On Wednesday of this week, we trained office managers on use of ParentSquare. Our family liaison team also attended this training. We learned more about how schools currently use School Messenger, including to message secondary students. This is helpful as we prepare for School Messenger to end on June 30 and we transition to use of ParentSquare as our primary family messaging and engagement tool.
Next week we will invite all district staff to activate their ParentSquare accounts. We are not ready for you (outside of our 5 South County pilot schools) to begin using ParentSquare to communicate with your families, but you will see some content we plan to share from the District level now through summer. Schools may begin using ParentSquare in August, and teachers will be able to use it once trained in early September.
Bringing families into the ParentSquare fold will take time, and we’d like to begin around the end of the school year. Parents will receive an invite to verify their accounts, set preferences, and download the ParentSquare app. We will schedule reminders to those who don’t respond to the initial invite. It’s important to know that even if a parent never responds to these invites, they will still receive our ParentSquare communications — as emails — but they won’t benefit from the full features of ParentSquare, such as setting their message preferences or using the handy mobile app.
We’re looking at dates when we can offer school administrators basic training on using ParentSquare and will communicate those details soon.
Our training opportunity for all teachers and any other staff who need to be ready to communicate with families will be the second day of in-service week:
PARENTSQUARE BASIC TRAINING
Tuesday, Sept. 1, 10-11 a.m.
Teams meeting (link to be shared later) with a trainer from ParentSquare
Note that this will begin shortly after the Superintendent’s Welcome Back program at 8:30 a.m. You may want your team to remain together in the same space.
On Wednesday, Sept. 2, we will provide follow-up ParentSquare support opportunities at the District-led PD (elementary at Caldera, secondary at Pacific Crest).
After school starts, we would like to visit every school for drop-in sessions for staff who’d like to ask questions or get help using ParentSquare.
Please reach out if you have questions on any of this. Thanks!
From Rodger Moore, Director of Facility Operations
To help schools manage classroom relocations smoothly and minimize disruption to instruction, the district is developing a standardized process for both same-school and inter-school moves. The procedure is intended to outline clear responsibilities for administrators, teachers, custodial teams, maintenance, and IT staff to help ensure moves are coordinated efficiently. The district is currently testing our work order platform Hero HQ for submitting move requests and coordinating details such as scheduling, technology needs, furniture, and specialty equipment. Additional procedures, expectations, and implementation guidance will be communicated in an upcoming Level Leaders’ Blog once the workflow and support processes are finalized.
Large-scale moves, such as the Realms transition, will be exempt from this process.
Please read this week’s Special EDge to get more information about:
Review End of Year Check-out Process
Complete High Cost
Paperwork Deadline – June 5!
ESY Case Managers – Reach out to Sara Young with new students who qualify and continue to reach out to families you haven’t heard from
Utilize the Student Services Launchpad
Save the Date for upcoming events
MS Only
Ed Tech Training
Be on the look out for communication from the Ed Tech team about in-service training on tech tools including Jamf. Please coordinate a time for your staff in the fall.
Calendar
June 4: Graduation week begins!
June 11: Last day of school!
June 15: School Design Plan Showcase 9:00 – 11:00 p.m. @ CHS
June 15: End of Year Administrator Celebration (and lunch!) @ HDMS 11:30-1:00
June 16: HS Administrator Retreat 8-4 TBD
June 16: MS Horizontal on MAPS – 8:30 – 10:13 @ Ed Center
June 19: Juneteenth Holiday!
June 22: MS Principal Retreat – 9-1 @ Deschutes Central Library
Who in the world?
Congratulations to an Curfew who won the drawing this week!
He correctly identified the image as Dr. Karen Mapp, who led an outstanding session on family engagement last Thursday!
Dr. Mapp, a Senior Lecturer on Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is a leading family and community engagement expert whose research and practice focus on cultivating partnerships among schools, families, and communities for enhancing student achievement and school performance.
Below is the image for this week. Send us your guess for this location by Monday, win the drawing, and Stephen or Katie will bring you your school appropriate beverage of choice:
Please remember to upload all your documents into your google Sheet.
From Departments
From Kinsey – Office of Policy & Advocacy:
Student Voice Council: – Action requested –
We are beginning recruitment for 26-27 Student Voice Council representatives. As you’re aware, this group has an impactful seat at the district leadership table, so ensuring great representation for your school (and feeder schools) is important!
Good news: we have a very stable group who will continue next year, so we are only filling a few spots, primarily of graduating seniors. We need to fill the following seats: 1 for BSHS, 1-2 for DRHS, 2-3 for CHS, 2 for LPHS, 4 for MVHS, 3 for SHS.
What makes a good candidate? A student who is consistent, collaborative, and creative, and has something to say about school. As always, we are looking for diversity of identities, academic profiles (i.e. we don’t only need 4.0 students), and experiences in or out of school.
Current SVC members will help recruit, but we need staff engagement also! Current 8th – 11th graders are welcome to apply, and we’d love middle and high school administrators, counselors, specialists, club advisors, campus monitors, and others with student connections to help recommend students and encourage them to apply. Thanks for sharing this with your staff and school community.
From Aimee Snyder with Deschutes County Health:
Follow-up to the April 9 Blog Post: Optional Resources to Prevent “Look-alike” Substance Use Policy Violations
In addition to the optionalhigh school lesson shared in the April 9 blog post, we’ve now added these additional optional resources for both middle and high schools:
For Families – English and Spanish Family Newsletter PSA about Look-alikes as a Policy Violation
For Middle School Students – Slides and adaptation notes for a “whole school” administrator’s announcement about look-alikes
Please reach out to your Public Health Specialist for help coordinating the rollout of any of these resources.
