Think abouts:
We have been talking about street data and recently our board work session focused on the board ends that will guide our work over the coming years. This podcast from The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast highlights an interview with the authors of the book, Street Data facilitated by Jennifer Gonzales. It is worth a listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cult-of-pedagogy-podcast/id900015782?i=1000537550905Outlook for iOS
To Do:
Bond Info from Alandra: Thanks to those of you who tuned in to Dr. Cook’s presentation to staff about the bond. We recorded it and will share with staff via email next week. Your school will be receiving a stack of bilingual flyers about the bond. Please find a spot for these in your lobby or entrance area (We sent a bunch in anticipation of conferences coming up.) You will also receive a sign with the same information to place on an easel in your lobby area. If you need an easel, let us know and we can send one over. I’m happy to help with any additional questions regarding the bond.
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From Dave Van Loo: By Friday 10/21 schools need to determine their primary contact and coordinator for YouthTruth surveys in January. Please enter the coordinator’s information in columns AF-AI in the spreadsheet linked here, or email their name to Dave VanLoo. Last year’s coordinator, if submitted to YouthTruth, is already populated in the file. If the coordinator cells are blank, the principal will be the survey coordinator for YouthTruth.
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From Paul: UKG Project Update: Please take a moment, if you haven’t already done so, to visit HR’s UKG website, and view the Training #1 video with your staff during your next weekly meeting. We’d ask that all staff make a login attempt either via the UKG website or through the app. Anyone who encounters a login problem should submit an IT Help Desk Ticket. So far 23% of BLS staff have successfully logged in with very few problems. You may use this UKG FAQ google doc to add questions that staff ask during your weekly meetings.
Below is our updated training plan leading up to the December 5th Go-Live plan:
October 5th – 11th: Conceptual understanding of Leave Workflow
October 12th – 18th: Conceptual understanding of Leave Request
October 19th – 25th: How to request leave within UKG
October 26th – November 1st: Conceptual understanding of electronic timesheet submissions
November 2nd – 8th: How to make a timesheet submission within UKG
I will be joining the Leadership meeting on October 10th, present the Leave Workflow and Request process and answer any questions that you have. Our UKG Implementation Team is willing to visit your site during one of your regularly scheduled meetings to address staff questions. You may sign up for the visit on this spreadsheet.
Information:
ICCL/Administrator Professional Development: Here is the LINK to the powerpoint from our October 10 MTSS training with secondary building leaders and teacher leaders. Please use anything here to help move your school MTSS work forward.
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From Lora: During October and November, community and district facilitators will be hosting approximately 15 “community conversations” with student, family, and community groups. These are the second iteration of our listening sessions that were part of our original excellence and equity review.
This time, we are focusing, for the most part, on talking to groups that already exist: student GSA clubs, the Latino Family Advisory group, RJE, etc. We are using this strategy because a) we think conversations are more open when individuals are familiar with one another; and b) it’s simpler logistically to arrange these.
We will be using the qualitative data gathered in these conversations, along with Youth Truth survey data from staff, students, and families, as well as other quantitative and qualitative data, to inform the district’s strategic planning. As with the excellence and equity review, we will be creating materials to share with our leaders, staff, and community regarding the major findings.
Kinsey Martin will be reaching out to you if a session is planned for your school. Our district team will handle almost all of the logistics, with club advisors supporting. Thanks for supporting students’ and families’ voices, if a session is hosted at your school.
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Mid Year transfer process: Just a reminder that that our team will review mid year requests to transfer from a semester HS to one of our choice high schools on November 4. If you have staff or one of your students/families interested in moving to Realms HS or BTA@MHS from BSHS, CHS, LPHS, MVHS, or SHS, be sure to complete the doc on this link and bring the information to the meeting. Also, let Eric know you would like to be on the agenda for the Nov 4. meeting.
Here is the full message about the mid year transfer process from the September 16 blog:
Important reminder about requests to move mid year: Beginning with the 22-23 school year, we are no longer rescinding ACR’s or moving students back and forth between schools except during grading breaks (trimester and semester) and in exceptional circumstances.
Yes, we have allowed students to move between schools for years. However, we know this is not best practice for our students and we are no longer supporting this practice.
Once a student requests to be at a particular school, that becomes their school.
Support and process for reviewing requests:
District Tier III team: We will continue our Friday 10:00 meetings which is an opportunity for us to problem solve students who are struggling to access their education (this is a team consisting of behavior coaches, Juan, me and led by Eric).
Mid Year ACR’s: Additionally, we have developed a process for students, staff and families to review mid year requests. I included it in the HS blog last week. Here it is again:
ACR Update & Mid-Year School Location Request Information
Please review this document linked below regarding changes to the ACR process during a school year. We will review this process in more depth at our September work session with Assistant Principals and Deans.
