Superintendent Report

Superintendent Report: Eagle Point School District
 
October 22, 2025

Find the EPSD9 Community Newsletter HERE!

Cell Phones:
This school year, EPSD9 has worked to further reduce student cell phone usage in its schools generally and especially within its classrooms. This effort has been highly successful and is due to the efforts of our staff working together to consistently apply the new rules. Like all efforts in setting or establishing expectations for students, success depends on the adults, especially our teachers, being united in enforcing the expectation. Our staff has done so brilliantly.

Reports from our schools, staff, parents and even students have been generally positive. Anecdotal evidence indicates that there is an increase in student to student interaction and a decrease in bullying behavior, especially cyber bullying.

Our school district has always had expectations regarding cell phones in the classroom. However, with recent legislative change our District leadership saw an opportunity to make improvements in our schools by joining many school districts across the state and country in this effort. Our hope is that we would see improved engagement within our classrooms and improved interaction between our students outside the classroom. We believe this has proved to be true.

Financial Update:
The District’s financial outlook is increasingly grim. As outlined in last month’s Superintendent Report, EPSD9 began the year with 18 fewer students than last year. While this enrollment drop was lower than recent years, all things being equal, this loss will translate into approximately $180,000.00 less state general funding as well as corresponding losses in both state and federal grants funds such as the ‘Student Investment Account’ and ‘Every Student Succeeds Act’ both of which are based in-part on enrollment.

However, all things are not equal. Further reductions, beyond the decrease due to declining enrollment, are to be anticipated both for this year and next year. The September Economic Forecast indicated a slowing economy and rising unemployment. In addition to this a drop in state revenues, due to federal tax cuts will further reduce state resources.

Oregon’s personal and business income tax rules are tied to the federal tax system. As calculations of taxable income in Oregon are defined by Federal Taxable Income, when taxable income is reduced due to changes in the federal tax code, Oregon’s taxable income is also reduced, resulting in less state tax collections which will, in turn, require Oregon to reduce the state’s biennial budget. Some concrete examples of current declining state financial support include a reduction in the 2025-2026 School Investment Account by $253,510.95 and the 2025-26 High School Success Grant by $38,446.56.

Superintendent Advisory Committee (SAC):
The first meeting of the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee has been held. Agenda items included background on the legislative basis for the committee including HB2453 and SB732, a look at the duties articulated under OAR 581-022-2307. The Superintendent's Advisory Committee intends to meet again before Thanksgiving to examine attendance, behavioral and grade data identifying underserved student populations.

I would like to personally thank the following members of the Committee for agreeing to serve and their time:

Kimberly Brewer
Liesel Culver
Julie Denton
Jen Patterson-Durham
Denise Hall
Lori Huntley
Matthew Kulow
Natasha Langley
Jazlynn Lavario
Shelley McCormick
Dean MacInnis
Justin Richardson

D9 Foundation:
The D9 Foundation would like to most sincerely thank the EPSD9 community for their support and participation in the Golf Tournament on September 26th, followed by a Dinner and Auction on September 27th. $70,000.00 was taken in and will be used to provide scholarships to District 9 students. Thank you.

If you would like help make this organization continue to be successful, please contact the Foundation on its website:  d9foundation.com