Each year during Homecoming, we take time to honor and celebrate Madras High graduates who have gone on to achieve great things and make a difference in their communities and beyond. Through our Distinguished Alumni program, we recognize individuals whose accomplishments, service, and leadership reflect the values of MHS. This program aims to inspire our current students by showing them what is possible and what individuals who used to walk the same halls they do now have gone on to accomplish.

This year, we’re proud to welcome two new inductees to our Distinguished Alumni: Lewis E Pitt Jr., and Angie Namenuk. We recognized both of them at our Homecoming Assembly on October 3. Lewis E Pitt Jr could not join us unfortunately on that day in person due to health reasons.

Lewis E Pitt Jr.

Born in 1948 at the Warm Springs Indian Health Service Hospital, Lewis E. Pitt Jr., Yowan Swickt, is a proud Tribal Member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Throughout his career, he dedicated himself to protecting natural resources, strengthening Tribal sovereignty, and making sure that his people’s collective voice was heard. He served as Assistant Director of Planning and Implementation for the Warm Springs Natural Resources Department. During his time there, he worked to restore streams on the reservation and protect waterways across the region. His leadership extended past Warm Springs, as he represented the Tribes in other management plans throughout Oregon that included the Lower Deschutes, John Day, and Metolius rivers.

He also served eight years on the Columbia River Gorge Commission and played a key role in educating the state legislature about the Treaty of 1855 with the Middle Oregon Tribes. His primary focus was focused on reminding leaders of honoring his people’s off-reservation rights to fish, gather roots, hunt, and pick berries.

He has served the Tribes well throughout his roles. Those include service on the Tribal Appeals Court and Director of Government Affairs. He also served for three years on the Pacific Northwest Conservation and Power Council where he focused on serving as a representative for our state and fighting to improve issues affecting fisheries across the state.

Angie Namenuk 

Angie Namenuk spent her childhood growing up in the high desert of Oregon, splitting her childhood between Culver and Madras, to becoming a leader for one of the largest pharmaceutical companies and leading providers for cancer treatments globally, Roche.

She moved to Madras just before high school, where she was an active student, participating in both athletics and student body leadership. These activities instilled in her the values of hard work and collaboration that would prove to be foundational throughout her life. Inspired by her love of science, she studied chemistry at Willamette University. Following that, she earned an internship in Genentech’s research labs to start her career.

Since then, she has held positions of increasing global responsibility in Research, Drug Development Project Management, scientific operations, and Finance. Through her roles, she’s had the opportunity to travel the world. Visiting different countries, such as Switzerland, Japan, Spain, Costa Rica, Canada, and Tanzania, regularly. She is currently the Global Head of Research and Early Development Procurement Partnering for Roche.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from Willamette University, a Master’s in Business from Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, a Certificate in Project Management from UC Berkeley, and is a Certified Professional Coach. In 2021, Angie was recognized by Pharma Voice as one of the top 100 inspiring leaders in the life sciences industry.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Angie truly believes in community service. She helped lead a campaign that ultimately raised $74M for local schools. She has coached more than 30 boys and girls youth sports teams ranging from softball, baseball, basketball and soccer and volunteered her time for a number of school events.

She also co-founded the Kahawa Foundation, which built a healthcare clinic in rural Tanzania and funded women’s health projects. She continues to pursue these passions by seeking out local and global volunteer opportunities.

 

Last school year, our libraries saw more students expressing interest in checking out books. 32,430 books were checked out. That is the most checkouts we’ve seen in a single year in seven whole years! That number also represents the third highest total over a 10-year span.

We have our school librarians to thank for the increased interest in our libraries. The work they’ve been performing over the past four years has been extraordinary. Librarians have been updating their collections through student input, professional networks and conferences. This was all possible thanks to a grant our district acquired in 2020.

Not only did students browse their library collections more frequently and check out more books, they also had greater success in statewide reading initiatives such as the Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB). 

Both Buff and Madras Elementary schools made the Elite 8 at the regional tournament last year.  The regional tournament consisted of teams from Wasco, Crook, Grant, Harney, Deschutes and Jefferson Counties. Having two teams make the Elite 8 at the highly competitive tournament was a first for our district. 

At the secondary level, Jefferson County Middle School finished first at a tournament in Redmond and earned a bronze medal at the regional tournament in Bend, just missing out on a berth to state. The two top teams at the regional tournament qualify for state. 

Not to be outdone, the White Buffaloes of Madras High School defeated Baker City in the regional final and punched the school’s first ever trip to the state tournament in Salem.    

With the new school year underway, our libraries are already in the process of building on their success from last year. New book orders have been submitted, checkouts are occurring and planning is underway for another successful season of OBOB!      