These resources would be most effective if delivered as part of a coordinated sequence of activities that surround students with consistent substance use prevention messages from various trusted “messengers” (admin, Health teacher, peer leaders, parent/family).
From Rodger in Operations:
To help schools manage classroom relocations smoothly and minimize disruption to instruction, the district is developing a standardized process for both same-school and inter-school moves. The procedure is intended to outline clear responsibilities for administrators, teachers, custodial teams, maintenance, and IT staff to help ensure moves are coordinated efficiently. The district is currently testing our work order platform Hero HQ for submitting move requests and coordinating details such as scheduling, technology needs, furniture, and specialty equipment. Additional procedures, expectations, and implementation guidance will be communicated in an upcoming Level Leaders’ Blog once the workflow and support processes are finalized.
Large-scale moves, such as the Realms transition, will be exempt from this process.
Please read this week’s Special EDge for information about:
Complete High Cost
Note the Paperwork Deadline – June 5!
ESY Case Managers – Reach out to Sara Young with new students who qualify and continue to reach out to families you haven’t heard from
TOSA Updates
From Colleen Behrens, Science TOSA
Science Materials and Scheduling
As you build next year’s schedule, please consider how many teachers are assigned to teach the same course during the same period, as they may need to share science kits and equipment. While we are working to support teachers’ needs, the number of kits at each site is limited, so thoughtful scheduling can help ensure reliable access for all teachers.
Science Trainings
Teachers should attend the training that aligns with the course they will be teaching next year.
High school
May 19th – MVHS- all day PEER Physics
May 21st – MVHS- all day Savvas Chemistry
Middle School
May 28th– Bend Science Station – All day 6th grade science teachers**
May 28th– PCMS – All day 7th and 8th grade science teachers
**Teachers who will be teaching both 6th grade and either 7th or 8th grade next year will need to choose which session to attend.
MS ONLY
Dean and Linda will be proctoring the iReady Bypass Test at middle schools between May 22nd and May 29th. Please be sure to communicate with families about this opportunity.
May 14th: MS Only – TAG Admin/ICCL Meeting @ Ed Center 3:30 – 5:00
May 14: Latino Family Night 5:30 @ MVHS
May 15: HS Principal Connection 8-10 @ RHS
May 19: Secondary Administrator work session @ CHS 9-11 – focus on SBIG
May 25: Memorial Day Holiday, no School
May 28: Waypoints Core Skills assessment window closes for secondary
June 15: School Design Plan Showcase 9:00 – 11:00 p.m. @ CHS
June 15: End of Year Administrator Celebration (and lunch!) @ HDMS 11:30-1:00
Where in the World
Congratulations to Becky Aylor for correctly guessing the image from last week!
The image was of the The Cinque Terre, Italy: The Italian candy land of colour, the five villages that make up the Cinque Terre provide the perfect oasis for escaping the Italian summer heat and the perfect test for colour blindness.
Below is the image for this week. (Hint: It’s famous for its role in US atomic testing). Send us your guess for this location by Monday, win the drawing, and Stephen or Katie will bring you your school appropriate beverage of choice:
For ALL Administrators: Please take a moment to review the “Incident Approval Queue” in Synergy for your school (you can access this via a Quick Launch search).
We currently have 485 incidents waiting to be approved via this queue (district-wide) with some occurring all the way back in September – And our Administrators are the ones who need to approve/deny these incidents.
If you are unfamiliar with the Incident Approval Queue, please call Eric Powell (4810) and he can help you out.
From Katie and Stephen:
Open House and staff attendance:
Just a reminder to schedule your Open House date for the fall AND send a notice in writing of your expectations regarding staff attendance 60 days prior to the event!
Requiring certified staff member attendance at evening events:
Attending/participating in three evening events each school year is required for certified staff members. In accordance with the BEA contract, administrators must give 60 days’ written notice if you are requiring certified staff to attend/participate in an evening event. This would apply to any evening event in which you are requiring cert staff to attend and will not be compensating them for their time(ie: dance or event supervision in which you are NOT compensating; graduation; Academic Nights; Life and Career Events).
Participation at parent conferences:
Attendance at parent conferences is already part of the professional responsibilities for certified staff members. Coaches on staff who are late or do not attend parent conferences should work with administration to make up the time. Reach out to Katie, Stephen or HR Leadership with questions.
From Jennifer Hauth:
Please remind your teams about implementing the Waypoints Core Skills assessment for the end of the year summative😊 K-5 closes May 22nd and Secondary closes May 28th!
From Departments
From Katie and Stephen:
Thank you for updating your staffing plans as changes occur.
Secondary schools will be presenting their School Design Plans Monday, June 15th from 9-11 @ CHS. Each school will present for 10 minutes, and cabinet members will sign up to attend. Please use this template for your presentation.
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, introduced a new version of their product, designed specifically for educators, and it is now available to all BLS staff by request. It includes expanded capabilities, higher usage limits, and protections for professional use in education, going beyond what is available in a standard free ChatGPT account. You can find details about access, best practices for use, and how it fits alongside MagicSchool in our EdTech blog post: ChatGPT for Teachers. Please feel free to share.
Please read this week’s packed Special EDge for information about:
Check out the Reminders from Records
Complete High Cost
Elementary Case Managers: ECSE Bridges Information from Krista
Order Deadline
ESY Case Managers – Reach out to Sara Young with new students who qualify and continue to reach out to families you haven’t heard from
Check out the Learning Labs
Check out the incredible work of teams in Campus Kudos!
Utilize the Student Services Launchpad
Save the Date for upcoming events
From Tami Pike:
TOSA Corner
From Monica Freeman – SS TOSA:
Here is a link to updates for both MS and HS Social Studies.
From Torie Withers, Language Arts TOSA:
Spring in secondary Language Arts means collaboration and planning. Teachers are engaging in CDA collaborations while also working through key decisions around standards and score conversions in AP courses.
