Team,
It was great to see all of you yesterday! I always miss seeing kids with teachers in action in the classroom. Thank you to Chad and Brian for going first with our observations. I look forward to the other ones to come.
Please ensure you read the “To Do” list this week. I apologize up front that this week’s blog is long.
I am placing Monday’s Principal PD Session on 2/13 at the top of this message. We’ll start in the boardroom at 3:00 and you can find the agenda here.
To Do
From Dr. Cook
Dear Principals,
A revamped statewide survey of licensed educators opens next Wednesday, and I’m asking for your help in promoting a high level of participation among your eligible staff. The feedback from the anonymous Oregon Statewide Educator Survey (formerly the TELL Oregon Survey) will provide us new insights into the teaching and learning environments in our schools. It covers professional development, educator and school leadership, instructional practices, use of time, and behavior management.
I can’t emphasize enough how valuable this input could be for us as at this time. We have heard from some instructional staff this year, directly and indirectly, with concerns about current conditions and big changes we are pursuing across our district. It’s critical that we hear from a greater share of our certified staff, and we want to be able to compare our results to statewide results.
The Educator Survey, suspended for the past three years due to COVID, has been redesigned with improved data collection and reporting to be responsive to local and regional needs. This survey comes from the Educator Advancement Council, in partnership with the Oregon Department of Education and Oregon Education Association.
The survey is intended for certified, school-based educators, including principals, assistant principals, head teachers, instructional coordinators and supervisors, psychologists, teachers (including those on special assignment), library/media specialists, guidance counselors, nurses, special education teachers, and social workers. Please include any licensed, ESD-employed educators working regularly with your students to the extent that they have a sense of the conditions for teaching and learning in your school. Educators who serve multiple school buildings in the district are encouraged to take the survey for each building they serve.
The survey will open Wednesday, February 15, and remain open through March 3. It can be completed in about 15 minutes.
In addition to this message to you, I am sending the attached letter to all certified staff in our district later today.
Here’s what we are asking of you:
On Monday, February 13, you will be emailed tokens (codes) to access the survey from the Center for Optimal Learning Environments. The email will come from [email protected]. In addition to the access token for educators in your building, you will receive a separate token to participate in the administrator version of the survey.
On Monday or Tuesday, please notify all of your licensed educators about the opening of the survey window on Wednesday. Below is a sample message you may use in your communications.
Disseminate the access tokens: Make a plan to distribute your school’s access token for the survey to certified educators on the morning of Wednesday, February 15. This can be done via email and during a staff meeting. Please remind them to review my email (sent to them today) about the purpose of this survey and the value we place on their participation. You also may refer them to the survey FAQ page at eac.ode.state.or.us/page/osei. I encourage you to review these FAQs to help you answer any questions from staff.
In addition to sharing the access token, please indicate that the link to the survey can be found at eac.ode.state.or.us/page/osei.
To honor the confidential nature of this survey, please refrain from tracking or logging who has started or completed it. Just make sure to communicate clearly with all eligible survey respondents to boost the level of participation.
Encourage them to complete the survey as soon as possible, from ANY location (school, home, their phone). The survey should take 15 minutes and can be completed in multiple sittings; it will save your progress.
If possible, schedule a designated date/time for staff to take the survey between February 15 and March 3.
All educators at a school will receive the same access token to ensure anonymity. Results from the survey will only be shared at the school level if there is a 40% completion rate and a minimum of five respondents.
If you have questions or concerns, know that we will set aside time at our principals’ meeting Monday to address them. If you need information before then, consult your level directors. I’m also happy to address any questions you may have.
From Dave Vanloo (read)
This Google doc contains essential information and resources for OSAS state testing in ELA, Math, and Science. Contact Dave VanLoo or Stephanie Bent with any questions.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/16zLgX_iT2H0aAPRKa6mR_aGPCLZ0Gv1SsPSRr-iZ1Ks/edit?usp=sharing
From Dean Richards
The Secondary Instructional Coaches will be visiting schools to solicit qualitative feedback from teachers on the process and product of draft standards work this week. This is in addition to the time spent during the Educator Network Day on February 15th.
