La Grande Pride
Connect with La Grande School District
State Volleyball Tournaments
LGSD and Eastern Oregon University to Host State Girls’ Volleyball Tournaments
•
• Events
•
•
This fall, the Class 2A and 1A OSAA state girls’ volleyball tournaments will be moving out east to be hosted by La Grande School District (LGSD) and Eastern Oregon University (EOU) on November 7-8, moving from Ridgeview High School in Redmond which has hosted the two events since 2012.
LGSD Superintendent George Mendoza helped facilitate the move and believes bringing the state tournaments out east is the next step in the plan for athletics in the area.
La Grande High School remodeled its gym in 2018 and has capacity for 1,200 spectators with the option of running two matches at once on the floor.
Central Elementary next door to the high school has a high school-sized gym, and about a block away is
La Grande Middle School which has its gym.
The facilities don’t end there though, as the district opened the Wildcat Center next door to the middle school last year, a building that has three more gyms. And EOU has two courts that will be available for athletes as well.
All of those resources allow plenty of space for teams to warm up or practice as they get ready for the state competition.
“When you think of Eastern Oregon, we have elite athletic facilities,” Mendoza said. “We have athletic facilities that are at a high caliber relative to a lot of communities our size. We’re at a gold standard.”
“For us to be able to bring state competition into our community, it’s a community that I think is going to be a great host and a community that I think will be really excited to welcome a lot of teams and a lot of people.”
— George Mendoza, La Grande School District Superintendent
Bell-to-Bell, No Cell
Superintendent’s desk
Dear LGSD Families and Community,
Last week we opened the doors to the 2025–2026 school year, and it was a joy to see students, families, teachers, and staff back together again at our elementary schools, La Grande Middle School, and La Grande High School. Our school leaders and teachers did a fantastic job welcoming more than 2,070 students into our buildings with skill and care. A special thank-you goes to our Student Resource Deputies and the La Grande Police Department for helping with traffic flow during arrival and dismissal.
This year, our theme is Engage, Empower, Elevate. These three words capture the spirit of who we are and where we are going:
• Engage with our students, families, and community to build strong connections and partnerships.
• Empower one another with knowledge, encouragement, and opportunity so that every student can thrive.
• Elevate our goals, our efforts, and our outcomes—always striving to inspire and reach higher.
With excitement, anticipation, and hope, each new school year brings opportunities to inspire each other to be better. We warmly welcome our new families, along with those returning, and extend our gratitude to the new staff who have joined our district as well as those who continue to dedicate themselves to supporting our schools. Thank you for being part of our mission to serve students and families.
This year also marks the update of our Strategic Plan, which reflects our shared vision and values. The impact of public education has never been more important. We need you and your support to keep making a difference for our students and our community. We need each other!
As we begin this school year, let us focus on excellence, encourage one another, and stay true to our theme—Engage, Empower, Elevate Together, we can ensure our students have not only a successful school year, but an inspiring one.
When you have a moment, please explore our district and school websites for essential school information. If you need any assistance or have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your school office or the district office. We are grateful for your ongoing partnership with LGSD.
On behalf of the La Grande School District—welcome back, and have a great school year!
With appreciation, George Mendoza, SuperintendentLa Grande School District
Engage, Empower, Elevate. This publication serves as a platform to keep our community informed and connected to the school district. We appreciate your involvement and support. Should you wish to contact me my phone number is 541-663-3201; email: george.mendoza@lagrandesd.org
New
ban on cell phone use on school campuses
BY TRISH YERGES
During the 25-26 school year, La Grande School District will ban all cell phone use by students anywhere on school campuses to help support student mental health and create an undistracted learning environment.
Under a new executive order from Governor Tina Kotek, all 197 Oregon school districts are required to create policies banning student cell phone use and adopting those policies by October 31. The executive order requires full implementation by January 1, 2026.
A committee comprised of LGSD school leaders and students will be reviewing the model policy written by and received from the Oregon School Boards Association. Using this template policy, the committee will make suggestions for changes to the district’s own policy and forward it to the LGSD Board of Directors for their review and approval. If it is approved, the district decided to implement the policy immediately.
