Photo - Capturing Kids’ Hearts Leadership Development Strategist Kent Broussard, right, and Roosevelt Elementary School instructor Amanda Trumbull, left, during a training session for Klamath Falls City Schools staff this past August at Running Y Resort.
Klamath Falls, Ore. — Klamath Falls City Schools is celebrating statewide and national recognition for its work to build stronger relationships, improve school culture, and support student success through Capturing Kids’ Hearts.
Klamath Learning Center has been named a National Showcase School by Capturing Kids’ Hearts, becoming the first school in Oregon to receive the distinction. The National Showcase designation recognizes schools that have demonstrated excellence in implementing Capturing Kids’ Hearts practices over more than one year.
In addition, Conger Elementary School, Mills Elementary and Pelican Elementary have each been named Rising Star Campuses, an honor awarded to schools showing exceptional implementation during their first year of Capturing Kids’ Hearts.
These recognitions reflect the work of staff across the entire district. Following district-wide training in August, KFCS staff have worked to turn CKH strategies into daily practice in classrooms, front offices, hallways, cafeterias, buses and school campuses across the district.
The work has included both classified and certified staff working together on behalf of students, including classroom teachers, secretaries, counselors, classroom paraprofessionals, child development specialists, bus drivers, deans, instructional coaches and cafeteria staff.
“These recognitions are an honor for the schools receiving them, but they also represent something much bigger,” Fred Bartels, Executive Director of School Improvement, said.
“They reflect the unified work happening across KFCS and the shared commitment of our staff to building schools where students feel known, supported, and connected. We are proud of Klamath Learning Center, Conger Elementary, Mills Elementary, and Pelican Elementary, and we are proud of the entire KFCS team for making this work possible.”
Improved attendance at KFCS
As a result of this district-wide effort, KFCS has seen improved student attendance and a decrease in behavior incidents across the district this school year.
Since beginning CKH training, several campuses across the district have demonstrated significant growth in regular student attendance, defined as attending 90 percent or more of school days. On the combined campus of Klamath Learning Center, Eagle Ridge New Tech High School and Klamath Home Learning Academy, the percentage of regular attenders increased from 28.85 percent during the 2023–2024 school year, prior to CKH implementation, to 41.82 percent in the 2025–2026 school year.
Similar gains were seen across the elementary campuses of Pelican, Conger and Mills. Across the three campuses, regular attendance rose from 58.68 percent in 2023–2024 to 70.15 percent in 2025–2026, an increase that underscores the positive impact of fostering connected, supportive learning environments for younger students.
CKH exercises at KFCS
CKH is built on the belief that strong relationships create the foundation for safe, supportive, and successful schools. District leaders say these recognitions affirm the impact of that work and the commitment staff have shown throughout the year.
At KFCS, the "Good Things" practice is a daily routine where teachers and students share positive personal news at the start of class. Across the entire school district, teachers and students have used this practice to create a connected culture, ensuring students feel seen and valued before transitioning into academic instruction.
Photo - Pelican Elementary School instructor Nichole Dotson practices a Capturing Kids’ Hearts exercise titled “good things” where her second grade students shared positive information about their life with their peers this past December at Pelican Elementary School.
At the start of this school year, each class collaboratively built a “Social Contract,” a signed agreement which defines how students and teachers will treat one another to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment. By revisiting the document daily, classrooms transition from a set of external rules to a self-governing culture where students hold themselves and their peers accountable to their shared values.
As a part of their contract, students answered four foundational questions that defined how they will treat one another and handle conflict. To uphold the values, students use a silent "check" hand signal to redirect behavior and call out "fouls" for put-downs, which the offender must immediately repair with two or three sincere "put-ups."
“Klamath Falls City Schools has embraced this work as a district, and that unity is what makes these recognitions so meaningful,” Dr. Keith A. Brown, KFCS Superintendent, said. “This success belongs to all of us.”