News from the Nest

Masking Updates

After March 12, masking will become strongly recommended, rather than required, for students and staff. This means our hallways, classrooms, gyms, libraries, and other school spaces will likely include students and staff who are wearing masks and those who are not. While this will create visible differences, it is key that we continue to honor all students and staff and help them feel like part of a rich community of learners.

Please, take some time ahead of Monday the 14th to talk with your student about their feelings around the switch in requirements for masking at school and to remind them the wearing or not wearing of a mask at school is a personal choice and that it is no one’s place to make anyone feel less than as a result of that choice.

Inventerprise Success

Two of our 6th grade students who participated in the Inventerprise contest earlier this year had their entry, a volleyball serving stand, recognized as being an Honorable Mention in the middle school category this year. Another wonderful example of our teachers working to build opportunities for authentic audiences into the student experience here at Pacific Crest.

The Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC)

Testing is scheduled for all 6th – 8th students later this spring. We are encouraging all students to participate in the assessment this year. We plan to conduct testing at PCMS in May 2022. If parents choose to opt their student(s) out of testing, please click on the link the following link, complete and return the form to our main office by April 1, 2022.

These tests are designed to be one tool that assesses students’ mastery of Oregon content standards. OSAS includes the English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and English Language Proficiency assessments.

21-22 Opt-Out Form – English & Spanish

Early Eagle Program on Hiatus

Our before-school open gym program, the Early Eagle, will be paused effective today so that we can make the gym available to our PE team to prepare for the day as we head into what looks like a little spring/winter weather coming our way. We may revisit it as the weather gets more consistent, so stay tuned. A huge thanks to our Athletic Director, Steve Blackmarr, for running this program for our students!

Lucky Mariah Coin Collection Fundraiser

Break your piggy bank, empty your coin purse, check between your sofa cushions and did into your coin stash in your vehicle. Trust me…it’s all for a good cause. Last year we raised $2,200! The week of March 14 – 17 will be an easy-peasy fundraiser for sweet Mariah. So this a a great day to bring your coins to show your support. Click here for flyer.

Volunteers for Track

Coach Wallace is looking for volunteers to help at our upcoming home Track meets in addition to volunteer coaches experienced in throwing events.

 All school volunteers will be required to complete a background check and submit proof of vaccination or an Oregon Health Authority approved medical/religious exception. Even if you completed a volunteer background form this year, a new background check that includes vaccination status will need to be completed.

If you are interested in volunteering for the upcoming track season click here to complete a quick Google Form.

Calendar

• Mar. 10 | Band Vertical Concert | Summit High School | 6:30 PM
• Mar. 11 | Last Day to order Track Sweatshirt
• Mar. 13 | Daylight Savings Ends @ 2:00 AM
• Mar. 14 – 17 | “Lucky Mariah” Coin Collection
• Mar. 18 | Lost-and-Found Items Donated
• Mar. 18 | Track Registration Closes | All paperwork must be received by 3:00 PM this day
• Mar. 21 – 25 | No School | Spring Break
• Mar. 28 | Track Season Begins
• Mar. 28 | Track Virtual Parent Meeting | 6-6:30pm | Coach Wallace’s WebEx Room
• Apr. 1 | Deadline to OPT OUT of Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC)
• Apr. 14 – 15 | No School | Middle School Conferences
• Apr. 19 | PCMS 5th Grade Virtual Move-up Night | 6:00 – 6:30 PM https://bls.webex.com/meet/annemarie.schmidt 
• May 30 | No School | Memorial Day
• June 15 | Full Day of School | Release at 4:10 PM
• June 16 | Last Day of School | Early Release at 2:40 PM

Helpful Links

• BLS Transportation Inclement Weather Info and Q & A
• Attendance Office (report late arrivals, early dismissals, absences)
• MS Bell Schedule
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• BLS Family Newsletter
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs
• Early Eagle Open Gym Calendar & Basketball Rules
• BLS Family Spotlight Newsletters

Indoor Mask Mandate For Oregon Schools Lifts March 19th

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced plans to lift mask requirements for indoor public spaces and Oregon’s schools on Saturday, March 19, rather than the state’s previously announced date of March 31. This means that masking will become strongly recommended, rather than required, for most students and staff when they return to our schools and worksites after March 19. Watch the video update from the Oregon Department of Education or see our district’s website for more information.

In the event that conditions require additional mitigation measures to control spread of COVID-19, masking could be made temporarily mandatory in a classroom, at a school, or district-wide. This mitigation measure could help to keep classrooms, departments, and schools open during surges of COVID-19 in our communities.

2022-2023 Choice Options High School Lottery Deadline

The Choice Options High School Lottery closes Tuesday, March 1st. All applications must be submitted by 3pm this day. Learn more about BLPS Choice Option schools and application deadlines HERE.

Track and Field Registration Open Now

Registration for Track and Field is currently open for all 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. Registration links and additional information regarding the upcoming season is available on the PCMS Athletics webpage.

All athletes will need a current OSAA Sports Physical on file to register for Track.