“It makes sense to work with our policy changes now, moving forward at the start of the school year rather than waiting until January 1,” LGSD Superintendent George Mendoza said.
Changes to Expect
La Grande School District’s former cell phone policy required elementary students to keep cell phones in their backpacks; middle schoolers’ phones in their lockers; and high schoolers had to put their cell phones away during classes but could use them during transition periods and lunch times.
“The new executive order requires us to make some revisions,” Mendoza said. “One change for students is that we used to allow cell phones in the hallways and in the commons area for lunch, but the executive order does not allow that now.”
Details of the upcoming new policy will be published after October 31. Samuel Fiorito, LHS Assistant Principal, said the new policy will be posted on La Grande High School’s website and Facebook page. LHS Principal Chelsea Hurliman said the faculty is most concerned about enforcing the no cell phone rules
during lunch time and passing periods. If students need to use a phone, they can access one in the school office.
There are signs outside every classroom door reminding kids, “Be Prepared, No Cell Phones!” There is also signage inside the classroom, so students are made fully aware of the rules. The faculty at LHS are hopeful that students will comply, but not following the policy will result in consequences.
On the first incident, disciplinary action will be that the phone is confiscated, and parents are notified. Students can pick up their phone at the office at the end of the day. For a second incident, there will be a parent meeting, and parents must pick up their child’s phone at the end of the day, Hurliman said. If there is a third incident, parents are notified, and the parents must pick up their child’s phone from the school office at the end of the day. “There will also be a punishment for student insubordination, whether that is a lunch detention or in-school suspension,” she said.
Understanding Why
Scott Carpenter, LGSD Assistant Superintendent, said any time there is a new rule or expectation in schools, it’s really important that districts establish the why.
According to information from
the state, the governor issued this executive order due to rising concerns over a growing student mental health crisis. This includes reactions to cyber bullying, suicidal ideology, anxiety, and depression. This executive order is also intended to help diminish distractions in the classroom. Carpenter said that it’s true that not having a cell phone can be frustrating at times because it can be a wonderful tool, but “we have to protect learning environments and address the mental health issues that we’re seeing.” Student compliance will go a long way in maintaining a healthy school culture. It is the hope of teachers and staff that students understand the important need for this stricter cell phone policy, and that they cooperate for the benefit of all.
“Another outcome of not having a cell phone is that it helps kids have more meaningful relationships, more communication back and forth with peers or staff members, building stronger relationships, stronger connections, and a stronger culture,” Mendoza said. “It’s about helping kids transform into healthier adults.”
If your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), Section 504 Plan or has a medical condition, please discuss your child’s cell phone needs with his or her teacher and complete the form available.
Admistrators on board District hires three new assistant principals
BY TRISH YERGES
Three schools in the La Grande School District have new assistant principals this year — Central Elementary, La Grande Middle School, and La Grande High School.
Central
Elementary
Steve Collins accepted the position of Assistant Principal at Central Elementary and is transitioning into his role with guidance from Principal Monica West.
“I grew up near the San Francisco Bay in my hometown of Walnut Creek, California,” he said.
He graduated in 2015 from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, and earned his master’s degree in 2022 through Concordia University Portland. He earned his Oregon administrative credentials in 2025.
Collins currently lives in Pendleton, but he expects that he and his wife, Alexa, will be looking for housing in La Grande. They have lived in Pendleton for the past 10 years and commuted 12 miles to the Pilot Rock School District, where they originally met. He taught Social Studies at the Jr./ Sr. High School, and his wife continues to teach kindergarten at the elementary building.
“I’ve always wanted to teach in Eastern Oregon, and I love being here and living here,” Collins said. “I’ve always heard good things about La Grande School District.”
His duties include overseeing attendance, student discipline, 504 plans, staff evaluations and supporting staff and students. He is integrating himself into the school culture by being present at breakfast and lunch, where students can get to know him better.
“Throughout my entire life, I’ve had opportunities to work with young people---as a camp counselor and swimming instructor, or by setting a good example for them. I feel it’s an area of strength for me,” Collins said.
Principal West said the interview team was very pleased with Collins and excited to get him on board.
