Golden Eagle Update

After-Hours Paid PD

A reminder that we are offering up to four hours of paid (curriculum rate) time for those teams who want to plan together outside of school hours. In order to help ensure that not only is this PD is meaningful, but also so I can share the outcomes of the time as I advocate for work time built into future work schedules, I am requiring that all teams complete (what else?) a Google Form explaining the objectives for your time together and how the time will be used to consider the four questions of effective PLCs (what will students learn? how will you know they are learning? what will you do if they are not learning? what will you do if they demonstrate proficiency/mastery?). Please note that this time is NOT available on October 27 or 28 (conference days), as that is work time already.

PLC Team Rosters can be found here.

As always, please see me with questions.

Conferences

One more reminder that conferences are being held on October 27 and October 28 and will be held via WebEx. A reminder that you may choose to host conferences off-site if you’d like, but you will need to be available for the duration of the time (4:15 – 8:15 on Wednesday, 8:00 – 8:00 on Thursday); even if you do not have a student signed up for a conference slot, they may choose to “drop in” to your WebEx for a conference. You do not need to have your camera on when no one is there, but you do need to be available for these drop-ins.

If you need me or Anne-Marie to join you in a conference, text us. If you don’t have our numbers, come ask us or ask Deb to share our contact info with you.

Lunch Update

We are moving to TWO lunches starting Monday, 10/25 in order to prepare for the inevitability that the weather will force us to host indoor lunch at some point this fall/winter/spring, as we do not currently have the capacity to host 610+ students inside for lunch while maintaining the required 6 feet of social distancing.

After consulting with the ICCL team, we were able to make this change without any disruption to the overall schedule by rotating lunch and Advisory depending (mostly) on grade-level. The breakdown of whose Advisory class has first lunch and whose Advisory has second lunch can be found here; the bell/time schedule with the addition of the second lunch can be found here.

You’ll notice that we will continue to host only one lunch on Wednesdays (“One-Lunch Wednesday”, to use an alliterative reminder). This will present a great opportunity for problem solving as to how we’ll get all students in a setting that meets the requirements for indoor eating, and we’ll share our ideas as they’re developed. One idea is to host all (or as many as possible) clubs on Wednesday in order to provide an opportunity for all students to take part in clubs.

Any solution-oriented feedback on this is appreciated and welcomed.

Master Schedule

Speaking of schedules, I’ve had some requests to share the master schedule, so here it is.

FAN Training

We are getting close to our first FAN survey of the year, which means training will need to happen ahead of time for those in need of the training. Our FAN Advocate, Heidi Odman, will be reaching out to you via email next week if you are someone who needs the training. Training is MANDATORY for all staff, so thank you in advance for not only your compliance but – more importantly – for the work you do to ensure students and families in need are able to get assistance that will allow them to be successful.

For those of you who do not know what FAN is or does, their website does a great job of detailing all of the amazing resources they provide to our students and families in need, and I’ll share that they are an amazing organization that helps provide clothes, food, financial support, and so much more to students and families in need.

Attendance Recording and Codes

Please remember to take attendance early in the period, each period. Not only is such recording legally required, it also REALLY helps out the office staff looking for a student (or looking to ensure a student is indeed absent). By doing this early in the period, you are helping your colleagues be better able to do their job. See me if you have questions.

Some of you have asked me about the new codes that have been used this year, so here’s an overly-brief explanation.

● ACO – School Activity. This is when a student is out of school for an approved activity (think: field trip) or because we need them out of school but their absence is not discipline-related (think: well-being).

● SSP – Student Success Program. This is when students are present in the building but are in the Trail.

Both of these codes are used for excused absences. See me with questions.

Synergy and Canvas Updating

From our friends in IT:

Greetings,Now that teachers are more comfortable with Canvas, it has become evident in IT that several middle school and high school teachers are not using or actively transferring grades into Synergy. Please help us by restating that Synergy is our official grade reporting tool and that grades should be updated regularly.   Additionally, please encourage families to use ParentVue as their primary source for student progress.  ParentVue shows our families “HOW” their student is doing, Canvas shows them “WHAT” their student is doing (stolen from Roger White).  Instructions for how families can join both tools are linked here. The following comparison illustrates why it is critical that our synergy grade book is properly maintained.  

Standard Response Protocol Video

From our friends in our Safety and Communication Department:

Thank you to those of you who have already watched this video detailing the new Standard Response Protocol (SRP) language that we are using as a district to make things clearer. Please watch the six-minute video and complete this one-question Google Form attesting you have done so by Friday, October 29. One of you who already watched the video indicated that you’d like to follow up with Anne-Marie or I to talk more about safety, but I forgot to collect email addresses for this form and don’t know who you are. We are always willing and ready to discuss safety questions/concerns as they come up, just let us know.

PAID Newsela Training

From our friends in Teaching and Learning:

All secondary teachers have access to Newsela this year, with a broad range of applications in every subject area.  With it, you have the ability to provide information – especially current events information – on a variety of nonfiction subjects to your students.  What makes Newsela unique is the content scaffolding, so that the same material can be delivered in a variety of difficulty levels.  You can utilize one version of an article for your younger classes, and a more sophisticated version for your older students.  Similarly, within a class, you can access one version for your struggling readers, one version for your grade-level readers, and one version for your strong readers. It has myriad applications and is pleasingly user-friendly.  Teachers that are using it have been impressed. 

Click here to learn even more about Newsela.

Additionally, there is an opportunity for a PAID 1-hour training on this platform. Click here to find out more about the training opportunity.

Record of Credit Update

From our friends in Human Resources

We are excited to announce that you can now check your Record of Credit through Employee Online.  Record of Credit has been added to the Personal Information tab – see screen print below.  We have entered all credits we have received up through today so this information is up to date.  We respectfully ask that when you send in new credits moving forward, you allow us a couple weeks to get them entered before following up to see if we have received them. Let us know if you have any questions. Employee Online

Helpful Links

• PCMS Bell Schedule (rev. 10/18/21)
• Supporting Secondary Instruction Blog
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• News from the Nest
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs

Paid PD Opportunity

After hearing from many of you that time to plan with your team is in shorter supply than substitutes who would be needed to allow such time within the school day, our ICCL team asked if we might provide time for teams to gather outside of school hours and be paid at the curriculum rate, a brilliant idea!