• 6th and 7th graders: Physical must be dated after May 1, 2021
• 8th graders: Physical must be dated after May 1, 2020
• Athletes new to BLP district: Physical must be dated after May 1, 2021

Online ordering for PCMS Track Sweatshirts is open Friday, Feb. 25th through Friday, March 11th. Click here to order.

Lost and Found Clear Out Soon

Our Lost & Found is getting full, so please ask your student to spend a moment looking for that lost puffy, sweatshirt, beanie, socks, lunch bag, water bottle, Rolex, hat, gloves, or whatever else may be missing from their closet. We’ll clear it out and donate all items on March 18th.

Calendar

• Mar. 1 | Attendance Area Change Requests Due
• Mar. 1 | High School Choice Options Lottery Closes | Applications due by 3pm
• Mar. 3 | Choir Vertical Concert | Summit High School | 6pm
• Mar. 10 | Band Vertical Concert | Summit High School | 6:30pm
• Mar. 11 | Last Day to order Track Sweatshirt
• Mar. 18 | Lost-and-Found Items Donated
• Mar. 18 | Track Registration Closes | All paperwork must be received by 3pm this day
• Mar. 21 – 25 | No School | Spring Break
• Mar. 28 | Track Season Begins
• Mar. 28 | Track Virtual Parent Meeting | 6-6:30pm | Coach Wallace’s WebEx Room
• Apr. 14 – 15 | No School | Middle School Conferences
• May 30 | No School | Memorial Day
• June 15 | Full Day of School | Release at 4:10 PM
• June 16 | Last Day of School | Early Release at 2:40 PM

Helpful Links

• BLS Transportation Inclement Weather Info and Q & A
• Attendance Office (report late arrivals, early dismissals, absences)
• MS Bell Schedule
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• BLS Family Newsletter
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs
• Early Eagle Open Gym Calendar & Basketball Rules
• BLS Family Spotlight Newsletters

Transition at PCMS

As you may know, I have accepted a position with the district as the Director of Recruitment & Retention in our Human Resources Department. It was a hard choice to decide to move on from Pacific Crest, but I truly feel that this new position is the one where I can have the greatest impact in our district and community.

I will remain the Principal at PCMS until school is out in June. However, starting February 22^nd, I will also be working part-time in my new role. To help support PCMS during the next four months, Dan Curfew, a long-time teacher at PCMS, will be serving part-time at the school as the Dean of Students, alongside Anne Marie Schmidt, our Assistant Principal.

I will still be available via phone and email for any needs you have these last four months of school.

Successful Val-O-Gram Fundraiser

Last week’s Val-O-Gram fundraiser was a huge success! We were completely sold out by Friday morning, and we raised over $500 to support our Sparrow, Mariah. The WEB leaders would like to thank all who participated, which was nearly a quarter of the school! The winner of the Old Mill gift card is Bryce G. Congratulations!

Stay tuned…our next opportunity to rally and support Sparrow Mariah is coming soon in March with the “Lucky for Mariah Coin Collection.” Start gathering your loose change and be ready to fill the pot of gold! More info to follow soon.

Planning for Next Year

Next week, our counselors will meet with 6th and 7th grade students to help them forecast for the elective offerings they’d like to take next year. Families can expect a course description of the electives we are hoping to offer sent home via email early next week. 7th and 8th grade students choose 2 electives to round out their schedule. If you have questions about your student’s schedule, please connect with their counselor.

Early Eagle Open Gym at PCMS

The Early Eagle Open Gym program is here to provide PCMS students a fun, inclusive, and active place to play and connect with their classmates. Basketballs will be provided, but students are welcome to bring their own. The PCMS Athletics department is sponsoring and supervising this program. New times for Open Gym are 7:45-8:45am Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Reminder to check open gym calendar weekly due to possible closures from time to time and to review PCMS Open Gym Basketball Rules. These links can be found in each News from the Nest below as well.

Check Lost & Found

It is that time again…our Lost & Found is quite full. We have collected several unclaimed items in recent month. Remind students to check our Lost & Found regularly. All remaining items will be donated to a local charity on Friday, March 18…just before Spring Break.

Increased Replacement Costs

Replacement costs for iPad charging cords have increased from $5.00 to $10.00. The cost for replacing the charging brick remains $20.00. Fines currently on student accounts will stay the same ($5), but moving forward your student will be charged $20 for the brick and $10 for the cord if they are lost or damaged.

Golden Eagle Athletics

Registration for Track and Field will be open from February 21st through March 18th for all students. Middle school sports create opportunities for kids to try new sports, and our program is appropriate for all experience levels. Registration links and additional information regarding the upcoming season is available on the PCMS Athletics webpage.

