Archive for January 29, 2024

January 29th, 2024

January 29, 2024

Our EME Focus

  • Tier 1 Instruction
  • Belonging
  • Define what it means to be an Art Focused School

Thoughts of the Week

Use your Talents!

Once upon a time a tortoise and a hare had an argument about who was faster.

They decided to settle the argument with a race. They agreed on a route and started off the race.

The hare shot ahead and ran briskly for some time. Then, seeing he was far ahead of the tortoise, he thought he’d sit down and rest for a while before continuing the race. He sat down under a tree and soon fell fast asleep.

The tortoise, plodding along, soon overtook him, passed him, crossed the finish line, and won the race.

The hare woke up and realized he’d lost.

Many people will conclude that Slow and Steady win the race. When I read the story, I feel that the real lesson is not about the tortoise at all, it’s about the hare.

The hare made a huge mistake, believing in its ability but then not actually proving it. In real life, you may have that great skill, one which everyone agrees, but you must still showcase that skill to win the competition.

Success depends on using your talents, not just having them.


The Coming Week

  • Monday
    • Dibels today!!
    • Principal Meeting (Ben) 3:30-4:40
  • Tuesday
    • Fire Drill 8:00
    • Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
    • Care Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
    • Title School Mid Year Check In 2:30-3:00
  • Wednesday
    • Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
    • SIW – Teacher Prep
    • Admin Pd 3:00-5:00
  • Thursday
    • MTSS Building Wide 2:30-3:15
  • Friday
    • SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
    • Report Cards Due
    • No School for Kids

UPCOMING DATES:



Updates from Downtown

Please make a plan with your staff around teaching to meet Erin’s Law between February and May. Here the resources for both the family letter and instruction. Principals, please document and ensure lessons were taught via this form.  Return to April Jorgenson in Teaching and Learning when complete. You can refer to last week’s blog for other resources as well.


Here is the flyer invitation for our Black History Month kick-off. Please work with your ICCL-DEI rep or other relevant staff to make sure that any Black/African American students, families, and staff at your school are personally invited to this event, and that your staff are aware of the event (they’re welcome to share with students/families as they see fit). 

Finally, we are looking for teachers to share their practice and ideas with other teachers at our Feb 28th Educator Network Day.  Please have them sign up here if they have an idea for a session and are willing to facilitate that session.

New Notes:

From Kayla in Safety: School Resource Officer Appreciation Day is February 15th. The Safety Team is requesting your help to collect cards, notes, pictures, etc. to present to our SRO team. The goal is to highlight the positive relationship between our SROs and their schools. If you are willing, please offer your students the opportunity to share their appreciation for their respective SRO, and send any items to the Safety Team at the Ed Center no later than Friday, February 9th. We are also happy to stop by and pick them up! 

From Jennifer in Student Services: National School Counseling Week 2024 (#NSCW24) is Feb. 5-9, 2024, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. National School Counseling Week is always celebrated the first full week in February. 

From Dave in Assessment: Here is an opportunity for LA or math teachers to make some extra money and learn a bit more about testing and their content areas.

From TLC: January 24th Elementary TLC Update which includes Trauma-Informed Report Card Comments, Wayfinder Collection Feature: Self Care for Students, Movement Moments, and more.

Important Dates

  • Jan 31, All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30
  • Jan 31: Black history month kick-off celebration
  • Feb. 8: Lunar New Year celebration/AAPI Family Night
  • Feb. 15: School Resource Officer Appreciation Day
  • Feb 27: 3:00-5:00. Elementary Leadership, at North Star Elementary
  • Mar. 1: Education Foundation Grants are due: www.blpedfoundation.org

January 22nd, 2024

January 22, 2024

Our EME Focus

  • Tier 1 Instruction
  • Belonging
  • Define what it means to be an Art Focused School

Thoughts of the Week

Believe good things will happen, and they will!

Despite it being an advertisement 😂, I really love the concept behind such Thai commercials, try watching them without crying will be hard! Try it!

How many times have you gone out of your way to help someone in need?

