Klamath County School District

News Releases

April 2025

Who will be KCSD's first-ever Iron Chef champions?
April 29, 2025 / Student teams from Chiloquin, Bonanza, Lost River, Mazama, and Henley high schools are set to face off in an all-day cooking showdown Friday, May 2 — all for a shiny trophy 🏆 and the ultimate bragging rights of becoming KCSD’s first Iron Chefs. Read more

Students testify at Ways and Means hearing
April 29, 2025 / Two Lost River Junior/Senior High School students testified before the Oregon Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee on April 25, advocating for state funding for FFA and Farm to School programs. Teah Ongman and Anna Kliewer — both members of the Lost River FFA — spoke on behalf of their school’s programs as well as the Klamath County School District. Kekoa Taipin, KCSD’s Farm to School procurement specialist, and Jennifer Detwiler, KCSD’s Food Services supervisor, registered to testify at the hearing and invited Ongman and Kliewer to give the presentation. “Teah and Anna did an outstanding job representing KCSD’s Farm to School and FFA programs,” Detwiler said. “Through their presentation, they demonstrated how these programs work together. By raising and growing their projects to maturity, and then harvesting and serving them in our cafeterias, students not only learn where their food comes from but also develop lifelong skills such as responsibility, hard work, and perseverance. They show personal growth and leadership while honoring their community and supporting local agriculture.” Read more

State lawmakers visit schools
April 25, 2025 / About 12 members of the Oregon Legislature’s Joint Ways and Means Committee visited KCSD schools April 25, before hosting a two-hour public hearing at the Klamath Community College campus to listen to testimony regarding state funding for various projects. The K-12 education-focused stops highlighted KCSD programs and included visits to Shasta Elementary School and Mazama High School. KCSD Superintendent Glen Szymoniak led the tour, assisted by students, teachers, and administrators at both schools. Read more

Celebrating our Crystal Apples
April 25, 2025 / Friends, family, and talented students gathered Tuesday, April 22 to help the Klamath County School District celebrate and honor its eight Crystal Apple Award winners during a gala at the Ross Ragland Theater. Each winner received a Crystal Apple engraved with the words, “You … Make a Difference.” Read more

FBLA students place in top 10 in state competition
April 22, 2025 / Students from Bonanza, Brixner, Gilchrist, Mazama and Lost River participated in the 2025 Oregon FBLA State Business Leadership Conference in Portland April 3-5. During the conference, students attended workshops, the Expo (sponsored by Oregon Tech), and competed in more than 80 competitions. In addition to competitions, four Klamath County School District students are now part of the Oregon FBLA state leadership team: Jorge Hernandez Aguilera and Luis Huante from Lost River, and Olivia Crowder and Jalynn Monk from Brixner Junior High. Read more

Congratulations to our Crystal Apple winners
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 100 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 22 at the Ross Ragland Theater. The event is open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Read about our winners here

March 2025

February 2025

January 2025

Budget Committee has two openings
Jan. 31, 2025 / The Klamath County School District Board of Directors has two vacancies on its Budget Committee. Read more

Class of 2024 graduation rates released
Jan. 30, 2025 / Four high schools in the Klamath County School District had graduation rates above 94% percent in 2024, and two of those – Lost River Junior/Senior High School and Bonanza Junior/Senior High School – had perfect graduation rates of 100%. Henley High School at 99.2% continued its multi-year trend of graduation rates above 97% percent, and Mazama High School’s graduate rate of 94.6% is a significant 6.2 percentage point increase from 2023. Chiloquin Junior/Senior High at 86.7% saw a 3.8 percentage point decrease from last year. Gilchrist Junior/Senior High School saw a more than 20 percentage point drop from 2023, with a 69.2% graduate rate. Both schools had graduation rates above 90% in 2023. Schools with small cohorts can see large fluctuations in percentages from year to year. Read more

Three school board positions open
Jan. 17, 2025 / The Klamath County School District has three positions opening on its Board of Directors. Read more

Fake crime, real learning
Jan. 22, 2025 / Henley Middle School students last week used forensic science techniques to analyze a fake crime scene and solve a mock murder mystery thanks to Henley High senior Izzy Gollihar. Gollihar taught a one-week forensics unit to David Graham’s Medical Detective class as part of her senior engineering project. On the first day, students walked into a “crime scene” and spent the following days applying evidence-based science methods to identify the murderer. Gollihar set up the scene using Halloween decorations, a chalk outline of a body, fake blood, evidence markers, weapons, notes, and four suspect profiles. Read more

