A positive start: KCSD kicks off 2022-23 school year
Sept. 8, 2022 / Bonanza Junior/Senior High School Principal Jordan Osborn doesn’t expect students to do what he isn’t willing to do.
“I told my students my pledge to them was I was going to be a better principal every day, and my challenge to them was to be better every day as well,” he said Wednesday as he handed out “Be Better” T-shirts to the school’s 235 students.
Establishing a positive school culture and climate is an important start to a new year, and schools put out the welcome mats this week as the Klamath County School District welcomed a record number of students into its classrooms. The district has nearly 7,200 students attending 21 schools.
At Ferguson Elementary, students were greeted with chalk art and messages as they entered the main entrance. “We love you! This way … Your teachers are waiting,” and “It’s going to be great year,” were among the greetings.
At many of our elementary schools, students posed for photos in front of a Welcome Back displays. At Lost River, every 7th- and 8th-grader wore a new Raider T-shirt as they participated in fun and educational activities. Throughout the district junior highs and high schools had a special day set aside for incoming 7th graders and freshmen, and Henley and Mazama high schools hosted special sunrise events for their Class of 2023 seniors.
At Bonanza, 7th-12th grade students have walked into the doors the first day to an annual theme since Osborn took the reins four years ago. Last year, it was Bo’ Town Pride. The year before students and staff were “All In,” and in Osborn’s first year, he asked his school community to reflect on “How Ya Living.”
“The themes just come up organically,” Osborn said. “Last year, I found myself telling kids I expected them to be better from point A to point B to point C. Even if we focus on a tiny bit of growth every day, it adds up exponentially by the end of the year.”
Bonanza was among schools that kicked off the year with an assembly, focusing on culture, climate, and team building through games and a short video discussing the “Be Better” theme.
We’re just going to focus on every day being better than we were the day before – students, staff, everybody,” Osborn said. “That’s what ‘Be Better’ is about.”
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