In order to help ensure that not only is this time meaningful, but also so I can share the outcomes of the time as I advocate for work time built into future work schedules, I am requiring that all teams complete (what else?) a Google Form explaining the objectives for your time together and how the time will be used to consider the four questions of effective PLCs (what will students learn? how will you know they are learning? what will you do if they are not learning? what will you do if they demonstrate proficiency/mastery?). Please note that this time is NOT available on October 27 or 28 (conference days), as that is work time already.

PLC Team Rosters can be found here.

As always, please see me with questions.

Conferences

Conferences will be October 27 and October 28 and will be held via WebEx. A reminder that you may choose to host conferences off-site if you’d like, but you will need to be available for the duration of the time (4:15 – 8:15 on Wednesday, 8:00 – 8:00 on Thursday); even if you do not have a student signed up for a conference slot, they may choose to “drop in” to your WebEx for a conference. You do not need to have your camera on when no one is there, but you do need to be available for these drop-ins. Sign-Up Monkey (Trademark Pending) schedules will be available next week.

For those of you lucky folks who aren’t fluent with WebEx, here are two tutorials to give you some help. Additionally, we will host a brief walk-through for new staff (and any who want a refresher) at Wednesday’s SIW.

WebEx Tutorial

WebEx Tutorial 2

Also, for those of you with school-aged children of your own with conferences to attend, please check in with Renee McCoy and let her know the time(s) you will not be available.

ICCL Team

We are fortunate to have five ICCL (Instructional Coach, Curriculum Leader) members at Pacific Crest. These people are responsible for planning SIWs, working on PD topics for the year, and much more – but are representatives for the entire staff to bring issues to me and Anne-Marie. They’ll reach out proactively to check in and see what feedback/input/critiques you have, but you absolutely should reach out to them with any comments/questions/concerns you have about anything PCMS-related.

The ICCL member and the departments they represent follow:

• Jane Ward – Supported Ed (certified and classified)
• Mandy Redmond – Visual and Performing Arts and Library
• Torie Withers – Humanities, Counseling
• Sarah Durfee – Science, World Language
• Megan Martens – Math, PE/Health

Please know that I am ALWAYS open for discussion about anything that you’re wondering about, but I also understand that sometimes it’s nice to share things with colleagues.

SIW This Week

SIW this week will be in the library at 2:55. I’ll share an agenda Tuesday after our ICCL meeting. The year-long SIW schedule can be found here.

ODE Tribal History/Shared History Survey

As part of an ongoing research effort to learn more about the implementation of Senate Bill 13 or Tribal History/Shared History, Oregon Department of Education’s Office of Indian Education (ODE/OIE) is requesting classroom teachers complete the short “Tribal History/Shared History Implementation Survey” by October 22, 2021.

Click Here to Start the Survey

The survey is being administered and analyzed by Marzano Research (https://www.marzanoresearch.com/).
The data collected here will inform improvement of professional development, resources and supports available to teachers, and communications/feedback loops. The survey should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. You can choose to not participate or discontinue your participation at any time. Those who complete the survey will be placed into a drawing to receive one of 100 $25 gift cards. Your participation is entirely voluntary.

Marzano Research respects your privacy and will maintain the confidentiality of your responses. We will not share personally identifiable information with ODE/OIE, districts, or schools. We will report the results of the survey only in aggregate form and not by teacher, school, or district. 

If you have questions or concerns about this study, please contact Caitlin Scott ([email protected]) at Marzano Research. Thank you in advance for your participation and for helping us improve educator support related to the Tribal History/Shared History initiative!

Bend Parks and Recreation Basketball Looking for Help

The Bend Park and Recreation District is now taking applications for staff to help with the upcoming Boys Middle School basketball program.  If you are interested or know of a high schooler looking to make a little extra $ this fall/winter please apply ASAP by clicking on the link below. The “Aide” position is traditionally the “High School” age applicants.

Aide position Adult Position

Helpful Links

• PCMS Bell Schedule
• Supporting Secondary Instruction Blog
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• News from the Nest
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs

Thursday’s Secure Event

I again want to say thank you for the way you molded exterior calm and adherence to guidelines during Thursday’s Secure event. I’ve received a lot of parent emails about the incident and some of them were kind enough to include that their student felt calm and safe due to their teachers’ actions. The most important responsibility we have is to keep our students safe, and I’m delighted to know that we did that this week.

The timing of events like Thursday’s are never good, but this one was particularly annoying, as I had long-planned to share this video detailing the new Standard Response Protocol (SRP) language we are using to make things clearer. Please watch the six-minute video and complete this one-question Google Form attesting you have done so by Friday, October 29.

I know that Summit High School families were notified of the event through BLConnect while our families were not and that is an error that we discussed today with our district safety team. Typically, families will not receive a notification through BLConnect of a Secure event at a school, as there is no imminent threat to students as determined by law enforcement organizations. That said, it is a great idea to take this opportunity to ensure you are registered with BLConnect so you can be aware of any happenings that are communicated about PCMS (inclement weather season is drawing nearer).

Tragedy, Equity, and the LEAD Cohort: 

As I said at Wednesday’s staff meeting, I’ve received a number of emails in the past two weeks about the shooting death of Barry Washington Jr. in Downtown Bend. A man was killed in our community – the location of his death is inside Pacific Crest’s boundary – and students, staff, and families are struggling with how to process this happening here in Bend. I’m not here to adjudicate the case or to weigh in on any of the many layers this horrific event contains, but rather to talk about how we can support our students – and each other – process this event and others like it.

When questions like this arise, please let your students know that their counselors are tremendous resources who are available for them to process difficult events. Additionally, I’ve found these guidelines from Common Sense Media to be useful in talking to my own elementary school children at home over the years when the headlines aren’t pleasant and also aren’t avoidable.

