To Do:

From Lisa:

Reminders to complete professional development feedback form AND have ALL staff to complete COREN survey by January 10.

Remember to continue to use the PD tool for PD feedback during your SIWs. The information gathered from this tool will be reviewed in January in a joint Admin/BEA meeting regarding professional development based on the latest agreement. 

From Lisa’s email this week: In our efforts to continue to improve, please take a moment to give feedback on our December Admin PD time. In case you need a memory jog, we spent our time together with the goals of learning, reflecting, and connecting. We reflected on our leadership journeys, team needs, personal strengths and strengths of your colleagues, and the variety or roles you play as a leader. We also gave some awards to very deserving folks! Thank you in advance for giving your perspective. 

Secondly, another survey I would like you to share with your team is from one of our partners, COREN. This will give an opportunity for all staff to describe professional development interests. COREN supports many learning opportunities within BLP, and this information benefits both their organization and ours in the sense that it gives us access to supports for our current needs. Right now, participation has been limited so any encouragement you can do to give feedback is helpful. This survey ends on January 10th.

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From Jen: “BLS Academic Information Night” January 23rd

Please share this information with your families and students in beginning the second week in January

BLS School Counselors will be hosting our “BLS Academic Information Night” on Thursday January 23rd at Summit High School. This event is essential to our CSCP and district goals, as we aim to provide families with valuable resources for academic planning. Forecasting and the SchooLinks Course Planner are integral parts of our CSCP programming, aligning with our responsibility to support students with their Educational Plan and Profile, which we update annually. While forecasting might differ slightly across schools, the information and resources leading up to class selections and course planner are quite similar.  

We will have a general presentation followed by breakout opportunities for families to ask questions about their specific school site curriculum pathways and forecasting processes. You can utilize ASPIRE funds to compensate for your time, as this aligns perfectly with future planning efforts. We hope to have at least 1-2 representatives from each high school. Please refer to the sign-up sheet for various needs for the night.

We will promote this event at the district level and would love for each school to share the information through their communications as well. More details will follow!

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From Kinsey – Policy, Advocacy, & Office of DEI:

Upcoming events/dates:

Spanish-language FAFSA Night: Mon, Jan 13th.  Here is the flyer.  Thanks for distributing to your families and promoting through your channels!  The primary audience is high school, but staff or families from any grade level are welcome if they just want to get a sense of the process.   

Asian Family Night: Friday, January 31st.  Food, cultural performances and crafts, and a drawing contest.  More details to come—for now, save the date!  (Yes, I know this is grading day 🙂 )

Black History Month Door-Decorating Contest: Submissions due Wed, Feb 19, and winners will be announced Fri, Feb 21.  Prizes and recognition for the winners will be a little special this year.  Complete information will be shared with your staff via your DEI-ICCL rep in early January—for now, add these key dates to your calendar!  

From Departments:

From Kinsey – Policy, Advocacy, & Office of DEI:

Presidential inauguration:

This year’s presidential inauguration falls on the same day as Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.  It is a No-School day, but some priority-population advisory groups have indicated worry for the student experience and respectful interactions on Tuesday, Jan 21st.  

Our community has been relatively respectful post-election (which is great!), and we certainly don’t want to assume negative intent.  That said, continued preventive efforts can’t hurt.  In early Jan, make sure your teachers review norms and expectations regarding the dignity and belonging of everyone in your learning community, and the expected reporting procedures if these norms are violated (i.e. bias incident form submissions).  As you welcome students back from break, a family communication/reminder regarding these school-wide expectations is helpful too.

Please ask your counselors to make themselves as available as possible for drop-ins if students need extra support on/around Tues, Jan 21.  If your team knows a particular student or colleague struggled after the election in November, make a note on your calendar to have a trusted adult or friend intentionally check in with them that day.  

Complaints:

Your teams are doing really great with the complaint system—thank you for your visible and thoughtful efforts to respond, investigate, support, document, and communicate for each one you receive in your Dashboard.  Those take substantial time and energy, but they are investments in the trust and safety of your school culture, and your students, families, and staff notice and appreciate that.      

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From Dean: This email went out to your social studies teachers this week:

Dear Social Studies Teachers,

I hope this message finds you well and that you are looking forward to the upcoming break, which I hope brings you the opportunity to rejuvenate and refresh.