“He’s very eager to help, very organized, and asks good questions,” West said. “He is working hard to get to know the kids. We’re excited to have him here.”
La Grande Middle School
Caleb Patterson is excited to start this school year as the new LMS Assistant Principal.
“Caleb grew up in the area and he earned his degree in 2017 at Eastern Oregon University,” Chris Wagner, LMS Principal, said. “He received his Master’s in Administration in 2022 through Boise State University.”
Patterson began his teaching career initially at Baker City School District for one year, followed by teaching various levels of elementary school for five years in the Boise area.
After earning his administrative license, he relocated to Walla Walla and worked as Assistant Principal at Sunridge Middle School in Pendleton for the past two years. Wanting to make his way back to La Grande, Patterson was pleased to accept the La Grande Middle School Assistant Principal position.
Patterson and his wife, Annie, and their sixmonth-old son, Oliver, have since moved to La Grande, where they are settling in as he acclimates himself to his new administrative duties at La Grande Middle School. “It’s a great place to be,” Patterson said.
“He has quickly integrated into our school community, is highly competent, hardworking, and brings relevant experience that aligns with our culture,” Wagner said. “We’re excited to have him join us.”
La Grande High School
Samuel Fiorito is the new Assistant Principal
joining the leadership of LHS Principal Chelsea Hurliman.
Fiorito is a native of Union County and a 2009 graduate of Union High School. He earned his multidisciplinary studies degree and early childhood learning degree in 2013 at EOU.
After earning his administrator’s license in 2022 through the COSA Oregon Administration Program, he worked as Central Elementary School’s Assistant Principal for the last three years and as Principal of the K-8 La Grande Virtual Learning Academy. Fiorito said he was very interested in coming to LHS to work with older students.
“We just felt that with his experience at Central and his willingness to work with the kids at the high school, that he would be a good fit here,” Hurliman said.
Fiorito’s duties include working on attendance, which will be a big focus, and handling student disciplinary issues and evaluating some teachers. He will also focus on the daily operation of the LHS building.
“Sam is really good at building relationships with kids and staff, and we’re really excited to have him here and be part of our team,” Hurliman said.
Steve Collins
Caleb Patterson
Samuel Fiorito
Wellness Grant
District receives year three funding for school wellness
BY TRISH YERGES
The La Grande School District (LGSD) is pleased to announce the receipt of the third installment of the 5-year Oregon Healthy Schools grant to promote school health and wellness, nutrition, and physical activities for both students and staff.
In 2023 all Oregon school districts were invited to apply to be part of the grant,
LGSD Superintendent George Mendoza and LGSD Assistant Superintendent Scott Carpenter worked together on the grant application. Based on that application, the La Grande School District was selected as the only school district in the state to work on this phase of the grant, called “School-based interventions to promote equity and improve health, academic achievement, and well-being of students.”
Once the district received grant approval, it contracted with Robin Maille, then an associate professor of practice of Family and Community Health at Oregon State University Extension Service, to assist with the grant’s implementation.
In her contracted role as LGSD Wellness Specialist, Maille worked closely with Carpenter on the grant’s budget and proposed activities. She also met frequently with project managers from the Oregon Department of Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC).
“The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of school-age children and adolescents in underserved and disproportionately affected communities,” Maille said.
The grant term is five years (2023-2028), and each year the district receives about $100,000. After the district did an initial assessment, it developed an action plan outlining activities that the grant would fund.
“The intent is to support students, but it also supports the school staff because if they are healthy then the students are more likely to be engaged and healthy,” Maille said.
Last year some grant funds were used to develop a staff fitness
room located in the new Wildcat Center. Funds also support wellness champions at each of the schools who plan fun activities to support the health and wellbeing of building staff.
For K-12 students, the focus remains on increasing health and wellness education, promoting physical activity, and increasing physical education time in the elementary schools. Grant funds help support the 4th and 5th grade afterschool basketball and volleyball programs as well as PE equipment in the schools that aligns with the new PE curriculum.
Nutrition is a strong focus in this grant’s implementation, Maille said, and for this the LGSD Food Service Manager, Lindsey Meinhard, plays an important role. The 2025 action plan proposes identifying factors that will increase participation in the free school meals and bring awareness to the Summer Food Service programs.
