Our EME Focus

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

---

Thoughts of the Week

Honor the Absent: Show Your Integrity

I have been rereading a book I read over 20 years ago recently, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In the book, Stephen Covey states, “one of the most important ways to manifest integrity is to be loyal to those who are not present. In doing so, we build the trust of those who are present. When you defend those who are absent, you retain the trust of those present.” In this we honor the absent! 

One of the most important decisions we make in the workplace is whether or not we hold each other’s name as sacred, or as something we can trash whenever we desire. In a funny sort of way, we are everyone’s name. In other words, as soon as one person’s name is not sacred, then no one’s name is sacred. If we hear one person’s name being dishonored in the workplace, then we know that can easily happen to us as well.

Communicating ‘you matter’ is how we want to talk about people when they are present. Honoring the Absent is how we want to talk about people when they are not present.

When we Honor the Absent, we build trust with people who are present. When we Dishonor the Absent, we violate trust with people who are present. Why would that happen? Because if I have the reputation of dishonoring others, people who are present think I will dishonor them when they are not present. Relationships require trust. If we are serious about developing relationships, we have to be serious about maintaining and building trust. It’s as easy as A, B, C.

A) Be a Problem Solver, Not a Problem Namer – Look for solutions, don’t look to blame. 

B) Say, “I hear you” or “OK” when someone is Dishonoring the Absent. This lets you acknowledge what someone has said without dumping more fuel on the fire. When you don’t add fuel to the fire you build trust and bring positive energy to the entire culture.

C) Try the Two out of Three Rule. Next time you want to bad-mouth someone, consider doing only two of the three things listed below:

1. Say someone’s name, instead leave the name out.
2. Say something negative, instead say something positive about the person.
3. Say it to someone else, instead tell your dog rather than your neighbor.

---

---

The Coming Week

• Monday
  • 5 minute stand up meeting 7:15
  • Core Effectiveness Meeting with Lori (Grades 1, 2, 5) 
  • Carrie Shorthouse’s Birthday!
• Tuesday
  • Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
  • Fire Drill 1:30 (Time Change)
• Wednesday
  • Jenn Kandra’s Birthday!
  • Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
  • Art Workshop 9:30-10:30
  • EA Meeting 1:00-1:30
  • SIW Teacher Prep (Conference Scheduling for Siblings)
  • Admin PD Perseverance Hall
  • 5th Grade Performance 5:00
• Thursday
  • PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• Friday
  • Kindergarten Forest Field Trip
  • SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

UPCOMING DATES:

• March 25-29 Spring Break! 
• April 1 Care Teams Meeting 2:20-3:15
• April 2 Dexter’s Birthday!
• April 2 Safety Team Meeting 7:00-7:30
• April 2 Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• April 2 SBAC Training 2:30-3:15
• April 3 Noah’s Birthday!
• April 3 Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
• April 3 SIW Conference Prep Time
• April 4 Educator Job Fair 1:00-6:00
• April 4 1st week of MTSS Rotations 2:30-3:15
• April 5 SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
• April 8 Staff Meeting 2:30-3:15
• April 9 Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• April 9 ICCL Meeting 2:15-3:15
• April 10 Conferences 8:00-8:00
• April 10 Admin PD 3:00-5:00
• April 11 Conferences 8:00-8:00
• April 12 No School
• April 13 Emily McLarty’s Birthday!
• April 16 Travis Hanson’s Birthday!
• April 16 Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• April 16 ICCL Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• April 17 Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
• April 17 EA Meeting 1:00-1:30
• April 17 SIW Collaborative Problem Solving #2 – Mary and Natalie 1:00-2:30
• April 17 2nd Grade Performance 5:00
• April 18 MTSS Rotations 2:30-3:15
• April 19 SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
• April 23 Fire Drill 8:00
• April 23 Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• April 23 Miss Nelson (Presentation) Mountain View High School 12:15-12:45
• April 23 Care Teams Meeting 2:20-3:15
• April 23 Elementary Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• April 24 Spring Picture Day
• April 24 Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
• April 24 SIW ED Network
• April 25 MTSS Rotations 2:30-3:15
• April 25 Beginning Admin Meeting 5:00-7:00
• April 26 SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
• April 29-May 3 MCT Jack in the Beanstalk
• April 29 Committee Meetings 2:30-3:15
• April 30 Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• May 1 Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
• May 1 SIW Jump Start New EL Program 1:00-2:30
• May 2 MTSS Rotations 2:30-3:15
• May 3 SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

---

Updates from Downtown

Do Now:

• New! Who and When are you taking the CPI training: Please let us know HERE

Reminders:

• TLC Update: March 6^th Elementary TLC Update
• Culture of Care: Check out the Wellness Activities for Families!

New Notes:

From Jenny White:

• The Wayfinder highlight this week is Restorative Circles.  In the TLC update there was a highlight on Restorative Practices so below are additional collections that will give you resources for your community connection time.
• Facilitate restorative circles that encourage dialogue, empathy, and understanding. This collection of lessons and activities can be used to provide a platform for conflict resolution, healing, and strengthening relationships within the classroom community.
• Directions on how to find the Restorative Circles in Wayfinder.
• Direct Links to Wayfinder’s Collection
• Kindergarten
• 1st – 2nd
• 3rd – 5th

From Scott in IT:

Your giant Stanley Cup may be costing your school money!

