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Helping families stay connected to Bend-La Pine Schools |
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Hurray for the Last Week of School!
What a wonderful last week of school, filled with fun, laughter, learning and celebration!
Families, we wish you all a safe, healthy summer and are excited to connect with you again in September.
Below, find key information about free summer meals as well as calendar dates for the 2022-23 school year.
Thank you!
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Our Graduations Served Up Moments I Will Not Soon Forget |
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Every graduation ceremony I have had the pleasure to attend (and if my count is right, that’s about 80), leaves me with a sense of hope and optimism for the future. There’s nothing like the feeling of cheering and sharing joy together with hundreds of families.
For our seniors, graduation is both the closing of a chapter and a fresh start for so many possibilities. This year, I’ve been grateful to attend some truly memorable graduations in celebration of the 1,280 members of Bend-La Pine Schools’ Class of 2022.
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Caption: This is a moment I had to capture at Mountain View High's graduation, it's one I will not forget soon. |
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More on the Class of 2022: Student Voices and Celebrations |
Podcast: Ready to Reflect
Grab your mortarboards and get ready to toss some confetti, it’s senior week on the podcast! In this episode, two seniors at Realms High take Superintendent Cook on a tour of their small choice high school, reflect on how the pandemic affected their high school experience and share their plans for the future. Listen now
Favorite photos from all six graduations
During the past week, 1,280 students graduated from our six local high schools. Check out some of our favorite photos and submit your own images and messages to seniors: Class of 2022
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New Principal Selected for La Pine Middle School
Superintendent Steven Cook announced the hiring of Brian Barringer to serve as the next principal at La Pine Middle School.
Barringer is currently serving as Principal at Big Picture Learning College and Career Academy in Denver, Colorado, a position he has held for three years.
“I’m so thankful for this opportunity to join an amazing staff at La Pine Middle School. I am thrilled to make this my new home, where I hope to work in collaboration with staff, students and the community to make the school the best it can be,” said Barringer.
Barringer previously served as an assistant principal for three years and he has six years of teaching experience at the middle school and high school levels. Barringer also served as an athletic director. Barringer will begin July 1, following Principal Matt Montgomery, who retired.
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Free Summer Meals Available Starting June 21
Bend-La Pine Schools will once again offer thousands of free, healthy and tasty meals to students throughout Central Oregon this summer as part of its annual Summer Meals program.
Meals will be available at the following locations and and dates:
June 21 through Aug. 19, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Closed on June 20 and July 4.
- Ensworth Elementary
- Larkspur Park
- Silver Rail Elementary
- La Pine Elementary
June 27 through Aug. 26, 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Closed on July 4 and Aug. 15.
- Boys & Girls Club Downtown
- Bend-La Pine Schools Ed Center 520 NW Wall Street
Anyone 18 years old and younger may participate. There is no registration or fee. Parents are encouraged to attend with their children and may purchase a meal for $5.
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Calendars Updated for 2022-23 School Year
Curious about when school will be in session next year?
Be sure to download a copy of our calendars with major dates for Bend area and South County Schools and Bend Tech Academy at Marshall High School.
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Join Our Team: Bend-La Pine Schools Now Hiring for Dozens of Positions |
Bend-La Pine Schools is now hiring for dozens of support staff positions. Earn competitive salaries, great benefits and make a positive difference in the lives of students!
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Bend-La Pine Schools Celebrates Pride Month |
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Bend-La Pine Schools supports and embraces our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ (LGBTQ+) students, employees and their family members. The month of June is a time to celebrate the identities and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community and to reaffirm our commitment to inclusion and to diversity as our greatest strength, standing with our LGBTQ+ community against injustice and discrimination to highlight inclusion as a core value of our district. The logo shown here was created by students in Bend Senior High School's Design Justice class. |
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Did you know nearly 20 percent of middle and high school students in Bend-La Pine Schools identify as LGBTQ? It’s true … and it’s also true that students who identify as LGBTQ+ reported having the most negative experiences out of any demographic group in our schools. So what can we do to change this? On the latest episode of the Supe's On! with Dr. Steven Cook podcast, we are focusing on our LGBTQ+ youth and what life is like for them in our schools.
Superintendent Steven Cook is joined by teacher and advisor Mark Koopman and three students who identify as LGBTQ+ to talk about their school experiences, how our schools offer support and ways our community can do better.
Join us for a great discussion about allies, belonging, pride and identity in Bend-La Pine Schools. Listen now
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La Pine Middle School Teacher Earns Prestigious Fellowship
We are so thrilled for La Pine Middle School teacher Jessica Colburn who has earned the prestigious James Madison Foundation Fellowship! The award is considered one of the highest honors a social studies teacher can receive and Jessica is one of just 54 teachers from across the nation to receive the honor this year.
Named in honor of the fourth president and “Father of the Constitution and Bill of Rights,” the highly competitive fellowship fully funds the pursuit of a master’s in American history and government.
Colburn, who was also named Teacher of the Year by the Oregon Council for Social Studies in 2018, said she is excited about the fellowship and how it will strengthen her knowledge of the origins and development of American constitutional government.
“This award will have a positive effect on my teaching career, as it will allow me to gain the knowledge necessary to explain and connect the Constitution to the lives of my eighth grade students today,” she said. “The education I will be able to give them will be infinitely stronger.”
Colburn will begin her graduate studies at Ashland University in Ohio this summer.
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Mountain View Welding Students Earn Top Certification
Nine welding students at Mountain View High School recently earned their American Welding Society certification in Gas Metal Arc Welding, helping prepare them for high wage jobs upon graduation. Being nationally certified as a heavy industrial and manufacturing welder will give them an advantage over welders who haven’t gone through the certification process.
Students had a lot of practice before their tests, working on projects for the community like a fair cart, metal signs for local businesses, and a flatbed trailer.
Congrats to students Cameron Dowling, Kody Ford, Nick Hopper, Dakota Jones, Ryan Henkes, Lucas LaFaver, Alex Stiles, Kate Vermeer and Carson Woodford.
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Honoring Excellence In Education Winners |
In May, we honored 76 outstanding staff members as part of the Excellence In Education Awards. We loved getting the chance to celebrate these outstanding staff members and their contributions to our schools and students.
Thank you!
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Upcoming key dates and days of recognition:
- June - Pride Month
- June 16 - Last Day of School
- June 19 - Juneteenth (observed Monday, June 20)
- June 21 - School Board Meeting
- June 21 - First Day of Summer
- July 4 - Independence Day Holiday
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