09/04/2026
Dear Eagle Point School District Students and Families,
Welcome to the 26-27 school year!
Whether your family calls Eagle Point, Shady Cove, White City, or one of our surrounding communities home, I want you to know how grateful we are that your children are part of the Eagle Point School District.
Our communities are unique, but we share something incredibly important: we want our children to have every opportunity to succeed.
As we begin this year, our direction as a district is clear. We are committed to creating schools where students are known, supported, challenged, and connected, and where families know they are valued partners in their children’s education.
This year, we will have a strong districtwide focus on student and family engagement/customer service, attendance, positive behavior supports, academic excellence, and student involvement.
Attendance will be one of our highest priorities. Every day a student is in school is another opportunity to learn, build relationships, develop confidence, and move closer to graduation and their future. We understand that families face real challenges and that circumstances are different for every household. When those challenges make attendance difficult, we want families to communicate with us so that we can work together and help. Our message is simple: every student matters, and every day matters.
We are also strengthening behavior supports and expectations in our classrooms and schools. Students deserve learning environments that are safe, respectful, welcoming, and focused on learning. Our responsibility is not simply to hold students to high expectations, but to teach, support, encourage, and help them meet those expectations.
At the same time, we will continue raising the bar academically. Our students are capable of great things, and we believe in challenging them with high-quality instruction, rigorous learning, and meaningful opportunities that prepare them for whatever comes next, college, career, skilled trades, military service, or another pathway they choose.
We also want our students to experience everything that being part of a school community has to offer. That means increasing participation in athletics, activities, clubs, music, the arts, career and technical education, leadership, and other opportunities that help students discover where they belong and what they are passionate about.
For some students, the reason they come to school may begin in a classroom. For others, it may be a coach, teacher, bus driver, educational assistant, counselor, club, team, or activity that gives them that important connection. Our job is to help every student find that connection.
Family partnership will be equally important.
We want our schools to be places where families feel comfortable walking through the doors, asking questions, sharing concerns, celebrating successes, and being part of their child’s education.
Regardless of your background, circumstances, or previous experience with schools, you belong in our school community, and your voice matters.
All of this connects to an ambitious vision for the future of Eagle Point School District:
We are working to become one of the highest-performing school districts in Oregon and a destination district for K–12 students and families.
A destination district is not defined by a slogan. It is defined by what families and students experience every day.
It means great teachers in every classroom.
It means safe and welcoming schools.
It means high expectations with strong support.
It means students attending school consistently and being engaged when they are here.
It means outstanding academics, athletics, activities, and opportunities.
And it means families throughout Eagle Point, Shady Cove, White City, and our surrounding communities being proud to say, “These are our schools.”
Reaching that goal will take all of us, the “We” part of this year's motto, “All About WE at ESPD”.
It will take students giving their best.
It will take families working alongside our schools and staff.
It will take our teachers, classified staff, administrators, coaches, and support staff believing that every child can succeed.
And it will take us operating not as separate schools or separate communities, but as one Eagle Point School District committed to every student.
I am incredibly excited about what is ahead. We have great students, dedicated employees, supportive families, and communities that care deeply about their schools.
Now it is our responsibility to build on those strengths and continue moving forward, together.
Welcome back. Let’s make this a year of connection, high expectations, opportunity, and achievement for every student in Eagle Point School District.
With appreciation,
Jim Helmen
Superintendent
Eagle Point School District 9