CDA collaborations include scoring calibration of student essays, engagement with our newly revised priority standards and holistic rubrics, discussion of next year’s on-demand writing prompt and assessed standards, and dedicated professional learning focused on current literacy research and instructional strategies.
Upcoming grade-level CDA collaboration dates:
Friday, May 1: 8th Grade
Tuesday, May 12: 11th & 12th Grades
Thursday, May 14: 9th Grade
Friday, May 15: 6th Grade
Friday, May 22: 10th Grade
Additionally, our spring Text Review meeting will take place on Thursday, May 21. During this time, pending book club titles will be reviewed and considered for approval.
You may have seen a note about the Karen Mapp training on May 21 in the HS admin piece last week. Middle Schools also need to prioritize sending the administrator in your school who oversees attendance.
Here is the info again: On Thursday, May 21 from 8:00–12:00 (and continuing into next school year), national expert Dr. Karen Mapp will join us in person to help us reflect on our current work, identify school-specific and districtwide coordinated efforts, and plan concrete, evidence-based strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism. This is a valuable opportunity to reflect on this year and begin planning for next year.
HS Only:
Karen Mapp Training:
Send Katie the name of the administrator who will attend the Karen Mapp training on May 21 8-12. This should be the administrator who oversees attendance. Principals are also welcome, and we encourage graduation coaches to attend. Thank you, BSHS! We will send them an invite to the training.
Principals, please share this message with your Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and College Dual Credit Teachers:
We continue to encourage you to engage in collaboration with other AP, IB and CDC teachers in backwards designing your courses for SBGI implementation beginning in the fall.
Our TOSAs will be reaching out to coordinate time for AP, IB, and CDC teachers teaching the same courses to work together. The offer still stands to pay for substitutes to collaborate during the school day, or we can timesheet you up to 8 hours for work outside of the workday.
If you are a College Dual Credit Teacher, please share the contact information for your mentor with Dean, Katie and your content area TOSA. We are happy to connect with college mentors to provide context for the work and answer questions.
Please reach out to Katie or Dean regarding questions about collaboration, to Dean for questions about time sheeting and to your TOSA for scheduling and content planning specifics.
Open Period notification for families and students:
Beginning with 26-27, we will add the following language to our curriculum guides to notify families about open periods:
Curriculum Guide verbiage:
Students in grades 9-11 are required to enroll in a full courseload. Students in grade 12 have the flexibility to enroll in up to 7 classes depending on their credits towards graduation. Students interested in having less than 7 classes must consult with their counselor to ensure that they meet graduation requirements and on track for their post-high school plan.
This language will be added to student schedules beginning with 26-27:
On student schedules:
If a student is granted an open period, it will be listed on their schedule as “Open Period.” Open periods are typically scheduled during the first or last period of the day; however, exceptions may occur. Reach out to your student’s counselor or your school’s administration if you have questions.
Calendar
May 4: IB/AP LA CDA Meeting
May 13: Excellence in Ed Awards @ MVHS
May 14th: MS Only – TAG Admin/ICCL Meeting @ Ed Center 3:30 – 5:00
May 19: Secondary Administrator work session @ CHS 9-11 – focus on SBGI
May 21: Karen Mapp session on Chronic Absenteeism 8-12 – Admin lead for attendance attends
Where in the World?
Congrats to to Dan Curfew for being the ONLY person to correctly guess the image from last week! 🙌
The image is of Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat (مسقط, Maskat) Sultanate of Oman. The Grand Mosque is located in Oman outside of the capital of Muscat. Oman is on the Arabian Peninsula and hugs the Gulf of Oman, with Iran and Pakistan across the Hormuz Straight and the Arabian sea along the east coast.
Here is the image for this week. Send us your guess for this location by Monday, win the drawing, and Stephen or Katie will bring you your school appropriate beverage of choice:
Secondary schools will be reporting out on their School Design Plans Monday, June 15th from 9-11. Stay tuned for more details.
Departments
From Ryan in HR:
We will be announcing the honorees for the 2026 Excellence in Education on Thursday, April 23rd in an email to all staff.
Please be sure that your site/department’s honorees are recognized ahead of this date so that you can capture the significance of the recognition in a way that is distinct and celebrates the individual.
As a reminder: The event will take place at Mountain View High School on Wednesday, May 13 from 4:30–6:30 p.m.
From ODE:
Here is a link to info on a variety of Youth Advisory Councils. Please share with students.
From Rodger Moore in Operations:
Here is a one page guideline about who is responsible for costs when it comes to repairs and improvements.
From Gabe:
Here is the weekly agenda for Athletics and Activities. April13th-April 17th, 2026
Attached is this week’s Special EDge. Please read to find out more about:
Order Deadline
ESY Case Managers – Please reach out to families and ask them to complete the form that was emailed
Check out the Learning Labs
Check out the incredible work of teams in Campus Kudos!
Utilize the Student Services Launchpad
Save the Date for upcoming events
Calendar
April 22: Forestry/Natural Resources CTE PD @ COCC
April 23: Manufacturing/Natural Resources CTE PD
April 23: MS Horizontal 3-5 @ Pacific Crest
April 26: Summative Wayfinder window opens
May 1st: 8th Grade LA CDA Meeting
May 4th: IB/AP LA CDA Meeting
Where in the World
Congrats to Monica Hanson! 🏆 Monica correctly guessed the image for this week!
The image is of Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau, Germany. The Gothic-, Romanesque-, and Byzantine-style castle was built in the late 1800s for King Ludwig II of Bavaria and served as the inspiration for the castle in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. If you get a chance to see it – it is worth it!
