Family Spotlight

In Bend-La Pine Schools, students and families have choices in their educational journey, and now is the time to consider these options. We have a popular Dual Immersion program where students learn in English and Spanish. We have Career Technical Education programs at all our high schools. We also offer opportunities at four magnet schools.

We call these opportunities Choice Options – programs that meet the individual focus and needs of our students. Families may apply January 5-23 for a Choice Option program for students who will be in grades 1-12 next year. The application deadline for kindergarten students, and for the Dual Immersion program, is March 20. Selections are made through a lottery process.

Additionally, families are welcome to submit an Area Change Request if they’d like their student to attend any other school outside of their attendance zone. The Priority Area Change Request window is open January 5-23. “Priority” means that we will let families know if their request is approved by the end of February. Unlike Choice Option requests, where admission is determined by lottery, Area Change Requests are decided based on student needs, space available, enrollment balance and appropriateness of program.

Entry into the Choice Options lottery, Dual Immersion lottery, and Priority Area Change Requests all require a current enrollment in Bend-La Pine Schools for the school year requested. Enrollment opens Wednesday, December 10 for the 2026-27 school year. (This requirement does not apply to the Bend International School and Desert Sky Montessori charter schools.)

Important dates to remember!

• January 23, 2026, 3:00 pm: Choice lottery application closes for grades 1-12
  
• January 23, 2026, 3:00 pm: Choice application closes for Priority ACR
  
• March 20, 2026, 3:00 pm: Choice lottery application closes for kindergarten and Dual Immersion
  

IMPORTANT: Do you have all of your enrollment documents ready to go? Find the list here.

New Choice High School Information Nights at Bend Tech Academy:

• Wednesday, January 14, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
  
• Tuesday, January 20, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
  

At Realms Middle School, rigorous academics come to life through an interdisciplinary and project based curriculum, through instruction that is both demanding and student centered, and through a schoolwide culture of “Crew,” where teamwork, student leadership, and belonging are at the center. Realms is a member of the EL Education Network where student achievement has three dimensions: mastery of knowledge and skills, high quality work and character.

School Information Nights at Buckingham Elementary School:

• Thursday, January 15, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
  
• Wednesday, January 21, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
  

The International Baccalaureate (IB) mission is to "develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect." Students pursue rigorous college and career preparatory classes, many of which will translate into college credits. Coursework is open to all 11th and 12th-grade students.

School information night:

• Thursday, January 8, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
  

Additional family information nights will be announced soon.

The district's Dual Language Immersion Program is a K-12 program offered at two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. In a class balanced with both native speakers of both English and Spanish, students learn their regular school subjects through both languages. Dual Immersion students also develop strong intercultural competence skills as a result of this enriching educational model.

Amity Creek elementary is a community-based school that emphasizes choice-making, risk-taking, and celebration of the social and academic journey. Students have the freedom and encouragement they need for exploring, questioning, and developing independent thinking.

Highland elementary’s Scottish Storyline method is based on the theory that knowledge is complex and many-layered, that learning is guided by one’s prior knowledge and experience, and that learners construct their own meaning through action and experience. During each Storyline, students create a setting, become characters and solve problems as incidents in the story unfold.

Westside Village is a K-8 school with a democratic system. The curriculum integrates mathematical, scientific, social, critical, and creative thinking with teamwork, communication, and collaboration. The community is passionate about understanding the diverse needs of learners with an inclusive mixed age school.

Juniper is a technology magnet, home to the district’s fourth- and fifth-grade Talented and Gifted program and includes a Life Skills and a Speech and Hearing-impaired program. In addition to the regular education, Juniper creates a diverse culture of learners at a rare school location.

Attention parents and guardians of 5th grade Talented and Gifted (TAG) students! Cascade Middle School offers a 6th grade TAG advanced humanities program. Students in this group study and learn with other students who are academically and/or intellectually talented. Cascade has additional opportunities for TAG students to be in advanced humanities classes in 7th and 8th grade.

The annual CTE and Elective Exploration Fly-Up Day is just around the corner on Tuesday, March 3! This exciting event gives 8th-grade students a firsthand look at high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and electives through ~20-minute rotations featuring fun hands-on activities.

Students will be bussed to the high school to which they are pointed to attend for the 2026-27 school year. CTE and Elective Exploration Fly-Up Day is a great opportunity for students to learn about the CTE pathways and rich elective options offered in their high schools by exploring technical skills, creative pursuits, and other options to spark their curiosity and excitement prior to forecasting.

ACR approval is required prior to attending the designated high school.

Top row from left: Board Chair Marcus LeGrand, Shirley Olson, Ross Tomlin, Jenn Lynch.

Bottom row from left: Cameron Fischer, Kina Chadwick, Board Vice Chair Amy Tatom

The Board of Directors for Bend-La Pine Schools will hold its next board meeting on Tuesday, December 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Education Center, 520 NW Wall St.

For information about board members, meetings and agendas, please visit our School Board page.

Catch up on all the news from the latest School Board meetings. Click here for Dr. Cook's recaps.

Are you curious which district policies and regulations are currently under review? To see proposed changes and give feedback on new language, click here.