Action Items:
Non Classroom Mini Observation: Thank you for providing time for your teachers to set up their grade books together with support from your CST (Canvas Support Team) member and other experts in the building. Each school has chosen a method for reporting grades with Synergy and/or Canvas and your building team is the Tier 1 support for this process.
As a reminder, here is a checklist for staff when it comes to Canvas minimum requirements.
Make it a mini!: Taking 20 minutes now to ensure all setup is correct can save a ton of time and heartache later in the semester. Scheduling time to review the grade book/Canvas set up with each teacher can count as a non-classroom mini observation.
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What data do you need?: Leadership teams from each school are being asked to complete this survey so we can better understand how schools use and access student data. You are encouraged to discuss these questions as a leadership team and complete the survey as a group.
Survey questions are organized into groups with a number and a letter (e.g., 1a, 1b, 2a, etc.). Each number and letter combination (e.g., 1a) really is a multi-part question. If you answer the first question about the type of data, be sure to answer all follow up questions specific to those data. Please be as specific and descriptive as possible when answering these questions.
Please complete the survey by Wednesday, October 4. Contact Dave VanLoo with any questions about the survey.
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From Lora: Years of Service Apples: In the coming days, your level leader will deliver the “years of service” apples to the appropriate building principals. Please find a few minutes in a staff meeting or at the start of an SIW to formally recognize the outstanding staff who have served our district for many years.
Possible (Temporary) Changes to Supervision and Evaluation Requirements for Certified Staff: Paul Dean and I are working with Sarah Barclay on some temporary changes to the supervision requirements for certified staff who have contract status. Our hope is to help relieve some of the observation burden for our administrators. STAY TUNED! In the meantime, as we’re waiting to bring UKG fully on board for this process, you can complete observations using any tools you regularly use. This information can be uploaded into UKG at a later date.
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Classified Daily Break Requirements
This is a reminder to all administrators/supervisors regarding mandatory classified breaks/meals from Article 16.5 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Per the CBA, classified staff who are scheduled for more than six hours receive:
- a 15-minute paid morning break as close to the middle of the morning workday as possible (between the start of the workday and the 30-minute meal period)
- a 30-minute duty free (no students) meal period as close to the middle of the workday as possible, and
- a 15-minute paid afternoon break as close to the middle of their afternoon workday as possible
(You may view Article for 16.5 for breaks/meals for employees working less than 6 hours)
We understand current staffing challenges, but these breaks and meal periods must be arranged and scheduled per the contract. We ask that you double-check with your classified staff in the next week to confirm that they have written schedules and that those schedules include the appropriate break/meal times.
OSEA leadership is committed to supporting their members and will reach out to building/level leaders if they are notified that someone is not receiving their regularly scheduled breaks.
UKG Data
We anticipate checking in with school administrators next week to confirm the accuracy of staffing data within UKG. We’ll provide a google form for you to log incorrect staff in your My Teams view. We appreciate your patience as we continue to work through PAs and system updates.
Performance Evaluation Module
The district (Lora) and BEA are in discussions to modify the number of mini-observations and reduce the number of standards to be evaluated for all certified contract staff (probationary/temporary staff requirements won’t change as we must conform to ORS rules). We will likely have the same amount of mini’s for both on & off cycle staff. Stay tuned for more information on this.
In the meantime, please continue your normal classroom visits while we get ready to roll out the Performance Evaluation module in UKG. You’ll have the opportunity to enter prior mini’s once the new module is launched.
We are currently testing and making tweaks to the Performance module in preparation for an October rollout. We have to create a different profile for each certified group that has a unique evaluation rubric. We are prioritizing the classroom teacher rubric first as that is our largest group of certified staff. We’ll then move to Learning Specialists, Counselors, Student Success Clinicians, School Psychologists, TOSAs and Speech Pathologists
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From Kinsey: Workshop registration
This workshop is taking place on Thursday, October 5th. We are starting with elementary and middle schools, but high school will soon participate in this work.
Given recent bias incidents at the high school level as well as the nature of this workshop content, advanced awareness and preparation will help you support your teachers as they soon move into this work.
Therefore, each high school is strongly encouraged to send an administrator to this upcoming workshop (the morning portion only—I’d recommend 8:00am-lunch). Please rsvp using the registration form on link above. Thanks!
Reminders:
The Wayfinder Assessment window opens Monday: September 26-October 5 – ALL students; ALL high schools
Information
From Jennifer: Thank you all for your continued support of Wayfinder. I have drafted newsletter content for your families. Please remember that we are not using Social Emotional learning when speaking or promoting Wayfinder.
If you have implementation or wonderings about Wayfinder, please reach out to myself and/or our Program Manager- Diana Curtaz:
Diana Curtaz
916.206.9784
Training Decks from In-service Week:
- K-5 Core Training
- 6-8 Core Training
- 9-12 Essentials Training (Activity Library)
- Mountain View HS Core Training
Resources to support teachers with implementation:
o If your teachers want to learn more about Wayfinder, have them enroll in Wayfinder Academy (it is asynchronous).
o Here is a Collections Step-by-Step Guide + a Getting Started with Collections video.
o The link to Wayfinder’s Tech Support.
o Waypoints information for grades 6-12 (grades 3-5 coming in 2024!) BLS will have students in 6-12 complete this assessment between September 25th and October 6th.
o Here is a Resource Guide with additional resources and support.