The school district is very excited to receive this third round of funding, and it will put the money to good use to promote health and wellness for both students and staff.
District-wide Benefit
All students receive free school meals
BY TRISH YERGES
LGSD Food Service Manager Lindsey Meinhard announced that the district has received a four-year renewal through the Oregon Department of Education of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) so that all schools in the district may offer free breakfasts and lunches to their students.
“When applying, we take the poverty statistics for the entire district and calculate whether we are at the threshold where everybody in the district can be approved for free breakfasts and lunches, and we met the threshold,” Meinhard said.
A school or district becomes eligible for CEP if at least 25% of its student body already participates in programs such as SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, or other programs that qualify the students for free meals. Once a school or district is approved for CEP, it is valid for a four-year term, when the school would have to reapply.
“What this means for the kids is that nobody has do applications for free and reduced breakfasts and lunches because everyone is free,” Meinhard said. “This is pretty exciting and a relief to everybody especially with uncertain funding in some areas of education right now.”
Meinhard and LGSD Business Director Melissa Reagan worked together on the application for this round of CEP benefits. They submitted their application in early July and received a written notice of eligibility from the Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Program on July 18.
This renewal marks the district’s second fouryear round of CEP benefits. In previous years, there were individual schools in the district that qualified, but only in the last four years did the entire district qualify. Meinhard is very pleased that their CEP status was renewed for all the schools in the district.
There are significant benefits this meal program. Studies have linked Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) to better student health and academic performance.
There are significant benefits to districts, students, and families under this meal program, but none more important than making daily nutritious meals accessible to students at no cost. Studies have linked CEP to better student health and academic performance.
“It’s a relief that we’re able to continue this program in La Grande and offer breakfast and lunch free to all our students because we know how hard food insecurity can be when kids are trying to learn,” Meinhard said. “That’s one thing we can take care of so the kids can focus on learning.”
La Grande Expands Youth Football Opportunities
LA GRANDE JUNIOR TIGERS FOOTBALL PROGRAM
BY TRISH YERGES
This school year, La Grande School District is proud to welcome the newly organized La Grande Junior Tigers football program, which includes both a 5thgrade team and a 6th-grade team.
The program has drawn strong interest, with about 50 athletes signed up across 5th and 6th grade. “Practices have been underway for several weeks to prepare both teams for their first season. We have ordered new gear for them, and we’re really excited about the new program,” said LMS Principal Chris Wagner.
The expansion grew out of a partnership between La Grande School District and La Grande Parks and Recreation, working together to ensure 5th and 6thgrade athletes would continue to have opportunities to play tackle football. By combining resources and community support, the two organizations created a sustainable path forward for youth football in La Grande.
The expansion grew out of a partnership between La Grande School District and La Grande Parks and Recreation, working together to ensure 5th-grade and 6th-grade athletes would continue to have opportunities to play tackle football.
Finding a league was no easy task. Most nearby schools don’t offer tackle football at these grade levels, but with the support from LGSD Superintendent George Mendoza, La Grande Middle School’s athletic director, Klel Carson, and Parks and Rec’s Tory Weimer and Chris Gianandrea, the program came to life. Creating an opportunity for La Grande to compete in contests with Walla Walla, Hermiston, Pendleton and beyond.
The Junior Tigers will be led by Head Coach Samuel Fiorito, Assistant Principal at La Grande High School, and Assistant Coach Jeremiah Lowe, LMS mental health therapist from the Center for Human Development.
Coach Fiorito emphasized the importance of this moment for La Grande:
“This is an incredible step forward for youth football in La Grande. By joining a league with such a high level of competition, our athletes will be challenged and prepared like never before. Through this program, they’ll build a solid foundation in football fundamentals, learning the basics of offensive and defensive plays that carry directly into our 7th, 8th, and high school programs. They will also learn to tackle safely, following the protocols from USA Football. The partnership between LGSD and Parks and Recreation marks a defining moment for the future of La Grande football. While launching a new program has been a heavy lift, I’m deeply grateful to La Grande School District and La Grande Parks and Rec for making this opportunity a reality.”
