August 22, 2025

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sean Keating

Principal’s Hello

Hello, Pacific Crest Families!

I’m excited to write my first message of the school year, and to celebrate our 10th year as a school!

I’m Sean Keating, and I’m principal here at PCMS. I taught high school English for 7 years before moving into administration. I’ve been in middle or high school admin now for 12 years. This will be my 7th year as a middle school principal.

My two kids attend Bend-La Pine Schools, and my wife is a mental health therapist. Both my parents were teachers, and my mother-in-law was a teacher. I feel grateful to work in schools, as the rhythm of the year, student laughter, and school culture all bring me great joy.

I’m especially grateful to enter my fourth year with the staff here at PCMS. We have a ton of fun together. We’re a strong team, and I learn so much from them all the time. Your kids are gonna love it here!

Take care, and see you soon!

Sean

Important Construction Roundabout Update

The City of Bend just confirmed that the Skyliner Rd. and NW Skyliners Ranch Rd. will not be completed before the start of the school year. We encourage families to plan ahead and allow extra time for the anticipated increase in travel delays. Please also keep in mind that Summit High School and Pacific Crest dismiss at the same time, which may add to traffic congestion. We appreciate your patience as we work through this challenge together.

In addition to the construction detour, we wanted to inform families that NW Lolo will be gated effective September, 2nd. This is done to help ensure the safety of our students.

Weekly Communications

It is a goal of PCMS to keep families and students up-to-date and well informed. PCMS will continue to update you each Friday via this weekly blog. With that said, due to the start of the school today’s News from the Nest may seem to be an overwhelming amount of information. We highly encourage you take time to read it along with the BLS FamilySpotlight for news and updates throughout the school year.

Student Class Schedules

Student schedules will be accessible via ParentVue and StudentVue on Saturday, August 30. Please note that the counseling department is still making changes to them and will continue to tweak schedules until September 3. Please wait until that time for accurate viewing. 

Building a master schedule is an intricate process that takes 100’s of hours of work. Even seemingly minor changes can have a dramatic effect. Due to its complexity, we are not accepting any schedule changes. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

First Day of School Schedules

Throughout the District, the first day of school varies by grade level. Grades 1-6 and grade 9 start Wednesday, September 3. Grades 7-8 and 10-12 start Thursday, September 4. Refer to schedules below. This is to give sixth-graders a full day of orientation without other grades be on campus.

BLS Start and End Times (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)

  • Elementary:  7:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. 
  • Middle school: 8:50 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
  • High school: 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
  • Three Rivers School: 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Important Note: Schools release 90 minutes early on Wednesdays starting September 10 for staff professional development time. Pacific Crest release time is 2:15 p.m. per our 2025/26 School Schedule.

Transportation Registration

Is your student riding the school bus during the 2025 – 2026 school year? Registration is required, even if your student rode the bus last year. 

If you have a student this year who is eligible for transportation, please log into your ParentVUE account and use the Online Registration tool. Select the “Annual Request for Transportation” tile to walk you through the bus rider registration process. If you need assistance with logging into or trouble shooting your ParentVUE account, please email [email protected]. 

To find out if your student is eligible for transportation, go to bls.fyi/bus.

Transportation App | My Ride K-12

Did you hear the news? Our Transportation Department is using a new and improved rider app for families! It’s called My Ride K-12, and you can download and use it to receive notifications and real-time updates on your student’s bus. Need help? Watch this video for instructions.

Beginning Saturday, August 16, you can log into My Ride K-12 and add your student(s) to your profile using their student ID number and 8-digit date of birth (MMDDYYYY). While you may be able to see bus routes as early as August 16th, bus routes will be finalized and available to view in the app by September 1.

NEW! Athletic Registration – FinalForms

Registration for Pacific Crest MS Fall Sports is open now! We are excited to announce our partnership with FinalForms to provide a streamlined tool to register students for athletics and activities.

If you have a student who will be participating in middle school or high school sports, you will use FinalForms to complete and sign their participation forms. The best part is that FinalForms saves your information from season to season and year to year. You also may review your registration information at any time to verify it’s up to date. You will be asked to sign your forms once every year and after any update. We invite parents and guardians to create their FinalForms account at: bend-or.finalforms.com

You can find instructions here. We hope you’ll like this new tool for getting students ready to play and participate in school activities. We are excited to see them this year on the fields, courts and other competitive venues!

