There are only 8 Monday’s left in this school year. (excluding Memorial Day)
POLICY AND ADVOCACY
From Kinsey Martin
Day of Silence
2026’s Day of Silence is Friday, April 10. You will likely have students observing this day. Students have the right to express themselves (including through silence, in this case) as long as it is done in an orderly and non-disruptive manner—see related policy. Thank you for accommodating your participating students by:
1. Planning nonverbal or written options for class participation that day
2. Letting substitutes know to be prepared to accommodate students as well
3. Learning about the day and its significance to your students
4. Promptly interrupting and reporting any harassment or bias incidents
SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTER INFO
Bend High School-Based Health Center Relocation Information
Stress is the natural reaction your body has when changes or challenges occur. It can result in many different physical, emotional and behavioral responses. Everyone experiences stress from time to time. You can’t avoid it. ~ The Cleveland Clinic
Stress Awareness Month is a timely reminder that: CARING FOR YOURSELF IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS CARING FOR OTHERS.
As school nurses, you show up each day ready to support students’ physical and emotional needs—often putting your own well-being on the back burner. The pace is fast, the needs are real, and the expectations are high. It’s meaningful work, but it can also be heavy.
This month, you are challenged to take a few intentional moments to check in with yourself. Whether it’s stepping away for a quick walk, taking a few deep breaths between students, connecting with a colleague, or simply acknowledging a challenging day—SMALL ACTS OF SELF-CARE MATTER.
Remember, supporting your own well-being strengthens your ability to continue supporting the students and communities who rely on you. You are doing important work, and taking care of yourself is part of that work.
CAMP TAMARACK MEDICATIONS
Reminder for elementary nurses:
For non-prescription medication that is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (melatonin, vitamins, supplements), a written order from the student’s prescriber must be provided that includes the name of the student, medication, dosage, method of administration, frequency of administration, a statement that the medication must be administered while the student is at camp, any other special instructions, and the signature of the prescriber.
COMMUNICATION CHANGE
Due to increasing security concerns, text messaging is no longer an approved method of communication for BLS employees. Until a secure alternative is identified, fax machines will be used as a temporary communication method. Please click here for more information on proper fax machine etiquette.
EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS
Randall Children’s Educational Offerings, Updates, and Grand Rounds
As we enter wildfire season, it is the district’s responsibility to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and facilities. We will take both proactive and responsive actions when wildfires impact school grounds and operations.
At the district level, our Communications team will provide timely updates when wildfires impact school operations, including modifications to outdoor activities, changes to the school day, or other operational adjustments. Our goal is to ensure clear, consistent communication so that students, staff, and families can respond appropriately to changing wildfire conditions.
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For staff, it is equally important to have a personal preparedness plan in place. We strongly encourage all staff to sign up for emergency alerts through Deschutes County and/or download the Watch Duty app, enabling notifications for areas surrounding your home. These tools provide early warnings, including “Be Ready” (Level 1) and “Be Set” (Level 2) notices, which are critical for preparation.
If a Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation is issued for your neighborhood during the workday, you should communicate directly with your supervisor or administrator. We are committed to supporting staff in these situations. As long as student safety and supervision are maintained, we will arrange coverage so you can return home as soon as possible. You may record leave on your timesheet in accordance with district procedures.
*Videos to be viewed before class. Skills demo is 1-2 hours.
Call Angelina with any questions.
SLEEP AWARENESS
Did you know that it it Sleep Awareness Week???
Did you know that according to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly half of U.S. children (44%) do not consistently get the recommended amount of sleep for their age?
Parents underestimate children’s sleep needs often by more than an hour per day.
A good night’s sleep can improve a child’s behavior and mood.
Consistency is key. Encourage parents to establish a consistent, calming 15-20 minute bedtime routine (e.g., bath, reading) at the same time every night, including weekends. Ensure that the bedroom is dark, quiet and cool (65-70°F). Limit blue-light screens at least one hour before bed, avoid caffeine, and encourage self-soothing. ~ Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Please bring any questions you have to the nurse meeting on 2/25/26.
IMMUNIZATIONS
Immunization Exclusion Day 2026
Wednesday, February 25th
Deschutes County Health Services Immunization Hours on Exclusion Day.
**In order to be available to parents seeking same day immunization of their children’s missing vaccines, we will allow walk-in/same day appointments, along with our regularly scheduled day’s appointments. We are not widely advertising this, though it will be shown on DCHS’s Immunization Calendar.
REDMOND: 236 NW Kingwood Ave., Redmond, OR 97756
9a-12p & 1p-4p
BEND: 2577 NE Courtney Dr., Bend, OR 97701
9a-12p & 1p-4p
2/26/2025 (Thursday): BEND: Courtney Open (By appointment only)
Need to get your teens out of the house (and off their phones)? The Boys and Girls Club of Bend is now offering FREE memberships to teens (ages 13-18) who are still in school. The club offers teen-only hours M-F from 5:30-7:30 PM where they can enjoy the open gym, jam on stage, or play a game of air hockey, foosball, or bumper pool.
EPI-PEN TRAINING
Did you know…..
An Epi-Pen Training Safety Checklist must be completed for each Epi-Pen training. Why? Many years ago, we had 2 staff inject themselves with live Epi-Pens during a training. We need to make sure that the trainers we use are in fact, trainers. Expired Epi-Pens should not be used during trainings (even if just demonstrated by the nurse). *Nurses keep this copy in their office for 2 years then shred.
FLU
COPA is seeing large amounts of severe FLU right now. They are seeing lots of hospitalizations and severe complications. COPA is changing their guidelines and recommending Tamiflu for all patients with the flu if they can get it in the first 72 hours of symptom onset. Please encourage patients to see their provider asap if they or their children think they have the flu.
Regular staff nurses: We are looking to send 2 (possibly 3) nurses to this conference if you are willing to carpool and share a room. Please let Tami know if you are interested. Priority will be given to nurses who are involved in the conference planning process and/or to those who haven’t been to a conference recently.
SRO
SRO Appreciation Week – week of February 17th.
STAFF LISTS
Ever wonder: Who is the OT at Bear Creek? Who is the SLP at MVHS? Who is the Family Liaison at Caldera HS? Who is the elementary school psychologist at Ponderosa?
Regular staff nurses: We are looking to send 2 (possibly 3) nurses to this conference if you are willing to carpool and share a room. Please let Tami know if you are interested. Priority will be given to nurses who are involved in the conference planning process and/or to those who haven’t been to a conference recently.
TIME SHEETS AND LEAVE RECORD REMINDERS
Time Sheets – These are used to document your time worked (or extra time worked beyond your FTE). Please do not write your time in and time out but rather just the total time worked. Feel free to include the school you worked out on that day as well.
Leave Records – Leave records are used to record any sick time, FMLA, or personal days. For FMLA, write the number of hours in the “other” column and write “FMLA” in the notes/comments column.
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.
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.
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.