Here is the image for this week. Send us your guess for this location by Monday, win the drawing, and Stephen or Katie will bring you your school appropriate beverage of choice:
Remind your ICCL team that we will be meeting next Tuesday at Bend High for our last Admin/ICCL meeting of the year.
Please share with your families:
Peek into the future at Life & Career Readiness Night! Students and families are invited to explore the future at Life & Career Readiness Night on Thursday, April 30 at Caldera High School from 5:00 – 7:00 pm.
At our third annual event, visit with higher education representatives and regional employers in the private and public sectors. Students can explore college and trade school options, regional employers, educational travel, internships, volunteer opportunities and much more. Organized by high school students with assistance from district staff, this event aims to inform students and their families about the array of professional and educational opportunities available in Central Oregon, both before and after graduation.
From Departments
From Kinsey:
Don’t forget about the chance to win a gift card ($25-$49.99) to places like El Sancho, Spork, downtown shops, and more! A little motivation and token of appreciation for getting outside your building/office and into the community we serve. (Bingo card here.)
Thanks to all who visited The Giving Plate and Bethlehem Inn! (If you missed those, it’s not too late–reach out to me.) Our next community partner visit is in April, to the Latino Community Association. Sign up here to participate.
From ODE (please consider having your students take this survey):
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) is excited to celebrate that every school district across the state of Oregon has adopted a policy that reduces distractions in classrooms by restricting personal electronic devices from bell to bell.
ODE, in partnership with the Youth Advisory Council, invites students in grades 6-12 to participate in a 15-minute student-designed survey to share feedback on the current Personal Electronic Device (PED) policy at your school. Student voice matters, and we are looking to ensure that ODE’s support of implementation is meaningful and effective.
Action Needed
The brief, anonymous survey is for grades 6-12 and takes under 15 minutes.
Schools are encouraged to schedule time during a common class period to support strong participation. Students who miss the in-class opportunity may complete the survey independently while it remains open.
Statewide participation will help ensure student perspectives inform ongoing guidance and support. Resources including slides, talking points, and communication templates are available on our website to help schools administer the survey consistently and efficiently.
Key Dates
Survey window is March 16 – April 10.
Contact Us
For Technical Assistance, please contact ODE’s Digital Learning Team: [email protected].
From Jennifer in Student Services:
You’re Invited! Mark Your Calendars!
Join us for end-of-year presentations led by our dedicated Bend-La Pine Schools counselors. During these brief school updates, each team will share progress on their annual goals, highlight key programming initiatives, and reflect on the data gathered throughout the year. These presentations offer an opportunity to see how counseling programs are supporting students academically, socially-emotionally, and in their college and career readiness. Teams will share successes, lessons learned, and how this year’s work will inform future planning within our coordinated system of student support.
Your presence matters as we celebrate growth, learn from one another, and look ahead to the next year of impact.
📅 Presentation Schedule
Thursday, May 21, 2026
UPDATE: Time Change High School | 1 pm to 3:45 pm Location: Ed Center Boardroom
Thursday, May 28, 2026 Middle School | 8:00–11:00 a.m. Location: Education Center Boardroom
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 Elementary School | 7:30–10:30 a.m. Location: Education Center Boardroom & Room 312
Waypoints Summative Assessment for grades K-12:
The final summative assessment opens April 28th and closes May 30th for secondary and May 22nd for Elementary:
For students in grades 3–5: When they log in to the Wayfinder platform, the Waypoints assessment will be clearly visible at the top of their dashboard. It will appear as a box containing the assessment’s name with a “Start” button next to it.
For students in grades 6–12: When students log in, the Waypoints assessment will be displayed in their “To-Do List,” which is typically located on the right side of the page. On a smaller screen like an iPad, the To-Do List may appear at the top of the screen. Students will see the name of the assessment and a “Start” button.
Students can leave and return to the assessment at any time, as their progress is automatically saved.
Please make sure that all teachers understand the “Why” behind the assessment and how it ties into any of your schoolwide goals or initiatives. Teachers need to read the instructions to the students so that we get quality data.
All schools are required to complete two earthquake drills per school year. We apologize if there has been any miscommunication that they were optional. These are required by the state in ORS 336.071
From Gabe in Activities and Athletics:
Here is the weekly agenda for Athletics and Activities. March 30th-April 3rd, 2026
From Sara in Student Services:
Please read this week’s Special EDge! You will find information about:
ESY Case Managers – Please reach out to families and ask them to complete the form that was emailed
Check out the Learning Labs
Check out the incredible work of teams in Campus Kudos!
Please share your experiences with elementary and middle school conferences held the week prior to spring break. Your input will help inform future planning decisions. Thank you for your time and perspective.
Calendar
April 7: Admin/ICCL 4:15 – 6:15 @ BSH
April 7: HS Admin WS 9-11 @ RHS
April 8: All Admin PD 3-5 @ BSH
April 14: HS Admin WS 9-11 @ MVHS
April 14: MS Walkthroughs @ PCMS
April 23rd: MS Horizontal 3-5 @ Pacific Crest
Where in the World
Congrats to to Anne Marie for winning the drawing from the last blog. The image is of Balboa Park in San Diego. If you haven’t had a chance to visit this beautiful place, add it to your bucket list!
Balboa Park is a 1,200-acre (490 ha) historic urban cultural park in San Diego, California.[3][4] Placed in reserve in 1835, the park’s site is one of the oldest in the United States dedicated to public recreational use. The park hosts various museums, theaters, restaurants, and the San Diego Zoo. It is managed and maintained by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of San Diego.
Here is the image for this week. Trying something new with a satellite view of a city. Guess this location by Monday, win the drawing, and Stephen or Katie will bring you your school appropriate beverage of choice:
Please see below for an opportunity here in Bend for district administrators that are helping to lead this work. Learn how to strengthen our Wayfinder implementation to help meet our strategic initiatives. I will be there and I think it would be great to have some of you join, especially those of you that have not attended any Wayfinder trainings in the past.
