The Oregon Department of Education released statewide graduation rate data Thursday, which showed Redmond School District well above the state average with an overall district average of 87 percent graduation success.
“Our successful graduation rates are reflective of a culmination of all of the hard work that teachers are doing from kindergarten through high school,” said Dr. Charan Cline, Redmond School District superintendent. “Every involved teacher, staff, family, and community member who has made an impact and enriched a graduate’s educational path contributes to our success.”
Dave Burke, Director of Secondary Programs, added that some exciting numbers to see are the subcategories of Hispanic, Latino, Multi Racial, and Underserved Races and Ethnicities. Students from these categories graduated at or above the district graduation rate. “Our staff has been dedicated to finding the best ways to support these groups of students and their families.”
For instance, at upcoming parent teacher conferences, arrangements have been made for 150 conferences to include translation services.
“Creating avenues of accessibility to our staff and leadership for all students is a priority for us,” said Burke. “Our relationships with families and the community are our greatest resource for helping students succeed.”
Our graduation rate has gone back up from the dip during the pandemic, which is a healthy indication of growth in the district. Burke also attributes graduation success to programs that are drawing students in and keeping them involved in their school communities; such as Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, athletics, clubs, co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
At this week’s school board meeting, Redmond High School FFA president, Emilee Lindquist, stated that she transferred to RHS specifically to join the livestock judging program. Lindquist earned gold and the team as a whole earned silver in Livestock Evaluation at the national competition this year. These types of programs help students find their interests and give them insight into careers they want to pursue after high school. Lindquist is interested in going to college for large animal science and medicine to become a veterinarian.
“We still have some room for growth,” Cline said, “but we are very proud of the work we’re doing here in Redmond.”
