July 18, 2023 /Construction of a new community center for Lost River got under way this month following five years of planning and fundraising by the Lost River Booster Club and community supporters. In a groundbreaking ceremony July 17 overlooking the recently poured cement foundation of the 13,500-square-foot building, more than 30 people gathered to celebrate the exhaustive effort that raised enough money to make a community’s dream a reality.

Sept. 5, 2023 / Schools across the Klamath County School District opened their doors today (Sept. 5), greeting more than 7,100 students for their first day of the 2023-24 school year. At Chiloquin Junior/Senior High School, administrators rolled out a royal blue “red carpet” for students as they entered the school and walked under a ballooned archway. “We wanted to start the new year off by treating students like royalty,” said Chiloquin High Principal Ruben Paschal, who greeted students as they arrived.

 Sept. 20, 2023 /Mazama and Bonanza high school students had a chance to ask questions and visit one-on-one with professionals from the Portland Trail Blazers and Moda Health today during a special career fair event. Bonanza junior Lucy Cassol, one of 29 students who attended from the two schools, left the event inspired about the future. As FBLA president for her rural high school, she enjoys business but isn’t sure how to pursue her passion as a career. Meeting five professionals who are doing just that reaffirmed her decision to “do something that feeds my soul,” she said. 

Sept. 26, 2023 /When Omar Guzman arrived for his first day at Mazama High School, he took a photo of himself in front of the school’s new bilingual entrance signs and sent it to his mother in Mexico. “When I noticed it, it made me feel more comfortable,” he said through Mazama vice principal Sergio Cisneros, who translated his Spanish into English. Omar understands English but after only a year in the U.S. is still learning to speak it fluently. “It’s been good to see the school make us feel more included.” The sign – one of several now at entrances to the high school – reads “Welcome/Bienvenidos and Main Office/Oficina Principal. On the windows near the doors of the school’s main entrance, students also are welcomed in five languages, including three Native American languages – Modoc (skatis), Northern Paiute (kimma), English (welcome), Klamath (gelidanka), and Spanish (bienvenidos). The welcome signs are a gift from the school’s senior class of 2023 and represent the student body’s desire to create a more inclusive environment for its diverse population. The school also has created additional signage in both Spanish and English to better serve their non-English speaking families and students who are learning English.

Klamath County School District students will be eating melons grown in Klamath Falls this month as a kick off to the district’s Farm to School Featured Food program. “The program brings fresh local products into our school cafeterias every month, increasing student awareness about Klamath Basin and Oregon agriculture, while expanding the freshly prepared options food service teams provide on the lunch line,” said Jordan Rainwater, KCSD’s Farm to School procurement coordinator. “This year, students will enjoy local potatoes, winter squash, and beef served on the menu multiple times this year – the result of intensive menu planning, positive student feedback, strengthening relationships with local producers, and enthusiasm from food service staff.”

Oct 5, 2023 /The Stearns Elementary community showed up in force Oct. 4 for the grand opening celebration of a new track on the school’s campus. About 250 students, parents, and community members walked and ran around the new 200-meter  ADA-accessible track while the school served free smoothies and popcorn as part of the event. Jo2Go, a coffee cart operated by the district’s transition life skills program, sold specialty drinks. 

Oct. 19, 2023 /Mazama High School students had a chance to explore possible futures and talk to college representatives, military recruiters and even local employers Wednesday during the school’s second-annual “Don’t Dream It, Be It!” career, college, and military night.

Oct. 23, 2023 / Grab a locally grown carrot and join students across the Klamath County School District on Thursday, Oct. 26 for the sixth annual Countdown to Crunch in celebration of National Farm to School Month. More than 3,865 students from 12 schools will countdown together and crunch into locally grown carrots produced by local farmer Katie Swanson, owner of Sweet Union Farm in Klamath Falls, who is providing 4750 carrots for the event.

“Do you know how a carrot grows?” farmer Katie Swanson asked Shasta Elementary School second-graders Thursday (Oct. 26) during Klamath County School District’s sixth-annual Crunch at Once event. The students had just crunched their farm-fresh carrots and had questions for the farmer who grew them.

