East Gresham Elementary celebrates students on first day

A special welcome was held at a Gresham school during a first-day celebration that had music, dancing and plenty of smiles. Gresham-Barlow Superintendent Tracy Klinger joined the staff at East Gresham Elementary School in making the first day back as special as possible. They had a red carpet the nearly 500 students could strut down, with flashing colored lights and music. The teachers lined the hallway with pom-poms, and the cheered and danced and clapped as the kids went by. 'I love how much the staff light up when they see the kids,' Klinger said. 'Everyone's face is filled with joy and excitement today.' Meanwhile proud parents watched from the main foyer, taking videos and photos, and giving final waves of encouragement to their kids. Some were more nervous/sad about the first day, needing a bit more familial courage to venture down the hall. But that trepidation vanished the first time they got a huge hug from a favorite teacher, or spotted their friends with their new backpacks and first-day outfits. 'I saw some of the kids this weekend at IKEA, and they were so excited to be coming back today,' said Kimberly Barker, the principal at East Gresham. Email newsletter signup The principal was one of the folks making the school as welcoming as possible for the nervous kids. She would chat with them in the foyer, quietly asking about their summer before walking with them hand-in-hand through the noise and excitement of the hallway. East Gresham was one of several schools Klinger visited Tuesday, Sept. 8, to help celebrate staff and students from across the district. 'There is an energy across the community, in the schools, and in every part of town today,' Klinger said. Attendance The major goal for the Gresham-Barlow School District this year is improving student attendance. 'This year we want to continue to encourage strong attendance,' Klinger said. 'It doesn't matter how amazing our instructors are in the classroom if kids aren't there to hear it.' The problem is greatest at the high school level. In the 2024-25 school year, according to the Oregon Department of Education, Gresham High only had 41% of students by 'regular attenders,' classified by making it to more than 90% of enrolled school days (missing less than 16 days a year). Barlow was at 57% that year. Both were well below the Oregon average of 67%. That lack of attendance doesn't just hurt graduation rates and student academic success, it also limits social opportunities. 'Students who skip miss connecting with friends, and doing fun things beyond the classroom,' Klinger said. The district is pushing to get parents involved in getting their kids to school. Sometimes it can look like scheduling an unmissable appointment in the morning or afternoon so students only lose half a day. At the high school level its having conversations with the kids. 'You can't make a high schooler do it, they are their own people,' Klinger said. 'They have to want to go to school.'