Author: Tami Pike

BLS Nurse Blog

FEBRUARY

February is American Heart Month.

Friday, February 6th is National Wear Red Day

Why: To bring attention to heart disease and stroke as the leading threats to women’s health.

Goal: To empower women (and men too) to know their numbers (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) and take charge of their heart health.

#WearRedDay

AED

Expired AED batteries

Please send any expired AED batteries to Michelle Spetic.

IMMUNIZATIONS

Immunization Exclusion Day 2026

Wednesday, February 25th

Letters will be sent out from the health department on Wednesday, February 4th for students not up-to-date by January 14th.

OFFICE OF POLICY AND ADVOCACY

From Kinsey Martin

Immigration/ICE

Some questions have come up regarding whether we are prepared to respond if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) engages with our school or conducts activity on or near our campus.  The short answer is Yes.  

Please know that our district has a thoughtful and comprehensive protocol in place should this occur, including steps we have already taken to avoid unnecessary engagement and to mitigate the impact should it occur.  This protocol is aligned with legal guidance, state laws, and trauma-informed practices.  Relevant staff (administrators, front-office staff, bus drivers, etc) have been trained on this protocol.  If you believe you see unreported activity by law enforcement (including ICE) occurring on or near campus, please follow our standard procedures for safety and visitor management, including contacting me or the front office immediately.  If you have additional questions about our response in this type of situation, please reach out to me directly for conversation.  

It can be really difficult to witness the violence and conflict our national and local communities are experiencing right now.  Please watch for signs of immigration-related trauma or anxiety and refer struggling students to counselors or advocacy coaches.  Employees who are struggling can access our amazing employee assistance and wellness resources.  Remind those in your care that they have a right to participate in school free from discrimination, and they can report incidents without retaliation related to their immigration status.  

I am proud that our school community cares so deeply for one another.  Let’s continue focusing on making our school as welcoming and inclusive as possible.  Please let me know what questions you have or how I can support you.

Immigration Message – For Front-office Staff and Administrators

SCHEDULE

Availability and Day Off Requests

Substitute nurses – please send your availability to Michelle asap.

Please remember to get any day off requests to Michelle asap.

DATES TO REMEMBER

DATE	EVENT	TIME	LOCATION
2/6/25	Wear Red Day		Wear red for heart health
2/25/26	Immunization Exclusion Day
2/25/26	Nurse Meeting	2-330	TBD

	April 10, 2026
February 6, 2026	May 8, 2026
March 6, 2026	June 12, 2026

BLS Nurse Blog

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

CONCUSSION

Updated ITAP form

Return to PE form

PE form use recommendation:

State law requires that physical activity restrictions be put in place immediately upon notification. But ODE did not provide guidance on how to determine those restrictions.

Schools cannot require medical clearance for students to return to P.E. – we can only require it for athletes who want to play a school sport.

Depriving students of physical activity can cause harm. It deprives them of social connection. It may increase anxiety. And appropriate levels of physical exercise can actually promote recovery, which in turn helps students get back to full participation in their academic classroom sooner.

This form is intended to provide a tool to assist staff responsible for supervising a student’s physical activity – whether that’s in P.E., during a “movement break” in the classroom, or at recess. Who the supervising individual may be at a given school will depend on the school, but in most cases it cannot be the nurse because most schools do not have a full-time dedicated nurse. 

Moreover, just as classroom teachers are the experts in differentiating learning in the classroom (remember, accommodations are not prescribed and it’s always at the discretion of the teacher when and whether to add or remove accommodations), physical education teachers are the experts in determining the appropriate level of participation for their student – they do this all the time for students with varying levels of physical fitness and ability.

Some staff may have concerns around liability. As nurses, we know the best way to legally protect ourselves is to document the steps we have taken to protect our students from harm. If we didn’t document it, it didn’t happen. This form is a tool for teachers and administrators to do just that.