As we prepare to return to work in 2025, I want to inform you that we will be hiring a Social Studies TOSA for the remainder of the year. This position will start at the beginning of the second semester, February 3^rd, and will last through the end of the school year. This is a TEMPORARY position for the duration of the 24-25 school year. 

The specific tasks for this role include:

• Supporting peers on standards work
• Preparing for the Social Science adoption process for the 25-26 school year with implementation in 26-27
• Continuing the work on Tribal History/Shared History requirements from ODE
• Continuing work on Personal Finance requirements from ODE

There are two positions posted in UKG for flexibility. This role can be a full-time position for one individual, a part-time position for one individual, or a part-time position for two individuals with specializations. If you are interested, please apply for the amount of time you wish to work in support of your peers. There is no need to apply for both positions.

I understand that this is a unique position that may lead to some questions, so please reach out to me and I’ll get you answers.

Thank you for your dedication and hard work. Enjoy your break!

Best regards, Dean Richards

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From Sean and Sarah Barclay:

BEA Members and Colleagues, 

Many of you have reached out with questions about special education programming and expectations within Bend-La Pine Schools. First and foremost, we want to acknowledge the wide-spread concerns and confusion within our District regarding this topic. Over the last five years the Bend-La Pine Schools Student Services Department, previously known as Special Education, has made changes within their department that were well intentioned, but not communicated to the larger system of employees and this has led to uncertainty and misunderstanding. The purpose of today’s communication is to provide all staff with a shared base of information that we can use to build our future decisions upon as we move toward a shared goal of better supporting all students, including those who require specially designed instruction and services.

During the 2018-2019 school year a project known as Excellence in Education gathered feedback from staff, students, and families about their experiences in our schools. After receiving and processing that feedback, the Student Services Department set out on a journey to improve the inclusion of students experiencing disability into the general education setting. The BLS vision for special education is, “Bend-La Pine Schools strive to create an inclusive culture and environment for all learners, particularly for those that experience disability. We believe, to the greatest extent possible, that all students should maximize time spent in the general education classroom regardless of their special education services or related services. To this end, it is imperative that the educational planning process begins with services in the general education setting and ends with the need for specialized services in more segregated settings.” For more detailed information about this process click here.

We are reaching out today to share answers to frequently asked questions about our model for delivering special education services in Bend-La Pine Schools and to provide clarity on how we provide Special Education services in our schools. The Special Education Inclusion Questions and Answers (click link) will be updated as more questions arise.

Are we there yet? Inclusive practices and the improvement of those practices are a process. This work will not be achieved overnight, it will take time and training, it will take collaboration and conversation. All of which are precious in the public education system. As we continue this journey the Student Services Department is committed to listening to all employees, answering questions as they arise, and working with BEA to increase learning opportunities and continued clarity on this topic. The work we do with students is complex and working together to ensure all students have access to the support they need will lead to thriving community members in the future. 

In partnership, 

Sarah Barclay, President, Bend Education Association

Sean Reinhart, Executive Director of Student Services, Bend-La Pine Schools

Calendar

• December 23-January 3. Winter Break
• January 6-31: Schools implement YouthTruth survey!
• January 2: HS Curriculum Guides on district website
• January 6: First Day back from break
• January 7: HS Administrator and Counselor work session (rescheduled from Dec 10) 8-10 @Mountain View HS
• January 10: COREN survey deadline
• January 13: Spanish-language FAFSA Night 5:30-7:30 @ Education Center boardroom
• January 14: MS and HS Administrator work session 8-10 @Caldera HS
• January 15: Safety Cadre Meeting 1:30 @ PBMS (Safety admin leads should attend)
• January 15: SIW Educator Network Day
• January 23: BLPS Family Academic Night @ Summit HS
• January 28: HS Administrator work session 8-10 @ Mountain View HS
• January 29: All Admin PD 3:00-4:30 @ Bend HS in Perseverance Hall

Where in the World

Thank you for all the entries! Keep ’em coming.

This week we are highlighting Kristy Knoll’s happy place! One of my happy places is coming down from the top of Black Butte. My oldest daughter and I hike it every summer, usually on Labor Day, as a way to mark the end of summer and get ready for the school year. We were able to find a “no smoke” window in this picture, and it was a perfect hike. The picture is on the way DOWN from the top because the hard work is done and it’s easier to enjoy the view.

