Articles and images by Joaquin Aguilar-Flores, KFCS

Klamath Falls City Schools is being recognized for a dramatic transformation in student support systems and instructional practices, thanks to a multi-year effort rooted in implementation science and guided by national education consultant Jenice Pizzuto.

As the founder and CEO of IMPACT Lead Succeed and author of Implement with IMPACT, Pizzuto has worked alongside district leaders and educators since 2021 to help KFCS move beyond traditional professional development and toward a system focused on sustainable improvement and long-term student success.

The work began after an internal audit revealed that despite nearly a decade spent developing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), only 12 percent of the framework was being implemented effectively across the district.

“That was a big wake-up call,” Pizzuto said. “KFCS realized they didn’t have a knowledge problem. They knew what to do. They had an implementation problem.”

Today, the district has reached approximately 80% implementation fidelity in key MTSS systems, making KFCS a statewide leader in the work.

According to KFCS Superintendent Dr. Keith A. Brown, the district’s success has come from investing in people, systems, and a culture centered on continuous improvement.

“This journey has shown us that when you invest in the science of implementation, build strong teams, and align everything behind what matters most, real, lasting change is possible,” Brown said.

At the center of the transformation has been the creation of Inclusive Implementation Teams at the district, building, and department levels. Unlike traditional committees, the teams are designed to serve as the “engine” behind the district’s work, ensuring teachers, staff, administrators, and coaches all play an active role in planning and decision-making.

Pizzuto said one of the district’s biggest strengths has been its commitment to teacher voice and shared ownership.

“Fred Bartels (KFCS Executive Director of School Improvement) specifically, Daymond Monteith, Executive Director of Operations) the whole team thought really hard to make sure they had teachers and staff included in the design of the work,” Pizzuto said. “That has been a huge part of why this has worked.”

The district adopted the framework from Implement with IMPACT during the 2022-23 school year, shifting away from “one-and-done” professional development toward what Pizzuto calls “deliberately developmental implementation.” The approach focuses on continuously building the knowledge, skills, and confidence of educators while monitoring whether systems are actually working in classrooms.

One of the most visible components of the work has been the district’s use of collaborative “Learning Walks,” where educators visit classrooms to observe instructional practices and gather implementation data.

Pizzuto emphasized that the process is non-evaluative and focused entirely on improvement.

“We’re not evaluating teachers,” she said. “We’re simply asking: Are we doing what we said we were going to do? And how can we help people get better at it?”

Over the last two years, KFCS has expanded the process into cross-building Learning Walks, allowing educators from different schools to observe and learn from one another.

“That’s where the culture really started to shift,” Pizzuto said. “It moved from shame and blame to a continuous cycle of improvement.”

District leaders say the results are already visible.

At Klamath Union High School, staff focused heavily on improving ninth-grade success and reducing failing grades. The school reported 40 fewer students earning Fs compared to the previous year, while also expanding grade checks for students in grades 10-12 and strengthening outreach efforts with eighth-grade students transitioning into high school.

At Eagle Ridge New Tech High School and Klamath Learning Center, teams focused on refining processes and building collaboration across programs. Klamath Learning Center was also recognized as a National Showcase School this year.

Meanwhile, staff at Ponderosa Middle School highlighted improvements in positive student behavior, consistency in classroom expectations, and reductions in egregious behavior incidents.

Pizzuto recently returned to Klamath Falls for one of her four visits to the Klamath Basin during the school year, continuing the district’s ongoing implementation work alongside KFCS staff. During the two-day visit, Pizzuto first worked with elementary school teams before spending the following day with secondary staff conducting collaborative Learning Walks in classrooms at Ponderosa. 

Pizzuto noted the work has not been easy.

“There was a lot of resistance in the beginning,” she said. “People didn’t want others coming into their classrooms. Some didn’t want to be on the teams. But over time, educators started seeing that this work was about support, not judgment.”

