Tuesday: Dress Up Day: Sports or Book Character; Candid Photo Day
Wednesday: Dress Up Day: Crazy Hair or Silly Hat Day; Care Team Meeting @ 8:00 (Den); Safety Assembly @ 12:00 (Loading @ 11:57); SIW-Core Effectiveness/SLGG Meetings or Time to Meet with EAs/Plan Reading @ 1:45 (Media Center)
Thursday: Dress Up Day: Lava Ridge Spirit or Class Color; Responsibility Refreshment @ 8:30 (B1); Lion Pride Drawings @ Lunches; Bingo @ 5:30 (doors @ 5:00)
Friday: Dress Up Day: PJ or Cozy Wear; Leave and Time Sheets Due
It’s National School Counselor Week! Thank you, Sally for everything you do for Lava Ridge!
Below is the schedule for School Improvement Wednesday for February 4th and 11th. You’ll see that each grade level will have time to meet with the educational assistant that provides support during Extension of Core followed by time to meet as a grade level to discuss reading data and plan for Extension of Core & EL. Each grade also has a SIW for reading Core Effectiveness/Mid Year SLGG check-ins. Please connect with an ICCL Leader, Laci or me if you have any questions.
On Tuesday we’ll have a photographer on-site taking candid pictures for the yearbook.
Field trip approaching? Need a First Aid class for the new 1 certified staff:60 student ratio? You can sign up here (First Aid/CPR Course) and once completed attend an in-person check-off with Oliver Tatom to receive your card.
Friday: Progress Report Preparation Day; Office Hours 7:15-3:15; Operation Rec in gym until 5:30
If you weren’t able to pick-up your prize yesterday for taking the YouthTruth survey, please see Laci. 🙂
We will be announcing Character Trait Awards for Responsibility on the announcements beginning Tuesday.
We are planning to have a lockdown drill next week. Here are the Standard Response Protocol (SRP)lockdown lesson slides to review with your class on Monday or during Tuesday morning meetings. We are planning to have our SRO, Drew Fanaika and potentially other SROs join us for the drill.
If you would like Jessica and Paige to send in your Progress Report comments for translation, please email them by Wednesday, January 21st. Thank you! The turnaround time for translations are about a week. Thank you! 😊
Congratulations toMatthew Crawmer who was promoted by the Oregon Army National Guard to the status of Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) last weekend! Way to go Matthew!
Welcome to Lindsay Rozier! Lindsay is joining our team as a part-time EA.
Heads Up! Spirit Week is February 2-6. We’re anticipating a flyer soon.
A note from Nutrition Services: Around the World Wednesdays: On Wednesdays beginning February 6, students will have the opportunity to explore a new country through a special lunch each week. Nutrition services has created a passport for each student and they will receive these in early February. Students will hold onto their passport through the six weeks of culinary travel and each Wednesday if a student gets the new highlighted special for lunch, they will receive a sticker to place in their passports. The sticker represents their passport getting stamped for “traveling with their taste buds” to the highlighted country that day.
Wednesday: EA Meeting @ 1:00 (A3); SIW- Teacher Directed Time
Thursday: DIBELS Day (A3); Lion Pride Drawings @ Lunches; PTO Meeting-1 team member per grade K-3rd to attend. Thank you! @ 2:30 (Media Center); 4th MTSS @ 2:30 (C5)
Friday: Fun Friend Friday begins @ Lunches
With spring weather returning we will likely have a fire drill this week.
We will be announcing Character Trait Awards for Responsibility on the announcements beginning Tuesday.
A reminder that our fabulous EAs will be DIBELing students this week Wednesday-Friday so will not be in classrooms during Extension of Core.
The information below in italics is being shared with families early next week via the newsletter. As always, please let Laci or I know if we can support you in anyway with these guidelines.
At all Bend-La Pine Schools personal electronic devices (cell phones, smart watches, and earbuds) are to be silent and away during school hours. We appreciate your help in supporting our students in being engaged in their learning without the distractions of personal electronic devices.
We appreciate families not trying to communicate with their child via watches or phones during the school day and instead calling us at 541-355-2400 if you need to leave a message for your child. We also ask students to not call or text home if they are not feeling well, and instead let their teacher know so we can have our school nurse help them.
