PHS 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 Online Store for PHS
/in High Schools News /by rthornburgDear Pendleton School District Family,
We are excited to be upgrading our online school store experience to MySchoolBucks! MySchoolBucks is a simpler, faster, easier, and more efficient way to pay online for sports at Pendleton High School.
When you create your new FREE MySchoolBucks account, you will be able to conveniently and securely pay for your student’s store items or fees online via any web browser or with the FREE mobile Parent App available in Apple & Android Stores. With MySchoolBucks, you’ll be able to quickly and easily browse items in our School Store, be notified when fees are due, and make payments from anywhere!
What Changed? We’re glad you asked!
Get Started Today:
If you need assistance with your account, you can visit MySchoolBucks.com and find helpful FAQs and how-to videos with answers to common questions, or you can contact the dedicated MySchoolBucks Parent Support Team via online chat or by calling (855) 832-5226.
Pendleton High School and Sunridge Middle School appreciate you using this online option as a way to help reduce the amount of physical cash and checks and the time it takes our staff to handle payments – so we can continue providing your family the best school store experience.
Sincerely,
Marti McGraw, PHS Bookkeeper
Operation Christmas Bags at PHS
/in District Site News, High Schools News /by rthornburgOperation Christmas was a huge success at PHS this year. The PHS Counseling Office was able to organize gift bags for 50 students this year. This could not have happened without the generous donations we received from PHS Staff and community members. A special shout out to Wildhorse Resort and Casino, Medical Center Dental, Pendleton Faith Center and Premium Tire and Lube.
The joy and appreciation that each student displayed was heartwarming and made all the work that went into it worth every minute. We hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas this year.
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.