Pizzuto credits KFCS educators for embracing the process and helping create lasting change.

“The teachers have been phenomenal,” Pizzuto said. “They’ve been part of designing the work, training one another, and helping everyone improve. That’s what sustainable implementation looks like.”

KFCS leaders believe the district’s progress is also especially meaningful given the challenges facing the community. The district serves one of the highest-poverty student populations among large Oregon school districts, with more than 27% of students impacted by economic disadvantage.

Even with those challenges, district leaders say the implementation work has helped schools become more aligned, collaborative, and responsive to student needs.

Pizzuto, who works with school systems nationally and internationally, said KFCS is becoming a model for other districts.

“They are really leading in this area,” Pizzuto said. “There are much larger districts doing this work, but Klamath Falls is showing what’s possible when you stay focused, build strong teams, and commit to continuous improvement.”

Pizzuto also pointed to encouraging academic indicators emerging across the district. She noted that Pelican Elementary School recently ranked among the top growth schools in Oregon for English Language Arts improvement, placing sixth out of approximately 1,690 schools statewide in growth measures. 

The district plans to continue expanding the work next year, including new implementation efforts at Mills Elementary School and Ponderosa, while also continuing training sessions this summer to help onboard new staff and maintain consistency across the district.

“The beauty of having implementation teams,” Pizzuto said, “is that the work doesn’t leave when one person leaves. The system continues because people collectively own it.”

A local children’s author is helping young students in Klamath Falls learn about healthy habits one story at a time.

Allyssa Defillipo visited kindergarten classrooms at Pelican Elementary School Wednesday to read her recently released children’s book, Why Is My Tummy Grumbling?, before returning the following day to read to first grade students after the positive response from classes and staff.

The interactive children’s book follows a young girl named Juniper as she learns how healthy foods help fuel her body and improve how she feels. Along with the story, the book includes drawing pages, matching activities and other interactive elements designed to help children engage with lessons about nutrition and wellness.

Allyssa, a well-known community advocate and former Miss City of Sunshine and Miss Klamath County participant in the Miss America scholarship organization, said the inspiration for the book came after searching for nutrition-focused books for her younger sister.

“My little sister just turned one,” Allyssa said. “We went looking for a nutrition book, and there just really wasn’t a lot for kids. So I decided to write one.”

The project took nearly eight months to complete, with Allyssa designing the illustrations and formatting the book herself.

“It wasn’t writing it that was hard,” she said. “It was figuring out how to get the physical copies made and putting everything together.”

Allyssa released a free downloadable version of the book in March before publishing the physical copy in April. Since then, she has been visiting schools throughout the Klamath Basin, including Roosevelt, Pelican, Peterson, Stearns and Malin elementary schools, sharing the story with students and encouraging conversations about healthy habits.

Her visits tie directly into her broader wellness initiative, “Eat to Live: Transforming Lives through Nutrition,” which promotes healthy eating, hydration, activity and overall well-being for children and families.

“A lot of the time, kids just don’t know about nutrition,” Allyssa said. “I think it’s important to talk about it more and make it part of their everyday lives.”

While the book discusses healthy foods, Allyssa said she intentionally avoids labeling foods as “bad.”

“I would never want kids to think, ‘That’s bad food,’” she said. “I want them to understand that some foods help our bodies feel stronger, give us energy and help us feel our best.”

Allyssa said she hopes the story encourages children to listen to their bodies and build healthy habits early in life.

“We live in a very processed world,” Allyssa said. “Just increasing whole foods like fruits, vegetables, grains and oats can make a huge difference for kids.”

The visit also gave Pelican students an opportunity to meet a real author, something Pelican kindergarten teacher Ashley Sacco said connected directly to what students are learning in class.

“We talk so much about authors and illustrators, but our students don’t usually get to meet one,” Sacco said. “So I thought, ‘How cool would it be for our kindergartners to meet a local author?’”

