Dear Umatilla Families,
We've just closed the 2024-25 school year, but our doors are never closed. Summer school is in full swing and we are excited to welcome students in fall of 2025. Below are details and links on a variety of topics to help you plan for fall as well.
Start/End Times: Thank you to the families who helped us plan for fall with their survey responses. Here's the bell schedule for the coming school year. Please note, all schools have a flexible time at the beginning and end of the day to help facilitate cross town travel for busing and parent pick-up. We also aligned times to assist families with students in multiple schools so older students can be of help to younger students.
Busing: We've applied for a transportation waiver from the Department of Education. If approved, we will have busing options for areas of South Hill that are within the “walk zone” until there are sidewalks along Powerline Road. If approved, we will be allowed to bus students on South Hill until the planned sidewalks are completed by the city. This waiver will need to be adjusted as construction completes; however, it will provide safer routes to school for students on South Hill while we await sidewalks. If the waiver is not approved, we will develop “walking bus routes” with volunteers to assist students. If you’d like to serve as a volunteer for this, please complete this form.
Calendar: The updated school calendar is here. We will have welcome events during the week of August 25th-29th to allow students to have “fly up day” experiences by grade level for Columbia Vista Intermediate before they begin school September 2nd. We will provide event specific information the second week of August and transportation for students will be provided for each fly up day event. Family tours will also be available that week. Ribbon cutting events will follow.
Federal Funding and After-School Program: As the Federal budget work continues, we have many Federal grants that have an uncertain future. Grants that provide services to students needing additional support in reading, math and English language learning are currently without final allocation information. Our STEAM Academy after school program is fully funded by 21st CCLC funding and this grant is being considered for elimination or consolidation. I will be in Washington DC in early July to advocate for Federal funding as will many other superintendents around the nation. It is important that you make alternate plans for after school care if you have students in the STEAM Academy after school program and rely upon it for childcare. If you have specific stories as to the impact the loss of this program would have to you and your family, please email me at sipeh@umatillasd.org and I will share your thoughts with our legislators when I am in DC.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, or have topics you’d like addressed in future communications, please contact me at sipeh@umatillasd.org. I hope you enjoy your summer and I look forward to welcoming students this fall.
Sincerely,
Heidi A. Sipe, EdS
Superintendent