To Do

Principals: Please verify that all of your Language Arts teachers have attended a required Book Club training. Our Secondary LA TOSA, Torie Withers, can confirm who has attended, if that is helpful. The next training is Tuesday:

Language Arts Book Club Training

Date: Tuesday, December 17

Time: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Location: The Big Room, Environmental Center 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend

Who Should Attend:

• Required for new hires or teachers who haven’t previously attended
• Those who have previously attended and are seeking collaboration with colleagues and planning time 

Training Focus: Learn how to structure and plan book club units, including:

• How to approach and plan a unit
• Selecting unit themes
• Teaching reading skills and discussion strategies
• Choosing mentor texts and book club offerings 
• Unit planning time

Language arts teachers are encouraged to attend this professional development opportunity. Please direct questions and RSVPs to Torie Withers. Thank you! 

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From Ryan in HR: Green Team administrator leads

As we continue to advance sustainability initiatives across our schools, we are asking each building administration team to designate one member to act as the first level of support for your site’s Green Team. Please fill out your admin in the MS lead or HS lead spreadsheets under the Green Team tab.

This role is not about leading the Green Team but simply being available as a point of contact and support for the individuals spearheading sustainability efforts in your building.

Each site has a 1.0 FTE Green Team Advisor, which is on the Extra Duty schedule. This is a new role this year and must be filled via the recruitment process.

What was formerly our Custodial department is now Custodial and Sustainability, led by Walt Norris, Director of Custodial and Sustainability. Walt is actively recruiting a Sustainability Coordinator, who will soon serve as the direct liaison for all Green Team Advisors. Once this position is filled and up to speed, they will provide additional guidance and support for sustainability efforts across the district.

From Departments

From Dean: Science curriculum adoption update

Middle School:

Teachers from CMS, HDMS, PBMS, PCMS, SVMS, 3 Rivers and LPMS are currently field testing LabAids in grades 6, 7 and 8.

The following teachers are participating:

• 6^th grade: Valerie Overely, Kelly Houston, Laruen McKeehan, Dean Pru’domme, Katie, Lyons, Jake Slodki and Matt Killebrew
• 7^th grade: Sarah Durfee, Jane Shein, Mark Alvarado, Stacy Welsh, Madison Hargett, Hannah Perkins, Jake Slodki and Matt Killebrew
• 8^th grade: Melody Craig, Tara Termes, Jackson Blackburn, Mark Segesta, Deidre Crabtree & Stephanie Kimbrell

This field test will wrap up by the end of January 2025.     

High School:

A big thanks to Colleen Behrens and the Science Curriculum Adoption Team for their dedication during the science instructional materials vetting meeting on December 5th. The team members included:

• BSHS: Ron Crawford, Heidi Friesen
• BTA: Missie Wikler
• CHS: Sarah Trakselis, Case Bateman, Kathleen Glogau
• MVHS: Jon Nichols, Gillian Kellock
• LPHS: Suzanne Jones
• SHS: Greg Lampard, Lisa Lamb

During the meeting, the team reviewed four curricula for the NGSS Physics program to be implemented next year: OpenSciEd, PEER Physics, Patterns, and BioZone. PEER Physics emerged as the top choice and will move forward for field testing in the second semester/trimester. The team will continue to explore curriculum options for Chemistry and Biology in the coming months.

Roll out of new Science Pathway:

25-26: NGSS Physics for all Freshman

26-27: NGSS Physics continues and NGSS Chemistry for all Sophomores

27-28: NGSS Physics, NGSS Chemistry and NGSS Biology for all Juniors.

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From Dean:

Next week an email will go out to Social Science teachers about a temporary SS TOSA position for the rest of this year. We will be posting an internal only SS TOSA that will help lead standards, professional development and begin the adoption process. This position will be temporary until the end of the year and begin second semester (2/3.) It is posted in the range of .5 to 1.0.  It will be available for both middle and high school social studies teachers to apply. We understand that this may cause some stress to your system with needing to hire a new teacher for second semester. Please reach out to Dean if there are any questions or concerns.

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From Eric: RE: Reviewing your “Incident Approval Queue”

If you don’t do this regularly, please remember to view your “Incident Approval Queue” in Synergy to Approve/Deny any Incident your school enters into Synergy. Any incident we enter as Administrators needs to be “Approved” this way as well, so many schools may have Incidents waiting to be posted that they believe were posted already. Here is a screenshot of what the screen looks like and what to search for in Quick Launch (we currently have 153 incidents district-wide waiting to be Approved/Denied!).