Our building’s equity work takes many forms, and each of you is involved in different ways.  One way we know is critical for sustainability is to involve students–to have productive conversations with students around equity issues and to make thoughtful steps forward as a team, so we can learn together as a community.  To help us with that, our district’s LEAD Cohort has developed some awesome resources. Later in the year, departments will be responsible for incorporating some of the strategies and resources in their classes, so please take a look and see what Tier-1 strategies you might begin to work into your teaching now.

Conferences

Jane Ward sent out an email to all staff today with much, if not all, of the information you’ll need to prepare for Conferences – thanks Jane! I want to share that Certified staff are not required to be present in the building for conferences, something I learned today. If you plan on conducting your conferences from home or school or a catamaran in the Caribbean, you need to be logged in to WebEx for the entire time you are scheduled to work, as a family can pop in to your WebEx without an appointment, even though we are heavily encourage them to sign up via Conference Monkey (I know that’s not the name and I know I’m re-using this joke too much, but it brings me great joy to imagine a bunch of monkeys sitting around a conference table discussing how to innovate and synergize in an effort to improve Monkey, Inc.’s bottom line. Like, I am literally tickled by this thought and want it to be real). Also, HUGE shout-out to Renee McCoy for all of her work to get the invites out and the schedules built and all the other stuff that’s needed to make this endeavor work smoothly.

PD Opportunities on the Horizon

We cannot approve any substitute time for PD right now, but that doesn’t mean it’s not needed. In particular, what I am hearing is that teams need time to meet and plan together and that this would be invaluable. In years past, we have provided half-day subs for teams so they can plan. Since we cannot do that this year, the ICCL team is working on a plan to provide up to 4 hours of curriculum rate pay to teams who want to plan together outside of school hours and not feel like they are further stretching themselves. More details to come, but I wanted to put that on your radar now.

Walking Field Trips

The BLP COVID response team decided they would begin allowing walking field trips if the following conditions are met:

• The field trip should start and finish at the school and should be directly related to curriculum standards.
• Students must wear masks.
• Students must keep 3 ft apart to the extent possible.
• Management and instruction of students has to be done by school staff – no parent volunteers can be utilized.
• Notify parents of the walking field trip but be careful not to over advertise it.  We don’t want parents “accidentally” showing up at the location.  This would be subverting our current policy on visitors and volunteers.

See me with any ideas for field study or field trips that are walkable. Let’s see if we can get students out in the community in a meaningful fashion.

Distance Requirements

A friendly reminder about the required 3 feet of distancing requirement – one of the questions that will be asked in the event contact tracing is needed in your class is “were students 3 feet apart?”  As you walk your school and observe classrooms you might want to pay particular attention to this rule and give students friendly reminder about the 3 feet rule and masking.

Next Week’s SIW

 Next week is our first Educator Network Day (formerly know as District SIW.)  The goal of these meetings if for teachers and some classified staff to connect and discuss topics related to their disciplines and job alike responsibilities. Please review the schedule for the location of your department’s meeting. The year-long SIW Calendar can be found here. Please note

Hispanic Heritage Month

HUGE thanks to Mary Wellington for her contribution to Advisory and Hispanic Heritage Month. The recognition and celebration of these months is a small way we can work to make out campus not only more inclusive for our students, but also more representative of the world in which we live. I encourage you to look at this resource and see if there are any commemorations you’d be interested in creating a recognition video for.

Syncing Canvas

Timely feedback is an important instructional strategy that we know leads to better student outcomes. One way we give feedback to students is through grades. We are noticing Synergy grade books without grades and Canvas grade books without the nightly sync enabled. We need this to happen for our students and families to be up-to-date on what is going on and to be able to identify struggling students. If you need help, please watch the video tutorial or reach out to Mandy Redmond or Jane Ward for further assistance.
Nightly Sync for Canvas Gradepassback

Helpful Links

• PCMS Bell Schedule
• Supporting Secondary Instruction Blog
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• News from the Nest
• News from the Nest in Spanish

Thank You

I want to start by thanking all of you for the amazing work you do each day. I hear time and time again from our students how much they are enjoying their days at Pacific Crest and that is 100% because of the work you are doing and the care you are providing. Additionally, I live in our community and have been told multiple times in the past few weeks by neighbors or my boys’ friends’ parents how surprised they are by the positive attitude their child has towards middle school, as they cannot remember having such a positive experience or attitude. Again, THESE GOOD FEELINGS ARE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT BECAUSE OF YOU. Thank you.

Conference Update

We have received enough votes to say that conferences will be held on Wednesday and Thursday (October 27 and 28) and you will have October 29 off. Work hours for those two days will be 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM for full-time staff. Part-time staff, we can talk as conferences get closer so that Renee can set up your conference schedules in Sign-Up Monkey (not the name of the platform we use).

Vaccine/Exemption Reminder

A reminder that ALL staff MUST have submitted either a vaccination record or an exemption request to Frontline by October 5th. If you do not submit proof of vaccination or sign an exemption by 10/18, “you will no longer be employable.”

If you have your documentation ready, please submit it as soon as you are able to do so, as it is a cumbersome process of checking people off lists and 5 minutes of your time will save a lot of time for others (me included).

Expectations Tracking Form

Anne-Marie created a Google Form to track when students are not meeting expectations. This form will be used to track any “minor” incidents with students so that we know what is going on and can track any patterns that develop. For those of you who were here two years ago, this is a similar structure to what we did that year. If you are having issues with students meeting the expectations, please let Anne-Marie and the student’s counselor know via email so an intervention can begin. We’re all here to improve student learning, and that includes learning what behaviors are/are not appropriate for school.

Personal Days

Due to the current sub shortage , personal days will only be granted if you pre-arrange a sub ahead of time and communicate that when you submit your request. This is for all personal days moving forward; if you have already submitted a personal day request, this does not apply (though, if you can work to find a sub for those days, I’d be grateful).

