Congratulations on wrapping up your second full week. Thanksgiving break will be here before you know it! Here are a few observations from these past two weeks…
- You are all doing a great job with safety procedures and protocols. Thank you for making adjustments and communicating the importance of some of our new practices and protocols.
- Foundational skills and Really Great Reading seems to be going fantastic. Tammy and I have been blown away at what we are seeing happen in the classroom. Kudos to your teachers.
- It is my unscientific observation that COVID cases are spiking across our district and in several of our classrooms. Again, just my unscientific observation, but something I wanted to share. Be prepared to make adjustments to masking, distancing, and lunches should your school be affected.
- Tammy and I are out on Thursday and Friday. We are available via text and phone and Julie and Lora are also available for questions or assistance.
Updates, Reminders, Department Info and Rants…
About the ICCL and Admin training – The ICCL and Admin training for the year is going to focus on building MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) throughout our schools. Our learning will be about how to use the systems to support our EBISS work, our PLCs, and more, with a focus on identifying student needs and making collaborative plans to support them. Having the ICCL team trained in each building will help facilitate the work.
Virtual Conference Option – just a reminder that parents should be offered the opportunity to conference virtually. This format is sometimes more convenient for parents and better accommodates their needs. As we get closer to conference scheduling please make sure this is an option they can choose from.
Bias Lessons – We know Kinsey has recommended that you try to get into some classrooms during the delivery of bias lessons. If you are scheduled to go into a classroom we would also love an opportunity to join you. Send us an invite and we’ll try to join you.
Volunteers – just a heads up that it can take 3-4 weeks after a parent submits their volunteer application for clearance to be granted. This is something important to keep in mind if you have teachers planning an event that will require parent volunteers. Start the process now! And speaking of the process, here are the links to the volunteer applications: English : Spanish It’s important that parents follow all steps outlined in the application.
From Tracy Howk – Free SAM Labs kits up for grabs! The district is permanently dispersing the brand-new STEM based SAM Labs kits housed at the district office. Here’s what you need to know.
- SAM Labs requires a subscription to utilize the app.
- The district paid the subscription for everyone K-8 for the 22/23 school year. The app is in Self Service.
- Moving beyond 22/23, sites wanting to utilize their SAM Lab kits will purchase their own subscription. Pricing is included in the form linked below.
- SAM Lab kits are obsolete without a subscription to the app.
That’s it! If you want kits for your school, please fill out this Google Form or email our instructional technology team Robbie Faith and Tracy Howk. Don’t be shy in your request; we’ve got lots to go around. We’re ready to get them out of here and into your schools. Enjoy!
FYI – Bend Fire Department will be reaching out to your office managers about the annual Fires Busters program. Please make sure you get the Fire Buster flyers out to your families and promote this program with your students.
FYI – Bend Science Station will also be reaching out to office managers about scheduling the 5th grade field trip to their facility. This field trip will be covered by TLC and BSS has a budget code to use for buses. While this is currently a 5th grade program we are in the process of switching it to a 4th grade program and we are exploring how we can bring 4th grade to their facility this year too so they don’t miss out when we make the transition.
Library Linx program – the Deschutes Public Library has many building projects underway as a result of the bond that passed in November. An impact of these building projects is the temporary closure of branch libraries throughout Deschutes County during the remodels and new construction process. This impacts access to material collections and unfortunately also impacts the Library Linx program. The program will be unable to provide delivery service to schools from Sept 2022 to December 2025. Your librarian is aware of this news but we wanted to make sure you knew of it too.
UKG Project Update
This week’s UKG training includes directions for the following three tasks or you can view this video instead. Please include the UKG Project on a faculty/department meeting agenda within the next two weeks and show one of the videos to be certain that all staff are exposed to this work.
- You’ll need to have already set up multi-factor authentication. If you haven’t done so, please follow these instructions.
- Use (and bookmark) this BLS UKG link
- Once you’ve received the Congratulatory message that you’ve successfully logged into UKG, you may logout.
