College basketball teams and their fans across America were consumed by the March Madness basketball tournaments last month. But the Pendleton Early Learning Center was busy with its own March Madness!
For the fourth year in a row, the school staged its March Madness Book Battle, a competition to promote the love of books, reading and fun. The program is organized in much the same way as the big basketball competitions. First, the kindergarten teachers choose the Sweet Sixteen – 16 books they want to compete. Each classroom reads the books, then votes on which ones they like best, whittling down the 16 books to the Elite Eight.
Students in classrooms read the books again until they are down to the Final Four. Eventually, the competition comes down to two contenders. This year, they were Mortimer by Robert Munsch, about a boy who won’t be quiet and go to sleep, and Frankie by Mary Sullivan, about a new puppy who has to share with the dog already living in a house.
On the morning of Monday, April 7th, all classes read the two books for a final time and chose their champion. Then they waited for all the votes from all the classrooms to come in.
Teacher Rachele Johnson said the kids love getting to read two stories every single day, and reading the books repeatedly helps the students learn about intonation and punctuation. In the case of the Mortimer book, students were able to sing the song and thump their feet like the characters in the book.
“As teachers, we love to see their excitement about reading, and we get to read picture books that might not normally fit the themes we are doing,” Johnson said. Plus, teachers mix in math related to counting the votes and concepts like having your own opinion no matter what the group thinks, and having your favorite book.
So, who was the school’s March Madness Champion? It was Frankie by quite a lot of votes. It’s hard to compete with a story about a cute puppy.
https://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/read-books.jpg543800rthornburghttps://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pendleton-school-district.pngrthornburg2025-04-18 13:43:482025-04-18 13:43:48PELC Celebrates March Madness with Books
This morning, during bus route pick up and delivery, the driver of route 13 suffered a medical emergency. The driver was able to pull over safely, and Emergency Medical Services were contacted. Students were kept safe on the bus; a replacement driver was able to transport students to their schools. In a separate incident, route 16 was in an accident. The bus was rear-ended by a car. No student injuries occurred, and the students were safely moved to two different buses to transport them to their schools. We are grateful to the First Student drivers for keeping our students safe during these unfortunate events.
https://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/bus-stop-sign.jpg657800rthornburghttps://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pendleton-school-district.pngrthornburg2025-04-10 09:05:052025-04-10 09:05:05Bus Routes 13 & 16 on April 10, 2025
Students at McKay Creek Elementary have been creating artwork for the Pendleton School District Art Show in May 2025.
https://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/mckay-logo-clean.Blue_.png9601162rthornburghttps://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pendleton-school-district.pngrthornburg2025-04-08 12:46:552025-04-08 12:46:55McKay Students Artwork for District Art Show
In early March, the Pendleton Early Learning Center celebrated its annual Community Read-In. More than 90 volunteers came to the school to read with the Kindergarten students. Volunteers included students from Sunridge Middle School, parents, grandparents, ALTRUSA members, law enforcement officers, and more!
https://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/PELC-sign.png616995rthornburghttps://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pendleton-school-district.pngrthornburg2025-04-02 17:17:172025-04-02 17:17:17Community Read-In at the PELC
The Pendleton School District will recommend that the board approve Doug Gunter to be the new assistant principal/athletic director of Sunridge Middle School, effective July 1, 2025.
With the recent announcement that Sunridge will have a vacancy for an assistant principal, the district decided to draw from the strong applicant pool of principal applicants to fill this position for the 2025-2026 school year.
The position of assistant principal/athletic director was offered to Doug Gunter, and he has accepted. Doug was a finalist in our recent SMS principal search, and he comes highly recommended by his colleagues and current supervisor.
Mr. Gunter has been a teacher and executive director at Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School for the past 12 years in the Salem-Keizer School District, and taught at Adam Stephens Middle School before that, also in Salem-Keizer. We’re excited to have him join the SMS team, the Pendleton School District, and the Pendleton Community.
Mr. Gunter will officially take over as assistant principal/athletic director on July 1st. He is replacing Caleb Patterson as he has accepted a position in La Grande.
https://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/PSD-Shield-logo-color.png1050975rthornburghttps://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pendleton-school-district.pngrthornburg2025-04-01 09:19:142025-04-01 09:19:14District Recommends New Sunridge Middle School Assistant Principal/Athletic Director
The Pendleton School District School Board will be asked at their next board meeting to approve the recommendation to hire Angie Horton to be the new principal of Sunridge Middle School, effective July 1st, 2025.
Horton is currently a principal in the Warrenton Hammond School District. Horton has held Principal, Vice Principal, Behavior Support Classroom Teacher, and a 3rd Grade teacher positions in her district. Before her time in Warrenton, she was a Child Treatment Specialist at the Grande Ronde Child Care Centre in La Grande.
Mrs. Horton attended Wallowa High School, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and business administration in 2001 from Eastern Oregon University, a master’s degree in Special Education in 2019 from Western Governor’s University, and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Western Governor’s University in 2022.