To become a volunteer for athletics, please follow this link to sign up.

School Meal Services

Did you hear the scrumptious news? All schools in the District qualify for the federal Community Eligibility Provision program. All students are eligible to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day. No application is required.

Refer to the School Meals website page to access daily menus including nutritional information and allergens. Parents/guardians of students with special dietary needs may reach out to their school nurse.

Student School Supplies

In Bend-La Pine Schools, all of the materials students need for instruction are provided. Families are welcome to provide personal items such as backpacks, water bottles, and headphones.

If, however, your student would like to choose their own supplies, feel free to purchase them. These are the supplies our teachers typically need students to have:

  • 1 three-ring binder (2.5” or 3”)
  • 1 package of dividers
  • 1 single subject notebook
  • 1 package of three-ring notebook paper
  • 2 lined composition notebooks
  • 1 pencil pouch
  • 1 package of #2 Pencils or mechanical pencil with extra led
  • 1 package of colored pencils
  • 1 pack of pencil cap erasers
  • 1 large pink eraser
  • 2 glue sticks
  • 1 pair of earbuds or headphones

Back-to-School Shopping | District Dress Code

With back-to-school coming up and many of you starting clothes shopping we are asking students and families to take a moment to review and reflect on our district Dress Code Policy. These early conversations will help us be proactive and transparent in understanding school expectations and values, and will set everyone up for success, respect, and safety. 

Within the first few weeks of school your student will participate in reviewing a lesson on the Dress Code. We encourage families to be part of this conversation alongside us! It is important that our whole learning community shares a common understanding and interpretation of the Dress Code in order to ensure a safe and inclusive learning environment. Proactive conversation helps avoid misunderstandings, surprises, or unintended harm later. Thank you for your partnership, and happy shopping! 

Annual iPad Insurance

It is highly recommended that families purchase the optional annual iPad insurance for $30 for each of their students with a family cap of $60. Insurance should be purchased PRIOR to the iPad being issued. Insurance is effective for the current school year. iPad insurance can be purchased online (at the beginning of the school year). After this period, iPads must be inspected at the school for damage before insurance can be purchased. Please refer to BLS  iPad Insurance webpage for more information.

Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement

Whether you purchase iPad insurance or not, it is extremely important that all parents and guardians review the Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement to be very clear of the responsibilities of technology usage.

BLS Connect

In the case of a weather event that delays or closes schools, or school lockdown or evacuation, families can sign-up to receive text message notifications via BLConnect. A great tool for all families.

Visitor and Volunteer Process

If you plan on visiting your child’s school during school hours, don’t forget your government-issued photo ID. You may be visiting for a concert, to enjoy lunch with your student, or to participate in an IEP meeting. Whatever the reason, safety procedures remain in place to keep our school community safe. All visitors must sign in at school during regular business hours using our Raptor kiosk, the digital sign-in roster. It is critical to know who is in our schools at all times, and no exceptions can be made in this process.

We invite our PCMS community members to volunteer for a number of opportunities throughout the school year. To become a volunteer, please refer to the BLS Volunteer webpage for all the details of become a volunteer.

BLS School Year Calendar

Check out multiple BLS calendars for the 2025-26 school year. You may soon or have already have received your copy of the annual BLS Family Handbook & Calendars. If not, check in our main office for a copy.

Become a Classroom Substitute!

Interested in helping students and teachers? The High Desert Education Services District (HDESD) helps find and manage substitute teachers and educational assistants. They are currently looking for qualified individuals. Visit the HDESD website for more information. HDESD Flyer

Mark your Calendar

  • Aug. 29 | WEB Leader Training, Day 1 | 10:00 – 3:00 | Gym
  • Sep. 2 | WEB Leader Training, Day 2: | 10:00 – 3:00 | Gym 
  • Sep. 3 | First Day of School – 6 Grade Students Only | 8:50 – 3:45
  • Sep. 3 | New Student Orientation – 7 & 8 Grade | 2:00 – 3:30
  • Sep. 4 | First Day of School for all grade levels | Bell Schedule
  • Sep. 5| Fall Athletic Registration Ends | 4:00PM
  • Sept. 25| School Portrait Day (more to come soon)
  • Sep. 25 | Back to School Night | 6:00 – 8:00PM (more to come soon)

Helpful Links

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