We have been issuing teacher computers to all certified staff since 2006.  Eighteen years ago.  In each of those eighteen years, our breakage has been relatively flat.  That is, until January of this year.  For the first half of the school year, we had 4 teacher laptops turned in for non-warrantied damage.  Since January 2024 we have already received 18!  Eight of which the user reported that a (water) spill was the source of the damage.  

Your school or facility will now be responsible for the cost of any computer repair or replacement caused by damage or negligence.  Any money going toward repair is less money going toward necessary technology updates or innovation.

Now, we can’t officially link the cause of this uptick to the popularity of Stanley sippy cups that seems to have occurred at exactly the same time. However, it is quite a coincidence!   Please help us and your school by keeping any beverage on a separate surface away from your computer.

From The Communications Department: Please make sure you share this message with families prior to spring break. We want to make sure our families have the resources for care during break when we are not available to support.

CPR/First Aid Training: Do it!

The district offers free CPR/First Aid training to all employees. The majority of the training is online with a 20 minute in-person skills check-off by one of our district instructors. Instructions on how to sign up for the class are below.

  How to Register for CPR/First Aid Training/Renewal Course for BLS Staff  in UKG

• Go to UKG 
• My Info (drop down menu, 3 stacked lines upper left side, above your initials) 
• My Career 
• My Learning 
• Access Learning (upper right side) 
• Training (top menu bar) 
• Courses 
• First Aid (on right side) 
• Click on First Aid Link  
• Click on green Enroll Now button 

Please contact Michelle Spetic if you have any issues signing up.

Erin’s Law: Child Abuse Prevention Month (April) is upon us. This is a friendly reminder that you need to let April Jorgenson know when you plan to teach your Erin’s Law lessons. As of today, she has received zero, nada, zilch, from anyone about the dates. Thanks for checking in with her.

Important Dates

• March 20: Admin PD at Perseverance Hall at Bend High 3:00-4:30
• March 24: Excellence in Education Nominees are due!
• April: Naglieri testing & SBAC for ELA
• April 2: Elementary Horizontal at Lava Ridge with Lava and High Lakes sharing, 3:00-5:00
• April 4: Central Oregon Job Fair
• May: SBAC for Math and Science
• May 30: School Counselor Celebration in board room 8-9:30

And finally…

As we gear up to have one more week until Spring Break, take some time to focus on some Healthy Happiness! Share the love (and calendar) with your staff too.

Our EME Focus

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

---

Thoughts of the Week

The Best Way to Spot an Idiot — Look for the Person Who is Cruel

If you want to be successful in this world, you have to develop your own idiot detection system. The best way to spot an idiot — look for the person who is cruel. Let me explain. When we see someone who doesn’t look like us or sound like us, or act like us or love like us or live like us, the first thought that crosses almost everyone’s brain is rooted in either fear or judgment or both. That’s evolution. We survived as a species by being suspicious of things that we aren’t familiar with. In order to be kind we have to shut down that animal instinct and force our brain to travel a different pathway. Empathy and compassion are evolved states of being. They require the mental capacity to step past our most primal urges. This may be a surprising assessment because somewhere along the way, in the last few years, our society has come to believe that weaponized cruelty is part of some well thought out masterplan. Cruelty is seen by some as an adroit cudgel to gain power. Empathy and kindness are considered weak. Many important people look at the vulnerable only as rungs on a ladder to the top. I’m here to tell you that when someone’s path through this world is marked with acts of cruelty, they have failed the first test of an advanced society. They never forced their animal brain to evolve past its first instinct. They never forged new mental pathways to overcome their own instinctual fears and so their thinking and problem solving will lack the imagination and creativity that the kindest people have in spades. Over my many years in politics and business, I have found one thing to be universally true: The kindest person in the room is often the smartest.”

Governor J.B. Pritzker

Never let anybody make you feel less than… You don’t just have worth, you are worthy! Stay away from idiots!

---

---

The Coming Week

• Monday
  • Staff Meeting 2:15-3:15
• Tuesday
  • Core Effectiveness Meeting with Lori (Grades K, 4, 3) 
  • Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
  • Care Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
  • Ben out for interviews 1:00-6:00
• Wednesday
  • Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
  • Art Workshop 9:30-10:30
  • SIW Art Training #3 1:00-2:30
• Thursday
  • Coaching Support with Lori – all day by sign up
  • PLC’s 2:30-3:15
  • Family Game Night 5:30-6:30
• Friday
  • SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

UPCOMING DATES:

• March 18 Core Effectiveness Meeting with Lori (Grades 1, 2, 5) 
• March 18 Carrie Shorthouse’s Birthday!
• March 19 Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• March 19 Fire Drill 1:00
• March 20 Jenn Kandra’s Birthday!
• March 20 Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
• March 20 Art Workshop 9:30-10:30
• March 20 EA Meeting 1:00-1:30
• March 20 SIW Teacher Prep
• March 20 Admin PD Perseverance Hall
• March 20 5th Grade Performance
• March 21 PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• March 22 Kindergarten Forest Field Trip
• March 22 SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

---

Updates from Downtown

Reminders:

• End of Year Schedule: Now 6/5 will be an building discretion SIW and 6/12 will be a teacher-directed SIW.

