BEND, OR -- Bend-La Pine Schools celebrates a big anniversary Thursday. R.E. Jewell Elementary, off Murphy Road on the south end of Bend, is 50 this month. 

"This school has been sort of the central area of this whole neighborhood, of this whole region," says Principal Jesse Rasmussen. He tells KBND News Jewell has seen multiple generations of some of the same families, "We really pride ourselves on knowing our community and serving our community the best we can, and really creating an environment that feels welcoming and inclusive to everybody." Rasmussen adds, "Our area's changing a little bit. So, we have houses going up around us, where it used to be just open fields for years and years. And we're just a neighborhood school that really leans into the fact that we know the families and the students really well, and they know us really well."

He believes the school is a benefit to the surrounding community, even those who don't have kids attending school there, "Parks and Rec uses our fields for baseball and T-ball and soccer throughout the year. Our gym is often used for volleyball and basketball. So, this is really a community space that everybody gets to enjoy. And it's changed a little bit over the years. But we still have some of the original things in place, from when we first opened."

Everyone's invited to a celebration at the school Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. It includes food carts, games and a photo booth. School artifacts will also be on display. "Jewell has a history of making videos at the start and the end of every school year; we probably have a collection of at least 10-12 years' worth of videos that we've made," says Rasmussen, "Those are going to be running on loop in our cafeteria." He also expects a number of former students and staff to stop by. 

Jewell opened in September 1974 and is named for Robert Ewart Jewell, who was the district's Superintendent from 1950 to 1973. 

photos courtesy of Bend-La Pine Schools