Dear Jefferson County School District 509J Families,

Welcome to this new 2025-26 school year!  I am so excited for the new school year that is just a little more than two weeks from today!  Our teachers and staff will be returning to schools and classrooms in days ahead as we begin those last preparations for the start of another awesome year.  We are eager to support and work with your student(s) in the year ahead.

We are welcoming most of our students on Wednesday, September 3. See below for specific school and grade first day details.

First Days of School

Grades 1-6 and Grade 9: Wednesday, September 3

Grades 1-8 (Warm Springs K8 Academy): Wednesday, September 3

Grades 7-8 & 10-12: Thursday, September 4

We ask our Pre-school and Kindergarten families to check in with your school to find out when your incoming student will start.

In our district, one of our core values is ‘Students Flourish Here.’ We know that our students will do their best work when they can fully focus and connect with their teachers and classmates without distractions from personal electronic devices like cell phones.

At the start of the school year, one change you’ll see is we are expanding our ‘off and away’ expectations from our secondary schools to district-wide. This means all students will be asked to keep phones and other electronic devices turned off and put away from the start to the end of the school day. 

To make this work, we will need the support and teamwork from our staff, students, and families. You can learn more about what this looks like in our schools and see some frequently asked questions by visiting our website, here.

Schools are hosting Open House events in the coming weeks.  Please check with your school to learn specific details for those events.

School	Date
Buff Elementary	Thursday, August 28, 4-6pm
Metolius Elementary	Thursday, August 28, 4-6pm
Madras Elementary	Thursday, August 28, 4-6pm
WSK8	Thursday, August 28, 4-6pm
Bridges High (Including ROOTS)	Thursday, August 28, 4-6pm (Will be at WSK8 Back to School BBQ)
JCMS	Wednesday, August 27, 5-6:30pm
MHS	Tuesday, September 2, 4:30-6:30pm
509J Online	Tuesday, September 2, 10am-2pm
509J Preschool	Wednesday, August 27, 4-6pm

As we begin a new school year, please help your student attend school each day.  We know that students who attend school regularly are able to access more learning and have much better chances of being able to read, write and succeed in math at their appropriate grade level or beyond.  Attending school regularly is the secret to positive social and learning experiences in school.

Thank you for partnering with your child’s school.  This 2025-26 school year is going to be a great one!

Serving 509J Schools,

Dr. Jay Mathisen, Superintendent

On Wednesday, June 11, our district came together to celebrate ten incredible staff members at our annual Retirement Breakfast Ceremony. Whether serving in the classroom, behind the scenes, or in leadership roles, each retiree has played a vital role in making our schools a place where students flourish.

Among this year’s retirees, five retirees have dedicated more than 20 years to our district, a milestone that speaks to their dedication to educating and supporting the youth in our community. 

At the breakfast, held in their honor, supervisors shared stories of their impact over the years, remembering moments that made these individuals truly stand out. We know that this next chapter will be filled with new adventures, well-earned rest, and hopefully, plenty of joy. We wish each of our retirees a happy and fun retirement and extend a big thank you for their years of service.

Congratulations on an outstanding career to each of you. 

JCSD 509J 2025 Retirees

Scott Shannon: Teacher – Bridges High School

– 5 years of service to JCSD 509J

Bear Ross: Custodian – Buff Elementary School

– 28 years of service to JCSD 509J

Gloria Gomez: Custodian – Buff Elementary School

– 21 years of service to JCSD 509J

Casey Claus: Teacher – JCMS

– 27 years of service to JCSD 509J

Cherie Brown: EA – Madras Elementary

– 8 years of service to JCSD 509J

Larinda Galloway: EA – JCMS

– 15 years of service to JCSD 509J 

Melinda Boyle: HR Director – SSB

– 24 years of service to JCSD 509J

Lark Earnest: Secretary – Metolius Elementary

– 29 years of service to JCSd 509J

Kay Short: EA – Metolius Elementary

– 10 years of service to JCSD 509J

Dan Gehring: Custodian – Madras Elementary

– 11 years of service to JCSD 509J

More pictures are available at the links below. Click on the links to see or download the pictures from Madras High School’s graduation ceremony.

Graduation Ceremony Pictures

Diploma Portraits

Senior Scholarship Ceremony Pictures

More pictures are available at the links below. Click on the links to see or download the pictures from Bridges High School’s graduation ceremony.

Graduation Ceremony Pictures

Senior Portraits & More Ceremony Pictures

Robing Ceremony Pictures

The Ford Family Foundation recently awarded its prestigious scholarship to three outstanding seniors from Madras High School (MHS). 

Congratulations to Yashira Chavero, Manny Meraz, and Andres Pineda! These students have demonstrated exceptional resilience, dedication, and leadership, paving the way for their bright futures.

