: breakfast 179, lunch 397
Pendleton High School: breakfast 116, lunch 246
How many nutrition services employees work in PSD schools? 22 employees
Suzanne Howard, Director of Nutritional Services, works for Sodexo, the company that PSD contracts with for food services in all its schools. Howard recently highlighted a few new things for the 25-26 school year.
The first is a new menu site called Nutrislice (https://pendleton.nutrislice.com/menus-eula), which gives parents more access to information about the food that is being served in their students’ school. “In one click, they can look at the ingredients, the nutrient label, the allergens, and carb counts to make decisions for their child’s meals,” Howard said. Parents can filter by allergens to see which meals their child should not eat that week; nutrition services will work with parents to adjust menus for allergens for students.
Another new item is in the elementary schools – a new Bright Bites menu. Over the summer, Howard and her team re-decorated the kitchens at the schools to make them more colorful, engaging, and kid friendly. They also adjusted menus to include more of the food items that kids like to eat, including some new items. Elementary students recently tried Texas chili, which the kids loved. Nutrition services are also increasing options for fruits and vegetables, including more cooked vegetables like roasted squash, roasted broccoli, seasoned carrot coins, and parmesan green beans, which students have enjoyed.
At Sunridge Middle School, they added a pizza line, which has decreased congestion in the serving area. New at Pendleton High School is Chopsticks, grab-to-go Chinese food, which has been extremely popular.
What does Howard want people to know about today’s school meals? “This is not the old lunch program. We really pride ourselves on the quality of our food, and the students are our customers.” Howard said she wants students to use their voices to make suggestions about the food program. She also encourages parents to have lunch at their child’s school to experience the meals (check with your school about how to do this).
The mission of the nutrition services program is to provide healthy meals to students so they can do their best learning, Howard said. “Students who are hungry cannot focus as well and could potentially have behavior challenges.”
Breakfast and lunch are free every day for all enrolled students in the Pendleton School District, with no paperwork or sign-up required.
To provide feedback about Nutrition Services, email Suzanne Howard or provide information to nutrition services employees at your child’s school.
National School Lunch Week
/in District Site News, News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgAs part of National School Lunch Week, October 13-17, 2025, Pendleton School District is celebrating the district’s nutritional services. First, some numbers:
How many meals does the district provide every day to students in schools?
Pendleton Early Learning Center: breakfast 166, lunch 221
McKay Creek Elementary: breakfast 85, lunch 142
Sherwood Heights Elementary: breakfast 149, lunch 301
Washington Elementary: breakfast 168, lunch 324
Sunridge Middle School: breakfast 179, lunch 397
Pendleton High School: breakfast 116, lunch 246
How many nutrition services employees work in PSD schools? 22 employees
Suzanne Howard, Director of Nutritional Services, works for Sodexo, the company that PSD contracts with for food services in all its schools. Howard recently highlighted a few new things for the 25-26 school year.
The first is a new menu site called Nutrislice (https://pendleton.nutrislice.com/menus-eula), which gives parents more access to information about the food that is being served in their students’ school. “In one click, they can look at the ingredients, the nutrient label, the allergens, and carb counts to make decisions for their child’s meals,” Howard said. Parents can filter by allergens to see which meals their child should not eat that week; nutrition services will work with parents to adjust menus for allergens for students.
Another new item is in the elementary schools – a new Bright Bites menu. Over the summer, Howard and her team re-decorated the kitchens at the schools to make them more colorful, engaging, and kid friendly. They also adjusted menus to include more of the food items that kids like to eat, including some new items. Elementary students recently tried Texas chili, which the kids loved. Nutrition services are also increasing options for fruits and vegetables, including more cooked vegetables like roasted squash, roasted broccoli, seasoned carrot coins, and parmesan green beans, which students have enjoyed.
At Sunridge Middle School, they added a pizza line, which has decreased congestion in the serving area. New at Pendleton High School is Chopsticks, grab-to-go Chinese food, which has been extremely popular.
What does Howard want people to know about today’s school meals? “This is not the old lunch program. We really pride ourselves on the quality of our food, and the students are our customers.” Howard said she wants students to use their voices to make suggestions about the food program. She also encourages parents to have lunch at their child’s school to experience the meals (check with your school about how to do this).
The mission of the nutrition services program is to provide healthy meals to students so they can do their best learning, Howard said. “Students who are hungry cannot focus as well and could potentially have behavior challenges.”
Breakfast and lunch are free every day for all enrolled students in the Pendleton School District, with no paperwork or sign-up required.
To provide feedback about Nutrition Services, email Suzanne Howard or provide information to nutrition services employees at your child’s school.
Welcome to PSD – Dana DeCasas
/in District Site News, Washington School News /by rthornburgDana DeCasas
Special Education Teacher
Washington Elementary School
Dana grew up in Grants Pass, Oregon, and recently moved to Pendleton.
She attended Western Governors University to earn a bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Elementary Education.
What is Dana most excited about working in the Pendleton School District? “Being part of a close-knit community that supports every student, every day.”
In her free time, she enjoys barrel racing with her horse, Static, and spending time outdoors with her dog, Pepper.
