Reflections...
In a recent training, I came across this research paper about the importance of PRINCIPALS to successful schools. Lora referred to this study during our administrator retreat yesterday! It is a long read but worth a review. Principals matter to student learning!
TO DO:
COVID requirements: Review the Executive Summary of our Operational Plan for COVID safety protocols. Pages 8-20 highlight specifics related to masking/quarantining/social distancing and more. Here is a copy of the slide show presented to our Board at the meeting this week. Either could be used as resources with your staff.
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As you plan for large events at your schools – such as welcome back assemblies the first week of school, class meetings or staff meetings, a good rule of thumb is if you can maintain 3 ft of distance with everyone masked, you may be able to safely hold your event indoors. If you can not do this, move the event outside or reduce the number of people at the event. For example, for our large comprehensives during 9th grade only day, split your 9th grade in half with and rotate each group through different sessions. For large comprehensives, schedule your staff meetings in the auditorium or commons/cafeteria where people can spread out. OR, schedule small group sessions and have groups rotate to different locations with different areas of focus.
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Update your Staffing Plans: It is safe to say the none of the plans you submitted in the spring are the same today. Please update the summary sheet including the cert and classified sheets by Friday, August 27.
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Supply lists and donation requests – We may not require families to buy anything that will impact a student’s ability to earn a grade or credit. That includes consumables for any elective classes, or specialized calculators for high level math courses. Please ensure that no such requests/requirements are being communicated to families in your websites/curriculum guides/facebook accounts or teachers’ syllabi.
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HERE is the draft of the Director of College and Career Readiness position we are looking to post. As noted during Dave’s data review of our Youthtruth data yesterday, College and Career Readiness is by far the lowest area for high schools. In discussions with our cabinet, we see this area as a K-12 issue and that is the scope of the position, but much of the responsibilities culimate with our work at the high schools. The timeline for starting is negotiable as we would not want to pull a successful candidate out of a school until there was a qualified replacement. Your input on this draft is welcome.
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Schedule for the first week of school for BSHS, CHS, LPHS, MVHS, SHS: Wednesday, Sept 8 – 9th grade only day (special schedule); Thursday, Sept 9 and Friday, Sept 10, same schedule periods 1-7.
Begin ABC rotation on Monday, Sept 13 (A Day), Tuesday, Sept 14 (B Day), Wednesday, Sept 15 (C Day), etc.. April Jorgenson, our new TLC Support Person is designing the ABC District Calendar.
Please send your school schedule to me.
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Information:
ABC Calendar and TLC support: April Jorgensen is currently getting trained on the ABC calendar and will be pushing that out to HS Office Managers next week. April was hired this year to replace Amy Stafford. She is taking over leave sheets for admin and management of several accounts in the TLC office including the HSS grant, among other responsibilites. April served as the Office Manager at Elk Meadow for nine years and will be supporting me as well as Juan, Skip, and Tammy in the TLC office. Wendy Reeves will be working working side by side to support her in that transition. April is located at the desk to the right when you first walk into the TLC office. We are SO fortunate to have April on our team! When you see her or talk to her – say HI and make her feel welcome!
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Office of School Support is no more: We are consolidating our OSS into one large department: Teaching and Learning. Our goal with this move is to become more integrated and collaborative in our work to support our schools! Many in the Ed Center are involved in major transitions. Some departments are reorganizing, Executive Directors, Directors and coaches are moving offices and there are many new faces involved in training and coaching. Your patience with us as we work to onboard new people and help everyone learn their new locations and jobs is greatly appreciated.
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The department most impacted by change right now is our Human Resources Department. Steve Herron, our new Chief Officer of Human Resources is doing an outstanding job. However, there has been significant turn over in the last two years and he is working to build his team while simultaneously learning his new role. Because of this, Juan, Skip and I may be assisting a bit more than we normally would as we support our HR teammates and YOU as you work to open school! Please reach out with questions and suggestions!
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HERE is the SIW calendar for the year. As Lora explained yesterday, we will schedule our administrator training during the teacher independent workdays. Please reserve those times on your calendars.
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HERE is a digital copy of the Three Signature SEL Practices for meetings. This is from the CASEL framework – which is guiding our SEL work K-12. This is an example of a meeting structure that models social emotional learning. Consider using this for your meetings!
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From Paul, EA Work Calendar info – Our HR/Payroll staffs want to make sure that we are all on the same page regarding the calendars that your EAs will be following for the 2021-22 school year. I’d suggest that you work with your office managers and EAs to review this calendar to make sure that they are clear on their assigned start/end and non-contract dates. If there is any uncertainty about which calendar applies to an EA, please reach out to Derek or Kelly in our office and they will assist you.