New Notes:

From Jenny White:

• Wayfinder Activities of the week are focused on commitment and growth mindset. Kindergarten: Intro to Growth Mindset. 1^st – 2^nd: Drawing, Dancing, Dialogue. 3^rd – 5^th: Intro to Goal Setting

TLC Update: March 6^th Elementary TLC Update which includes:

• Restorative practices lessons from Wayfinder
• Movement moments
• Storyline Design course information

From Jennifer Hauth- StudentSafe Raptor Training: We have recently expanded our partnership with Raptor Visitor Management System to include one of their new products called StudentSafe. StudentSafe is platform to enter, collaborate, and track data round NSSI (non suicidal self injury), suicidal ideation (suicide risk screens). Eventually, we will use this platform for behavioral safety (threat) assessments for school teams as well. Stay tuned for more information this summer from Eric Powell.

On February 28^th, all School Counselors, Nurses, School Psychs and Student Success Clinician/Coordinators were trained in the new platform and will be using this tool for all Suicide Risk Screens and NSSI going forward. School risk screening teams will enter these screens into this system moving forward and we will all be able to better collaborate and track student safety concerns in buildings going forward.  You may have already received an alert in your inbox from a risk screen that has been completed in the last 10 days by one of your staff. The emails alerts will come from StudentSafe.

From Julie: Regarding….clarification on disposal of Wonders Materials….Information went out a couple of weeks ago communicating to teachers to go ahead and send home Wonders leveled readers. I strongly recommend teachers keep the leveled readers as additional reading materials in your classroom libraries. Additionally,  I recommend keeping all of your Wonders and Wonderworks decodable readers as these are great resources!! Communication regarding anthologies will be communicated after Spring Break. 

From Dr. Cook: Potential opportunity for fifth grade students in the area of science and space!

Important Dates

• March: Prep for Naglieri
• March 20: Admin PD at Perseverance Hall at Bend High 3:00-4:30
• March 25-29: Spring Break
• April: Naglieri testing & SBAC for ELA
• April 2: Elementary Horizontal at Lava Ridge with Lava and High Lakes sharing!
• April 4: Central Oregon Job Fair
• May: SBAC for Math and Science

And finally…

Our EME Focus

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

---

Thoughts of the Week

Start with the Why

The goal was ambitious, public interest was high, experts were eager to contribute, and money was readily available. Armed with every ingredient for success, Samuel Langley set out, in the early 1900s, to be the first man to fly an airplane. Highly regarded, he was a senior officer at the Smithsonian Institution, a mathematical Professor, who also had worked at Harvard and his friends included some of the most powerful men in government and business; including Andrew Carnegie and Alexander Graham Bell. Langley was given $50,000 from the war department to fund his project. A tremendous amount of money for the time. He pulled together the best minds of the day, a veritable dream team of talent and know-how. Langley and his team used the finest materials and the press followed him everywhere. People all over the country were riveted to the story, waiting to read that he had achieved his goal. With the team he had gathered, and ample resources, his success was guaranteed. Or was it? A few hundred miles away, Wilbur and Orville Wright were working on their own flying machine. Their passion to fly was so intense that it inspired the enthusiasm and commitment of a dedicated group of people in their hometown of Dayton, Ohio.  There was no funding for the venture, no government grants, and no high level connections.  As a matter of fact, not a single member of the team had an advanced degree or even a college education, including Wilbur or Orville.  But the team banded together in a humble bicycle shop and made their vision real. On December 17th, 1903, a small group witnessed a man take flight for the first time in history. How did the Wright brothers succeed where a better equipped, better funded, better educated team could not? It wasn’t luck. Both the Wright brothers and Langley were highly motivated, and both had a strong work ethic and keen scientific minds. They were pursuing exactly the same goal, but only the Wright brothers were able to inspire those around them and truly leave their team to develop a technology that would change the world. Only the Wright brothers started with why. 

