802 SE 6th St
Bend, OR 97702

Middle school is hard. Bend LaPine School District have focused a lot of attention to resolve the issues the school has had in its past. I really believe the new team will shake things up. This is from a recent news article about the principal who was appointed July 22,2022. Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook announced Monday that Summit High School Assistant Principal Mary Thomas has been selected to serve as interim principal at High Desert Middle School. “Mary Thomas is an excellent communicator, who is very student-oriented. She is known as a great listener who cares deeply about developing relationships and supporting students,” said Cook. “High Desert families and staff will be well-served by Mary, an inclusive, strong leader who is ready and excited to step into this role.”Thomas is currently serving as an Assistant Principal at Summit High School, where she has worked as an administrator for the past four years. Prior to that, she served as a classroom teacher for middle and high school students for 17 years in Bend, Sisters, Indonesia and the Portland area. Thomas also has 10 years of experience as an educator for outdoor schools in the Portland area. “My philosophy is to lead with grace and kindness and to make sure everyone feels heard and supported. I am excited to join an incredible team of educators, who are known for putting students first,” said Thomas. “I look forward to collaborating with staff, families and students to support a safe, welcoming and inviting environment for learning.” Thomas says she’s looking forward to serving middle school students, as she has many years of experience with this age group, starting from when she served as an educator at outdoor school. I have asked GS to remove references to the prior administration to give the school a clean start. They declined.

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.