Superintendent Newsletter September 2026

There is something special about the beginning of a new school year. Our classrooms come back to life, students reconnect with friends and teachers, families settle into new routines, and our community begins another year of learning, growth, and opportunity.

As we welcome everyone back, I am excited about where Coos Bay Public Schools is headed. We begin this year with momentum.

Last year, our students made significant progress. Reading proficiency increased by 6%, mathematics proficiency increased by 21%, and we saw encouraging growth across our schools. Marshfield Junior High increased mathematics proficiency by 24%, Marshfield High School students earned more than 2,400 college credits, and Milner Crest Education Center celebrated an estimated 95% graduation rate.

Those numbers are worth celebrating, but what matters most are the students behind them. Every success represents a young person learning something new, overcoming a challenge, discovering a strength, building confidence, or taking another step toward their future.

None of that happens alone. It happens because of talented and caring teachers and staff, families who support their children and partner with our schools, and a community that continues to invest in the young people of Coos Bay.

I am proud of how far we have come and excited about where we are going. Thank you to our students, staff, families, and community for being part of the journey. 

As we begin the year, we are introducing The Coos Bay Promise, our commitment to what every student should be able to count on in Coos Bay Schools, no matter which school or classroom they attend.

For families, that means your child can expect a strong and consistent curriculum, excellent teaching, and a focus on the most important skills and standards at each grade level. Students who need additional academic or behavioral support will receive it, while students who are ready for greater challenges will have opportunities for enrichment and acceleration. We are also committed to strong teachers and principals in every school and meaningful time each day for students to read, write, think, and discuss their learning.

At its heart, The Coos Bay Promise is about providing every student what they need to grow, succeed, and ultimately graduate with a plan—to be Enrolled, Employed, or Enlisted.

You will hear the phrase “One Compass – One Crew – One Mission” often in Coos Bay Public Schools. It is more than a motto; it describes how we believe we can create great schools for every student.

One Compass is about having a common direction. Across our schools, we are committed to high-quality teaching, positive and engaging classrooms, and using student progress to guide our decisions. When students need additional help, we provide targeted support; when they are ready for more, we provide opportunities for enrichment and challenge. Our goal is consistency, families should be able to count on a great educational experience in every Coos Bay school and classroom.

One Crew reminds us that educating children is a team effort. Our teachers, support staff, administrators, families, and community partners all play an important role. Within our schools, it also means working together rather than in isolation, supporting one another, celebrating successes, and learning together when we face challenges. Our students do better when we work together.

One Mission keeps our attention on the reason we are here: student outcomes. We want students to achieve academically, learn in safe and respectful environments, attend school regularly, and develop the skills and confidence they need for their futures. Ultimately, our mission is that each student is known by name, strength, and need, and ALL students graduate with a plan: Enrolled, Employed, or Enlisted.

This year, we will continue building on our progress in academics, attendance, behavior, and student opportunities while beginning the development of a five-year strategic plan for the future of Coos Bay Public Schools.

You will also hear us talk about leading and teaching with urgency. Urgency doesn't mean rushing. It means understanding that every school day matters. Whether a child is learning to read, gaining confidence in mathematics, finding a place where they belong, working toward graduation, or preparing for life after high school, what happens today matters for their tomorrow.

We should dream big for the children of Coos Bay. Our students deserve nothing less.

This year, Oregon is implementing a new statewide accountability framework established through Senate Bill 141, the Education Accountability Act. The goal is to create clearer expectations for student success, provide schools with support for improvement, and establish common measures for tracking progress. For families, the idea is fairly simple: Where are our students today, where do we want them to be, and what are we going to do to help them get there?

The state has identified several measures that follow students throughout their educational journey: K–2 regular attendance, K–12 regular attendance, third-grade reading, eighth-grade mathematics, ninth-grade on-track, four-year graduation, and five-year completion. Districts also select a local measure; Coos Bay has selected postsecondary readiness, reflecting opportunities such as dual credit and Advanced Placement.

As part of this process, Coos Bay Public Schools has submitted draft Performance Growth Targets (PGTs) through 2029–2030. These targets are currently awaiting review and approval by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and may be adjusted through that process. Once approved, we will release our goals for Coos Bay Schools.

