Cool stuff from Dave…
“So, if we test students as soon as they return to school, we might find that students cannot recall things that they knew 18 months earlier, and it would be tempting to assume that this is an example of “lost learning.” However, if they knew it well 18 months ago, storage strength for that material is high; it’s retrieval strength we need to work on. In other words, what students can do on their first days back in school is likely to be a poor guide to what they have actually learned in the storage-strength sense.” https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/why-testing-shouldnt-be-the-first-response-to-last-years-learning-gaps
To Do:
Update Extra Duty lists by Monday! Principals, Human Resources sent you your list of folks on extra duty contracts earlier this week. In order to get these folks paid beginning Oct 1, we need you to update those lists by Monday, Sept 13! Sorry about the quick turnaround.
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Attendance: On Monday, please ask your registrars to NO SHOW students who have not yet shown to school this week! Thank you.
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Open Period Letters: Pre-covid, we set the expectation to serve our 9th grade students on campus all day. Older students have the option of having an open period, as long as parents sign off. Please use this template and fill in the appropriate supervision plan for your school. Here is a spanish version of the letter (specific to SHS, I don’t have the master). Please have the process of collecting signed letters completed by October 1 and have a plan to keep these signed letters on file in the event they need to be accessed.
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School Counselor ICCLs needed for the High School Level:
We are looking to build a HS counseling leadership team! Here is what Jennifer Hauth, who will be leading this group, has in mind: School Counselors who are selected to be part of this team will work with me in a leadership role on future planning around professional development and the direction of the school counseling program. (Counselors who) are interested, please submit a statement (no more than one page) describing why you would like to hold the position as well as one reference to Candy Gelatt in HR by September 15th. Interviews will be held after finalists are selected. Here is the job description. Please push this information out to your counselors!
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Information:
Contact Eric Powell for any questions related to supporting students with challenging behaviors. He and Kay Ann continue to be our go to people for problem solving with you! Eric keeps important links and information on our procedures related to discipline and Restorative Justice Practices updated here: BLS RP Admin. Support Sheet
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HERE is a helpful document from Lora when you have families with questions about curriculum, or requests to meet regarding this topic.
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College and Trade Visitations coming: Our School to Career Coordinators plan to schedule in college and trade schools on Wednesdays period 7. Please connect with them about this and support their efforts to get students to those sessions.
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Our STC Coordinators would like to offer the ASVAB at our schools and will be approaching principals about this. I am supportive of providing this opportunity for our students. Let me know if you have questions.
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We are requiring all building leaders to be trained in Restorative Practices. If you have not yet been trained, please connect with a Culture of Care coach regarding the next opportunity. If you participated last year, HERE is a flier about monthly dates to connect with other leaders about RP.
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Our District Athletic Director, Dave Williams, is close to signing a contract with HomeTown to move to digital ticket sales at athletic events. Here is a LINK to more information if you are interested.
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School Board School Assignments: Here is a link to the School Board Members and the schools that they are assigned to represent.
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A note from Jim Boen, Regional Director of Mental and Behavioral Health: The Connect Workshop is a FREE, two-hour opportunity for parents and guardians in Deschutes County to learn factual, unbiased information and skills to start conversations with their kids about marijuana and other drugs. Each participant will receive a $20 Visa eGift Card after completing the workshop. Workshops are being offered online using Zoom. Here is a link where you can register for one of the upcoming Connect Workshop. (This website has also been translated into Spanish and there will be two presentations provided in Spanish as well.)
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COVID questions: We are collecting questions on THIS DOC and processing answers during our weekly COVID Ready for Schools meetings every Thursday. I will share the answers in my blog. Here are the topics this week:
Faucets: We are not turning on drinking fountains and they should be covered or shut off. However, students and staff are able to fill their water bottles at the filling stations.
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PPE orders should continue to be managed through your office managers, who will then confer with your school nurse prior to ordering. This includes special masks (required) for band and choir. Bell covers for instruments are NOT required and can be purchased using building funds.
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QR code check-in: is not required for entry and exit at this time. Itinerant staff should be checking in and out on paper/pen at the front office for any school they are working at. (requirement prior to COVID as well).
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Music Concerts: Outdoor concerts are allowed after October 1. Masking and social distancing are required. No indoor concerts are allowed at this time.
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Cleaning protocols: Staff should follow the cleaning protocols prior to COVID. Engineers are doing a deep cleaning every night and no additional cleaning is required on the part of certified and classified staff.
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Helpful safety info from Julianne (email sent Tuesday):
When students are in school, and air quality is deteriorating, Scott Bojanowski sends regular air quality updates to Office Managers and Administrators so that decisions about outdoor activities can be made.
