A Strong Second Half, One Day at a Time

Beginning this week, I’ll be submitting a regular column to the McKenzie River Reflections to stay connected with our students, families, and community members. Our community school is more than a place where classes happen; it’s a reflection of our shared values, our hopes for the next generation, and the strength of the McKenzie community.

This column will give you a window into what’s happening in our classrooms, highlight the work of our students and staff, and keep our community informed about important topics like attendance, learning, and upcoming events. Most importantly, it’s an invitation to stay connected as we work together to support every student, every day.

This week marks the beginning of the third quarter and the second semester of the school year. It is a natural moment to pause, reflect, and reset. While the calendar flipped quietly, what this moment really represents is opportunity. The months ahead give us a chance to build on what is working, make adjustments where needed, and finish the year strong together.

One area where we know improvement is both possible and powerful is student attendance. Our current K-12 regular attender rate is 63 percent. Regular attenders are defined as being present 90 percent of school days. This tells us two things at once: many students are showing up consistently, and we still have significant room to grow. Attendance matters because learning builds day by day. Missing just about one and a half days per month places a student at risk of being considered chronically absent, and over time those missed days add up to missed instruction, missed connections, and missed opportunities to learn alongside peers.

We recognize that families are balancing a lot. Illness, weather, transportation, and busy schedules all present real challenges, especially in our rural community. As we head into the second half of the year, our message is simple and supportive: every day counts, and we can make meaningful gains together. When challenges come up, communication with the school helps us partner with families to support students in being present, engaged, and successful.

This past Saturday was a great reminder of what strong community involvement looks like in action. We were proud to host the Mountain West League Middle School Girls Basketball Tournament, welcoming eight teams for a full day of competition that marked the culmination of the girls’ basketball season. It was a fantastic event, made possible by the many volunteers, students, and staff who gave their time and energy to make the day run smoothly. Thank you to everyone who helped showcase our school and community in such a positive way.

Looking ahead, we have a busy and exciting week coming up:

* Monday: Middle School Girls and Boys Basketball travel to Crow, with tip-offs at 4:30 and 6:00 p.m. The PTO/ASB Carnation Fundraiser also kicks off Monday and will run through February 9th.

* Tuesday: Elementary CATCH Day. High School boys JV and varsity, along with girls varsity basketball, travel to Mohawk. Games begin at 4:00, 5:30, and 7:00 p.m.

* Wednesday: Middle School boys basketball travels to Mapleton.

* Thursday: High School boys junior varsity, varsity, and girls varsity basketball host Crow. JV will play two quarters only at 4:30 p.m., followed by varsity boys at 5:30 and varsity girls at 7:00.

* Friday: WATERS is in session with Mr. Day. High School boys JV, varsity, and girls varsity basketball host Alsea, with the same game schedule as Thursday.

As we begin this new semester, I want to express my gratitude to our students, staff, families, and community for the strong start to the year. There is already a lot to be proud of, and even more to look forward to this year. I am confident that, together, we will see continued growth, learning, and success in the months ahead.

Thank you for being part of our school community.

Go Eagles!