Ramblings from the Meadow

Our EME Focus

• Tier 1 Instruction
• Belonging
• Define what it means to be an Integrated Arts School

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Thought of the Week

Charity wrapped in dignity…

A  lady approached a street vendor at the market and asked, “How much are your eggs?” The old man replied softly, “50 cents an egg, madam.” The woman, eyeing the modest stall, said, “I’ll take six for $2.50, or I’ll walk away. ”The vendor replied, “take them at the price you want, madam. This is a good start for me. It’s been a slow day, and I haven’t sold a single egg yet. I need this to live.” She bought her eggs at the bargain price and left feeling that she had won.. 

Later that day she went to a fancy restaurant with her friend.  She and her friend ordered what they wanted. They ate a little and left a lot of what they had ordered untouched. The bill came to $150. They gave the owner of the fancy restaurant  $200 and told him to keep the change as a tip.  This story might seem normal to the fancy restaurant owner but quite unfair to the egg seller. 

So here’s the question:

Why do we need to show we have power when buying from those who need our support the most… yet are generous to those who do not even need our generosity?

 I once read a story about a man who bought trinkets and small goods from poor vendors. He often paid more than the asking price.  One day, his son asked, “Dad, why do you overpay for things you don’t even need?” The father smiled and replied, “It’s charity, wrapped in dignity.” 

Let’s be better. Let’s value people over profit. Let’s give where it matters. Not to feel superior but to lift others with grace. After all, real generosity isn’t about how much you give… but how you give it.

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THE COMING WEEK:

• Monday
  • Josh Hayden Birthday!
  • Memorial Day!

• Tuesday
  • Care Teams 7:00-8:00
  • Forest Kindergarten 9:30-1:30

• Wednesday
  • Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
  • SIW 1:00-2:30

• Thursday
  • Brooke Vossler Birthday!
  • Counselor Share Out at District Office 10:30-12:30
  • Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15

• Friday
  • EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
    
• Saturday
  • Cassie Polanco Birthday!

UPCOMING DATES:

• June 2 – Dibels
• June 2 – Staff Meeting 2:30-3:15
• June 3 – EME Safety Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 3 – Elementary Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• June 4 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 4 – SIW Art in the Meadow Prep 1:00-2:30
• June 4 – Admin PD 3:00-4:30
• June 5 – Counselor Celebration at District Office 7:30-9:30
• June 5 – Fire Drill 9:30
• June 5 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• June 6 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• June 6 – Field Day
• June 6 – Art in the Meadow 5:30-7:00
• June 9 – Meet with Peter 2:30
• June 10 – Care Teams 7:00-8:00
• June 10 – ICCL Meeting 2:30-3:15
• June 10 – 5th Grade Move Up/Music Performance
• June 11 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 11 – SIW Teacher Prep 1:00-2:30
• June 12 – The Last Day of School!
• June 12 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• June 13 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• June 15 – Father’s Day!
• June 17 – Nicole Garroutte Birthday!
• June 17 – Admin EOY Celebration
• June 19 – Holiday

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Updates from Downtown

“To the world you may be one person, but to one person, you may be the world.” It’s so easy this time of year to set sights on summer break and put the year behind you. But, never forget the impact you are all making in the lives of students on a daily basis. Love them hard, as in a few weeks, you will miss that daily smile, high 5, kind hello, and admit it, even the occasional stink eye. .

Important Links

• BEA and OSEA Bargaining Update Website
• May 7^th Elementary TLC Update
• Topics of Interest/Problem of Practice
• FAQs for Special Education Inclusion Topics—Keep checking in here! BEA and BLS supported

Notes from our Team:

From Paul Dean in Operations:

Classroom Guidance from Maintenance & Custodial Departments

While there is no board-adopted policy that explicitly governs classroom furniture or decorations, our BLS operational practice has been to guide schools as follows:

• District-Purchased Furniture: Bend-La Pine Schools assumes responsibility for the cleaning, movement, and maintenance of furniture that has been purchased by the district.
• Staff-Purchased Furniture or Items: Any furniture or furnishings that are brought in by staff members are considered the responsibility of the staff and/or school site. This includes maintenance, movement between rooms, and cleaning as needed.

