The 10th annual Klamath Promise Graduation Sensation Parade and Party in the Park took place in downtown Klamath Falls on Thursday, May 29th. Hundreds of spectators cheered on the nearly 1500 students.  The parade included bands, mascots, almost 700 Class of 2025 graduating high school seniors in caps and gowns and the nearly 800 Kindergartners from across all of Klamath County School District, Klamath Falls City Schools, Tulelake High School, Butte Valley High School and Elementary (Doris), and North Lake High School (Silver Lake). Seniors wore their caps and gowns while kindergarteners donned Class of 2037 “I am the Klamath Promise” t-shirts in their school colors donated by Klamath Community College and Oregon Institute of Technology. The parade was live streamed by My Basin at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh9jOubqrIc

Immediately following the parade, the high school graduates joined together with family, friends and supporters in Veterans Park for the Party in the Park celebration and awards distribution. MJ Atkins, a graduating senior from Klamath Union sang the National Anthem, Klamath Community College President Roberto Gutierrez provided keynote remarks. The Graduation Sensation Party in the Park includes the awarding of gift cards for those going on to college, into the military, into the workforce, or who are undecided on their next step, as well as scholarships for those going to college. A total of 68 scholarships and 57 gift cards worth $68,500 were announced to the crowd of graduates, families, and supporters. This year 29 local business, organizations, and individuals contributed to awards:

• Friends of the Klamath County Library
• Glenn & Ursula Gailis
• Hispanic Health Committee
• Holliday Jewelry
• Ray & Susan Holliday
• Integral Youth Services
• Kersey Law
• Klamath Basin Behavioral Health
• Klamath Basin Senior Citizens’ Center Board
• Klamath Community College
• Klamath County Chamber of Commerce
• Klamath County Commissioners
• Klamath County School District
• Klamath Falls City School Administration
• Klamath Promise – Anonymous Donors
• Lithia & Driveway
• LuluLily’s Legacy Foundation
• Maurita Johnson
• Moai!
• Oregon Tech Office the President
• Pelican Education Foundation
• Ross Ragland Theater & Cultural Center
• The Redd Family, minusamillion.com
• Sky Lakes Medical Center
• SMART Reading Program
• Soroptimist International of Klamath Falls
• Stork Family
• The Klamath Tribes: Education and Employment
• Windermere Real Estate

High school graduation is a significant achievement setting students up for future success, greater earnings and opportunities, and greater long term health outcomes. As the largest graduation celebration in all of Oregon and the entire West, this event is not possible with the many event supporters and volunteers. Special thanks to

• American Sanitation
• City of Klamath Falls Parks
• City of Klamath Falls Streets
• Citizens for Safe Schools staff
• Ray Holliday & Holliday Jewelry
• Integral Youth Services staff
• Klamath Basin Behavioral Health staff
• Klamath Community College
• Klamath County Library
• Klamath County School District teachers, parapros,  principals, bus drivers, district office staff, and others!
• Klamath Falls City Schools teachers, parapros,  principals, bus drivers, district office staff, and others!
• Klamath Falls Police Department
• Klamath Tribes Education & Employment staff
• Klamath Union High School Digital Media program
• Klamath Works
• The Kersey Family
• My Basin and KLAD
• Oregon Department of Humans Services staff
• Oregon Tech Educational Partnerships & Outreach
• Bethany Osborn
• Pacific Crest Federal Credit Union staff
• Billy Redd and family
• SkyLakes Foundation
• SkyLakes staff
• Southern Oregon ESD Sign Language Interpreters
• Southern Oregon ESD staff
• Holly Stork & SMART Reading
• Trevor McClung Construction
• And many many others!

Congratulations Class of 2025 graduates!

The Klamath Promise is a community-wide initiative connecting the community and schools, from preschool through career and college readiness. Since 2012 the Klamath Promise has aimed to increase “Success through Education” for all students in Klamath County, whether success looks like joining the workforce or military, or going to college.

The Klamath Promise: Connecting and inspiring the community about the importance of education, attendance, and graduation, from early childhood to career or college transitions. Visit klamathpromise.org to learn more!

Contact klamath_promise@soesd.k12.or.us with questions.

❖  See if your school offers Sora ebooks, including Sweet Reads.

❖  Or use the public library’s Libby app for free ebooks and audiobooks.

If you live in Jackson County

Get your card online Libby ebooks & more

• Online sign-up through beanstack.org or download a reading log
• Check the events calendar for fun programs

If you live in Klamath County

Get your card Libby ebooks & more

• Summer Reading starts Monday, June 16th
• More information here
• Details coming soon: Summer Reading 2025

If you live in Josephine County

Get your card in person or online Libby ebooks & audiobooks

• Registration opens June 1, 2025 online and at branches in Grants Pass, Illinois Valley, Williams, or Wolf Creek.
• Weekly themed crafts, reading incentives, and fun events for all
• More at Josephine Community Library Summer Reading Program

SOREN Implementation Jay Schroder co-authored an article, “Refocusing Professional Learning: Cultivating Teacher Wellbeing to Promote Agency” that has been published in the Holistic Ed Review Journal. This article discusses Jay’s work with Teach From Your Best Self (TFYBS) and shares promising results from early research findings about the impact of this important professional learning. You can read the article here:

https://her.journals.publicknowledgeproject.org/index.php/her/article/view/3221/3058.

The apprenticeship program at Klamath Community College is about to roll out temporary housing units under two separate projects that are giving its students hands-on experience in home building, while helping those in need.

The construction of small cottages is part of Gov. Tina Kotek’s housing initiative pumping millions of dollars into small home construction, or transitional housing. Once completed, the homes are sent to areas of need. In Klamath County, two such cottages and a storage shed will help families who lost their homes to the Copperfield Fire east of Chiloquin. Eight primary residences and 22 other buildings were destroyed in the 3,822-acre fire which started on Sept. 1, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Read More.

Kellen Akiyama teaches English language arts and African American studies at Gladiola High School. Read the article.

Free Preschool for 4 and 5 Year Olds

With the assistance of SOESD, starting in the 2024-25 school year, the Grants Pass School District will offer FREE preschool for four and five-year-olds living within GPSD7 boundaries. The new preschool program will accommodate 36 children in its first year, and bring together children with and without disabilities into one inclusive classroom.

Read the article

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The Power of Inclusive Classrooms at Gilbert Creek Child Development Center

In this episode, host Rafael Otto visits Grants Pass, Oregon, to talk with Shannon Bilbao and Susan Peck from Gilbert Creek Child Development Center. They discuss why inclusive classrooms are so valuable for the healthy development of all children and share examples of what they see in their classrooms.

Listen to the Podcast