CULTURE OF CARE

“Start the Conversation” workshops

“Start the Conversation” workshops are a family engagement opportunity for families of students with Tier 2 and Tier 3 needs.  There will be repeat offerings of this 3-hour workshop in Feb – March.  

The “Start the Conversation” workshop will improve families’ abilities to start difficult conversations with their student about topics such as mental health, attendance, substance use, and sex.  The workshop is provided by Dr. Amy Yillik, HDESD Culture of Care. 

The workshops are centered on developmental needs of middle school students, but are open to families of all BLS students.

Promotion fliers

• StC 2026 Flyer
• Spanish StC Flyer

How to Start a Difficult Conversation with Your Student

Have you ever struggled with how to talk to your student about difficult topics?  Conversations with questions about drugs, sex, mental health, school attendance, etc.  

Culture of Care and Shared Future Coalition have partnered to bring this Parent and Caregiver ‘Start the Conversation’ workshop to BLS Families.  Some of the topics covered in the 3 hour workshop (food included!) are:

• Leading conversations with love
• Strengthening listening skills
• Engaging the youth in problem solving, collaborative and restorative conversations
• Differentiating high-priority and low-priority concerns
• Learning about community resources and asking for help
• Workshop will include non-stigmatizing ways to honestly and appropriately address youth questions about parent/caregiver history with substances and/or risky behaviors

There is also time built into the workshop for parents and caregivers to practice new skills and engage with other families experiencing the same challenging dynamics of raising adolescents.  Please make sure to register so we have enough food and space for all registrants!

WEATHER

Cold Weather Reminders

Human Resources

While our winter has been relatively mild thus far, we wanted to share a few helpful reminders – just in case Old Man Winter decides to show up! Please be sure to review our Inclement Weather Guidelines.

If winter weather does roll in, remember to: 

• Don’t forget to walk like a penguin – short steps, slow and steady wins the race.
• Give yourself extra travel time (driving and walking),
• Bundle up and wear weather-appropriate footwear,

Safety

Reminder for recess/lunch winter weather guidance:  When the outside temperature falls to 20°F or below (not including wind chill), the administration will use caution when allowing outdoor school activities(This information is found in the Quick Reference Guide for Emergencies aka “the Red Green”). See the NOAA Windchill chart here. 

Administrators have the discretion to send students outside in inclement weather. For example, it could be above 20°F but extremely icy, so you may decide to keep students inside. 

DATES TO REMEMBER

Upcoming Nurse Events/Meetings

DATE	EVENT	TIME	LOCATION
1/29/26	Middle School Nurse Meeting	930	Microsoft Teams
1/29/26	High School Nurse Meeting	1030	Microsoft Teams
1/30/26	Nurse Meeting (Skills Day)	845-12	BOARD ROOM

	April 10, 2026
February 6, 2026	May 8, 2026
March 6, 2026	June 12, 2026

BLS Nurse Blog

WHY SMILES MATTER

Chasing smiles isn’t just about momentary happiness; it’s about cultivating an overall positive outlook. When we embrace smiles, our days tend to run more smoothly. Challenges seem less daunting, and setbacks become stepping stones.

This is because the act of smiling encourages a shift in perspective – we start focusing on what’s going right instead of dwelling on what’s going wrong.

CULTURE OF CARE

From Dr. Amy Yilik

Share with families

“Start the Conversation” workshop

Come learn strategies for having hard conversations with
your youth on topics such as drugs, sex and school
attendance. You will have an opportunity to connect and
practice with other families experiencing similar issues.

For more information and registration can be found here.

DIABETES

From Angelina Mingus

Saturday, March 14 Breakthrough Summit in Oregon City.  Great Speakers and information on pumps, cgms, latest updates, camps and connections with others. 

Saturday, April 18 Breakthrough Gala in Portland

Sunday, April 19 Family Craft Day in Bend for T1D families.  Friendship bracelets and more. 

Sunday, May 17- Breakthrough Walk in Drake Park- Vendors, resources, fun and lots of families to connect with.  I need volunteers for this!

