District News

Students from Duniway and Patton middle schools wrapped up performances this month with the Oregon Music Educators Association (OMEA) Honor Band and Honor Choir events.  This year’s Honor Band was made up of 90 students from 15 different middle schools representing six different school districts. Students rehearsed for over six hours on Friday, Jan. 18…

After years of steady increases, the McMinnville High School (MHS) overall graduation rate has exceeded 90 percent. This rate is 12 points higher than the state average and more than three points higher than last year. The results were announced yesterday by the Oregon Department of Education. In every category, MHS exceeded state averages, including…

The Arts Alliance of Yamhill County invites submissions to the 26th annual Paper Gardens competition. Paper Gardens is a creative writing program with categories in prose and poetry that accepts free entries from students ages 6 through 18. This year’s competition will be judged by Tracy Daugherty and José Angel Araguz. The top three submissions…

Five McMinnville High School (MHS) students earned honors in the state competition for the Scholastic Art Awards.  Across the state, 2,604 students entered 7,007 individual pieces of art and 270 portfolios. Seniors Keelie Grasley and Carly Szedlak won Gold Key recognition for their work (see below) and will advance to the national competition in New…

January is School Board Appreciation Month. Thank you, School Board members Carson Benner, Janis Braich (pictured), Barbara Carter, Paul Haddeland, Gerardo Partida, Tim Roberts and Larry Vollmer for your service and dedication to the McMinnville School District! Superintendent Maryalice Russell read a formal proclamation into the record and noted that board members serve in a…

Paige Lomas, third grade teacher at Columbus Elementary, today launched a new session of Success Now called “Web Writers.”  Targeted to third-fifth graders, the after-school session is designed to develop informative writing skills among the more than 20 students who signed up. With a special news feed on the Columbus website, the students will publish…

Students at Grandhaven and Wascher elementary schools will have the opportunity to spend time with children’s advocate and award-winning author Trudy Ludwig. Ludwig will lead two student assemblies,  broken out by age group, at each school. She will read one of her books to the audience and discuss the story and the characters’ roles. Through engaging,…

The fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm are turned on their heads in this fast-paced, rollicking ride as two narrators and several actors attempt to combine all 209 stories ranging from classics like “Snow White,” “Cinderella” and “Hansel and Gretel” to more bizarre, obscure stories like “The Devil’s Grandmother” and “The Girl Without Hands.” The…

McMinnville High School junior Colton Nielsen today wrapped up a fundraiser for the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The synagogue was the site of a horrific mass shooting on October 27, 2018. While some students wrote letters of condolence to Tree of Life congregants, Colton decided to do more. Every morning for the…

Seven musicians from Patton and eight from Duniway middle schools have been selected to participate in the Oregon Music Educators Association District 14 Honor Band and Honor Choir.  Patton’s music director is Joseph Demianew and Duniway’s is Marc Dana. In January, the students will travel to West Linn to rehearse with 8th graders from schools…