Sacco first learned about Allyssa’s book through Conger Elementary School paraprofessional Jenny Nunn, who found the book on social media, before reaching out and inviting her to Pelican.

“I also loved what she was promoting,” Sacco said. “Nutrition, healthy choices and wellness are such important things for kids to learn about.”

Students quickly connected with the story and activities that accompanied the reading.

“I had students saying, ‘I really want that book,’” Sacco said. “They loved the activities and were really interested in why Juniper’s tummy was grumbling.”

The author visit also connected with another literacy project already underway at Pelican Elementary. Earlier this year, Sacco’s kindergarten class published its own student-created book through a classroom publishing program.

“They were so excited to tell her, ‘We wrote our own book, too,’” Sacco said. “It was really special for them to meet someone who actually wrote and illustrated a book.”

Sacco said experiences like Allyssa’s visit help promote literacy, creativity and community connections for students.

“It promotes local authors, literacy and supporting people in our own community,” Sacco said. “It shows students that you can start here in Klamath Falls and build something meaningful.”

Allyssa said she hopes to continue expanding school visits both locally and across Oregon as interest in the book continues to grow. Allyssa said schools and classrooms as far away as Coos Bay have expressed interest in hosting a book reading. 

Why Is My Tummy Grumbling? is available on Amazon, with additional details available through Allyssa Defillipo’s Linktree below.

https://linktr.ee/AllyssaD

“I would give the book away for free if I could,” Allyssa said. “I just really want to get the message out about nutrition and how much it impacts kids’ minds, bodies and overall health.”

Klamath Falls, Ore – Klamath Union High School (KUHS) is celebrating an exceptional year of musical achievement, highlighted by standout performances at the regional, state, and national levels.

Following a strong showing at the district solo competition on February 28, 2026, featuring students from Ashland, Medford, Grants Pass, and surrounding schools, KUHS musicians advanced to the 2026 Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) State Solo Competition, held May 2 at Portland State University.

At the state competition, junior Tommy Biggs earned third place in trumpet, while junior Seattle Trejo placed fourth in soprano voice, both in highly competitive, heavily subscribed categories. Senior Daisy Kupitz also represented KUHS in the soprano category.

The OSAA supports 297-member high schools and sponsors 426 state championships, including solo music. Students qualify for the state competition through one of 15 district contests, with only top performers advancing.

Biggs’ achievement builds on last year’s fifth-place finish at state, which marked the first KUHS band placement at that level in 16 years.

All three students, Biggs, Trejo, and Kupitz, earned top ratings of 1 or 1- at the district level, qualifying them to perform in the 23rd Annual Young Musicians of Excellence Concert at the Ross Ragland Theater on April 12, showcasing the Klamath Basin’s top young classical musicians. Additional KUHS students selected to perform in this prestigious concert included senior Talon Chancelor (piano), senior Elaina Nork (saxophone), and sophomore Hellen Yang (violin).

In addition to his state success, Biggs was selected to perform nationally as a member of the 2026 Jazz Band of America, part of the Music for All National Festival held March 26–28 in Indianapolis. Chosen through a highly competitive audition process, Biggs joined one of the nation’s premier high school honor ensembles.

The Jazz Band of America is widely recognized for its excellence and provides students the opportunity to rehearse and perform with distinguished conductors and guest artists. The 2026 ensemble featured guest artist Summer Camargo, a member of the Saturday Night Live band and Jazz Band of America alumna.

“These accomplishments reflect not only the talent of our students, but also their dedication and hard work,” said Drew Langley. “It was exciting to watch them perform in Portland. We are incredibly proud of how they represent KUHS and our community.”

The power of music and teamwork was on full display at the KFCS All-City Band Concert on May 4 at Klamath Union High School’s Pel Court.

This special evening brought together student musicians from across Klamath Falls City Schools, showcasing the hard work and dedication of our young performers from elementary through high school band programs. From fourth-grade beginners performing Round About Morning to Klamath Union students taking the stage with The Clapping Song, the concert celebrated musical growth at every level.

