179 SE Taft Ave
Bend, OR 97702

I went here a couple years ago, and I have to say the best part about it was the teachers there. Or at least, a handful of them. However, the way that the school handles bullying and racially motivated harassment is absolutely terrible. It is a school's job to make everyone feel welcomed, safe, and ready to learn. That was not the case for me or my brother. We are both biracial, and we both were picked on for it. My brother's harassment was more severe than mine, with students calling him the "n-word" in multiple instances. The students were reported but nothing happened to them. It just continued to the point of him having to leave the school and get his education elsewhere. Additionally, HDMS, even when I was there, had issues with students using drugs in the bathroom. Of course, a school can't constantly monitor students, but there were times where I think things could have been handled more efficiently. I'm sure the issues with student vaping or whatever is even worse now, so I can't even imagine what it's like. In short, this school is not recommended. The ONLY saving grace it has is the aforementioned handful of amazing teachers.

Best school in the district. This school is a Title 1 school with an underserved population that exceeds the diversity of other schools in the district. This school is ranked number five in the whole state for schools with similar demographics. There is an equity team that addresses disparities regularly, teachers differentiate to reach all students, and bias reporting is made easily available by the school’s administration so that all incidents of bias can be addressed immediately, whether that bias involves poverty, disability, LGBTQIA, race, or something else. The rating given to this school by Great Schools is not reflective of the school at all. This is a school with high poverty and with fewer white kids than the other schools in this district, with kids who are often from households who aren’t as available as more wealthy families in Bend due to financial disparities. The teachers, therefore, must fill in those gaps and address problems not seen much in kids from wealthier families in the district. Kids learn coding from kindergarten on, using a hand-on approach—not just screens. They use storyline in first grade, have a yearly film festival, have a coding competition, engage in Battle of the Books, and have a rocket activity for fourth graders. Students use stop motion to describe their learning process and become their own teachers and lifetime learners. This is the best school in the district, with staff members who constantly collaborate to reach all students on an individual level. This school has an on-site counselor and specialists to address behavioral and learning needs. Bullying is not tolerated, and teachers work tirelessly to engage students in meaningful activities that will enrich their learning. The music program is great, and students have a library with a reading well—the only one in the district. There is a yearly Walk-A-Thon, and health and well being for all students is a priority. Best school in the district by far. Also, the school grounds are gorgeous and there are several buildings that allow for a lot of outdoor time. Outdoor play is scenic and not flat like other schools. It’s right next to Pilot Butte! Teachers and staff have a great working relationship, with minimal conflict—and this shows a lot. Best school in the district by far.

Great school they have been doing so much for my sun who suffers from schizophrenia.