This is a video where the protagonist demonstrates how small acts of kindness every day make genuine differences in the lives of others. A neglected plant gets a little extra water, an old lady gets a helping hand, and a needy child gets money for education. In return for his good deeds, he doesn’t get any materialistic rewards but the happiness is far more valuable.

Do what you can to help people in need, because there’s nothing more heartwarming than seeing their emotions.


The Coming Week

  • Monday
    • RESCHEDULED – Fire Drill 8:00
    • ICCL Meeting 2:30-3:15
  • Tuesday
    • Site Visit with Lisa and Tammy 8:00
    • Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
    • Elementary Leadership Meeting 3:00-5:00
  • Wednesday
    • EET Book Exchange – All Day
    • SPED Planning 2:00-2:30
    • SIW – Lori – Math Training/Jill and Steve – District Math Share
    • Principal Recruitment Listening Session – 2:45
  • Thursday
    • MTSS Building Wide 2:30-3:15
    • BAM (Beginning Admin Meeting) 5:00-7:00
  • Friday
    • SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

UPCOMING DATES:

  • January 23 – Kinder Forest Field Trip
  • January 29 – Dibels
  • February 2 – No School


Updates from Downtown

NEW and Important! Please let teachers know that report cards must be in and completed by the end of the work day on February 2. The sooner you let them know the better. In an effort to help this happen, elementary report cards are now open. When this doesn’t happen on time, the turnover in the Synergy system to the second semester doesn’t happen, attendance can’t be taken accurately, and it causes unnecessary work to fix the systems. Please make a plan for how you can assure all report cards are done and in before you leave on February 2nd. Also, here is a link to support documents that you and your staff may or may not know about for filling out report cards.

Reminders:

New Notes:

Education Foundation Grants–Round 2! The Education Foundation is doing a second round of classroom grants. This time, the grants will be awarded in the following three areas: STEM, PE, and Art/Music. If the number of grant requests exceeds the available funding, they will fund 1 grant per school based on date received and requirements met. Teachers who did not receive funding in Fall 2023 will receive first priority. A grant report will be due by Jun 1, 2024. The grant application opens on February 5th, closes on March 1, and will be announced March 6-15th. It’s not too early to start thinking of what you may need!

Curriculum, Instruction and Systems (Julie Walker) 4 important items to share out with your staff:

  1. Teaching Erin’s Law

Child abuse is a sensitive topic and is delivered most effectively by a student’s trusted adult which is traditionally a classroom teacher. It is recommended to teach one lesson per month in February-May. The next option is to teach one lesson per week during the month of April. In either case, please DO NOT teach a lesson in the week prior to Spring Break as there are often disclosures that occur following taught lessons. Two adults (Teacher/Counselor/SSC/Admin/School Psych & teacher) could be present during these lessons in order to support students and each other. If you have a teacher who has experienced abuse and feels distressed with the idea of teaching this topic, please provide alternate options for their students to be instructed. If you know of a student that has already experienced abuse, please work with the student and family to create an alternative plan for the student during instruction if they feel it is necessary.

Teachers will need to send out a family letter two weeks before teaching a lesson. 

Here the resources for both the family letter and instruction.

2. Check out this one-pager on marking lessons as complete in Wayfinder.

3. It is time to give the Middle Of Program (MOP) in Reading Playgrounds. Here is a how-to video. Please reach out to instructional coaches with any questions.

These are detailed fact sheets around MOP for each program 

Countdown

Blast

HD Word/Plus

The timeline we recommend for each grade level is on these curriculum maps.  Below are the CLIFF notes of the time frames:

Kindergarten: After Unit 16 in January. Consider a pause and review after MOP

1st grade: after unit 14 in January, MOP

2nd grade:  after unit 14 in January, MOP

3-5th: after unit 14 in January, MOP

4. Last but not least, we are looking for teachers to share their practice and ideas with other teachers at our Feb 28th Educator Network Day.  Please have them sign up here if they have an idea for a session and are willing to facilitate that session.  