Nov. 15, 2023 / New construction at the Henley Complex is providing opportunities for hands-on and career-connected learning for junior high and high school students. During a grand opening celebration on Nov. 15, community partners and leaders had a chance to hear from students and see their projects during a one-hour tour of Henley’s three recent building projects – the Construction Trades Building, a new greenhouse, and a concession stand. The first stop was the recently completed Construction Trades Building located behind Henley Middle School. The 3,700-square-foot, two-story building provides traditional classroom space as well as indoor and outdoor open workshop space outfitted with the latest technology and equipment.

Nov. 17, 2023 / Chiloquin Junior/Senior High School students and staff enjoyed salmon cooked over an open fire pit for lunch Friday (Nov. 17) during a day dedicated to exploring Native American culture and heritage. After watching classmates perform traditional Native dances with the Warrior Society Drum members, students headed to class as the salmon cooked in front of the school and fry bread sizzled nearby.  This is the second year the school and tribal members have organized a traditional salmon bake to celebrate the Native culture within Chiloquin’s student body and honor Native American Heritage Month. Organizers expanded the celebration this year to include presentations on Klamath Tribal history and language, highlighting the cultures of the local Klamath, Modoc, and Paiute people, said Will Hess, a Klamath Tribal member who works with students through the On Track OHSU! program.  About 60% of Chiloquin’s student body identifies as Native American or Indigenous. “By hosting this event we are creating space to celebrate the rich cultures of our Indigenous students,” Hess said. “This is an opportunity to share a small piece of our local tribal culture with all students and faculty.”

A reason to celebrate! On a cold night against a tough team, the No. 1 ranked and undefeated Hornets earned their OSSA 4A Football State Championship, beating No. 2 ranked Marist, 42-28.

Nov. 25, 2023 / “It feels good. I am really happy for them. They sure played hard.”

Nov. 30, 2023 / To compete at FFA Nationals, you have to be the very best. Only the state champions qualify. An FFA team from Lost River Junior/Senior High School did just that Nov. 18, taking first in state at FFA’s State Food Science competition at Oregon State University and becoming the school’s first-ever national qualifying FFA team. “Our team dominated,” said Lost River FFA Advisor Meghan Miller. “This is a huge honor for them. It is a tough contest and these girls worked their tails off for the last three months, some of them for the last three years.” Team members are Melanie Martinez, Julitza Serrato-Cobian, Anna Kliewer, and McKinley Ruda and alternates Gemma Arceo-Bigoni and Zuliana Cobian-Cazarez.

After Ady Swanson finishes classes at Mazama High School, she heads to the Klamath County Government Center to work with Klamath County’s three commissioners, attending work sessions as well as business, planning, and finance meetings. During an 18-week period – one semester – Ady is learning about and participating in county government through the first-ever Klamath County Junior Commissioner Work Experience Program. During a typical week, she will meet with her mentor, Commissioner Dave Henslee, to research bills and discuss upcoming county projects.

Dec. 7, 2023 /Sabrina Taylor has danced the Beseda since she was a little girl. As members of the Malin Czech Lodge No. 222, her parents and siblings joined in community celebrations, dressing in traditional Czech dancing costumes and sharing the traditional dancing of the early Czech settlers who founded the town. So it was a natural fit for the Lost River Junior/Senior High School student to use her senior project to teach Malin fourth-graders how to perform the traditional Czech folk dance while learning about their town’s Czech heritage.

Dec. 8, 2023 / Chinook salmon fry that were hatched and raised by Henley Middle School students were released into the Williamson River as part of an experimental salmon reintroduction project. Henley Middle School science teacher Faryn Knight and principal Kristy Creed with help from Mark Hereford, a fisheries reintroduction biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, on Wednesday (Dec. 6) released about 40 fry into the Williamson near Collier State Park. During a short break in the rain, Knight carried the bucket of water with the fry and slowly introduced the baby Chinook into their natural habitat.