Excerpt from Start with Why

---

---

The Coming Week

• Monday
  • Bike Safety 3/4-3/15
  • Quick meeting about protected Minutes 2:30-?
• Tuesday
  • Emma Keeton’s Birthday!
  • Safety Meeting 7:00-7:30
  • Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
  • ICCL Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
• Wednesday
  • Read Across America
  • Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
  • SIW – Collaborative Problem Solving Mary and Natalie 1:00-2:20
• Thursday
  • PLC’s 2:30-3:15
  • BAM Meeting 5:00-7:00
• Friday
  • SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

UPCOMING DATES:

• March 11 Staff Meeting 2:15-3:15
• March 12 Core Effectiveness Meeting with Lori (Grades 1, 5, 2)
• March 12 Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• March 12 Care Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
• March 13 Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
• March 13 Art Workshop 9:30-10:30
• March 13 SIW Art Training #3 1:00-2:30
• March 14 Coaching Support with Lori
• March 14 PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• March 14 Family Game Night 5:30-6:30
• March 15 SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
• March 18 Core Effectiveness Meeting with Lori (Grades K, 4, 3)
• March 18 Carrie Shorthouse’s Birthday!
• March 19 Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• March 19 Fire Drill 1:00
• March 20 Jenn Kandra’s Birthday!
• March 20 Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
• March 20 Art Workshop 9:30-10:30
• March 20 EA Meeting 1:00-1:30
• March 20 SIW Teacher Prep
• March 20 Admin PD Perseverance Hall
• March 20 5th Grade Performance
• March 21 PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• March 22 Kindergarten Forest Field Trip
• March 22 SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
• March 24-29 Spring Break!

---

Updates from Downtown

Reminders:

• Wonders Reading Materials At this time, we need to hold on to all TE’s and Anthologies. You should start sending home leveled readers after the close of a unit with your students. 
• February 21^st Elementary TLC Update

New Notes:

From Jennifer Hauth:

From Lora Nordquist: Here are two important items pertaining to the adjustment of the end of they year schedule.

1. Revised SIW Schedule. Because the week of June 10^th is now a full week, Wednesday, 6/12, will be an SIW. This changes the designation of our June SIW’s. Wednesday, 6/5, will now be a building discretion day; Wednesday, 6/12, will be a teacher-directed work day.
2. End of Year Activities. With the last two days of school being pushed to the week of June 17^th, the district’s expectation is that end-of-the-year celebrations (5^th grade or 8^th grade promotions, field days, etc.) be scheduled during these last two days. Additionally, the high school exam schedules should carry over to the 17^th, at least, or the 18^th. Full speed ahead with learning!

From Nurse Tami Pike: On February 8, 2024,A 90-day state of emergency was declared by the Deschutes County Commissioners for the escalating fentanyl crisis in Central Oregon. As a response, all schools are being equipped with the following kits. Please follow the directions below for placement. If you have any questions, please reach out to your school nurse.

Overdose Emergency Kits. BLS received several Overdose Emergency Kits through OHA’s Save Lives Oregon Initiative. Each kit contains:  Administration instructions, 4 boxes of naloxone, 2 CPR face shields, and 1 emergency box for storage. Each middle and high school received two kits and elementary schools received one kit. 

Overdose Emergency Kit Location. Ideally, the Overdose Emergency Kit box should be mounted on a wall next to an AED cabinet so that it is easily accessible. However, this may not be feasible for your school site. Please consult with your school nurse about where the best location would be for these Overdose Emergency Kits. AED cabinets still contain 2 doses of naloxone. 

Overdose Emergency Kit Location and Expiration Date Information. Once the location of the Overdose Emergency Kits have been identified, the school nurse will add the locations and the naloxone expiration dates to our district AED Master Spreadsheet.

From Tammy and Lisa:

Important Dates

• March 20: Admin PD at Perseverance Hall at Bend High 3:00-4:30
• March 25-29: Spring Break—enter in UKG which days you will be taking as non-contract

And finally…

Are you having a bad day? Call: 707-8-PEPTOC. You won’t regret it! Really—do it!

Our EME Focus

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

---

Thoughts of the Week

A story from my Grandpa – He told me this story over 35 years ago!

A baby bird had fallen out of the nest onto the frozen ground. It started to chirp because of the cold. Hearing the chick chirp, a cow came by and dropped a big ole cow pie on her. As the frozen chick lay there in the pile of cow dung, she began to realize how warm she was getting, as the dung was actually thawing her out. She lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, promptly dug her out and ate her.

Moral of the story

1. Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy.
2. Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.
3. And when you’re in deep shit, it’s best to keep your mouth shut.

---

---

The Coming Week

• Monday
  • Committee Meetings 2:30-3:15
  • Interview with Dr. Cook 4:00
• Tuesday
  • Heather Korman’s Birthday!
  • Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
  • Care Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
  • Elementary Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• Wednesday
  • Nicole Dewes’ Birthday!
  • SIW Educator Network 2:00-3:15
• Thursday
  • Second Grade Field Trip
  • PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• Friday
  • Assembly 1:30-2:00
  • SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

UPCOMING DATES:

