Welcome Back!!

Dear LGSD Families and Community Members,

It is with great excitement that I welcome our students, staff, families, and community back for the 2026–27 school year!  As we begin another year together, I would like to share our theme for this school year:   Start Strong • Stay Strong • Finish Strong. This theme reflects much more than how we begin and end a school year. It represents how we approach learning, relationships, challenges, opportunities, and ultimately the growth of our students.

• Starting Strong means creating a positive beginning built on strong relationships, clear expectations, good routines, connection, hope, and belief in every student.
• Staying Strong happens throughout the middle of the journey. This is where perseverance, problem solving, learning, adjustment, and growth take place. There will always be challenges along the way, and our goal is to help students develop the skills, confidence, and support necessary to continue moving forward.
• Finishing Strong means celebrating growth, accomplishment, and the impact of our work together. Ultimately, we want every student to leave our schools better prepared for what comes next and ready for their brightest future. 

District Priorities for 2026–2027

As we work to Start Strong, Stay Strong, and Finish Strong, our district will focus on several important priorities:

• Attendance, Achievement & On-Track Success – Improve regular attendance, strengthen instruction and PLC/MTSS practices, increase academic growth, and keep students on track for graduation. 
• Student Well-Being & School Culture – Strengthen relationships, belonging, student voice, positive school culture, and systems of support. 
• Graduation & Future Readiness – Maintain strong graduation and completion outcomes while strengthening CTE, dual credit, career preparation, athletics, activities, leadership, and community service. 
• Student Services & Special Education – Strengthen consistent practices, intervention systems, compliance, and supports that improve access and student success. 
• Safety, Facilities & Operations – Continue improving school safety, emergency preparedness, communication systems, facilities, and implementation of our long-term maintenance plan. 
• Technology & Artificial Intelligence – Develop responsible, age-appropriate expectations for technology and AI that enhance learning while keeping relationships, instruction, and student thinking at the center. 
• Accountability & Stewardship – Update our strategic plan, align our work with state accountability requirements, pursue grants and resources, and remain fiscally responsible.

Academics, Relationships, Activities & Future Readiness

Throughout the school year we will continue to support the whole student through strong academics, positive relationships, safe and supportive schools, and by providing many opportunities for activities inside and outside the classroom. Our focus will remain on regular attendance, high-quality instruction, academic growth, student well-being, belonging, teamwork, responsibility, resilience, and preparation for the future. Through classroom learning, athletics, the arts, clubs, CTE, dual credit, leadership, community service, and responsible use of technology, our goal is to help students grow, persevere through challenges, and be prepared for college, careers, service, and their brightest future.

Community Success

Our schools cannot do this work alone.  La Grande is fortunate to have tremendous support from families, local businesses, Eastern Oregon University, public agencies, health and safety organizations, community partners, and countless individuals who invest their time and resources in our students. Our Resource Fair that just took place is just one example of what can happen when our schools and community come together. Families were able to connect with resources, register for school, and receive support from numerous community partners—all because people throughout La Grande were willing to work together on behalf of children. 

As we begin this school year, I encourage all of us to think about what it means to:

• Start Strong by building relationships, establishing good habits, and creating hope.
• Stay Strong by supporting one another, adapting when necessary, and remaining focused on what matters most.
• Finish Strong by celebrating growth, honoring effort, and ensuring our students are prepared for what comes next.

I am grateful for the tremendous support our students and schools receive from this community. It takes many people working together to create a successful school year, and we appreciate your continued partnership with the La Grande School District.  I look forward to seeing our students back in our classrooms, hallways, athletic fields, activities, and throughout our community.

Have a wonderful 2026–27 school year!

Superintendent, La Grande School District