The Pendleton School District is happy to feature new PSD teachers

August 29, 2022

A little less than 200 incoming sixth grade students gathered at Sunridge Middle School on Monday, August 29^th for 6^th Grade Orientation Day. The day is intended for these new middle school students to explore their new school without the upperclassmen there and to learn about being an SMS Bronc.

SMS Principal Piper Kelm said the students are grouped into their Advisory Classes for the orientation and learn the layout of the school, rules, and most importantly, how to navigate lunch. Kelm welcomed the students in the morning, introduced their teachers and asked the sixth graders to look around at their fellow Class of 2029 students. “Unless you were at the PELC for kindergarten, this is the first time your class has been together. Look left, look right and see who you will be learning with and experiencing school with for the next seven years.”

Kelm said orienting the sixth graders to SMS lunch is really important because many of them aren’t used to eating in a really large group. Plus, she said “choice paralysis” happens when the students are faced with which line to get in and what to order for lunch. A practice lunch on Monday meant one less new thing for the first day of school on Tuesday.

“We really want all our middle schoolers, including 7^th and 8^th graders, to have a great first day, but the sixth graders feeling more comfortable on Tuesday helps them have a smoother transition,” Kelm said.

It was a typical spring day in the mountains of eastern Oregon – some sunshine and some rain – on Friday, April 29th, when a group of about 30 people gathered at the site of the Outdoor School program.

Principal Dave Williams discusses student safety, cell phone policy, and plans for the end of the school year.

Navigating a global pandemic is difficult. Navigating middle school is difficult. Try doing both at once. Some days, it’s just not easy.