TO DO:

Some changes have been made to the Field Trip process. Please make sure you make yourself familiar with these changes. Here is the NEW Field Trip Permission Slip form. Please use this form for all trips, from now on.

These “to do’s” all fall under the larger umbrella of “interpreters for conferences” which we need to begin planning for. As we did in the fall, I’d like to have a meeting in a few weeks with principals who will be requesting an interpreter. Prior to that, I’d like these principals (and not a bad idea for all of you) to have a few conversations with some of your staff:

• Check with your staff (especially classified) to see if there are any bilingual adults who may be interested in doing interpretation during conference times. (We are in need of additional interpreters and those who are not working during conference times would be good to target.)
• Check with your SPED staff to see if there will be any IEP meetings scheduled during conference hours that will require an interpreter. (It is not uncommon for interpreter requests to come from the building AND for an IEP meeting – in the same building. We are going to see if we can coordinate these overlaps and work around them if possible.)
• Check with your ELL teacher to verify which families (and how many) need interpretation services. The purpose is to verify perception with reality.
• Consider “priority conferencing” with your dual language families. Would it be possible to work with your ELL teacher, your Latino Liaison (and any others?) to contact families needing interpretation in order to determine if there is a preferred time block when they would like to attend conferences. The goal of doing so would be to provide you with interpreters when you need them, and not when you don’t.

THIS and THAT:

In this article, Fostering Positive Academic Mindsets in Students, the authors present four mindsets that they claim are important – even necessary – for students to successfully learn (Marshall Memo 758, Oct. 22, 2018). What I found most thought-provoking were the nine teacher actions that foster these mindsets. I think taking a deeper dive into any of these nine moves/actions would be valuable PLC discussions [discuss, implement, review, new learning, implement, review…].

Last week I let you know that Dr. Tim Feeney is coming to Bend on March 5 and will focus on strategies for providing collaborative supports for youth who demonstrate significant behaviors. What I didn’t know then is that our district admin have an opportunity to meet personally with Tim on March 8 (7:30am – 10:00am in the Board Room) to speak with him about working with students who demonstrate challenging behaviors. Please let Hayley Etnier know if you plan on joining on March 8. Here is a flyer for additional information.

As you know, the Hope, Help, & Heal Series is coming up in March and April. In order to make these events go smoothly, we are needing volunteers for each event. Volunteers can help in 4 different ways:

• Registration & Resource Table: Welcome attendees, distribute group wristbands, ensure attendees sign in, staff resource table at the conclusion of the event.
• Group Escorts: Assigned a group to rotate with, assist with group management if someone triggered connect them with a Mental Health Support person.
• General Escorts: Remain in halls during breakout sessions and direct attendees to their rooms, monitor hallways during the event, connect anyone that needs mental health support to the Quiet Room.
• Mental Health Supports*: Professional Mental Health or Behavioral Health provider who will be assigned to staff a safe room OR staff a break out session. Provide support to attendees that express needing extra support. Before signing up for this role, please contact Misty Groom ([email protected])

Folks can sign up to volunteer here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aYLuKv1eI16Cb_sjcl2hOxhhfbJ78BdDokaUhtcfZ2U/edit#gid=235871403If you are willing and able, please consider volunteering for a role. If you are already speaking at this event, or If you know of someone in your organization who you think would be a great fit for a volunteer position, please pass this along. After folks sign up, they will receive an email with detailed instructions.

This next announcement might be a fit for a health class. I’m not sure how Cassidy plans to collect student feedback, or how many Dutch Bros cards she has, but I’d encourage you to have a health teacher reach out to her if they are interested. Here’s more: The substance abuse prevention team at Deschutes County Health Services is looking to interview middle school students about prescription drug misuse/abuse. These interviews are part of a federal grant awarded to Deschutes County that aims to investigate prescription drug misuse/abuse in 12-25 year olds throughout the county. Students will not be asked about personal prescription drug misuse/abuse but rather what their and their peer’s perceptions are around this topic. Further, when the data is analyzed from interviews, any information that would allow others to identify the students, individuals that they may identify in the interview, or locations mentioned will be removed. Interviews take around 30-45 minutes and students will receive a Dutch Bros gift card for their time. If interested in participating, please reach out to the project coordinator, Cassidy Brewin, at [email protected] or at 541-388-6606.