From Jenny White (SEL). Wayfinder activity for a staff meeting or opener for SIW:

This activity in Wayfinder could be a fun activity to build community among staff and reinforce the need to fill our own buckets.  It is Refill Your Bucket Resource Board Share these directions on how to find the lesson in Wayfinder with your staff.

Important Dates

  • Jan. 23, 3:00-5:00 Elementary Leadership, at Buckingham Elementary
  • Jan 30, 2:30-3:00 Title Schools meeting on Teams (check calendar for link)
  • Jan 31, All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30
  • Jan 31: Black history month kick-off celebration @ PCMS
  • Feb. 8: Lunar New Year celebration/AAPI Family Night @ PBMS
  • Feb 27: 3:00-5:00. Elementary Leadership, at North Star Elementary

January 16th, 2024

January 16, 2024

Our EME Focus

  • Tier 1 Instruction
  • Belonging
  • Define what it means to be an Art Focused School

Thoughts of the Week

New Year’s Resolution to “Quit Cursing”, keep reading-it is not exactly what you think…

When I say, “quit cursing”, I am not talking about swearing, we’re all adults…but maybe a jar is in order? What I mean is quit talking negatively about yourself! We all do it. “I am not smart enough to do that, I don’t have the skills to complete that, I am too old, too tired, too”…I am definitely guilty. There were many times this year, where I had imposters syndrome. I felt like you all might find out that I wasn’t an expert in something or did not know the answer. I pushed through and instead realized that I don’t need to be that person. I was able to bounce my ideas off you and have truly wonderful conversations, wherein I learned how to rely on others as much as myself. It is why I truly feel the full weight of collaboration in this building. So I ask you all today to, “Quit Cursing.” Think positive thoughts about yourself and others. Remember, always assume positive intent. I lean heavily of the words of Bruce Lee, let’s make this New Year’s resolution together!

“Don’t speak negatively about yourself, even as a joke. Your body does not know the difference. Words are energy and they cast spells, that is why it is called spelling. Change the way you speak about yourself and you can change your life.”

Bruce Lee

The Coming Week

MONDAY
  • No School
TUESDAY:
  • Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
  • Care Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
WEDNESDAY:
  • Jill’s Birthday!
  • Fire Drill 8:00
  • SIW – Lori – Math Training/Jill and Steve – District Math Share
  • Principal Recruitment Listening Session – 2:45
THURSDAY:
  • MTSS Building Wide 2:30-3:15
FRIDAY:
  • SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
  • Tower Theater Free Movie Night 6:00
UPCOMING DATES
  • January 20 – Lea’s Birthday
  • January 23 – Kinder Forest Field Trip
  • January 29 – Dibels
  • February 2 – No School


Updates from Downtown

  • Ed Network: Because we were unable to complete the training during Ed Network Day and all teachers need to know this information, we are asking that building leaders plan to do this during the next SIW on January 17th. If you already have something scheduled that can’t shift for that day, you can complete this with your staff on the 24th instead. If you hit any other snags along the way and need ideas to problem solve, please reach out to Tammy or Lisa. Please use this link for the slides from Kerry for the training.
  • TAG Night Reschedule: We are rescheduling our TAG night for next Wednesday night, January 17, from 6-7:30pm. Same time, same location, just a week later. See Kristy Knoll’s e-mail for a blurb you can share with your families.

Reminders:

New Notes:

Scheduling meetings from Erich: I came across this cool tool within Outlook because I was getting really tired of all the adds on Doodle. Hopefully this comes in handy. THIS DOC will show you how to create a poll with multiple dates and times. You can email to folks outside of BLP as well. 