Regarding classroom decorations and wall attachments, there are fire code restrictions that must be followed. These include limits on how much and the type of material that can be affixed to walls and ceilings, as well as requirements to maintain adequate clearances and pathways for emergency egress. Decorations/furniture should not obstruct exits or create fire hazards that would impede safe evacuation in the event of an emergency.

Additionally, per OSHA safety requirements, any shelving units or storage furniture that exceed a certain height (typically 5 feet or higher) must be properly secured to walls to prevent tipping hazards. This applies to both district-owned and staff-supplied furniture and is an important consideration for student and staff safety during daily use or seismic activity.

Lastly, we ask staff to be mindful of classroom lighting. Excessive use of supplemental lighting (e.g., lamps or string lights) should be minimized, as the district is actively pursuing sustainability initiatives to reduce energy consumption and meet long-term environmental goals. Use of natural light and district-installed lighting should generally meet classroom needs.

From Sean Reinhart in Student Services:

You all have done an amazing job of getting your staff trained in CPI verbal intervention and CPI full course. 

CPI training by the numbers THIS YEAR! ⚡

🎉 453 staff members have been trained in CPI verbal intervention or the full CPI course

🛺 Including 65 staff members from transportation

📚There were more than 25 training opportunities

✨ We now have 581 TOTAL staff members trained in CPI strategies

🛟 Every school has AT LEAST a 50:1 student to staff ratio of trained staff

We will offer a full course training for new staff during the August in-service week, so be on the look-out for that date. 

Important Dates

• May 26: Memorial Day, No School
• May 27: June Horizontal (Changed from June 3rd) at Highland – HLD and Three Rivers host
• May 27: Dr. Cook’s State of the District at 3:05 and again at 3:50
• June 5: Counseling Celebration in the board room, 7:30-9:30
• June 5: TAG Team meeting, 3:45 in the boardroom
• June 12: Last Day students—half day
• June 13: Last Day staff

And finally…

Our EME Focus

• Tier 1 Instruction
• Belonging
• Define what it means to be an Integrated Arts School

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Thought of the Week

You gotta be who you are in this world…

I read the story below and it reminded me of this scene in “The Equalizer“ with Denzel. It talks about the old man, Captain Ahab, and the fish, Moby Dick. I love this scene because it shows how you need to be who are in this world and I think it ties into the following story:

A man saw a snake being burned to death and decided to take it out of the fire. When he did, the snake bit him causing excruciating pain.  The man dropped the snake, and the reptile fell right back into the fire.  So, the man grabbed a metal pole, took the snake out of the fire, and saved its life.”

Someone who was watching approached the man and said “that snake bit you. Why are you still trying to save it?”. The man replied” “the nature of the snake is to bite, but that’s not gonna change my nature, which is to help. Do not change your nature simply because someone harms you. Do not lose your good heart, only learn to take precautions.

The events in this story remind me of something that is extremely important to me, which are intentions. And I feel like that word is synonymous with the concept of “nature” in this story. The snake’s intention was to protect itself, not to hurt.  The man realizes that and decides not to punish the snake for its actions, and follow through on his own intentions, which was to help.  

The observable world is one thing, and many events can be misconstrued into the wrong interpretation. The purest form of behavior is behavioral intent, and seeing through the action into that intent will help you decide how to act.

Gain clarity on your own intentions, and don’t compromise them just because it appears that a situation doesn’t call for them. It’s not in your nature.

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THE COMING WEEK:

• Monday
  • Committee Meetings 2:30-3:15

• Tuesday
  • ICCL Meeting 2:30-3:15

• Wednesday
  • Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
  • SIW 1:00-2:30
  • Screenager Event at Elk Meadow 5:30-7:30

• Thursday
  • Tonya Myers Birthday!
  • 1st Grade Field Trip 9:30-11:30
  • Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
  • Kindergarten Open House 5:30-6:30

• Friday
  • EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
    
• Sunday
  • Chris’ Birthday!

