Eagle Point School District 9
Community Newsletter, November 2026
REMINDER: EPSD9 Connected with ParentSquare!
EPSD9 Families, have you activated your ParentSquare account and downloaded the app yet?
Check the email address on file for your student for the “Welcome to ParentSquare” message. From there, you can activate your account, add your phone number, and customize your notification settings.
In the event of an incident, EPSD9 Communications sends notices and updates via phone, email, and/or text. Please contact your school if you believe your information is not up to date in our system.
How we keep you informed:
- Posts: EPSD9 uses posts for nonemergency updates, announcements, and reminders. Notifications follow your ParentSquare settings, such as Instant or Digest.
- Urgent Smart Alerts: EPSD9 uses these when information needs your immediate attention. They override ParentSquare notification preferences to deliver urgent messages right away.
- Website Pop-Up Notifications and Facebook: EPSD9 also uses these channels to help inform the community about a crisis response by our District Safety Team.
Questions? Reach out to epsdcommunications@eaglepnt.k12.or.us
A Sweet Connection: Culinary Students Help D9 Foundation Invest in Student Futures
For Eagle Point High School student Zach Casillas, baking has always been a way to share something he loves. Now, that love is helping create opportunities for fellow students and bringing Zach one step closer to a dream of his own.
At the D9 Foundation’s recent annual Dinner and Auction, a special offering connected student talent with community generosity. The auction item was Dessert of the Month. Donated by EPHS culinary teacher Stacey Matthews, the package includes a custom-made dessert each month prepared by culinary students. Zach is helping make that promise a reality, gaining hands-on experience that connects to their dream of becoming a baker and business owner.
Established in 1994, the D9 Foundation supports Eagle Point School District 9 students through scholarships and resources for special student needs. Its scholarship mission is rooted in helping graduating seniors and GED recipients continue their education, upon approval of their applications. Fundraising events, generous donors, and community partnerships help make that support possible.
For Zach and the other students preparing the monthly desserts, that mission gives their work a meaning that reaches beyond the kitchen. Each creation is a chance to share their skills while contributing to a community that believes in students and their futures.
For Zach, the story began at home.
“My dad used to always compliment me when I would make box cake mix and tell me it was the best thing ever!” he recalled.
That encouragement helped nurture an interest that began when Zach was around five years old. As he grew more confident, Zach taught himself by following recipes and YouTube tutorials. When culinary classes became available in middle school, Zach enrolled and continues to take them throughout high school.
“I’ve always wanted to go to culinary school,” he said.
Zach’s journey is one example of why Career and Technical Education matters. CTE classes give students a place to explore what they enjoy, practice new skills, and connect classroom learning to the careers they may pursue. At EPHS, the Culinary Program takes those lessons a step further, helping students learn what it means to prepare food for a customer and take pride in a product someone has purchased.
Zach knows that baking for customers carries a different kind of responsibility than making treats for friends.
“It feels a lot more important,” he shared.
That care and responsibility are also growing through Zach’s own baking venture. Through an Instagram page called “Zach’s Baking,” he advertises items for sale and shares videos of his process. Zach’s sister sometimes helps record, and Zach edits the footage to show how each creation comes together.
What began with bringing treats to class grew into selling baked goods after a teacher encouraged Zach to think about the cost of ingredients and the time involved. Since then, he has been learning about pricing, promotion, customer relationships, and the courage it takes to share his work with others.
“It was a little nerve-wracking,” Zach said of starting sales.
Friends helped spread the word by sharing posts and telling others. Before long, students began recognizing Zach in the hallway as “the kid who makes sweet stuff.”
Along the way, Zach has developed a practical understanding of the ups and downs of running a business.
“Sometimes it’s gonna be harder to sell things. Sometimes it’s easy, and I mean, that’s just a part of owning a business,” Zach said.
As Zach looks toward graduation in 2028, he hopes to study business at the University of Oregon and attend culinary school. The goal is to bring together his love of baking and the knowledge needed to run a business of their own.
He also plans to apply for a D9 Foundation scholarship, connecting the work they are doing today with the education they hope to pursue tomorrow. The Foundation’s general scholarship supports D9 students attending accredited two-year, four-year, or vocational and technical institutions that meet its requirements.
For now, Zach is helping create desserts that support those possibilities for students throughout the community.
Behind the D9 Foundation are community volunteers who give their time, talents, and energy to help D9 students take their next steps. They raise funds, build connections, and show students and families that their community believes in them.
Through scholarships and support for student needs, the D9 Foundation helps turn encouragement into opportunity. For students like Zach, that support creates a meaningful connection between the skills he is learning today and the education and careers he hopes to pursue tomorrow.
The impact reaches beyond an auction evening or scholarship award. It reminds students and families that they are part of a community ready to invest in their potential, celebrate their growth, and help them move toward their dreams.
Learn more about supporting student opportunities at www.d9foundation.com.
