To Do

Remind your ICCL team that we will be meeting next Tuesday at Bend High for our last Admin/ICCL meeting of the year.

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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.  

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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].

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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: 

•  Overview of resources. One pager for new Admin.
• 3-5 Implementation Guide. K-2 Information coming soon.
• 6-12 Implementation Guide and 6-12 Teacher Directions
• Admin Tutorial Video

The assessment takes 15 to 20 minutes and can be completed on a student’s Ipad, using Clever and then selecting Wayfinder. Here are instructions for how it will appear in Student View. 

• 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. 

Finally, we don’t need to get parent permission for Waypoints. However, there is a letter that you can adapt language for your newsletter if you would like.

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From Kayla in Safety:

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

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From Gabe in Activities and Athletics:

Here is the weekly agenda for Athletics and Activities. March 30th-April 3rd, 2026

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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!
• Utilize the Student Services Launchpad
• Save the Date for upcoming events

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From Jess in School Counseling:

School Counseling Program Updates

Middle School Only

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:

To Do

From Paul, our COO:

Wildfire Season

Please share this information with your staff: As we enter wildfire season, it is the district’s responsibility to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and facilities. We will take both proactive and responsive actions when wildfires impact school grounds and operations.

At the district level, our Communications team will provide timely updates when wildfires impact school operations, including modifications to outdoor activities, changes to the school day, or other operational adjustments. Our goal is to ensure clear, consistent communication so that students, staff, and families can respond appropriately to changing wildfire conditions.  

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For staff, it is equally important to have a personal preparedness plan in place. We strongly encourage all staff to sign up for emergency alerts through Deschutes County and/or download the Watch Duty app, enabling notifications for areas surrounding your home. These tools provide early warnings, including “Be Ready” (Level 1) and “Be Set” (Level 2) notices, which are critical for preparation.

If a Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation is issued for your neighborhood during the workday, you should communicate directly with your supervisor or administrator. We are committed to supporting staff in these situations. As long as student safety and supervision are maintained, we will arrange coverage so you can return home as soon as possible. You may record leave on your timesheet in accordance with district procedures.

From Departments

From the BLPO Team:

Here is the information for Summer ☀️ School that you can share with high school students and families. The document includes two links, and I have also attached a separate PDF of each link for easy access.

All high school counselors have received this information and have both digital and paper copies of the summer class options and the summer agreement. High school principals have also been provided with this information.

Please let me know if you have any questions. We really appreciate you helping share this information. 🙌🏼 🏄🏻 

Best,
Lori Craft

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++From Aimee Snyder:

By April 17, Submit Sources of Strength Award Nominations

Nominations for the Sources of Strength Oregon awards will be accepted from now until April 17.  Anyone, including students, can submit a nomination. 

Consider submitting a nomination or encouraging others to submit nominations:

• Peer Leader Award Nomination Form – Ten Peer Leaders across the state will be selected to receive a $1,000 award for their leadership.
• Sources Team Award Nomination Form – Ten Sources teams across the state will be selected to receive a $1,000 award to support their continued suicide prevention and mental health promotion efforts.
• Adult Advisor Award Nomination Form – Ten winners are selected state-wide to receive a certificate and Sources prizes in recognition for their support of students.

Previous winners are not eligible to win again.

Winning nominations usually describe how a student, staff, or team have embodied or exemplified the Sources of Strength mission as an Agent of Change, Connector to Help, and/or centering “Hope, Help, and Strength.”

Sources of Strength nominations and awards are evidence of your school’s efforts towards student belonging, connection, inclusion, and help-seeking.

Reach out to your Healthy Schools Public Health Specialist, or Aimee, if you need help crafting a nomination.

Award winners will be celebrated in district/school newsletters in May and at Oregon’s virtual Sources of Strength Showcase on May 20th.  More details on the awards, nominations, or showcase can be found here.

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From Gabe in Activities and Athletics:

Here is the weekly agenda for Athletics and Activities. March 16th-20h, 2026

Calendar

March 19 and 20: Katie out of the office – available by cell

March 20: Excellence in Education Nominations DUE to HR

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

Congrats to Tim Broadbent for correctly identifying Chimney Rock in Nebraska!  Chimney Rock was an important landmark along the Oregon Trail.  