• March 3 Anita Garland’s Birthday!
• March 4-15 Bike Safety
• March 5 Emma Keeton’s Birthday!
• March 5 Safety Meeting 7:00-7:30
• March 5 Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• March 5 ICCL Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
• March 6 Read Across America
• March 6 Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
• March 6 SIW – Collaborative Problem Solving Mary and Natalie 1:00-2:20
• March 7 PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• March 7 BAM Meeting 5:00-7:00
• March 8 SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
• March 11 Staff Meeting 2:15-3:15
• March 12 Core Effectiveness Meeting with Lori (Grades 1, 5, 2)
• March 12 Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• March 12 Care Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
• March 13 Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
• March 13 Art Workshop 9:30-10:30
• March 13 SIW Art Training #3 1:00-2:30
• March 14 Coaching Support with Lori
• March 14 PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• March 14 Family Game Night 5:30-6:30
• March 15 SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
• March 18 Core Effectiveness Meeting with Lori (Grades K, 4, 3)
• March 18 Carrie Shorthouse’s Birthday!
• March 19 Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• March 19 Fire Drill 1:00
• March 20 Jenn Kandra’s Birthday!
• March 20 Office Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
• March 20 Art Workshop 9:30-10:30
• March 20 EA Meeting 1:00-1:30
• March 20 SIW Teacher Prep
• March 20 Admin PD Perseverance Hall
• March 20 5th Grade Performance
• March 21 PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• March 22 Kindergarten Forest Field Trip
• March 22 SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
• March 24-29 Spring Break!

---

Updates from Downtown

Need a good book? As we dive into Women’s History Month this March, here are some books you might consider. This year’s theme is women who advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion and these authors may be your inspiration this March!

Do Now:

• Welcome Back Survey: We are working on plans for the Welcome Back event for the 2024-25 school year, to be held on Tuesday, August 27, and would like to hear from employees on the preferred format. Please use THIS SURVEY to vote until Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 5 pm. The planning team is considering three options:

New Notes:

Curriculum, Instruction and Systems (Julie Walker): Here is the schedule for Educator Network Day on February 28th.  Please see the far-right hand column for locations for administrator support at each of the classes being offered. 

From Life and Career Readiness (Jenny White): This week’s highlight in Wayfinder is encouragement which can be found in the Activity Library in Wayfinder.

• Encouragement Relay (K – 3)
• Encouragement Wings (2 – 6) In this exercise you might want to assign partners.  Make sure every student will get a set of wings.

February 21^st Elementary TLC Update: This week’s update includes:

• EL Education adoption update
• 1^st grade teachers – sign up for an early literacy classroom visitation with Julie
• Forefront Dashboards are here
• Bullying collections from Wayfinder
• and more!

Important Dates

• Feb 27: 3:00-5:00. Elementary Leadership, at North Star Elementary
• Feb 28: Ed Network Day (see details above from Julie)
• Mar. 1: Education Foundation Grants are due: www.blpedfoundation.org

Our EME Focus

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

---

Thoughts of the Week

Never Give Up!

Last Friday was… well, a #$%@ show, to be honest.

• Bus behavior that led to a treat assessment
• Parent came in angry about an incident
• Parent called angry about another incident
• Sent home a student for making a threat
• Sent home a student for hitting staff
• Sent home a student who could not regulate
• Investigated a student for making false claims against staff member
• Dealt with a student for hitting…again
• Dealt with many students who were unable to be kind

But… here is what I got to do

• Support a struggling bus driver and connect with a parent whose child really needs help
• Connect with a parent I had never met before and start to form a relationship by hearing her
• Connect with a parent and look in to some of our safety polices to see if there are any areas we could change to keep our kids safer
• Connect with and support a student who is seeking connection but feels powerless with the things going on in his life.
• Help connect with a student and share his moment of pain to hopefully continue to work toward being someone that student can trust
• See a softer side of a student for the first time. Hope!
• Support a staff member and uncover truth. Connect with a student that has a past we could all have empathy for.
• Reteach how we treat others and worked on a plan to stay in school.
• Talk about kindness and actions. Connect with multiple students, some for the first time.

What an excellent day!

---

The Coming Week

• Monday
  • No School
• Tuesday
  • OBOB Semi-Finals 8:00-9:00
  • Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
• Wednesday
  • Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
  • SIW Teacher Prep for Art Workshop #2 1:00-2:30
  • EA Meeting 1:00-1:30
  • All Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• Thursday
  • NAEP Testing for Fourth Grade
  • OBOB Finals 8:00-9:00
  • PLC’s 2:30-3:15
  • Cascade Middle School 5th Grade Family Night 5:00-9:00
• Friday
  • Kinder Forest Field Trip
  • SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

UPCOMING DATES:

• February 26 – Committee Meetings 2:30-3:15
• February 27 – Heather Korman’s Birthday!
• February 27 – Care Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
• February 27 – Elementary Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• February 28 – Nicole Dewes’ Birthday!
• February 28 – SIW Educator Network 1:00-2:30
• February 29 – Second Grade Field Trip
• February 29 – PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• March 1 – Assembly
• March 1 – SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

---

Updates from Downtown

New Notes:

From Jenny White (SEL/LCR): This week the Wayfinder highlight is an activity around LOVE and JOY.  Directions on how to find the activity in WAYFINDER

Kindergarten – The Reflection in Me

1 – 2 – Joy Garden

3 – 5 – The Importance of Love

From Tammy and Lisa:

Thank you!!!! From the bottom of our hearts, thank so so much for all of you who interviewed, who was on an interview team, or who left your school to support another school while their teams were out for the interviews. We could not have done it without you! What a gift to work with such an amazing group willing to pitch in where needed.