July 26-29 Buddy Camp for 8–18-year-olds.  Registration opens February 1. Scholarships are available. 

I will work on a flyer to send out to families.  Please reach out to Angelina for more information.

MEDICAID

From April Diehl – Medicaid Program Manager

Consent Form Update

Families will soon receive an email from Bend-La Pine Schools requesting completion of the one-time Medicaid Parental Consent form. The district is asking every family to respond, whether or not your child is covered by Medicaid. Families who have already completed the consent will not be emailed. This form allows the district to access Medicaid reimbursement for certain health-related services provided at school. Completing the form does not affect your child’s benefits or services in any way. Please watch for the email and take a moment to complete the form when it arrives. Thank you!

NUTRITION SERVICES

From Garra Schluter – Director of Nutrition Services and Distribution

Around the World Wednesday

Around the World Wednesdays: Tell your students to pack their appetite and passport! Bend-La Pine Schools Nutrition Services is taking students on a flavor tour throughout southeast Asia. On Wednesdays beginning February 6, school communities will have the opportunity to explore a new country through a special lunch crafted by our own Executive Chef TJ Bennett. For this journey, no plane ticket is required! 

Nutrition services have created a passport for each elementary student. We will deliver these booklets to the schools by 1/28. We are asking schools to distribute these to the students by 2/4; the promotion begins on 2/6 and ends 3/11. Students will hold on to their passport through our six weeks of culinary travel. Each Wednesday when a student selects the new highlighted special, they will receive a sticker to place in their passports. The sticker represents their passport getting stamped for “traveling with their taste buds” to the highlighted country that day. At the end of the promotion, students will have the opportunity to vote on which item was their favorite and where their taste buds would like to go next. 

SAFETY

DCHS Substance Abuse Overdose Response Briefing – 1-19-26

DATES TO REMEMBER

Upcoming Nurse Events/Meetings

DATE	EVENT	TIME	LOCATION
1/21/26	Nurse Meeting	2-330	CALDERA, ROOM 210
1/30/26	Nurse Meeting (Skills Day)	New Time 845-12	BOARD ROOM

BLS Nurse Blog

NATIONAL THANK YOU MONTH

Did you know that January is National Thank You month?

It serves as a dedicated time to express gratitude and kindness to others at the start of the new year.

Some ideas that you can do to spread kindness to others: * Just say thank you. * Write a personal note of thanks. * Reach out via text. * Acts of service to acknowledge people who make a positive impact (no matter how big or small.) * Practice paying it forward. * Volunteer in the communitySupport a local business. * Show gratitude by shopping small. * Leave positive reviews. * Reconnect with someone. * Practice daily gratitude – write down three things you are thankful for each day. * Give back to nature – pick up some litter, plant a tree.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHILDREN’S FUND

The FP Children’s Fund is now managed by the regional FAN office. The church has transferred the funds to the regional FAN office, with a primary focus on providing gas cards to support transportation for medical appointments (e.g., travel to Portland or Seattle for surgery or specialty care).

If you have a student who needs assistance with transportation, please contact your FAN advocate. For other needs, such as clothing, check with your FAN advocate to explore additional resources or ideas for obtaining support.

IMMUNIZATIONS

Immunization Exclusion Day

February 25, 2026

Primary review reports will be submitted to the Deschutes County Health Department tomorrow ( January 14, 2026). Students who are not up to date by that date will receive exclusion letters from the health department, which will be mailed on February 4.

Please reach out to Michelle with any questions.

LOGS

Please remember that we are now using the following (Medicaid friendly) logs for documentation located in the Medicaid Information for Nurses folder in Google Docs. You can only access this with a Bend-La Pine Schools email address (not your personal email).

• Bathroom Log Data Sheet
• Diabetes Daily Log
• Oral Feeding Log
• Seizure Log
• Tube Feeding Log

MEASLES

2 confirmed cases of measles in Linn County

OHA News Release

BLS Measles Response Plan 24-28

NARCAN

If your school recently received any Narcan doses, please send them to Michelle/Tami. We have some schools with upcoming Narcan expirations whose supplies need to be replenished.