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UPCOMING DATES:

• May 26 – Josh Hayden Birthday!
• May 26 – Memorial Day!
• May 27 – Care Teams 7:00-8:00
• May 27 – Forest Kindergarten 9:30-1:30
• May 28 – SIW 1:00-2:30
• May 29 – Brooke Vossler Birthday!
• May 29 – Counselor Share Out at District Office 10:30-12:30
• May 29 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• May 30 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• May 31 – Cassie Polanco Birthday!
• June 2 – Dibels
• June 2 – Staff Meeting 2:30-3:15
• June 3 – EME Safety Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 3 – Elementary Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• June 4 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 4 – SIW Art in the Meadow Prep 1:00-2:30
• June 4 – Admin PD 3:00-4:30
• June 5 – Counselor Celebration at District Office 7:30-9:30
• June 5 – Fire Drill 9:30
• June 5 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• June 6 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• June 6 – Field Day
• June 6 – Art in the Meadow 5:30-7:00
• June 9 – Meet with Peter 2:30
• June 10 – Care Teams 7:00-8:00
• June 10 – ICCL Meeting 2:30-3:15
• June 10 – 5th Grade Move Up/Music Performance
• June 11 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 11 – SIW Teacher Prep 1:00-2:30
• June 12 – The Last Day of School!
• June 12 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• June 13 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• June 15 – Father’s Day!
• June 17 – Nicole Garroutte Birthday!
• June 17 – Admin EOY Celebration
• June 19 – Holiday

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Updates from Downtown

Important Links

• BEA and OSEA Bargaining Update Website
• May 7^th Elementary TLC Update
• Topics of Interest/Problem of Practice
• FAQs for Special Education Inclusion Topics—Keep checking in here! BEA and BLS supported

Notes from our Team:

From Ryan – Human Resources

Extra Duty Rosters: HR would like you to review the current and projected vacancies for any Extra Duty positions at your site. To the extent possible, it would be extremely beneficial for all involved – employees, admin, HR, Payroll – to have all year-round and fall Extra Duty positions filled before the end of the current school year.  Please remember that all Extra Duty positions must be filled through a competitive hiring process.

To support this work, here is a link to the current allocations and rosters for each site: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wRC0hwxXUMv5R8Ni7h82rIAiKj1ElCY7QE_5pD-Qmgk/edit?usp=sharing

Please reach out to [email protected] for clarification as needed.

SafeSchools Update. Thank you SO MUCH for the quick response to the SafeSchools trainings that were outstanding or unaccounted for. It was incredible to see the quickness with which that list got smaller. The list will be updated every Monday, so please check back. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Canopy, the district’s Employee Assistance Plan provider, is available to ALL employees. Canopy has free, confidential resources designed to help employees thrive and includes these kinds of services: 

✔ 24/7 Confidential Counseling – provides access to professional, real time, support anytime, anywhere.
✔ Personalized Coaching – offers one-on-one guidance to help you set goals and find balance.
✔ On-Demand Learning – includes webinars, tip sheets, and resources to support your mental wellness. 

Check out this flyer to learn more and find out how to access Canopy’s services.

From Kinsey – Office of Policy, Advocacy, and Equity:

Summer groceries/food access: Can you please share this in your next school newsletters (for families and for staff)?  

Need help with buying groceries for your family?  The state of Oregon offers a program that can help families with school-age children who need help with access to food while school is out for summer.  For details and to apply, see flyer: 

Summer EBT Flyer English

¿Necesita ayuda con alimentos para su familia?  El estado de Oregón ofrece un programa que ayuda a las familias con niños de edad escolar a comprar alimentos durante las vacaciones de verano.  Para más detalles y para aplicar, véase este volante:

Summer EBT Flyer Spanish

Operations – Paul Dean

Grounds and Athletic Fields  Like other departments, Maintenance is responding to budget constraints and limited staffing.  Our Outside Services Team, therefore, is adjusting our fertilization schedule to better manage available resources and align with sustainability initiatives.  

Instead of applying fertilizer during early spring (spring break), we will now fertilize in late June or early July, with an additional application for athletic fields in the fall. This change—along with scaling back from the previous 3–4 applications per year—will save the district thousands of dollars and significantly reduce water usage, which aligns with conservation efforts encouraged by both the City of Bend and the BLS.

These adjustments will also allow our crews to focus on other critical turf maintenance tasks, such as edging and weed control, which we can better manage as the grass growth slows. Rest assured, playing surfaces will remain safe and the turf healthy.

We’re also prioritizing aeration this year—something we haven’t done consistently in the past. This will have a major positive impact on the overall condition of our fields. Finally, we are in the process of organizing a dedicated field maintenance crew and hope to bring on summer help soon to accelerate this work.