Yashira Chavero

For years, Yashira Chavero has had an up-close look at what it takes to become a Ford Scholar. She has witnessed her former classmates receive the Ford Foundation Scholarship. It covers 90% of unmet financial needs to attend college in Oregon. 

“Just seeing everything they did, all their services they did, and how they applied for it, and they got rewarded for it,” Chavero said.

Throughout her academic career at MHS, Chavero has done everything she can to bolster her resume and give back to both her school and community. She is the President of Key Club and Interact Club, captain of the girl’s tennis team, a member of the National Honor Society, the student representative to the JCSD 509J School Board the past two years, served in both leadership and yearbook at MHS, and worked for our school district as a peer tutor since her sophomore year.

All that work seemingly paid off when she received the notification from the Ford Family Foundation on a Wednesday afternoon saying she was one of their scholarship recipients. She was in class thinking about her future when the bell rang. After leaving class, she checked her phone and saw the notification.

“I got the notification and I kind of freaked out a little bit. I was like, “Is this real,” she said. “It felt really good at that moment and I’m glad. It made me feel like all the hard work paid off.” 

According to the Ford Family Foundation website, they look for resilient students who possess four qualities. They look for academic potential, community engagement and service to others, work ethic, and the motivation and mindset of the student.

Chavero looks back at a pivotal turning point back to her sophomore year when she attended Rotary’s RYLA Camp. RYLA stands for Rotary Youth Leadership Awakening. This is a challenging program that is designed to grow passion, resilience, determination, mental toughness, gratitude and compassion in the individuals attending. 

“I think that really took me out of my shell and then also helped me help other people be leaders,” she said. “I really enjoyed that experience, and I think it’s something I’ve used throughout the years and really benefited me.”

One of the biggest rewards for earning the Ford Foundation Scholarship is the renewable financial award of up to $40,000 per year. This can help cover expenses such as tuition, living expenses, books, and other required fees for college. Being a Ford Scholar lifts a gigantic financial burden from Chavero. 

“I really think it’s going to help me out,” she said. “They’re going to pay for my tuition, but room and food is around $15,000. I don’t even have anything close to that.” 

The financial help will also free Chavero from having to work throughout her college years. She’s worked to earn money throughout high school. Often balancing her responsibilities among her studies, job, and extracurricular activities. 

“I really want to hopefully get as many scholarships as I can so I can finally take a break and just focus on my studies,” she said. “Then maybe join some clubs over there and just really enjoy my college experience.”

Chavero will soon graduate from Madras High to attend the University of Oregon. There, she’ll be studying Elementary Education in hopes of becoming a teacher. Her goal is to return to Jefferson County and teach the next generation. Chavero credits a couple people for helping her along the way. Those two being Cam Rosenfield, the Student Success Coordinator at JCMS, and Kim Schmith. 

“He [Mr. Rosenfield] always saw potential in me and he always motivated me and pushed me to do hard things,” she said. “She [Schmith] is my key club advisor and also helped push me through the years. She helped me apply for scholarships and helped me get in contact with past members who received the Ford Foundation scholarship that gave me helpful advice.” 

Not long from now, Chavero will most likely be the one on the other end of helping a student through this process. For now, her message for students is that hard work pays off. 

“If it’s something that you like doing and something you want to do, just continue doing that,” she said. “You’ll meet people that have similar beliefs or values as you while you’re doing it. You’ll likely meet new friends and you’ll step out of your comfort zone and you’ll be set with a lot of opportunities that you might not have thought you could have. 

Manny Meraz 

For Manny Meraz, he carried a quiet weight shared among many of his peers. His higher education dreams were measured not by ambition or effort, but what he and his family could afford. His decision to apply and go after the prestigious Ford Family Foundation Scholarship meant the difference on where he would be attending after graduation.
“I don’t come from a very high income household, so the fact was, if I didn’t get the scholarship, then that meant I couldn’t go to university,” he said. 

Throughout high school, Manny worked to make his presence count by staying deeply involved and stepping up when needed. He has participated in numerous activities such as boys soccer, cheerleading, track and field, and theatre. Currently, he is fundraising to attend the International Thespian Festival this June, where he and his acting partner, Cara Todd, earned a spot for their performance in the Regional Thespian Competition earlier this year. 

He’s involved in student leadership, even earning the position of Associated Student Body President his senior year. This year, one of the projects leadership worked on was bringing the public awareness campaign “Every 15 Minutes” back to MHS. Meraz played a key role the day of the event. 

“We were spreading awareness and I was dressed up in this whole cloak and I couldn’t speak for the entire day,” he said. 

Meraz was dressed in a black cloak along with a dozen other students to represent a teenager who dies every 15 minutes on average nationally due to driving while intoxicated. Students were selected by the grim reaper during the day in class. This meant the student had died and could no longer speak the rest of the day. 