Calendar

• Feb. 21 | No School | President’s Day
• Feb. 21 | Online Registration for Track Opens | Ends March 18th at 3pm
• Feb. 22 | Wrestling vs. Elton Gregory, Sky View MS and Cascade MS| PCMS | 5:15pm
• Feb. 24 | Orchestra Concert | Summit High School | 6pm
• Mar. 3 | Choir Vertical Concert | Summit High School | 6pm
• Mar. 10 | Band Vertical Concert | Summit High School | 6:30pm
• Mar. 18 | Lost-and-Found Items Donated
• Mar. 18 | Track Registration Closes at 3pm
• Mar. 21 – 25 | No School | Spring Break
• Mar. 28 | Track Season Begins
• Mar. 28 | Track Virtual Parent Meeting | 6-6:30pm | Coach Wallace’s WebEx Room
• Apr. 14 – 15 | No School | Middle School Conferences
• May 30 | No School | Memorial Day
• June 15 | Full Day of School | Release at 4:10 PM
• June 16 | Last Day of School | Early Release at 2:40 PM

Helpful Links

• BLS Transportation Inclement Weather Info and Q & A
• Attendance Office (report late arrivals, early dismissals, absences)
• MS Bell Schedule
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• BLS Family Newsletter
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs
• Early Eagle Open Gym Calendar & Basketball Rules
• BLS Family Spotlight Newsletters

New Principal Selected

I am thrilled to share the news that the principal search is over and that Sean Keating will be taking over as the next principal here at PCMS. Sean has a wide variety of experience and came across as calm, supportive, and student-focused in the public portion of the interview process. To read more about Sean, please check out our district’s website.

Black History Month

February brings with it Black History Month, a great time to, as then-President Gerald Ford said when he became the first president to officially recognize the celebration, “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

This year’s theme for the recognition is Black Health and Wellness, and we will be creating and sharing mini-lessons that students will view in their Advisory classes as well as other recognitions throughout the month. Heritage months like these are a great opportunity to recognize and share a more-complete version of our nation’s history and I encourage you to ask your student about their learnings during this month.

Green Team Grant

We are fortunate to have a Green Team here at PCMS, where students take a hands-on approach to recognizing humans’ impact on the environment around them and in taking some proactive, as well as corrective, measures to mitigate those negative impacts.

This week, the PCMS Green Team was awarded a $600 grant from a local non-profit organization, Earth Win.  The grant will cover the costs of trees that the Green Team intends to plant on PCMS campus to offset carbon emissions of students commuting to school.  Green Team is also running a month-long competition between Advisories to inspire students to reduce emissions by finding greener ways to commute to school. 

Just another example of our students connecting their learning to the community!

High School Preparations

For our 8th grades students and families, high school is now just one semester away! As you prepare for next year, we want to share information on our district’s choice high schools, Realms and Bend Tech Academy. I have experience in alternative education (even in this district), and know that there is tremendous value in the rare atmosphere and opportunity schools can offer all students, even those who may not be an obvious candidate for the experience only a small school can provide.

Both schools will host information nights at their respective schools for prospective students and families to learn more about their offerings, as will Bend High, to discuss its International Baccalaureate program. Dates below.

• Feb. 1 BLPS online enrollment opens for 22-23 school year. New Area Change Request (ACR) process opens in ParentVue
• Feb. 9 BTA@MHS Information night 6 pm to 7 pm, Main Gym
• Feb. 10 Realms HS Information night 6 pm to 7 pm, Main Commons
• Feb. 15th BTA@MHS Information night 6 pm to 7 pm, Main Gym
• Feb. 16th Bend High IB Information Night @ BSHS Auditorium – 6:30-8:00
• Feb. 22nd Realms WebEx Information Night from 6 pm to 7 pm. WebEx linked
• Feb. 23rd BTA@MHS WebEx Information Night from 6 pm to 7 pm
• Feb. 24th Realms On Site Family Tours at 4:45 pm. Call 541/355-5500
• Feb. 28th Realms On Site Family Tours at 4:45 pm. Call 541/355-5500

I encourage you to check out the videos that Realms and Bend Tech Academy made that highlight some things that make them unique.

Orientation Nights | Choice Options | Application Deadlines

During the coming months, families and students will have the opportunity to learn about many schools and programs throughout the district and, in some cases, to apply for specific options. The following key dates offer families information about the opportunities available to students at Bend-La Pine Schools’ 33 schools. Click here for more information.

Val-O-Gram Fundraiser for Sparrow, Mariah

Here is a great opportunity to support Sparrow Mariah. Beginning Monday, 2/7 through Friday, 2/11 our WEB Leaders will be selling a limited number of Val-O-Grams for $2.00 each which includes a bag of heart candy for the recipient and a personalized message from the sender. Remaining anonymous is an option as well! Parents are welcome purchase Val-O-Grams at the main office next week from 9:30 – 4:00. Val-O-Grams will be delivered to students and staff on Monday, February 14.  Click here for all the details. Don’t miss out, buy early!

Community Service Sparrow Voucher

Speaking of Sparrow Mariah, we want to remind all students who have and continue to provide support to others through service to log your hours via this Google Doc. Your service hours ultimately equate to dollars to support Mariah. So if you have raked leaves, walked dogs, shoveled snow, service meals at shelter, picked up trash, etc….this is the time to log your time.

AM Open Gyms Start This Week

In an attempt to help give our students access to more activity, we will be opening our gym on Tuesday Thursday mornings beginning this week through the 17th of March for some structured and supervised Open Gym sessions.

In order to gauge the structure needed, we are going to have the gym doors open from 7:30-7:45am, then locked so we can control the flow of students. The sessions will run until 8:45 and students will have access to the locker rooms.

