Herbicide Notice

PSD Facilities anticipate putting down an herbicide treatment across the district grounds the week of March 24-28, 2025, weather dependent.

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District Seeking Applicants for Vacant School Board Position

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District Seeking Applicants for Vacant School Board Position

Due to a recent vacancy, the Pendleton School District is seeking applicants for Position 6 on the Pendleton School Board; 3 years remain on this term. Applicants must be legally registered voters who currently reside and will have resided within the district boundaries for one year immediately before the appointment.

Please submit applications no later than July 15, 2024, to the Pendleton School District Office at 107 NW 10th Street, or they may be emailed to Ronda Thornburg – Board Secretary

Application letters should include:

  • Full Name
  • Physical Residence Address
  • Phone Number
  • Email address, and…

Address the following:

  1. Why you would like to serve on the School Board?
  2. A list of prior involvement in district activities.
  3. A description of your understanding of the role of an effective board member.

Should you have any questions, you may contact the board chair, Beth Harrison.

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Washington Elementary Intern Spotlight – Keri Kubesh

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Washington Elementary School would like to thank and acknowledge Keri Kubesh, who was an intern working on her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at the school during the 23-24 school year.

Kubesh worked closely with Maria Davis, Child Development Specialist, and Jaime Larsen, Behavior Specialist, at the school, as well as with Principal Kevin Dinning and Assistant Principal Heidi Paullus.

Kubesh did job shadowing, ran student groups focusing on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and responded to crisis calls. She said she loved the staff at Washington and that everyone was helpful and really supportive. She is grateful for the opportunity and for the school administrators.

What was one challenge? Kubesh said trying to make the SEL student groups engaging for different students, especially those who have trouble paying attention, was sometimes difficult.

However, Kubesh said, “I’ve always worked with kids, and I just love it.”

Keri Kubesh

 

Rachael Olson

Washington Elementary Intern Spotlight – Rachael Olson

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Washington Elementary School would like to thank and acknowledge Rachael Olson, who was an Administrative Intern at the school during the 23-24 school year.

Olson, who works for InterMountain ESD, was a Special Education Instructional Coach at Washington this year, providing instructional support for two new teachers at the school. In addition, Olson was an intern obtaining hours toward earning her Administrative License through COSA (Coalition of Oregon School Administrators) and the University of Oregon.

She worked with Principal Kevin Dinning and Assistant Principal Heidi Paullus, doing job shadowing, observing meetings, and more.

Olson said the intern experience has been amazing and exceeded her expectations. She said she wasn’t sure how she would feel about someday being a school administrator, but she has grown to love it. “I could see myself doing this in the future. I really like being in a building, and I love seeing the little faces of the students.”

What was surprising to Olson was the amount of steps an administrator gets walking around in a day. She said you are never really sitting at a desk.

Rachael Olson

PSD Art Show 2024

PSD Art Show Recap

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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.PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024 PSD Art Show 2024

Anne Sokoloski

District Selects New McKay Creek Elementary School Principal

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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.

Anne Sokoloski

Author Gary Hogg at Washington

Author Gary Hogg Visits Washington Elementary School

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On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, all of the students at Washington Elementary School got to spend time with an author in their school. Gary Hogg, author of the Spencer’s Adventures and Charlie Bacon books series, plus other books for young readers, visited the school thanks to funds from Altrusa International of Pendleton and the Parent Club at Washington.

Hogg started the all-school assembly by relating a story of him and his children encountering spider monkeys in the jungle on a family trip. His descriptions of a monkey jumping in the car and several of his children trying to get the monkey out of the car had Washington Wildcats engaged and laughing. Hogg explained that everyone has stories to tell. “You have a voice in the world, and the world needs your author’s voice,” Hogg told the students.

When he was in elementary school, Hogg told jokes to his fourth-grade teacher, who finally encouraged Hogg to turn those jokes into stories into books that would be read worldwide. And that’s what Hogg has done. He encouraged students to listen to their teachers, who are working hard for students and whose “superpower is hearts that hold hope for all of their students.”

After the school-wide assembly, Hogg conducted workshops in the school library with each grade level. During the fifth grade, the author outlined a few strategies for effective writing:

  • Use fancy colors
  • Use interesting size descriptions
  • Put names on things
  • Describe places
  • Be a detail detective

Students then worked on writing personal narratives. One last piece of advice from Hogg was, “Remember, there is only one you in the world. When you write, to be powerful, you have to be original.”

Gary Hogg grew up in Burley, Idaho, with a mom who loved to read and a dad who loved horses. He is the author of 26 books and has visited more than 3,700 schools. Learn more about him at garyhoggbooks.com

Author Gary Hogg at Washington Author Gary Hogg at Washington Author Gary Hogg at Washington Author Gary Hogg at Washington Author Gary Hogg at Washington Author Gary Hogg at Washington

Families Gather at Holiday TAPP Dinner

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Families Gather at Holiday TAPP Dinner

Washington Elementary School hosted families for some holiday fun at the December TAPP (Tribal Attendance Promising Practices) Dinner on Thursday, December 14, 2023. TAPP is a program focused on supporting the attendance of Native students in nine Oregon school districts. Pendleton School District is one of those districts.

About 250 people enjoyed dinner from Mazatlan Mexican Restaurant and had the chance to visit Santa and get a photo with him. Families were encouraged to take home ornament-making kits, and every student received a free movie pass and concessions from Wildhorse Cineplex. There was a candy jar guessing game and raffles for five chances each to win Safeway gift cards or Arrowhead Travel Plaza gas cards.  Families were serenaded with holiday music by Mrs. Dinkel playing a present wrapped piano.

Stacey Jacobs is the TAPP Family Advocate for the Pendleton School District. “We were really happy about the turnout for our Holiday Dinner. It’s always a fun event to celebrate the season with our families.” Jacobs organizes three dinners each school year with the intention of fostering connection between Native students/families and the school and helping adults feel comfortable in the school.

Forest Service - Washington

Forest Service Visits 4th Grade at Washington Elementary

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Fourth Graders Enjoy Visit from U.S. Forest Service

Washington Elementary School’s fourth grade students learned about the U.S. Forest Service and had a special guest in their classrooms on December 8, 2023. Two Northwest Youth Corps interns, Bailey Langley and Fabian Spencer, visited the school and talked about the U.S. Forest Service and the Umatilla National Forest.

The two were there to promote the Every Kid Outdoors program, which provides free access to national forests to every fourth grader in the United States.

First, Langley and Spencer talked about where the Umatilla National Forest in eastern Oregon is and asked students what they could do when visiting the forest. Answers ranged from camping, playing, and fishing to making tree forts and taking a sleigh ride.

Students then participated in a group activity about the ten essentials a person should carry in their backpack when exploring a forest. Through a group effort, the students decided which items were most important, things like a flashlight, matches, map and compass, clothing, and food. They were correct in choosing eight of the ten crucial items, which Spencer said was really good.

Langley then read the students the true story of Smokey Bear, the bear cub rescued from a wildfire in New Mexico in 1950. And then the real Smokey Bear walked into the classroom to the delight of the students! After some high-fives and a couple of photos, Smokey left to get back to his important forest work.

Washington Elementary fourth grade teachers thank the Umatilla National Forest for visiting and leading the lesson.

Forest Service - Washington Forest Service - Washington Forest Service - Washington Forest Service - Washington Forest Service - Washington

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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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