The Ford Family Foundation seeks students who contribute back to their school, family, and/or community. They want their Ford Scholars to think and care about how they impact the world around them and take action to get involved. Meraz embodies these values not just in big moments, but in how he interacts with people on a daily basis.

One of Meraz’s greatest strengths is his ability to conversate and relate with just about anyone. In a day in age when so many people, both youth and adults, have their heads buried in their phones, Meraz is seeking out opportunities to connect with his fellow peers and staff members at MHS.

“I’m not afraid to talk to anyone and I find it very enjoyable to actually conversate with others,” he said. “I’m not scared of who I’m talking with, whether you’re a cheerleader, whether you’re a football player, whether you’re a band kid, theater kid, or maybe you just like all sports, all clubs. I’ll find a way to talk to you.” 

It’s fitting that at the moment he found out he was named a Ford Scholar, he was surrounded by his classmates in the Future Center at MHS. After some encouragement to check his email, Meraz did just that and saw the Ford emblem in his inbox. 

“I covered my phone up because I didn’t want to see the words,” he said. “I had to be surprised.” 

He was indeed surprised.

“I jumped out of my chair and I started just hugging my cousin, who was right next to me. And then I went to Miss Loza [Future Center Coordinator, and I actually almost threw her off of the stool she was sitting in,” he said. “Then I fell on the floor right afterwards, and I just couldn’t stop. That day was just filled, it was a little bit dramatic, but I was very excited to do that and it felt amazing. I felt like I could just do like a thousand push ups at that moment.”

With the scholarship, Meraz intends to attend Portland State University and major in psychology. His long-term goal is to start his own non-profit that will be focused on helping the unhoused. In addition, Meraz will also be an intern in Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley’s office. He is no doubt going to be busy the next four years, but there is another benefit to receiving the Ford Foundation Scholarship, and that comes in the form of added support. 

“I’m also going to have a mental health counselor and then I’m also going to have an academic advisor that’s going to be with me the entire time, so I’m gonna have a lot of help throughout the entire years of college,” he said. 

Meraz would not be in this position today without the help and sacrifices of his mother, Guadalupe Ruiz. 

“I want to thank my mom because she gave me literally everything,” he said. “It felt like we were just underdogs of the entire town. So, I’m very happy and very thankful to her.” 

Andres Pineda

Andres Pineda entered his senior year in a similar position as his classmates. Looking forward, wondering what he needs to do to put himself in the best possible position after graduation. On his mind was where he was going to college, but a bigger question he asked himself was how he was going to afford it. That’s where the Ford Foundation Scholarship came in. 

“If I got the scholarship, I’d be able to go to a university, and if I didn’t, I’d end up going to a community college,” he said. 

Pineda, similar to Meraz, had his heart and eyes set on attending college in the Rose City with the future goal of going into the medical field.

“I always wanted to go to Portland State University, and that was always a goal for me,” he said “The Ford Foundation Scholarship would be one of the main factors of me going to Portland State University.” 

Pineda did what he could throughout his time in high school to make himself an attractive applicant for the scholarship. When he wasn’t busy playing soccer or running for the track team, he was fulfilling his responsibilities as president for the Youth Advisory Council, and taking on a full course load of college level courses through Madras High’s Dual Enrollment Program. 

One of Pineda’s passions is serving his community. Specifically advocating against drug and alcohol use. Through his work with YAC, he has partnered with Jefferson County Public Health and organized pep rallies throughout the community for the younger students. At these pep rallies, he advocates against substance abuse. 

“I feel like that’s really important because that’s like bringing our community together,” he said. Advocating against something that shouldn’t be in the community and that harms the community because that’s that’s a rampant issue in Madras and in the nation as a whole as well.” 

Giving back to the community seems to come naturally to Pineda. During Thanksgiving Break this school year, he volunteered with Jefferson County Public Health and helped provide a free Thanksgiving dinner to those in need. In addition to the food, the event also provided blankets and hygiene kits. Overall, Pineda helped serve more than 70 individuals that week. 

“It felt fulfilling to do that because seeing everybody smile and just being together eating and then just smiling being able to talk to each other and just being in the comfort of a warm area was nice,” he said. “It was really, really fulfilling for me. I was helping my community, I was helping them come together, you know and I feel like that was really important.”

On the day Pineda learned he was named a Ford Scholar, he was sitting inside one of his college level courses. Caleb Gayman’s College Composition class to be exact. Students were silently working at the time when he got the email. 

“It said congratulations and I opened it up and then it said to confirm everything and I started working on that,” he said. I didn’t really have a crazy big reaction.”

Call it shock, call it disbelief. The reality that he had just earned a scholarship that would cover 90% of unmet needs didn’t fully sink in until he finished confirming the information Ford Foundation needed. 

