On Nov. 4, 2008, the voters of the Oregon Trail School District approved a
measure dedicating $114.9 million for a new high school and improvements to
the district’s other school buildings.

Last month, the dream of the new high school was realized as its doors
opened on Tuesday, Sept. 4, three years and 10 months to the day that the
bond was passed, to welcome students for the first day of classes this year.

Later that week, the district welcomed the community to a grand opening
event to see the completed building.

“It’s beautiful and I think it gets everybody excited, the students and the
community, about education,” said Mountain resident Mary Gunesch, whose
son, Nathan, is a freshman at the school. “I was really impressed.”

“The new high school is awesome,” added Mountain resident Lara Wilent in an
e-mail. “As I toured it during the grand opening I kept seeing and hearing
about little details that were so well thought out and made the school unique
– the bulletin boards above the lockers to post notices, support columns made
of logs, comfortable and functional furniture, great use of windows and
natural light, the rainwater recycling system, etc. The air was electric with
excitement for our new school! It’s a school to enjoy and be proud of for
many, many years to come.”

Julia Monteith, the district’s director of communications, marveled at the
turnout, reaching into the thousands and including former district
superintendent Shelley Redinger and former Sandy High School Principal Jim
Saxton, as people roamed the building on their own or as part of a guided
tour.

The celebration also featured a number of speakers, including Oregon
Governor John Kitzhaber, and many focused on the community effort behind
getting the school built.

“As I look around here today and hear the remarks, particularly of your
superintendent, I just want to say thank you,” Kitzhaber told the audience in
the new school’s gymnasium. “Thank you for your commitment to these
students, thank you for your determination to make sure that they have the
resources and the tools that they need to succeed.”

“The important part is that you built it; you deserve all the credit for this
facility,” added Norm Trost, chair of the school board. “You have every right to
be proud of yourself, because you created a top quality educational facility,
and one that will be top quality for many many years to come.”

Superintendent Aaron Bayer, who joined the district in 2008 as a vice
principal at the high school and later served as the school’s principal, credited
the community for having “the courage to put the money on the table” for the
project.

“I want you to know that you can trust in us, and we’re going to have the
courage to challenge those children every day,” he added.

Sandy High School Principal Tim Werner reported the first month at the new
school has gone relatively smoothly, noting that as with any new facility there
have been a few little kinks to work out. He added the separate drop-off
locations for buses and parents driving children to school is a nice
improvement over the old building, while the new building has made a
positive impact on students’ attitude toward education.

“It’s been great to see their reaction, it’s been one of excitement,” Werner
said.

Monteith confirmed that there is no money left over from the bond, and while
work on the high school’s ball fields as part of the district’s master plan is
ongoing, all other work included in the bond measure has been completed.

Monteith added that the district is expected to bring the facilities task force
back together in the near future to discuss what to use the old high school
building for. She noted the district is still gathering information on the cost of
renovating the building.