Thank you for your patience and support as we implement these changes.

Important Dates

• May 26: Memorial Day, No School
• May 27: June Horizontal (Changed from June 3rd) at Highland – HLD and Three Rivers host
• June 4: All Admin PD at Aspen Hall, 3:00-4:30
• June 5: Counseling Celebration in the board room, 7:30-9:30
• June 5: TAG Team meeting, 3:45 in the boardroom
• June 12: Last Day students—half day
• June 13: Last Day staff

And finally…May 16th is National Classic Movie Day! What is your favorite? Let me know and I will give it a go! I am old enough that my favorite movie is now considered a classic!

Our EME Focus

• Tier 1 Instruction
• Belonging
• Define what it means to be an Integrated Arts School

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Thought of the Week

State Testing Thought…

Now that the State Tests have started for our Elk Meadow students. I know this can make you feel nervous for your students to do well. But… please remember, among the students who will be testing there’s an artist, who doesn’t need to understand math perfectly. There is an entrepreneur, who doesn’t truly care about SEED or Expeditionary Learning. There’s a musician, whose science scores won’t matter and there’s an athlete whose physical fitness is more important than physics. If your kids nail the test, that’s Awesome!  But if they don’t, please continue to reinforce their self-confidence and help them keep their dignity intact. Tell them it’s okay, it’s just a test and they are cut out for much bigger things in life! Tell them, no matter what they score, you still care about them and will be there for them! 

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THE COMING WEEK:

• Monday
  • Ben out for Admin Meeting 7:30-12:30
  • Meet with Peter 2:30

• Tuesday
  • Care Teams 7:00-8:00
  • Train Your Brain 8:00-9:00
  • Staff Meeting 2:30-3:15

• Wednesday
  • Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
  • ELL Ice Cream Event 11:00-12:15
  • EA Meeting 1:00
  • SIW Teacher Prep 1:00-2:30
  • Admin PD 3:00-4:30

• Thursday
  • Smart Reading (Kindergarten) 9:45-10:45
  • Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15

• Friday
  • EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
  • 2nd Grade Field Trip 9:30-1:30

UPCOMING DATES:

• May 19 – Committee Meetings 2:30-3:15
• May 20 – ICCL Meeting 2:30-3:15
• May 21 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
• May 21 – SIW 1:00-2:30
• May 21 – Screenager Event at Elk Meadow 5:30-7:30
• May 22 – Tonya Myers Birthday!
• May 22 – 1st Grade Field Trip 9:30-11:30
• May 22 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• May 22 – Kindergarten Open House 5:30-6:30
• May 23 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• May 25 – Chris Hill Birthday!
• May 26 – Josh Hayden Birthday!
• May 26 – Memorial Day!
• May 27 – Care Teams 7:00-8:00
• May 27 – Forest Kindergarten 9:30-1:30
• May 28 – SIW 1:00-2:30
• May 29 – Brooke Vossler Birthday!
• May 29 – Counselor Share Out at District Office 10:30-12:30
• May 29 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• May 30 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• May 31 – Cassie Polanco Birthday!
• June 2 – Dibels
• June 2 – Staff Meeting 2:30-3:15
• June 3 – EME Safety Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 3 – Elementary Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• June 4 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 4 – SIW Art in the Meadow Prep 1:00-2:30
• June 4 – Admin PD 3:00-4:30
• June 5 – Counselor Celebration at District Office 7:30-9:30
• June 5 – Fire Drill 9:30
• June 5 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• June 6 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• June 6 – Field Day
• June 6 – Art in the Meadow 5:30-7:00
• June 9 – Meet with Peter 2:30
• June 10 – Care Teams 7:00-8:00
• June 10 – ICCL Meeting 2:30-3:15
• June 10 – 5th Grade Move Up/Music Performance
• June 11 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 11 – SIW Teacher Prep 1:00-2:30
• June 12 – The Last Day of School!
• June 12 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• June 13 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• June 15 – Father’s Day!
• June 17 – Nicole Garroutte Birthday!
• June 17 – Admin EOY Celebration
• June 19 – Holiday

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Updates from Downtown

Important Links

• BEA and OSEA Bargaining Update Website
• State Testing Folder
• May 7^th Elementary TLC Update
• Topics of Interest/Problem of Practice-Heartfelt gratitude from a colleague and a new ask
• FAQs for Special Education Inclusion Topics—Keep checking in here! BEA and BLS supported

Notes from our Team:

Wayfinder’s Waypoint Summative Assessment Announcement

The Wayfinder Waypoint Summative Assessment is now active! If your school has completed the Fall Summative Assessment, please ensure that both teachers and students participate in the End of the Year assessment. This assessment will measure student growth in Life and Career Readiness skills.

