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PSD Facilities anticipate putting down an herbicide treatment across the district grounds the week of March 24-28, 2025, weather dependent.

PHS Homecoming Assembly

PHS Homecoming

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October 12, 2023

Students at Pendleton High School have been traveling back in time this week for Homecoming. This year’s theme featuring the school mascot is “Bucky Travels in a Time Machine!”

The planned dress-up days have been:

Monday 10/9: Bucky starts his time travels to the crazy 1960s; wear Hippies clothes like flower power and tie-dye
Tuesday 10/10: Bucky goes back in time and listens to his favorite music; wear your favorite band/music group T-shirt of any genre
Wednesday 10/11: Bucky travels back in time to when his parents were in high school; wear anything 1980s or 1990s
Thursday 10/12: Bucky returns to PHS for “Go Bucks” Day; wear anything Bucks or Buckaroos and go crazy with green and gold.

Due to State In-Service on Friday, 10/13, there are only four days of school this week. On Thursday morning is the all-school Homecoming Assembly. The football game against Ontario is Thursday night at 7:00 PM at the Round-Up Grounds. The Homecoming Court will be presented during halftime, and the Queen will be crowned. The Homecoming Dance is Friday night at the high school.

The annual Mud Wars competition will be held Wednesday, 10/18, at the Happy Canyon Arena. This traditional PHS event usually happens during Homecoming week, but it was moved to next week due to a scheduling conflict at the arena.

Grace Pitner, PHS Senior and member of PHS Leadership said the week has been really fun for students to dress up and get in the Buckaroo spirit. Pitner said, “Homecoming is a lot of work for the Leadership students, and the weeks leading up to now have been very busy. But it’s great when it all happens, and students have a good time participating in the fun!”

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Native Language PELC

PELC – Native Language Signage Project

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Native Language PELC

At the end of last school year, three schools in the Pendleton School District received Native American Families Outreach Grants. The Pendleton Early Learning Center (PELC) received $10,000, Washington Elementary received $7,000, and Sunridge Middle School received $10,000. The purpose of the grants is to support Native American students in navigating public school systems.

Over the summer, the PELC used the funds to create and install signage in the building that incorporates the Umatilla language. Sunridge Middle School is also installing signage. Similar signage is already in place at Washington Elementary School.

Shawndine Jones, Walk to Language Teacher at the PELC, and Mildred Quaempts, Umatilla Language Master Speaker for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), work together at the PELC to teach students the Umatilla language every week. They have worked on the signage project at the school.

A special part of the new native language in the school is a large quote chosen by Mildred Quaempts, which is painted in the school’s library. It says,

Miyánašma pawá átaw ayáyat tɨmnáii ku px̣ʷít
“All children are precious with good hearts and minds.”

Mildred Quaempts said it’s a teaching among her elders that they were always telling the children to have good minds, good hearts, be respectful, and honorable. She chose this particular quote because “the children are precious, loved, they are awesome, valued, innocent and they are strong. And I like to hear what they have to say.”

In addition to the library quote, there is Umatilla language signage in the common areas, including the cafeteria, gym, music room, office, and cafeteria. Jones said there will also be a metal sign installed outside in front of the school in Umatilla that says something like, “Welcome, Little Bucks.”

Why do Jones and Mildred Quaempts think it’s important to have the Umatilla language visible in the school? Mildred Quaempts explained that at one time, both natives and non-natives communicated to one another – the ranchers and farmers and businessmen – locally and around the region. “Before they passed on, our elders all agreed that we were going to share the language with everyone, not just pick and choose who was going to learn it and speak it.” She said that currently five out of 3,000 tribal members speak the Umatilla language, so efforts to keep speaking and teaching it are very important.

“It’s good to see the language because this is the land of the tribes and it should be represented in our schools,” Jones said.

One sign in the school’s entryway is about “Boys with Braids,” which is a positive message for boys with long hair that they are seen and supported. The graphic features a silhouette of a former Washington Elementary and Sunridge Middle School student, Hiyúum Nowland. Jones said, “It’s good to see our schools creating an environment that welcomes all children.” The Pendleton School District purchased “Boys with Braids” signs for McKay Creek Elementary, Sherwood Heights Elementary and Pendleton High School also.

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Language Program helped with all of the translations for the signage at the schools.

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Pendleton School District
107 NW 10th Street, Pendleton, OR 97801
Phone:  541.276.6711  Fax:  541.278.3208

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