Here are some highlights from this document:
(1) ACRs can no longer be ‘pulled’ (revoked) for attendance, behavior, grades, etc. Once a student is approved on an ACR, they remain at that school moving forward.
(2) A district-led team will meet three times during the school year to review unique cases when families are requesting to move, mid-year, from one school to another.
Mid-Year School Location Requests
Reach out to Eric or me if you have questions about this.
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From Lora: As many of you know, we’re still facing challenges with getting substitute teachers in our schools. While we want to support professional learning and field trips, we also want to be cautious for now. So, for the time being, we ask you to do the following:
- If you have staff that require subs who are taking students on a field trip, please make sure these are only scheduled Tuesday-Thursday. Any exceptions need the approval of your level leader!
- If you have staff that require subs engaged in school business (grade level or department planning, ICCL retreats, etc.), you need to get the approval of your level leader IF more than three subs are needed. Again, these should be scheduled for Tuesday-Thursday.
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From Jenn: Bend-La Pine Schools is partnering with Deschutes County Health Services to provide Parent Connect Workshops. See if your school has a workshop and register here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uR4voCPn28VVPi-D9tjN7wyKkONeT5b34aWruHnXYGg/edit?usp=sharing
The Connect Workshop is a FREE, 2-hour opportunity for parents and guardians in Deschutes County to learn factual, unbiased information and skills to start conversations with their kids about substance use. Each participant will receive a $15 Gift Card after completing the workshop.
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Digital Citizenship from Instructional Technology: October brings a refreshed emphasis on digital citizenship. Most of us agree that digital citizenship skills are important but are unsure how to fit teaching them into our already full schedules. Rather than recreating the wheel, Bend La Pine Schools leans on the expertise of Common Sense Education and their vast resources, including ready-made free digital citizenship lessons for all grade levels. To get started, check out Digital Citizenship Made Simple. These skills will carry our students into the future; please take a few minutes to highlight their importance in your school this month.
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From Jackie (Wilson) Mueller, our BLS Sustainability and Energy Specialist:
Walk and Roll to School Day October 12th: Please help spread the word that October 12th is Walk and Bike to School day. Let parents and teachers know it is Walk + Roll to School Day on October 12th and parents/students can enter their trip here to win prizes: commuteoptions.org/walkroll
BLS is collecting baseline data on # of students using alternative transportation and we need your help. Pass on the tally sheets to teachers to fill out for two days. You do not need to have it on the 12th just sometime in the month of October. There are two forms per sheet and they can be done in a simple hand raise or stand-up collection style. Completed forms can be turned into the main office and then sent to Jackie Wilson, at Admin Building, through inner district mail. Teachers can use this google document if it is easier.
National Recycling Day – November 15th: Coming soon will be information about National Recycling Day and how to celebrate it with your school. To prepare, please ensure that your staff understand what can and cannot be recycling in Deschutes County. Please share this document so that folks can be on the same page. If staff want to learn more, they can watch this video from 2021 National Recycling Day, The Do’s and Don’t of recycling! If you need any additional bins or recycling signs, please reach out to [email protected]
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From our Education Foundation: SHOUT OUT because we know our K-12 educators are working hard planning, developing, and executing stellar programs and curriculum for our Bend-La Pine students. To help with that, we are offering our 2022 Back-to-School Classroom Grant opportunity for funding. Please see the Classroom Grant Guidelines and Classroom Grant Application, both of which can also be found on our website. The deadline for applications is Friday, October 14, 2022, and all application requests must be emailed to our office at this email address: [email protected]
Funding decisions and fund distribution will occur November 1, 2022.
The Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools is an independent non-profit 501(c)3 that has aided local schools since 1988. Our mission is to prepare our students for success and the future through educational and extracurricular opportunities. Since 2003, the Education Foundation has invested over $2.1 million into local schools through endowments, special projects, and our main programs. For more information about the Education Foundation, please visit our website at www.engagedminds.org.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or our Program Coordinator Jessie Norman at [email protected]. We look forward to receiving your applications and continuing to help make opportunities possible for our students and teachers! Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools
Calendar:
October 10: Principal PD 3:00-4:30 @ Ed Center in board room
October 11: HS Administrator Work Session 8:00-9:30 @MVHS Library
October 14: SIF and HSS Discretionary budgets due.
October 14: Bias Incident student lesson should have been taught by school staff.
October 19: Stats I Training 12-4 @ HDESD building in Redmond. This training is required for all administrators and Deans. Contact Eric Powell to sign up or if you have questions.