MORROW COUNTY, ORE. — Morrow County School District (MCSD) has hired Bend-based SĀJ Architecture to complete design work supported by the $204.4 million bond the community passed in May, with an additional $6 million Oregon Dept. of Education Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching (OSCIM) grant adding to the projects.
The bond work includes replacement of Irrigon Junior/Senior High School, modernization of Riverside Junior/High School, transforming Heppner Junior/Senior High School into a K-12 school, and additional districtwide upgrades.
The district selected SĀJ after a competitive public proposal and interview process, which drew 43 firms to a mandatory preproposal meeting. The district’s project manager, Wenaha Group of Pendleton, facilitated the procurement process.
Wenaha Project Executive Scott Rogers said the district sought an architecture firm that would ensure the design process meets the district’s goals, which include a focus on “strong community engagement; buildings that allow for greater districtwide operating efficiencies; and buildings that each reflect Morrow County’s unique characteristics.”
The district received 11 proposals and selected two firms for in-person interviews. Interviews focused on community engagement, with the architecture teams developing and leading a K-12 design exercise tailored to the district. Architects use these types of engagement activities to gather input that informs school design. “The district used a design charrette to see how the top two firms engaged and collaborated with members of the evaluation committee and, importantly, how the architectural team worked with each other,” Rogers said.
SĀJ Architecture stood out as the clear winner, he said.
“The mock charette sealed the deal for the interview panel,” said MCSD Facility Maintenance Coordinator Brandi Sweeney. “We tasked the firms with presenting a design meeting to our panel, showcasing how they would interact with a design committee. SĀJ’s was outstanding — very detailed and unique in their use of different design tools such as their patent-pending 3D model kit, which was fun!”
The SĀJ Architecture team is headed by Principal Architect Jonah Jensen, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Assoc. DBIA, who has nearly 25 years of public-school design experience. The firm’s other principal architects, Seth Anderson, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Assoc. DBIA, and Amy Vohs, AIA, NCARB, ALEP, also participated in the interview.
“We’re always looking for opportunities to engage students, staff and the community in ways that are memorable, hands-on and invite in different perspectives,” Jensen said. “To us, this means meeting people where they’re at with a variety of activities that help them visualize and understand spaces.”
SĀJ’s architects and designers especially enjoy working in smaller communities and with rural school districts. Recent SĀJ education projects include modernizations for Redmond High School, Obsidian Middle School (Redmond School District), Black Butte K-8 School, Madras High School, and Culver High School. SĀJ also designed the new Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife administration building in Pendleton and seismic upgrades for Blue Mountain Community College.
The district and design team will start in November to engage with the broader Design Advisory Committee, which consists of community members, staff, and students from throughout Morrow County. The initial intention is to identify themes and needs that are consistent throughout the district, Rogers said. The design team will then shift focus to the replacement of Irrigon Junior/Senior High School.
“We look forward to getting to know the district and its communities better and understanding more about each school’s needs,” Jensen said.
On October 31, 2025, the district posted the Irrigon Junior/Senior High School construction manager/general contractor request for proposal, Sweeney said. The school board expects to finalize contractor selection for Irrigon at its January 2026 meeting.
Morrow County School District serves the communities of Boardman, Heppner, Ione, Irrigon, and Lexington in rural northeastern Oregon. The district, in partnership with families and communities, provides students with the opportunities to develop values, knowledge, skills and self-confidence to become lifelong learners and responsible citizens. For more information, visit www.morrow.k12.or.us.
SĀJ Architecture is a full-service firm with offices in Bend and Portland, Oregon. We offer architecture, interior design, and planning for commercial and public projects ranging from multifamily housing to hospitality to K-12 public and independent schools. Our team’s collaborative, client- and community-focused design process combines exceptional project management and technical expertise to create spaces and places where people live, learn, work, and play.