From Patrick Cook-Deegan – CEO and Founder of Wayfinder:
I’d like to personally invite you to join us for the Oregon Community Workshop on Friday, April 17 at Tetherow Resort in Bend.
This will be a focused, working session with district leaders from across Oregon on how schools are implementing Wayfinder to:
Meet Oregon’s mandated TSEL standards
Align with SB3 requirements
Strengthen instruction for the Oregon Health Education Standards
More than 115 Oregon districts are already bringing this work to life with us. During the workshop, we’ll share concrete implementation strategies, lessons learned, and practical tools you can take back to your district or school site immediately.
Event Details
8:30 AM – 2:30 PM (breakfast and lunch provided) Tetherow Resort 61240 Skyline Ranch Rd Bend, OR 97702
This will be interactive and collaborative—not a sit-and-get session. You’ll experience Wayfinder activities firsthand and connect with peers navigating similar priorities.
Here is the weekly agenda for Athletics and Activities. March 9th-13th, 2026
From Sara Young:
Here is this week’s (very short) Special EDge. Find information about:
Plan for ESY – Links have started going out!
Check out the Learning Labs
Check out the incredible work of teams in Campus Kudos!
Utilize the Student Services Launchpad
Save the Date for upcoming events
Calendar
March 16: Staffing discussion HS Principals 3:00pm – Education Center – KT’s office
March 16,17,18: MS Staffing Plan Check Ins
March 17: HS Learning Walk – Language Arts 9-12 @ RHS and BTA
March 18: Building Directed SIW for HS
March 18-19: MS Spring Conferences
March 19: MS Staffing Plan version 1.0 due
March 20: Excellence in Education Nominations DUE to HR
March 19 and 20: Katie out of the office – available by cell
March 23-27 Spring Break: Katie and Stephen out of the office – available by cell
April 3: HS Principal Connection 8-10 @ SHS
April 7: Admin/ICCL 4:15 – 6:15 @ BSH
April 7: HS Admin WS 9-11 @ RHS
April 8: All Admin PD 3-5 @ BSH
April 14: HS Admin WS 9-11 @ MVHS
April 14: MS Walkthroughs @ PCMS
Where in the World?
Congratulations to to Kristy Knoll who guessed the image from last week!
The image is of Crater Lake National Park. This national park is located in the southern part of Oregon and is made of a gigantic crater. If you haven’t made the time to see it, it is worth a visit!
Guess this location by Monday morning and we will bring you a school appropriate beverage of choice! Bonus points for adding its historical significance.
Facilitate an interactive discussion focused on your school’s YouthTruth data with your certified and classified staff (together or separately) and your students by the end of April. Here is the template for you to use with staff and students.
Plan to send out written communication (in English and Spanish) to your families about your two strongest and two lowest data points by the end of April.
HS Admin Only – please add your slides and parent communication to theHS Admin handbook under YouthTruth tab and the bottom.
From Departments
From Sara Young and Gabe Pagano:
Last month, we came out to interview all the buildings about MTSS. HERE are the trends from those interviews.
Thank you all so much for your time and collaboration so we can move forward in creating a stronger system – your insight and tools were critical! We learned so much!
From Jess Calbreath:
We are looking forward to our upcoming BLS College Information Night on March 11 from 6:00–7:30 pm at SHS (thank you for hosting this year!) and wanted to share a general overview of the evening, along with a request for counselor support.
The night will begin with a main presentation in the Theater at 6:00 pm featuring BLS School Counseling and OPU/COCC. We will also offer a Spanish-speaking presentation with an interpreter available to ensure all families can fully access the information.
Following the presentation, families will transition to the Commons for a College & Career Fair–style setup. Representatives from OPU, COCC, Financial Aid, and College Now will have tables available for individual questions.
We would greatly appreciate having at least one counselor and one STC from each high school in attendance to support families and represent your school community. Your presence helps reinforce that all BLS students are supported in their postsecondary planning.
You are welcome to use ASPIRE to timesheet your time for this event.
I’ve now reviewed all of the responses to the Administrator Preference Survey, thank you for taking the time to complete it.
As a reminder, the goal of the survey is to help better understand your interests, reflections, and professional aspirations as we enter the early stages of planning for the 2026–27 school year and the survey is designed to make sure you have voice in the process.
In a handful of cases, a follow-up conversation would be helpful to clarify interests, better understand context, or talk more about professional goals. If that’s the case, I’ll reach out directly to schedule time. If you don’t hear from me, it simply means your responses were clear and don’t require immediate follow-up at this time.
This is just part of our normal planning rhythm and gives me a clearer picture as we look toward 2026–27. We’re just getting started with that planning, and nothing has been decided.
As always, final assignment decisions are made with the needs of the entire district in mind, and your input informs that work.
If you want to talk through anything you shared (or didn’t share), call, text, or email and we’ll set up time.
Supe’s On Podcast:
Kudos to Emily O’Neill, Language Arts Teacher, and Chris Boyd from Caldera who were featured on the next Supe’s On Podcast focused on SBIG. Check it out here.
From Sara Young:
Here is this week’s Special EDge, where you’ll find information about:
Communication Guidance
Fundraiser opportunity for Transition Co-Op
Plan for ESY! – Make sure to look at the NEW Workflow!
Take a look at the information from Jennifer Hauth
Check out the Learning Labs
Check out the incredible work of teams in Campus Kudos!
Fly up day is next week. Please ensure students going to BSH, CHS, or MVHS have name tags when they board the buses. SHS, LPHS, and the new choice HS will have their own protocols for when students arrive.
