This and That:

• Here is information regarding the four MS District SIW dates this year.  This information will be shared with teachers on Monday – so please take a look and ask questions if you have any.
• Here are the meeting dates and topics for our monthly Monday Leadership admin meetings.

• Radios: Schools and programs can use the handy order form to order replacement radios or batteries that complement their existing systems using their current school budgets. The District hopes to roll out a district wide, interoperable radio system that will allow schools to connect with one another, central administration, buses and emergency responders as soon as the fall of 2018.

• Raptor Visitor Management System Tools: A reminder to those using Raptor that they can find many resources, as well as a handy FAQ, in the Portal: Raptor: https://portal.bend.k12.or.us/staff-resources/content/raptor-documents-and-information

• Annual Safety Training and Drills: With the welcome of a new school year comes the opportunity to complete annual safety drills. The state requires that you complete your first fire drill within the first 10 days of school. If you have not yet completed your first drill, please try to get it done on Monday. Check out the attached document for details:   Safety Training and Drills: https://portal.bend.k12.or.us/staff-resources/content/safety-training-and-drills-2017-18 Please be reminded to keep a record of your regular safety meetings and topics.

• Culture of Safety: Students First. Safety Always. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the Culture of Safety expectations on our Portal: https://portal.bend.k12.or.us/system/files/culture_of_safety_for_leaderhsip_team_2016-17_final.pdf

• SafeOregon and Lines for Life Tip Lines: New student tip lines will be rolling out this year.  You can learn more about these tip lines at http://safeoregon.com and https://www.linesforlife.org Please review the information below from Scott Bojanwoski about SafeOregon.

   Bend-La Pine Schools Safe Oregon roll out date: October 23, 2017. We will do a district wide communication for the October 23, 2017 launch.  

   Those that still have “inactive” Safe Oregon accounts should go to the website homepage: https://tips.safeoregon.com/login/ and select the “About” tab, “Log-In” which will take you to the Login page. Once at the Login page, select “Forgot Password.” You will receive an email that will allow you to set up your account with a password so that you can now log in.

    Please log in and become familiar with the dashboard for their schools. They can use the Resources page on the website (after logging in) for training on how to use the dashboard.

• If you haven’t yet, no doubt you will soon need to have a conversation with a staff member regarding some aspect of his/her work that needs to improve.  An article, Being Direct with People About Mediocre Practices, regarding this fact of leading people was included in a recent Marshall Memo (700). I thought the author included some practical, helpful and graceful ideas when having these conversations.
• This past spring as part of the OSAA State Basketball Championships a few first-time teams participated.  These teams weren’t competing for a 5A Championship, but were rather representing their school in the OSAA/SOOR Unified Basketball Championships – with teams made up of kids whom receive SPED services and those that do not, playing side-by-side.  Bend High had a team there (ultimately taking home 4th place) and this short video describes what it meant for a few of these student/athletes to be involved. Special Olympics have been around since 1968, but I have not heard of a tournament where our kids with a disability are teammates and compete with their non-disabled school peers.  Least Restrictive Environment just took another foot forward.  How might this idea take shape or have implications with your students this year?

Reminders:

• We have a Horizontal meeting at CMS on Monday (9/18) beginning at 3:15.  Please note the location change! The agenda is packed, but please be ready to share a highlight or “a ha” moment from the start of this year.
• As you begin planning for and having mini observations I wanted to remind you that non-summative, contract certified staff only need 3 mini observation/follow-up conversations this year.  Those whom will be receiving a summative evaluation or are probationary teachers all need 6 mini observations/feedback conversations.  Under this format you will (after this year) have a total of 9 observations to use as input/evidence when you complete a summative eval for a contract teacher. Also don’t forget to log all of your observation/feedback/formal dates (and notes if you’d like) into Talent Ed again this year.