All EA – Student Instruction, Inclusion, Student Success, ELL, Transition Co-Op employees have moved to new work calendars for District approved in-classroom trainings to better prepare them before the return of our students. If you have a different titled EA at your site, they will follow their original calendar. I have attached our new Classified calendars for your review.
If you find an EA on a calendar that is not aligned to your needs, you do have the flexibility to add days by having them timesheet for the extra time (paid from your school’s budget) or by having them trade one day for another. If you choose to do this, the EA would need to be involved in the collaborative conversation and be willing to make those adjustments.
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Innovation Conference – Aug 25 and 26 – mark the date! – As we stated earlier, the Innovation Conference is August 25 and 26. The schedule is still being finalized but we do know that Mary Ehrenworth will be the keynote speaker on the 25th. We’ll also have administrator sessions on Leading Power Standards from Doug Reeves on the 25th. The high school admin session is scheduled for 2:30-3:45 with Doug Reeves on the 25th and it is mandatory that all our high school admins attend this session. Look for another all-district email reminder and sign up to go out the first part of August with the final schedule included.
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iPad insurance–Purchasing iPad insurance is not mandatory for a child to receive an iPad. However, if a family does not want to have to pay the high cost of iPad repair due to damage or loss, purchasing the Bend-La Pine Schools’ iPad insurance will be in their best interest. We will be getting a flyer out to schools to give to families about how they can go about paying for this. They can purchase insurance online starting today until the last Friday in September.
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Supe’s On!–If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Dr. Cook’s podcast, “Supe’s On!”, it is a great way to also find out important information going on in our district. The first one was safety (mainly covid) with Julianne Repman, the last one was our Covid protocols with Nurse, Tami Pike, and throughout the year he will be having special guests on a variety of topics. You can tune in at bls.fyi/podcast on the district website, or find it on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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Leadership Retreat slideshow – Feel free to use any part of the slide show from our retreat. Here it is.
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This update came in today from OSAA:
This OSAA update provides information regarding OHA Masking Requirements for Indoor Spaces as well as updates to the OSAA’s Air Quality Guidelines board policy. Note that this information may change based upon changes to national or state directives.
OHA Masking Requirements for Indoor Spaces
This morning the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) released its newly adopted statewide rule regarding masking requirements in indoor spaces (OAR 333-019-1025). The rule is effective beginning today, August 13, 2021.
We encourage you to review the rule in its entirety but here are some specific sections of note.
(4) Individuals, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask, face covering or face shield when in an indoor space unless the individual:
(d) Is engaged in an activity that makes wearing a mask, face covering or face shield not feasible, such as when actively swimming.
(g) Is practicing or playing a competitive sport at any level.
(h) Is performing, including but not limited to playing music, delivering a speech to an audience, and theater.
This means that masks are not required by the OHA when practicing or playing a competitive sport indoors, such as volleyball. The OHA rule also does not prohibit a school or school district from applying a more restrictive requirement. That would be a local school decision. Schools are encouraged to consult with their legal counsel and/or PACE with any questions regarding liability.
As stated throughout the pandemic, communication with your own school community, opposing schools, and officials’ associations regarding any specific mitigation policies for masks, contact tracing, physical distancing, capacity limits, etc. that your school has in place will be more important than ever.
The OSAA will continue to seek further clarification on this rule and communicate more information to schools as it becomes known.
OSAA Air Quality Guidelines
In conjunction with the OSAA staff, Dr. Koester and the OSAA’s Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) have recently been reviewing potential changes to the Air Quality Guidelines board policy. The changes specifically relate to permitting practices when the AQI is in the orange zone (100-150) provided they are no longer than 90 minutes total for the day, the level of activity is less than a “normal” practice and the practice includes rest periods. In alignment with OHA’s School Outdoor Activities During Wildfire Events contests are still prohibited when the AQI is over 100. Amendments to the board policy were adopted by the OSAA Executive Board yesterday, effective immediately.
Calendar:
- August 16 – HS Admin Connections Mtg, 7:30-12:00 in MVHS Library – includes breakfast and lunch
- August 17 – Safe and Secure Schools, 7:30 @ Summit
- August 18, 19 – Taking it Up
- August 19 – Admin Canvas Training – Virtual 8-3, must register, required to send 1 admin from each school (see Amy with questions)
- August (23 and 24 HS ELA pre conf) 25, 26 – Innovation Conference – see what your commitment is
- August 30 – New Teacher Welcome
- August 31 – All Staff Welcome Back
- September 21 – HS Admin meeting 7:00 @ Summit