“I texted my mom and she said she was really proud of me,” he said. 

It was a moment of relief for Pineda. A realization that the work he and his mother have put in throughout the years was paying off in a tangible way. The Ford Family Foundation states on their website they believe success comes from one’s ability to grow and learn and rise to challenges and persist despite obstacles. They strive to find students who are motivated and have a growth mindset. Pineda embodies that spirit. 

He credits his time management skills on how he was able to juggle so many different responsibilities. From athletics, academics, participating in different clubs at MHS, leading YAC, and also working part-time at McDonald’s, he persevered. Now he sits less than two weeks away from walking across the stage at graduation and capping off his high school career with an exclamation point. 

“I’m excited,” he said with a laugh and with some relief in his voice. “I’m excited to finally, you know, be able to take a little break.” 

At the end of the day, Pineda’s deepest gratitude belongs to the person who provided unwavering support, his mother, Miriam Velez Pineda. 

“I want to thank my mom because she really motivated me to apply for scholarships and actually get involved with clubs and the community,” he said. “I want to thank her because she also worked really hard in order for me to get the opportunities that I got.”

All three of these students are set to graduate from Madras High School on June 7, 2025. The ceremony will be held in the stadium at 10:30am. 

In our growing efforts to foster bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalism, JCSD 509J is highlighting our educators leading our Spanish Dual Language Program. This program launched in the 2022-2023 school year with two kindergarten classrooms, now serves students in grades K-2 across two elementary schools. The program offers instruction 50% in English and 50% in Spanish.

At the heart of this program are six dedicated teachers who share a deep connection to our community. All grew up in Madras and attended 509J Schools, with five proudly graduating from Madras High School. Their personal experiences and passion for education bring a unique perspective to our classrooms. They are excited to help our students flourish here and inspire the next generation of bilingual learners. Join us as we celebrate their stories and the impact of our dual language program.

Our Dual Language Educators

Isela Mesina
Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher

Isela Mesina first joined our district as a Kindergarten Dual Language teacher at Madras Elementary in the 24-25 school year. She returns to the district she grew up in and graduated  from. She is a proud member of the Class of 2018 from Madras High School. 

It is a true full circle moment for Mesina to teach in the same district she was once a student. Her former teachers are now her colleagues and she considers it an honor to serve the same community that saw her grow up.

There were several teachers throughout her academic journey in 509J that inspired her. One that had a big impact early on was Margie Long. Mrs. Long was Mesina’s second grade teacher who had a profound impact on her life. This was when her journey to teaching her own classroom started. 

“All I can say is that I am forever grateful for everything she did for me,” Mesina said. “I also wanted to be part of shaping the future generations. I also wanted to be that go to person for someone in need. I realized that if I could at least impact one student, only then I would know I truly made it.”

Mesina ran into another teacher who made school fun for her in her junior year. That teacher was Melissa Wheeler. Mesina was in her college composition class and that experience was instrumental in making her believe college was within reach.

“I can actually say I fell in love with school during that time and Mrs. Wheeler was a big part of that,” Mesina said. “I feel like she really believed in me when it felt like nobody else did. She encouraged me to push forward and always try my best. I feel like everyone deserves to have a teacher like Mrs. Wheeler at least once in their lifetime. I have so much love and respect for her!”

Now in her own dual language classroom, she has found a place where she can truly be herself. Mesina is reminded daily of what being a student was like when she attended school. In her class sits a picture of her when she was in Kindergarten. She remembers what it was like not having teachers that looked like her or spoke her first language. She took the job when the opportunity arose, driven by a desire to make a difference.

“I love what I do and I can’t even imagine doing something else,” she said. “I am very happy they started this program here in Madras because this community will continue to benefit from it.” 

Rewarding is a word she uses to describe her experience as an educator in our Dual Language program. In addition to teaching her students both English and Spanish, she is excited about the opportunity to teach them about different cultures. 

“I get to teach future generations who will grow up to become fluent in another language and will have diverse, socially and culturally views,” she said.”

Karina Hernandez
Dual Language 1st Grade Teacher

Karina Hernandez joined our district as a Dual Language teacher at Madras Elementary in the 2024-2025 school year, returning to the district she grew up in and graduated from. She is a proud member of the Class of 2020 from Madras High School.

For her, it is a special feeling to come back and teach in the district she attended. Her former teachers are now her colleagues as she begins her teaching career.

“It’s really heartwarming to work alongside them because they have so many resources, teacher tricks, and advice that I did not learn when I was in college,” she said.

One teacher who influenced her the most is current JCMS Instructional Coach, Cameron Rosenfield. Hernandez was a student in his honors chemistry class at Madras High.