From Curriculum, Instruction and Systems (Julie Walker):

  • Please share with your staff:
    • Eastern Oregon is offering a science of reading course. It is advertised as a ‘lighter’ version of the LETRS training. Read here to learn more about this opportunity. If you are interested in signing up please fill out this survey by the end of the school day on Tuesday, January 16th. There are limited seats. Please reach out to Lindsley Gehrig with any questions.  The cost of this training will be covered by Bend La Pine. 
    • During the February 28th Educator Network Day is about sharing our practice with other educators- a powerful form of professional learning. If you have a topic and ideas to share, please sign up to be a facilitator.  You will be paid 4 hours at curriculum rate for your planning and preparation.  More information and sign up here.
  • Please share in your next family newsletter: Community feedback opportunity for Language Arts curriculum materials. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K3rRBQjzf24AXR-d1z-fwi1dL9kEO95GBQq-5ih-SL0/edit?usp=sharing
  • From Jenny White (SEL): Here is a Wayfinder activity on courage that you can share with your staff. Click on this link to get the directions on how to access the resources in Wayfinder’s Activity Library. The direct links are on the last slide or found below.

TLC Link Update: January 11th Elementary TLC Update The Elementary Curriculum and Instruction website has been updated to provide more relevant information and resources to you. If you are interested in learning more about these changes, check out this video!

FAN Update from Dana Pedersen: FAN staffing has been a challenge this year due to resignations and leaves. Thank you all for your patience as I have adjusted staffing and most recently, made some changes in staffing assignments. I am committed to staffing our Dual Immersion schools with Spanish speaking Advocates. This has caused some shifts in assignments, as the last round of hiring yielded some great candidates, but none of them speak Spanish. Here is the current list of Advocates and their assigned schools. Two new Advocates are in the process of being hired now. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.  

From Jennifer Hauth: HERE are some upcoming training opportunities for supporting LGTBQ+ students and families, from the Oregon Family Acceptance Project that may be of interest.

Important Dates

  • Jan. 15 No School in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Jan. 17: Office staff meeting 1:15-2:15 (plan for them to be away from 1-2:30)
  • Jan 17: New Educator Network Day
  • Jan. 23, 3:00-5:00 Elementary Leadership, at Buckingham Elementary
  • Jan 31, All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30
  • Jan 31: Black history month kick-off celebration
  • Feb. 8: Lunar New Year celebration/AAPI Family Night

January 8th, 2024

January 8, 2024

Our EME Focus

  • Tier 1 Instruction
  • Belonging
  • Define what it means to be an Art Focused School

Thoughts of the Week

Take that Leap

I once heard a story, or a riddle if you will, that says five frogs are sitting on a lily pad. One decides to jump off. How many are left?

If your answer is “four”, thank your math teacher for your excellent math skills. Unfortunately, this is not a test of your math abilities.

It’s a life problem.

The correct answer is “five”. Yes, all five are still sitting there on the lily pad. The one frog only decided to jump but hasn’t. Life is not a spectator sport; it’s indeed a contact sport and there are no practice sessions, and you’ve been in the game from day one.

As cliche as it seems ‘The journey starts with a single step’… not by thinking about taking that step. Be the frog who not only decides to jump off the lily pad but actually jumps.


A Little Monday Morning Humor…

The Coming Week

MONDAY
  • Fire Drill 8:00
  • Staff Meeting 2:30-3:00
    • Youth Truth Survey – Please bring your computer
TUESDAY:
  • Safety Meeting 7:00
  • Elk Meadow Student Success/Admin Check-In 8:15-9:15
  • Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
  • Care Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
WEDNESDAY:
  • EA Meeting 8:15-8:45
  • SIW – Ed Network the Media Center (ICCL Team)
THURSDAY:
  • MTSS Building Wide 2:30-3:15
  • BAM (Beginning Admin Meeting) 5:00-7:00
FRIDAY:
  • Earthquake Drill 8:00
  • EME SpEd Meeting 8:00-8:45
  • SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
UPCOMING DATES
  • January 13 – Katherine’s Birthday
  • January 14 – Sara’s Birthday
  • January 15 – No School
  • January 17 – Jill’s Birthday
  • January 20 – Lea’s Birthday
  • January 23 – Kinder Forest Field Trip
  • January 29 – Dibels
  • February 2 – No School


Updates from Downtown

Early Literacy Success Initiative- HB 3198

FYI….Early Literacy Success Initiative Grant submitted and will be presented to school board for approval on January 9th. 