Please send any expired doses to Michelle/Tami.

TRANSGENDER SUPPORT

School Nurse Primer on Transgender

NASN School Nurse, 11/2025

DATES TO REMEMBER

Upcoming Nurse Events/Meetings

DATE	EVENT	TIME	LOCATION
1/19/26	Martin Luther King Jr Day		NO SCHOOL
1/21/26	Nurse Meeting	2-330	Caldera Room 210
1/30/26	Nurse Meeting (Skills Day)	NEW TIME 845-12	Board Room

BLS Nurse Blog

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” 一 Winston Churchill

HEALTH SERVICES SUPPORT DURING AFTER SCHOOL-SPONSORED ACTIVITIES

Last month Tami requested the information below be shared in the level leader blogs. Tami will be sharing access to the form responses with our regular nursing staff. Please reach out to Tami directly with any questions. For activities such as Camp Tamarack or other overnight school sponsored field trips, a Request for Direct Care Nursing Form should be submitted by the classroom teacher.

Please ensure that parents/guardians of students who require specialized health services (e.g., diabetes management, seizure support, adrenal insufficiency care) are aware that the school nurse must receive at least two weeks’ notice prior to any school-sponsored activity occurring outside regular school hours (such as dances, movie nights, or robotics events). This advance notice is essential to ensure appropriate health supports can be arranged. For overnight trips, please provide notice a minimum of four weeks in advance to allow adequate planning and coordination. 

Parents/guardians can submit a request here (English/Spanish).

IMMUNIZATIONS

Immunization Exclusion Day

February 25, 2026

Primary review reports will be submitted to the Deschutes County Health Department on January 14, 2026. Students who are not up to date by that date will receive exclusion letters from the health department, which will be mailed on February 4.

Please reach out to Michelle with any questions.

OHA Statement regarding CDC’s January 5, 2026 revised immunization schedule

FYI – At this time there are no changes to Oregon School Immunization Laws

OHA Statement

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental Health Resources

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

From OHA

What: OHP members no longer need a personal prescription for birth control pills (specifically Opill) and emergency contraceptive.

Oregon Health Plan (OHP/Medicaid) members are now able to get Opill birth control pills and emergency contraception without a prescription and at no cost at covered pharmacies in the state. The Oregon Health Authority, in collaboration with the Oregon Board of Pharmacy, made this possible through a standing order, which allows pharmacists to provide these medications to OHP members and bill OHP.

In Oregon, these medications are already covered without a prescription for people with private insurance. Federal law, however, requires that all medications for Medicaid enrollees be prescribed by a licensed practitioner who is enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program. Oregon’s new standing order means that OHP members will no longer have to get a prescription to access these contraceptives at no cost.

How OHP member can get access:

• OHP members can go to their approved pharmacy and request emergency contraception or Opill, and for it to be covered by OHP.
• Most OHP members get their benefits through a local Coordinated Care Organization (CCO); OHP members can call their CCO and ask which pharmacy to go to.
• OHP members not in a CCO (known as OHP Open Card), or who do not know which CCO they’re in, can call OHP Client Services for help at 800-273-0557.
• OHP members will need to provide their OHP ID number, which is on their OHP ID card or CCO ID card, or by providing personal information that enables the pharmacy staff to search for and confirm enrollment in OHP.

Where to learn more:

• The OHP member web page for Sexual and Reproductive Health Care
• A fact sheet in English & Spanish
• OHA’s Instagram and Facebook
• OHA’s press release to announce this news

SAFETY

DCHS Substance Abuse Overdose Response Briefing – 12/19/25

SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION

From OSNA

Join us on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, for a Substance Use Prevention webinar to learn more about the data and basic epidemiology of alcohol use in adolescents, how alcohol affects the developing brain, and strategies that can be implemented for prevention and screening for problem alcohol use in adolescents.