Instructions for Students:

·         Students can access the assessment in the Wayfinder app on their iPad under the To Do List.

The assessment will remain open until June 12th and is expected to take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Please note that it may take longer for educators to observe students in grades K-2.

After your school has finished the assessment, feel free to schedule a meeting with Jennifer to review your data dashboard and discuss goals for the upcoming year.

Check out this upcoming training on Change, put on by Dr. Amy Yillik, with the Culture of Care.

Dealing with Change If you’ve been to any of my trainings on wellness, you’ve probably heard me quote Dr. Bruce Perry with “Change activates our stress response.”  As I navigate this season of my life in the world we live in, I am 100% confident that change is the one thing I can count on.  Whether we are navigating the failing health of a loved one, worried about the state of education in the United States or managing the day to day surprises that pop up, we are in change-so our nervous systems are in stress!  SCRR in conjunction with Oregon Well-Being Trust is facilitating a virtual process space “Steadying Ourselves in Uncertain Times” on Monday May 12 3:30-4:30.  I hope you will find it helpful. -Dr Amy

Social Emotional and Well Being–Jennifer and Jess

From Tammy and Karen: Reminder, it is an expectation that all schools with counselors send at least one administrator to this celebration on June 5, from 7:30-9:30. (Note the date change)

Important Dates

• May 6: Horizontal meeting 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at Silver Rail, SRE and Rosland host
• May 14: All Admin PD at Sky View Middle school, 3:00-4:30 Read Chapter 4!
• May 26: Memorial Day, No School
• May 27: June Horizontal (Changed from June 3rd) at Highland – HLD and Three Rivers host
• June 4: All Admin PD at Aspen Hall, 3:00-4:30
• June 5: Counseling Celebration in the board room, 7:30-9:30
• June 5: TAG Team meeting, 3:45 in the boardroom
• June 12: Last Day students—half day
• June 13: Last Day staff
• June 17: Elementary End of Year Celebration! 2:00 Somewhere!

And finally…Today is National Coconut Cream Pie Day! In honor of that special day, here is a recipe in case you are now drooling!

Our EME Focus

• Tier 1 Instruction
• Belonging
• Define what it means to be an Integrated Arts School

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Thought of the Week

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The story of the empty boat is an important Daoist parable. It’s about how we can avoid getting angry at the world and how we can live more peacefully with others.

It goes like this:

Imagine you are on a river , rowing your boat. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the day is lovely indeed. Suddenly, you jolt forward. Another boat has collided with yours.

You turn around to face the offending vessel. You’re ready to scream, shout, and be furious, but you find only an empty boat, pushed by the river, which happens to bump into yours.

The story is about why we get angry. It’s not so much the misfortune or accident that upsets us, but rather the belief that someone intended to harm us. We often get more upset about someone’s intentions than about what they actually did. The lesson of the empty boat is to stop imagining people are out to get us and recognize that, often, we’re all just muddling along.

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THE COMING WEEK:

• Monday
  • May 5-9 Teacher Appreciation Week!
  • Staff Meeting 2:30-3:15 Ryan will be here

• Tuesday
  • EME Safety Meeting 7:00-7:30
  • Elementary Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00

• Wednesday
  • 5th at Camp Tamarack
  • National School Nurse Day!
  • Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
  • SIW Extra Time for EL 1:00-2:30
  • Safety Cadre Meeting 2:00-3:30
  • 2nd Grade Family Dance 5:30-6:30

• Thursday
  • 5th at Camp Tamarack
  • Field Trip 2nd Grade
  • Smart Reading (Kindergarten) 9:45-10:45
  • Ben Meeting with Julie 12:15-12:45
  • Fire Drill – 1:30
  • Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
  • K, 1, 2 Team Meeting with Julie – 2:30-3:15
  • Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15

• Friday
  • 5th at Camp Tamarack
  • Olivia Variel Birthday!
  • EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
  • Ruby Garcia Tolson Assembly 12:00-2:00

Happy Mother’s Day!

