News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 76 - 100 of 121
Applications for the OSU Master Gardener Program in Central Oregon are now available. The program targets individuals interested in becoming a trained volunteer who wants to learn and share research-based gardening information. Program will be a hybrid training with both online and in-person learning. Once an applicant has been accepted, they will be considered an OSU Master Gardener trainee. Trainees will participate in weekly hybrid (in person and online) training conducted by qualified OSU Extension faculty, specialists,... Full story
The three Sisters public schools will honor local military veterans at each school in observance of Veterans Day, having the students assembled to say ‘Thank you for your service.” Veterans Day is observed on November 11, marking the date of the armistice that ended World War I in Europe in 1918. However, this year, because it’s a Saturday, Sisters Middle School and Sisters High School are holding their veterans recognition events on Thursday, November 9. All veterans and their spouses are welcome to attend. Sisters Middl... Full story
Five young drivers from Sisters High School ran through a driving course set up by Deschutes County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) personnel in the high school parking lot on Friday, October 27. Under the supervision of deputies, they sped through a lane of cones, then braked, getting a feel for just how long it takes to bring a vehicle to a stop. Deputies went over fundamentals of winter driving. They also worked on backing skills. "Backing is the number-one situation where we... Full story
Homeschooling is on the rise nationally and in Oregon, and thus one might assume that to be true for Sisters Country children. In fact, the numbers of homeschooled kids within the Sisters School District has been nearly impossible to determine, according to those with a vested interest in knowing the number. Curt Scholl, Sisters schools superintendent, is frustrated, as his team is currently trying to count the number. Homeschooling in Sisters is regulated by High Desert... Full story
"I found an invertebrate!" a sixth-grade girl cried out, bringing her net dipper to the lake-shore at Camp Tamarack, west of Sisters near Suttle Lake. She dropped her find into an ice cube tray where specimens from the water were collected. Meanwhile, on the ridge above the camp, other students were gathering pine cones and observing their state of decomposition, learning how forest materials live, die, and cycle back into the soil. This was Outdoor School (ODS) 2023, the... Full story
The Sisters High School (SHS) has been without a functioning library for over 10 years, making it the only facility in the Sisters School District without this resource. While elementary and middle school students enjoy having a library at their disposal, many high schoolers wondered why there wasn't such a resource available for them. Seniors Presley Adelt and Molly Greaney recognized this absent space and brought forth the idea in their AP Government class led by Gail Greane... Full story
Have you ever looked up into the starry night sky and wondered what’s out there — and how it all works? Former Sisters resident Dr. Bob Collins moved to a desert town near the Mexican border five years ago. After a successful career in neuroscience and neurology at various institutions, including the National Institutes of Health, Harvard University, and UCLA, he has finally found the time and the ideal location to pursue his interest in astronomy. Armed with two telescopes, a camera, and his background in research, he too... Full story
The Oktoberfest tradition continues this fall as the parents of the graduating class of 2024 host an evening of festing and fun for those 21 and over on Sunday, October 22 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Sisters High School. According to organizers, this fun community event’s sole purpose is to help raise all the funds needed to offer the Sisters High graduates a safe and sober graduation party in June. The cost per person is $40, which includes a dinner of grilled bratwurst, salad, dessert, along with beer and wine. There will be b... Full story
Addie Laird is a senior here at Sisters High School - one of the "new kids" that are coming into Sisters schools as the community grows. Laird moved here her junior year. She claimed to have a challenging experience first moving to Sisters because everyone seemed very "cliquey," and didn't want to welcome new students into their friend group. Laird also explained that her classmates and teachers did an "alright" job of helping her feel welcomed. She explained that some of her... Full story
As the Sisters community continues to grow, new students are transferring to Sisters School District every year. Joining an entirely new school system can be intimidating. Roselynn Smith is a seventh-grader at Sisters Middle School (SMS). She moved here as a sixth-grader. Smith explained one challenge she faced adjusting to a new school is trying to choose the “right friends.” Smith found she connected more within the community when she joined the volleyball team her seventh-grade year. She experienced a “very encou... Full story
Sisters Middle School (SMS) is modifying its Outdoor School program, which runs October 16-18 at Camp Tamarack west of Sisters. In response to a variety of parent concerns, the school is offering an option for students to attend only during the day rather than staying overnight, and the opportunity for parent volunteers to stay overnight at the camp, according to SMS Principal Tim Roth. Last year, the Outdoor School experience became a focus of controversy when the Culver Scho... Full story
The new Sisters Elementary School will (SES) open on time, and come in on budget - despite the pressures of inflation. Curt Scholl and the Sisters School District (SSD) team offered a tour of the construction of the new elementary school located across McKinney Butte Road from the high school. The new elementary will be 80,000 square feet, including the mechanical areas, with an additional 7,000 square feet, including the ball fields. Scholl offered a tour to elementary... Full story