Grand opening celebration
Jan. 21, 2025 / The Lost River community gathered on Sunday, Jan. 19 to celebrate the grand opening of the Lost River Community Center, a 13,500-square-foot facility featuring a gymnasium, full kitchen, technology and robotics rooms, an art classroom, and a fitness center. Ribbons were cut at several doorways following celebratory speeches by Amie McAuliffe and Georgia O’Brien, who led the fundraising and construction efforts with the Lost River Booster Club, and Jana Dunlea, principal of Lost River Junior/Senior High School. Dunlea explained how community members can access the center’s fitness area and other resources. A dessert reception, door prizes, and building tours followed the opening ceremony. Read more

A weighty donation
Jan. 15, 2025 / Thanks to a $25,000 donation from a Mazama High School parent, the school’s weight room received a significant upgrade over winter break, adding new equipment that will greatly enhance students' physical fitness and athletic development. The donation, made by Jake Juhl on behalf of APE Strength and Conditioning, a local weightlifting and fitness business, enabled the purchase of new flooring, weights, barbells, benches, and six additional weight power racks. Read more

Grand opening scheduled for Lost River Community Center
Jan. 13, 2025 / The community is invited to celebrate the grand opening of the Lost River Community Center on Sunday, Jan. 19. A dessert reception will be at 4 p.m. at the LRCC, 23330 Highway 50. The community center is located on the campus of Lost River Junior/Senior High School just north of the track. Guests will have an opportunity to win door prizes, explore the building, and learn how to use the facility. The community center is a project of the Lost River Booster Club and community members. Read more

New truck helps Bonanza programs
Jan. 10, 2025 / Bonanza Junior/Senior High School has a new Dodge Ram 1500 wrapped in an Antler design thanks to an anonymous private donation and grant funds. The new truck will be used to transport needed materials and supplies for the school’s career and technical education programs as well as students to competitions and events. The truck also will be used to pull a trailer, allowing construction students to take their skills off site. “We want our students to get that real experience of going to a job and building a project on site,” said Bonanza Principal Jordan Osborn. “That’s where we’re headed.” Read more

December 2024

Goals Gourmet
Dec. 19, 2024 / In December, Goals students at Brixner Junior High started a new business, Goals Gourmet, and learned how to create festive cookie mix jars for the holiday season. For its inaugural project, Goals Gourmet students offered the mixes to staff at Brixner’s feeder schools — Peterson, Ferguson, and Stearns elementaries — as well as Mazama High School. Read more
A sneak peek at high school
Dec. 12, 2024 / Fifth-graders from Shasta Elementary School, with an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), got a firsthand look Dec. 12 at the opportunities awaiting them at Mazama High School. During their visit, students from Katie Johnson’s project-based learning classes had the chance to drive robots, explore engineering and robotics courses, and learn about programs in automotive, construction, and metals manufacturing. Mazama STEM teacher Laura Nickerson collaborated with local elementary schools to organize these shop tours, introducing younger students to courses that could spark their interest in future careers and skilled trades. On Dec. 5, a group of fifth- and sixth-graders from Peterson Elementary joined Nickerson and Mazama’s auto, woods, and metals teachers, along with student leaders, for the tour. After winter break, upper elementary students from Ferguson and Stearns will have a similar opportunity. Read more
Identifying a problem, finding a solution
Dec. 11, 2024 / Henley High School seniors Colton Putnam and Cameron Ransom have been selected as finalists in the first round of the prestigious Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Education Contest. Their project aims to reduce planting and equipment costs for Klamath Basin farmers. The national competition encourages students to use science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to address real-world problems impacting their communities. Read more
Leading the Parade
Dec. 11, 2024 / The Henley High School Jr. ROTC Cadet Corps Color Guard led the 40th Annual Snowflake Parade in downtown Klamath Falls on Dec. 5, the first time the unit has done so. Cadets from the Air Force-sponsored program provided the traditional parade opening, leading the procession with the U.S. flag followed by more than 117 entries from local organizations. Although the 173rd Fighter Wing or the local VFW typically perform the honor of opening the parade, this year’s deployment cycle sees many local airmen deployed overseas and parade organizers asked Henley’s ROTC unit to step in. “It was a lot of fun,” said color guard member Cadet Andrei Shilov, a ceremonial rifle-bearer. “When I watched the video later we were all in-step and moving together as a team. I’m very proud of my team and I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished — I can’t wait to see what happens down the road for all of us.” Read more

