To Do
- Check out the “do not schedule” dates from Kinsey below. Put those in your calendars now so you avoid school events on these days.
- If you haven’t already….sign up for the Mandatory AI Training
From Departments
From Scott in Communications:
On our way to brand new websites for Bend-La Pine Schools
A team from District Communications and IT have started the process of converting all our websites to a new platform for the 2025-26 school year. We have partnered with Finalsite, a leading provider of websites for schools. We are beginning this month with design for a new District site and will follow that with a new school template. We will work through the spring and summer with the goal of launching the new sites before school begins in September. If we run into issues or need to change the timeline, we can continue to use our existing sites as long as needed.
We have been talking about this change for a couple of years now, and we’re excited to be underway. The benefits include greater online security, cost savings, cleaning up and better organizing our web content, improved features for those visiting our sites, better mobile functionality, a much-improved content management system (for web editors), visual appeal, and improved accessibility for people with disabilities.
Starting next week, Scott Maben will begin reaching out to each school admin team to ask you questions about your existing website, your thoughts on your new website, and who will be your primary school website content manager in the 2025-26 school year. We also will share details on project timelines and staff training as we solidify those details.
Feel free to ask questions now or hold them for when we connect in the coming weeks.
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From Ryan in Human Resources:
- This note is coming to you a bit later than planned, but please join me in welcoming Sarah Westling to the building. Sarah is serving as our Certified Specialist II, supporting HR tasks and bringing valuable experience from her time in the Eugene 4J HR office. We are thrilled she chose to join us and are grateful for the contributions she’s already made to our team.
If you haven’t already, please stop by the large HR office next time you’re at the Ed Center to introduce yourself and welcome Sarah to BLS.
- The recruitment for three vacant BLAST positions has commenced. We are currently recruiting for a Director of Student Services, an Athletic Director/Assistant Principal position at Summit High School, and for the Principal vacancy at Cascade Middle School.
This Director of Student Services position comes in response to the growing scope of the department, particularly the integration of the Occupational Therapist classification that had formerly existed as a part of our local service plan with the High Desert ESD, which brings added responsibilities and oversight needs. Additionally, this position will supervise the daily operation of the Transition Co-Op program and manage the mentoring and training program for all Student Services staff.
The Athletic Director/Assistant Principal position is a result of the latest MOA between BLS and BEA that moved the high school Athletic Driectors to the BLAST schedule prosepectively. I’m confident that this role will help us align our co-curriculars at the secondary level with our overall vision of the student experience we’re working to provide for all students, regardless of their school.
The Cascade Middle School Principal is to fill the vacancy created by Gabe Pagano, who accepted the offer to be the Director of District Activities and Athletics beginning July 1.
If you’d like to learn more about any of the vacancies, please connect with Ryan.
- Certificate of Insurance Reminder – It’s a busy time of year with events and travel, many of which require a Certificate of Insurance (COI)for participation. If an event your staff are planning requires a COI, please share this link and ask that they complete the form as early as possible to ensure that a certificate can be issued: Certificate of Insurance Request Form. Any questions about this form or COI’s can be directed to Andrea.
- Clarification on Educational Assistant Responsibilities – There is a need to clarify the scope of Educational Assistant (EA) duties and ensure compliance with OAR 581-037-0015 regarding the supervision and assignment of EAs in our buildings. This message comes in response to recent timesheet entries referencing “teaching” as a task, which is not a permissible responsibility for EAs.
Educational Assistants may support instruction, but they may not provide instruction in place of a licensed teacher. Their role is strictly supportive in nature and must be carried out under the direction and supervision of a licensed educator.
Per state regulation, EAs can assist in the following ways:
- Instructional Support – Reinforcing lessons through practice activities, life skills instruction, or supplemental learning opportunities, as directed by the teacher.
- Clerical Support – Assisting with preparation of materials, duplicating, setting up classroom tools or technology.
- Student Supervision and Control – Monitoring students in various school settings.
- Personal Care, Translation/Family Engagement, and Media Center or Lab Support – As assigned.
If an EA is involved in instructional activities, these must be:
- Planned by a licensed educator
- Supervised and monitored on a regular basis
- Conducted with access to assistance and consultation
This means EAs cannot independently plan lessons, deliver new content, or be responsible for student learning outcomes.