UPCOMING DATES:

• May 12 – Ben out for Admin Meeting 7:30-12:30
• May 12. – Meet with Peter 2:30
• May 13 – Care Teams 7:00-8:00
• May 13 – Train Your Brain 8:00-9:00
• May 14 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
• May 14 – ELL Ice Cream Event 11:00-12:15
• May 14 – EA Meeting 1:00
• May 14 – SIW Teacher Prep 1:00-2:30
• May 14 – Admin PD 3:00-4:30
• May 15 – Smart Reading (Kindergarten) 9:45-10:45
• May 15 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• May 16 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• May 16 – 2nd Grade Field Trip 9:30-1:30
• May 19 – Committee Meetings 2:30-3:15
• May 19 – Admin ICCL Training – 3:00-5:00
• May 20 – ICCL Meeting 2:30-3:15
• May 21 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
• May 21 – SIW 1:00-2:30
• May 21 – Screenager Event at Elk Meadow 5:30-7:30
• May 22 – Tonya Myers Birthday!
• May 22 – 1st Grade Field Trip 9:30-11:30
• May 22 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• May 22 – Kindergarten Open House 5:30-6:30
• May 23 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• May 25 – Chris Hill Birthday!
• May 26 – Josh Hayden Birthday!
• May 26 – Memorial Day!
• May 27 – Care Teams 7:00-8:00
• May 27 – Forest Kindergarten 9:30-1:30
• May 28 – SIW 1:00-2:30
• May 29 – Brooke Vossler Birthday!
• May 29 – Counselor Share Out at District Office 10:30-12:30
• May 29 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• May 30 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• May 31 – Cassie Polanco Birthday!
• June 2 – Dibels
• June 2 – Staff Meeting 2:30-3:15
• June 3 – EME Safety Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 3 – Elementary Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• June 4 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 4 – SIW Art in the Meadow Prep 1:00-2:30
• June 4 – Admin PD 3:00-4:30
• June 5 – Counselor Celebration at District Office 7:30-9:30
• June 5 – Fire Drill 9:30
• June 5 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• June 6 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• June 6 – Field Day
• June 6 – Art in the Meadow 5:30-7:00
• June 9 – Meet with Peter 2:30
• June 10 – Care Teams 7:00-8:00
• June 10 – ICCL Meeting 2:30-3:15
• June 10 – 5th Grade Move Up/Music Performance
• June 11 – Office Admin Meeting 7:00-7:30
• June 11 – EA Meeting 1:00
• June 11 – SIW Teacher Prep 1:00-2:30
• June 12 – The Last Day of School!
• June 12 – Sped Team Meeting – 2:30-3:15
• June 13 – EET Weekly Meeting 8:00-9:00
• June 15 – Father’s Day!
• June 17 – Nicole Garroutte Birthday!
• June 17 – Admin EOY Celebration
• June 19 – Holiday

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Updates from Downtown

Important Links

• BEA and OSEA Bargaining Update Website
•  April 23^rd Elementary TLC Update
• Topics of Interest/Problem of Practice-Heartfelt gratitude from a colleague and a new ask
• FAQs for Special Education Inclusion Topics—Keep checking in here! BEA and BLS supported

Notes from our Team:

Curriculum and Instruction-Julie Richards

*DIBELS begins on May 12th.  Here is the schedule. 

*Note:  TLC and Instructional Coaches will begin preparing for summer professional learning beginning the week of May 5th.  Instructional Coaches will only be in buildings:  Tuesday, Wednesday PM and Thursday. 

Admin:  Share this with teachers in your newsletters

Teachers below are the activity highlights for the week. 

 Kindergarten: Secret Spyglass – Students practice thinking about the future and share their hopes with each other.

1st grade: Big Mistake – Students listen to the story Regina’s Big Mistake, by Marissa Moss, and identify and celebrate areas of learning where they might make mistakes.

2nd grade: Cars that Can’t See – Students explore trusting someone while navigating uncertainty through an embodied partner activity.

3rd grade: Someone I Trust – Students engage in a visualization about the experience of feeling safe in a classroom.

