From EOU to Unity: Alumna Cassie Moore Leads Rural School

From EOU to Unity: Alumna Cassie Moore Leads Rural School

From EOU to Unity: Alumna Cassie Moore Leads Rural School

Sometimes higher education takes students away from home. Sometimes it brings them back.

For Cassie Moore, '01, her return to the rural community of Unity, Ore., completed a circle. Moore now serves as superintendent of Burnt River Charter School in Unity, one of the most rural school districts in Oregon. The school serves just over 30 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

In April, Eastern Oregon University's choir tour made a stop at Burnt River. For Moore, the visit carried both professional and sentimental meaning.

"It's really important because I have a couple of kids who are really interested in music, and we don't have music programs," Moore said. "It's really enlightening to have something they can be inspired by and relate to."

The visit doubled the population of the small school. When the EOU choir arrived by motorcoach with 44 members, they more than doubled the school's population for the day. For many students, it was a rare chance to experience a live choral performance.

Burnt River faces the same challenges as many rural schools across the country, especially limited access to programs and resources. Opportunities like the choir tour help bridge that gap, even if briefly.

"This is a first for EOU coming here, so we're super excited," Moore said.

Moore's path to Unity began at EOU, where she studied education. She said the university offered both opportunity and support.

"EOU was big enough that you got the full college experience, but small enough that they took care of you," Moore said. "The education department was one of the best in the northwest. It probably still is."

After graduating, Moore began her career teaching in Ontario, Ore. Moore, who has lived in the Burnt River Valley for 19 years, worked in Baker City, Ore., for 22 years, including as dean of students at South Baker Intermediate and principal at Haines Elementary.

Her connection to the region runs deep. Moore recalls commuting daily over Dooley Pass, a winding mountain route along Oregon Route 245 known for its sharp turns and steep grades. Today, her commute is shorter. She and her husband operate a ranch in the Unity area, surrounded by the Blue and Elkhorn mountains.

Moore said EOU prepared her well for the classroom, especially in teaching foundational skills.

"I felt really prepared to teach when I left," Moore said. "I felt really confident teaching students to read and to be a professional."

That confidence has shaped not only her career but her recommendations to others. Moore encourages students, especially those interested in education, to consider EOU.

Asked whether she would recommend EOU to her students, Moore is quick to reply. "Absolutely, I would recommend it," Moore said. "Especially for aspiring teachers."

Her ties to the university extend beyond her own experience. Her husband also attended EOU through the agriculture program in partnership with Oregon State University. Their son is graduating this year with college credits earned through EOU's outreach programs. Several members of their extended family are also alumni.

"EOU was affordable, it was small enough, but big enough," Moore said.

As the choir's voices filled the Burnt River gym this spring, Moore saw more than a performance. She saw a continuation of the same institution that once prepared her, now reaching the next generation of students in rural schools like Unity.

And for just an afternoon, EOU came to her home.