If you want to discuss this process, please call me at 4810.

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From Human Resources:

The HR office will have sporadic coverage over winter break,  from December 21 through January 5. To ensure a smooth workflow, please complete and submit any hiring requests by Friday, December 20. New hiring requests should be held until the office resumes regular operations on Monday, January 6.

If you are in the process of making an offer that will take place between December 21 and January 5, please contact Ryan Kelling as soon as possible to develop a plan for completing the process during this period.

Thank you for helping us maintain a seamless hiring process.

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We are launching an Administrator Assignment Preferences Survey to give licensed administrators an opportunity to share their preferences regarding assignments. This survey is designed to:

1. Gather insights into your preferences for school level, region, and program involvement.
2. Help district leadership evaluate potential reassignments that align individual strengths with district needs and to refresh school cultures where needed.

What the Survey Will Ask:
The survey will ask for detailed input on:

• School Level: Indicate your preferences for working at the elementary, middle, or high school levels, or in district-wide roles.
• Region: Specify any regional preferences across the district.
• Program Involvement: Share your interest in specific programs or focus areas, such as Special Education, STEM, Advanced Placement, Social-Emotional Learning, or others.
• Additional Considerations: You’ll have space to share any other factors or context you’d like us to keep in mind, including professional goals or areas for growth.

Why This Matters:
This survey is part of a broader effort to ensure our schools remain vibrant, innovative, and engaging places for students and staff alike. 

While we will make every effort to honor individual preferences, it’s important to note that some decisions may need to prioritize district-wide goals, ensuring the best outcomes for our school communities.

Next Steps:
To provide additional clarity and answer questions, this topic will be included in the agenda for the January horizontal meetings. These discussions will allow for deeper engagement and dialogue about the process and its purpose.

We understand that this may prompt reflection and questions, and we are committed to approaching this process thoughtfully, transparently, and with collaboration at the center. If you have any immediate concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Level Leader, Ryan Kelling, or Lisa Birk.

Thank you for your openness and engagement as we work to create the strongest possible learning environments for our students and staff.

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From Dave:

YouthTruth

Here is a one-page document to help with our YouthTruth survey in January. Our goal is 90% completion for students, 95% from staff and 50% from families. The window is January 6-31. Reach out to Laura Clark if you have question about the Canvas module or Dave with any questions about YouthTruth.

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From Kinsey – Policy, Advocacy, & Office of DEI:

Save the date:

Our district-wide Spanish-language FAFSA Night will tentatively be Mon, Jan 13th 5:30-7:30pm.  More details and flyers to follow, but for now please reserve this date (avoid scheduling school-based events that evening, if possible) and share with applicable staff like counselors, ELL, etc.

Complaints: 

Please see Kinsey’s recent email about complaint management.  Thank you for checking your Dashboards to be sure all complaints there are addressed (or more recent ones are at least in process) prior to heading into winter break.  Reach out if you would like support on them!

Just for fun

From Mr. Snowflake in IT

Greetings,

Watching everyone attempt to create a “six-pointed snowflake” was a special moment taking me back to my first year of teaching at Three Rivers Elementary 26.5 years ago.  

Before the winter holiday, a Sunriver resident named Jerry Sawyer would volunteer in my class to teach art lessons, one of which was how to create a true six-pointed snowflake.  He would talk about how every snowflake was unique, forged around a central piece of dust, and always started its journey from the sky as a crystal with six points.  Shout out to Pat McClain who is now teaching at Bend High and was a student in that class.  Most year’s since then I have done my best to channel “Mr. Snowflake” in the other schools where I have worked.  The “assessment data” on the floor yesterday demonstrated that many of you have yet to master the six-pointed snowflake.  This video will share the steps to create your own six-pointed snowflake.  Share with your staff if you wish. At the very least, you will have the answer key in the case you are tested again next year.  Thank you for reading.  And remember-dimple, snow cone, coyote head, torch!

Calendar

• December 17: HS Principal Breakfast @ 7:30
• December 19: Middle School Horizontal – 3:00 @ Cascade MS
• December 23-January 3. Winter Break
• January 6-31: Schools implement YouthTruth survey!
• January 2: HS Curriculum Guides on district website
• January 6: First Day back from break
• January 7: HS Administrator and Counselor work session (rescheduled from Dec 10) 8-10 @Mountain View HS
• January 14: MS and HS Administrator work session 8-10 @Caldera HS
• January 15: Safety Cadre Meeting 1:30 @ PBMS (Safety admin leads should attend)
• January 15: SIW Educator Network Day
• January 28: HS Administrator work session 8-10 @ Mountain View HS
• January 29: All Admin PD 3:00-4:30 @ Bend HS in Perseverance Hall

Where in the World

Thank you for all the entries! Keep ’em coming.

