From the Superintendent
Our mission is to improve student outcomes with excellence, equity, and efficiency. Implement best practices for educators gleaned from investigation, innovation, and incubation of ideas and efforts from the public and private sectors.
Four employment questions you should be asking…
And a few resources for finding answers. Everyone has heard that there is no such thing as a dumb question. If one person is wondering about something, there must be other people unsure about the same thing, right? But most of us have questions we hesitate to ask,...
Bend Autism program designated as training site for Oregon Educators
High Desert Education Service District’s Bridges program has been designated as an autism training site for educators statewide. A partnership with Bend-La Pine Schools, Bridges is a specialized classroom, housed at Lava Ridge Elementary School, that provides...
Brewing up business skills in La Grande
Students stay energized at Taste of the Tiger Coffee Kiosk Where can you find a student-run business that combines customer service, managing payments, inventory control and a perfect hot mocha with extra whip cream? In LaGrande, Oregon, at the Taste of the Tiger...
What happens when an intern becomes an employee?
A win-win success story for the student and the business In the spring of 2021, Rachel Parks was in her senior year at Bend High School and unsure of what would happen after graduation. With the help of her instructors at Bend High, Parks began an internship at...
Ready to make some social plans?
Follow these simple steps for planning an activity with friends. If you are a transition student, you’ve probably gotten pretty good at making plans. Students make education plans to succeed in school, financial plans to use paychecks wisely and transportation plans...
Coming back to move forward, with Caraline Rutter
Returning to a Transition Program When Caraline Rutter graduated from North Lake School in 2020, she thought she had finished her education. She surprised everyone (even herself!) by coming back to school over a year later—this time as a transition student. Tami...
Success story: “If I don’t work to fix the river, who will?” with Sebastian Heselton
When Sebastian Heselton had to choose a career path, he leaned towards becoming a plumber. There was no special reason he chose plumbing – it just seemed like a reliable kind of job. A Job Corps training program could get him started, and it seemed like a solid plan....
Success Story: From Transition Student to Full-Time Employee, with Misty Pasko
Transition students try many different work experiences during their years as a student. Sometimes it might seem like each little experience doesn’t make much of a difference. But together they can add up to something pretty impressive. This was the case for Misty...
Success Story: It’s okay to be nervous, with Sam Compton
A person can feel nervous and confident at the same time, according to Sam Compton. “When you feel nervous about trying something new, but you know you can do it, then believe in yourself even while you feel nervous. It’s okay to be nervous and it shouldn’t stop you,”...
HB2105 and Supported Decision Making
What the transition community needs to know Among all the news headlines of 2021, one small-but-important event may have slipped under the radar. A bill known as HB2105 passed in the Oregon Legislature in early June, and Governor Brown signed it into law. This bill...
We have the most incredible Board members!
Photo left to right: Peggy Kinkade, Matt McGowan, Seana Barry, Bob Moore, Carol Moorehead, Elizabeth Sanchez, Gwen Carr, Betsy Julian and Carlos Perez January is Board Appreciation Month. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to each of our board members for...
Juntos Aprendemos program to expand preschool program for LatinX families
The Oregon Community Foundation and Central Oregon Health Council are partnering with Juntos Aprendemos to expand access to early literacy and kindergarten readiness for Central Oregon families in Jefferson County and other parts of the region. A program of the High...
2021 Transition Network Highlights
We are honored to celebrate some of Oregon’s incredible transition students and the educators and partners who walk alongside them on their path to independence!
Mid-Columbia Employment First Recognition Roadshow:
A transition network team takes their annual celebration on the road What can you do when your favorite work event—the annual recognition of employment success—is disrupted by a pandemic? According to Donna Jones and Xochil Springer, you adapt and pivot to a new plan...
Success story: Paul Smith
Building a healthy work and life routine, with Paul Smith What’s better than having a job you like? For Paul Smith, it’s having a job that fits his personality, his strengths, and his passion for staying fit. Smith, age 21, is in his final year as a transition...
Lizzie Alphonso
Success Story: Staying in touch with Lizzie Affonso, A transition co-op alum keeps her relationships strong Can you imagine life after graduating from your transition program? How about ten years, or even twenty years after graduation? Do you wonder how all those...
Central Oregon community agencies say YES to outdoor programs for kids
Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests team up with Children’s Forest of Central Oregon and 10 local agencies to engage youth during difficult times While 2020 was a particularly challenging year for many -- especially youth -- there were a few bright spots in Central...
More than a job fair:
The Southern Oregon Trade Career Expo Where might you find a marine, a bulldozer, a geologist, and a transition student all in the same place? If you were part of the Southern Oregon Trade Careers Expo, you’d have seen all those folks, and many more. The expo was held...