Students will learn fundamentals, teamwork, and sportsmanship, while also developing physical and mental health, building a sense of belonging, and preparing for future success at the high school level.
The Junior Tigers will host several home games this season, and community support will play a vital role in their success. Families and community members are encouraged to come cheer on the Junior Tigers and show their support for La Grande’s newest football teams.
State Volleyball Tournaments continued from page 1
The 2A and 1A athletes won’t have to share the same floor anymore as the plan is for EOU to host the 2A tournament while the 1A volleyballers will be competing inside La Grande High.
The deal is locked in for the fall of 2026 as well, where the two sites will flip host duties with EOU hosting 1A and La Grande High hosting 2A.
Mendoza said the plan is to have an EOU match on the Thursday before the tournament, allowing the small school competitors a chance to watch a Mountaineers program that has become one of the best in the nation at the NAIA level, as seen by their 2025 preseason ranking in the top five of two major polls.
“To me, it’s the next step for the school district, for Eastern Oregon University, for the community to share our facilities and share our organization and our support to OSAA and our state,” Mendoza said. “Small-school kids that are likely from rural schools, getting to come to one of the best universities for rural school children and showcasing that facility, to me, is another win.”
As for some of the other logistics that go into hosting a culminating event, Mendoza has no worries that the town is ready. A Hampton Inn recently opened with over 90 rooms, joining three other large hotels in the area. There are about 50 places listed on Airbnb and more boutique hotels as well to host all the teams and families coming over.
EOU and La Grande are both wired to stream the state events online for those who can’t make the trip.
“We got lodging, we got restaurants, we got facilities, we got businesses that would be welcoming,” Mendoza said. “We have good technology for streaming things, making sure we support with that, too.”
La Grande hasn’t had the chance often to host events, while towns like Pendleton and Baker have hosted state basketball tournaments for a long time.
Now, the town will have its own event to craft and to make into something uniquely La Grande.
“La Grande is a beautiful town,” Mendoza said. “For us to be able to bring state competition into our community, it’s a community that I think is going to be a great host and a community that I think will be really excited to welcome a lot of teams and a lot of people.”
Upcoming Events:
9/12 Varsity Football vs. Tillamook at 6 PM
Community Stadium
9/18 Varsity Volleyball vs. Nyssa at 6 PM
La Grande High School
9/19 Varsity Football vs. Burns at 7 PM
Community Stadium
9/23 Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Ontario at 5 PM
Community Stadium
9/25 Varsity Volleyball vs. Baker at 6:30 PM
La Grande High School
9/30 Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Baker/Powder Valley at 4 PM
Community Stadium
9/30 Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Baker/Powder Valley/Pine Eagle at 6 PM
Community Stadium
10/3 LHS Boys & Girls Cross Country, Tiger Invite at 2 PM & 4 PM
La Grande Country Club
10/3 Varsity Football vs. Ontario at 7 PM
Community Stadium
10/9 Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Pendleton at 6 PM
Community Stadium
10/9 Varsity Volleyball vs. Ontario at 6:30 PM
La Grande High School
10/10 Statewide Inservice Day - No School
10/14 Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Ontario at 4 PM
Community Stadium
10/16 Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Molalla/Colton at 2 PM
Community Stadium
10/16 Varsity Volleyball vs. Baker at 6:30 PM
La Grande High School
10/28 Varsity Volleyball vs. Pendleton at 6:30 PM
La Grande High School
10/30 Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Pendleton at 5:30 PM
Community Stadium
10/31 Varsity Football vs. Pendleton/Nixyaawii
Community Stadium - Senior Night!
Article by Austin White. Used with permission from OSAA today.
New Faces in LGSD School Safety
Introducing the school resource officer team
BY TRISH YERGES
This school year, the La Grande School District (LGSD) will become familiar with a team of school resource officers (SROs), including Deputy John Sutten, Deputy Tony Humphries and Deputy Morris Capers, all from the Union County Sheriff’s Department.
Sergeant Justin Hernandez stepped aside from his former SRO duties in the La Grande School District after receiving a promotion and reassignment to patrol duty. However, he will still be leading the SRO team as their sergeant.