This week we are highlighting Lindsey Warner’s happy place! Congratulations to Lindsey, who got married in November!! Lindsey wrote: My happy place is anywhere with my husband, Charles.  However, if I had to choose a place it would always be the beach!  We honeymooned on Kauai and Maui in November; the weather was amazing, the beaches were beautiful, and the trip was perfect. We saw whales, dolphins, and turtles while on Maui.  In Kauai we saw a lot of chickens and a monk seal.

We also attended a 49ers vs Seahawks game in San Francisco on our way to Hawaii. Go Hawks!

To Do

Due by today:

Principals, please submit your Calendar of non-contract days to Stephen or Katie TODAY (or when you first read this). Assistant principals and deans will submit one to their building leader. All admin will also start completing time cards for your leave (these are due by Sunday). There is information about the timesheet on the Staff Portal in the Payroll page.

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First Aid Reports from Stephanie Bent. Please check this document to see if you need staff trained in First Aid. Schools listed in red are required to train more staff.

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Due by 12/13:

Green Team Admin (From HR): We need each site to identify an administrator point person for Green Team related matters. Please fill out your admin in the MS lead or HS lead spreadsheets under the Green Team tab.

From Departments

From Lisa Keown (CTE TOSA):

The annual CTE Fly-Up Day is just around the corner on March 3rd! This exciting event gives 8th-grade students a firsthand look at high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and electives through ~20-minute rotations featuring fun hands-on activities. The format will be the same as in years past, with students bussed to their area high schools, arriving between 9:45–10:00 and leaving at 12:00. It’s a great opportunity for students to explore technical skills, creative pursuits, and other options to spark their curiosity and excitement as they plan for their high school experience.

Event Details

• Date: March, 3rd, 2025
• Time: 9:45/10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: The high school 8th graders will attend next year.

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From Kinsey – Policy, Advocacy, & Office of DEI:

FAN and the Holidays:

Just a reminder that FAN does not coordinate Christmas/holiday gift needs for families.  This has been the case for over 10 years.  FAN resources are maxed out prioritizing basic needs (utilities/heat, rent, clothing, hygiene supplies, food, etc).  There are many community-based organizations that do support religious or holiday-based requests like Christmas gifts, such as Salvation Army, Giving Plate, etc.  Here, here, and here are a few sample resources.  

What is the ask of you and your staff: 

• If you have a family seeking support with Christmas gifts or holiday resources: Please refer them to those community-based agencies, not your FAN Advocate. 
• If you have individuals wanting to donate holiday gifts and toys to families in need: Please refer them to those organizations, who are collecting and distributing toys and holiday donations.
• If your students/staff want to be directly involved in supporting FAN’s work: Organize a “Winter Weather Drive” to gather desperately-needed winter clothes for our students and families in need, not just for those who celebrate Christmas.  Thank you!

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From Lisa, the Deputy Superintendent. We look forward to seeing everyone at Perseverance Hall on Wednesday (12/11) from 3-4:30. During our time, we will be dropping into little snippets of the book, Thriving Leaders, while also eating and being merry. Please don your best/worst ugly/creative sweater too. Yes, it’s a competition- prizes await.

You do not need to bring your book this time, but please:

• Wear your sweater to the meeting
• Think about an object that represents your leadership journey (before the meeting)
• Think about all of the teams/groups you supervise and their differing needs (before the meeting)

Middle School only

Please share this linked message with your staff regarding our middle school schedule work. Note: there is one piece of info highlighted in yellow you need to edit.

Calendar

12/10: High School Horizontal – 8:00 – Mountain View

12/11: Administrator Professional Development – 3:00 – Bend High (Wear a sweater!)

12/19: Middle School Horizontal – 3:00 – Cascade

Where in the World

Thank you for all the entries! Keep ’em coming.

This week we are highlighting Monica Hanson’s happy place! Monica wrote: My happy place is Sand Harbor Beach in North Lake Tahoe. It is so beautiful and my family would go up there every summer. It’s where I feel most at peace and truly euphoric.