Clubs

Yes, we can have clubs again. The way I see clubs working is for you (the Advisor) to host clubs outside and eat lunch with the students in the club. Or, if you want to have the meeting inside, you can have them eat their lunch outside for 15 minutes an THEN come to your classroom for the club meeting. We will share the club sign-up sheet next week in Advisory.

iPad Replacement

Speaking of next week, some students will be receiving new iPads next week. We will have them do much of the prep work in Advisory on Monday and then they will be sent to the library on Tuesday (6th graders), Wednesday (finish 6th grade, start 7th grade), and maybe Thursday (finish 7th graders) in their Math class.

Advisory Update

Speaking of Advisory, the slide content produced for Advisory is a “must-do” in that you MUST show the slide deck and engage in the content each day. As we work to build an effective Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) to support struggling students, we need to be able to clearly outline what content and supports everyone is getting (this is our Tier 1); Advisory is included in this, as it provides us with the opportunity to share school-wide learnings, build community, and provide practice on academic skills.

Extra Duty Positions Still Available

We still have a need for a Yearbook Advisor and some lunch supervisors. These positions are great ways to get to know students outside of a typical learning environment and can be split among people if you’re reluctant to take on the full load of the role. In years past, we have had two Yearbook Advisors to share the responsibility and have had situations where teachers only spend one day per week at lunch to help with supervision. The Yearbook Advisor position is posted online, see me with any questions about the lunch supervisor position.

PPE Needs

If you have any PPE needs for your classroom (hand sanitizer or masks), please let Tami know and she will help you re-stock.

Updates from BLS Nutrition Services

Adult Meal Pricing: To purchase adult meals, the cost for lunch is for lunch is $4.25 and breakfast is $3.00. Nutritional staff can accept payment from adults this year in the cafeterias, but BLPay is also an option and there are still no fees for that service.

Supper Meal Program Discontinued: Due to lack of staffing and supplies, Nutrition Services has discontinued the supper program at PCMS. The last day to order and receive the supper meal was Friday, 10/1.

From Teaching and Learning

Our TLC team is excited about increasing their support to teachers with our TOS with District-Level ICCLs in areas where we do not currently have teacher leadership.  We hope to continue to support teachers to support other teachers by creating a collective efficacy mindset.  To support Linda (Math TOSA) and Colleen (Science TOSA) in this work, they are seeking 4 Math ICCL (2 MS, 2 HS) and 5 Science ICCL (4 content specific in HS and 1 MS). Additionally, this week, Teaching and Learning added positions in the following areas: Band, Orchestra, Choir, Fine Arts, MS Social Studies, HS Social Studies, CTE, and Health/PE. 

Emails went out to teachers in these areas last week; please let me know if you are interested in applying so that I can be prepared when/if they call me for my input.

From Lora Nordquist

The district has designated four SIW’s over the course of the school year “Educator Network” SIW’s to provide time for four-part districtwide trainings, district PLC meetings, etc.

 A few examples include content-area meetings for high school language arts and science teachers, trainings in incorporating strategies to support multi-lingual students, early literacy best practices, training with Bruce Perry for our student success staff, and an overview of our instructional framework. Three things to know now:

1. All certified and building administrative staff (and some classified EA’s) will be required to participate in a strand during the EN SIW’s: this is not individual prep time for any staff. For some staff, a particular strand will be required; for others, choices will be provided.
2. Most trainings will be conducted on Webex; a few will be live.
3. The teaching and learning and student services departments will be sharing more complete information and training descriptions very soon!

Reserving Rooms for Meetings

If you are interested in reserving a PCMS meeting room or space other than your classroom, please email Christina and copy Deb with the date, start time, end time and room/space you would like to reserve. Christina will reply to your email confirming if the space is available. Reservations will be added to the PCMS Staff Events calendar. Not sure how to view the staff calendar? Click here to see instructions for adding the PCMS Staff Events Calendar to your Outlook calendars.

Late Work and Canvas

Here is some language around late work and Canvas. Feel free to share it with your families in your family communication announcements. 

When an assignment is due in class and a student does not turn in the assignment by the due date, our Canvas grading system automatically gives the student 50% of the total points (per district policy). If the student turns in the assignment late, the 50% grade will maintain until the teachers goes in and grades the assignment to update the grade (this may take up to a week, as teachers are very busy and late assignments do not always get priority attention). To double check if the assignment is missing or if the student received a 50% on the assignment, go to the Canvas course > Grades, then find the assignment to see if it has a red “missing” below it. Thank you for your patience with this! 

Sparrow Update & Community Service Hours

Many of you have asked, “are we getting a Sparrow this year?” and I wanted to update you that we have been in communication with Nancy Childers, Sparrow Clubs of Central Oregon Director. She is currently wrapping up the application process and will soon have a Sparrow assign to PCMS! At that time she will provide us with a photo, video, bio, and community service vouchers. All of which will be shared during advisory within the next few weeks.

In the meantime, if you have any students that have begun community service hours, have them note it in their phone, sheet of paper, etc. When the voucher becomes available, they can refer to their notes when completing vouchers.

Helpful Links

• PCMS Bell Schedule
• Supporting Secondary Instruction Blog
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• News from the Nest
• News from the Nest in Spanish

Upcoming Curriculum Night

In lieu of our typical in-person Curriculum Night, we will be hosting a WebEx Curriculum Night event on Wednesday the 22nd from 6:30 – 7:30. We will review some basic Pacific Crest information, go through the class offerings here at Pacific Crest, and share some information on how you can stay more involved with your student’s learning this year.

PrintShop Reminder (add link)

In an effort to reduce costs, we require that any time you need 35 or more copies, you use the district’s Print Shop for paper materials. It costs roughly 15 cents per page on our school copier and roughly 4 cents per page via the Print Shop. A class set of 35 for 6 classes is a savings of $14.70 – and that’s just ONE job, so you can imagine how the savings adds up and helps us spend money on more pertinent materials. See Deb with any questions.

