Welcome to Bend-La Pine Schools!

Superintendent Shay Mikalson at Summit graduation

Note from Our Superintendent

“Watch me! Watch me!” is a phrase most parents are familiar with — it’s something we hear when our young children have climbed to the top of a jungle gym or want to show us their latest dance move. They want us to share in their proud moments. In the pages of this year's Family Handbook and Calendar, we are taking that notion to heart. We invited a few students to share an aspect of their lives they feel is worth watching. Each of these students is a standout, but for unique reasons. Collectively, their stories tell the mission of our schools and showcase the potential our students possess.

There’s Kira — a student at La Pine Middle School — who loves competing and can be seen setting records in pole vault and wrestling. There’s Jacob — a kindergartener at Buckingham Elementary School — who creates and designs using his feet because he does not have hands. There’s Emma — a junior at Bend Senior High School — who is a student leader with determined optimism and energy.

I hope you’ll take a moment to read their stories and that you’ll celebrate their diversity and successes.

Our mission is for every student within our schools to be known by name, strength and need.

Bend-La Pine Schools is home to more than 18,400 students and I believe each one of those students has a story worth sharing. Our schools are filled with curious and engaged students who will ultimately shape the future and change the world.

Each year, we work to build upon our successes in order to deliver the best teaching and learning environment in Oregon. This year, we celebrated our best ever graduation rate. The Class of 2018 received more than $13 million in college scholarship offers, includes two National Merit Finalists and more than 340 students who earned honors diplomas.

This year our students scored 57 points higher on the SATs than peers around the state and our students took 1,492 Advanced Placement exams in more than 26 subjects.

Our schools are home to rich music, physical education and art programs at all levels.

We value our specialists who help enrich our students’ school experiences. Our schools are home to state and national award-winning activities including: newspaper, band, speech and debate, robotics, DECA, Future Farmers of America, Future Business Leaders of America and more. This year, our students also earned individual or team state titles in volleyball, swimming, track and field, cross-country, baseball, wrestling, swimming, golf, tennis and more.

Our schools also connect students with meaningful experiences beyond academics. Through community service efforts and an emphasis on kindness, empathy and social emotional learning in the classroom, we are helping all of our students become thriving citizens.

Our goal is to serve every student in Bend-La Pine Schools and to help build a brighter future for all of our students. With all of your support — we are making that a reality.

Best,

Shay Mikalson


About Bend-
La Pine Schools

Our Size

  • 5th largest school district in Oregon
  • 33 schools, plus two charter schools
  • 18,375 students
  • 2,005 staff members (Second Largest Employer in Central Oregon)
  • 1,600 square miles make up the Bend-La Pine Schools attendance area

Academic Success

  • 1,220 Students Graduated From Our High Schools in 2019
  • $8 Million in Scholarships Was Earned By the Class of 2019
  • Average SAT score is 57 Points Higher Than the State Average
  • 1,100 New Kindergarteners Started School This Fall
  • 34 Languages are Spoken by Bend-La Pine Schools Students
  • 20 Class of 2019 Members Earned Seal of Biliteracy on Their Diplomas

Our Staff

  • 82 percent of our teachers hold a masters degree or higher
  • $53,182 is the average new-hire teacher salary
  • 5 years is the average experience of our new teachers
  • $64,166 is the average teacher salary
  • 13 years is the average experience for our teachers
  • Home to: Oregon's Elementary Principal of the Year; Oregon's High School Principal of the Year; Oregon's Teacher of the Year; Oregon's Art Teacher of the Year; Oregon's School Nurse of the Year; Oregon's Journalism Teacher of the Year; Oregon's Culinary Teacher of the Year; Oregon's Athletic Director of the Year; a Presidential Award Winner for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching and many other state and national award winners.

Additional Information

  • More than 5,000 students are transported to school each day by our bus drivers.
  • More than 15,000 meals are served to students each day by the Nutrition Services team.
  • 2.21 million square feet of school building space is managed by our maintenance team.
  • Volunteers spent more than 118,00 hours in our schools working with students during 2018-19.
  • For the 33rd consecutive year, the district received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association and for the 32nd year, the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials.
  • 43 Percent of Students are Enrolled in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program.
  • Community members spent more than 56,000 hours hosting events in our schools.