WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020
EDUCATION
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A9
OPINION
In trying times, students come fi rst
he Hermiston School District
has an excellent track record of
planning for the future. But as
we have learned in the last eight weeks,
even the best-laid plans can go awry.
When developing cur-
riculum, hiring staff, and
creating a budget for the
2019-20 school year, we
never could have foreseen
a health crisis that would
change our lives so quickly
and so completely.
Dr. Tricia
We’ve had to rethink
every aspect of our district, Mooney
from the way lessons are taught and
received to the way our facilities and
district offi ce operate.
Schools exist fi rst and foremost to
support students. If we’re not working to
meet basic student needs, we’re not pro-
viding the service taxpayers demand of
us. With that guidepost in mind, our fi rst
step in response to the initial school clo-
sure was to ensure students would con-
tinue to get the nutrition they need. We
worked with Chartwells, our school
meal provider, and Mid-Co, our trans-
portation provider, to establish meal
delivery options that continue to evolve.
In addition, according to the closure
guidance, the district made supplemen-
tal learning resources available for all
students.
As further guidance came from the
state and schools were shut down for
the remainder of the year, our focus also
shifted to making sure every student had
the ability to continue their education
at home for the remainder of the school
year.
Teachers began training on new dig-
ital platforms to instruct their classes
remotely. Our IT department worked
to bridge the technology gap and make
sure every student could participate and
continue to learn.
In a matter of weeks, we had a sys-
tem in place to distribute Chromebooks
to every student who needed one and
install Wi-Fi routers in areas of town
with limited internet access. Teachers
began delivering virtual lessons, meet-
ing with their classrooms by video con-
ference, and providing printed lessons
for students to take home if they pre-
ferred. With a focus on compassion
and connection, every student has been
able to continue moving forward with
their education rather than losing three
months of instruction.
We realize this does not match the
T
academic rigor of classroom instruction.
But our teachers have been versatile and
made the most of the current situation.
I could not be prouder of the way they
have rallied together to support our stu-
dents. This will be especially important
as life returns to normal and our students
return to school.
Education is a process. Each grade
leads to the next, and students’ relation-
ships with their classmates and teachers
carries on from one year to the next. Our
staff has shown through their dedica-
tion and compassion that every student’s
journey is important, and we’re not will-
ing to give up when things get diffi cult.
Our senior class has been particu-
larly hard-hit by the closure. Some of
the most memorable moments of an aca-
demic career have been altered signifi -
cantly. We’re working to make sure we
give these soon-to-be graduates the rec-
ognition they deserve as they end their
time in the Hermiston School District.
The plan for honoring each of these
individuals with diplomas will still take
place on June 4. It will be different than
any other graduation we have seen in
Hermiston, just as the class of 2020 is
unique from any class before them. As
details of the celebration are fi nalized,
we will share them with our community.
We could not have foreseen the
events of March and April 2020, and
certainly don’t have a crystal ball to
know when things will return to normal
or what that new normal will look like.
But what I do know is that the Hermis-
ton community has shown amazing sup-
port for our students and staff. This town
cares about its schools and it shows.
Students come fi rst, and that means
we want to support their families, too.
Everyone has adjusted to these circum-
stances that are beyond our control, and
we want to keep the dialogue going,
especially as we aren’t able to meet in
person every day. If you have questions,
please don’t hesitate to reach out to your
teacher, principal, or to me directly at
tricia.mooney@hermistonsd.org.
We’re learning every day how to bet-
ter meet the needs of our students, and
we’re doing it through the thought-
ful feedback or our staff and commu-
nity. We’re in this together, and we’ll get
through this together.
———
Dr. Tricia Mooney is the superinten-
dent of the Hermiston School District,
serving the largest student population in
Eastern Oregon.
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
A banner at the corner of Main Street and Third Street in Hermiston is available for graduating
seniors to take photos.
Businesses fi nding ways to
honor graduating students
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
After years of families
supporting local businesses,
Hermiston Downtown Dis-
trict wants to show its support
for high school seniors and
their families.
Members of the district
put up signs all along Main
Street on Monday afternoon,
congratulating area seniors
on their upcoming gradua-
tion. Judy Currin-Pederson of
Lucky Endz Gifts, president
of the downtown district, said
they hope seniors take some
time to drive through down-
town and see the signs in their
honor. There is also a large
banner at the corner of Main
Street and Third Street where
they can take selfi es or a fam-
ily portrait in their cap and
gown.
“We just want people —
with social distancing, obvi-
ously — to come down and
do a photo,” Currin-Pederson
said.
The photos and banner
were the brainchild of Teri
Thompson, owner of Amer-
ican Printing. Thompson
said she wanted to do “a lit-
tle something” to make sure
Staff photo by Jade McDowell
Judy Currin-Pederson, of the Hermiston Downtown District,
places a sign in front of a Main Street business congratulating
graduating seniors.
students felt recognized even
though their school year was
disrupted by COVID-19.
“I wanted to have a wow
factor for the the grads, since
they’re not getting to have
their normal graduation,” she
said.
Hermiston School District
has announced that it will hold
some sort of graduation cele-
bration for students on June 4,
even though it won’t involve
a traditional commencement
ceremony with everyone
together.
“It won’t be a group,”
Superintendent
Tricia
Mooney said. “We won’t have
all the seniors together in a
room like has been traditional,
but they will have an opportu-
nity to walk across a stage and
be handed their diploma in a
cap and gown.”
The Hermiston Herald
and East Oregonian are also
planning to honor graduat-
ing seniors the week of May
27, with a special section dis-
tributed with the newspapers
that features the senior pho-
tos from Umatilla County and
Morrow County schools, and
sponsored messages of con-
gratulations from businesses.
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