Dec. 12, 2023 / For the ninth year in a row, the Klamath County School District has received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting. An impartial committee spent six months reviewing the district’s financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022. The comprehensive report replaces a standard audit.

Jan. 3, 2024 / Peterson Elementary School fifth-graders learned about Japan and its culture from a guest Japanese teacher on Jan. 3, asking questions and trying their hand at origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. The special guest – Yasuyo – owns a private English-language school in Kagoshima with her husband, Ken Coulson, a 1978 Henley High School graduate and longtime family friend of Peterson fifth-grade teacher Stephanie Hull. With them was their 13-year-old son Josh.

Jan. 3, 2024 / Students at Bonanza Junior/Senior High School came back from the holiday break to a new state-of-the-art science lab. Seven new lab stations and two teacher stations were installed using $40,000 from a Gear Up Grant the school was awarded last spring. The old stations were from the 1970s and were in bad shape. “Our students now have a new lab to pursue science and careers in science,” said Jordan Osborn, principal of Bonanza Junior/Senior High School. “This is part of our ongoing quest for this school to be better,” Osborn said "We can’t provide inferior quality facilities and expect excellence.”

Jan. 5, 2024 / Bonanza Junior/Senior High School is starting a two-year pre-apprenticeship training program in construction and carpentry and purchasing equipment to revitalize its shop thanks to nearly $500,000 in grants from the Bureau of Labor and Industries and Oregon Department of Education.  Students graduating from the two-year program will earn a pre-apprenticeship certificate that can be used to enter the skilled trades. Bonanza hired a construction and agriculture mechanics teacher and offered its first pre-apprenticeship class this fall. Plans are to offer three more classes in September 2024 under a state-registered program.

Jan. 12, 2024 /Mazama High School is expanding its manufacturing program next year, offering a career pathway track with college-credit courses and renovating and upgrading its metal shop. The changes will allow students to graduate high school with certifications needed for the workplace and seamlessly transition into degree programs at Klamath Community College or Oregon Tech. The school last month was awarded a $250,000 Oregon Department of Education Career and Technical Education (CTE) revitalization grant to renovate the metal shop. Grant funds will pay for welding booths, high-pressure exhaust fans, plumbing for gas lines, and other updates necessary to create a safe and effective learning environment for students.

Jan. 17, 2024 /Klamath County School District is seeking nominations for its annual Crystal Apple Awards. The Crystal Apple is given each year to eight KCSD staff who inspire and help students of all backgrounds and abilities. The winners receive their Crystal Apples during a gala at the Ross Ragland Theater. This year, the gala will be Tuesday, April 23.

Jan. 22, 2024 / Klamath County School District has two openings on its budget committee. The budget committee works with the KCSD Board of Directors to review and approve the district’s annual budget. Positions open are the Chiloquin/Gilchrist zone and the Ferguson/Shasta zone. 

Jan. 24, 2024 /Klamath County School District cooks spent an afternoon learning a recipe for Oregon-grown and school-grown lamb from Henley and Lost River FFA programs to determine the best way to serve the less familiar meat to students. The cooks gathered at Henley High School’s kitchen Jan. 24 to prepare the test meal, replacing beef with lamb in a shepherd’s pie recipe. Students will get a chance to eat the lamb shepherd pie in school cafeterias Feb. 29 as part of the district’s Farm to School program.

Jan. 25, 2024 /Five high schools in the Klamath County School District boasted graduation rates above 90% in 2023 and one of those – Bonanza Junior/Senior High School – hit a perfect graduation rate of 100%. The other KCSD schools with above 90% graduation rates were Henley High School at 97.9%, Lost River at 91.7%, Gilchrist at 90.9%, and Chiloquin at 90.5%. Mazama’s rate of 88.4% was down from 2022, but still nearly 7 percentage points above the state average. “The graduation rate is a product of how we support students and what we do on a daily basis,” said Bonanza Jr/Sr High Principal Jordan Osborn. “Every single staff member is a true champion for our kids – from our teachers and support staff to our secretaries, bus drivers, and custodians. Graduating 100% of last year’s senior class validates the hard work we did together.”

