From The Superintendent's Desk

Willamina School District Update

Celebrating Spirit, Strong Partnerships, and Student Success

What a fantastic autumn season it has been across Willamina School District! From vibrant school traditions to meaningful family partnerships, our school community continues to demonstrate energy, pride, and dedication to our students.

Homecoming Celebrations & Bulldog Pride

We recently wrapped up a wonderfully successful Homecoming week! Our students went all in across every aspect of the festivities—from creative hallway decorations to honoring our Homecoming royalty. A huge thank you goes out to our Student Leadership class, who planned and executed a week filled with school spirit and joy.

One of the highlights of the week was, of course, our iconic Noise Parade—the world’s only Noise Parade as far as we know! This energetic tradition is as unique as Willamina itself and remains a cherished event for students, staff, and community members alike. It was also wonderful to welcome back so many alumni throughout the week’s events.

Meanwhile, our fall sports teams are finishing their seasons strong. We are incredibly proud of how our athletes continue to grow, compete, and support one another as cohesive teams.

Partnering with Families: Title VI Native Advisory Group

We want to highlight a dedicated group of parents who meet monthly to collaborate with district leadership. Specifically representing our Native students and families, our Title VI group provides invaluable feedback to Willamina School District on policies and practices that directly impact our students.

We deeply appreciate their ongoing guidance and commitment to student equity and success. Please keep an eye on upcoming school announcements for dates and details regarding future Title VI meetings—all interested families are welcome to join us.

Upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences & NWEA Assessments

Parent-Teacher Conferences are right around the corner! Connecting with families is essential to ensuring our students thrive.

Scheduling: Middle School and High School conferences will be scheduled conveniently through our Synergy system.  Elementary will be with your classroom teacher.

Focus on Student Growth: Conferences provide an important opportunity to discuss how your student is performing academically and socially.

Understanding NWEA Testing: Teachers will share insights from our new NWEA assessment system, helping families understand where their student fits both locally and nationally to better support their learning goals.

Please watch for message updates from your child’s school regarding specific conference schedules and sign-up instructions.

A Heartfelt Thank You: Bulldog Bash

Finally, a sincere thank you to everyone in our community who attended this year’s Bulldog Bash! Thanks to your participation, this event continues to grow every year. It was a fantastic evening filled with valuable community information, great vendors, and wonderful neighbors coming together to support our schools.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of Willamina students!

Mike Gass, Superintendent