ParentSquare is the New Communication Platform
/in District Site News, News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgPendleton School District is transitioning away from the REMIND communication platform and moving to a new platform called ParentSquare.
We highly recommend downloading the app and activating your account.
ParentSquare GETTING STARTED GUIDE for Parents and Guardians English | Spanish
District Recommends New Assistant Principal for Sherwood Elementary School
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgWe are thrilled to announce the recommendation of Mindy Barron as the new Assistant Principal at Sherwood Heights Elementary. Mindy brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environment for all students.
Mindy’s journey in education began as an Instructional Assistant and has included the roles of classroom teacher, instructional coach, technology coach, career coordinator, and dean of students over the last 20 years.
Mindy’s focus on building relationships, commitment to growth, and her experience with diverse school communities will be pivotal in continuing to move the dial for Sherwood and the Pendleton School District.
Join us in welcoming Mindy Barron to the Pendleton School District at Sherwood Heights Elementary!
PSD District Art Show
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District had another successful district-wide art show in spring 2025. The event began with a community opening night, followed by two days of art viewing by students and the public.
Abbey Prevot, Art Teacher at Pendleton High School, coordinates the show with John Bradt, Media/Tech Teacher at Sunridge Middle School. Every student in the district creates a piece of art in their class, and it’s displayed at the show. Pieces included paintings, sculpture, paper mache and more.
Prevot said the setup went smoothly this year; they had seven PHS students who helped, and they were great workers. She appreciates all the district teachers who work with their students to create the art, put name tags on every piece, and adhere them to the large paper displays.
“The art show is one of the only community events where all the schools participate, so it’s a great celebration together,” Prevot said. She said art is the first language we learn; before a child learns how to write, they are drawing. “Art is a natural skill people pick up as kids, so fostering and keeping that creativity alive for students is essential,” she said.
The Pendleton School District thanks the Education Foundation of Pendleton for funding the art show and Altrusa of Pendleton for giving out free books on opening night.
1st Grade Field Trip to Fire Station
/in District Site News, Washington School News /by rthornburgAll first graders at Washington Elementary enjoyed a fun field trip to Pendleton Fire Station #1 in May. After walking from their school to the station on Court Avenue, the students rotated to different areas of the facility. Then, paramedics and firefighters talked to them about the fire trucks, equipment, how to put out wildland fires, what it’s like to work as a firefighter, and more.
Students got to walk through an ambulance, climb up into a fire truck, and ask lots of questions.
One firefighter showed them how he puts on all his equipment, including his boots, coat, helmet, gloves, mask, and oxygen tank. He talked to them through the microphone in his mask. He explained that, even though he sounds kind of like Darth Vader and looks different when he has all his equipment on, he is still the same person underneath. He let students walk around him, looking at his clothing and equipment. “If you saw me in your house or in a building with all this on, you can know I am there to help you.”
The paramedic showing children around the ambulance explained how paramedics may have to use oxygen to help people breathe and showed them the thermometer available to take someone’s temperature, just like their parents may do at home.
Morgan Hall, Paramedic and Firefighter with Pendleton Fire and Ambulance, said when students come on field trips, station employees want young people to learn about the tools and equipment they use, see the inside of an ambulance in case they ever have to ride in one and learn the basics of what the fire and ambulance department does and what they provide to the community.
“The fun part for us is interacting with the kids, sometimes kids of people in the community we may know. It’s great to hear the funny things kids say and the questions they ask, and we enjoy seeing their curiosity,” Hall said.
Thank you, Pendleton Fire and Ambulance, for a great field trip!
2025 Crystal Apple Award Winners
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgCONGRATULATIONS to the Pendleton School District 2025 Crystal Apple Award Winners!
Nicole Kuza – Lead Secretary at Sunridge Middle School
Jess Cooper – Science Teacher at Pendleton High School
Emma Sims – Paraprofessional at Sunridge Middle School
Carol Aldrich – Title I Teacher at the Pendleton Early Learning Center
FFA Farm Day Video
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgPELC Thanks Wildhorse Foundation & Others for Library Upgrade
/in District Site News, Early Learning Center News /by rthornburgKindergartners at the Pendleton Early Learning Center (PELC) have an upgraded school library with new shelving to display hundreds of new books, thanks to the Wildhorse Foundation and other donors.
On Thursday, May 8, 2025, PELC staff gathered in the library to thank the donors and celebrate the new space. The Wildhorse Foundation grant was for $10,000. Other funding came from Title 1A, a TAPP (Tribal Attendance Promising Practices) Grant, and Title VI.
Angela Lattin, Principal of the PELC, thanked the Wildhorse Foundation. “This grant, braided with the other funding sources, was really game-changing for our school library. If not for the grant, we would have spent the next 10 years working on these projects.”
Ella Meyers, representing the Wildhorse Foundation, said the organization is really honored to be involved in something that directly impacts the youth in Pendleton and especially the connection to tribal culture. “It’s wonderful to be attending this event today, and it’s really lovely to see it turn into reality,” Meyers said.
The funding made these projects possible:
Principal Lattin said the PELC’s library is well utilized by students. After doing some calculations, she said this school year, there were 6,437 student trips to the library and 3,145 opportunities for students to check out books.