Because this webinar is being presented by SUD Prevention & Early Intervention ECHO, the registration link is DIFFERENT that the one we usually use for our Community of Practice. This event will be recorded an made available to registrants by SUD Prevention & Early Intervention ECHO.

TIME SHEETS

When submitting timesheets to Kristan, please provide a written or scanned copy only. Photo images should not be submitted, as they are difficult to print clearly. Thank you!

DATES TO REMEMBER

Upcoming Nurse Events/Meetings

DATE	EVENT	TIME	LOCATION
1/19/26	Martin Luther King Jr Day		NO SCHOOL
1/21/26	Nurse Meeting	2-330	TBD
1/30/26	Nurse Meeting (Skills Day)	NEW TIME 845-12	Board Room

January 9, 2026	April 10, 2026
February 6, 2026	May 8, 2026
March 6, 2026	June 12, 2026

BLS Nurse Blog

THREE HEARTS

Did you know that an octopus has three hearts????

An octopus has three hearts: two smaller “branchial” hearts pump blood through the gills to oxygenate it, and one larger “systemic” heart circulates that oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. This unique system supports their active lifestyle and blue, copper-based blood (hemocyanin), which isn’t as efficient at oxygen transport as red blood, so it needs extra pumping power. ~ Live Science

(And they have 9 brains!!!!!!!!!)

HEPATITIS B VACCINE

Oregon Health Authority continues to recommend hepatitis B vaccination for newborns

OFFICE OF POLICY AND ADVOCACY

From Kinsey Martin

Cell phone/personal device usage:

As we approach the policy shift that prohibits personal devices effective January, please remind teachers to review the IEPs, 504s, and Individual Health Plans of students in their class, and/or check in with Learning Specialists, to be clear on which students have documented permission to use their personal devices.  This info should also be noted in Substitute Folders.  

This will help reduce 1) the number of false claims by students saying they have a medical ‘need’ for their phone, and 2) repeated corrections or consequences for students who do need them but who frequently get reprimanded for usage that is actually permissible.  

Immigration:

Check that you have the ICE guidance (linked and highlighted in this document) printed and posted near your front-entry/reception window for the staff who greet visitors.  This is also a good point to refresh yourself on the procedures expected of you and your team. 

If you become aware of immigration activity in the community that has impacted a student or family, please: 1) be extremely mindful of confidentiality, privacy, and professional boundaries—do not share this information unless absolutely necessary, 2) take care of yourself and your emotions so you can take care of others , 3) refer the student or family to appropriate resources (your family liaison, our newcomer counselor specialist George, school counselor, FAN, etc), 4) let me know if you have a need I can support, resource- or policy-wise.  Thank you for your calm, compassionate, and steady leadership as these tough things continue impacting our community. 

PERTUSSIS

From OHA

Q: What do I need to know about pertussis vaccinations? Do I need an annual booster?

A: People only need one vaccination for pertussis (whooping cough) in a lifetime. The vaccine is called Tdap and it’s a combination of vaccines for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.

It’s important to note that while you only need to get the pertussis vaccination once in your life, you will need to boost the tetanus and diphtheria vaccines every 10 years. The boost usually doesn’t include the pertussis vaccine. But if your provider only has Tdap on hand, it’s OK to receive it more than once.

Recommendations for pregnant people and babies

Pregnant people should get a Tdap dose during the early part of their third trimester (weeks 27–36). This protects their newborn in the first few months of life. Spouses, partners, grandparents and any adult routinely in a baby’s life also should get a Tdap dose at least two weeks before the baby is born.

Young infants, even healthy ones, are particularly vulnerable to serious illness or death from pertussis. Once babies turn two months old, they should begin receiving their childhood tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine series. 

