September is Attendance Awareness Month. This year's theme, "Your Presence Matters," highlights the important role that every student, every family, and every school staff member plays in creating a culture of belonging and engagement. 

We encourage you to explore these updated resources, designed to support schools as they kick off the new school year and celebrate Attendance Awareness Month:

• Starting Strong Attendance Practices: A brief collection of resources designed to help schools get students off to a strong start in September.
• Resources for Schools and Districts: Visit the Resources for Schools and Districts webpage and select the Resources to Send to Families tab for customizable family communications available in multiple languages.

We invite you to join our Attendance Learning Series, a monthly opportunity to support implementation efforts, share promising practices, and connect with attendance practitioners from across Oregon. We’ll meet on the second Thursday of each month at 3:35 p.m. PT, with a special session focused on the role of classified staff as core attendance leaders on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 3:35 p.m. PT.

National Hispanic Heritage Month runs September 15 through October 15, recognizing the histories and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Oregon's social sciences standards call for the inclusion of Americans of Latino, Chicano, and Latine descent among the traditionally underrepresented groups woven throughout the curriculum.

Check out these resources and events to help celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month...

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month is a time to recognize the important role schools, families, and communities play in supporting the mental health and well-being of Oregon's youth. Across the state, school districts, education service districts, and community partners continue working together to create environments where students feel safe, connected, and supported.

As the school year begins, districts are encouraged to review their suicide prevention plans to ensure they include all legislatively required components of Adi's Act. Plans should be well-communicated, understood by staff, and integrated into everyday school practices that promote student belonging and well-being.

More resources about suicide prevention...

(Article submitted by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management)

September is Preparedness Month in Oregon, reinforcing the state’s commitment to building resilient communities. This proclamation aligns with National Preparedness Month and serves as a reminder to talk with kids about how to prepare for an emergency or disaster.

Oregon continues to experience a wide range of emergencies — including drought, floods, excessive heat, wildfires, ice storms and earthquakes. But remember, you are more prepared than you think, and OEM’s Be 2 Weeks Ready toolkit can help your household work through the preparedness process step by step.

Read more about being prepared for emergencies...

Now is the time to prepare for the Great Oregon ShakeOut which comes around every October, this year on October 15. The Great Oregon ShakeOut is a time to review and practice procedures for earthquake response. Even with the advantage of advanced warning systems like ShakeAlert, we may only get seconds or tens of seconds depending on location—not enough time to review what should be done to protect ourselves. Practicing today could save lives tomorrow.

More about the Great Oregon ShakeOut...

As students return to school, Oregon and Washington state public health and education leaders are encouraging young people and their loved ones to look out for one another through Friends for Life, a new overdose prevention effort focused on teens and young adults ages 13 to 25.

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), in partnership with the Washington State Health Care Authority, are bringing resources to Oregon to help young people and families talk about fentanyl and other drugs, prevent overdoses, recognize the signs of an overdose and use naloxone.

More about Friends For Life...

It’s been just over a year since Governor Tina Kotek signed Executive Order 25-09, directing school districts to adopt policies regarding Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs). Thanks to a yearlong partnership with Oregon’s Youth Advisory Council, ODE presents a new Student Voice on Personal Electronic Device Policy brief that looks at the first year of implementation.

More than 6,000 student survey responses provide an important perspective on what is working, where implementation can improve, and recommendations for districts to take in order to strengthening PED policies heading into this school year.

Read the full policy brief and access updated resources on the ODE PED Toolkit webpage.

National School Lunch Week is October 12-16. To celebrate, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) are partnering to highlight the vital role Child Nutrition Programs play in supporting student health and learning.

More about National School Lunch Week...