The Brave Experience
October 17, 2025
Backpack & Pantry Programs Thrive
Backpack Program
When Banks Elementary School Behavior Specialist Katie Roy took the lead on the backpack program three years ago, there were times when she worried there wouldn’t be enough food to send home with students. Since then, the community of Banks has stepped up generously, and now, there always seems to be enough.
With help from Roy, community and high school student volunteers, and of course the generous support of the community, the backpack program provides breakfast, lunch, snacks, and oftentimes extra fruits and vegetables to elementary students and their siblings every weekend. Behind the scenes, the volunteers place the food in backpacks and deliver them inconspicuously to students whose families have expressed a need. During winter and spring breaks, volunteers send full boxes of food home with the students. With such an abundance of community support, this year the program was able to launch right away, on the second week of school, and it now serves 41 students.
Salvation Army Mobile Food Pantry
In addition to the backpack program, the school district has partnered with the Salvation Army to provide another way to ensure students always have enough food at home. The Salvation Army hosts a mobile food pantry at Banks Elementary School every other Wednesday from 4:15-5:15pm. The pantry is open to anyone in the community, and it currently serves about 20-30 families.
If you’re interested in donating to the Salvation Army to support the food pantry, please give here.
Winter Weather Prep
As the temperatures get colder, it’s time to start preparing for winter weather! If the weather is severe enough, we may implement snow routes or limited routes, a delayed opening, a full district closure, or an early release (if students are at school when weather hits).
To make sure you’re set to receive information about school delays or closures, please subscribe to Banks School District on FlashAlert. If you use the FlashAlert app, it’s important to update to the newest version of the app – 1.4.1 for Android users and 1.2.1 for iPhone users. Please note that while we may also send messages via email, our website, and social media, the fastest and most reliable way to receive delay or closure notifications is by subscribing to FlashAlert.
For more information on Banks school closures, delays, and bus snow routes visit our Resources web page.
Pump Station Construction to Begin
Clean Water Services contractors will begin construction on a sewer Force Main and Pump Station project next month, and construction will last through November 2026. This work is to connect the area east of the railroad tracks to a CWS sanitary sewer pump station near Jim's Market, requiring installation of new pipe under the train tracks to and through the neighborhood along NW Oak Way. Use the QR code or click here to learn more about this project, its timing, traffic detours, and impacts.
Cell Phone Policy Update
Once again, thank you to all who participated in our Cell Phone Policy survey, and to the students, parents, and staff who came together to engage in a conversation around cell phone use in response to the State of Oregon’s Executive Order 25-09. This committee collaborated on a first draft of the policy, which was presented to the board in September. The board officially adopted the policy at their meeting on Monday, Oct. 13.
Staff and students have already been working together to implement the new policy, and things are off to a great start!
The Latest
Community Engagement
The Banks School District and AKS Engineering & Forestry invited nearby residents to a Neighborhood Review meeting on Oct. 7 regarding preliminary plans for the Banks High School Modernization project. The purpose was to provide an opportunity for neighbors to review the project ahead of the formal application process.
Also this month, Bric Architecture hosted a Banks High School Design Committee meeting with Banks HS staff and students. They reviewed updated drawings, including site plan updates, building elevations, and building floor plans. The design committee has been a great way to gain feedback and keep people involved!
Finally, on Oct. 15, the district hosted a Community Open House at the old district office building to provide information and answer questions on all things bond-related.
Thank you to all who participated in these opportunities to learn more about the bond projects and help shape the future of our facilities.
In-Kind Work
P&C Construction serves as the main point of contact for contractors or vendors in the community who are interested in contributing in-kind work to these bond projects. If you have leads or referrals for this type of work, please contact Brian Sica at the Superintendent’s Office at brians@banks.k12.or.us or 503-324-8591.
Stay Up to Date
For more information and the latest on everything bond-related, please take a look at our bond web page.
Report A Tip
Banks School District has partnered with SafeOregon, a statewide school safety tip line that gives kids, parents, schools, and their communities a way to report safety threats or potential acts of violence anonymously or confidentially. Individuals can submit a tip through SafeOregon online, via email at tip@safeoregon.com, or by texting or calling 844-474-3367. Together, we’ll empower people to speak out, spark change, and save lives.
