Team,
Enjoy the wonderful vitamin D this weekend!
~Juan
To Do
From Lora Nordquist
All BLAST Members,
We sent a calendar invitation to everyone today for our end-of-year celebration and lunch. It is scheduled for Wednesday, June 21st, from 11:30-1:00 in the boardroom (lunch may be outside, depending on weather 😊). Hope to see you all there!
From Payroll (Please Read)
If I’m not too late will you please include this communication in your weekly blog?
We wanted to send out a quick reminder to timekeepers and direct supervisors that this Sunday is timesheet cutoff. You may have noticed by now that you are unable to approve your employee’s timesheets until all line item approvals for secondary jobs have been approved. (i.e. Bend Science Station, Collaborative Time, ED101, etc.). We have requested that those approvals be done no later than 1:00pm on Monday, May 15th so that you can complete your approval process. You are a critical step in the process and to help move things along swiftly and smoothly we need all timekeeper approvals completed no later than Tuesday, May 16th at noon. Once you have completed your approvals, it’s direct supervisors turn. This is the final step in the approval process before we can start our payroll processes. Direct Supervisor approvals need completed no later than Wednesday May 17th at noon. We so appreciate all of you and your time and effort to make this process as smooth as possible. Thank you!
Workflow:
Step 1 – Friday, May 12th by 11:00 pm – Direct Supervisors all to do items approved
Step 2 – Sunday May 14th by 11:00 pm – Employees submit their timesheet
Step 3 – Monday May 15th by 1:00 pm – Line item approvers approve their items
Step 4 – Tuesday May 16th by Noon – Timekeepers / Office managers complete their approvals
Step 5 – Wednesday May 17th by Noon – Admin complete their approvals
From Dean Richards & Linda Adams
Hello all,
Here is a LINK to text that you can send to parent regarding the Math Bypass. Linda and I will be at the MS meeting tomorrow at SVMS to take any other questions. If the dates do not work for your school, please let us know and we will reschedule. If you make a copy (or cut and paste), you could remove other schools.
From Ryan Kelling, Human Resources
Please share below information with your staff.
Professional Development Opportunities for Licensed Staff:
Lewis & Clark University is hosting information sessions for already-licensed staff interested in learning more about adding either a Special Education endorsement or a Principal License to their license.
- An online informational session for L&C’s Special Education Generalist added endorsement program will be Wednesday, May 17th. Tuition is discounted from the typical Lewis & Clark rate, classes are held fully online, and the 18-credit program can be completed in 10 months. Here is a link to register for the information night.
- An in-person information session for their Principal License cohort will be held at the High Desert ESD’s office in Redmond on Wednesday, May 31st from 4:00 -6:00 pm. This is a 2-year program that consists of 27 units at a discounted rate.
Both of these programs would be eligible for 50% tuition reimbursement for Certified staff. More information about the tuition reimbursement program, including an application, on the staff portal.
This and That
From Jennifer Hauth & Wayfinder Curriculum
Check out this link. This a Wayfinder interest surve.
From Julianne Repman
Safety page on the Portal has a fresh look and new content.
Check out the updated Safety page on the Portal for a one-stop-shop for the tools you use most often. In addition to quick links, policies and newsworthy items, you will also find a link to request camera, Raptor, technology and facilities support.
Effective June 17 the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for public and private school teachers, staff and school volunteers (OAR 333-019-1030) will be lifted.
This means that after June 16, teachers, school staff and volunteers in schools will no longer have to provide proof of vaccination or have a valid medical or religious exception on file to be in direct or indirect contact with students. Being up to date on COVID-19 vaccines continues to offer significant protection against serious illness and hospitalization.
More from Julilanne
Warm Weather Reminders:
Exterior Doors
· Main entrance doors will remain unlocked during school/staff hours.
· All other exterior doors should remain locked during the school day/teacher contract day.
o Exterior doors may not be propped open and left unsupervised.
o Doors may be opened when supervised by a staff person who is within ‘arms reach’ of the door.
• Staff should report concerns of unsupervised, open doors to their administrator and or safety committee for resolution.
• Violations may be subject to discipline.
o Schools that are not designed to facilitate the locking of all exterior doors, other than the main entrance, will develop a safety plan with the director of elementary, middle or high school programs and the district school safety director. This plan will be reviewed annually.
· Schools with secure vestibules must not override security systems by propping doors or by any other means.
Safety page on the Portal has a fresh look and new content.
Check out the updated Safety page on the Portal for a one-stop-shop for the tools you use most often. In addition to quick links, policies and newsworthy items, you will also find a link to request camera, Raptor, technology and facilities support.
Effective June 17 the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for public and private school teachers, staff and school volunteers (OAR 333-019-1030) will be lifted.
This means that after June 16, teachers, school staff and volunteers in schools will no longer have to provide proof of vaccination or have a valid medical or religious exception on file to be in direct or indirect contact with students. Being up to date on COVID-19 vaccines continues to offer significant protection against serious illness and hospitalization.
From Scott McDonald
Greetings,
Let’s talk about WebEx. This past year, overall usage of WebEx has gone down significantly across the organization. Although many of us still rely on a virtual platform for meetings and professional development, we are using it far less to interact with students. Currently, we support two video conferencing platforms Microsoft Teams, and Cisco WebEx. Our intention is to make a slow transition to exclusively use Microsoft Teams for the 2023-24 school year. There are several compelling reasons for Bend-La Pine Schools to switch to MS Teams, including additional services, integration with email and calendar, and reduced cost. Although many staff have been using Microsoft Teams for years, it is new for students. Currently, we are beginning a trial with our Bend-La Pine Online students. If you or someone at your site often work with students virtually, we would encourage you to be a part of our trial.
Please note that any staff user can still participate virtually in any platform ( WebEx, Zoom, Google Meet, etc) the same way they can today. However, those who host meetings with staff or students will be encouraged to use Microsoft Teams. For some, I am certain this is an impactful change. Please feel free to reach out to me directly by email with any specific questions or concerns.
From Jess Calbreath
Calendar
May 22: Assistant Principal/Dean PD Session @7:30-8:30 at Ed Center Board Room
May 25: Middle School Admin Work Session 3:00-4:30 pm @Cascade MS
May 29: Memorial Day No School
June 1: Excellence in Education @5:00-6:30 at Summit High School
June 8: Middle School Admin Work Session 3:00-4:30 pm @HDMS
June 16: Last Day of School
June 21: BLAST End of Year Celebration & Lunch @11:30-1:00 in the boardroom
Fish On