We know that this eliminates the possibility of our bus riders participating and we are actively looking for ways we can accommodate them as well!

Calendar

• Feb. 7 | 2nd Semester Begins
• Feb. 7 – 14 | Val-O-Gram Fundraiser for Sparrow Mariah
• Feb. 21 | No School | President’s Day
• Feb. 21 | Online Registration for Track Opens | Ends March 18th
• Feb. 24 | Orchestra Concert | Summit High School | 6pm
• Mar. 21 – 25 | No School | Spring Break
• Apr. 14 – 15 | No School | Middle School Conferences
• May 30 | No School | Memorial Day
• June 15 | Full Day of School | Release at 4:10 PM
• June 16 | Last Day of School | Early Release at 2:40 PM

Helpful Links

• BLS Transportation Inclement Weather Info and Q & A
• Attendance Office (report late arrivals, early dismissals, absences)
• MS Bell Schedule (Revised: 12/13/21 includes 2 hour delay)
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• BLS Family Newsletter
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs
• BLS Family Newsletters

YouthTruth Survey Extended

Due to low turnout from families, we have extended the deadline to the YouthTruth Survey until Friday, February 4th.

As of today, only 53% of our families have completed the YouthTruth Survey, an anonymous survey that gauges the culture of our school through the perception of a variety of stakeholders (staff, students, and families each take a unique survey). This survey produces some of the only quantitative data that we are able to use to see how we’re doing in a variety of topics. Please, click the link below and spend 15 minutes to complete the survey. Thank you!

 ytsurvey.org/bendfamily22.

COVID Updates

This week’s school board meeting led to an updated approach to a few Covid-related protocols. For up-to-date information on the protocols, please visit the district’s Return to School website.

High School Preparations

For our 8th grades students and families, high school is nearly just one semester away! As you prepare for next year, we want to share information on our district’s choice high schools, Realms and Bend Tech Academy. I have experience in alternative education (even in this district), and know that there is tremendous value in the rare atmosphere and opportunity schools can offer all students, even those who may not be an obvious candidate for the experience only a small school can provide.

Both schools will host information nights at their respective schools for prospective students and families to learn more about their offerings, as will Bend High, to discuss its International Baccalaureate program. Dates below.

• Feb. 1 BLPS online enrollment opens for 22-23 school year. New Area Change Request (ACR) process opens in ParentVue
• Feb. 9 BTA@MHS Information night 6 pm to 7 pm, Main Gym
• Feb. 10 Realms HS Information night 6 pm to 7 pm, Main Commons
• Feb. 15th BTA@MHS Information night 6 pm to 7 pm, Main Gym
• Feb. 16th Bend High IB Information Night @ BSHS Auditorium – 6:30-8:00
• Feb. 22nd Realms WebEx Information Night from 6 pm to 7 pm. WebEx linked
• Feb. 23rd BTA@MHS WebEx Information Night from 6 pm to 7 pm
• Feb. 24th Realms On Site Family Tours at 4:45 pm. Call 541/355-5500
• Feb. 28th Realms On Site Family Tours at 4:45 pm. Call 541/355-5500

Lost and Found Check

Our lost and found is getting full of winter items and the next clear out day is not scheduled until March 18 (Friday before Spring Break), so please ask your student to take a look to see if their winter coat is missing. If the collection area gets too full, we may have to move up the next donation day.

Val-O-Gram Fundraiser for Sparrow Mariah!

This is a GREAT cause! Beginning Monday, February 7 our WEB Leaders will be selling a limited number of Val-O-Grams for $2.00 each which includes a bag of heart candy for the recipient and a personalized message from the sender.

Val-O-Grams will be delivered to students and staff on Monday, February 14. All proceeds go directly to Mariah. Click here for all the details. Don’t miss out, buy early!

Calendar

• Feb. 1 | Wrestling vs. HDMS, Culver, Cascade, JCMS | HDMS | 5:15pm
• Feb. 4 | No School | 1st Semester Ends
• Feb. 7 | 2nd Semester Begins
• Feb. 7 – 14 | Val-O-Gram Fundraiser for Sparrow Mariah
• Feb. 21 | No School | President’s Day
• Mar. 21 – 25 | No School | Spring Break
• Apr. 14 – 15 | No School | Middle School Conferences
• May 30 | No School | Memorial Day
• June 15 | Full Day of School | Release at 4:10 PM
• June 16 | Last Day of School | Early Release at 2:40 PM

Helpful Links

• BLS Transportation Inclement Weather Info and Q & A
• Attendance Office (report late arrivals, early dismissals, absences)
• MS Bell Schedule (Revised: 12/13/21 includes 2 hour delay)
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• BLS Family Newsletter
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs
• BLS Family Newsletters

YouthTruth Survey

As of today, only 16% of our families have completed the YouthTruth Survey, an anonymous survey that gauges the culture of our school through the perception of a variety of stakeholders (staff, students, and families each take a unique survey). This survey produces some of the only quantitative data that we are able to use to see how we’re doing in a variety of topics. Please, click the link below and spend 15 minutes to complete the survey. Thank you!

 ytsurvey.org/bendfamily22.