Here is the image for this week. Guess this image by the Monday after spring break, win the drawing, and Katie will bring you your school appropriate beverage of choice:

To Do

Staffing Plans are due next week – Please refer to Katie or Stephen’s email for deadlines

From Departments

March 18 SIW:  is a building directed SIW for HS and a teacher directed SIW for Elementary and Middle

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From Marta in the Superintendent’s Office:

The Frequently Called Number list has been updated in the Portal

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From Jennifer in Student Wellbeing

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.

RSVP here.

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From Gabe Pagano:

Here is the weekly agenda for Athletics and Activities. March 9th-13th, 2026

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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.

To Do

Leave sheets are DUE to Katie and Stephen by tomorrow!

Principals, let us know if you do not have leave or submit your leave sheet to Katie or Stephen. Assistant Principals, submit your leave to your Principal.

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To Do reminders from Kinsey:

Sign up for an LCA (Community Engagement Bingo) visit

Sign up and/or share about Taking It Up workshop

Sign up for a fundraising policy listening session

From Departments

March 18 SIW:  is a building directed SIW for HS and a teacher directed SIW for Elementary and Middle

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From Ryan in Human Resources:

Last week, I shared the forms to submit names of the Certified and Support Staff you’d like to recognize as part of our Excellence in Education program. Resharing the links here with a reminder that nominations are due by Friday March 20th. Timely submission allows the next portion of the process to move forward so that everything can be ready in advance of the recognition evening, May 13th.

• The Certified Staff Nomination form is here: https://forms.gle/uN8bDYzrRFFo65nH9
• The Support Staff Nomination form is here: https://forms.gle/ofLPgm3NoN5AmM4f7              

If you need the names of previous honorees from your site, please email me and I will share those with you

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From Kinsey – Office of Policy and Advocacy:

Community Engagement Visits:   -Action requested-

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.  

While this time of year feels particularly busy, these visits (and/or the average home visit) last 30 minutes or less, and hopefully leave you re-energized and reminded of your ‘why.’  This visit is also a tangible action you can take to support your immigrant and Latino families right now.  

Also, for those of you who recently visisted the Kids’ Center with our awesome safety team: Use that as one of your “optional” spots on your Bingo card.  One step closer to your prize!  🙂

Fundraising Listening Sessions:  -Action needed-

Don’t forget to sign up to attend one of the Fundraising and Donations update sessions.  Your parent leaders, coaches, and community members will be getting this information the following week, so we want you to feel informed and be able to give any final input.  See email from Kinsey sent Feb 27 for details (one admin per building, AD, Activities, etc).    

Taking It Up:   -Action needed-

If you have not yet attended Taking It Up, please talk with your Level Leader about their expectation for your participation in this workshop (register here).  I can cover a sub for your admin duties those two days.  Please also include this invitation in your next staff communication, and encourage folks to represent your school/dept in attending.

Black History Month Door-Decorating Contest: 

Wow–we had great participation rates this year, with kindergarten through adult groups submitting entries!    Check out the submissions.  Tomorrow, winners will be contacted via email (we’ll copy building admin so you know if you have a winner in your building–they will also be featured on social media this month) to celebrate and get them their prizes.  

Family Nights:

Save the dates: Asian Family Night = Friday, May 1; Latino Family Night = Thursday, May 14.  (These are on our district Family Engagement calendar in Outlook.)  More information to follow!

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From Kayla in Safety:

Reminder that Wednesday, March 11 is our Safety Cadre Training #3

• Secondary- 8:00AM-9:30AM in the HDMS Library

We will be having an informational presentation from our Deputy District Attorney on the juvenile justice process followed by a tabletop exercise. Please prioritize the administrator who oversees safety in your building attend the session.

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From Gabe:

Here is the weekly agenda for Athletics and Activities. March 2nd-6th, 2026

Have a great 1^st Day of Spring Sports.

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From Jess:

Here is the counseling update.

Calendar

March 16: Staffing discussion HS Principals 2:30 Teams

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 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 out of the office – available by cell

April 3: HS Principal Connection 8-10 @ SHS

April 7: HS Admin WS 9-11 @ RHS

April 14: HS Admin WS 9-11 @ MVHS

Where in the World?