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From Sean: As a part of our suicide intervention efforts for our Adi’s Act plan, suicide prevention trainings are required for our staff. All of our trained suicide risk screeners, which are typically your school counselors, school psychs, some nurses, and some SSC’s attend the ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) PD every 5 years. This year, ASIST will be offered on Nov. 2 and 3, which will be required for those who have never been trained. There will be two additional ASIST trainings offered in the winter and spring for those who need to recertify. School sites are responsible for sub coverage for staff who require it. For questions, please reach out to Jamie Gunter ([email protected])
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From Sean: Please see the link flyer for upcoming training opportunities from our Culture of Care Coaches.
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From Scott: Greetings from IT:
The following applies to personal devices only and not school issued student iPads.
Students have always been able to access Bend La Pine Schools digital applications from a personal device (such as a cell phone or desktop computer )while at home. This year, access from a personal device is still encouraged, but in the interest of security and data privacy, just a bit more challenging.
Students will need to complete multifactor authentication prior to accessing BLS applications on their personal device. Multifactor authentication adds a critical second layer of security before any student information is visible on a device that is not known by our organization. The steps to complete multi-factor authentication can be found on the following link:
Printed as well as Spanish versions of these instructions are available from the Tier One Technology representative at each school.
It is important to note that the most efficient way to complete the steps for multi-factor authentication is by using a student iPad. We in IT would strongly encourage sending iPads home to complete the MFA process (especially for elementary age students).
The following BLS applications are commonly accessed by students from personal devices. Lexia, Dreambox, Clever, Canvas, Really Great Reading, Google Drive
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From Stephen: Update on SchoolLinks: As you are aware we have brought SchooLinks on board as our College and Career Platform. One feature we are very excited about is the integration with parchment for transcripts. Both current students and alumni will be able to request transcripts at no cost to them through SchooLinks. We currently have this up and running for current students, but have hit an unfortunate snag when it comes to alumni. There is a technical aspect to loading alumni transcripts with SchooLinks causing a delay. Up until now, this was no problem as we still had a separate contract with Parchment for alumni transcripts where we picked up the cost of their request. Unfortunately, this contract expired yesterday.
What this means is, currently, we do not have a free transcript option for our alumni. Again, this is alumni ONLY. We are hopeful we can have the free SchooLinks process up and running very soon, but we can’t give a definitive date just yet. In the meantime, this unfortunately means it will cost our alumni $4.40 for a transcript. I will state it is very common practice in many districts to have a fee associated with alumni transcripts, but it will still be an adjustment to our past practice.
Therefore, if you have alumni who need a transcript and can wait, we should have the issue resolved soon. However, if there is immediacy needed to the request, the $4.40 option is all we can do at this time.
We apologize for the inconvenience and will update you as soon as we have a firm date for the SchooLinks alumni transcript feature.
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From Jackie: Sustainability Update
Education
Sustainability Advisor Position – SustainBLS
There are still a few schools that do not have a staff Sustainability Advisor in place for the school year. The SustainBLS program is one of the ways ALL schools can make sustainability, stewardship and conservation the norm across our district. Through SustainBLS, a certified staff member takes on the role of the school Sustainability Advisor and works with a school green team. This team can be a class, a select group of students or an environmental club. Our first training of the year is next Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 in the Facility Development Office behind admin.
Transportation
Walk and Roll Prizes
Walk and Roll to school day is on October 4th this year. If your school wants to have some give aways stickers, please apply by September 27th to Street trust. Teachers should be encouraged to gather information about student transportation to assist BLS. There are tallys here that can be sent to sustainability coordinator, Jackie Wilson Admin via inner district mail.
Get There Challenge with Commute Options
The Get There Challenge is an annual competition to encourage people who live or work in Oregon to drive alone less and use transportation options more. Running for two-weeks, October 1-15, the Challenge helps promote commuting by teams will competing for recognition and prizes by logging trips taken by bike, foot, carpool, vanpool, and transit and remote workdays. Your school can create a team and sign up here. Any member of your team can be the team captain, but there needs to be one for each team. Check out the great prizes, including a $1000 gift card for the winning team. There will be a special district prize for the team with the most trips logged.
Materials Management
Recycling 101 in Deschutes County Solid Waste
With school in session, this is a perfect time to share with staff and review what can and cannot go in the blue co-mingle recycling carts in Deschutes County. Please note that plastic produce clamshells, coffee cups and copy paper reams are NOT Recyclable.
Buildings and Operations
Total Building Energy Useage
Remember to keep building energy use in mind at the end of the day and on weekends. The building automation system sets schools to unoccupied modes over the weekend. If you have any questions or concerns about your school facility, please contact [email protected]
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Calendar:
Here is LINK to the SIW Calendar and HS administrator work sessions and agendas for 23-24.
Wayfinder Assessment window: September 26-October 5 – ALL students; ALL high schools
September 28: MTSS Administrator Lead Professional Development @ 3:00-4:30 @ Ed Center Board Room
September 29: Principal Breakfast 7:30@ Original Pancake House in Bend
October 3: ICCL and building administrator training 4:15 @ BSHS; Perseverance Hall
October 10: HS Administrator Work Session 8:00-9:30 @ CHS
October 11: Educator Network Day more info coming soon!
October 19: MTSS Administrator Lead Professional Development @ 3:00-4:00 @ Ed Center Board Room
October 24: HS Administrator Principal Work Session 8:00-9:30 @ SHS
October 25: All Admin Professional Development 3:00-4:30 @ BSHS Perseverance Hall