From learning to doing: Medical assisting program kicks off
Dec. 4, 2024 / Nine students in a new medical assisting pre-apprenticeship program have started clinical observations at Cascades East and Sky Lakes Primary Care clinics, helping with patients and practicing the skills they learned in the classroom. During the observations, medical assistants direct the students in such tasks as calling patients from the waiting room, taking weights and heights, and attending appointments. In a related simulation lab, students also were able to practice mental cognition tests they learned about in class, check vital signs on an infant and toddler, and learn about oxygen testing. “The first observations have been amazing,” said Kelsey Hammond, a CTE (career and technical education) health occupation teacher at Henley High School who teaches the medical assisting course. “They were really able to take what we learned in class the first 12 weeks and be clinically tested on the material from medical professionals.” Read more

November 2024

October 2024

Building hope: Students construct sheds for fire victims
An 8-by-16-foot shed built by Mazama High School students is helping a Sprague River family who lost their home in the Copperfield Fire. On Friday morning, Mazama construction students gathered around the completed structure for a photo, quietly celebrating a job well done. The shed was picked up and transported to the Sprague River area on Saturday to provide storage for a family who lost everything in September’s Copperfield Fire. Mazama's wooden, roofed shed is the first to be completed by high school students this fall and is one of five being built by students in the Klamath Basin through Team Oregon Build. Lost River, Henley, Bonanza, and Eagle Ridge construction students are in the process of completing similar sheds for Sprague River-area families impacted by September’s Copperfield Fire. Chiloquin students are building a shed, but it will be a smaller 8x8-foot version. Read more
Crunch at Once!
More than 4,500 elementary students in 12 schools across the Klamath County School District crunched locally grown carrots Thursday (Oct. 25) in the district’s seventh annual Crunch at Once event celebrating National Farm to School month. The fresh carrots grown by Farmer Patrick Homa, owner of Red Buttes Farm in the Applegate Valley, were delivered to the district last week as part of its Farm to School program. Read more
Setting up shop
Students at Bonanza Jr/Sr High School are taking classes this year in a renovated shop with new state-of-the-art equipment, including nine welding booths, a CNC plasma machine, a laser engraver, ShopBot CNC router, new construction tools, and an updated small project/drafting room. Last year, the school was awarded two grants -- $250,000 from the Oregon Department of Education to revitalize its Career and Technical Education programs and $228,000 from the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Future Ready Oregon to start a pre-apprenticeship construction and carpentry program. The funds were used to purchase the much- needed equipment and renovate the interior of the decades-old shop building. The shop floor plan was redesigned, allowing for better use of space and a small woodshop was created in one section. This school year, students are reaping the benefits, learning workplace ready skills to use industry-standard equipment and tools. Read more
KCSD Business Services team wins award
Oct. 22. 2024 / For the 10th 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. Read more
Don't Dream It, Be It
Oct. 17, 2024 / Mazama High School students had a chance to explore possible futures and talk to college representatives, military recruiters and even local employers Wednesday (Oct. 16) during the school’s third annual “Don’t Dream It, Be It!” career, college, and military night. The event, hosted during parent-teacher conferences, was an opportunity for all grade levels to learn about opportunities available to them after high school. Nearly 450 students and their parents attended. Thirty-seven organizations, including colleges, universities, businesses, and military branches provided representatives to talk with students about possible careers. “By bringing together so many different community partners, including a helicopter landing courtesy of Pure Flight, we are providing our students with a unique chance to discover potential career paths, make connections with professionals from various fields, and help them envision their futures after high school, said Robyn Morris, Mazama school counselor. “We want our students to leave this event feeling inspired and informed.” Read more
Crunch at Once to honor Farm to School month
Oct. 15, 2024 / Students across the Klamath County School District will crunch carrots together on Thursday, Oct. 24 during the district’s seventh annual Crunch at Once celebrating National Farm to School Month. More than 4,600 whole carrots from Red Buttes Farm in the Applegate Valley were delivered to the district warehouse today (Oct. 15) in preparation for next week’s event. Elementary students will receive their carrots whole while students in our junior high and high schools will eat the local carrots integrated into their lunchtime meal. KCSD’s annual Crunch event is a fun way to celebrate farmers and to connect youth with local food, said Michelle Kekoa Taipin, the district’s Farm to School procurement and education coordinator. Read more
'Bonanza knows how to cut a ribbon'
Oct. 4, 2024 / Bonanza students, staff, and community members circled the new gymnasium, united by a 6-inch-wide red ribbon, cheering as they counted down from five. Klamath County School District Superintendent Glen Szymoniak led the countdown. Bonanza administrators Jordan Osborn, Josh Crawford, and Jessica DeLonge and KCSD School Board members Marc Staunton, Jill O’Donnell, and Steve Lowell each with an oversized pair of golden scissors then cut the ribbon, marking the opening of the new facility. As the crowd cheered, Osborn grinned, holding up a piece of the cut ribbon. “Bonanza knows how to cut a ribbon,” he said. The grand opening celebration Friday (Oct. 4) afternoon celebrated the opening of the new 16,422-square-foot gymnasium, which will host its first event Saturday (Oct. 5), the Antler Classic Volleyball Tournament. The entire student body of both the elementary and junior-senior high school as well as community members filled the bleachers for the event. Read more
Henley students volunteer as SMART readers
Henley High School senior Josh Rose sat on the floor in a kindergarten classroom surrounded by three boys, who listened intently as he read a book about lions. “I ask them questions and engage them,” he said. “I think the best part is adding a bit of spin to the story.” Rose is one of nearly 90 Henley High School students who spend an hour reading with kindergartners at Henley Elementary School as part of a program that provides free books to students each week. Students in the 10th-, 11th-, and 12th-grade advanced English classes volunteer as SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) readers, a statewide program that aims to get students reading at grade-level by the time they exit third-grade. SMART provides books for students and every other week students are allowed to pick a book and take it home for their personal library. Read more