“My promotion and change to patrol duties happened quickly, but Sheriff Cody Bowen felt good about Deputy John Sutten replacing me as the LGSD school resource officer,” Hernandez said.
Besides leading the SRO team, Sergeant Hernandez will continue delivering the B.E.S.T. program to the district’s fifth grade students until the newest SRO members have been fully trained in presenting this curriculum.
Deputy John Sutten
Deputy John Sutten is new to the SRO position, and LGSD welcomes him to its schools.
Sutten received his education in criminal justice in 2008 from Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay, Oregon. He initially worked as a reserve for three years in the La Grande Police Department and as a reserve in the jail on the corrections side. Eventually that turned into a full-time corrections position, followed by a transfer to patrol duty and now as a school resource officer. Sergeant Hernandez has prepared Sutten for this position through in-house training.
Sutten grew up in Sweet Home, Oregon, a wrestling rival to La Grande. He worked with the Sweet Home wrestling team initially. His interest in wrestling carried over to La Grande where he is now the head coach of the La Grande Mat Club and has been working for the past year with the wrestling teams at the middle school and high school.
“I feel spoiled to have been part of both teams,” he said. “And with my new SRO schedule, I will be more available for the La Grande wrestling program.”
“I’ve had a good opportunity through the wrestling program to build on my school relationships, and with my wife, Jess, being a teacher at Central Elementary, I’ve met a lot
of the staff and faculty already,” Sutten said.
For now, Sutten will be where the kids congregate — in the hallways and cafeteria. As he walks the hallways, “that’s the time for a fist-bump, high-five, ‘have a good year!’ kind of greeting,” he said. “My role is about safety and positivity.”
Deputy Tony Humphries
Deputy Tony Humphries is originally from Baker City, and he was hired by the Union County Sheriff’s Department in 2006. Prior to that, he worked for 12 years with City of Union Police Department.
He completed training at the basic police academy in 1997 in Independence, Oregon and has been a member of the Northeast Oregon Regional Swat Team for the past 20 years. He also has training in ATV patrol in the mountains, among other things.
“I’ve been an SRO since 2019, and it is the most rewarding position I’ve been involved in because I have an opportunity to compassionately bridge the gap between students and law enforcement,” Humphries said.
His SRO duties take him to schools in Union, Cove, and North Powder on Monday through Thursday. On Fridays, he assists the other two SROs in the La Grande School District. He tries to attend assemblies, and when asked, some sports events too.
“It’s long days sometimes, but we’re here
for everyone,” he said. “That’s what we do.”
Deputy Morris Capers
Deputy Morris Capers is a new SRO this year. He hails from western Washington and has been a Union County resident since 2013. He was hired full-time by the Union County Sheriff’s Department in 2018 and completed his training at the basic police academy in May 2019 in Salem. Since then, he spent 7 years as a patrol officer before accepting his new SRO position.
In addition, Capers is a member of the Northeast Oregon Regional SWAT Team. He recently became certified as a Use of Force instructor, among other achievements.
As an SRO, he visits the La Grande Middle School, and schools in Imbler, Union, North Powder, and InterMountain Education Service District.
He always enjoys conversing with the kids at La Grande Middle School. “They sit with me at lunch and ask me all the basic police questions like ‘Have you arrested anybody? Have you been in pursuits? What kind of tools are you carrying on you?’”
Deputy Capers thinks of his role as another person that kids can come to if they have any questions, personal or school. “I just want to be a resource that’s available, and if I don’t have an answer to their questions or if I can’t assist them in their current problem, I’ll guide them to the resource that can,” he said.
Deputy Morris Capers
Deputy Tony Humphries
Deputy John Sutten
Facilities Update
Completing summer facilities projects
BY TRISH YERGES
This has been a very busy and productive summer for facility projects for Brad Sunderman, LGSD Facilities and Maintenance Manager as he supervises a few big projects on campus.
“We did a HVAC cooling retrofit in the high school, the middle school, and Greenwood, and added cooling to areas that didn’t have cooling before,” Sunderman said. “That was a major job and probably our biggest expense too.”