While the targets are still in draft form, our commitment is not. These numbers represent real outcomes for students: more children attending school regularly, more students reading confidently and succeeding in mathematics, more freshmen staying on track, and more students graduating prepared for their future.

We have made meaningful progress, and we are committed to building on that momentum. Through effective teaching, positive learning environments, strong academic and behavioral supports, and careful use of student data, we will continue working toward better outcomes for every student.

As Superintendent, I am committed to providing monthly opportunities for families and community members to connect, ask questions, share ideas, and learn more about what is happening in Coos Bay Public Schools. Throughout the year, I will continue hosting Town Hall meetings and Coffee with the Superintendent events at different locations across our community. Our first Town Hall Meeting will be Wednesday, September 23, at 6:00 p.m. at the Coos Bay School District Office. I hope you will join us; your voice and partnership are important as we continue working together to make our schools the best they can be. 

Improving student attendance continues to be one of our most important priorities. We made progress last year, but we also know that Coos Bay continues to have significant work ahead of us. Regular attendance is closely connected to success at every age. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to build strong reading and mathematics skills, stay connected to their school community, remain on track in high school, and ultimately graduate.

One of the most important things for families to know is how quickly absences add up. A student who misses just two days of school each month can miss about 18 days over the course of the year, putting them at or near the level considered chronically absent. Even excused absences mean missed instructional time, and those missed lessons can make it more difficult for students to keep up as learning builds throughout the year.

Our approach is not simply about counting absences. We want to work with families to understand and address the reasons students may be missing school. Transportation, health, academic challenges, relationships, belonging, and other barriers can all affect attendance. We encourage families to reach out early so we can work together to find solutions.

As we begin 2026–2027, our message is simple: Every Student. Every Day. Every day in school is another opportunity to learn, build relationships, develop confidence, and move closer to graduation. Improving attendance will take all of us, and we look forward to partnering with our students and families to make every day count.

For families looking for additional information, strategies, and resources, the Oregon Department of Education provides attendance, belonging, and engagement supports for families and schools. Click below. 

As we continue working to improve student achievement, we are also taking a close look at something very important: the amount of time our students have to learn each day.

Since the pandemic, Coos Bay students have received more than 50 fewer hours of instructional time each year than they did before COVID-19. After reviewing our schedules and comparing them with other South Coast school districts, we determined that restoring instructional time is an important step in supporting student success.

Beginning this school year, we are increasing instructional time across our K–12 schools. At the elementary level, the K–6 school day has been extended approximately 15 minutes Monday through Thursday and one hour on Fridays. Students in grades 7–12 will also receive approximately 11 additional hours of instructional time this school year as a result of changes to our secondary schedule.

This isn't about simply making the school day longer; it is about making the most of the time we have with students. More instructional time provides additional opportunities for reading, writing, mathematics, intervention, enrichment, and meaningful interaction with teachers.

Research from ECOnorthwest also reinforces the importance of instructional time, particularly when it is combined with improved attendance. That connection is why you will hear us emphasize both priorities this year: students need to be in school, and when they are here, we need to make every minute count.

Together, increased instructional time, improved attendance, and high-quality teaching give our students more opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed.

This fall, Coos Bay Public Schools will begin developing a comprehensive five-year strategic plan that will help guide our priorities, decisions, and investments for the future.

Our planning will focus on four key areas: improving student outcomes; strengthening student and family engagement; supporting staff recruitment, retention, and development; and maximizing community partnerships and involvement.

To support this work, we are partnering with Studer Education, an organization with experience helping school districts in Oregon and across the country develop strong systems for continuous improvement. A district Strategic Planning Steering Committee will help lead the process and, with input from students, staff, families, and community members, develop a five-year strategic plan for Coos Bay Public Schools.

Most importantly, this will not be a plan developed in isolation. Community and family voice will be an important part of the process. Throughout the year, we will provide opportunities to share ideas about what is working well, where we can improve, and what we want our schools to look like in the years ahead.

Our goal is to build on the progress already underway while creating a clear vision, focused priorities, and a roadmap for continued improvement, ensuring we are all moving together toward a common future for the students of Coos Bay.