Congratulations to Stephen for stumping all of us! Benjamin O. Davis was the image from last week and no one guessed correctly! O’Davis was among the first graduating class of Tuskegee airmen and integral in implementing the Air Force’s plan to desegregate.  Stephen gets the beverage of his choice!

Guess this location by Monday morning and we will bring you a school appropriate beverage of choice!

To Do

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!

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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.

Here is the link to the general communication (English, Spanish, and Chinese) to share with your school community. Please promote this event to all families in grades 9–11, as we want all BLS students and families to feel welcome and included.

Thank you in advance for your support.

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From Ryan in HR:

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.

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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.

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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!
• And MORE!

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From Gabe:

February 23rd-27th, 2026 Weekly SMORE

MS Only

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?

To Do

HS principals and VP’s who oversee social studies: Schedule time to meet with your social studies departments to review the timeline for adoption and the materials available for adoption. Monica and Dean can be available to be present if requested. Please coordinate with them directly.

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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 the HS Admin handbook under YouthTruth tab and the bottom.

From Departments

From Communications:

ParentSquare is coming! Thank you to the south county schools who agreed to pilot ParentSquare as their communication tool this spring. Additionally, district level communications will use ParentSquare this spring. Staff will be trained in ParentSquare this August and will be the required form of communication beginning with the 26-27 school year.

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Ongoing Communication about Standards Based Grading and Instruction:

Social Media:

You may have seen our recent social media posts on SBGI.  We plan to send out a new post every Sunday between now and the end of the year featuring information as well as students, staff, and administrators talking about the change.  

The first two weeks in February we highlighted the difference between Traditional and Standards Based Grading and Instruction. Donna and Cooper, one of the Student Voice Representatives from Summit, were featured in the video. Next up: SBGI Definitions highlighting CHS students!

Make sure you’re following Bend-La Pine on our social media platforms!

Supe’s On Podcast:

Kudos to Emily O’Neill, Language Arts Teacher, and Chris Boyd from Caldera who will be featured on the next Supe’s On Podcast focused on SBGI!

COTV feature:

Check out Stephen and Shauna Johnson, MVHS Social Studies Teacher as they talk about SBGI on COTV!

Thank you to Scott and Becca for their amazing partnership on these projects!

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From Scott in IT:

Never let an outage go to waste!

On Monday,  Clever access was restricted for students and teachers due to an outage.  We know that determining whether something is a “user error” or an actual outage can be frustrating.  

You can reduce your frustration by visiting-https://bls.fyi/status

This handy dashboard lists all of our common tools and their current operational status.  Our team will also update a custom message at the top of the site listing any known issues.

Go ahead and bookmark it now.  That way, you can check it out the next time something gets wonky!

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From Gabe:

February 17th-20th, 2026

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From Kinsey – Office of Policy and Advocacy:

Guidance on Email Communications and Student Information:

Here is the guidance we reviewed at horizontals recently, and the quiz activity you can use when introducing this to staff.  Please don’t only email this guidance out to staff—it’s not urgent, but take some time to review and discuss it together at some point between now and your August launch next year.  

Policy Updates: 

Here is the policy we reviewed and discussed together recently.  This sets out specific expectations for administrators, certified educators, and all employees.  As a reminder, it replaces and covers Staff Responsibilities, Assignment, Employee Dress Code, and more.  Worth being very familiar with!

Here is our policy on showing movies/films in class.  As discussed, it’s not necessarily intuitive in all cases—please share with your teachers. 

Ramadan and Religious Practices:

This week marked the beginning of Ramadan, which continues through March 19. Please be mindful of both employee and student needs related to religious observances:

If an employee requests accommodations for fasting or prayer (or any other religious purpose throughout the year), contact me so we can ensure we meet our Civil Rights obligations and coordinate with Benefits.

Please also remind your staff that students may request accommodations related to religious observances. This could include adjustments connected to fasting, prayer, PE participation, or assessments. When these arise, loop me in so we can support the student’s civil rights appropriately and consistently. 

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From Jenn:

🎉In honor of School Social Work Week and Classified Appreciation Week (March 2 -6th), we want to take a moment to specifically honor our Student Success Coordinators, Clinicians, Instructors, and Educational Assistants.

