The purpose of some fun activities this year at Pendleton High School (PHS) is to increase participation in school events and boost PHS spirit. One of the ways to increase participation is to be involved in or watch a Jack and Jill event.
The Jack and Jill events are so named because teams who participate must consist of male and female students. There are a variety of competitions planned – volleyball, black light volleyball, pickleball, badminton, and spike ball. The events are scheduled once a month in Warberg Gym. Teams pay $2 per person to register to participate.
According to Stu Clem, PHS Leadership Advisor, the high school has been having Jack and Jill events for more than 10 years, and they are a true PHS tradition, as he hasn’t heard of any other high school that does them.
The winners of each competition get to participate in a really fun event in the spring/end of the school year. Each student team goes up against a PHS Staff Jack and Jill team.
Jaydon, a Junior, said he and his friends participate in the Jack and Jill events because it’s fun.
Aubrie, a Junior, said it is a break from Advisory class. “I’m terrible at some of the events/sports, but it’s fun,” she said.
Grace Pitner, PHS Senior, is the Assembly Director for PHS Leadership this year, and she said planning the Jack and Jill events has been fun. “I like yard games, and it’s fun to play against kids your age and not your parents. It’s also good because it makes for fun competition because the students who sign up for Jack and Jill are playing because they want to.”
Last year, Pitner and her teammate won three events – pickleball, volleyball, and black light volleyball. So they were able to compete against staff teams for two events – pickleball and volleyball (the two volleyball competitions were combined). They lost both events, which she said was embarrassing but still a great experience.
Little Bucks Day at PHS
/in District Site News, High Schools News /by rthornburgPHS Little Bucks Day Brings Holiday Fun
What if you were a preschooler or kindergartner and got to spend the morning at the big high school in your town? That’s what about 20 kids got to do during Little Bucks Day at Pendleton High School on December 14th.
A PHS tradition of 24 years this year, Little Bucks Day is organized by PHS Leadership Class students to offer “Little Bucks” the chance to spend some time at the high school. According to Stu Clem, PHS Leadership Teacher, the event is a leadership program that helps Big Bucks (leadership students) give back to the community.
For a couple of hours, children ages three through kindergarten went on a Scavenger Hunt around the school, picking up clues and prizes in different classrooms, taking a photo with Santa, participating in arts and crafts activities, and decorating cookies.
Each Little Buck is paired up with a high school student for the morning to enjoy the activities together. Clem said it is amazing how many former Big Bucks (former PHS leadership students) are now sending their Little Bucks. “We have had dozens do it – pretty cool!” Clem said.
PHS Senior Miranda is this year’s Little Bucks Day Chair for PHS Leadership. She said it’s been a lot of work to get the event organized, but she was looking forward to taking her three-year-old sister around for Little Bucks Day. “I love Christmas, and little kids are cute; plus, I really like to do arts and crafts.”
PHS Leadership Organizes Canned Food Drive
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgDistrict Food Drive Aims High to Help Community
All schools in the Pendleton School District worked hard for their community this holiday season through the district-wide Annual Food Drive. Organized by Leadership Class students at Pendleton High School, this annual effort collects non-perishable food items from schools across the district.
According to Lea, PHS Senior and Chair of the Food Drive Committee, the goal of this year’s drive is to collect more than 2,000 food items. At the high school, students have donated food items in their Advisory class, and leadership students have kept track of which class has given the most. There are two categories that can win prizes.
PHS students recently traveled to the other schools in the district to pick up those donations.
Lea said the drive has gone well. “I like that this project helps people in our community, and I like being part of that. I also think students feel good when they can help someone less fortunate,” she said.
PHS brought in more than 2,800 cans of food. The expected total for the Food Drive is more than 8,000 cans. The food will be given to St. Mary’s Outreach and Salvation Army in Pendleton.
PHS Adopts-A-Family
/in District Site News, High Schools News /by rthornburgPHS Groups & Teams Work Together for Christmas Cheer
A number of children in the Pendleton community will have some gifts under their Christmas tree this year thanks to the Salvation Army and Pendleton High School students and staff. Each year, PHS student groups, sports teams, and some staff groups participate in the Adopt-a-Family project at the school.
Here’s how it works: PHS student clubs, sports teams, and staff groups let the PHS Leadership Class know they would like to participate and tell them how many children they would like to “adopt” for the holiday. PHS Leadership gets tags from the Salvation Army with wishes from children about what they want/need for Christmas, then passes those along. The groups go shopping and purchase items like clothes, shoes, toys, games, etc. for the children.