“He gave me the push I needed when I was going through hard times and he always believed in me, especially when I didn’t,” she said.

Hernandez has fond memories of her time as a student in our district, including attending Metolius Elementary School. One cherished memory is from 4th grade when her class fundraised for a trip to Oregon State University.

“I love seeing my students sit in the same seats I sat in years ago, walking the same hallways, and participating in the same activities I did. It’s a real full-circle moment,” she said.

For Hernandez, the lack of representation she experienced as a student motivated her to pursue teaching. 

“Representation matters,” she said. “Seeing people who look like you in careers that you find interesting shows you that it is possible.”

Now, her presence in our district’s dual language program provides Spanish-speaking families with a sense of belonging. She felt called to work in the district after learning about the program. Hernandez sees dual language education benefiting her first graders both in and out of the classroom. 

“It is pretty difficult in the beginning but as I tell my students, things always start out feeling impossible,” she said. “With practice and by making mistakes, we learn and things get easier. Learning in two languages is difficult but it has amazing benefits. It also allows students to keep a key part of their identity.”

 For Spanish-speaking parents, she sees cultural benefits. 

“It’s comforting for parents because they can help their children with schoolwork in a language they understand. Some parents are even learning the second language along with their students,” she said.

In her classroom, almost half of her students are Newcomers, meaning they have entered the country in the last three years. She communicates with them in their home language, fostering an environment where they can flourish.

“The most rewarding part has been watching my students slowly begin to use their second language more than their home language,” she said. “My English speakers are gaining confidence in Spanish and vice versa. Watching my students code switch will never cease to amaze me.”

Hernandez feels her position in the program is rewarding, knowing her students will carry these skills beyond school.

Rafael Santoyo
Dual Language 2nd Grade Teacher

 Rafael Santoyo joined our district as a teacher at Madras Elementary in the 2022-2023 school year,   returning to the district he grew up in and graduated from. He is a proud member of the Class of   2016 from Madras High School.

 Santoyo walked the same halls that his students do now. He attended Madras Elementary from   Kindergarten to 4th grade before transitioning to Buff for one year and then JCMS. Teaching in the   community he grew up in allows him to give back and celebrate his roots. He especially loves   connecting with his students’ families.

“It’s always funny to tell students, ‘I know your parents, I went to school with them’ or ‘I know your parents, they were my teacher at one point.’ It feels like a full-circle moment,” he said.

Santoyo’s career path was headed in a different direction while he was in college. As a high school student, he sometimes struggled due to difficulty focusing in class, but art became a reprieve for him.

“My favorite time in school was drawing and painting in high school. I used this as a form of expression to show how I was feeling through art,” he said.

His high school art teacher, Philip Smith, was a big inspiration.

“I saw him every day coming into the classroom enjoying being there, and he was so passionate about the subject,” he said. “He inspired me to become like him when I finally decided on a career path.”

Santoyo pursued an art major in college before switching to elementary education. His decision to change careers was influenced by learning about dual language programs in a Latinx History class.

“I learned about the hardships the Latinx community has overcome, one of those being language barriers. Then I discovered dual language programs that help students maintain their native language while learning English,” he said. “I was fascinated. I did my research and found many schools in Oregon integrating dual language programs.”

His university offered a Bilingual Teacher Pathway, and he completed his student teaching in a 5th-grade dual language classroom. He graduated in June 2022 and joined our district months later.

Now in his first year teaching in the dual language program, he sees the immense benefits it offers his students. The program helps Spanish-speaking students retain their native language while expanding opportunities for English-speaking students.

“Students themselves have mentioned the importance of learning both languages, even if it’s not their native language,” he said.

This understanding became clear during a class writing assignment where students brainstormed why being bilingual is a superpower. They highlighted reasons like being able to help others, communicating with loved ones, traveling to other countries, and opening up more job opportunities.

“As second graders, ages 7-8, they’re able to come up with all these ideas, showing they already have a huge understanding of society and are growing empathy,” he said.

Santoyo acknowledges that the work of a dual language teacher isn’t easy. He spends half his day teaching in Spanish and the other half in English, but the rewards are immense. He is quick to deflect praise to his students when he receives it from his colleagues.

“Seeing these students do math, reading, and writing in English and then in Spanish is mind-blowing,” he said. “They constantly show their dedication to learning and resilience to overcome anything. I’m so proud to teach this first cohort of dual language learners in our district.”

Isabel Leal
Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher

Isabel Leal joined our district in 2023 as an educational assistant before transitioning to the health room assistant position at Buff Elementary. She returned to the district she grew up in. She is now one of our Kindergarten Dual Language teachers. She spent many years in Madras before making a transition to another district.

Teaching in the district she grew up in is incredibly rewarding and meaningful for Leal. Her parents moved to Oregon when she was only an infant, so she has lived in Madras practically her entire life. 