Jan. 31, 2024 /The local chapter of the Oregon Retired Educators Association (OREA) awarded more than $850 to Mazama High School today (Jan. 31) for math, science and shop equipment.

Feb. 7, 2024 / A Lost River Junior/Senior High School senior won the Klamath County Chamber of Commerce’s Youth Leadership Award for his ongoing work as a leader and positive role model. Amadeus Hernandez, 17, accepted the honor last month at an event attended by more than 600 people. He was among 10 Klamath Basin youth who were nominated for the award.

More than 150 Klamath County School District FBLA students qualified to represent their schools in the FBLA State Business Leadership Conference in Portland in April. The qualifying FBLA Regional Skills Conference included 254 students from nine schools, including Bonanza, Brixner, Gilchrist, Lost River, and Mazama. Four schools from Deschutes County – Culver, Mountain View, Redmond and Ridgeview also competed during the Feb. 6 event at Oregon Tech.

Feb. 20, 2024 / The head cook at Stearns Elementary School was recognized and honored last week by the school district and its school board for her life-saving efforts by recognizing and acting to help a co-worker experiencing a medical emergency.

Feb. 21. 2024 / A Henley High School senior has qualified to compete on the world stage at the DECA International Career Development Conference in April. Lily Preston placed second overall in human resources management series at the State Career Development Conference competition on Feb. 12 and Feb. 13. DECA students must place in the top three to automatically qualify for the world competition. Preston also placed eighth in hotel and lodging management series and 12 other Henley DECA competitors scored in the top 20 at the state conference.

Feb. 26, 2024 / We have a two-time state wrestling champ and four wrestlers who placed in the top 6 at the OSAA State Championships on Friday. Congratulations to DYLAN CLARK of Henley, who defended his 2023 title and is the 2024 OSAA state 126-pound wrestling champion!

March 1, 2024 / Henley High School ag science CTE students have moved into their new classroom – a 2,700-square-foot greenhouse outfitted with an aquaponics watering and fertilizing system, a hydroponic grow table, and plenty of space for hands-on projects and plants.

A free online tutoring program in reading is now available for all first-, second-, and third-graders attending school in the Klamath County School District. The classes will be offered in the late afternoons and evenings and done online at home.

March 12, 2024 /Bonanza Jr/Sr High School construction students are building prototypes of a shed design that will be used in an upcoming Oregon Housing Authority transitional housing project for homeless across the state. The project is expected to kick off in late March, with construction students at Bonanza, Lost River, Henley, and Mazama building the sheds and cottages. The structures are meant to sit within a pod with services provided until people get into more stable housing.

Each year, the school district asks staff, parents, students, and community members to submit nominations for our Crystal Apple Awards. This year, we received more than 120 nominations highlighting the inspirational efforts and hard work of our certified and classified staff. Our eight winners exemplify KCSD's mission: "Inspiring today's students to meet tomorrow's challenges." The winners will receive their Crystal Apples during a celebration at 7 p.m. April 25 at the Ross Ragland Theater. The event is open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Read about our winners 

April 17, 2024 / Rita Hepper, principal of Chiloquin Elementary School, has been named 2024 Oregon Elementary School Principal of the Year by the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators. She was chosen for the award by her colleagues from more than 1,200 elementary schools across the state. “What stood out about Rita was her deep connection to the community here, her deep investment, partnership, and collaboration with the Tribes and the work she did during the Two Four Two Fire to take care of families in Chiloquin,” Hawkins said. “Also, academic achievement here has made real progress under her leadership. All of those things go into the mix, but I think her story just really touched hearts.”

FFA students from Bonanza, Henley, Lost River, and Mazama competed well at the Oregon FFA State Convention March 21-24 at Deschutes Fair & Expo Center in Redmond. Congratulations to all our student competitors and special shout out to the students who will be representing their schools at nationals.

