National Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month is the period from September 15 to October 15, where we recognize and celebrate the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States, and celebrate the group’s rich heritage and diverse cultures. This timeframe encompasses the independence days of several Latin American countries: Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. It’s also an ideal time for us to restate our commitment to providing safe and welcoming schools for all students, regardless of immigration or any other status. We honor Hispanic Heritage Month not just as a seasonal celebration, but as a core component of our daily academic philosophy through our Spanish-English Dual Language and Spanish Literacy Programs. Spanning from preschool through high school, the programs serve more than 3,700 students, immersing them in bilingual instruction and treating the Spanish language and Hispanic traditions as valuable assets that deepen sociocultural competence, cultural pride, and mutual respect. During Hispanic Heritage Month, these dual-language classrooms serve as vibrant hubs where local Latino/a/x families and educators collaborate to share authentic literature, art, and history, culminating in district-wide community events that center student voices and foster genuine belonging. Ultimately, the district elevates Hispanic heritage into a lifelong educational benefit, guiding students toward earning the Oregon State Seal of Biliteracy while instilling a deep appreciation for the rich diversity of our community. We also have a thriving LatinoParent Advisory Council - or PAC - at the district level, and several “paquitos” at the school level to help ensure our Spanish-speaking families can receive information and provide feedback in meaningful ways, and help our district and schools with events and programming that celebrates their cultures and customs. Our schools will be sharing relevant information with students connected to Hispanic and Latina/o/x Heritage over the course of the next several weeks. And families are invited to two upcoming events: Centro Cultural’s Binational Health Fair on Saturday, October 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Century High School; and HSD’s Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Wednesday, October 7, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Quatama Elementary School. More details to come. Our featured students are recent grads from Glencoe High School. At HSD, we pride ourselves on our Career and College Pathway program that provides students with real-world skills to prepare them for life after high school. Glencoe High School’s Construction teacher, Todd Patterson, recently shared this success story: ten of his students who just graduated in June were hired by Ultra Clean Technologies - a local supplier to semiconductor companies - as skilled workers. After talking to a UCT employee last spring and learning they were about to ramp up production, Todd suggested speaking to his seniors, which they did. Many students expressed interest and interviewed within weeks of graduation. “Now they are getting paid well and building some really cool products!” Todd shared. “I think what they took away from my class were employability skills like showing up on time, working hard, and having a good attitude. Also, they were all comfortable using hand tools and power tools, and were skilled with basic measuring practice.” Congratulations and way to go, Glencoe Alums!