Just remember, that when things are hard, your rate of making it through the hardest days of your life is 100%. Can’t beat that! We’ll get through this too, side by side, one step at a time.

Important Dates

• Feb 19: President’s Day—This is not a paid holiday, so use non-contract if you don’t work
• Feb 21: Admin PD at Perseverance Hall at BSH–3:00-6:00–with substantial snacks! (This will cover the new contract–you won’t want to miss this!)
• Feb 27: 3:00-5:00. Elementary Leadership, at North Star Elementary
• Mar. 1: Education Foundation Grants are due: www.blpedfoundation.org

Our EME Focus

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

---

Thoughts of the Week

Struggle On!

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Until it suddenly stopped making any progress and looked like it was stuck. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, although it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man didn’t think anything of it and sat there waiting for the wings to enlarge to support the butterfly. But that didn’t happen. The butterfly spent the rest of its life unable to fly, crawling around with tiny wings and a swollen body. 

Despite the kind heart of the man, he didn’t understand that the restricting cocoon and the struggle needed by the butterfly to get itself through the small opening; were nature’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings. To prepare itself for flying once it was out of the cocoon.

Our struggles in life develop our strengths. Without struggles, we never grow and never get stronger, so it’s important for us to tackle challenges and push through them.

---

The Coming Week

• SRO Appreciation Week
• Monday
  • Fire Drill 8:00
  • Amy McDonald’s Birthday!
  • Staff Meeting 2:30-3:15
• Tuesday
  • Principal Interviews
  • ICCL Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• Wednesday
  • SIW Literacy #2 with Lori and Olivia 1:00 – 2:30
• Thursday
  • School Officer Appreciation Day
  • Student Success Meeting 10:00-11:00
  • PLC’s 2:30-3:15
  • BAM Meeting 5:00-7:00
• Friday
  • SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

UPCOMING DATES:

• February 21 – EA Meeting 1:00-1:30
• February 21 – SIW Teacher Prep for Art Workshop 1:00-2:30
• February 21 – Admin PD 3:00-5:00
• February 22 – NAEP Testing for Fourth Grade
• February 22 – PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• February 22 – Cascade Safety Net Family Night
• February 23 – Kindergarten Forest Field Trip
• February 23 – SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
• February 26 – Committee Meetings 2:30-3:15
• February 27 – Heather Korman’s Birthday!
• February 27 – Care Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
• February 27 – Elementary Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• February 28 – Nicole Dewes’ Birthday!
• February 28 – SIW Educator Network 1:00-2:30
• February 29 – Second Grade Field Trip
• February 29 – PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• March 1 – Assembly
• March 1 – SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

---

---

Updates from Downtown

Do Now:

• Train Your Brain: Looks like we still have 10 schools to sign up by February 16th at the latest. Here is the link to the sign-up sheet.
• SRO Appreciation: SRO Cards, posters, goodies to Kayla in Safety by Feb 9!
• Ed Network: Still looking for teachers to share their practice and ideas with other teachers at our Feb 28^th Educator Network Day.  Please have them sign up here if they have an idea for a session and are willing to facilitate that session.

Reminders:

• Erin’s Law: Teach Erin’s Law lessons between February and May. Here the resources for both the family letter and instruction. Principals, please document using this form and send to April Jorgenson.
• CFEE: Please register for a CFEE. This year, options are April 9-12 virtually, June 24-28 in the valley or July 22-26 in the valley. Click on THIS INTEREST LINK.
• Education Foundation: Grants are due 3/1: www.blpedfoundation.org
• TAG Testing Timeline: Please make sure these dates are on your radar and you have a plan for testing at your school.
• Student Services:
  • Prevent, Teach, Respond information, PTR Facilitators Guide
  • MTSS Tier 3 process
• Counseling: School Counseling Blog
• Safety: Updated SRO List as of 1/2/2024.

New Notes:

From Jenny White (SEL/LCR): Something to share with staff- This collection from Wayfinder engages students in fun interactive games that promote engagement.  This collection include games the encourage cooperation, adaptability, and connection. Directions on how to find the collection in Wayfinder.

Direct Links. Kindergarten. 1st – 2nd. 3rd – 5th

From Kinsey (DEI):