Thank You for Your Generosity

With your generous donations, we were able to provide an amazing amount of winter clothes to be donated to the Bethlehem Inn as part of our PCMS Gives Back campaign. Thank you to all who donated. We will share information about our spring campaign when we have details.

Good Deeds to Help Support Sparrow Mariah

We are so glad to have this wonderful opportunity to help Mariah and her family during a very difficult time. Just a reminder, we encourage everyone to take part in supporting Mariah by learning more about her and committing to perform community service hours to raise money in partnership with many local sponsors. Below, you will find links that share Mariah’s story, a video from Sparrow Clubs USA with even more information on Mariah and how we can all serve others to ultimately serve Our Brave Warrior!

• Mariah’s Story (a “quick glimpse flyer” about Mariah’s young life)
• Mariah’s Intro Video & Voucher Process (powerful and moving video)
• Mariah’s Community Service Voucher (click this link for Google Form to log service hours)

Yearbook Sales

Shannon Cramer, our Art teacher, is heading up this year’s yearbook and is working with a small group of students who will help design the book. We have placed our order with the yearbook publisher base on the number of YTD sales. Each year, students get their yearbooks the last day of school. Inevitably, our main office is flooded with calls on the last day asking if we have extras available for purchase because students see their friends’ yearbook and regret not purchasing one. You can continue to purchase books online via TouchBase until we are sold out. Know that the longer you wait, the better chance your student will not be guaranteed a keepsake from this year.

The Bend-La Pine Schools’ (BLS) Board of Directors Meetings

A Special Meeting is scheduled on Tuesday, January 25 at 5:30pm. Members of the community who wish to make public comment at the Special Meeting may attend the meeting virtually. To provide public comment, please complete the Google Form linked here.

The Bend-La Pine Schools’ (BLS) Board of Directors will meet for a Work Session immediately following the Special Meeting 

The meetings will be closed to public attendance due to increased health and safety risks. To allow for public attendance of the meetings, they will be live streamed via the BLS SchoolBoard YouTube page.

The agenda and meeting packets are available here.

Wrestling Assistant Coach Position

PCMS has the second-largest wrestling team for CO Middle Schools! With so many wrestlers we are in need of an Assistant Coach to help Coach Toso. If you have wrestling experience and/or coaching experience and/or just like to help out and are interested in the position, you can apply by clicking the link below.

Assistant Wrestling Coach Online Application

Calendar

• Jan. 25 | Wrestling vs. EGMS, HDMS, JCMS/WS | Elton Gregory MS | 5pm
• Feb. 1 | Wrestling vs. HDMS, Culver, Cascade, JCMS | HDMS | 5:15pm
• Feb. 4 | No School | 1st Semester Ends
• Feb. 7 | 2nd Semester Begins
• Feb. 7 – 14 | Val-O-Gram Fundraiser for Sparrow Mariah
• Feb. 21 | No School | President’s Day
• Mar. 21 – 25 | No School | Spring Break
• Apr. 14 – 15 | No School | Middle School Conferences
• May 30 | No School | Memorial Day
• June 15 | Full Day of School | Release at 4:10 PM
• June 16 | Last Day of School | Early Release at 2:40 PM

Helpful Links

• BLS Transportation Inclement Weather Info and Q & A
• Attendance Office (report late arrivals, early dismissals, absences)
• MS Bell Schedule (Revised: 12/13/21 includes 2 hour delay)
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• BLS Family Newsletter
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs
• BLS Family Newsletters

YouthTruth Survey

I shared last week that we are conducting the YouthTruth survey to anonymously survey various stakeholders in our school community (staff, students, and families) so that we can learn more about the school experience and make adjustments as needed.

The survey will only take you approximately 15 minutes and gives us some great insight that we use in developing our course of action in a variety of ways. If you are reading this now, please take some time to click the link below before continuing on.

Please take the survey before it closes at midnight on January 28 by clicking this link: ytsurvey.org/bendfamily22.

Updated Spectator Guidelines

Bend-La Pine Schools believe strongly in the value of co-curricular and extracurricular activities. We remain committed to continuing these critical offerings for our students. To ensure delivery of these activities can continue as long as it is safe to do so, Bend-La Pine School is announcing changes to indoor spectator guidance for all athletic and activity events held at our schools, beginning Monday, January 10. These changes are being made to address rapidly escalating cases of COVID-19 in our community and in response to a memo from Oregon Department of Education and Oregon Health Authority from Jan. 3 , recommending “that schools bring extracurricular activities to a halt, or ensure they follow the same layered mitigation safety protocols practiced during the school day.”

Bend-La Pine Schools remains committed to delivering extra-curricular activities, believing them to be critical offerings for our students and, therefore, we are making changes to our current guidelines in order to protect our student participants and the greater school community.

These spectator modifications are intended to reduce contact exposures, encourage greater distancing, allow for 100% masking compliance, and further our efforts to protect our student athletes, coaches, and community.

Lowering capacity. We will begin by lowering capacities in our facilities and events through a student pass system.