From Walt Norris, Assistant Director of Custodial:

School Cleaning
The Custodial team would like to share some insight into cleaning and the Pandemic:
• According to the CDC, “The fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is low compared to direct contact, droplet transmission, or airborne transmission.” As we understand this variant is airborne and surface contamination is a low priority.
The update School Cleaning Protocol is found at Bend-La Pine Schools COVID-19 Cleaning Protocols. The protocol also stated that, “Each classroom in our schools will be provided with approved cleaning products by the custodial staff. “We will keep providing equipment whether its spray solution and micro fiber in each classroom or cleaning stations with flat mops, solution to dip in, spray bottles and rags, or having both. This will provide your staff with the products to disinfect if needed in their classroom.
• The custodial team will try their best with the resources available to go above their regular cleaning schedule and sanitize the high touch spots. We are putting more effort into your high traffic areas, bathrooms, hallways, commons etc.
• If there is district approved product or cleaning equipment your staff needs let your Head Custodian know

Friendly Reminders from Tami Nielsen

Yellow office call slips – When you receive a yellow office slip for a student in your class, please give it to them right away. Many students may not know what to do or where to go when they receive a slip, so please help them navigate this (e.g. “Attendance and Counseling is on the left, Main Office is on the right.)”.

Why Student-Lead Clubs?

We’ll be rolling out Club offerings and opportunities later this month, so here’s a primer:

At Pacific Crest, we happily offer students the opportunity to take part in clubs on campus. The caveat to this it that all clubs here are student-created and -led. We want students to take the initiative to build their club from an idea to an actual club by finding an Advisor who can host and supervise club meetings, completing the Club application detailing the purpose and role of the club, and following through to actually see the club go live.

Lunchtime club meetings are permitted, but eating inside is not (except for inclement weather or smoke), so any lunchtime club meetings would have to be held outside or after students have eaten outside. See me with questions.

• 2020/21 Club Offerings

Week 1 is in the Books!

What an amazing first week! It felt so good to be in classrooms hearing student voices and seeing the amazing ways you all worked to engage with our students as they kicked off their school year. Over and over, I asked students if they were excited to be back and, not only did most answer with a resounding yes, but they also shared that they were excited to be back and see “Mrs. Withers” and “Mr. Colt” and “Miss Christina” and shared their excitement at the end of their first day about the delicious lunches and their new Math, Choir, and Science classes (Full disclosure: Nathan Shein shared that Science was the best part of his first day and his Science teacher was in earshot, having just completed their carpool; so, you know, take that for what it’s worth). Every day, I am somehow more grateful to be a part of this place.

Supply Update

Thank you for filling out the supply needs form and letting us know what items students need to be successful in your classes. We have started to order supplies for students and are focusing on those most-requested items that can be used across content areas like pencils, composition books, graph paper, and binders. There are some supply-chain issues coming up, so I cannot provide a timetable as to when we’ll be receiving these. When I have an idea, I’ll share it via email so you can know when and what to expect.

We, as middle schools, were caught a bit flat-footed when the announcement was made that schools would be providing supplies for students and then again when we were informed that no extra funds would be made available to schools specifically for supplies, so we are scrambling to catch up.

In the meantime, I want to reiterate that you MAY NOT tell students that any materials are required if we are not providing them with said materials.

On a similar note, I expect to have department supply budgets ready to share a bit earlier than the October 1 date I had originally planned on. Sorry for the delay and stay tuned for more info in next week’s Golden Eagle Update.

Students of Concern

As you amazing and caring humans kick off the year, you are going to notice some students who present in a way that leads you to have some concerns for them and we want you to share those concerns so that we can either inform you that those concerns have been noticed previously and some interventions have been put into place or share that these are new concerns and we can start to gather some data for an appropriate intervention.

The best way to be sure that students can get some extra attention quickly is to reach out to their assigned counselor. Those students whose last names begin with the letters A-K have Abigail Clark as their counselor; those students whose last names begin with the letters L-Z have Sarah Girard as their counselor.

Extra Duty Positions Still Available

We have a number of extra duty positions available. These come with a stipend and, more importantly, are an AMAZING way of providing avenues for students to explore new things while gaining an increased connection to PCMS. Win-win-win.

The current Extra Duty positions we have available will be posted on the Human Resources webpage by Monday and include:

• Lunch Supervisor (multiple positions available, but act fast and get a good one!)
• Yearbook Advisor
• Drama Club Advisor
• Crossing Guard (AM & PM)

Open Enrollment is Almost Closed

If you are a benefits-eligible employee, please know that Open Enrollment must be completed by September 15. Even if you want to continue with the same coverage you had last year, you need to complete open enrollment to do so. If you have questions about your benefits, please contact the district support team [email protected] for answers. I enrolled this week and the longest part of the process was resetting my password – the rest is super easy.

Student Lunch

Our students have done an amazing job at getting better each day this week at lunch and I am grateful to all of you for putting up with the rolling start to lunch and the last-minute decisions about when we’ll eat lunch inside or outside. Anne-Marie recently shared the Indoor Lunch Plan via email, so please let her know if you have any questions about how your classroom will be used in the event weather – or smoke – forces lunch indoors.

HUGE shoutout to our lunch supervision team (we need a better name for that), who help to make lunch orderly, safe, and fun for our students, I am so appreciative of their hard work.

Student Handbook

Anne-Marie is in the process of assembling an online handbook for our students and families. This will replace the one-page expectation sheet we’ve used in previous years and will give us a one-stop shop to share with families for all things PCMS-related. Some things that will be included in the handbook are: dress code, attendance policy, electronics policy, behavior expectations, and more. If you have any ideas of things you’d like to have included in the handbook, please let Anne-Marie know.

Picture Day

Spend a little extra time prepping your wardrobe this weekend, as picture day is Monday, Sept 13. Dorian Studios will be set-up by 8:15am and ready to take staff photos from 8:15am to 9:00am or during your prep. We will have 6th and 7th graders come down with their Community groupings and 8th graders come down with their Humanities classes. Please stay with your students until they have all had their photos taken. Photo Schedule

Staff: If you would like to do a fun or silly photo, please snap this on a phone or camera along with your department and send them on to Deb or I for use in the yearbook (another amazing reason to apply for our Yearbook Advisor position). The individual photos done by Dorian need to remain professional, as the district may use them for a variety of purposes each year.