• Black History Month door-decorating contest: This information was shared with your DEI ICCL reps.  Here are pictures from last year.  Can you please reinforce messaging with your team so your school is represented?  Photo submissions due Feb 27, winners (with prizes!) will be announced Feb 29.  
• Incoming student nights/family orientations: Don’t forget to schedule interpreters via Linguist Link for upcoming events with families visiting your school (example: 5^th Grade Family Nights at middle schools, Academic Info Nights, orientations).  Plan in advance for how the interpreter will be used and how multilingual families will access each stage of the event.  Language Specialists and Family Liaisons can help you develop a plan.
• Upcoming religious dates:  Here are religious observances occurring during school days in Feb-March.  We have current students and staff who observe these days, so please plan accordingly:
  • Ash Wednesday: Wed, Feb 14.  Students who observe this day may wear ashes on their forehead.  Teachers and coaches should not ask them to remove or wash off the ashes.  If other students mock or tease them, please report this as a bias incident.  
  • Ramadan: Mon, March 11 – Tues, April 9.  This observance includes complete fasting while the sun is out as well as additional prayer.
    • Students: Teachers should avoid high-stakes exams during this time—if unavoidable, provide accommodations for students as needed.  PE teachers and coaches should work with Muslim students modify physical activity as needed.  
    • Families: Be thoughtful about evening events asking families to come to school after dark, or afternoon events centered around food/meals that might exclude Muslim families.
    • Employees: Be thoughtful about staff celebrations (PTA events, social committee) centered on meals during this time period.  
    • Support: If an employee or student needs accommodations that you are not able to easily provide, or if you want to talk through supports, reach out.

From Tammy and Lisa:

Important Dates

• Feb 9: SRO appreciation due to Kayla today!
• Feb 13: Admin/ICCL Meeting 3-5 pm at your site (details to come in separate e-mail on Friday evening)
• Feb 13: Elk Meadow Principal Hiring Day
• Feb 14: North Star Principal Hiring Day
• Feb. 15: School Resource Officer Appreciation Day
• Feb 15: Jewell Principal Hiring Day
• Feb 16: Bear Creek Principal Hiring Day
• Feb 21: Admin PD at Perseverance Hall at BSH–3:00-4:30 (This will cover the new contract)
• Feb 27: 3:00-5:00. Elementary Leadership, at North Star Elementary
• Mar. 1: Education Foundation Grants are due: www.blpedfoundation.org

Our EME Focus

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

---

Thoughts of the Week

Remember to Just Be…

One evening, after spending several days with his new wife, a man leaned over and whispered into her ear, “I love you.”  She smiled – and the man smiled back – and she said, “When I’m eighty years old and I’m thinking back on my entire life, I know I will remember this moment.” A few minutes later, she drifted off to sleep. The man was left with the silence of the room and the soft sound of his wife’s breathing. He stayed awake, thinking about everything they had done together, from their first date to their first vacation together and ultimately to their big wedding. These were just some of the life choices that the couple had made together that had led to this very moment of silence in the presence of each other. At one point, the man then realized that it didn’t matter what they had done or where they had gone. Nor did it matter where they were going. The only thing that mattered was the serenity of that very moment. Just being together, breathing together, and resting together.

We can’t let the clock, calendar, or pressure from external sources take over our lives and allow us to forget the fact that every moment of our lives is a gift and a miracle – no matter how small or seemingly insignificant it is.

Being mindful in the special moments that you spend in the presence of the ones that you love are the moments that truly give your life meaning.

---

The Coming Week

• Counselor Appreciation Week!  Let Lilly know how much we love her!!!
• Monday
  • Committee Meetings 2:30-3:15
• Tuesday
  • Safety Meeting 7:00
  • Office Staff Meeting 10:00-10:30
  • ICCL Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
• Wednesday
  • Admin Meeting 9:00-9:30
  • EA Meeting in Library 1:00-1:30
  • SIW – Art Training #2 1:30-3:00 (Note Time Change)
• Thursday
  • PLC’s Building Wide 2:30-3:15
• Friday
  • Kindergarten All Bike Grant Assembly 1:40 (K only)
  • SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
  • Valentine’s Day Dance 5:30-7:00

UPCOMING DATES:

• February 12 – Fire Drill 8:00
• February 12 – Amy McDonald’s Birthday!
• February 12 – Staff Meeting 2:30-3:15
• February 13 – Principal Interviews
• February 13 – ICCL Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• February 14 – SIW Literacy #2 with Lori and Olivia 1:00 – 2:30
• February 15 – School Officer Appreciation Day
• February 15 – PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• February 15 – BAM Meeting 5:00-7:00
• February 16 – SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
• February 21 – EA Meeting 1:00-1:30
• February 21 – SIW Teacher Prep for Art Workshop 1:00-2:30
• February 21 – Admin PD 3:00-5:00
• February 22 – NAEP Testing for Fourth Grade
• February 22 – PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• February 22 – Cascade Safety Net Family Night
• February 23 – Kindergarten Forest Field Trip
• February 23 – SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15
• February 26 – Committee Meetings 2:30-3:15
• February 27 – Heather Korman’s Birthday!
• February 27 – Care Team Meeting 2:30-3:15
• February 27 – Elementary Admin Meeting 3:00-5:00
• February 28 – Nicole Dewes’ Birthday!
• February 28 – SIW Educator Network 1:00-2:30
• February 29 – Second Grade Field Trip
• February 29 – PLC’s 2:30-3:15
• March 1 – SpEd Meeting 2:15-3:15

---

---

Updates from Downtown

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

Reminders:

• Education Foundation: Grants are due 3/1: www.blpedfoundation.org
• TAG Testing Timeline: Please make sure these dates are on your radar and you have a plan for testing at your school.
• • Performance Module Overview Document – Certified Staff
  • UKG Performance Evaluation Guide for District Administrators
  • Slides from the October 25 BLAST training
  • Link for 2022/23 Evaluation
  • edition_5_-_evaluation_manual_-_certified_teacher.pdf
  • Bend-La Pine Schools: Modified Evaluation System for Certified Staff, 2023-24
  • SLGG google form – Staff can either make a digital copy to complete or they can print and fill out a hard copy.  These can be uploaded into UKG (instructions to follow)
• Student Services:
  • Prevent, Teach, Respond information, PTR Facilitators Guide
  • MTSS Tier 3 process
• Counseling: School Counseling Blog
• Safety: Updated SRO List as of 1/2/2024.