Calendar
February 13-April 10: Pre ACT testing
March 13: Principal Connection 7-9 @ MVHS
March 17: HS Learning Walk – Language Arts 9-12 @ RHS and BTA
March 18-19: MS Spring Conferences
March 19 and 20: Katie out of the office – available by cell
March 23-27 Spring Break
April 3: Principal Connection 8-10 @ SHS
April 7: HS WS 9-11 @ RHS
Who in the World?
Congrats to Monica Hanson for correctly guessing the image from last week! 💥
The image was of James Arthur Baldwin (né Jones; August 2, 1924 – December 1, 1987). Baldwin was an American writer and civil rights activist who known for his essays, novels, plays, and poems. His 1953 novel Go Tell It on the Mountain has been ranked by Time magazine as one of the top 100 English-language novels.
We continue our celebration of Black History! Who is this famous individual and what is he famous for?
SRO Appreciation Day– Schools are encouraged to celebrate their SROs the week of February 17th for SRO Appreciation Day. Some ideas for appreciation that have been done in past school years are: decorate their office doors, buy lunch for them one day during the week, have students make cards and drawings, or have breakfast and invite the entire team. You have all done so amazing that the past two years BLS has been featured in the national SRO magazine!!
From Gabe Pagano, District Activities and Athletic Director:
Fly Up Day: For future Bend-area high school students – Ensure these students receive this PowerPoint by next Friday and have their form filled out. For future La-Pine High students – connect with La Pine High about this day if you haven’t already done so.
Calendar
February 13-April 10: Pre ACT testing
February 17:HS Administrator Work Session 9:00-11:00 @ BTA
February 17:Admin/ICCL – Bend High 4:15 – 6:15
February 18: All Admin Meeting – Bend High 3:00-5:00
February 19: MS Horizontal – Sky View 3:00 – 5:00
Who in the world?
Congratulations to Jessica Gambee, who guessed the image from last week! The image was of Zora Neale Hurston, an American novelist. She is seen as one of the most important Black writers in American history. In 1937, she published Their Eyes Were Watching God, the story of a Black woman looking for love and happiness in the South. The book was criticized at the time, especially by Black male writers, who condemned Hurston for not taking a political stand and demonstrating the ill effects of racism. Instead, the novel, now considered her masterwork, celebrated the rich tradition of the rural Black South. Hurston’s work remained uplifting and joyful despite her financial struggles.
We continue our celebration of Black History! Who is this famous individual?
In light of ongoing national events, many of you have recently received questions from families and/or staff about the district’s preparedness should ICE activity occur on or near our campuses. Please copy and paste this message into your next staff communication–thanks for making sure both classified and certified receive this from you.
Additionally, this half-way point in the year is a good time to review the guidance (for admin and front office) for what you are expected to do should ICE activity occur on or near your campus. Note: Some edits were made this week–please be sure you and your office team are familiar with these expectations and that this updated version is printed and accessible where your front-entry greeter sits. One important note: Depending on your building’s layout, you may receive from me via interdistrict mail some signage: “Public Area” and “Not a Public Area.” I’ll send details with the signs for where to post them—just know these are related to our procedures here.
Complaints and Bias Incidents: -Action needed-
As the semester wraps up, please go into your Complaint Dashboard and ensure that all submissions there have been fully addressed (investigation, circling back with reporter and all parties, written findings when applicable, all copies and documents uploaded or linked, etc). When complete, you should select “Resolved By School: Yes” to close it out. If a complaint gets appealed, we’ll grab the documentation and records from there, so you don’t need to worry about that step.
Reminder from HR, Probationary Letters due by February 3: Those of you with third-year Probationary/Temporary certified staff being recommended for Contract status you will need to generate letters of support for each one. The School Board wants each of us to be able to articulate the specific reasons any third-year Probationary/Temporary teacher should move to Contract status, and they take time to read every letter you prepare. Please have these letters uploaded in the appropriate school folder in the google drive listed below no later than February 2, 2026. If you experience any issues with uploading your letters or accessing any of the links below, please email [email protected].
Complete and upload all your Renewal Recommendation letters into the appropriate school folder within this google drive. You will find the list of probationary/temporary certified staff in the drive as well to assist you.
Here is a draft template/sample Renewal Recommendation letter for your guidance (make as many copies of the letter as you need)
Be sure your letter is submitted on your school’s letterhead and has your signature prior to uploading
Certified Professional Growth and Performance Manual here.
From Deschutes County Health Services:
Please promote the following with your families. It is geared toward MS but open to all levels.
The upcoming “Start the Conversation” workshops are a family engagement opportunity for families of students with Tier 2 and Tier 3 needs. There will be repeat offerings of this 3-hour workshop in Feb – March.
The “Start the Conversation” workshop will improve families’ abilities to start difficult conversations with their student about topics such as mental health, attendance, substance use, and sex. The workshop is provided by Dr. Amy Yillik, HDESD Culture of Care.
The workshops are centered on developmental needs of middle school students, but are open to families of all BLS students.
Personal invites from admin and staff already working with students and families with Tier 2-3 needs would be the most effective approach.
Here’s the promotion fliers and a promotion blurb to use for promoting the workshop to your families:
SRO Schedule Change– Officer Koehnke (Summit) and Officer Avery (Caldera) have shifted their schedules effective Feb 9. Please review the SRO sheet here.
SRO Appreciation Day– Schools are encouraged to celebrate their SROs the week of February 17th for SRO Appreciation Day. Some ideas for appreciation that have been done in past school years are: decorate their office doors, buy lunch for them one day during the week, have students make cards and drawings, or have breakfast and invite the entire team. You have all done so amazing that the past two years BLS has been featured in the national SRO magazine!!