The HVAC project was a $3 million job performed by a contractor with a workforce of about 30 people. “I was around checking on them regularly,” Sunderman said.
Another project that Sunderman has nearly completed is the middle school’s security vestibule, connecting the two buildings in the middle and taking out the original entrance to the LHS and creating a new secure entrance where people must check in with a real person.
“It’s another level of security added there,” he said. “That work should be wrapping up in another couple of weeks.”
The exterior painting project at the high school was a two-part job, involving the 50s wing and the 70s wing. First the old brick was cleaned and sealed on the 50s wing, and then workers repainted around that. It’s black, white,
and brick with a couple of new doors installed--a nice classic, clean look. The 70s wing was painted with the traditional blue, grey, and black colors.
“I’m happy with it,” Sunderman said.
At the time of this report, Sunderman was recoating and resealing the flat roof at the middle school. Instead of putting on a new roof, it will be recoated with a product that carries a 30-year warranty. It is a spray-on, grey-colored coating, and above the library, it will be blue.
“We spent about one-third of what it would have cost us to replace the roof,” he said. “Probably the next time, the roof will have to be torn off and replaced.”
There were other projects that Sunderman has lined up for this fall going into the spring, and those will be focusing on efficiency and beautification of all the buildings.
Sunderman has a team of employees that help him, two grounds men, one maintenance worker and one food delivery man who works out of the LGSD Operations Plant on Adams Avenue. A big thank you to Sunderman and the maintenance department employees for all the work they do to make the district facilities upgraded, efficient, and beautiful.
What’s on the Menu LGSD receives grant for Oregon-raised meats
BY TRISH YERGES
La Grande School District’s Business Director Melissa Reagan announced that the district received an Oregon Farm to Child Nutrition Program (CNP) Grant to purchase Oregon-grown and raised beef and pork for use by the district’s school lunch program.
The Oregon Farm to CNP Grant, formerly called the “Farm to School Grant,” is a two-year award dispersed through the Oregon Department of Education. “Our allocation for the next two school years totals $11,348 for the purchase of Oregon-grown, produced, and processed foods,” Reagan said.
At the Union County Fair last August, Reagan used some of the grant money to purchase a Black Angus steer raised by a La Grande FFA student, Aubrey Bisenius. Reagan said they had it processed into 800 pounds of ground beef by Billy Bob’s Butcher in Elgin, a certified USDA processing plant.
In addition to the beef, Reagan said that some La Grande businesses donated four hogs directly to the school nutrition program. The three business donors included Les Schwab, who donated two hogs; Legacy Ford, who donated one hog; and in partnership, East Adams Car Wash and Mountain West Moving & Storage donated one hog. Grant funds were used to cut and wrap the pork, Reagan said.
Each of the four hogs averaged 190 pounds of ground sausage meat, perfect for use in a variety of meals like lasagna rolls.
While Reagan was at the fair, she made connections with these businesses so that if they purchased an animal at the sale that they were turning back, they would donate it to the district instead at the time of the sale. She also coordinated with Billy Bob’s Butcher at the fair to have the hogs processed for the school nutrition program.
“Next year, I’m going to focus on collaborating with local businesses and buying the animal back at floor price,” Reagan said. “It’s a great deal for us and for those donating as well.”
Reagan is familiar with the livestock sale through experiences with her own children over the years, but this is the first time that she did any purchasing at the sale. She said she learned a lot about how she needed to be prepared and how it worked.
“In the end it gives our kids healthy food to eat on a daily basis that we know is locally grown, raised, and processed.”
Reagan feels strongly about the community and the relationships that LGSD has developed. She said everyone is proud of what the FFA and 4H kids are doing and how the community forms partnerships to support them.
As for the meat for the school nutrition program, “In the end it gives our kids healthy food to eat on a daily basis that we know is locally grown, raised, and processed,” Reagan said. “I’m sure they enjoy it more because I’m sure it tastes better than a frozen hamburger patty.”
The state grant makes it a win-win for students, families, FFA and 4H Clubs, the fair and its volunteers, the meat processor, and the LGSD school nutrition program. It’s the circle of community and, “we love supporting that!” Reagan said.
Student Art