Her first job in education was as an educational assistant where she worked one on one with an English Language Learner student. After this experience, she realized that she wanted to become a teacher. 

“I quickly discovered that I loved helping students, especially in Spanish.” she said. I think it is important to be able to teach students in a language they understand.”

That love for helping students, in Spanish as well, lead her to apply for the dual language teacher position in our district. She looked forward to the opportunity to speak both of her languages and teach students to become bilingual. 

“My inner child was happy that this was finally an option for students.” she said.

The push to apply and immerse herself into a teaching career can be traced back to when she was a student in an elementary classroom. She now hopes to inspire her students like she was once inspired. 

“One teacher that influenced me was my elementary teacher Mrs. Danilson,” she said. “She always told my mom that I had potential. She made sure I knew that I was capable of big things. She taught me how to believe in myself.”

Dual Language programs have many benefits for students. Academically, students are learning to be bilingual in multiple subjects, which will open doors for them in the future to more opportunities. 

One of those opportunities is a chance to connect with family members. Some of our students communicate with their family in Spanish. Dual Language classrooms allow those students to learn Spanish and continue to keep that connection alive and strong with their Spanish speaking family members. 

“I know that as a mom of 2 boys, I am always concerned that my boys will lose their Spanish,” Leal said. “They spend most of their time in school and I feel like the time they get at home with us is not enough. How beautiful is it that students can go to school and learn both languages?”

Students spend 50% of their time learning Spanish and the other half of the day learning in English. Leal especially enjoys the time in Spanish with her students. Seeing her students learn and be proud of themselves is the most rewarding part of the job for her. 

“I love it when students come up to me and share that they were able to talk to their grandma or their aunt or uncle in Spanish,” she said. “It makes me feel like this is all worth it.”

Shania Pineda
Dual Language 1st Grade Teacher

Shania Pineda joined our district as an educational assistant at Metolius Elementary in the 2022-2023 school year, returning to the district she grew up in and graduated from. Pineda is now teaching 1st Grade Dual Language at Buff Elementary. She is a proud member of the Class of 2015 from Madras High School.

It means a lot to Pineda to teach in the district she grew up in. She now has the opportunity to give her students a well-rounded education like the one she received in 509J. 

“It’s where I come from, where I grew and developed a sense of character,” she said. “I know the community, I have connections with the families because I come from where they are from. Both locally and culturally.”

One of her best times in our district was when she was enrolled in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program at Madras High. Programs like these prepare high school students for leadership roles by teaching students self-discipline, self-confidence, and other skills that can help them throughout their life.

She credits Colonel Renfro and Sgt. Yeager for giving her a sense of structure, discipline and belonging. 

“They trusted me and respected me. They didn’t judge me or look down on me,” she said. “They became my family and figures that I knew I could trust and look up to. I spent 4 years in the program and from day one, the mutual respect, trust and appreciation only grew.”

The traits that Pineda learned while in JROTC and while being an educational assistant at Metolius set her up for success as a teacher. She valued her time at Metolius and credits Principal Adam Dietrich for setting her up for success. 

“I began as an educational assistant, then became a SPED educational assistant, to a full time college student and student teacher,” she said. “All that happened because Adam believed in me. He supported me and my goals. He knew I could do it and he didn’t let me give up.”

It was bittersweet to leave Metolius to accept the opportunity to teach Dual Language, but she knew it was time to take the next step of her career. She wasn’t aware of the opportunity until recently. While there are struggles, like with any job, it has been a wonderful experience to bring what she knows and her personality and passion into her classroom.

After some time in a dual language classroom last school year, she accepted the full-time position at Buff with first year principal, Erika Skaar. 

“We are learning to work the program together and she has been amazing,” Pineda said. 

Her students are also learning with her in their path to becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural. Our community is more bilingual than others throughout our state. According to the US Census Bureau, around 30% of homes in the City of Madras speak another language other than English. Students in our dual language classrooms are developing a skill now that will not only help them in school, but it will help them once they graduate and leave our district. 

Learning another language early on though does not come without struggles. Pineda has seen her students have tough moments at times in class, but they persevere and don’t give up.

“As soon as they nail a sound or concept, the joy and pride that is in their face is wonderful. I love their energy and their enthusiasm in wanting to learn Spanish,” she said. “The most rewarding part of being a dual language teacher is the connections that the students and I are making together.”

Sandra Ruiz
Dual Language 2nd Grade Teacher

Sandra Ruiz joined our district as an educational assistant at Buff Elementary in the 2015-2016 school year, returning to the district she grew up in and graduated from. Ruiz is now teaching 2nd Grade Dual Language at Buff Elementary. She is a proud member of the Class of 2010 from Madras High School.