Henley Elementary School students added 13 native trees to the school’s Evergreen Forest April 23. The forest, established in 2019 by Henley teacher Robert Nieman, is on a swath of land on the east side of the elementary school between the school building and the high school parking lot.

April 23, 2024 / Klamath County School District’s Adam Randall has been named Oregon ACTE Administrator of the Year for his work expanding Career and Technical Education programs of study and securing industry and community partnerships so students can experience career connected learning. Randall, a full-time CTE coordinator for Henley High School who also helps coordinate expansion of programs at other KCSD high schools, received the award earlier this month during the Oregon Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE)’s annual conference. Nominees were evaluated on their contributions to the overall success of educators and students, innovations in CTE programming, and their leadership in CTE community. “Adam’s ability to take one success, engage those around him in his excitement, and then build upon it for even greater success for all is unique,” said Brian Robin, CTE regional coordinator for Region 8. Robin has worked closely with Randall since September 2020. “Adam is simply irreplaceable.” 

April 24, 2024 / Congratulations again to our eight Crystal Apple Award winners, and a shout out to all of the community members, parents, and KCSD staff who helped us celebrate April 23 during our annual gala at the Ross Ragland Theater.  For photos: Crystal Apple Awards Gala 2024

Merrill Elementary School kindergarteners and first-graders performed a musical version of “The Three Nanny Goats Gruff” in front of a packed audience May 7. The show, which included songs, acting, and a narration, captivated parents and community members. Sharon Cosand, the school’s project-based learning teacher who is known for her ability to direct performances, taught and directed the students. Merrill’s fourth-graders performed “Gold Dust or Bust." 

May 9, 2024 / There was a situation May 7, 2024, during an online reading tutoring session in one of our classes at Bonanza Elementary School. The district has already sent a message to Bonanza families. Since there is misinformation being spread about the incident, we are sharing more information with our community.

May 13, 2024 / Klamath County School District will offer a new medical assistant pre-apprenticeship program at Mazama and Henley high schools starting in the 2024-25 school year. The new program partners with Sky Lakes Medical Center to provide students with a full year of medical assistant college-level courses. Lauren Lorenz teaches CTE (career and technical education) health occupation courses at Mazama High School and will be teaching the medical assistant pre-apprenticeship course there next year.  “We will be teaching the same curriculum that medical assistants are taught at Sky Lakes,” she said. “The medical center wants to build a bridge and have students continue their training at Sky Lakes.”

May 14, 2024 / Lost River Junior/Senior High School’s Class of 2024 committed to future plans May 14 during the school’s eighth annual Signing Day. The event featured a luncheon for the seniors and their families followed by the signing ceremony. The soon-to-be graduates will represent their alma mater at two community colleges and 11 four-year universities in Oregon, Florida, Washington, Indiana, California, Indiana, and Texas.

May 7, 2024 / Class was out for the day, but members of the Stearns Elementary School Chess Club continued to learn, engaging in battles of patience and strategy in hopes of the oft-elusive checkmate. The school this year started an after-school chess club for its students – kindergarten to sixth grade – coached by P.E. teacher Brandon Powell, project-based learning teacher Jeff Sparks, and volunteer Manny Castaneda. The hour-long, once-a-week sessions include learning strategies and rules as well as games against their fellow club members.

May 17, 2024 /Seven Klamath County School District seniors – one from Bonanza, one from Falcon Heights/Mazama, two from Henley, and three from Lost River -- have been selected for four-year Ford Family Foundation Scholarships that will pay for 90 percent of their unmet college costs. Recipients are Bonanza senior Julie Hess, Falcon Heights senior Isabella Heaton, Henley seniors Lily Preston and Erick Amador-Gonzalez, and Lost River seniors Chantelle Reyes, Bella Hernandez, and Angel Giovanni Lopez Romero.