Mrs. Horton will officially take over as principal on July 1st. She is replacing Principal, Piper Kelm, who is retiring effective June 30th.
https://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/PSD-Shield-logo-color.png1050975rthornburghttps://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pendleton-school-district.pngrthornburg2025-03-14 13:33:192025-03-14 13:33:19District Recommends New Sunridge Middle School Principal
Meet Thomas Feller, Senior at Pendleton High School He is taking classes in Robotics.
What do you enjoy about your CTE classes at PHS?
I enjoy the teacher and the tech. I’ve learned a lot from this pathway. I learned how to run 3D printers here, and now I run my own printer and print things for myself and my friends/family.
How are CTE classes making a difference in your education?
They are furthering my knowledge in this field. I knew a decent amount of things, but these CTE classes have helped me a lot.
Would you like to share anything else about CTE at PHS?
I would encourage new students to take CTE classes. They are great hands-on classes and teach you a lot of things about modern technology. These classes are my favorite ones in my schedule.
https://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PHS-CTE-Student_Thomas-Feller_Social-Media.png788940rthornburghttps://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pendleton-school-district.pngrthornburg2025-03-13 14:04:432025-03-13 14:04:43CTE Spotlight – Thomas Feller
Meet AJ Nez, Senior at Pendleton High School She is taking classes in the Digital and Media Arts Pathway.
What do you enjoy about your CTE classes at PHS?
I enjoy being able to express my creativity in my work and being able to be my most authentic self.
How are CTE classes making a difference in your education?
I get to have a break from all my schoolwork to work on art. It is stress relieving so I’m not so foggy minded.
Would you like to share anything else about CTE at PHS?
PHS art classes have been my absolute favorite. Before high school, I felt I hadn’t been able to learn much about art and I felt put in a box. But now, I have learned so much in art class, and I get to use my creativity. I got to learn photography and work with Adobe software, which has definitely broadened my ability by a ton, and I discovered yet another medium I enjoy.
https://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PHS-CTE-Student_AJ-Nez_Social-Media.png788940rthornburghttps://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pendleton-school-district.pngrthornburg2025-03-13 11:16:112025-03-13 11:24:08CTE Spotlight – AJ Nez
Meet Gaige Jordan, Sophomore at Pendleton High School He has taken Metals 1 and Metals 2, plus Multimedia Art, Foods 1 and Robotics.
What do you enjoy about your CTE classes at PHS?
I like the different activities we get to do. I also like the teachers because they make the class interesting.
How are CTE classes making a difference in your education?
They are enhancing my current life skills and teaching me more life skills.
Would you like to share anything else about CTE at PHS?
I highly recommend all of the CTE classes, especially if you want to enhance or learn new skills.
https://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PHS-CTE-Student_Gaige-Jordan_Social-Media.png788940rthornburghttps://pendleton.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pendleton-school-district.pngrthornburg2025-03-13 11:11:372025-03-13 11:24:46CTE Spotlight – Gaige Jordan
PELC Celebrates March Madness with Books
/in District Site News, Early Learning Center News /by rthornburgCollege basketball teams and their fans across America were consumed by the March Madness basketball tournaments last month. But the Pendleton Early Learning Center was busy with its own March Madness!
For the fourth year in a row, the school staged its March Madness Book Battle, a competition to promote the love of books, reading and fun. The program is organized in much the same way as the big basketball competitions. First, the kindergarten teachers choose the Sweet Sixteen – 16 books they want to compete. Each classroom reads the books, then votes on which ones they like best, whittling down the 16 books to the Elite Eight.
Students in classrooms read the books again until they are down to the Final Four. Eventually, the competition comes down to two contenders. This year, they were Mortimer by Robert Munsch, about a boy who won’t be quiet and go to sleep, and Frankie by Mary Sullivan, about a new puppy who has to share with the dog already living in a house.
On the morning of Monday, April 7th, all classes read the two books for a final time and chose their champion. Then they waited for all the votes from all the classrooms to come in.
Teacher Rachele Johnson said the kids love getting to read two stories every single day, and reading the books repeatedly helps the students learn about intonation and punctuation. In the case of the Mortimer book, students were able to sing the song and thump their feet like the characters in the book.
“As teachers, we love to see their excitement about reading, and we get to read picture books that might not normally fit the themes we are doing,” Johnson said. Plus, teachers mix in math related to counting the votes and concepts like having your own opinion no matter what the group thinks, and having your favorite book.
So, who was the school’s March Madness Champion? It was Frankie by quite a lot of votes. It’s hard to compete with a story about a cute puppy.
Congratulations, Karen Demianew
/in District Site News, High Schools News /by rthornburgCONGRATULATIONS to Karen Demianew!!! She is the CTE Career Guidance Counselor of the year for the State of Oregon.