From Jennifer in Student Services:
🎉 National School Counseling Week 2026 (#NSCW26) is February 2–6, 2026! This special week shines a spotlight on the incredible impact of our school counselors and the unique ways they support students every day.
The 2026 theme, School Counselors Amplify Student Success, says it all! Presented by ASCA, National School Counseling Week celebrates how school counselors help students thrive academically, socially, emotionally, and as they plan for future careers.
📅 National School Counseling Week is always held during the first full week of February, and we’re excited to share several resources below to help you celebrate the amazing school counselor(s) at your site.
💙 Please note: We will also be celebrating our Student Success Staff during School Social Worker Week, the week of March 1st.
🏅 Included below is a Certificate of Appreciation you can use to recognize your counselors, along with additional ideas and resources to make this week extra special. Let’s show our counselors how much they are valued and appreciated! 😊🎉
Please read this week’s Special EDge to learn more about:
IEP At a Glance!
Culture of Care PD Opportunity
HDESD Learning Labs
Campus Kudos!
High School Only
HS Counseling Midyear Check-In
As we move from first to second semester, this midyear window is a critical checkpoint to ensure counseling practices, data, and systems are aligned before forecasting begins.
Course Planning in SchooLinks (Grades 9–11)
All students should complete an updated course plan in SchooLinks before forecasting opens
Plans should be completed through Tier 1 core counseling practices (classroom/advisory lessons, planning conferences, group sessions, family communication)
Tier 2
Identify students needing additional help in SchooLinks
Provide small-group, flex/access time, or 1:1 planning support
Seniors: Midyear Transcript Review
Ensure transcripts are updated and midyear reports are sent to colleges
Review credits, diploma requirements, and graduation plans for all seniors
Identify and update seniors that are at-risk and ensure:
Student check-ins
Formal family notification
Clear next steps and timelines
Grades 9–11: Transcript & Schedule Review
Review transcripts and current schedules
Identify credit or placement concerns early
Coordinate Tier 2 interventions and credit recovery as needed
Match recovery options to student need
Tracking & Communication
Monitor at-risk data and identify themes if needed
Ensure counselors have consistent communication with families and support teams and are documenting in Synergy.
CTE Month is coming up next month, and we’re excited to celebrate the amazing work happening across our programs!
To help us highlight and recognize CTE, we’d love your support with the following:
Here is the nomination form to identify exemplary CTE students. Students will be highlighted throughout the month: Student Nomination Form
We would also love to highlight past CTE students (alumni)—please share names or success stories on the above form.
Please send along photos or information about activities, projects, field trips, or events from your program that the district can feature during CTE Month to Becca Burda and Lisa Keown.
Thank you for all you do to support CTE students—we can’t wait to showcase your programs!
The ODE (Oregon Department of Education) Tool Kit provides a variety of resources and materials to support CTE programs in Oregon. It typically includes guidelines, best practices, and templates for educators to enhance their CTE initiatives. You can find it on the ODE website under the CTE section.
The ODE CTE Website is a comprehensive resource for educators involved in Career and Technical Education. It features updates, policies, and resources regarding CTE programs, including links to funding opportunities, training, and professional development for teachers.
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) offers a variety of resources to celebrate CTE Month. This includes promotional materials, lesson plans, and activities that can be used to engage students and the community in CTE initiatives. You can visit the ACTE website to access these resources.
Calendar
February 2-6:National School Counseling Week! Celebrate your counselors!
February 10: HS Learning Walk 9:00-12:00 @ SHS
February 17:HS Administrator Work Session 9:00-11:00 @ BTA
February 19: MS Horizontal – Sky View 3:00 – 5:00
Who in the World?
Congrats to Mary Thomas who correctly guessed the image from last week!
Frederick McKinley Jones invented the first successful system for mobile refrigeration. His invention eliminated the far less effective use of ice and salt to preserve foods for transport, greatly extending the distance over which food could be effectively delivered.
We celebrate Black History Month in February! Who is this famous individual?
Here at BLS we aspire to place the best teachers possible in front of students, and as such we want to be very deliberate in renewing third-year Probationary/Temporary status teachers. The primary means for removing underperforming Probationary/Temporary staff members before they reach Contract status is non-renewal of their contracts prior to the end of the third year of probation; once a teacher attains Contact status, separation of a deficient performer from the district becomes a much more labor-intensive process.
Per the 25-26 Full Evaluation Resource Guide sent out with your Evaluation Google file this fall (see deadlines below), HR Leadership had requested that you notify us by November 1st regarding any third-year Probationary/Temporary certified staff with whom you had concerns and that no later than December 5, 2025, you would have met with and notified an third-year staff member of concern that they were being placed on Support Strategies.
*****Deadlines For Non-Renewal of Third Year Probationary Teacher****
Timeline
No later than November 1st:
Notify HR Leadership regarding any third-year Probationary/Temporary certified staff about whom you have concerns with
Met with and notified those staff members that they are being placed on Focused Performance Review (~3 weeks)
No later than December 5th
Met with and notified third-year staff member of concern that they are being placed on Support Strategies (4-6 weeks)
Communicate with HR Leadership and BEA President Sarah Barclay regarding your concerns about these staff members
If you have not moved anyone to Support Strategies, you must reach out to us immediately so we can determine whether it is possible to meet the required timelines. Should you have any questions/concerns regarding these steps, please contact me [email protected] to discuss further.
******Please remember our change in practice for Temporary 3 certified staff. We nowrequire all Probationary 3 practices for renewal/non-renewal for Temporary 3 certified staff. When you write a letter of support for a Temporary 3 staff member, then you are obligating your school to employ this person for the 2026/27 school year and beyond********* Please also note, that those certified members with previous contact status in an Oregon school district (HB 2900) will also be obtaining contract status with your recommendations.