May 16, 2024 /Four Henley High School student athletes have signed to play at the collegiate level next year. The athletes, coaches, and their families gathered at Henley May 15 for a Signing Day celebration. Sports represented include basketball, football, cross country and track, and wrestling.  Henley High School Athletic Director Luke Hammond believes it’s important to recognize the commitment the seniors made to their teammates, coaches, and families over their high school careers. “Their dedication and hard work paid off as they are all getting the opportunity to continue playing in college,” he said “We should celebrate these student-athletes as they will continue to represent the Henley community as they pursue their athletic endeavors.”

Bonanza Jr/Sr High School’s 26 seniors committed to either college, the military, or the workforce during the school’s third annual Signing Day celebration on May 21. As classmates, staff, friends, and family members looked on, the students signed their names to commitment letters, many wearing T-shirts or sweatshirts commemorating their choices.

May 22, 2024 /Chiloquin Jr/Sr High School hosted its first College and Career Signing Day celebration Tuesday (May 21). The event, honoring seniors’ commitment to their future, was the first of what will be an annual tradition for the school’s graduates, said Chiloquin Principal Ruben Paschal. “We wanted to highlight the success of our students in committing to their post-secondary plans, whether that’s attending college in the fall, taking up a trade or apprenticeship, or going into the workforce,” Paschal said. “This a day to celebrate the work they’ve done and how proud we are of them. I want to thank our seniors for being such great role models to our younger students, and I can't wait to see what great things they will achieve in the future.”

May 25, 2204 /A special morning-long science class for Henley Middle School seventh-graders this week did not include walls and desks. Instead, students walked alongside wetlands, exploring a sucker nursery pond, touching a peregrine falcon, waving cattails, and using binoculars to search for different species of birds. On May 21 and May 23, more than 200 Henley Middle School seventh-graders visited Lakeside Farms near Cove Point just north of Klamath Falls to learn how one farm is helping revitalize ecosystems in the Klamath Basin. Kristine Creed, principal of Henley Middle School, and the school’s science teachers organized the field trip to provide students with a way to actually see how the concepts they have been learning in their life science curriculum apply in the world outside their classroom. “They actually got to see firsthand how the integration of farming and wetlands can achieve important goals ranging from water quality improvement, endangered species recovery, and expanded wildlife habitat to enhancing farm yields, reducing farm input costs, and improving biodiversity,” Creed said. “This field trip not only gave them a chance for real-world investigation but also showed them how science can be used to solve local issues.” 

Meet KCSD’s class of 2024 valedictorians and salutatorians from each of our high schools – Bonanza, Chiloquin, Gilchrist, Henley, Lost River, and Mazama. These 36 students are at the top of their classes academically and are looking towards the future.

Crowds gathered along Main Street today (May 30) for the ninth annual Klamath Promise Graduation Sensation. Hundreds of spectators cheered on more than 700 graduating seniors from all Klamath County high schools as they walked down Main Street in their caps and gowns. This year, the seniors were joined by nearly 800 kindergartners as they prepare for their Class of 2036 graduation.

June 4, 2024 /When Alexia Aguilar transferred to Mazama High School in March, the senior spoke no English. This Friday, the 19-year-old will walk across the stage at Viking Field and receive her high school diploma, ready to take the next step towards her dream of a nursing career. Alexia, who moved to Klamath Falls from Michoacán, Mexico, will be the first graduate from the school’s Newcomer Program, which started two years ago to provide resources for students who are new to the English language. “I was so scared,” she said, her words translated for this interview by Newcomer Program teacher Laura Villanueva. “Everything is so different … sometimes I’m still scared. The hardest part is not being able to express yourself.”

June 6, 2024 / Klamath County Transition Program celebrated Independence Day for its Class of 2024 in an outside ceremony Thursday (June 6) attended by family and friends.

More than 445 seniors received their diplomas this weekend from seven high schools across the Klamath County School District. Check out our graduation photo albums:
Falcon Heights
Mazama High School
Bonanza Jr/Sr High School
Lost River Jr/Sr High School
Gilchrist Jr/Sr High School
Chiloquin Jr/Sr High School
Henley High School