UKG Tech Support
For the launch of phase one of the Time & Leave module, support will be in three easy steps:
- We ask people to fully read and follow the training docs/videos which are housed in our HR UKG Suite Implementation website within teh staff portal
- Reach out to your office manager for assistance
- Submit a Help Desk ticket here and choose UKG from the first drop down menu
Access the UKG Smart Phone App
Follow these instructions or the ones at the end of this video
The Red Zone – Things to definitely do or share
Subs – we have been monitoring the sub situation and this year we’ve already seen some unfilled jobs. If you have any unfilled positions please contact Becca to see if she can help you locate someone. If she is unable to help you then the next step is to look internally for a solution.
SRP Lessons – Here is the link to the SRP lesson – You may forward this link to your teachers. This lesson can be broken up into smaller chunks so that one standard response can be taught at a time. This lesson is for k-5. A couple activities might feel primary, so adjustments to the activity only might be needed for the older grade students but be sure not to skip any of the main content.
Schedules – Here is the link to the schedule folder. It is in our Elementary Admin shared drive. Please start dropping a copy of your schedule in this folder. A pdf of your master schedule works just fine. Please make sure PE minutes and Foundation Skills time is identified.
Staffing Plans – Tammy and I will be reviewing staffing plans and class sizes next week with Steve, Lora and Brad. It is very important that you take a few minutes to update your staffing plans and class counts. Please indicate the date you updated this information. Thank you!
From Alandra – Principals – please share this blurb in your next parent communication, so long as it is before October 10:
Community Invited to Apply to Vacant Board Seat
Applications due October 11; appointee to fill term through June 2023
Bend-La Pine Schools’ Board of Directors is seeking applicants to fill a vacant seat, Zone 7 at large. Applicants must reside within a Deschutes County voting precinct, have resided within a Deschutes County voting precinct for at least one year, reside within Bend-La Pine Schools’ attendance area and be registered to vote.
Applications are due October 11 at 4 p.m. Visit the Board of Directors’ webpage for details on how to apply (applicants must share a resume, residency attestation form from the webpage and a letter of interest following the prompt on the website.)
Finalists will be selected Nov. 8 and a final appointee will be sworn in Dec. 13. The individual will be appointed to serve through June 20, 2023 (the appointee may choose to file for the May 2023 election.)
Se invita a la comunidad a postularse para un puesto vacante en la junta directiva
Las solicitudes se vencen el 11 de octubre; la persona nombrada ocupara el término hasta junio de 2023
La Junta Directiva de las Escuelas de Bend-La Pine está buscando candidatos para ocupar un puesto vacante, la Zona 7 en general. Los solicitantes deben residir dentro de un recinto electoral del condado de Deschutes, haber residido dentro de un recinto electoral del condado de Deschutes durante al menos un año, residir dentro del área de asistencia de las escuelas de Bend-La Pine y estar registrados para votar.
Las solicitudes deben presentarse antes de el 11 de octubre a las 4 p.m. Visite la página web de la Junta Directiva para obtener detalles sobre cómo presentar una solicitud (los solicitantes deben compartir un currículum vitae, un formulario de certificación de residencia de la página web y una carta de interés siguiendo el aviso en el sitio web).
Los finalistas serán seleccionados el 8 de noviembre y la persona nombrada prestará juramento el 13 de diciembre. El individuo será designado para servir hasta el 20 de junio de 2023 (la persona nombrada puede optar por presentar una solicitud para las elecciones de mayo de 2023).
From Lora – Principals, I provided your names to the Tower Theater Foundation because they’re planning a reception in October to share information about this year’s LessonPlan activities. (For our new folks, these are a combination of school-based and Tower-Theater based live theater/music performances.) I let the Tower staff know that you were good points of contact, but that I would encourage you to pass the information on to any staff members who might be interested in attending.
From Tina Bandy re: bus evacuations – We will use a video for the state mandated training. Students who ride the bus will receive additional training from their driver in the very near future. Please have your home room or advisory teachers show the video to their students. After all classes have viewed the video, complete this form. We would greatly appreciate it if this could be finished no later than Friday, October 14th. Here is the link to the video to share with your staff:
Calendar
- Monthly checklist
- 22-23 Dibels Schedule
- September 26, from 8:30-9:30 District Safety Team meeting (all of you who are Safety leads need to attend)
- September 27 – Horizontal Meeting (Brooks room at the Episcopal Church)
- October 4 – Admin/ICCL workshop 3:15-5:15
- October 10 – Principal PD session 3:00-4:30
- October 11 – Horizontal Meeting
- October 19 – New Admin learning lab
And Finally…