She is in her second year of teaching in our district, both years have been in dual language. For her, it is comforting to teach in the same district she grew up in.

“It’s also exciting to see that some of my elementary teachers are still teaching,” she said. “When I see them it’s like I am looking up to them knowing they made such a huge impact on my academic journey.”

There wasn’t a shortage of teachers that inspired Ruiz. She had positive experiences with each one of her teachers, but one memory sticks out. That happened in 8th grade with her math teacher at the time, Mr. Gardner. 

Ruiz recounts the time in middle school when she was struggling in her math class. She wanted to change from Algebra to Pre-Algebra. Her teacher believed in her though and pushed her to keep trying.

“I didn’t believe my teacher because of my fixed mindset,” she said. “However, he never gave up on me. I truly appreciate all the patience he had and confidence in believing that I would be successful with math.

Her journey to teaching started as an English Language Learner (ELL) educational assistant. She worked in this position for several years and over that time she met several newcomer students from Mexico. She enjoyed seeing how much growth they made in learning English and their academics within the first few months. 

Ruiz saw herself in those students since she once was an ELL student. There were numerous challenges she needed to overcome in the classroom. 

“Being in a classroom full time where English is the dominant language and you are the only or one of a few students in the class speaking little to no English is definitely a challenge, and you don’t feel represented,” she said. “I remember sitting in class my first days of school not understanding what my teacher was saying and looking at my peers to see what they were doing to follow along.”

Her own experience as a student and an educational assistant helped her develop a deep interest in supporting our students learning a new language. Above all, she wants all of her students to learn in a classroom setting where they feel culturally represented and feel valued for being bilingual.

Being bilingual opens up many doors for our students. Ruiz showed her class an example this year. 

“My students had the opportunity to become pen pals with students in La Cuestita, Michoacán Mexico,” she said. “My students were super excited to meet and learn that the students in Mexico were similar to them because they are learning English to become bilingual too.” 

In the classroom, she sees dual language benefiting her students because they are challenged daily to process and understand information in two different languages. She believes this is helping them be resilient and become better problem solvers with challenges in other academic areas. 

One of the most rewarding aspects of her job though is the opportunity to build a strong community within her classroom and develop deep relationships with her students while sharing her culture.

“It’s so cute to me when my second graders speak in a language that is not their own and it makes me super proud to see them accept and respect world differences,” she said. 

In a heartfelt ceremony, Jefferson County School District 509J and Warm Springs K-8 Academy celebrated the opening of a six-classroom addition, marking a significant milestone for the district and community. The event was held just before our community’s annual back-to-school BBQ, brought together district and school leaders, school staff, students, families, and community members.

The ceremony began with a warm welcome from School Board Member, Laurie Danzuka, who then introduced Radine “Deanie” Johnson to perform a traditional blessing on the new addition. Danzuka followed with a few words thanking the community. 

“This would not be possible without the voters in Jefferson County and Warm Springs,” she said. “We appreciate all of you for doing that and now we are finally able to open up these classrooms today.”

This helped set the tone for Superintendent Jay Mathisen’s remarks. 

“The most important thing I can say is, thank you,” he said. “I can echo Laurie and say thank you to the voters and Warm Springs community throughout the district. Without those votes way back in Fall of 2021, this project and others would not have been possible.” 

Following Superintendent Mathisen, three Warm Springs Tribal Council members took their turns addressing the crowd. 

“Thank you teachers for filling these classrooms,” Tribal Council Member Alvis W. Smith III said. “Showing that positive investment in our youth. They are our future and we’re invested in them.”

“I want to thank those that had the vision to make this happen,” Tribal Council Member Jonathan W. Smith Sr. said. “Many more things are going to happen for our Tribes in the future so thank you to our school delegates around the table, our Tribal Council, and the 509J school board.” 

Tribal Council member, Ray “Captain” Moody, also said a few words to the crowd encouraging the community to rally together and support our students and staff with the school year starting next week. 

Lastly, Principal Lonnie Henderson said a few words to the crowd, echoing the gratitude expressed by Danzuka and Mathisen, and thanked the community for their support of the November 2021 Bond, which made this expansion possible. The ceremony continued with a powerful drumming and singing performance by two current students, Arthur Miller and Elijah Denney, and one former student, Dasan Begay, who graduated this past June. The performance embodied the rich cultural heritage of the Warm Springs community.

The event culminated in the official ribbon-cutting, where district and school administrators, tribal council members, and students gathered together to mark the opening of the new space. These six classrooms will not only provide additional space for elementary teachers but will also bring Native Language instruction to the heart of the school, fostering a deeper connection to the cultural roots of the Warm Springs community.

Warm Springs K-8 Academy originally opened its doors at the start of the 2014-2015 school year.