From the Central Oregon STEM HUB: The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) is seeking your input via a survey geared to provide a deeper understanding of elementary students’ computer science learning in Oregon. This survey is designed to take about 15 minutes to complete, and participants will receive a free coding workshop and be entered to win a $30 Amazon gift card. The survey can be accessed at :http://bit.ly/3GVvci7
Thursday: Staff Spirit Day-Anything But a Mug/Water Bottle; Staff Holiday Party @ 2:30 in the Media Center
Friday: Staff Spirit Day-PJ Day
PTO has asked to extend the Joy Festival through Monday for a recess scavenger hunt for interested students. Keep an eye out for students in the halls during lunch recesses on Monday. Thank you!
It’s the first ever, Lava Ridge Student Badge Training Week! Next week please plan to take your class outside on the playground for 10 minutes and train them (and let them practice!) how to use the nifty card readers they will use beginning January 5th if they need to come inside at recess. In January, we’re planning that students will see a member of the supervision team for a badge if/when they need to go inside during recess. We’ll have a sign up sheet for you on Monday and sets of badges that can be checked out from the office during your training time.
Connected with this, on Monday during morning meetings, will you please ask your students to make sure the doors coming in from the playground are left slightly propped open if they come inside during recess. The new crash bars do not have an unlock setting and this prevents the supervision team from needing to unlock the doors each time students need to come inside. Thank you!
Coming soon! After Break, weather-willing, we’ll have more winter safety instruction for our Lions.
You are rocking it! It’s exciting to see the impact your foundational skills and extension of core instruction are having for our students who were not yet reading at grade level in September. Thank you for continuing to prioritize foundational skills instruction on those days that are atypical (field trips, class parties) and for all of your time and energy with this work. January 15th is Winter DIBELS and we’ll have details for you regarding which students in your class will be tested in early January.
We’ve posted a 2.5 hour educational assistant position to join our team and assist with lunch recess supervision and provide classroom support. We are funding this position with a portion of our school improvement funds and some discretionary dollars we received due to higher than expected enrollment. If you know of someone who would be a great addition to our team, please encourage them to apply!
Monday: Joy Festival @ Lunch recess; ICCL Meeting @ 2:30 (C5)
Wednesday: Vision Screening; Care Team Meeting @ 8:00 (A3); Joy Festival @ Lunch recess; SIW: Erin’s Law & Wayfinder Reports @ 1:45; 5th Grade Music Concert @ 6:00
Friday: Joy Festival @ Lunch recess; Staff Holiday Celebration @ 3:16 (Craft Brewing)
The PTO Joy Festival lunch-recess activities will be will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Thank you so much for your time helping students to understand the details on the orange slips you receive from the office at the end of the day. This is a busy part of the day and your time reading through this information and relaying to students is appreciated!
Lots of fun and smiles at the Belonging Breakfast this morning!
From Julie Richards: Subject: Maintaining Strong Instructional Routines as We Approach Winter Break: As we move into the final three weeks before winter break, we want to thank you for your continued dedication to high-quality instruction and for the warmth, creativity, and care you bring into your classrooms during this season.
These last weeks before break are a critical window for student learning, particularly in reading and mathematics, where consistent, uninterrupted instructional time has a meaningful impact on student growth. Strong routines, clear expectations, and protected instructional minutes help ensure that students continue to make progress right up to the final day.
We fully support engaging, fun, and meaningful seasonal activities and projects that are inclusive of all students and reflect the diverse traditions, backgrounds, and experiences in our school community. At the same time, we ask that core daily routines for reading and math remain intact and that instructional minutes in these areas are not reduced or replaced. When possible, consider ways to integrate literacy, math, and content standards into projects and celebrations, allowing students to learn while engaging in seasonal fun.
Your ability to balance joy with purpose is one of your greatest strengths. By maintaining consistent instructional routines alongside engaging and inclusive activities, we ensure our students continue to thrive academically while feeling valued and connected during this time of year. Thank you for your professionalism, intentional planning, and commitment to maximizing every learning minute for our students.
From the recent Quick Check-In: The TV shows our staff would love to star oninclude…
Ted Lasso
Survivor
Gilligan’s Island
Survivor or the Amazing Race (with Smith!)
