Focus on Excellence and Equity…
Just a reminder to complete your equity stance by June 7th. Kinsey has provided us with this resource to help us complete our equity stance. Here are your next steps in this process:
- Complete your personal Equity Stance
- Memorize or read it aloud at least once with an individual or group. Ideas:
- Colleague from your Equity PD group
- LEAD Cohort member, community member
- ICCL team, school staff member, Latino Family Liaison, etc
- Ask for feedback:
- What did you hear me say?
- What did you not hear me say?
By June 7, share your personal Equity Stance here (no need to have it polished/final yet, just a current draft you feel good about and can pick back up in August)
Department News…
From Kinsey – Some members of our community are inquiring about Critical Race Theory (CRT) and whether our schools are teaching it. Critical Race Theory is a big topic that deserves substantial unpacking. In an effort to get you some tools for responding now if you need them, here are some initial resources:
ODE’s stance on CRT here, and talking points here. These are just for your own reference, if you’d like to borrow any of their language. This is an article about what CRT is, and how it relates to education, if you’re looking to read more.
If you have families inquiring about CRT or our district’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion work, and you’d like a partner in that conversation, feel free to reach out to Kinsey.
A Reminder from HR – our evaluation process changed this year and was altered pretty significantly for contract teachers. Please review those changes here.
From Sean – Please see the information and registration for the BRYT Summer Kick Start
- What: Elementary BRYT Summer Kickstart
- When: June 21-22, 9AM – 2PM
- Where: Silver Rail Elementary School
- Who: We would like there to be at least one administrator present. Ideally your SCC and two other support folks (SPED, school counselor, student services, school psych, other SEL support, etc.) would attend as well.
The budget allows for each school to timesheet up to three folks for the two days. We need everyone attending to RSVP so we can plan spaces and prepare lunch. Please forward to your team members. Register HERE
From Instructional Tech – In the latest edition of BLS EdTech Bytes you can read about:
- Tech Tip: Combining PDFs
- Reminder: Google Takeout
- Update: Seesaw FAQs
From Amy in TLC – Please share this memo regarding this summer’s Innovative Teaching and Learning Conference with your teachers:
Greetings Teachers,
Our teaching and learning staff is once again excited to be planning the Innovative Teaching and Learning Conference for this August. The conference will be held Wednesday, August 25 and Thursday, August 26th, at Pacific Crest Middle School. Like other years ITLC will be an energizing way to start the new school year!
In light of many aspects of our current situation, ranging from unknowns about gathering size, vaccine distribution, and even interest – we are going to scale down and focus this year’s conference on several large topics with the hope of giving those who participate the chance to dive deeper into the areas of equity, grading practices, and social-emotional wellness.
Each day will include a morning keynote followed by afternoon breakouts around these topics. You can choose to attend as much as you’d like. Mary Ehrenworth will be our featured presenter for Wednesday the 25th and the team from Creative Leadership Solutions will be leading us in work surrounding Equitable Grading Practices on Thursday, August 26th.
Registration is available now in Performance Matters(after logging in you should see it in “Recommended Training”, click there, then select the “sections” tab to register separately for each day).
From Scott in IT – All students who have a district-issued hotspot at their home are asked to return the hotspot and charging equipment to the school front office by June 18th. Service to all hotspots will end on June 18th. Any hotspot that has not been returned to school will cease to function beyond this date. Please keep reminding families to return their hotspot if they have one..
Updates, Reminders, Info and Rants…
- A reminder to send me any requests to post a classified position or a teacher position not already covered by a district posting. If you remember, I have to put that in Paul’s spreadsheet before he will approve the posting.
- I will not be hosting anymore Horizontal meetings this year (were those cheers I just heard?). But please remember to sign up for an end of year meeting here. These should be quick meetings. We will review evaluations, SLGG’s, and any end of the year questions you might have. Thanks!
Calendar…
- 6/4 – Jump Start Enrollment confirmation
- 6/16 – normal day length – not an SIW dismissal
- 6/17 – last day of school. SIW dismissal
- 6/21, 22 – Elementary BRYT Summer Kickstart
- 6/21 – @ 4pm In person leadership meeting @ Ed Center (bring a lawn chair) w/a followup meeting @ McMennamins.
- 8/12 – from 8-4 pm – leadership academy for administrators and supervisors, Riverhouse
- 8/17 – Safe and Secure Schools Day – time and location TBD
- 8/25 26 – Innovative Teaching and Learning conference