TO Dos:
- If there is a conflict with this date, please let Dean know ASAP.
- Please have a space for the Instructional Coaches to be available for teachers (i.e. library, future center, other common meeting spot)
- Please communicate with staff that they will be coming ahead of time
- Please give an all call that they are available on the date of their visit
8:00-8:30 at each site
| Thursday, February 23(Dean will schedule BTA) | Team #1: Monica Coleen Julie Team #2: Torie Linda Michele | MVHS Summit |
| Tuesday, February 28 | Team #1: Michele Coleen Julie Team #2: Torie Linda Monica | Caldera Realms HS/MS |
| Thursday, March 2 | Team #1: Michele Coleen Julie Team #2: Torie Linda Monica | LPH/LPM BSH |
| Tuesday, March 7 | Team #1: Michele Monica Julie Team #2: Torie Linda Coleen | HDM CMS |
| Thursday, March 9 | Team #1: Michele Coleen Julie Team #2: Torie Monica | SVMS PCMS |
| Tuesday, March 14 | Team #1: Michele Coleen Julie Team #2: Torie Linda Monica | 3R PBMS |
From Stephen Duval
Could you please let me know two pieces of information regarding subs and our fly up day on March 2nd. Feel free to pass this on to another on your team if needed.
IF you are requesting subs:
- How many are you requesting?
- Who are the teachers you are requesting for?
- If you plan on moving the sub around to cover multiple teachers, just let me know the name of one staff member who will be covered.
It would be great to have this piece of information in the next couple of days.
When putting a sub request in AESOP, you can select Bill to ESD CTE Perkins.
2023 KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training
Please remind your staff to complete their security awareness training by February 28th. If you have any questions, please contact your site tech, or call the help desk at extension 1200.
This and That
Jennifer Hauth
From High Desert Museum
Free Family Saturdays at High Desert Museum
From Nole Kennedy
Resource sharing: Incident form
From Julie Stroiniski
From Kinsey
Principal PD Session:
Agenda here. We’ll start at 3:00pm on Monday in the board room!
Menstrual Dignity Act:
We are continuing the phased installation and implementation of hardware and products in all bathrooms, in accordance with state expectations and timelines. More soon on next steps in that roll-out.
In the meantime, here is the updated Toolkit the state released a couple months ago. Section IV: Education has relevant tools for K-12 classroom conversations and instruction.
Please take a moment to review that section with relevant staff (ICCL, counseling, athletics, nursing, multilingual staff, educators who teach health topics, and/or front-office staff). Your building is welcome to teach lessons on the topic if you’re ready to dive in, but the only ask for the moment is that you review and discuss the toolkit with staff, to raise awareness and familiarity with the topic and resources. Doing this now will help your staff feel more informed and comfortable when we take next steps with implementation over the upcoming months. If you have questions, please reach out to Kinsey or a LEAD/Equity Coach.
FREE ESOL Endorsement:
Principals, please share this with your certified staff. Kinsey can support any questions:
Certified teachers: Interested in getting your ESOL endorsement for free?
Bend-La Pine Schools has a partnership with OSU to cover all tuition and costs associated with ESOL certification. Our goal is to increase the number of classroom teachers who are highly-trained in supporting culturally- and linguistically-diverse learners and families. We have had several cohorts of teachers selected for this opportunity in prior years, who have earned their ESOL endorsement with no cost, moved over on the pay scale, and are better equipped to serve our students and families!
If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, you must apply by April 3. Additional details here.
Calendar
February 13: Principal Professional Development @Board Room at 3:00-4:30
February 15: Educator Network Day
February 16: Cascade Middle School Classroom/Environmental Observation
February 21: High Desert Middle School Classroom/Environmental Observation
February 23: MS Work Session Cancelled
February 22-24: Juan is out of office attending NABE Conference
February 27: Assistant Principals and Deans PD 7:30-8:30 @ Ed Center; room 314
March 8: Pacific Crest Middle School Classroom/Environmental Observation
March 14: Sky View Middle School Classroom/Environmental Observation
Fish On…
