Herbicide Notice
PSD Facilities anticipate putting down an herbicide treatment across the district grounds the week of March 24-28, 2025, weather dependent.
PSD Facilities anticipate putting down an herbicide treatment across the district grounds the week of March 24-28, 2025, weather dependent.
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:
Areas of improvement:
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:
Areas of improvement:
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:
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:
January 2025 is School Board Appreciation Month. Thank you for your hard work and continued service to the Pendleton School District.
An emergency at a school is something that school leaders are always dreading and preparing for at the same time. To prepare, they have regular drills. In Oregon, the state requires schools to hold two Lockdown drills each year. A Lockdown happens when a threat is inside or near a school building and is used to secure individual rooms and keep occupants quiet and in place. In a Lockdown, everyone in the building goes to a secure room and it’s “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” which means the door is locked, lights are turned off and occupants of the room stay away from doors and window.
On Wednesday, January 15th, Pendleton High School had a drill that was a little different – they had informed teachers and staff there would be a drill that day but didn’t say what time. School leaders had the drill during a passing time when most students were in the hallways. This requires students to remember they should find an open classroom or other room and get in it, even if it’s not one of their regular classrooms or their teacher. Teachers are tasked with gathering as many students near their classroom as possible, then locking the door and remaining quiet with the students.
About 14 law enforcement officers from the Pendleton Police Department and Oregon State Police were at PHS to participate in the Lockdown drill.
About one minute before the drill started, Principal Pat Dutcher sent a text alert to PHS parents that the drill was about to happen. At the start of the drill, Dutcher and Curt Thompson, Assistant Principal, monitored the large number of cameras around the PHS campus. Thompson said he was pleasantly surprised to see on the cameras that there were not many students outside, in halls or in other common areas. Officer Lance Zaugg, School Resource Officer for Pendleton School District, said he encountered a small group of students during the drill who didn’t know what to do, so he ushered them into the school library.
“Our drill today went much better than we anticipated, and most of our students knew what to do. I am also pleased how well our staff did today getting kids into classrooms quickly and remaining there,” Dutcher said.
Dutcher, Thompson and law enforcement officers then went around the building, unlocking doors, turning on lights and confirming to students it was a drill.
Lieutenant Tony Nelson from the Pendleton Police Department said both PHS leaders and his PPD officers wanted to know what the student response would be to a less controlled environment today. “We were very pleased with how everyone did, especially adults in the school scooping up kids into classrooms and getting them somewhere safe,” Nelson said.
Assistant Principal Thompson said the goal of every safety drill is to learn as much as possible, which is what happened today. Principal Dutcher said he hopes that parents of PHS students will discuss the drill with them and reflect on ways students can help contribute to school safety.
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.
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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