The event was truly a districtwide collaboration led by KFCS band instructors Allen Haugh, Drew Langley, Gretchen Harwood and Henrik Hunt, whose collective work across multiple schools helps build a strong and connected music program for students throughout the district.

The night concluded with a powerful combined performance of Battle Hymn of the Republic, featuring all participating bands together under the direction of guest conductors Ken White, Charlie Moresi and Don Butts, a fitting finale that highlighted both the talent of our students and the legacy of music education in our community.

A special thank you to all teachers, staff, administrators, principals, custodians, families and KUHS for helping make this event possible. And most importantly, congratulations to our student musicians for their focus, dedication and hard work.

KFCS would like to take a moment to extend its sincere appreciation for the dedication, professionalism, and care our certified staff bring to school each day. Your commitment to our students, families, and one another does not go unnoticed.

The relationships you build and the intentional ways you connect with students make a meaningful difference. By leading with empathy, respect, and a focus on building trust, you help create safe and supportive environments where students feel valued, connected, and ready to learn.

We are truly fortunate to have such a dedicated and hardworking team. Thank you for the positive impact you make in our school community every day!

Big congratulations to MJ Myron! 

We are so proud to celebrate her being awarded the Ford Family Foundation Scholarship. 

If you don’t know this young lady.. you should! She’s an incredible young women. 

Myron is headed to Oregon Institute of Technology to pursue Medical Imaging, and we can’t wait to see the impact she’s going to make in the healthcare field. 

Hard work, heart, and a bright future ahead. 

Big time pride over here for KU

Three of our own are representing at the Native American All-Star Tournament and we couldn’t be more fired up to watch them compete at the next level.

Tuko Saluskin

Toby Thomas

Lisette Watah

The students were led by coach Evan Gallagher.

REGISTRATION LINK: https://forms.gle/qaSvyL7jvPL612wH6

DATE: Saturday, May 16th - Modoc Field
Grades 3-7 (Ages 8-13): 10am-12pm
Grades 8-12 (Ages 14-18): 1-3pm
COST: $20 - Pay at the door

KU is partnering with NW Athletic Performance to establish current speed and power marks, and to see how you stack up to the competition with our new OVR Performance equipment. This experience will provide great insight for ALL CURRENT AND FUTURE KU PELICAN ATHLETES - Elementary, Middle & High School!

We will be establishing baseline marks with Laser-Timed Results for the following:
Max Velocity
Acceleration
Vertical Jump
Broad Jump
5-10-5

These marks will be used to track each athlete’s progress and guide training as they become faster, stronger, and more competitive throughout their time with KFCS and Klamath Union High School.

GO PELS!!

Questions? Email KU Athletic Director Tyler Baker at bakert@kfalls.k12.or.us

Nothing beats a night at the dirt track for a great cause. Members of the Klamath Union Softball team spent the weekend out at Southern Oregon Speedway, connecting with the community and working hard to support their season. The team was all smiles while selling 50/50 raffle tickets.

KU Softball head coach Megan McCarty and the Pelicans continue to set the tone both on and off the field and were able to come away with strong community support while raising funds for their season.

KFCS Board of Education

Andrea Jensen, Zone 1, Roosevelt - andrea.jensen@kfcityschools.org

Andrew Biggs, Zone 2, At-Large - andrew.biggs@kfcityschools.org

Vanessa Bennett, Zone 3, Conger - vanessa.bennett@kfcityschools.org

Kathy Hewitt, Zone 4, Mills - kathy.hewitt@kfcityschools.org

Trina Perez, Zone 5, Pelican - trina.perez@kfcityschools.org

Kelsey Bitzer, Zone 6, At-Large - Bitzerk@kfcityschools.org

Nicole Trejo, Zone 7 At-Large - Trejon@kfcityschools.org