“It’s so much fun and rewarding to help out people in our community and give back during the holidays,” said Ellie, PHS Senior and Chair of Adopt-a-Family.
This year, more than 10 PHS groups are participating, including the Culture Club, National Honor Society, Hispanic/Latino Club, Girls’ Basketball, Boys’ Basketball, Girls’ Tennis, PHS Leadership and more. PHS Leadership collects all of the gifts and takes them to the Salvation Army, which distributes them.
“I just hope that people realize they can give back in many ways and anywhere, even in high school,” Ellie said.
New Faces in Pendleton SD – Zoe Jones
/in District Site News, High Schools News /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District is happy to feature new PSD teachers.
November is National Native American Heritage Month
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgFall Parent/Teacher Conferences
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgParent/Teacher conferences will be held on November 20 & 21, 2023. Please contact your student’s school if you have questions.
K-5
Monday, Nov 20: 4 – 8 pm
Tuesday, Nov 21: 7:30 am – 7:00 pm
SMS
Monday, Nov 20: 4 – 8 pm
Tuesday, Nov 21: 7:30 am – 1 pm, 2 – 7 pm
PHS
Monday, Nov 20: 4 – 8 pm (commons)
Tuesday, Nov 21: 7:30 am – 1 pm (virtual), 2 – 4 pm (virtual), 4 – 7 pm (commons)
New Faces in Pendleton SD – Zachary Gaulke
/in District Site News, High Schools News /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District is happy to feature new PSD teachers.
First Student Safety Stand-Down Week
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgFirst Student, LLC., the transportation company Pendleton School District contracts with to bus students, is increasing its focus on safety with a Safety Stand-Down Week from October 25-31. This is a special event in which company leaders pause to talk directly to employees about safety and provide education and training on specific safety topics.
According to materials from First Student, the company is having the event because “we have a responsibility to learn from recent safety incidents and ensure they do not happen again by reinforcing fundamental safety principles.”
Stand-Down Week will focus on three key areas: Manage Distractions, Focus on the Task at Hand, and Apply Your Training. Some of the safety practices being re-emphasized for bus drivers are:
According to Patrick Phillips, Location Manager for First Student, the Pendleton location employees will be able to sign Safety Pledges, watch reminder videos, and get daily reminder posts during the event. First Student will also be running special safety radio messages. “The Safety Stand-Down is an opportunity for our company to reiterate to employees to get back to the basics of safety,” Phillips said.
Matt Yoshioka, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at Pendleton School District, said the district is pleased that First Student has organized Stand-Down Week to re-focus on safety. “Student safety while being transported to and from school is a top priority for First Student and our district, just as keeping students safe at school is,” Yoshioka said.
Jack & Jill Events at PHS
/in District Site News, High Schools News /by rthornburgThe purpose of some fun activities this year at Pendleton High School (PHS) is to increase participation in school events and boost PHS spirit. One of the ways to increase participation is to be involved in or watch a Jack and Jill event.
The Jack and Jill events are so named because teams who participate must consist of male and female students. There are a variety of competitions planned – volleyball, black light volleyball, pickleball, badminton, and spike ball. The events are scheduled once a month in Warberg Gym. Teams pay $2 per person to register to participate.
According to Stu Clem, PHS Leadership Advisor, the high school has been having Jack and Jill events for more than 10 years, and they are a true PHS tradition, as he hasn’t heard of any other high school that does them.
The winners of each competition get to participate in a really fun event in the spring/end of the school year. Each student team goes up against a PHS Staff Jack and Jill team.
Jaydon, a Junior, said he and his friends participate in the Jack and Jill events because it’s fun.
Aubrie, a Junior, said it is a break from Advisory class. “I’m terrible at some of the events/sports, but it’s fun,” she said.
Grace Pitner, PHS Senior, is the Assembly Director for PHS Leadership this year, and she said planning the Jack and Jill events has been fun. “I like yard games, and it’s fun to play against kids your age and not your parents. It’s also good because it makes for fun competition because the students who sign up for Jack and Jill are playing because they want to.”
Last year, Pitner and her teammate won three events – pickleball, volleyball, and black light volleyball. So they were able to compete against staff teams for two events – pickleball and volleyball (the two volleyball competitions were combined). They lost both events, which she said was embarrassing but still a great experience.
New Faces in Pendleton SD – Carissa Smith
/in District Site News, High Schools News /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District is happy to feature new PSD teachers.