A team of teachers, administrators, specialists and coaches met a few times this fall to plan for the use of the grant funds over the 23-25 biennium.  The team relied on two documents to guide the vision and direction of how Bend La Pine will use the funds. 

  1. Oregon Literacy Framework
  2. Essential Practices in Early Literacy

The team identified areas of strength in our early literacy programs and areas for potential growth.  The allowable uses for grant funding are in the following areas:

  1. Professional Development
  2. Instructional Coaching
  3. Evidence-Based Curricular Materials
  4. High Dosage Tutoring
  5. Extended Learning Programs

Here is the plan that will be presented to the school board on January 9th.  If you have questions, please reach out to Julie Walker

The timeline for submitting this grant was extremely short.  My hope is that we can cover this topic in more depth at an upcoming horizontal meeting. 

Language Arts Adoption Update

The Language Arts Review Team (made up of 30 teachers, specialists, coaches and administrators) will update the school board on January 9th with a report on the adoption process and the recommendation of EL Education as our K-5 Language Arts Curriculum.  After that,  the board will take feedback for a month and then will take action at the February 13th board meeting.  Currently,  we have 30 teachers field testing materials and giving feedback on recommended professional learning.  Please reach out with any feedback or questions.  

From Policy, Advocacy and Equity (Kinsey Martin)

ASL Interpreters: Wondering how to request an interpreter for American Sign Language (ASL)?   In your Linguist Link account, when you enter the “new project” page to make a new request, you’ll see instructions for accessing ASL support.  Please share this update with applicable staff.

CAFE Program: Need an interpreter or translator in a pinch?  An updated list of CAFE Program members is available here (it also lives on the Portal’s Equity page, under ‘Employee Resources’).  You are welcome to contact anyone on the list, not just those at your site!  Please continue to use Linguist Link for the majority of your requests—CAFE members are bilingual staff who can support as linguists if you have a time-sensitive matter, but should not be relied on for these services regularly.  

Please mark your calendar for two upcoming District Family events:

     –Wed, Jan 31st: Black History Month kick-off celebration

     –Thurs, Feb 8th: Lunar New Year celebration/AAPI Family Night

Both will be evening events with dinner included.  It would be great to have our leaders support our families by attending either or both of these events.  More info to follow—for now, save the dates!

Important Dates

  • Jan. 10. Educator Network Day, in your buildings from 1:45-3:15
  • Jan. 15 No School in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Jan. 17: Office staff meeting 1:15-2:15 (plan for them to be away from 1-2:30)

January 2nd, 2024

January 1, 2024

Our EME Focus

  • Tier 1 Instruction
  • Belonging
  • Define what it means to be an Art Focused School

Thoughts of the Week

Throw Starfish!!

Yep, I am pulling out an oldie but goody. I may have even already used it… I love this story, especially this time of the year. We have a chance at a new start in anything we want to make change in. I recently presented to all the elementary admin team and one of the things I said to them, and truly believe in, is if you don’t like something change it. I realize that there is a student here that I do not like my relationship with because it focuses more on the negatives than the positives. I am going to change it! Will it be easy? No! Honestly, I will have to let some things go, give up my pride, and be the adult I am supposed to be. Ugh! But… I don’t like where this student and I are at right now and it needs to change. So… Ugh! and Uffda! How will you continue to make that difference in the new year? The two weeks off were sure refreshing, but I did miss the kids and can’t wait to get back. Please try to remember that not everyone’s break was wonderful for all of our student’s families or staff’s families. We have had both staff and students who experienced loss and financial hardship. We have students that have experienced trauma and neglect in the last two weeks. They are all coming back anyway, some for the stability we provide and some for the friendships they seek. Please make sure to love everyone in the building gently and share your grace and kindness freely! Without further ado, Throw Starfish!

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, what are you doing? The youth replied, throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out.  If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die. Son, the man said, don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of thousands of starfish? You can’t make a difference!

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf.  Then, smiling at the man, he said, I made a difference for that one.


