Superintendent outlines Waypoint choice program, $210,000 summer school grant and calendar implications from governor order

Superintendent Bare updated the South Umpqua School District board on May 6 that family outreach for the district’s new choice program, Waypoint, is showing early interest from families.

Bare said, “The district received the summer school grant in the amount of $210,000 for this coming summer.” She told the board the grant will fund programming in June and early July for students in grades 1–5 and that planning is underway. Bare also said the district is coordinating a reimagined “jump start” orientation for incoming kindergarten students to improve transition supports.

Bare summarized a recent gubernatorial executive order intended “to try and protect instructional days for students.” The order, she said, would require the district to maintain the same number of instructional days it used in 2024–25 by the 2026–27 school year rather than counting instructional time by hours. A related point noted in her update: the order could limit use of conference and professional development time toward instructional hour totals. District staff said they currently credit up to 30 hours of conference/PD time toward instructional calculations but do not use the full allowance; if the order is adopted in rule the district will review the 2026–27 calendar and may have to reduce or reassign some conference/PD days to meet the new requirement.

Bare closed the update by pointing board members who wish to attend upcoming trainings to contact Tabtiha Roberts for arrangements.