Thank you again for all you are doing and all your hard work. As we inch closer to bringing kids into the building I know the stress and anxiety levels are increasing. The reason for this increase is because you care and you want to make sure you are doing everything you can for your staff and students. I know keeping track of all the new guidelines and rules is very confusing and if you are like me, keeping up on all them is next to impossible. Communication with your staff almost on a daily basis these first few days and weeks will be crucial. Debrief with them, listen to them, make them part of the solution and just do your best. If you messed up on something today, fix it tomorrow.
From John Lindsay… Whenever we change the contract, it gives the union the right to open up bargaining. We’ve reached a verbal agreement around topics that relate to CDL. I am sharing some of the agreement because it will have an effect on what we can do during CDL.
- Lora will be sending out a joint statement with the union regarding the need to follow safety protocols and how to address issues.
- We have agreed to work with the union to modify our SLGGs, observations, and evaluation process to reflect CDL and the Hybrid phases. Information will be shared with administrators after the committee has reached an agreement.
- SIWs and Preparation Time- We’ve agreed to give teachers more SIW time and preparation time. Until November 11th the district will not increase instructional time requirements from the Comprehensive Distance Learning schedules that were established on September 14th. We can adjust the schedules, but we can’t add instructional time.
We also agreed that only one SIW a month can be building administrator directed. Other SIWs are reserved for collaboration or individual preparation and planning, unless professional training is requested by the staff.
- Staff Meetings- Staff meetings may be scheduled before or after the instructional day as needed. If a staff member can’t attend, they will need to communicate that with the building administrator.
These agreement will be in place until November 11th. We are currently in bargaining on what Balanced Hybrid will look like.
From Walt … The focus of Walt’s team is to make the schools safe, clean, and sanitary to protect the well-being of our students, staff, and patrons. They have put protocols, tools, and processes in place to help do this to the best of their abilities, However, it will take all of us working together to assure that we are successful. Click here for a copy of the custodial duties Walt and his team have put together. Any staff help will be highly appreciated because anything they can do will provide more time for the sanitizing at night. And as a reminder, custodial staff at your school will be really busy so they cannot have any other extra duties such as crossing guard or recess supervision.
Cohort info needed for Park and Rec Team Up Childcare – by Wednesday please indicate the cohort for the students participating in the park and rec childcare program at your site. They would also like to know if any of these students might have a kinder sibling. Do your best with this info. Rosters can be accessed here.
From Stephanie Bent…This letter will be sent to new teachers who were not able to attend our “new teacher day” a few weeks ago. We are having another opportunity for them to learn/connect with folks without having to wait a year.
From Kerry Morton… Unfortunately, the delivery of the math manipulative kits has been delayed again. The new expected delivery dates are:
- K-2: 10/12
- 3-5: 10/19
Please communicate to teachers. We know it isn’t ideal that students do not have concrete items to manipulate to make sense of mathematics. However, for k-2, all the Bridges SeeSaw activities have direct links to digital manipulatives, Digital Work Places, or moveable items within SeeSaw. In grades 3-5, there are also references in the videos or revised unit planner to the digital manipulatives or Digital Work Places. Teachers can also adapt lessons to include at home resources such as these.
From Nurse Tami…Be sure to read and review BLP Staff Symptom Algorithm and Administrator Guidelines for COVID-19 Illness
From Julie Walker… Elementary Principals,
My heart is always in classrooms and in schools with students. I would love to offer my support as we start this very different school year. One way I would like to offer support is to say that I am available the first two weeks of school to support you. What do you need? Please sign up if you would like for me to be at your school during the first two weeks. You can sign me up for any job that is supporting your school, teachers, families or students. I am happy to monitor recess, lunch duty, help in classrooms, assessments, etc….
From Transportation – Limited in-person instruction is to start no sooner than October 12, except for students riding a SPED bus (life skills, Tamarack, Nest etc) and students without connectivity can begin October 5th. For the week of October 5th, send student info to Transportation by Friday, September 25th. Below is a link to a required google form for use in providing this data. Please complete all fields. Then, every Friday, provide this same information to be used for the Monday of the following week. For example, the list on October 2nd is for the week of October 12th, the list on October 9th is for the week of October 19th. Elementary Limited In Person Instruction (LIPI)
Another from Transportation… I failed to tell you that cohorts need to be created for 4th and 5th also. Please make these cohort changes for students K-5, not just K-3. I know only K-3 is planning to return in hybrid instruction on the 5th, but we need to plan the routing assuming 4th and 5th students come back in hybrid later in the year. It will be extremely difficult to reroute later based on changes to 4th and 5thstudents, mostly because our routers will likely be driving a bus every day. At least make these changes for ELL groups and SpEd students K-5.
From Amy… K-2 iPads are being delivered to schools. Setup and deployment should be similar to what most schools did with their 3rd grade devices.
- Schools can print or digitally deploy the “first day ready” packets
- Pass out devices to classrooms in appropriate numbers for students
- print stickers or cards with usernames/passwords for all students in each k-2 class
- check iPads out using destiny to each student
- Follow setup directions (attached) to set up each device. Cycle through step 5 for all devices before moving to #6.
- Use self service to install Lexia and Dreambox apps on each student device.
- Deploy iPads with “First day ready” handout (attached) to students.
For these devices it is important that the downloads take place at school as we have found that Global Protect (VPN), Lexia and Dreambox do not install predictably on home networks.
- Listos para el primer día de clases – Grados K-2
- First-Day Ready for K-2nd Grade
- 2021_student_iPad_setup_k2
From Alandra – Our Learning Supports webpage has a ton of additional tech tips, videos and troubleshooting items relevant for families (That is also available in English and Spanish)
From Paul – For those who were unable to attend The COVID-19: What Our Local Medical Professionals Know About The Virus the link to the recording is below.
We had over 400 BLS staff attend the Webex with Logan Clausen, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Central Oregon Pediatric Associates (COPA) and Nathan Ansbaugh, MD, MPH, St. Charles emergency physician, to learn more about the COVID-19 virus and answer questions submitted by certified and classified staff members. Since the video quality was low and no visuals were shared, we are providing the audio of the 64-minute session.
Audio of COVID-19 Session with Dr. Logan Clausen and Dr. Nathan Ansbaugh
Other Stuff from Paul...Our return to school advisory team are discussing
- Shields
- Internal metrics to transition out of k-3 hybrid back to CDL (we hope not)
- Promising practices for PE, Music/Choir, Band
- Meals
- Ventilation
This meeting will be occurring today (9/25). Look for the notes from this meeting later today or early next week.
Even more from Paul… Contact tracing for intervention, speech, ELL and other small groups you may run that are not part of a synergy schedule.
- Paper and pencil daily log that is saved for 30 days and can be produced if/when needed.
- A google form or google sheet that teachers use (design one that works for you)
- Put these classes into synergy (most difficult)
Cleaning Protocol – a video for teachers on how to clean commonly used surfaces in their classrooms is being produced and will be shared next week.
Flu Shots – recently Carly sent out the schedule for flu shots. Be aware that family members will not be allowed to enter buildings for shots. However, your office manager may reach out to RiteAid and discuss the possibility of an outside table where family members can get the shot. Scott B. has sent an email to office managers about exploring this option. Otherwise, family members will have access outside resources for their shot.
One Class at a Time… MidOregon Credit Union is starting up the One Class at a Time collaboration with NewsChannel 21 to identify classroom needs and stories we can share along with $500 awards to help meet the financial needs. In particular right now they are looking for programs that help support the online learning process, do you have any thoughts about where they might be able to help with that?
And Finally…