New Notes:

From Kayla and Scott in Safety: As a reminder, volunteers need to be 18 years or older to serve in a supervisory capacity at schools. Minors are not able to attend field trips as chaperones or work as volunteer coaches as it poses a liability for the district. This information is reflected on the District Volunteer Page.

From Jenny White (SEL). This week’s highlight from Wayfinder is Creating Connections Collections.

The goal of the collections are to foster meaningful connections and cultivate empathy  along with enhancing belonging in classrooms and beyond. Engage students in interactive activities, discussions, and reflective practices that promote understanding, kindness, and authentic connections that empower them to build a more compassionate and connected world.

Directions on how to find your collections.

From Kerry Morton, Math Coach. The Math Curriculum Review Team will be requesting another time to share a nugget from our work between now and April 10th. Based on your SIW schedule, this can be a quick 15 minute session or a full SIW. The sessions will continue to focus on math equity and pedagogy. Getting feedback about instructional materials will start in the 2024-2025 school year. Please reach out to Kerry Morton or Julie Walker with any questions or concerns.

From Culture of Care: Click on the photo below for a great idea! Reminds me of Rosland’s Mindful Music first thing in the morning.

Asian Family Night/Lunar New Year Event: Flyer invitations English and Chinese versions​—thanks for sharing with your staff and families!

Emerging Student Needs: The Office of DEI is closely tracking some actively-shifting trends we know you are experiencing regarding populations of extremely vulnerable students in your schools: unhoused, immigrant, unaccompanied, and other vulnerable youth.  While these students often do not manifest externalizing behavior challenges, we recognize they have highly specialized needs impacting your school.  We recognize, too, that these students require and deserve immediate care and resources that may be unfamiliar or less accessible to your teams.  

Important Dates

• Feb 8: Deputy Superintendent Hiring Day
• Feb. 8: Lunar New Year celebration/AAPI Family Night–Pilot Butte Middle School, 5:30
• Feb 13: ICCL/Admin training 3:00-5:00—will be in your building with your team only. You will receive the information to unpack with your team for this.
• Feb 13: Elk Meadow Principal Hiring Day
• Feb 14: North Star Principal Hiring Day
• Feb. 15: School Resource Officer Appreciation Day
• Feb 15: Jewell Principal Hiring Day
• Feb 16: Bear Creek Principal Hiring Day
• Feb 21: Admin PD at Perseverance Hall at BSH–3:00-4:30
• Feb 27: 3:00-5:00. Elementary Leadership, at North Star Elementary
• Mar. 1: Education Foundation Grants are due: www.blpedfoundation.org

And finally…the February Drawing Challenge! Can you take a couple of mindful minutes each day to draw the daily item? Go for it!

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 28^th Educator Network Day.  Please have them sign up here if they have an idea for a session and are willing to facilitate that session.

• Education Foundation: Grants are due 3/1: www.blpedfoundation.org
• Student Services:
  • Prevent, Teach, Respond information, PTR Facilitators Guide
  • MTSS Tier 3 process
• Counseling: School Counseling Blog
• Safety: Updated SRO List as of 1/2/2024.

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 24^th 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

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:

• Office Staff training: Office staff (all of them) will train from 1-2:30 on March 6, April 17, and May 22. Please make a plan for coverage.
• Student Services:
  • Monthly REQUIRED inclusion EA Trainings: Contact Krista Hought or Stephanie Smith for info
  • Prevent, Teach, Respond information, PTR Facilitators Guide
  • MTSS Tier 3 process
• Counseling: School Counseling Blog
• Safety: Updated SRO List as of 1/2/2024.
• TLC Link Update: January 11^th Elementary TLC Update

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

1^st grade: after unit 14 in January, MOP

2^nd 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 28^th 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

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:

• Office Staff training: Office staff (all of them) will train from 1-2:30 on January 17, March 6, April 17, and May 22. Please make a plan for coverage.
• Student Services:
  • Monthly REQUIRED inclusion EA Trainings: Contact Krista Hought or Stephanie Smith for info
  • Prevent, Teach, Respond information, PTR Facilitators Guide
  • MTSS Tier 3 process
• Counseling: School Counseling Blog
• Safety: Updated SRO List as of 1/2/2024.

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.
  • Kindergarten
  • 1^st – 2^nd
  • 3^rd – 5^th  

TLC Link Update: January 11^th 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