A new environmental program for youth, launched in early 2023, is coming to Sisters this fall, thanks to a partnership between Camp Fire Central Oregon and Sisters Middle School. Registration opened on August 6 and spots are still available. The Sisters-based program, called “ExplOregon: Project Good Earth,” is open to kids in grades 6-8 and features five fabulous Fridays of afterschool outdoor exploration, enrichment, and learning. According to James DiRosa, Camp Fire Central Oregon’s outdoor and environmental coord... Full story
The Sisters Astronomy Club will host an evening under the stars on Saturday, August 19. Local amateur astronomers will bring their telescopes, eager to share with visitors many showpiece objects of the summer night sky. Known as the Stars over Sisters Starwatch, the event will take place at the Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) Coffield Center building and adjacent parking lot. The proceedings begin at 8 p.m. with a brief presentation. There is no charge for this... Full story
An international story detailing Chinese funding in American public schools raised eyebrows in the Sisters community last week. The Daily Mail, a British daily tabloid, ran a story on July 30 reporting that “China is funding America’s public schools to the tune of $17 million dollars, it has been revealed, with Republicans now probing the disturbing donations. “The report by Parents Defending Education states that the close coordination between the Chinese Communist Party... Full story
"I love it," said Programs Director Hannah Joseph on a sunny day at Seed to Table farm. Peacocks shrilled and Highland cattle mooed. She and Farm Manager Jenn Gardner sought shade after an intense several hours leading kids in activities and education on the farm (see related article, page 7). "I love connecting everything through food," said Joseph. "I think we can all relate to food, so it's a great focal point to then talk about all kinds of subjects." Teaching kids... Full story
The Shadow Project is an organization dedicated to making school more accessible and engaging for children with learning challenges so they can achieve their full potential in school and beyond. The organization is looking to partner with Sisters students and Sisters schools and get the word out about their programming. The Shadow Project was created by a mother who advocated for her special needs son's learning. She ultimately built a business around helping other kids who... Full story
This spring, 32 Sisters High School (SHS) chemistry students worked with Steven Peterzen of The ISTAR Group and SHS science teacher Rima Givot to build the OARS program, in which students explore Suttle Lake ecology through chemical analysis of the water column and benthic sampling of the lake bottom. Canoes made for a non-polluting vessel to access the deeper waters of Suttle Lake, which is a glacial carved, spring-fed mountain lake west of Sisters. The student scientists... Full story
On a recent day at Seed to Table's farm in Sisters, long-haired Highland cattle ambled through their pasture. The sun shone brightly. The shrieking of peacocks pealed over the landscape. Then came the students, with wheelbarrows full of treats. Student Stefani Kampert mused, "I feel like it's really nice out here." She and other LifeSkills students plucked lettuce out of the soil in a greenhouse, dropping them into buckets. Then, along with their adult helpers, they heaped... Full story
Students gathered in a circle with educator and Programs Director Hannah Joseph at Seed to Table farm. Around the circle, each child announced their name and a vegetable. "My name is Lachlan, and I like carrots," said a boy in a plaid shirt. "My name is Mysie and I like green onions," said a girl dressed in a red shirt and cap. Together with others from Sisters Elementary School, they named their group Team Greens. Students examined vegetables they'd planted on previous field... Full story
Every July 4 Sisters Eagle Airport Rumble on the Runway is also the occasion to fundraise for the aviation program at Sisters High School. Interested students can get a head start on a piloting career. For many years the school’s aviation curriculum has included the opportunity for hands-on flying in partnership with Outlaw Aviation located at Eagle Airport. The outfit is owned by Sam Monte and Walt Lasecki, both veteran military pilots. Founded in 2013, Outlaw A... Full story
The 90 Sisters High School seniors who received diplomas at Friday's 75th commencement had plenty to celebrate as they moved from students to alumni. There was little sign and barely a mention of the pandemic that disrupted nearly half of their four-year journey, but challenges of those years are undeniable. Rather than dwelling on the difficulties, this resilient bunch focused on the positive, as evidenced by the speeches and songs shared by the graduates. After the graduates... Full story
As the school year comes to an end, so does time for the graduating seniors of 2023 to attend Sisters High School. After going through COVID-19, distance learning, and hybrid classes, these students are well equipped for facing future adversities. This year, there are about 89 graduating seniors, each with their own ambitions for the future. Around 51 of these students college tuition were supported by the scholarships distributed through the nonprofit organization,... Full story
The Sisters School Board adopted the 2023-2024 operating budget in a public hearing at the final School Board meeting of the school year. Every year, the School Board adopts the new operating budget based on the money allotted to the Sisters School District (SSD) from the state school fund. The state school fund amount is decided in the state legislature. The general fund budget, including $9,619,008 for instruction and nearly $8 million for support service,s, comes to... Full story
A lifetime of dancing and a Presidential Scholarship offer from the University of Oregon led Sidney Linn to decide to try out for the Ducks cheer team, and on May 9 she signed a letter of intent formalizing her as a member of the 2023-24 squad along with three other incoming freshmen who made the team. Leading up to the final selection, Linn attended some clinics in Eugene and then did an initial audition, which landed her in the actual tryouts that included a total of 32... Full story