• Middle school wrestling matches (not tournaments). These student athletes will be issued one seat per event to provide seating for families transporting students.
• Four seats per participant for Clubs/Activities: Performing arts and clubs/activities with events planned will follow similar guidelines. Each participant will be able to invite four individuals to be spectators at the event. Guest names will be added to a will call list and no walk-ins will be allowed.
• No spectators at larger events. Spectators will not be permitted at tournaments, city meets or athletic events involving more than two teams, unless called out above.

Guest names will be added to a will call list (by noon on game day) and these guests will check-in upon entry to the facility. Please bring photo identification. No printed tickets will be issued and no walk-ins will be allowed.

In addition to this will-call list, the following requirements will be in place:

• There will be a single point of entry.
• NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR CONCESSIONS.
• MASKS – All spectators, table help, and coaches must wear them at all times.  Athletes do not need to wear them while on the mat competing. Athletes will wear masks while waiting to compete and/or in the bleachers.

Please make the jobs of our staff and volunteers easier by complying with the above rules.

Click here to view the full message from Superintendent Steven Cook.

Winter Clothing Collection

As part of PCMS Gives Back to our local community, beginning Monday, January 10 our WEB Leaders are collecting winter clothing items like gloves, hats, scarfs, beanies, sweaters, hoodies and more for Bethlehem Inn from January 10 – 19. Donated items must be new or gently used. There will be a collection box in the Upper Nest. Click here for informational flyer.

Calendar

• Jan. 10 – 19 | Winter Clothing Collection
• Jan. 17 | No School | Martin Luther King Day
• Jan. 20 | Wrestling vs. CMS, Crook & SVMS | Cascade Middle School | 5:15pm
• Jan. 25 | Wrestling vs. EGMS, HDMS, JCMS/WS | Elton Gregory MS | 5pm
• Feb. 1 | Wrestling vs. HDMS, Culver, Cascade, JCMS | HDMS | 5:15pm
• Feb. 4 | No School | 1st Semester Ends
• Feb. 7 | 2nd Semester Begins
• Feb. 7 – 14 | Val-O-Gram Fundraiser for Sparrow Mariah
• Feb. 11 | Deadline to Purchase Yearbooks
• Feb. 21 | No School | President’s Day
• Mar. 21 – 25 | No School | Spring Break
• Apr. 14 – 15 | No School | Middle School Conferences
• May 30 | No School | Memorial Day
• June 15 | Full Day of School | Release at 4:10 PM
• June 16 | Last Day of School | Early Release at 2:40 PM

Helpful Links

• BLS Transportation Inclement Weather Info and Q & A
• Attendance Office (report late arrivals, early dismissals, absences)
• MS Bell Schedule (Revised: 12/13/21 includes 2 hour delay)
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• BLS Family Newsletter
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs
• BLS Family Newsletters

IMPORTANT: Covid-19 Protocol

To limit the spread of COVID-19 within the school setting, families should
monitor student’s daily health and keep them home for any of the scenarios
listed here: WHEN TO KEEP YOUR STUDENTS HOME: GUIDANCE FOR PARENTS

YouthTruth Survey

I am asking for approximately 15 minutes of your time to complete an online survey that will help us improve your child’s experience here at Pacific Crest.

As a district, we have partnered with YouthTruth – a nonprofit organization that supports hundreds of schools and districts across the county – to conduct an anonymous survey on our behalf.

Please take the survey before it closes at midnight on January 28 by clicking this link: ytsurvey.org/bendfamily22.

Please note:

• The survey needs to be completed in one sitting.
• We ask that one member of each household fill out the survey.
• If you have more than one child who attends the same school, you may respond to the survey multiple times – one time per child.
• If you write any comments, please do not include your name or anything else that might identify you. Your responses are anonymous, and they will be combined with the responses of other parents and guardians before being shared back with school and district leadership.

We sincerely thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. Your response is incredibly valuable to us.

If you have any questions about the survey, or our plans for how we will use your feedback, please contact me directly.

Winter Weather Updates

Weather-related shifts in our schedule like Monday’s and Tuesday’s could continue to be needed as the winter weather comes into form and we want you to be aware of any necessary changes to our typical schedule, so please visit the district’s website to learn how to best stay connected and receive any and all alerts, including those that are driven by the unpredictable weather.

Serve Our Schools: Budget Committee

Looking for a way to serve local students and schools? Consider applying for one of three open positions on Bend-La Pine Schools’ Budget Committee. The committee, which includes the seven elected Board of Directors and seven members of the community, works with staff to review and approve the district’s budget each year. Members must live within the school district, be registered to vote, and cannot be current employees or agents for Bend-La Pine Schools. 

Applications for the volunteer positions are due Friday, Jan. 21. To apply, submit a letter of interest and resume via email to [email protected] or via mail to: Bend-La Pine Schools Board of Directors, Attn: Janet Bojanowski, 520 NW Wall St., Bend, OR 97703. 

