Hillsboro School District Weekly October 26, 2026 - Native American Heritage Month: Honoring the Past, Empowering the Future

In November, we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, recognizing the tremendous beauty, resilience, and positive impact of Native American, Alaska Native, and Indigenous cultures. This commitment extends beyond celebration. It is also a moment to confront the historical injustices and ongoing struggles for recognition, equality, and peace that Native communities face. To build a truly inclusive community, we believe that visibility saves lives. Increasing the visibility of Native American, Alaska Native, and Indigenous students and staff is an essential first step in fostering strong, lasting relationships within our district. This month, we renew our commitment to highlighting the rich and diverse cultures of these communities. More importantly, we pledge to ensure that this recognition is not confined to November. Our educators have access to comprehensive lessons and resources designed to seamlessly integrate and elevate Native American, Alaska Native, and Indigenous histories, cultures, and contemporary contributions throughout the entire school year. We encourage every member of our district to seek out opportunities to learn, listen, and honor the Indigenous people who enrich our community. Please mark your calendars for our Native American/Alaska Native Heritage Month Celebration on Tuesday, November 10 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Lincoln Street Elementary School. The event is free and open to all HSD students and families and will feature delicious food, drumming, and storytelling.  For additional information and more upcoming events, please visit our website. Our featured event is the Big Crunch at Butternut Creek Elementary School. October is National Farm to School Month and one of the ways our state celebrates is by encouraging schools to participate in Oregon Crunch at Once - otherwise known as “The Big Crunch” - where students across the state bite into locally grown, crunchy produce at the same time. This year’s collective crunch took place on Thursday, October 22. We captured the moment at Butternut Creek in an event coordinated with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Farm to School Network, and Oregon Organic Coalition. Local farmer Dan Thall of Hood River Organic Farm supplied apples and was there to help hand them out to students and speak with reporter Christine Pitawanich from KGW. Many thanks to Butternut Creek and Nutrition Services staff for making this event possible! Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1. Remember to turn your clocks *back* one hour before you go to bed Saturday night.