Learn more on the Oregon Health Authority Pertussis / Whooping Cough webpage. Read about rising pertussis cases in Oregon in our news release.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Upcoming Nurse Events/Meetings

DATE	EVENT	TIME	LOCATION
12/22/25-1/2/26	Winter Break		No School!
1/21/26	Nurse Meeting	2-330	TBD
1/30/26	Nurse Meeting (Skills Day)	9-12	TBD

January 9, 2026	April 10, 2026
February 6, 2026	May 8, 2026
March 6, 2026	June 12, 2026

BLS Nurse Blog

SMALL POX

Did you know?

December 9, 1979, marks the day scientists declared smallpox eradicated!

Before smallpox was eradicated, it was a serious infectious disease caused by the variola virus. It was contagious—meaning, it spread from one person to another. People who had smallpox had a fever and a distinctive, progressive skin rash.

Most people with smallpox recovered, but about 3 out of every 10 people with the disease died. Many smallpox survivors have permanent scars over large areas of their body, especially their faces. Some are left blind.

Thanks to the success of vaccination, smallpox was eradicated, and no cases of naturally occurring smallpox have happened since 1977. The last natural outbreak of smallpox in the United States occurred in 1949. The World Health Assembly declared smallpox eradicated in 1980. ~ CDC

CELL PHONE POLICY

From Kinsey Martin

If a student has an IEP, 504, or Health Plan that expressly permits a

personal electronic device, then they get to keep it on their body and use it throughout the day—no request/permission form required.  

If their IEP or 504 doesn’t talk about device use/access and they genuinely need it, then their documentation either needs to be amended to include that permission, or they need to follow the request process that everyone else has to follow.

Here is the policy—see item #2 on that doc, and the related footnote #2 as well, which reflects what I described above.  

On the request form, the first check-box option (medical condition, etc) is for students who don’t have device usage already included in their IEP or 504, and won’t have it there because the IEP/504 team

doesn’t deem it necessary.  We anticipate most of those will be “my child has anxiety and needs their music playlist” type of requests that will be denied due to available options on the school iPad.  

You’ll see up at the top of that form that the form states it isn’t required to be completed if they have an IEP or 504 that permits device usage.

CONCUSSION

CBIRT – Center on Brain Injury Research and Training

Taryn E. Townsend,SLPD, CCC-SLP CBIS

What the Pediatric Hospital SLP Wants You to Know

Components of early cognitive-communication and dysphagia assessment in pediatric acquired brain injury within hospital setting

Texas Children’s Hospital approach to interdisciplinary management of pediatric brain injury from ICU to acute care discharge.

PPE SUPPLIES REMAINING

From Gerry Hunt – Distribution

12 cases small gloves

8 boxes large gloves

2 cases hand sanitizer

DATES TO REMEMBER

Upcoming Nurse Events/Meetings

DATE	EVENT	TIME	LOCATION
12/10/25	Nurse Meeting	CANCELLED	CANCELLED
12/22/25-1/2/26	Winter Break		No School!

January 9, 2026	April 10, 2026
February 6, 2026	May 8, 2026
March 6, 2026	June 12, 2026

BLS Nurse Blog

NATIONAL COOKIE DAY

Thursday, December 4, 2025 is National Cookie Day!!!

Did you know that Ruth Graves Wakefield invented the chocolate chip cookie in the 1930’s. Thank you Ruth!!!!

LOGO UPDATE

BLS has an updated logo. Oliver is currently updating our forms with the new logo (starting with our medication authorization forms). He will notify us when they have been updated in the NSM.

MENTAL HEALTH

Central Oregon Public Health Monthly Update – 11/28/25

Navigating Loneliness and Grief During the Holidays

What is 211 and How Does it Support Central Oregon’s Tri-County Area?

PPE

Our post-COVID PPE supply is running low, and we are currently out of medium disposable gloves. Prior to COVID, schools were responsible for purchasing their own gloves for general use, and we will be returning to that practice. The remaining PPE items listed below will not be replenished once they are gone.