4th grade: A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words – Students recreate a simple drawing with their eyes closed, relying solely on the descriptions and directions of a partner.

5th grade: I Can’t Believe My Eyes – Students practice paying attention and problem solving by looking at optical illusions.

This document links EL Module 1, 2, 3 and 4 with Wayfinder’s 20 Minute lessons that teach the skills students need and Collections that go with the unit.

Technology – Scott McDonald

iPad Roll-In is Coming! As many of you know, all students will be turning in their iPads before the last day of school. Since we are transitioning to keyboard-equipped devices at all high schools, every student will receive a new or different device for the 2025–26 school year.

This will be a massive undertaking—the first time in 12 years that we are either replacing or swapping all 17,000+ student devices in a single summer. To make this a success, we need your help:

Communicate early – Remind students to back up their work, update their devices, and locate their charging bricks and cords.

Create a school-specific plan – Connect with your IT Client Services representative to understand the process and build a plan to collect student iPads before the end of the year.

Recruit help – This is not a job for media/library staff alone. Plan to involve available staff, students, or volunteers to support the roll-in process.

I’ll be sending more detailed instructions, tips, and ideas for iPad roll-in over the coming weeks. Please also check out this link for information.

Thank you in advance for your support!

From Ryan Kelling–Human Resources

SafeSchools Training Update: Next week, we will be sharing a list of employees who have not yet completed their required SafeSchools trainings with supervisors via email. 

These trainings are a critical component of our ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe environment for all students and staff. They also serve to establish a shared understanding of protocols and expectations that can be applied consistently in any situation. Supervisors will be responsible for ensuring that all employees they supervise complete the trainings as soon as possible. These trainings may be completed during work hours. Certified employees are already compensated for this time, and Classified employees may be provided paid release time if necessary.

Looking ahead, we recognize the need to improve communication around training deadlines and will work to establish clearer expectations next year, including potential accountability measures for non-completion. Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for helping reinforce our collective responsibility for school safety.

BLAST Vacancies: The recruitment for two more vacant BLAST positions has commenced. 

We are currently recruiting for an Athletic Director/Assistant Principal at La Pine High School and for the Principal vacancy at Elk Meadow Elementary School.

The AD/AP vacancy is a result of the MOA moving these positions to the BLAST schedule. 

The Elk Meadow vacancy is due to Ben Johnston’s resignation. 

If you’d like to learn more about either vacancy, please connect with Ryan.

From Kinsey – Policy, Advocacy, & Equity:

Weekend Snack Bags: The Giving Plate is resuming their weekend snack bag program!  As a reminder, this program provides extra snacks for students in need, to supplement food access over the weekend.  Please note:

• Families must complete a form to qualify and begin receiving this resource.  
• FAN Advocates continue to be the point of contact for family qualification/permission forms and for snack bag distribution to students.
• If your school’s parent volunteer network has stepped in to organize snack bags during the Giving Plate’s pause in service, please let them know this program is resuming and they can phase out their coordination.  Better yet, if this is an issue your Booster Club/PTA cares about, they can volunteer with the Giving Plate as individuals or a group–that effort will directly benefit food access for students in your schools.  

Do Not Schedule dates: As you start to schedule dates and events for next year, don’t forget to schedule around these dates. 

Action Items

• Check out and plan for DIBELS on this schedule
• Get the “do not schedule” dates in your calendars now, so in your planning, you avoid school events on these days.
• Prepare for the iPad rollover at the end of the year

Important Dates

• May 1: National School Principal’s Day
• May 5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 6: Horizontal meeting 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at Silver Rail, SRE and Rosland host
• May 7: National Association of School Nurses National School Nurse Day (Proclamation here.)
• May 7: Safety Cadre Meeting, 2:00-3:30, location TBA
• May 14: All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30 Read Chapter 4!
• May 26: Memorial Day, No School
• May 27: June Horizontal (Changed from June 3rd) at Highland – HLD and Three Rivers host
• May 30: Counselor Celebrations, 7:30-9:30 in the board room
• June 4: All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30
• June 12: Last Day students—half day
• June 13: Last Day staff
• June 17: Elementary End of Year Celebration! 2:00 Somewhere!

And finally….It’s May 1 and time to break out the Meaningful May daily calendar from Action for Happiness! Visit the site at https://actionforhappiness.org/calendar