{"id":2369,"date":"2021-01-29T19:51:56","date_gmt":"2021-01-29T19:51:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/jim.boen\/?p=2369"},"modified":"2021-01-29T19:51:56","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T19:51:56","slug":"1-29-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bend.k12.or.us\/jim.boen\/2021\/01\/29\/1-29-21\/","title":{"rendered":"1.29.21"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


TO DO:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what you’ve been waiting for. Hot off the presses, Lora provided us with a condensed version of the MOU between the district and BEA<\/strong>. Please read this summary document <\/a>carefully as some of these agreements change what has been our plan\/practice – specifically around SIW days. Jon will join us at our Horizontal on Tuesday to answer questions, but if you would like to talk through any of what you read please give me a call prior to that. _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are two documents that you may want to share with your staff. One has to do with proper storage of disposable masks<\/a>. The other are directions of how to put on and take off a disposable respirator mask<\/a> (KN95). ________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are some updates<\/strong> that you need to know about (some are changes from previous communication) as they relate to COVID\/RSSL\/BLS practices<\/strong>. Here is a document from Paul <\/a>that provides the latest guidance, based on what we know today. Please read this and share with staff as needed. [Note: Some of this information is also addressed by me later in this blog.] _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please share this letter (English<\/a> and Spanish<\/a>) in your next parent communication. This letter outlines the communication steps that will occur every time there is a positive COVID case at a school.<\/strong> This would be a good one to also share with your entire staff, but especially those who will be answering the phone when parents call with questions. Related to this, remember, and begin communicating now, that we are not able to share (due to HIPPA) who has been diagnosed as having a positive case in the school… and giving hints to help the questioner figure it out is not recommended either! _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I plan on resuming regular school visits in February<\/strong>. Principals, please email me a date\/time when you’d like for me to come visit with you – and have a space where we can talk and remain socially distanced (I’m good with meeting indoors or outdoors, just tell me ahead of time if I need to wear my outside shoes!). _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have probably heard by now that you are able to add back some extra duty assignments<\/strong> (e.g. intramural, after school supervisor, etc.) now that kids will be returning to school. Here’s the catch… only hire\/renew the positions that will be working directly with students AND those that occur during non-work time (before\/after work hours, during prep, or 30 min. duty-free lunch)<\/em>. I’m sure you are needing additional supervision in this current COVID\/social distancing world we find ourselves – but we do not want to pay someone an extra duty stipend that is not doing any extra duty work. _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, more than most, it is VERY important that all semester 1 (and quarter 2) grades are posted by the morning of Monday, Feb. 8<\/strong>. On this date all students who are moving from brick and mortar school into either BLPSO or district CDL will be dropped from your enrollment and Canvas Grade Pass Back will no longer be functional. _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THIS and THAT:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you get in a jam with not having enough front office coverage<\/strong> (e.g. staff are out due to quarantine) please know that Andrea Wilson has mentioned that she is willing to come help for an immediate need if you find yourself in a pinch. _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you know, each of your schools has a School Safety Checklist <\/strong>on our district website<\/a>. What you may not be fully aware of is that these are being read frequently and thoroughly. It is really important that these checklists are not only up-to-date, but also contain complete information (everything that you have in place at school should also be communicated in your plan). _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a student who refuses to wear a mask<\/strong> (and the reason is not IDEA or health-related), do not<\/span> make this a discipline issue. In this situation, remove the student from the general population (office or meeting room where other students are not present) and see if this can be resolved. If it cannot, please call the parents to explain the situation. If it still cannot be resolved, then explain that the educational options for students who chose not to wear a mask are BLPO or district CDL and help them get connected to one of these. Further, if a student refuses to wear a mask on the bus in the morning then the driver will bring that student to school (rather than leave them unattended at the bus stop) and notify the school. You should make every attempt to meet this student prior to them entering the building (notify whoever will be doing your visible checks of students at the door) and go through the same process as just described. _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I shared this with you at our Horizontal on Tuesday, and hope you’ve had a chance to send this survey<\/a> (re: upcoming appointments<\/strong>) out to your staff since then. If not, I’m linking it here for you again. Please provide me your raw numbers by Monday so I can see where our overall MS needs might be. Don’t forget to make a copy of the survey first before sending it out! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At some point, it is likely that your school will have some exposure to a positive case. Our district has prepared a number of family letters related to a variety of exposure examples<\/strong>. You can find these letters on the Portal at this location<\/a>. Additionally, here is the site on the Portal that includes many of our documents that are COVID-related<\/a>. _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a couple of follow-up pieces that I committed to from our Horizontal this week<\/strong>… If we have significant snow, both late start or cancellations are possible. Language around what teaching\/instruction will look like on a “cancellation” day is still being worked through with BEA, so don’t communicate any plans yet. Lastly, we are asking that you (and all of your building staff) continue to check-in and check-out every day at your site. This means you will either need to limit the number of doors to enter\/exit, or provide check-in\/out opportunities at each location. _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may or may not have heard that the decision was made this week that the district will suspend all “pay to play” fees for MS and HS activities and athletics<\/strong> for the remainder of this school year (season 2, 3, & 4). Your AD was told this information on Tuesday so is aware as well. _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You likely also heard this news coming out of ODE around assessments for this year. Here is that news: The board approved a temporary rule at OAR 581-022-0104 that waives<\/strong> Essential Skills graduation requirements for students who graduate in 2021 and Local Performance Assessment requirements for students in Grades 3-8<\/strong> and high school for 2020-21. _________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is an FYI regarding what attendance calls home will look like in Hybrid<\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n