Please ensure that all staff understand these expectations, and that any duties assigned to EAs align with the law.
In instances where a Certified teacher is not present and no substitute is available, you may shift the EAs responsibilities from their regularly scheduled duties to supervision of a group of students. This would not be compensated, so long as the employee is already working that hour.
If you or your teams have questions about appropriate EA assignments or need support reviewing supervision plans, don’t hesitate to reach out to your level leader or HR.
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From Kinsey – Policy, Advocacy, & Equity:
Student Voice Council:
We’ll be honoring the departing senior representatives of the SVC at the May 13th board meeting, in case you’d like to join (not critical, but you’re welcome) or otherwise recognize them: BSHS: Iris M, Quincy B, Taylor W; MVHS: Lindsay L; Realms: Elliot D; SHS: Alaina T, Finnegan H.
And, we are launching our recruitment for the 25-26 Student Voice Council! Most of your schools have current members who will return to continue their term next year, but ALL of your schools will have open spaces for new representatives. We will be promoting in a variety of ways (materials coming soon), and would love you to talk it up in your school as well (school-wide announcements, advisory, family newsletters, etc). As you know, these students have quite the audience with our school board and public community, and have a lot to say about your schools—ensuring diverse and strong representative of your school on the SVC is critical in the positive impact this group can have. Once we have applicants for your school, we’d love your partnership in interviewing and selecting your reps. More to follow—for now, please help promote this with students, staff, and families.
Do Not Schedule dates:
As you start to schedule dates and events for next year, don’t forget to schedule around these dates. Please share this with athletics, activities, counselors, office managers, parent groups, etc. Thanks!
Interpreter requests:
As you submit requests for interpreters for end-of-year requests, please follow these tips (and share these with relevant staff):
- Submit in advance!
- Be sure to note the event format. Interpreters deserve to know in advance if they’re showing up to speak in front of hundreds of families!
- Attach or paste links in Linguist Link any agendas, handouts, slides, or other materials that may be helpful for the interpreter to adequately prepare.
- If you need help thinking through efficient models of bilingual communication during a family event, please contact your Family Liaison, Language Specialist, or me.
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From Sean in Student Services: Last CPI Training of the year!
Student Services are offering one final Full CPI training this year. As a place to start, please have any regular inclusion EAs that has not been trained register for this training. Further, encourage any temporary inclusion EAs that intend to apply for a regular position for next school year to register for this training. After that, look at your buildings support team and identify untrained folks that you would want trained and have them register as well.
Training details:
- What: CPI Training
- Date: May 6, 2025
- Time: 8-4
- Location: Pacific Crest Cornice
- Sign up in UKG
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From Tami Pike:
National School Nurse Day recognizes school nurses who work to improve the health and learning of students. – Oregon School Boards Association
View the National Association of School Nurses National School Nurse Day Proclamation here.
Be sure to let your school nurse know how much you appreciate them!!
Calendar
- April 30: Deadline to share/process YouthTruth Data with staff, students and families
- May 1: HS only: HSS $ must be spent!
- May 2: Deadline: Option Sets must be built for curriculum process
- May 7: National School Nurse Day! Show some love to your nurse this week!
- May 7: District Safety Cadre Training @ 1:30 – mandatory for all safety admin leads
- May 7: Safety Cadre Meeting, 2:00-3:30, location TBA
- May 14: All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30 Read Chapter 4!
- May 20: Counselor Celebrations 1:00-4:00 @ Wall Street Lab (Principals and admin who oversees counseling required to attend)
- May 20: Excellence in Education Event 4:30 @ MVHS Auditorium
- May 20, June 10 and June 17: Mandatory AI training. Sign up for one session! Mandatory AI Training
- May 26: Memorial Day, No School
- May 27: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 TBD (moved from May 20)
- May 31: HS only: Deadline by which Distracted Driving assembly or advisory lesson is completed
- June 4: All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30
- June 12: Last Day students—half day
- June 13: Last Day staff work day
- June 10: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ TBD
Where in the World
This week we are highlighting Ryan Kelling, Executive Director of Human Resources. Ryan shared that Poipu Beach, Kauai is his happy place. “We come back every year as a family, and each time I’m reminded just how much I have to be grateful for. I’m wound pretty tight most days, but in Poipu, the noise quiets. Being with the people I love most, in a place that lets me be fully present, is enough.”