Athletics Update

From our Athletic Director, Brooke Walton:

Our Fall athletics season is officially underway with our football, volleyball and cross country teams starting practices these past two weeks. As you can imagine, we have had to get creative with practice locations due to the smoke so if we need to initiate our indoor practice plan, don’t be surprised to see our cross country team running in the hallways and our football team taking over the ESS room after school.

Once our team registration is officially closed, I will share the rosters will you so you will know which of your students are participating in athletics this season.

Our first games/meet start on Wednesday, September 22nd and I have included the link to our PCMS Athletics page so you can view our season schedules for our fall sports. I am SO EXCITED to have a more “normal” athletics season this year and we hope to see you on the sidelines cheering on our Golden Eagles. Bend-La Pine Schools :: Athletics

Safety Team Meeting

Anne-Marie will be hosting our Safety Team meeting this Thursday, the 16th at 8:00 in the conference room. If you are interested in learning about our safety procedures and policies, please attend. All are welcome.

Family Liaison Team:

We have an amazing team of Family Liaisons to support both our staff and our culturally- and linguistically-diverse communities. Our liaison is Oscar Acosta; Oscar can be reached at extension 6825 for any needs. Some examples of what our Liaisons do for our community can be found here.

SIW this Week

This week we will spend our SIW meeting briefly as a whole staff before breaking into PLC teams to produce syllabi for our Remote Curriculum Night, scheduled for September 22nd. Certified staff will also put together a short video to post on Google Site (similar to last year’s spring conferences for you returning staff); you will not need to join us on the WebEx on the 22nd. Full details will be shared on Wednesday. If you would like to volunteer your space for our first SIW, let me know!

Last Weekend of Summer

I know it’s not actually the last weekend of summer, but when you’re an educator like we are, this weekend feels like the last weekend of summer. And that can be simultaneously invigorating and stress-inducing, which might sound like two diametrically opposed foes but are actually more like dueling siblings vying for their parents’ attention. So take some time this weekend to take stock of all the feelings you are having and allow yourself some grace for feeling however you feel. The good news is that students will be here soon, and that’s the best part of the job.

There is a lot of information this week, including some new Covid updates from the district, so please read through the length and pay attention to the To-Do section.

This Week’s Launch

Thanks you to everyone for making this week’s launch such a success. Special shout-out to your ICCL representatives Ami, Mandy, and Jane for all the planning they did to get things going and to Deb and Christina for supplying us with sustenance. And a special thank you to Megan for hosting us all out at the farm.

Here are the slides from the launch, thanks to Anne-Marie for being a Google whiz. If you have any questions about anything or need some clarification about anything, see me or Anne-Marie.

Supply Form

Here is the link to the supply request list; I should have been clearer in sharing it, and I apologize for not taking the time to be as clear as I intended. This is a list for student supplies, not classroom supplies. Things like notebooks and pencils and pens, not durable or consumable objects needed for instruction. Those are two different things and two different budgets. We’ll work on the student supply list first and then we can circle back on the classroom supply list. I appreciate the patience as we navigate yet another hurdle.

Possible (Probable?) Bell Schedule Change

I will likely need to adjust the order of 4th period, lunch and Advisory. I’ll know more by Tuesday and will share the information as soon as I have it. Thanks for your patience and grace as I model the learning we want to see here at PCMS.

Meal Information

For breakfast, students will be outside, weather permitting, spaced out six-feet apart.  Only students who want breakfast will be allowed in the building prior to 9:05.  This meal time will be no more than 15 minutes.

For lunch, we will be eating outside everyday, spaced 6 feet apart, unless outdoor conditions do not allow students to be outside.  If the temperature drops below 20 degrees, precipitation is heavy, or the air quality rises to unhealthy, we will be forced to move lunch inside.  For these days, we will utilize The Nest, hallways, classrooms, and the gym to ensure students can eat spaced out 6-feet apart.  Additionally, students will be required to put their masks back on as soon as they are done eating.

Specific plans for classrooms are dependent on the expected schedule change and will be communicated to you by day’s end Tuesday. With the looming threat of a smoke-related move inside, we need to be prepared much sooner than we’d hoped for.

Field Trip Update

Currently, we are not allowing field trips with buses as a district policy. Walking field trips are allowed as long as masks are worn at all times and social distancing is maintained. We will revisit this on October 1. I will share knowledge as it is shared with me. I know this might put a HUGE wrinkle in some already-made plans, so let’s get together and problem solve proactively in case this restriction extends into October (and beyond).

School Onsite COVID-19 Testing

All BLS schools will offer COVID-19 tests to students and staff who become symptomatic during the school day. For some students, COVID-19 testing in K-12 school may represent their only access to a COVID-19 test and the importance of this access cannot be overstated. Click the following link for more info. OHA 3560 COVID-19 Testing in Oregon’s K-12 Schools

Contact Tracing Update

From Tami Pike, Assistant Director, Health Services, re: Contact tracing

If there is a positive case in one of your classes, you will be receiving an email from a contact tracer or nurse requesting information about whether masks were worn consistently during the class and they will be requesting a seating chart to identify any close contacts. The expectation is that teachers will respond to emails asap (we understand that they are teaching classes) – ideally before 5pm on the same day. If we do not receive a reply by 10am the next day, we will assume that students consistently wore masks and were at least 3 feet apart. We do not have the capacity to track teachers down to get this information. 

If you have questions about any of our Covid protocols, see Anne-Marie or Anita for clarification.

OEBB Open Enrollment Deadline is September 15

OEBB Open Enrollment for the 2021-22 plan year (October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022) has started! Enrollment is mandatory for ALL benefit eligible employees…even if you would like to continue with the same plans, you must log in and complete Open Enrollment by September 15. Bend-La Pine Schools’ Benefits Team has designed an interactive benefits page to help review plans, compare plan costs with online rate calculators, and provide additional resources to help you make your benefit selections.