The ongoing need for specialized and compassionate support for students makes the Student Success team a central role in bridging the gap between home and school, ensuring that social, emotional, and mental health needs are met with expertise and empathy.

Whether they are providing intensive care coordination, fostering family engagement, or offering a steady hand during a mental health crisis, they work to bridge between a student “getting by” and truly thriving. The effort they put into building safe, trusting relationships that extend from the classroom to the home with students is essential.

Please take a moment at your school the first week of March to thank them for their service!

🌟 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.

This reflection helps us continue strengthening a comprehensive, responsive support system for all students across Bend-La Pine Schools. Your presence matters as we celebrate growth, learn from one another, and look ahead to the next year of impact. I will send the lead counselor over counseling a calendar invite for each school. We hope you’ll join us!

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📅 Presentation Schedule

Thursday, May 21, 2026
High School | 8:00–10:30 a.m.
Location: (Awaiting Confirmation) Perseverance Hall

Thursday, May 28, 2026
Middle School | 8:00–11:00 a.m.
Location: Education Center Boardroom

MS Only

A friendly reminder to please make sure anyone helping with school traffic or crossing guard duties is wearing a high-visibility vest and/or clothing.

Wearing a vest helps reinforce safe practices for our students and families. We appreciate your attention to this and your continued support in keeping our campus safe.

If your site needs a vest, please email Andrea Wilson.

HS Only

Graduation Ceremony Expectations: High Schools are required to follow these expectations. Please reach out to Katie if you have questions.

Calendar

February 13-April 10: Pre ACT testing

February 23-26: Katie out of the office – available by cell

March 10: HS WS 9-11 @ RHS

March 13: Principal Connection 7-9 @ MVHS

March 17: HS Learning Walk – Language Arts 9-12 @ RHS and BTA

March 19 and 20: Katie out of the office – available by cell

March 23-27 Spring Break

April 3: Principal Connection 8-10 @ SHS

Who in the World?

Congrats to Kelly Schmidt for correctly identifying Bessie Coleman as our who in the world this week.  Coleman was the first licensed Black pilot in the world as well as the first Native American to hold a pilot license.

We continue our celebration of Black History! Who is this famous individual and what is he famous for?

To Do

Remind ICCLs of the Admin/ICCL meeting at Bend High on Tuesday from 4:15-6:15

From Departments

From Sara in Student Services:

Please read this week’s Special EDge to read more about:

• DUE February 20th: Review assigned OT equipment at your site and complete the Smartsheet
• Remember about OTs when scheduling
• Plan for ESY! – Make sure to look at the NEW Workflow!
• Consider passing on the Boys and Girls Club opportunity for teens to families
• Check out the Learning Labs
• Check out the incredible work of teams in Campus Kudos!
• And more

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From Jess, Lead Counselor:

School Counseling Program Updates

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From Kayla in Safety:

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!!

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From Gabe Pagano, District Activities and Athletic Director:

Here is the weekly.  Have a great week.

February 9th-13th, 2026

MS Only

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?

To Do

Timesheets are due Monday! The time period we are recording for is 01/12/2026-02/08/2026. 

Principals, if you do not have any leave to report, please let Katie or Stephen know so we don’t expect a sheet from you.

Assistant Principals submit your timesheet to your principal.

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From Kinsey – Office of Policy and Advocacy:

Family-teacher conferences:

Please work with your language specialist and family liaison to submit ASAP your interpreter needs for conferences.  Remember to schedule blocks/back-to-back appointments for families who need interpreters, to the extent reasonable.  This helps maximize interpreter resources, which will be tight this year.

Also, please remind staff that virtual interpreters are perfectly acceptable and sometimes even better quality than in-person services.  If the Linguist Link team says an interpreter will be available virtually for your request, the teacher(s) should provide a link to their Teams/WebEx/etc account (send the link to the language specialist and/or paste into the Linguist Link request), and pull up the interpreter on their iPad or laptop during the conference.   We are prioritizing in-person interpreters for secondary conferences, given the format of those conferences.  

Someone should be available in your front office during all conference hours, to greet interpreters and point them in the direction of their assigned rooms, and/or to answer phone calls if interpreters are trying to log into a virtual appointment and getting locked out.  Interpreter no-show?  CAFE Program members can step in in a pinch, as available.