Air Quality Index
Per DEQ, we will use the Air Quality Index (AQI) from the http://www.deq.state.or.us/aqi/ site.
In addition to the use of AQI, schools and department leaders can use 5-3-1 to determine conditions in your area. From Oregon.gov, “Smoke levels can rise and fall rapidly, depending on weather factors including wind direction. Making visual observations using the 5-3-1 visibility index is a simple way of estimating smoke levels and what precautions to take. While this method can be a useful tool, persons should always use caution and avoid going outside if visibility is limited, especially persons who may be sensitive to smoke.”
Please take a moment to refresh your understanding of the 5-3-1 index and how you can use it to determine smoke impacts at your specific school site, outside of using the air quality readers in the area, which may be miles from your site.
Air Quality Website and App
The DEQ/Oregon air quality website and Oregon Air app are the only district-approved locations to check air quality for school purposes, because they give hourly readings and not accumulative readings over 24 hours. Simply search for OregonAir in your app store.
School/Department Guidance
Refer to Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Guidance for School Outdoor Activities During Wildfire Events guidelines to make real-time decisions about outdoor recess, PE, or athletic events during the wildfire events. Consideration of total time spent outdoors, activity level, and student groups sensitive to air pollution, when applying appropriate guidance. Please print this document and refer to it as you make decisions about outdoor activities.
In short:
- When air quality isGood (AQI 0-50) it is a great day to be active outdoors.
- When air quality is Moderate (AQI 51-100), it is a good day for students to be active outside.
- When outdoor air quality is Unhealthy for Sensitive Individuals (AQI 101-150), it is an OK day for students to be outside, however, some students may be bothered if they are sensitive to smoke and are strenuously exerting themselves.
- When conditions are Unhealthy (AQI 151-200), consider moving all students indoors or allowing only light outdoor activities. Any outdoor event that is planned to be more than two hours in length will be cancelled. Events of less than two hours in length should be moved indoors.
- When conditions are Very Unhealthy/Hazardous (AQI 201+), all students must be kept indoors. All outdoor events are cancelled.
OSAA Guidance
Additionally, Bend-La Pine Schools’ follows Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) guidelines, created in consultation with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), to make decisions concerning the cancelation, suspension, and/or restarting of athletic practices and contests based on poor air quality. The OSAA is a non-profit, board-governed organization that regulates high school athletics and competitive activities via athletic conferences in Oregon.
The OSAA’s guidance is traditionally more restrictive than OHA guidance, due to the level of exertion and extended length of time students spend participating in practices and competitions, as opposed to recess or PE activities. For example, when conditions are Unhealthy (AQI 151-200), OHA allows for light activity, such as a 15-minute recess, to take place outdoors, while OSAA requires a 2-hour cross country or football practice be moved indoors or canceled.
Staff Guidance
When AQI rises to 201 or above, move all employees indoors or provide them with KN95 or N95 for outdoor work.
Meals
When AQI is Very Unhealthy/Hazardous (201+), all students will eat meals inside, following their indoor meal plans. Students will be spaced 6 feet apart, and be encouraged to stay seated and keep talking to a minimum. Immediately upon finishing lunch, or getting up to dump the trash, students will put their masks back on. Students who are sensitive to air pollution may eat inside at lower AQI readings.
Middle and high school students will eat in designated areas such as the cafeteria, hallways, common areas, or some classrooms.
Air Handlers/HVAC
District HVAC systems replace the air in our facilities an average of 5-6 times each hour. During significant smoke events, HVAC systems will continue to run in our buildings with MERV-13 filters, and windows and doors should be closed. Schools should not turn air handling systems off, as the use of MERV 13 filters will help improve our indoor air quality during a wildfire smoke event.
Outdoor Temperatures
If the indoor climate becomes uncomfortable, due to outside temperature, move to a more comfortable location or limit/increase activity. Use box fans/ceiling fans, as available. Be mindful of airflow, if using box fans. Keep doors and windows closed.
Evacuations
The first priority in situations is responding to the evacuation and safety instructions of local and state fire officials. Regardless of COVID-19, if you are asked or ordered to evacuate, you should do so.
Calendar:
September 13 – Begin ABC rotation
September 15: First SIW – please remind families, staff, and students. SIW schedule
September 21 – HS Admin meeting @ Summit HS 8:00-9:30
September 28 – MS/HS Admin School Design Work Session 9:00-10:00
October 1 – Open Period Letters collected from parents/filed by student
October 31 – SRP video due date
Reminder: complete your work calendars. If you need assistance please contact April Jorgenson.
Mark your calendars for June 20 and 21, 2022 for our Leadership Training Academy.