More Vandalism
Anne-Marie shared an email this week detailing the latest TikTok destructive trend, wherein students use the elastic band of disposable masks to saw through our vinyl chairs. Please, be aware that this trend is happening here at school (we’re up to 17 damaged chairs, at approximately $80 per chair) and be mindful of what’s happening in your class at all times.
This trend is another way students tell us that through their actions that they are not feeling part of our school community, so it’s our job to help them remember what it means to be a member of a community. Anne-Marie and I are working on a “Road Show” for December to connect with all students in classes to talk about what it means to be a middle schooler at PCMS and to have a discussion with students about our expectations. In the meantime, please take time to discuss this occurrence in all of your classes and talk with them about doing the right thing and about being an upstander and calling out damaging behavior when they see it.
SIW Follow-Up
Thanks for a great SIW this week. Moving forward, I will be looking for visible learning targets in all of our classroom and learning environments every time I enter. This is a great way for students to better understand what they’re learning so that they can better understand the things they are doing and see connections between their learning in any given class and other classes or their world at-large. Here are the slides from this week’s SIW.
Golden Eagle Time Reminder
We covered this in Wednesday’s SIW, but I want to remind all Advisory teachers that they MUST have a Golden Eagle Time activity posted by Monday’s Advisory class so students can enroll.
The format for any activity needs to be written in the following format: (1st or 2nd) Advisory -Activity Name – Teacher Last Name (e.g. 1st Advisory – Salsa Dancing – Kelling.
You need to be sure to include your room number/location of the space the activity is occurring and HOW MANY students you will host. Unless the activity is an academic intervention, the expectation is that any activity will include an opportunity for at least 30 students.
November is Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month. Learning for Justice has put together a great resource list that you may want to share in some of your classes or just review for your own learning. Often, Heritage Month recognitions live in Social Studies classes, but these types of recognitions are great to share in all classes to build community and/or create another opportunity for students to understand that learning about the world around them isn’t compartmentalized.
All-State Middle School Orchestra Qualifiers
We have TWO students who will represent Bend-La Pine Middle Schools as members of the All-State Orchestra at the event in Eugene this January – Hazel Donnelly and Kepler Orton, both violinists.
This is a huge honor for Hazel and Kepler, please congratulate them if you see them and please also congratulate Stephanie Seed, our Orchestra Director, for all the instruction, encouragement, and support she has given these students the past year-plus that allowed them to have the courage and confidence to audition!
Apple Classroom Training Coming Soon
Apple Classroom is a wonderful classroom tool that will help teachers ensure that students are doing the things expected of them on their iPads. To help teachers learn how to access and use this tool, former Golden Eagle and current TOSA Dan Curfew will be coming to PCMS in the next two weeks to provide training for any and all interested staff. Exact time and date is TBD and will be shared when I know Dan’s schedule, but please get this on your radar now so you’re prepared.
ACTION ITEM: Annual MAC Training
If you have received Heidi Odman’s email on 10/25, your training has expired. Our Fall MAC Survey will be the week of November 15th. Please complete the training by Monday November 15th, 2021. You can stop and restart the training if you do not complete it all at one time. You may have activities that you perform as part of your job that are claimable for reimbursement on MAC Survey Day, and if not, just by being a part of our trained employee base, your salary and benefits contribute to our reimbursement dollars dedicated to FAN. It will take approximately 22 minutes to complete.
There is a MAC Training Video that will assist you with your MAC Training. You will need two windows open and will be listening to the MAC Training Video in the background while clicking through your MAC Training slides.
Action Item for NEW STAFF
From Scott Bojanowski, Assistant Director of Safety:
As a district, we now need to provide the full one-hour training to new employees and any staff that may have missed the full training this fall, or anyone that just wants the full training as a refresher.
Any new hires since January 2021 need to attend one of the training dates below, between now and May 2022. These training dates are in PD Place on the portal for sign-up and they will receive one hour of professional development for attending. Please contact your new hires and have them sign up for one of the following trainings.
WHEN: Choose one of the following dates: 11/10, 12/8, 1/12, 2/9, 3/9, 4/6, 5/11
WHEN: 3:00-4:00, one hour in-person
WHERE: Ed Center room 314
Oregon Savings Growth Plan
With the 21/22 school year underway, now is a good time to start thinking about your financial future. This is a friendly request to please register for the Oregon Savings Growth Plan virtual workshop, to be held Wednesday, November 10th, from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. All information and registration details are covered in the attached flyer.
Our Oregon Savings Growth Plan Rep
- Wes Handley @ Voya Financial Advisors
- 800 Summer St. NE, Suite #200, Salem, OR 97310
- Tel: 541.539.5508 Fax: 503.603.7651
- Email [email protected]
Annual Flu Shot Clinics
BLS is not able to host clinics at all schools and departments this year as they have done in the past, but there are a number of participating clinics listed below which employees are welcome to attend – no appointments are necessary.
Important Information
- Flu vaccinations are optional.
- Your Care, LLC will be providing our flu shot clinics.
- Only employees and their immediate family members (spouse/partner, and dependent children over the age of 2) may attend. Please adhere to COVID and visitor protocol while attending the clinics.
- The flu vaccination is covered by most insurances with no out of pocket cost. Please have your insurance card with you at the time of the clinic.
- If you are uninsured, you are welcome to attend and pay at the time of the clinic.
- If you have questions regarding the flu vaccine, please review CDC information here: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2021-2022.htmFrequently Asked Influenza (Flu) Questions: 2021-2022 Season | CDC What’s New for 2021-2022. A few things are different for the 2021-2022 influenza (flu) season, including: The composition of flu vaccines has been updated.; All flu vaccines will be quadrivalent (four component), meaning designed to protect against four different flu viruses.www.cdc.gov
- COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters will not be administered at the flu shot clinics.
Flu Clinic Location & Schedules
- November 9 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. La Pine High Auditorium Lobby
- November 10 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. La Pine Elementary Conference Room
- November 17 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Education Center, room 312
- November 18 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Bend Transportation Department
- November 18 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Education Center, room 312
COVID Vaccine Updates: Boosters and plans for ages 5-11
BOOSTER INFO: Deschutes County Health Services is partnering with FEMA to host free drive-thru COVID-19 vaccine clinics in November. Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines and booster doses will be available. No appointment or insurance are needed. For more information, please visit: COVID-19 Vaccine Drive-Thru Clinics. Other upcoming clinics through November:
- Mondays: Sisters Firehouse, 1 – 5 p.m.
- Tuesdays: La Pine Library, 12 – 3 p.m.
- Tuesdays: Bend Larkspur Community Center, 4 – 7 p.m.
- Wednesdays: Downtown Bend Library, 1 – 5 p.m.
- Thursdays: Redmond City Hall, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- NEW CLINIC Fridays: Redmond Airport, 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.
12+ welcome. 12 to 14 year old’s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Please bring your vaccination card from your first dose if you are coming for a second or booster dose. If you are looking for another vaccination location in Deschutes County, please visit deschutes.org/covid19vaccine or call the COVID-19 hotline at 541-699-5109. The hotline is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Ages 5-11: Bend-La Pine Schools is working with local health care providers to support the roll-out of vaccines for ages 5-11, once authorized. We anticipate news about potential clinics and access to vaccines to occur this week. Watch Deschutes County Health Services and our Return to School webpage for details.
Helpful Links