For additional information, contact 541-355-1000.
Serve Our Schools: Budget Committee

Si estás buscando una manera de brindar tus servicios a las escuelas y estudiantes locales, piensa en postularte para uno de los tres puestos disponibles en el Comité de Presupuesto de las Escuelas de Bend-La Pine. El Comité, que incluye a los siete miembros electos de la Mesa Directiva y a siete miembros de la comunidad, trabaja con el personal para revisar y aprobar el presupuesto del distrito cada año. Los miembros deben vivir dentro del distrito escolar, estar registrados para votar y no pueden ser empleados actuales o servir como agentes de las Escuelas de Bend-La Pine. 

Las solicitudes para los puestos de voluntario deben entregarse a más tardar el viernes, 21 de enero. Para someter tu solicitud, manda una carta de interés y currículo por correo electrónico a [email protected] o por correo a: Mesa Directiva de Las Escuelas de Bend-La Pine, Atte: Janet Bojanowski, 520 NW Wall St., Bend, OR 97703. 

Para más información, llama al 541-355-1000.
Serve Our Schools: Budget Committee

Winter Clothing Collection

As part of PCMS Gives Back to our local community, beginning Monday, January 10 our WEB Leaders are collecting winter clothing items like gloves, hats, scarfs, beanies, sweaters, hoodies and more for Bethlehem Inn from January 10 – 19. Donated items must be NEW. There will be a collection box in the Upper Nest. Click here for informational flyer.

BLS Board of Directors will meet for a Regular School Board Meeting on January 11, 2022, at 5:30 p.m. 

The meeting will be closed to public attendance due to increased health and safety risks. To allow for public attendance of the meeting, the meeting will be live streamed via the BLS SchoolBoard YouTube page. Members of the community who wish to make public comment may attend the meeting virtually. To provide public comment, please complete the Google Form linked here. The form will be open for sign-up until 12:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

The agenda and meeting packet are available here.

Thank you,

Calendar

• Jan. 7 | Last day to register for Wrestling
• Jan. 10 – 19 | Winter Clothing Collection
• Jan. 11 | BLS Board Meeting | 5:30pm
• Jan. 17 | No School | Martin Luther King Day
• Jan. 20 | Wrestling vs. CMS, Crook & SVMS | Cascade Middle School | 5:15pm
• Jan. 25 | Wrestling vs. EGMS, HDMS, JCMS/WS | Elton Gregory MS | 5pm
• Feb. 1 | Wrestling vs. HDMS, Culver, Cascade, JCMS | HDMS | 5:15pm
• Feb. 4 | No School | 1st Semester Ends
• Feb. 7 | 2nd Semester Begins
• Feb. 7 – 14 | Val-O-Gram Fundraiser for Sparrow Mariah
• Feb. 11 | Deadline to Purchase Yearbooks
• Feb. 21 | No School | President’s Day
• Mar. 21 – 25 | No School | Spring Break
• Apr. 14 – 15 | No School | Middle School Conferences
• May 30 | No School | Memorial Day
• June 15 | Full Day of School | Release at 4:10 PM
• June 16 | Last Day of School | Early Release at 2:40 PM

Helpful Links

• BLS Transportation Inclement Weather Info and Q & A
• Attendance Office (report late arrivals, early dismissals, absences)
• MS Bell Schedule (Revised: 12/13/21 includes 2 hour delay)
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• BLS Family Newsletter
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs
• BLS Family Newsletters

Enjoy the Break

As we head into a two-week winter break, I want to take a moment to thank our outstanding school community for all they have done to help us create a welcoming, vibrant school where all of our students can thrive. 

The halls and classrooms were not as full as usual today, but our school was filled with lots of cheer and activity. We saw lots of holiday sweaters and many hands-on activities developed to keep students engaged on a day where, historically, there have been many opportunities for distraction.

I also want to take a moment to recognize the students who have reached out to share any concerns they have seen on social media or elsewhere. If you or your student is aware of any potential threat posted to social media or anywhere else, please contact local law enforcement at 541-693-6911, a school staff member, or report a tip through Safe Oregon. The safety of our students and staff is paramount and any and all threats, credible or not, are taken as such.

We practice our Standard Response Protocols at school, and I’d encourage you to take a moment to familiarize yourself with the protocols we utilize across the district. Additionally, it’s always a good idea to refresh yourself with other areas of safety so that you can be over-prepared for situations we hope never arise. I’m fond of the work the University of Michigan did around child abduction prevention and with the work the National Safety Coalition did around bike safety. Although, with the seasons finally changing to winter, some snow safety reminders may be more appropriate.

To all of our students and families, please know that our staff is wishing you all a wonderful and safe winter break. We are excited to reconnect with you Monday, January 3. 

Wrestling starts next month!

Coach Toso is working to grow the Pacific Crest wrestling program into a fun and thriving program. Golden Eagle Wrestling creates opportunities for young athletes to try wrestling for the first time or to enhance skills of returning wrestlers, and also produces a pipeline of athletes for the Summit High School wrestling program. We believe the work ethic and discipline instilled into our wrestlers will benefit multi-sport athletes in their other athletic endeavors and will also transfer to their athletic pursuits. Practice starts January 3rd and the season runs through the first week of March. Email Coach Toso for more information: [email protected]. 

Wrestling is open to beginners and boys and girls! You can register here. 