If you have taken the necessary measures with a third-year Probationary/Temporary staff member that you don’t believe should be granted Contract status, we are at the point beyond which you will be able to meet deadlines to non-renew that teacher.
Those of you with third-year Probationary/Temporary certified staff being recommended for Contract status you will need to generate letters of support for each one. The School Board wants each of us to be able to articulate the specific reasons any third-year Probationary/Temporary teacher should move to Contract status, and they take time to read every letter you prepare. Please have these letters uploaded in the appropriate school folder in the google drive listed below no later than February 2, 2026. If you experience any issues with uploading your letters or accessing any of the links below, please email [email protected].
Complete and upload all your Renewal Recommendation letters into the appropriate school folder within this google drive. You will find the list of probationary/temporary certified staff in the drive as well to assist you.
Here is a draft template/sample Renewal Recommendation letter for your guidance (make as many copies of the letter as you need)
Be sure your letter is submitted on your school’s letterhead and has your signature prior to uploading
Certified Professional Growth and Performance Manual here.
From the Desk of April Diehl, Medicaid Program Manager:
The district will soon be sending an email to families requesting that they complete a Medicaid Parental Consent form. This consent allows the district to access Medicaid reimbursement for eligible services, and your help in sharing this information ensures families are aware of the email and its importance.
Please share the following message to families in your weekly newsletter:
Families will soon receive an email from Bend-La Pine Schools requesting completion of the one-time Medicaid Parental Consent form. The district is asking every family to respond, whether or not your child is covered by Medicaid. Families who have already completed the consent will not be emailed. This form allows the district to access Medicaid reimbursement for certain health-related services provided at school. Completing the form does not affect your child’s benefits or services in any way. Please watch for the email and take a moment to complete the form when it arrives. Thank you!
From Departments:
From Kinsey – Office of Policy and Advocacy
Student-Led Protests:
Here is guidance for administrators and staff regarding how to navigate student-led protests. Please review and share applicable portions with your staff. This guidance is a general quick reference—for specific instances or questions, please let me know.
Home Visits:
Regarding our community engagement work: The end of the semester is a great time to drop by a home to check in on a struggling student or deliver a quick care package/item.
Too busy? No time? Home visits usually take 30 minutes or less. This small investment has a significant positiveimpact on the student and family, and for the staff who see you modeling this level of care and community leadership. Likely, you’ll find a home visit is more meaningful professional development than sitting in workshops talking about concepts like equity or belonging—I’m confident you’ll grow immediately as a leader after visiting a student’s home.
Your MTSS team or counselors can recommend a student/family to visit. Ask your Family Liaison, FAN Advocate, or ELL Specialist to go with you as needed, or ask them if you can tag along on a visit of theirs. Additional tips here.
We have locked in two dates & times for our admin to do a tour of KIDS Center. Sign up for a KIDS Center Tour here.
From Marcus LeGrand – Board Chair and COCC faculty
Hi Wonderful Educators,
Attached are the flier for all Black History Events and the link to sign up for the event as well. Please read the website carefully to ensure you sign up properly. Next, the Empowerment Weekend has priority registration for students until next week, so have your kids and their friends sign up because there is limited space.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know, call, or email. Finally, can’t wait to see you all in the building for the events.
Quick heads-up as you plan ahead: Please hold Wednesday, May 13th, 4:30–6:30, for our annual Excellence in Education celebration at Mountain View High School, immediately following our Admin PD (also at Mountain View).
For those of you newer to BLS, this is one of the most meaningful events on our calendar and is a chance for us, as a community, to celebrate employees who have gone above and beyond this year through leadership, innovation, outstanding practice, and true service above self.
Each school and department is expected to have at least one Administrator or Supervisor in attendance to help celebrate your honoree(s). Your presence really matters. For many of our employees, this is a rare and powerful moment of recognition, and it means even more when it’s shared with the leaders who know their work best.
More details and the nomination forms are coming soon. For now, please make sure this time May 13th is protected on your calendar.
Thanks for the culture of appreciation you help create across our district, let Ryan Kelling know if you have any questions.
From Robi Cole:
I am working with the ESD to create some regional Admin Mentoring offerings. One offering I would like to get the word out is an upcoming Mentoring Training. I have attached the flyer– it is for experienced admin, principal supervisors, and current/future admin mentors.
The second opportunity we have with the CORAMP program is to tap some aspiring administrators OR Deans/VP’s that want to get ready for the principalship. Two flyers are attached describing these offerings. Flyer 1, Flyer 2.
From Amber McGill – COREN:
COREN’s Culture of Care team has 2 opportunities in February with space and sub coverage now available:
2/5/26 Restorative Conferencing (Tier III)
Schedule: Thursday, February 5th, 2026 (9:30am-1:30pm)
Location: Becky Johnson Community Center, Redmond (In person)
Substitute coverage provided by COREN for this session.
From Amy Yillik with culture of care: Please share the following info with your families: Here is the link & attachment for the upcoming MS/HS family workshops.
Calendar
January 20: MS and HS Admin Work Session – 9-11 Summit High School
January 20: New Choice High School Information Night 6:00 @ BTA Campus
January 22: HS Only – Tier II Academic Intervention Team 2:30-4:00 @ CHS
January 23: 504 training required for ALL admin who oversee 504’s 9:00 @ Wall Street Lab
January 23: 26-27 Area Change Request (ACR) Deadline for submission
Where in the World?
Congrats to Scott, who correctly guessed the image last week, which is Angels Landing at Zion National Park!
This week, it’s Where in the World? Any admin who correctly identifies this location by Monday morning (after break) will be entered in a drawing for coffee/tea or morning beverage of choice to be delivered by Katie or Stephen. Note: This contest will be limited to MS and HS admin.