Top Gear
Alone
The New Girl
Heartland
Sesame Street
Ted Lasso
Goldbergs (reliving my childhood) or Abbott Elementary
The Amazing Race
Knight Rider
The Price is Right
Physical 100
The Good Place
Wheel of Fortune
From the recent Quick Check-In: The TV shows we would not want to be on…
Tuesday: Staff Appreciation Breakfast @ 7:00 in the Media Center
Wednesday: Picture Re-takes; SIW: Work in Classrooms; 3rd Grade Music Concert @ 6:00
Thursday: Belonging Breakfast @ 8:30 in B1; Lava Team Meetings @ 2:30; 4th Grade Music Concert @ 6:00
Friday: Time and Leave Sheets Due
The week after Fall Break is one of the weeks the Tier 1 Task Force set for re-teaching of classroom and school expectations. Here are the Lava Ridge Expectations
Notes from Kina: A couple things if you plan to come in over break (I hope you don’t 🙂):
KIDS INC Non School Days program has been cancelled due to low enrollment
IT may be here working on installing the badge readers
UPDATED process to setting the alarm before you leave:
Type in your code, press “on” – the keypad will say “FAIL”
Hold “reset” button
Type your code again, press “on” and it should give you the 60 second countdown
WHY THE EXTRA STEPS? The keypad has been a little off during the rewiring process
The theme of the PTO Joy Week this year will be gingerbread houses and gingerbread people. The week of December 8-12 there will be fun activities for students to complete during lunch recess connected with this theme.
Thank you for letting me know in advance (at least a week, please) if you are considering inviting a guest presenter to your classroom. This allows time to determine if the guest will need a background check, a visitor badge, and to make sure office staff are ready to greet them. Thank you!
Wednesday: Care Team Meeting @ 8:00 (C5); SIW: Amplify Desmos Math Focus @ 1:45 (Media Center)
Thursday: Career and College Dress-up Day; Karen Rush Site Visit @ 9:30; Lion Pride Drawing @ Lunches; Kinder MTSS (C5), 1st – 5th PLC Meetings
NeighborImpact is partnering with us again for the Canned Food Drive. Donation barrels will be in the north/south hallways and at the main entrance. Watch for studentflyers for home in your mailbox early Monday.
We will be announcing Character Trait Awards for Belonging on the announcements beginning Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Superintendent Cook and Assistant Superintendent Birk will provide an all-staff 30-minute virtual update at the times below:
Thursday, December 18th @ 2:30 in the Media Center
2025-26Counseling Curriculum Update:
In the coming weeks, Sally will begin teaching the Kelso’s Choice Conflict Management curriculum to 2nd students. This year, elementary counselors will deliver the three lesson Kelso’s Choice curriculum to students in grades K–2.
Later in the year, students in grades 3–5 will continue learning the Sources of Strength curriculum.
Here is the link to the Bend-La Pine Policyfor showing motion pictures. G films/videos can be used in grades K-12 if they are directly linked to curriculum and PG films/videos may be used in grades four and five with permission of the principal and of the parent or guardian.Please let me know if you have any questions.
In the event the need arises to show a motion picture, Brad has developed some information for how we can responsibly and effectively show movies and videos in our classrooms, while staying true to our district’s policy and making use of our new streaming resources:
-To support classroom streaming, we now have access to the streaming service called Swank K-12 Streaming. As highlighted in the Educational Technology blog post, Swank gives us a legal, simple way to show feature films that support learning — it’s available for certified teachers, administrators, and media managers for instructional use, school community events, and classroom contexts. You can access Swank via the district short link: https://bls.fyi/swank (Be sure to open Swank in Safari and use AirPlay to project to your Apple TV)
-If you need to use other streaming services such as Netflix or Disney+, Brad made a helpful tutorial on how to stream from those services.
Thank you for routing a copy of SLGGs my way if you haven’t yet. Thank you!
We are planning to send home a flyer from PTO at the end of next week for the Canned Food Drive, November 17-21.
Thank you for your time coordinating PE activities for your students during 3rd recess. Any teacher directed activity (including walking the running club course!) works. Thank you! Besides the benefits of movement, there is often decreased student issues with this added structure. 🙂
From Payroll: For the November and December payrolls, all employees will receive a paper paystub (or a live check if not enrolled in direct deposit) mailed directly to their home address on file. This change ensures every employee can easily access their pay information during school breaks when most staff are off-site or not connected to the district network. From now on, paystubs and paychecks will no longer be routed to school sites for pickup or distribution.
What to Know:
All employees will automatically receive mailed paystubs in November, December, June, July, and August.
Employees who want paper paystubs in additional months can email Payroll to opt in. (This election resets each year.)
Employees can update their home address in UKG.
Those who need help setting up direct deposit can review the “How To” guide on the Payroll Portal or reach out to Payroll.
Substitute and extra-duty employees will continue to receive paper paystubs automatically every month.
Employees can still view electronic paystubs through Employee Online when using a district device or network connection.