Drop-in Enrollment Help Sessions (if possible, please bring your own laptop)

• 9/10/2021 @ 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. / BLS Transportation Dept. (only transportation staff )
• 9/13/2021 @ 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. / Education Center, room 314 (520 NW Wall Street)

Odds and Ends

• Students will be here Tuesday to participate in WEB day. Please be welcoming when you see them and take a minute to introduce yourself. Big thanks to Chicken, Ami, Kyle, and Marni for all the work they put into getting things ready for Tuesday!
• If you need any PPE (sanitizer, masks, face shields), please see Tami.
• Your Emergency Plan Binders are in your mailbox. You need to pick these up and have them in your classroom by Wednesday.

To-Do

• STAND-UP MEETING IN THE LIBRARY WEDNESDAY AT 8:45

Full-time staff, please plan meeting in the library Wednesday at 8:45 to launch our year together and so I can share any last-minute info or offer reminders.

• Enjoy the long weekend!

It’s almost time!

As we head into the shortest weekend of the year, I want to again share my excitement for the year ahead. We have such an amazing responsibility ahead of us to welcome students and staff alike in shaping a community that is inspiring, caring, and full of learning.

I’m going to try to keep this short, as we’ll see each other soon, but there are a few need-to-knows and a few to-dos on the docket for y’all (at bottom).

Bell Schedules

We’re going to try something new with the bells this year in hopes of reducing tardies and allowing teachers the full 45 minutes of instruction each period. Schools across the country have increasingly been doing this in recent years, and share that the result is a positive boost to school culture (I particularly love the quote that opens the second graf).

Class dismissal bells will not sound; bells will sound 1-minute before each class starts to let students know it’s just about time to be in class.

A bell will also sound at 9:10 to let students know that school starts in 5 minutes (doors will open at 9:05), and another bell will sound at 12:50 to signal the end of lunch.

Daily Schedule

Class Schedules are (Almost) Live

The class schedules will go live in Synergy sometime between right this very second and Monday morning. The Synergy deities are in charge of that and we don’t know exactly when publishing will occur. Thanks to the amazing work of Sarah Girard and Renee McCoy, we have a master schedule. Please know that it is not yet final and may change between now and September 8 and that I will communicate any necessary changes ahead of time with you.

For everything that makes you happy about your (tentative) schedule, please take a moment to thank Sarah Girard and Renee McCoy for all of their hard work and dedication. For anything that makes you unhappy about your schedule, please take a moment to come talk with me.

Coming to Work When Ill

We’ll go over this in more detail this week and yet I still want to use this space to tell you not to come to work if you’re ill. Educators are classically martyrs and can fight the sniffles or the flu and it’s easier to suffer than to build good sub plans, but we need to take our health and the health of those around us more seriously than ever before.

Bottom line, we need to stay safe to stay open.

OEBB Open Enrollment Deadline is September 15

OEBB Open Enrollment for the 2021-22 plan year (October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022) has started! Enrollment is mandatory for ALL benefit eligible employees…even if you would like to continue with the same plans, you must log in and complete Open Enrollment by September 15. Bend-La Pine Schools’ Benefits Team has designed an interactive benefits page to help review plans, compare plan costs with online rate calculators, and provide additional resources to help you make your benefit selections.

Drop-in Enrollment Help Sessions (if possible, please bring your own laptop)

• 8/25/2021 @ 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. / Education Center, room 314 (520 NW Wall Street)
• 9/1/2021 @ 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. / Education Center, room 314 (520 NW Wall Street)
• 9/2/2021 @ 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. / La Pine High School, Library (51633 Coach Road)
• 9/10/2021 @ 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. / BLS Transportation Dept. (only transportation staff )
• 9/13/2021 @ 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. / Education Center, room 314 (520 NW Wall Street)

Helpful Links

• Bell Schedules
• www.OEBBenroll.com – OEBB Online Enrollment
• OEBBinfo.com – Main OEBB informational website
• OEBBwellness.com – Wellness resources available to OEBB members
• OEBBplandocs.com – plan comparison summaries, handbooks and spreadsheets
• Open Enrollment Guide Booklet
• BLS Staff Portal Benefit Information

Wrapping Up/To-Do’s

I need you to complete some Google Forms ahead of Tuesday’s Launch:

• Please complete this form that will allow us to have some fun while we get to know each other next week.
• Please complete this ANONYMOUS form for any questions you have about the coming school year that you would like answered during our launch.
• If you’ve not already done so, please complete this form to tell us what you’re planning for Day 189.
• If you’ve not already done so, please complete this form to tell us what you’re planning for Day 190.

See you soon!

Welcome and Welcome Back!

I am so very excited to welcome everyone – new and familiar faces alike – to Pacific Crest for the 2021-2022 school year.

I hope that this finds you well, relaxed and still enjoying a well-deserved summer break. Though I’ve been back in the office for a few weeks, I am still riding high off the memory of a great time in Kauai with my family and a wedding in Mendocino County where I was lucky enough to spend a long weekend with 15 friends I made in middle school, which served as a great reminder that the work we do here at Pacific Crest shapes lives for decades to come.

My plan for the year is to communicate with all staff on weekly basis via this blog so that everyone has all of the information they’ll need in one handy location. There will be some weeks where the entry is longer than others, but I do think that this method will allow everyone to access the information in a way that is digestible for them. This one is going to be on the longer side, as there is a lot of new information to kick off the year, but I’m going to break the text up by putting some links in to Google Docs/Forms that will host some info.

New Staff

We have FIFTEEN new staff members hired as of today to join us for the upcoming school year, with two positions yet to be filled; we are in the final stages of hiring a Spanish teacher, who I expect to introduce in next week’s communication, and currently have a Choir opening to replace the recently-retired Melissa Jacot.

Additionally, we have a few familiar faces in new places: Ami Zepnewski will be teaching one period of ELD in addition to her Japanese courses, Carey Kraybill will be teaching all of our Design and Modeling courses, Mark Segesta will be joining us full-time in 7th grade Science, Jane Shein will be joining us full-time in 6th grade Science, and Renee Skjersaa will be teaching two sections of Computer Science as part of our 6th grade wheel in addition to one section of 6th grade PE/Health.

