District’s new bus company brings newer fleet, safety tech to Philomath routes
More than two months after First Student Inc. took over student transportation for the Philomath School District, the company’s buses are running, its new operations base on South Ninth Street has its signage up and district officials say the transition has gone about as smoothly as they could have hoped.…
Philomath School Board to hear PERS bond pitch
The Philomath School Board plans to meet Thursday evening for an agenda that includes an Oregon Public Employees Retirement System bond presentation and discussion from Piper Sandler, a financial services company. The meeting is scheduled…
Philomath Elementary receives $3,936 literacy grant from Dollar General Foundation
Philomath Elementary School is one of four Oregon schools and nonprofits to receive funding this year from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, part of a national push to expand youth literacy programs. The foundation awarded…
Four Philomath students named to LBCC summer term honor roll
Linn-Benton Community College released this week the names of students who made the honor roll for the completed summer term. The list includes four students that in LBCC records show Philomath as their hometown or address: To be included on…
Benton County health officials urge families to catch up on childhood vaccines
Benton County health officials are urging parents and caregivers to review their children’s vaccination records as the new school year begins, citing a continued decline in immunization rates across the state and county. The Benton County Health Department said Monday…
Philomath High School wins $5,000 in national contest
Philomath High School has won $5,000 through a national contest built around small-town football pride — and separately, the school remains in contention for a shot at $1 million toward athletics facility upgrades. The $5,000 comes from the “$5K Fridays”…
Back to school: Principals detail enrollment, staffing and new programs for 2026-27
As Philomath students head back to class this week, principals across the district say budget cuts and reduction-in-force decisions made earlier this year are shaping the 2026-27 school year in ways families may not immediately notice — but staff are…
Philomath School District seeks applicants for Budget Committee
The Philomath School District is seeking applicants to fill three vacancies on its Budget Committee after the terms of three community members expired June 30. Business Manager Jennifer Griffith told the School Board at its Aug. 20 meeting that the…
School Board briefed on minor fix to classified staff vacation language
The Philomath School District and its classified employees union have signed off on updated contract language clarifying how vacation time is calculated following confusion over a chart that hadn’t been revised in years. Superintendent Susan Halliday briefed the School Board…
Philomath High closes freshman, sophomore classes to interdistrict transfers
The Philomath School District is closing the door on new interdistrict transfers at the high school’s freshman and sophomore levels after an unexpected wave of enrollment left administrators scrambling to verify where the new students are actually coming from. Superintendent…
Philomath School Board previews color-coded emergency response guide
The Philomath School Board received an update Thursday night on a new quick-reference safety and emergency response tool being rolled out at district schools, a project Superintendent Susan Halliday said grew out of requests from the teachers association for something…
School Board to review safety plan, district objectives Thursday
The Philomath School Board will hold its regular monthly meeting Thursday evening with Superintendent of Schools Susan Halliday set to brief the board on the district’s safety and emergency response protocols. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.…
Philomath schools set Aug. 31 start date, roll out new bus provider and communication app
Philomath School District students will head back to class on Aug. 31 — a start date that falls before Labor Day this year — Superintendent Susan Halliday announced in a letter to families earlier this week. The district announced a…
Carter, Bennett reflect on three-plus decades of teaching in Philomath
When it comes to teaching, Donna Carter and Steve Bennett have never had another employer. Carter arrived first, in the fall of 1988, straight out of Western Oregon State College and looking for the kind of small town where she…
Philomath’s Elise Reese earns scholar-athlete honor at Linfield
Philomath High School graduate Elise Reese, a member of the Linfield University women’s tennis team, has been named a 2026 Intercollegiate Tennis Association scholar-athlete, the school announced. Reese, who graduated with the PHS Class of 2024, earned the honor after…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.