TO DO:

I learned late last week that I will be out of town during our scheduled MS Horizontal meeting in April. Please adjust your calendar to move the meeting from April 15 to April 22. Please let me know if this change of date will NOT work for you.

Please add the BLS Job Fair to your calendar (if you haven’t already). It is April 4 at the fairgrounds, starting at noon. Lunch will be provided!

By spring break you should (to stay on track) have four of your six (or two of three, off-year) mini-observations completed. Let me know if you are not close to being on track. And, don’t forget to be logging your follow-up conversations in TalentEd.

Please communicate this to your staff regarding school days that we missed due to snow (Feb. 25 – 28): Any sick or personal days will be returned to the staff member. (Even if leave requests have already been submitted, they will be adjusted prior to leave actually being recorded against employees leave record.) Anyone on FMLA leave during this time will be able to extend their leave for an additional four days (these days will not count against them). HR has already reached out to employees still on FMLA leave, but if you have had someone return since the snow days, please communicate this to them. Finally, if any employee has any question regarding leave, please have them contact HR.

We are looking for students to feature in our Family Handbook & Calendar and need your help! We love to highlight students from all backgrounds and abilities and hope you will take a moment to nominate a student. Submit a suggestion here: https://goo.gl/forms/xtezfi6qeTjsNup12

THIS and THAT:

There was an article this week in the Bend Source that I wanted to pass along to you in case you have not seen it yet. Although the article does not report on any incidents occurring in our middle schools, it does paint a story of experiences some of our students of color are having in our district (and likely our middle schools). Equity/Race was a topic at our last Leadership meeting and next fall we will begin collecting student behavioral data around race (the article incorrectly states this was implemented this year), but I’m sure we can all agree that this is not enough. If you haven’t already, self-reflecting with your building leadership team on the six equity questions provided at the last Leadership meeting, or interviewing students of color in your building, may be a good next step.

Feedback Requested: STAS

The Student Threat Assessment System Team seeks feedback from administrators, school counselors, school psychologist, school resource officers, and others who may have participated in a Level 1 or Level 2 Threat Assessment over the past 18 months.  Please complete the survey by April 1.

Proper Recording and Destruction of Substances

Drugs and drug paraphernalia seized at school or at school events should be provided to law enforcement following investigation for destruction. Seized drugs and drug paraphernalia that are ‘lost property’ should also be destroyed through law enforcement. Drugs and drug paraphernalia should not be stored at school sites. Call your school SRO or the non-emergency line (541.693.6911) for collection and destruction. Controlled substances could include, but are not limited to: prescription pills, pills, marijuana, etc. and anything that may contain marijuana or controlled substance residue.

It is illegal for any person under the age of 21 to legally buy or obtain tobacco products, inhalant delivery systems, and tobacco product devices. Enforcement of the law began on January 1, 2018. Vape pens and products taken as evidence should be turned over to law enforcement or returned to owners 21 or older – if you are confident it does not contain marijuana oil. Alcohol can be poured out and the container destroyed.

Photographs of seized substances should be captured and stored in the student’s discipline file, if applicable. Staff involved with seizure, return and destruction of substances should maintain a log that includes items seized, by whom, amount, whom released to or whom released for destruction to and on what dates. 

As an aside, you should always wear gloves when handling controlled substances.

Big Sisters of Central Oregon has a problem that you may be able to help with… they have more mentors (Bigs) than they have girls (ages 6 – 18) to mentor (Littles)! Here is a bit more information regarding this local youth program: A mentor assures young people that someone cares, will be there through challenges, and help them see the strength in themselves. Mentoring has been shown to improve the futures of mentees through better grades, achievement of higher levels of education, and improved relationships. Essentially, young people with a mentor grow personally and have a better social and economic opportunity than those who do not. Yet many kids in Central Oregon never have this opportunity. For those who are mentoring, the experience not only offers the opportunity to have fun in our community and see the world through a youth’s perspective but builds leadership and management skills. It is an empowering way to touch the future. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon serves the Bend, La Pine, Redmond, and Madras areas. We are a part of the nation’s largest mentoring network solely supported by donors and volunteers.  Our Bigs spend about 6-12 hours a month with their Littles doing all sorts of activities out in the community for a minimum of one year.

I believe most of you know that I start my Wednesday mornings in Sunriver, at a Rotary meeting, before continuing South to visit schools. The Rotary Club I belong to raises funds through a wine dinner/auction once a year that are then returned to the South County community (schools and other non-profits). Our major fundraiser will take place on May 31 this year – and as a member of the Club, I get to sell wine raffle tickets. If you are interested in trying your luck in this raffle please click on the link above or let me know and I will provide you more info – there is NO PRESSURE to participate (that is why this is not a “TO DO”)!

REMINDERS:

Here is the agenda for our Horizontal team meeting on Monday at CMS, beginning at 3:15. Additionally, I’ll share some Google slides with you at the meeting.