Happy 2024 to everyone at La Grande School District! We look forward to a successful year. This year, we encourage you to show self-compassion as you think of your New Year’s Resolutions. When we show compassion for ourselves, we allow space for changes, mistakes, or missteps and we open ourselves up to future possibilities. Showing self-compassion is a healthy way to start a successful and happy 2024.
We also encourage you to reflect on this past year. How have you changed from the beginning of 2023 to now? What did you enjoy about 2023? Click here for some great questions to ask yourself as you reflect.
Often, we need to lean on others to help us with our goals and aspirations. Below are community resources and opportunities to connect, learn, and grow together.
(Include upcoming events and additional resource information.)
If you need mental health or substance use support, Care Solace is a complimentary and confidential care coordination service that can help you quickly find treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of circumstance.
La Grande School District partnered with Care Solace to support the well-being of students and their family members.
If you or a family member are looking for help and would like to use Care Solace to find a provider:
Call 888-515-0595. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365.
Visit caresolace.com/lagrande and either search on your own OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.
Happy Winter Break! Need something to do today? Check out this online resource: https://5il.co/29ldt
Happy holidays! With winter break upon us, we encourage you to relax, unwind, and settle into a safe and restful break.
The holiday season is a time for togetherness and joy, but it can sometimes bring unwelcome guests, like stress and grief. Some of us may be experiencing the holidays without a loved one. Some of us may be balancing endless to-do lists from shopping to entertaining. While we each celebrate this season’s joys, it’s important to stay mindful, acknowledge our feelings, and reach out for help if needed.
To help keep your holidays bright, below are helpful resources. We encourage you to save these resources so you can easily reference them should you or a family member need help.
La Grande School District partnered with Care Solace to support the well-being of our community. If you or a family member are looking for help with mental health or substance use, Care Solace can help you quickly find treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of the circumstance. This is a complimentary and confidential care coordination service provided by La Grande School District. If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a mental health care provider:
Call 888-515-0595. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365.
Visit www.caresolace.com/lagrande and either search on your own or click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.
May you enjoy your break and return rested and reinvigorated for a fantastic new year!
Welcome new Advanced Math Teacher, Naomi Bjork, to La Grande High School!
Welcome new Special Education Teacher, Corey Ackerman, at La Grande High School!
Welcome new Kindergarten Teacher, Jocelyn Berado, to Greenwood Elementary!
Welcome new Fourth Grade Teacher, Ian Gregory, to Greenwood Elementary!
Winter weather is here, so don’t forget to send your child to school with appropriate clothing for the cold. Please check our district website/Facebook page for any information regarding weather-related closures.
Greenwood Elementary is hosting a Winter Family Fun Night on Thursday, December 7, 2023, from 5:30 PM to 8 PM. Come enjoy free pizza, bingo, Santa pictures and more!
Welcome new Greenwood Second Grade Teacher, Haley Ebner!!
Gratitude is the art of appreciating the good things in our lives. When we feel grateful for something, it acts like a spotlight in our brain that makes us feel happier for longer periods of time.
Gratitude is directly correlated to higher levels of happiness.
Here is a 2-Step Guide to practice gratitude today:
Think about what makes you grateful—big or small.
Ask yourself, “Who/what do I thank for these things?”
#GratitudeGrowsHere #Gratitude
Welcome, Calandra Johnson, Counselor at Greenwood Elementary School!
Happy December! With the holidays upon us, there are many reasons to be joyful. It's a time for sharing, laughter, giving back, and creating memories with family and friends. The holidays, however, can also be stressful. We may be making plans to visit loved ones, managing our budget for gifts, or coordinating events with our community. With an already-packed schedule, these additional tasks can add stress to our lives.
Celebrating and connecting with family is important during the holiday season, but it's also essential to care for your mental health. National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month brings awareness to the harmful effects of stress and reminds everyone to take care of themselves as they approach the holidays. Here are some helpful tips for a more stress-free holiday season:
Make modifications to holiday traditions. Consider ways to modify traditions that may negatively impact your mental health. It can be nice to stick with holiday traditions, but your mental health should take priority.
Don't forget the power of "no." It's okay to say no to plans if you are feeling overwhelmed.
Plan ahead. Keeping a calendar of events can help you stay on track and prepare for events. It can be stressful to shop on the same day as an event, so keep a list of tasks to prevent the rush.
Talk about your feelings. You might be overwhelmed or missing a loved one. Talking about your feelings with a trusted friend or family member is okay. You are not in this alone.
Take time for self-care. It's important to take care of ourselves before caring for others. This holiday season, make time for yourself.
Find a therapist. Acknowledge your feelings and talk to a professional when needed. If you would like help finding a mental health care provider, use Care Solace, a complimentary and confidential coordination service provided by La Grande School District:
Call 888-515-0595. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365.
Visit www.caresolace.com/lagrande and either search on your own or click "Book Appointment" for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.
We wish you a joyous and stress-free holiday season!
PUBLIC NOTICE – SCHOOL THREAT
Date: December 1, 2023
Today, December 1, 2023, at 9:00am La Grande High School administration was made aware of a social media post regarding a bomb threat from an LHS student. That post was made at roughly 8:00 AM on December 1, 2023, but was not reported to administration until 9:00 AM the same day. Administration took immediate action to secure suspected student, evacuate the impacted area of campus, and notify law enforcement of the threat. Law enforcement conducted an additional search of the impacted area, the student, and their residence. School safety and bomb threat policies were followed. At 9:30am, LHS administration and law enforcement indicated that the impacted area was safe for students and staff to return and that there was no remaining threat to student and staff safety. At the completion of the investigation, the student was disciplined, cited for disorderly conduct, and referred to the Union County Juvenile Department.
We appreciate the support of our students, staff, and community in notifying us of the potential threat and the effective response of school administration and law enforcement to resolve this situation quickly. Student and staff safety remain our top priority.
In conclusion, all students are safe to be on campus for the remainder of the day. We wanted you to have the facts so that you can discuss them with your child and emphasize the seriousness of this issue. Please feel free to call our school district at 541-663-3200 or send me a message at george.mendoza@lagrandesd.org.
Bid to purchase a reserved parking space in the southeast parking lot at the LHS Gymnasium! We have two reserved spaces available for the Winter Sports Season. Bidding is open from November 29th at noon to December 4th at noon. https://tigerboosters.schoolauction.net/parking/
Elkhorn Media Group Toy Drive is now in progress! Please drop off new unwrapped toys at the District Office, 1305 N. Willow Street. Gifts needed for kids of all ages, but especially 13 to 18. Suggestions include - water bottles, blankets, hoodies, gift cards to Wal-Mart, Maurices, Coffee Shops, D&B, etc. Thank you for your support! Happy Holidays!
Happy Thanksgiving from the La Grande School District! We will be closed for Thanksgiving Break from Monday, November 20th through Friday, November 24th. See you all on Monday, November 27, 2023!
Anthony Lakes Ski Patrol's Annual Ski Swap is November 18, 2023 at Riveria Activity Center.
Central PTO is hosting Bingo Night on Thursday, November 16th from 6 PM to 9 PM. Enjoy the event at Central Elementary. This is a cash only event. For more information, please contact: ptocentralcougars@gmail.com
Attendance matters!!