Launch Week Schedule

I am so excited to start this school year in person after last year’s remote start.

There are some details that remain to be worked out in regards to the launch schedule, but I want to give you as much information as I have now. Details for your requirements can be found here. Please be sure to fill out BOTH Google Forms at the bottom of the page.

On Tuesday, August 31st, the kickoff that had been scheduled for Bend High has been moved to a virtual format. Details on this will come via email directly to the Superintendent’s Office. We will likely host a watch party for this at PCMS, but are waiting for details so we can make plans to do so.

We’ve broken the Launch schedule into a few days so that we can have meaningful conversations about the work ahead of us this year while also providing individuals and teams the time they need to get ready.

Bell Schedule

I thank Renee McCoy and Sarah Girard for all their hard work on this huge undertaking and I am hoping that it will be ready to share with y’all as part of next week’s communication. We will have Advisory kick us off each morning for 30 minutes (except on Wednesdays, when we’ll run a 1-7 schedule). More information about how this year’s Advisory is going be structured will be shared during our launch.

Earlier this week, the start and dismissal times for middle schools was sent out to our community. The contract time for full-time certified teachers is 8:30 – 4:30 each day. Part-time and classified staff can see me to discuss their hours as needed. This adjustment to the middle school schedule was made to accommodate our transportation department’s severe lack of bus drivers. They are currently looking for bus drivers if you know of anyone who would be interested. I expect this schedule to be the one we use the entire year.

Current Internal Openings

Speaking of positions to be filled, we have a number of extra-duty positions that are open. Most pressing (in my mind) is an ICCL position. This is a two-year commitment that will require approximately two hours of work each week outside of your teaching schedule. See me if you are interested in learning about the application process, as the application paperwork is not as straight-forward as every other position in the district.

We are also looking for a 7th Grade Football Coach, a 7th Grade Volleyball coach, a Lunch Supervisor, TWO Yearbook Advisors, and a Drama Club Advisor – all of these are extra-duty positions that come with a stipend. See me if you are interested or have questions. None are currently posted.

COVID Information

I really wish this section was longer. There are still a lot of unknowns compared to last year, but we do know that masks will be worn indoors at all middle schools for the foreseeable future to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Similarly, we will continue to maintain three feet of distancing in all classes to the maximum extent possible. Lunches will be outside and we are currently working on a backup time when the weather (or air quality) does not permit that option. Quarantine requirements have lessened considerably compared to last year, which should help minimize disruptions to the learning environment. Anne Marie and I will share updates with you as we receive them, and we plan to have a one-page document outlining the current requirements for you to review during our Launch week part of which will be a Q-and-A session during that time to answer any outstanding questions.

The bottom line is, we need to stay safe so we can stay open.

Wrapping Up

We’ll go into this in more detail at the launch, but I am a big believer that “clear is kind” when it comes to communication. I will be honest and transparent with you this year and hope that you will return that kindness to me by approaching me with any comments, questions, and/or concerns that you might have. We continue to forge our trail as we move forward on many things, so there may not always be an obvious or immediate answer, but I will share the best thinking that is available in those instances.

I am honored and humbled to do this work with y’all. See you soon. – RK

If you can believe it, this will be your last Golden Eagle update of the year! Whether you are planning on moving into next year with Pacific Crest or you have a new adventure ahead of you, I wish you all the very best. It has been my sincere pleasure to be part of this amazing team for the last six years. I am continuously impressed by all of you and the way you learn, care, and inspire each day. Thank you for bringing light and love to each of my days at PCMS. The journey at this school has just begun and will only continue to get better. GO GOLDEN EAGLES!!!

Staff Meeting: On Wednesday morning, we will have a short meeting in my webex room at 9:00 for our Canvas team to go over some end of the year Canvas pieces. See you then.

Current Scheduling: If you have not yet connected with Ryan or I about your position for next year, please schedule a time to do so. There are still some moving parts, but we can either give you a clear idea or a less-clear one, depending on your particular situation.

Extra Duty Options: If you’re interested in being the next Advisor for the Drama Club, the Yearbook Club, or WEB – please see Ryan to talk about those activities that are currently searching for Advisors.

Summer Reading Fun – if you are someone who wants to get a jumpstart on the PLC work and/or the Priority Standards work we will be doing next year, please fill out this form so you can make your summer learning dreams come true!

SLGGs: These must be completed prior to leaving for the year- including the back and forth. I am sending data your way in the next hour and then will link it here.

Last Day Schedule: Linked HERE

Staff EOY Checkout List: All staff members must complete this form, including the two tabbed linked sheet for classroom repairs/maintenance and bucket / 1st aid kit medical supplies inventory, prior for departure for summer break. NEW this year…leave fanny pack on top of orange bucket in classroom.

End of Year Party: We are really looking forward to celebrating the end of this unusual year on Thursday. See you there! Details HERE

Vaccine Immune Response Symptom(s) Reminder: Many adults who have received the COVID-19 vaccination have experienced their immune systems working hard (aka side effects). Please remember, even if you think that your symptoms are related to your vaccine, you are still expected to follow the below. Click here to read this reminder in its entirety.

• Stay home if you are exhibiting illness symptoms/side effects.
• For staff, report your absence to your administrator or the school nurse.
• For students, report the absence to attendance or the school nurse

Regular School Board Meeting: on June 15, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will be held virtually. The agenda and information on how to watch and/or listen to the meeting are available here.

Important Links

• Advisory Announcements (PLEASE USE THIS FOR CANVAS ANNOUNCEMENT IN ADVISORY!!)
• District COVID-19 Dashboard
• SPARKS Summer Learning Program
• Staff Meeting Minutes– updated 4/28
• CANVAS EXPECTATIONS
• Weekly Tech Tips– updated 5/23
• Upcoming Meeting Dates– updated 5/23
• EBISS Information (updated based on Wednesday’s meeting this week)
• Advisory Contact Sheet (updated Tuesday of each week)
• MS Standards of Practice
• News from the Nest
• ALL-IN Schedule (English)
• BLS District Return to School