Remind teachers to honor family requests for virtual or phone conferences, within reason (if you need reminders about what’s ‘within reason,’ check in with your liaison or ELL specialist for details).

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From Dave Van Loo:

Please read and reach out to me with questions. “Testing season” is quickly approaching. Here are a few resources to help with planning and organization.  I’m happy to come out and meet with you as is helpful, especially with anyone who may be new to testing-related roles.

• Here is an updated for 2025-26 OSAS Essential Information and Planning Resources document for school test coordinators. This resource is meant to compliment ODE’s resources and highlight some of the most important big ideas.  This document will be updated as needed. Note that we have made a change to the opt-out and exemption tracking tool to streamline it and make it easier to use. Please save and use as a resource https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tTBz01GxuRhjZvxM8RoqF02uGBuRM4c2daIoPlv7f4Q/edit?usp=sharing 
• I’m resending this high-level summary of 25-26 test and survey timeframes. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PTS5BYZPRJTJcmcB1o_Fb3nFEVmoQlec3xnE2-uQNWQ/edit?usp=sharing 
• I’m also resending this document that summarizes key purposes and scheduling considerations of many commonly used tests in the district. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Qe6LnQ2IOKwaWUne6TF-AIctTlDAQHh2Y6taoAhFL8Y/edit?usp=sharing 

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How will YOUR school honor your counselors next week?

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ICCL/Administrator Training February 17: If you haven’t already, be sure to forward the invite to your ICCL’s!

From Departments

From Lisa:

Assessment Team: As you know, SB141 will require interim assessments in grades K-8 for reading and mathematics to begin in the fall. In mid-February, we will know the identified assessments and logistics related to their implementation. We would like a team of administrators and teachers to review tools, give input, and consider implementation plans in preparation of this requirement taking place in our district. If you would like to be considered to be part of this group, please add your name to the following sign-up sheet by February 13th. SB141 Assessment Consideration Team

Data Team: Throughout this year, we have spent time considering data related to EWS and MTSS needs for our teams. However, as an administrator it is likely that you have specific data that you’d like to be able to see about your school frequently to help guide your training, actions, and team plans. I would like to bring a team of administrators together to discuss what would be most beneficial to have access to in a dashboard format that you would be able to consistently access daily to lead your school best. If you have ideas and would like to join this team, please sign up using the following sheet by February 13th. Data Dream Team

SIF Budgets: When you receive your budget for next year, you will notice that SIF will no longer be a separate budget tab.  In the past, these dollars were governed by a grant and required specific spending approval. That is no longer the case and remains as an extra hurdle for our business office. To streamline processes, it will be included in the dollars for your general fund moving forward. Your level leader will continue to meet with you for general budgeting guidance as always.

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Any new classified staff member hired after tomorrow, Friday February 6, 2026, will not need to have a summative evaluation completed for the 25-26 school year.  Classified employees hired as of February 9, 2026, through the end of the year, will participate in goal setting in the fall and be evaluated for the 26-27 school year.  Please let me know if you have any questions/concerns.

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From Student Services:

Collaborative Problem Solving Training

We wanted to reach out and share an upcoming Collaborative Problem Training for Educators this March. The training is free, and slots will be limited. 

Please check out the Collaborative Problem Solving Flyer and Registration Link to learn more!

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From Gabe Pagano, District Activities and Athletic Director:

Here is the update for this week.

MS Only

Elementary and Middle School Admin – 

Human Resources will be sending an Extra Duty Attestation Form to employees we have on record as currently serving in the Elementary Music Director, Elementary Yearbook Advisor, and Elementary OBOB Advisor roles prior to their formal inclusion on the Extra Duty Schedule, as well as to the building principal for verification.

These roles were added to the Extra Duty Schedule through agreements between the District and BEA. 

The form is intended to document prior service – within Bend-La Pine Schools or in other districts – so that employees can be accurately placed on the Extra Duty Salary Schedule. Employees will be asked to complete, sign, and return the form, with the supervising administrator reviewing and confirming the information.