Current inventory available through Distribution:

• Small disposable gloves
• Large disposable gloves
• Hand sanitizer
• Disposable masks
• First Aid Fanny Packs (only 11 left)
• Disposable yellow gowns

SAFETY

DCHS Substance Abuse Overdose Response Briefing 11/21/25

From Jamie Gunter:

As per our Adi’s Act plan, staff who can risk screen and safety plan with students include school counselors, school psychologists, and student success clinicians. ASIST trained school nurses and student success staff can collaborate with their school based mental health professionals after screening on next steps in safety planning and lethal means calls home. Policy requires that a student is screened and parent/caregivers are notified the same day that a concern is noted. Same day notification to administrators is also a requirement, as is the entry of all screening information and contact details intoStudent Safe. All administrators have access to the Student Safe system, and if anyone would like a 1:1 walkthrough, please reach out.

SPORTS PHYSICALS

Well Child Exams Information

English, Spanish

Feel free to share with students and families.

This information was sent to Gabe Pagano and Level Leaders to put in their weekly blogs.

VISION

Re: VSP Vouchers – NASN

VSP program will be returning. However, no date has been provided. NASN will send out notification once a date has been confirmed.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Upcoming Nurse Events/Meetings

DATE	EVENT	TIME	LOCATION
12/10/25	Nurse Meeting	2-330	TBD
12/22/25-1/2/26	Winter Break		No School!

December 5, 2025	April 10, 2026
January 9, 2026	May 8, 2026
February 6, 2026	June 12, 2026
March 6, 2026

BLS Nurse Blog

3 DAYS LEFT!!!

Only 3 days left until Thanksgiving break!!

COLLEGE AND CAREER DAY

College and Career Day is Thursday, November 20th!

Here are some ways to celebrate:

• Dress as a professional
• Wear college colors

HEALTH ALERT NETWORK ADVISORY

Summary: Potential increase in non-fatal overdoses in Bend due to opioids between 11/1/25 and 11/8/25.

Deschutes County Health Services (DCHS) is issuing notification of a potential increase in non-fatal overdoses due to opioids which occurred in Bend between November 1st and November 8th, 2025 (n=11). This does not meet the Deschutes County clinical threshold for an overdose spike. However, due to the atypical severity of the overdoses, DCHS is asking healthcare providers to share information with relevant staff, patients, and clients. DCHS is monitoring data sources and may update the alert as the situation changes.

More information can be found here.

MEDICAID BILLING

A couple of things….

1. Shout out

A BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR 2 TOP NURSES WITH THE MOST DESK TOP DOCUMENTED SESSIONS (since the beginning of the school year)!!!!

Victoria Johnson-Chavez – 674

Stephanie Campbell – 200

We have some nurses with 0 entries! If you need assistance, please reach out to April Diehl. She can come out to your school and provide 1:1 training.

Starting in December, those with 30 or more documented sessions in a month will be entered in a monthly drawing for a prize.

2. Logs

When downloading a blank log, please make sure that:

• You are using the correct log.
• The formatting is correct when you download a blank log. (Try downloading in word format rather than pdf.)

IMMUNIZATIONS

From Michelle Spetic

Kindergarten Exclusion

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2025

For more information, see Michelle’s email from 11/3/25.

SAFETY

Evacuation Plans

Tami will be reaching out to nurses with 2nd story buildings to ask about what evacuation plans are in place for students with mobility needs. Please be prepared to share what plans are in place at your site.

SKILLS FAIR

Friday, January 30, 2026

9am – 12pm

Location TBD

Please consider contributing to this Planning Document with questions you may have on Visual Acuity Screening, Otoscope use, Tube Feeding and Seizures. There is also a section at the bottom where you can write in any other RN – related topics you would like to learn about at nurse meetings before or after the Skills Fair in January.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Upcoming Nurse Events/Meetings

DATE	EVENT	TIME	LOCATION
11/24 – 11/28	Thanksgiving Break		No School
12/10/25	Nurse Meeting	2-330	TBD

December 5, 2025	April 10, 2026
January 9, 2026	May 8, 2026
February 6, 2026	June 12, 2026
March 6, 2026

BLS Nurse Blog

THANK YOU VETERANS!!!