Calendar

• Dec. 20 – Dec. 31 | No School | Winter Break
• Jan. 3 | Wrestling Season Begins
• Jan. 7 | Last day to register for Wrestling
• Jan. 10 – 19 | Winter Clothing Collection
• Jan. 17 | No School | Martin Luther King Day
• Feb. 4 | No School | 1st Semester Ends
• Feb. 7 | 2nd Semester Begins
• Feb. 7 – 14 | Val-O-Gram Fundraiser for Sparrow Mariah
• Feb. 11 | Deadline to Purchase Yearbooks
• Feb. 22 | No School | President’s Day
• Mar. 21 – 25 | No School | Spring Break
• Apr. 14 – 15 | No School | Middle School Conferences
• May 30 | No School | Memorial Day
• June 15 | Full Day of School | Release at 4:10 PM
• June 16 | Last Day of School | Early Release at 2:40 PM

Helpful Links

• BLS Transportation Inclement Weather Info and Q & A
• Attendance Office (report late arrivals, early dismissals, absences)
• PCMS Bell Schedule (revised 12/13/21 includes 2 hour delay)
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• BLS Family Newsletter
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs
• BLS Family Newsletters

Free Pediatric Covid-19 Vaccine Clinic

Deschutes County Health Services is partnering with Bend-La Pine Schools to host free Pediatric COVID-19 vaccine clinics in December and January! Our first dose Pfizer clinic will be held at Juniper Elementary School in Bend from 4:00 to 7:00 PM on Monday, December 13. Website. Clinic Flyer.

Pediatric and adult Pfizer vaccine first doses will be available. No booster doses available. No appointment, no insurance, and no i.d. needed. 5+ welcome. 5 to 14 year old’s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Second dose clinic information will be given at the time of vaccination.

If you are looking for another vaccination location in Deschutes County, please visit www.deschutes.org/covid19vaccine or call the COVID-19 hotline at 541-699-5109. The hotline is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday.

Important Message from BLS Bus Transportation

We’ve heard that this weekend’s weather forecast is a mix of wind, rain, snow and cold temperatures. BLS Bus Transportation is expecting possible delays on Monday morning. We recommend families view the BLS Bus Inclement Weather page. Also, if you have not done so, sign up for BL Connect asap.

Spirit Week (Monday 12/13 – 12/17)

Get ready to show your PCMS spirit next week during Spirit Week. Please do not wear anything that could be offensive to others. We highly encourage all staff and students to participate in this week of fun. Follow the themes below.

• Monday, December 13th: Festive Sock Day
• Tuesday, December 14th: Tuesday Twin Day
• Wednesday, December 15th: Pajama Day
• Thursday, December 16th: Cozy Winter Wear/80’s Ski Gear Day
• Friday, December 17th: Unique Sweater Day

Yearbook Purchase

Don’t wait! We are fast approaching our ordering deadline to our yearbook publisher. Out of 600 students, we have only sold 197 books. I know there are many more students who will want one, so don’t wait. We ask that you purchase before February 11, 2022 so we can get an accurate count when we place our order. Only a few extra books will be ordered and only students that purchase before the above date are guaranteed a book in the Spring. To purchase go to https://touchbase.bend.k12.or.us/. Yearbooks are $20.00. If you are uncertain whether or not you purchased, call the main office at (541) 355-7804 or email [email protected] to verify if you did or did not order a book.

Winter Clothing Collection

As part of PCMS Gives Back, our WEB Leaders will be collecting NEW winter clothing items like gloves, hats, scarfs, beanies, sweaters, hoodies and more for Bethlehem Inn from January 10 – 19. There will be a collection box in the Upper Nest. Click here for informational flyer.

Calendar

• Dec. 13 – 17 | Spirit Week! (more info above)
• Dec. 14 | Virtual Wrestling Athlete and Parent Info Mtg. | 6pm |Email Coach Toso for the link
• Dec. 20 – Dec. 31 | No School | Winter Break
• Jan. 3 | Wrestling Season Begins
• Jan. 7 | Last day to register for Wrestling
• Jan. 10 – 19 | Winter Clothing Collection
• Jan. 17 | No School | Martin Luther King Day
• Feb. 4 | No School | 1st Semester Ends
• Feb. 7 | 2nd Semester Begins
• Feb. 7 – 14 | Val-O-Gram Fundraiser for Sparrow Mariah
• Feb. 11 | Deadline to Purchase Yearbooks
• Feb. 22 | No School | President’s Day
• Mar. 21 – 25 | No School | Spring Break
• Apr. 14 – 15 | No School | Middle School Conferences
• May 30 | No School | Memorial Day
• June 15 | Full Day of School | Release at 4:10 PM
• June 16 | Last Day of School | Early Release at 2:40 PM

Helpful Links

• BLS Transportation Inclement Weather Info and Q & A
• Attendance Office (report late arrivals, early dismissals, absences)
• PCMS Bell Schedule (NEW! Split Lunch as of 10/25/21)
• PCMS Athletics
• BLS Información Webpage
• BLS Family Newsletter
• News from the Nest in Spanish
• Student Clubs