September 2024

Exploring careers in flight
Lost River Jr/Sr High School students gazed up at the sky as the two-seat helicopter circled and then landed in the middle of the Raider’s football field. The Sept. 26 visit from the pilots and flight instructors – James and Alex Wiganowsky of PureFlight Aviation – was part of the school’s ongoing efforts to introduce students to possible career fields after high school. PureFlight partners with the Klamath Community College Aviation program, which offers training for flight careers. Seniors as well as other students in the 7th-12th junior/senior high school gathered on the field to watch the helicopter land, listen to the pilots, ask questions, and get a chance to look at the three-blade, Guimbal Cabri G2 flying machine, a two-seat helicopter used mostly for personal travel and training. Read more
Rock Your School with Gilchrist
Gilchrist School teachers put their creativity to work on Monday, creating themed classrooms with curriculum-specific activities that added new energy to everyday learning. The school is participating in Rock Your School, an annual educational initiative hosted by Get Your Teach On that encourages teachers to create innovative learning experiences for their students. Gilchrist teachers have embraced the Rock Your School philosophy, said Principal JP Richards. “It really challenges the teachers to think outside the box to create an engaging experience where they’re using their curriculum to be able to instruct in creative ways,” he said. “This is a for our teachers to step outside their box and comfort zone and be creative.” Read more
Mazama creates tranquility spaces for students
Sept. 23, 2024 / Mazama High School students have newly created tranquility or green spaces this year to study, eat lunch, or just relax. The goal is to provide outside spaces that are inclusive to all cultures and reflect the school’s diverse student body, said Mazama Vice Principal Sergio Cisneros. Cisneros worked with Mazama educator and CTE coordinator Anna Monteil to design and implement the tranquility spaces project. “These are places where students can be outside to reset, recalibrate, and refocus,” Cisneros said. “And that is absolutely needed during the school day. In this digital era, we’re so indoors and attached to screens that it’s important to be intentional in offering these spaces.” Read more