The Coming Week

MONDAY
  • No School
TUESDAY:
  • Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
  • EME Sped Meeting 2:15-3:00
  • 5-minute Standing Staff Meeting 2:20
  • Elementary Leadership Meeting 3:00-4:30
WEDNESDAY:
  • SIW – Training in the Media Center (Lori and Olivia)
THURSDAY:
  • Julia’s Birthday!!!
  • MTSS Building Wide 2:30-3:15
  • BAM (Beginning Admin Meeting) 5:00-7:00
FRIDAY:
  • None
UPCOMING DATES
  • January 8 – Fire Drill 8:00
  • January 10 – EET Book Exchange
  • January 12 – Earthquake Drill 8:00
  • January 13 – Katherine’s Birthday
  • January 14 – Sara’s Birthday
  • January 15 – No School
  • January 17 – Jill’s Birthday
  • January 20 – Lea’s Birthday
  • January 23 – Kinder Forest Field Trip
  • January 29 – Dibels
  • February 2 – No School


Updates from Downtown

Reminders:

New Notes:

Ed Network Day: The SIW plan for Educator Network Day on January 10th from 1:45-3:15 will be lead by Admin/ICCL and will be dedicated to introducing and planning for the changes to the Oregon Math Standards. Please share this plan with your staff. 

Translation/Interpretation: For any translation or interpretation requests that you’ll need completed/filled by the first week in January, please ensure you submit the request to Linguist Link before Friday, December 15th to avoid incurring additional costs you may be responsible for. For example, if you plan to send a family newsletter or email between Jan 2-5, please submit that document to translation before winter break. Please share this reminder with your staff.

Black History Month Save-the-Date: Our Black Family & Student Union is organizing a kick-off event to launch February’s Black History Month. The event will take place Wednesday, January 31st. Mark you calendar!  

From Culture of Care Coaches: Parents may be interested in some of these events from the Parent Learning Series.

Raptor Student Safe: Raptor Student Safe is a new platform to enter, collaborate, and track data round NSSI (non suicidal self injury), suicidal ideation (suicide risk screens) and behavioral safety (threat) assessments for school teams.

At the January 10 Educator Network Day, the Student Services Team will train school counselors, school psychologists, student success coordinators and nurses on how to enter NSSI and suicide risk screens into this system. After this END training, school risk screening teams will enter these screens into this system moving forward and will be better able to collaborate and track student safety concerns in their buildings. 

From Cascade: Please share this flyer with your families in TAG. It outlines Cascade’s TAG info night on January 10th.

From Sustainability: Please share this info about Forest Classroom with your teachers in grades K-2 that is coming up on February 8th from 9-3:30. Subs are covered by the Children’s Forest. Register here:  https://forms.gle/vmer5ZAwNpzqCmPm9

From Curriculum, Instruction and Systems: Here is an activity in Wayfinder that is a fun activity to get staff moving and laughing. Direct Link to the PDF. Directions on how to find the lesson in Wayfinder

From TLC: December 13th Elementary TLC Update The update for this week is the shortest of the year and only includes: report card info, Wayfinder, and movement info. Have a wonderful and safe Winter Break! Reach out to your elementary support staff for any needs or supports.

The Good of the Green Team: BLS has green team leaders in all but 5 schools this year and they are doing amazing work. Here are a few updates. Summit High students partnered with Miller to collect usable toys and are hosting a gift give for families at Bear Creek. Northstar, Ensworth, and Buckingham students completed waste audits to get baseline data for waste reduction efforts. Amity Creek is starting the 2024 school year with plates. BSH put waste stations throughout the school and Caldera Green team is inspiring students and staff to bring reusables to their pancake breakfast. The High School Green Leadership Coalitions wants to remind you all to have a great holiday and to reduce waste in how we wrap presents.

Important Dates

  • Jan. 2, 3:00-5:00 Elementary Leadership, at Miller Elementary
  • Jan. 10. Educator Network Day, in your buildings from 1:45-3:15
  • Jan. 15 No School in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Jan. 17: Office staff meeting 1:15-2:15 (plan for them to be away from 1-2:30)
  • Jan. 23, 3:00-5:00 Elementary Leadership, at Buckingham Elementary
  • Jan 31, All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30