We are officially on the homestretch. Hang in there and finish strong! A week from today will feel much different- school year finished and the last time you’ll have to read these notes until August!
Office hours- A couple of weeks ago I shared some suggested secretary/ office manager times for next year. The times I shared were 7-3:30 for both. You may flex that a bit if it meets the needs of your school, but we would like a standard time to share with parents for elementary schools if/when they should call. If you do flex that above time, please have someone available to answer phones from 7-3:30. Thanks.
Outdoor School- Sorry, I need one more thing for outdoor school reimbursement. Please add the exact number of students from your school that attended outdoor school.
PASS info from Jon L.- The original PASS MOU between BEA and Bend-LaPine Schools was not extended. We have a new PASS MOU that outlines a three year transition for employees on the PASS salary schedule back to the traditional salary schedule. We will be working with individual employees on how they will transition back to the traditional salary. Some employees will transition back immediately and some will continue for the next two to three years. All employees will be transitioned back to the traditional salary and the PASS salary will not exist as of January 1st, 2024.
We will continue to keep the mentorship program, which will be mandatory for all first and second year teachers. We will also continue to provide the PASS classes that help support teachers in the first few years of the profession. The difference is that the classes will be optional. Note: While optional, successful completion of the classes will be required to complete the district’s Advanced Professional Development Program. This is one avenue for a teacher to qualify for a professional teaching license. We will also open up the classes for other district employees to attend.
All new teachers hired for this year will be placed on the traditional salary schedule. Teachers in the first two years will be given a mentor with the expectation of also completing the induction/literacy class.
We will be having an informational meetings for the employees on PASS Monday, June 10th at 4pm. We will also be setting up individual meetings with any interested teachers. If you have questions, then please give me a call.
From Kerry Morton- A Team of middle and high school teachers gathered last year to discuss math pathways in grades 6-12. The team felt strongly that students should be in enrolled in grade level mathematics instead of rushing through or skipping grade levels. However, we realized some students and parents want this opportunity. Below is the process.
By-Pass Math Requirements for grades 6-8:
- If parents or teachers are recommending students by-pass a year of mathematics, students need to meet the minimum scores for the 6th grade EasyCBM and the written portion of the by-pass assessment. This is a link to the requirements.
- Middle Schools will administer the assessment in August and/or September. To help with student scheduling, it is recommended that Middle Schools assess students in August before school starts. The few students who cannot make it to the August testing sessions, will have a time during the first week of school.
- If your school decides to administer EasyCBM to every student in September, it should be called a universal screener and only administer the second part of the by-pass assessment to students who have parent and/or teacher recommendations.
- Please do not send a message to all families about by-passing a year of mathematics. It causes stress on students and families. Some don’t want this and they don’t want their child taking unnecessary assessments or they compare themselves to each other and feel like failures even though they are exactly where they should be in understanding mathematics.
- If students wish to take online math to progress quicker, they must pass with at least a B. This is intended to ensure students are successful in future mathematics. This is a link with some information from Amy Tarnow.
- If parents request information, this can be shared with them, but please don’t send out to every student
- High Schools are developing pathways so students can take grade level math k-Algebra 1 and still reach Calculus. There are still a few revisions and work around these pathways at each high school, but it will be in place within a year. This is the team’s position.
A couple key language shifts regarding this process:
- EasyCBM a universal screener – we are using it for this purpose because it is easy to administer.
- This is by-passing, not challenging up. Students are skipping a year of mathematics.
- The requirements are intended to be rigorous so we can be sure students do not struggle unnecessarily in future mathematics.
This week is a good time to be thinking about our high school colleagues as they navigate graduation and all that comes with it. Fortunately, we were able to round up some advice for graduating seniors…
Upcoming Events
June 14- Last day of school- 2:00 P.M. Dismissal
June 17- Leadership BBQ- Noon Ed Center
June 17- Horizontal following leadership bbq (this will be very short if it happens at all)