Thank you for serving our country and protecting our freedoms!!

1 1/2 WEEKS LEFT

Only 1 1/2 weeks left until Thanksgiving break!!!

DHS REPORTING

From Eric Powell

Where to send a child abuse report

Moving forward, when documenting a Child Abuse Report that your school is making, will you please store the Child Abuse Form in the following ways:

1. Building Principal or Department Supervisor maintains a copy of the report
2. Send (Email is fine) a copy to Eric Powell in Student Services

DIABETES

November is National Diabetes Month!

KINDER IMMUNIZATION EXCLUSION

From Michelle Spetic

Kindergarten Exclusion

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2025

For more information, see Michelle’s email from 11/3/25.

OFFICE OF POLICY AND ADVOCACY

From Kinsey Martin

Transgender Awareness Week   

November 13-19 is Transgender Awareness Week.  Next week your building will receive a kit with ideas and supplies for simple ways to support your transgender students or colleagues. *Check with your school’s office manager.

Family Engagement

Family Liaisons: Here are our Spanish-speaking liaisons, and here are reminders on how to use their services.  We also have part-time Black/African American, Asian, and Youth Partnerships Liaisons–if you’d like to connect with one of them, let me know.

FAN Advocates: Here are reminders on their role.  Remind your staff: FAN does not coordinate Christmas gifts for families and hasn’t for over 10 years.  FAN resources are maxed out prioritizing basic needs (food, utilities, etc).  There are many community-based organizations that do support religious or holiday-based requests like Christmas gifts: Here, here, and here are a few resources.  

Concerns/celebrations: If you have concerns about your liaison or advocate (inconsistent attendance, lack of responsiveness, etc), I need to know right away.  Of course, if you have a note of appreciation or celebration about them, send me those too!

Translation/interpretation: Remember, CAFE members are not your primary resource for language services.  Also, please don’t ask them to “quickly review” your AI/Google-translated communication.  Use Linguist Link for translation/interpretation requests.  Here are reminders on differences between these services.  

Food Access and Your Parent Groups:   -For your review (share as applicable)-

In the absence of SNAP benefits for families in need, some of you have parent groups organizing to gather food and distribute it to families.  This is great, if/when boundaries are respected.  Share these talking points with your parent group, as applicable.  

PAYROLL

From Jessica Houser

Payroll Update

For the November and December payrolls, all employees will receive a paper paystub (or a live check if not enrolled in direct deposit) mailed directly to their home address on file. Payday remains the last business day of each month.

This change ensures every employee can easily access their pay information during school breaks when most staff are off-site or not connected to the district network. From now on, paystubs and paychecks will no longer be routed to school sites for pickup or distribution.

What to Know

• All employees will automatically receive mailed paystubs in November, December, June, July, and August.
• Employees who want paper paystubs in additional months can email Payroll to opt in. (This election resets each year.)
• Employees can update their home address in UKG.
• Those who need help setting up direct deposit can review the “How To” guide on the Payroll Portal or reach out to Payroll.
• Substitute and extra-duty employees will continue to receive paper paystubs automatically every month.
• Employees can still view electronic paystubs through Employee Online when using a district device or network connection.

SKILLS FAIR

Friday, January 30, 2026

9am – 12pm

Location TBD

Please consider contributing to this Planning Document with questions you may have on Visual Acuity Screening, Otoscope use, Tube Feeding and Seizures. There is also a section at the bottom where you can write in any other RN – related topics you would like to learn about at nurse meetings before or after the Skills Fair in January.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Upcoming Nurse Events/Meetings

DATE	EVENT	TIME	LOCATION
Friday, 11/14	OSNA Fall conference	8-430	Virtual
11/24 – 11/28	Thanksgiving Break		No School

December 5, 2025	April 10, 2026
January 9, 2026	May 8, 2026
February 6, 2026	June 12, 2026
March 6, 2026