Jared Cordon

As we celebrate the new year, efforts continue in our district to improve student achievement and plan for the long-term success of our students, staff, families and community. 

Reading, writing, math, and pathways to graduation remain among our district’s top priorities. I am so grateful for the partnerships we continue to build with families, local organizations, and industry leaders to create opportunities for our talented students to grow, learn and find gainful employment in this wonderful community. 

With our staff and school leaders focused on these goals, we are also constantly assessing our strategies. As superintendent, I am committed to making sure our district uses its resources effectively for the sake of our entire community. This topic is especially top of mind as our district begins the work of preparing our budget for the 2025-26 school year. 

You may have heard news about the rising costs associated with PERS (Oregon’s public employee pension program). Due to factors beyond our control, like interest rates, global markets, and investment strategies, every public employer in Oregon will face increasing PERS costs in the coming years. At the same time, school districts are waiting for the state Legislature to determine school funding levels for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years. 

While I don’t yet have all the answers as to how increasing costs will impact our district, I can tell you that our district’s history of fiscal responsibility puts us in a solid position to manage these challenges thoughtfully. The same goes for our efforts to maintain safe, modern and welcoming learning environments. Although our district does not have a dedicated funding source for new buildings or large-scale facilities improvements, we are actively pursuing grants and other funding opportunities to help address these needs. 

I can also assure you that every investment we are making in our students right now is important. Updated curricula, support programs and staff, safety and security, literacy frameworks, career pathways and more — every dollar is going toward helping students learn and grow.   

I share this news with you now because our schools are your schools. Our success is your success. While we work on our budget and decide how to manage increasing costs, please stay tuned. I will be sharing regular updates at our School Board meetings, in our newsletters, and on our website. You can learn more about the budget timeline on our website here. And if you have a question about school funding, I invite you to use our online form here

Our partnerships are more important than ever as we work to prepare every student for a successful future that will benefit our entire community. Together, we can help our students and Roseburg thrive. Thank you for your ongoing support. 

Sincerely,
Jared Cordon
Superintendent