August 2024

KCSD welcomes new school leaders
Klamath County School District welcomes 11 new administrators this fall. Some are new to the district and others are familiar faces but taking on new leadership roles. Please welcome them to your school community. Read more
Summer projects improve school campuses
Klamath County School District’s 14-member maintenance team has been busy this summer, using their expertise to renovate and update school buildings, among other improvements. Highlights include construction of gymnasiums in Bonanza and Chiloquin, completion of a new concession stand at Henley High, and completion of seismic work at Keno Elementary School. The new 16,422-square-foot gymnasium in Bonanza is expected to be completed this fall. Work is just beginning on new 11,580-square-foot gym in Chiloquin. “Summer gives us two months to complete larger projects in school buildings that cannot be done while class is in session,” said Dennis Zullo, KCSD maintenance and project supervisor. “Whether it’s replacing windows and flooring, laying concrete, or installing a new roof, every job contributes to safe learning environments for our students. Read more
Ready for emergencies
Bonanza Elementary Principal Jessica DeLonge and Gearhart School Vice Principal Melissa Nixon, wearing reflective vests and hard hats and armed with radios and flashlights, systematically searched Mazama High School, classroom by classroom, reporting in as they cleared rooms. Within minutes, they had found two “students,” represented by district staff, and radioed fellow team members to help them from the building. Meanwhile, Falcon Heights Principal Joe Tacchini in a team role of building manager searched the school for a potential fire, and finding a real, though controlled and outside practice blaze, he used a fire extinguisher to put it out and report to incident command. The three were among Klamath County School District administrators who spent two days last week training to use the district’s emergency response plan and create emergency response teams within their schools to do everything possible to protect students and staff during a natural disaster or other emergency. Read more
Students gain job skills through internship program
Jahir Serafin learned auto mechanics in teacher Steve Walker’s class last year at Mazama High School. He put those skills to use this summer as a paid intern, working alongside mechanics in the bus barn at the Klamath County School District. Jahir was among 12 teenagers who participated in this summer’s Basin Partners Internship Program (BPIP), which pairs students with local organizations and businesses so they can earn a paycheck and gain job experience. Read more

July 2024

State to reimburse districts for underpayments
The Oregon Department of Education has agreed to reimburse the Klamath County School District more than $2.5 million after it underpaid school districts by using federal forest funds to offset State School Fund allocations. The state’s decision to reimburse school districts comes a year after the KCSD Board of Directors sent a resolution to Gov. Tina Kotek and state leaders, urging the Oregon Legislature to authorize payments to school districts owed three years of back payments from the National Forest Payment to States program. Read more
Local barbershop provides free haircuts
July 19, 2024 / Nine students in Mazama’s academic enrichment program and Klamath County School District’s migrant summer school who received free haircuts Thursday from Fresh Cut barbers. Owner Cesar Lopez and his barbers have volunteered each of the past three years to provide free haircuts to KCSD migrant summer school students. This year, the offer was extended to students in the Mazama program as well. Read more
Spotlight on Henley summer learning
July 18, 2024 / Local history. Welding and construction. Homemade jam, butter, and freeze-dried foods. Henley High School students had a chance to take for-credit academic enrichment courses this summer thanks to funds from a state grant. The school offered three classes: Local history with an emphasis on English language arts, food production, and manufacturing and construction. Read more
Check out KCSD's annual Report
Each year, Klamath County School District publishes an annual report, highlighting the progress we've made on the goals of the district's strategic plan. We also spotlight success of students and staff. Printed copies are available the District Office. To read the report, online: KCSD Annual Report 2023-24.
Students learn from award-winning author
July 11, 2024 / Award-winning Oregon author Rick Steber met with Mazama and Lost River students Thursday (July 11) to discuss his fiction and nonfiction Western historical books, recite poetry, answer questions, and share stories. Steber was invited to speak as part of the Mazama High School’s summer school enrichment program. Lost River students in the school’s Wrangling History class were invited to attend along with Mazama’s English language arts class. Both classes have been reading Steber’s books as part of a blended English and social studies curriculum. Read more
Ice cream, math, and summer learning!
July 11, 2024 / Students in Bonanza’s three-week summer math camp were motivated to put their math skills to the test Wednesday, using play money to purchase ice cream and toppings from their fourth- and fifth-grade classmates. The fourth- and fifth-graders developed a business plan and ran the ice cream bar, taking money, providing change and, of course, yummy toppings and customer service. Read more
KCSD offers summer learning opportunities
July 3, 2024 / For the first time, several high schools in the Klamath County School District are offering for-credit enrichment programs funded through state summer school grants. The grants also cover summer school literacy programs for kindergarten through sixth-graders as well as migrant summer school. Academic recovery classes are being offered at Falcon Heights. Read more