The Middle School OBOB Advisor role was also added to the Extra Duty Schedule. Because we in HR do not have a record of who may be serving in this role, Human Resources will send the attestation form to all middle school Principals to share with the individual currently performing these duties, if applicable, for completion and return.

Please let Ryan know if you have any questions.

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TAG Support:

In addition to the four elementary and middle school PD sessions offered throughout the year, Jess Scott has volunteered to meet one-on-one with the administrator in charge of TAG to provide support with complex TAG case studies or to further walk through the TAG identification process. These individual conversations can be a helpful space to ask questions and talk through specific situations. Please feel free to reach out to Jessica Scott to coordinate a time to meet.

HS Only

From Lisa, CTE TOSA:

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!

Calendar

February 13-April 10: Pre ACT testing

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?

Congratulations to Colin Bado for correctly identifying Shirley Chisholm for Who in the World this week.  Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to congress and represented New York’s 12^th district from 1969 to 1983. 

We continue our celebration of Black History! Who is this famous individual?

To Do

From Kinsey – Office of Policy & Advocacy:

Immigration/ICE:    -Action needed-

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.  

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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.

Rubrics for certified staff (link)

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.

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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:

• StC 2026 Flyer
• Spanish StC Flyer

From Departments

From Kayla in Saftey:

• 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!!

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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! 😊🎉

Resources:  

Certificate of Completion

Sign

NSCW Toolkit

Promo Kit 

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From Gabe, Director of Activities and Athletics:

January 26th-January 30th, 2026 – Weekly SMORE

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From Jess, Lead Counselor:

School Counseling Program Updates

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From Sara Young in Student Services:

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.

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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!

Resources for CTE Month:

ODE Tool Kit

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.

ODE CTE Website

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.

ACTE CTE Month Resources

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?

To Do

Priority # 1: YouthTruth Survey closes next Friday!

Time is running out—just 7 school days left before surveys close end-of-day Friday, January 30^th!

• DON’T FORGET TO TRACK SURVEY PROGRESS
  Follow along at http://www.ytsurvey.org/BLSprogress26.

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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.

Rubrics for certified staff (link)

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.

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Curriculum Guide Audits: TOSAS and our secondary team are currently doing an audit of curriculum guides to ensure that the information shared is consistently communicated for our families.

So, far, we are finding that some schools have made adjustments to the science and math pathways. If this is the case for you, please adjust those ASAP. If you are not sure, reach out to Dean.

From Departments

From Jenn 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! 😊🎉

Resources:  

Certificate of Completion

Sign

NSCW Toolkit

Promo Kit 

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❄️ Cold Weather Reminders from Human Resources ❄️

While our winter has been relatively mild thus far, we wanted to share a few helpful reminders – just in case Old Man Winter decides to show up!

Please be sure to review our Inclement Weather Guidelines

If winter weather does roll in, remember to: 

Don’t forget to walk like a penguin – short steps, slow and steady wins the race 

Give yourself extra travel time (driving and walking),

Bundle up and wear weather-appropriate footwear,

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From Kayla in Safety:

Reminder for recess/lunch winter weather guidance: 

When the outside temperature falls to 20°F or below (not including wind chill), the administration will use caution when allowing outdoor school activities(This information is found in the Quick Reference Guide for Emergencies aka “the Red Green”). See the NOAA Windchill chart here. 

Administrators have the discretion to send students outside in inclement weather. For example, it could be above 20°F but extremely icy, so you may decide to keep students inside. 

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From Educational Technology:

AI resources for students just got an upgrade, including a new AI for Research slide deck and our AI Guide for Students, both found on the AI in BLS website. If AI instruction is on your radar, we’re glad to partner with you to support classroom conversations and provide staff learning.

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From Gabe, Director of Activities and Athletics:

January 20th-23rd, 2026 – Weekly

Calendar

January 27: Climate and Culture Task Force 8-12 @ Ed Center Boardroom

January 28: All Admin Professional Development 3:00-4:30 BSHS Perseverance Hall

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

Who in the World?

Congrats to Dave McKae for winning the where in the world contest this week!  The photo is of The Hole in the Rock formation in Papago Park near Phoenix, Arizona.  An awesome hike if you’re ever down there.  Right next to the zoo!

We celebrate Black History Month in February! Who is this famous inventor and what did he invent?