August 22, 2023

It is a privilege and honor to serve as the principal at Sherwood Heights Elementary in Pendleton, Oregon.  This is a very special school with a positive culture of inclusiveness and acceptance for all.  Our dedicated staff serves 470 awesome students in the first through fifth grades.  We have four classrooms of each grade, making our school the largest attended elementary school in our district. 

Every Sherwood staff member believes that every child can and will learn. We strive to provide an excellent academic education for all students enabling them to reach their fullest potential.  We respond to the social and emotional needs of all students, making our school a safe environment to learn and grow.  All of our staff have been trained on Conscious Discipline, providing positive support for all students, and having effective responses to students who struggle socially or emotionally. Our caring staff is committed to the development of each child academically, emotionally, socially and physically.  

We value a safe, caring and respectful environment where each person feels like they belong.  Sherwood Heights Elementary is a place where the staff is proud to work, genuinely cares for our students, and is focused on making a difference in the lives of our students every day.

I get excited to come to work every day because of the amazing kids who attend Sherwood, the BEST staff members who work tirelessly to give students the best possible experience at school, and the wonderful families who send their kids to Sherwood, trusting that their education is in good hands.  Sherwood is simply a GREAT place to be!

Sherwood Heights is a great school where every student can be themselves and grow as a learner and a citizen.  The future is in our school, and we sure are proud of them!

Ronda Smith, Principal
Sherwood Heights Elementary

Do you remember going on field trips in elementary school? Most people can remember a trip to a pumpkin patch, a local farm, a science center, a museum or art center, or maybe a local historical place. But combine more robust academic requirements, increased testing in schools, and the COVID pandemic, and many schools have not had field trips for a few years.

The principal and assistant principal at Sherwood Heights Elementary are changing that this spring. Principal Ronda Smith said they are trying to create a culture of memories through learning outside the school building. “Field trips offer an opportunity for students to be kind and responsible to each other in a different setting and learn to be a school family together,” Smith said.

In May and June, Sherwood students in various grades will go to the Heritage Station Museum, and Blue Mountain Community College, walk to a local park, participate in the Pendleton High School FFA Farm Day, attend track meets, and, have a field day.

TJ Presley, Assistant Principal, said many of the trips and events create chances for students to cooperate, take turns, and be independent. “This summer, when a little kid closes his eyes and thinks about school last year, what will he remember? We want them to remember something great and end the year on a positive note so the student can’t wait to return to their school family in August.”

Fire, lockdown, and earthquake drills are all in a day’s work for today’s students. Because they practice these regularly, they know what to expect if and when a real emergency occurs. And that is what the leaders at Sherwood Heights Elementary are counting on.

“We have a fire drill every month, and we practice one other drill every month,” said TJ Presley, Assistant Principal at Sherwood. “By practicing these scenarios, our staff and students are all more prepared and able to remain calm in situations that do arise.”

Presley and Sherwood Principal Ronda Smith said they collaborate with local law enforcement officers when they have drills, so officers can be on site if possible to help discuss response time and things that could be improved. Pendleton School District School Resource Officer Lance Zaugg was in the building at the school’s March Lockdown drill and debriefed with school administrators afterward. “We test different modalities with our alarm system and phone system to ensure we practice different methods to initiate our emergency protocols when necessary and to be as quick and efficient in a real emergency,” Principal Smith said.

Sherwood recently received two grants totaling $10,000 from the Walmart Distribution Center in Hermiston to purchase new radios for all staff in their building. Presley said the new radios are helpful, as the ability to communicate quickly between all staff in the school is essential.

In addition to physical safety, Sherwood also focuses on social-emotional safety, with regular lessons about feeling safe, trusted adults, reporting concerns, and more.

At the school’s Open House last fall, several parents asked the school leaders to tell them about emergency procedures and protocols, which Smith said they were glad to communicate about. As part of a district-wide plan, Sherwood will host an after-school safety evaluation/walk-through in May with officers from several local law enforcement agencies to identify potential safety issues that can be resolved.

“Safety at our school for students, staff, and visitors is always our number one priority, no matter what,” Presley said. “Having consistent procedures, excellent communication, practice drills, and having everyone on board are essential for our teachers and assistants to facilitate learning and for students to feel safe and learn in the best environment possible.”

Sherwood Heights Elementary and the Pendleton School District use the I Love U Guys Standard Response Protocol for emergency response; visit https://iloveuguys.org/ for more information.