Bus Routes 13 & 16 on April 10, 2025
/in District Site News /by rthornburgThis morning, during bus route pick up and delivery, the driver of route 13 suffered a medical emergency. The driver was able to pull over safely, and Emergency Medical Services were contacted. Students were kept safe on the bus; a replacement driver was able to transport students to their schools. In a separate incident, route 16 was in an accident. The bus was rear-ended by a car. No student injuries occurred, and the students were safely moved to two different buses to transport them to their schools. We are grateful to the First Student drivers for keeping our students safe during these unfortunate events.
McKay Students Artwork for District Art Show
/in District Site News, McKay Creek School News /by rthornburgStudents at McKay Creek Elementary have been creating artwork for the Pendleton School District Art Show in May 2025.
Community Read-In at the PELC
/in District Site News, Early Learning Center News /by rthornburgIn early March, the Pendleton Early Learning Center celebrated its annual Community Read-In. More than 90 volunteers came to the school to read with the Kindergarten students. Volunteers included students from Sunridge Middle School, parents, grandparents, ALTRUSA members, law enforcement officers, and more!
District Recommends New Sunridge Middle School Assistant Principal/Athletic Director
/in News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District will recommend that the board approve Doug Gunter to be the new assistant principal/athletic director of Sunridge Middle School, effective July 1, 2025.
With the recent announcement that Sunridge will have a vacancy for an assistant principal, the district decided to draw from the strong applicant pool of principal applicants to fill this position for the 2025-2026 school year.
The position of assistant principal/athletic director was offered to Doug Gunter, and he has accepted. Doug was a finalist in our recent SMS principal search, and he comes highly recommended by his colleagues and current supervisor.
Mr. Gunter has been a teacher and executive director at Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School for the past 12 years in the Salem-Keizer School District, and taught at Adam Stephens Middle School before that, also in Salem-Keizer. We’re excited to have him join the SMS team, the Pendleton School District, and the Pendleton Community.
Mr. Gunter will officially take over as assistant principal/athletic director on July 1st. He is replacing Caleb Patterson as he has accepted a position in La Grande.
District Recommends New Sunridge Middle School Principal
/in District Site News, News - District & All Schools /by rthornburgThe Pendleton School District School Board will be asked at their next board meeting to approve the recommendation to hire Angie Horton to be the new principal of Sunridge Middle School, effective July 1st, 2025.
Horton is currently a principal in the Warrenton Hammond School District. Horton has held Principal, Vice Principal, Behavior Support Classroom Teacher, and a 3rd Grade teacher positions in her district. Before her time in Warrenton, she was a Child Treatment Specialist at the Grande Ronde Child Care Centre in La Grande.
Mrs. Horton attended Wallowa High School, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and business administration in 2001 from Eastern Oregon University, a master’s degree in Special Education in 2019 from Western Governor’s University, and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Western Governor’s University in 2022.
Mrs. Horton will officially take over as principal on July 1st. She is replacing Principal, Piper Kelm, who is retiring effective June 30th.
CTE Spotlight – Thomas Feller
/in District Site News, High Schools News /by rthornburgPendleton High School
2025 CTE Month Spotlight
Meet Thomas Feller, Senior at Pendleton High School
He is taking classes in Robotics.
What do you enjoy about your CTE classes at PHS?
I enjoy the teacher and the tech. I’ve learned a lot from this pathway. I learned how to run 3D printers here, and now I run my own printer and print things for myself and my friends/family.
How are CTE classes making a difference in your education?
They are furthering my knowledge in this field. I knew a decent amount of things, but these CTE classes have helped me a lot.
Would you like to share anything else about CTE at PHS?
I would encourage new students to take CTE classes. They are great hands-on classes and teach you a lot of things about modern technology. These classes are my favorite ones in my schedule.
CTE Spotlight – AJ Nez
/in District Site News, High Schools News /by rthornburgPendleton High School
2025 CTE Month Spotlight
Meet AJ Nez, Senior at Pendleton High School
She is taking classes in the Digital and Media Arts Pathway.
What do you enjoy about your CTE classes at PHS?
I enjoy being able to express my creativity in my work and being able to be my most authentic self.
How are CTE classes making a difference in your education?
I get to have a break from all my schoolwork to work on art. It is stress relieving so I’m not so foggy minded.
Would you like to share anything else about CTE at PHS?
PHS art classes have been my absolute favorite. Before high school, I felt I hadn’t been able to learn much about art and I felt put in a box. But now, I have learned so much in art class, and I get to use my creativity. I got to learn photography and work with Adobe software, which has definitely broadened my ability by a ton, and I discovered yet another medium I enjoy.
CTE Spotlight – Gaige Jordan
/in District Site News, High Schools News /by rthornburgPendleton High School
2025 CTE Spotlight
Meet Gaige Jordan, Sophomore at Pendleton High School
He has taken Metals 1 and Metals 2, plus Multimedia Art, Foods 1 and Robotics.
What do you enjoy about your CTE classes at PHS?
I like the different activities we get to do. I also like the teachers because they make the class interesting.
How are CTE classes making a difference in your education?
They are enhancing my current life skills and teaching me more life skills.
Would you like to share anything else about CTE at PHS?
I highly recommend all of the CTE classes, especially if you want to enhance or learn new skills.