To Do

Update your staffing plan to reflect recent changes!

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HS Principals: Send out the senior message regarding pranks to your seniors and families of seniors next week. The message will be sent centrally from District Office tomorrow

HS Principals: Collect/bring feedback from your admin team on the ACR process proposal. Prepare to share at May 15th meeting.

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From Kinsey – Office of Policy & Advocacy:

“Do Not Schedule” Dates:    – Action required – 

Here is the updated (26-27 through 28-29 school years) list of key religious observance dates to protect when scheduling any academic or extracurricular events.  This applies to field trips, family nights, info sessions, tests and exams, special one-time assemblies or events, etc. 

Please be sure you have shared that document with all relevant staff: office managers, activities and athletics, counselors, family engagement team, PTA/Booster Club leadership, ICCL team, etc.

Those key observances are also all populated into our 26-27 district-wide Family Engagement calendar in Outlook.  If you add that calendar to your school or dept calendar, those “do not schedule” dates (along with any district-wide family events) will be visible to you, to avoid scheduling conflicts.

From Departments

From Ryan:

We are continuing our Classified staffing reconciliation process to ensure that all staff entitled to positions for next school year are appropriately placed. As we complete this work, we are going to temporarily pause posting additional Classified positions until those staff impacted are notified.

We expect communication regarding employees who will be involuntarily transferred to go to building leaders on Wednesday, May 13th, with the expectation that conversations with staff occur by Friday, May 15th.

Following that process, we will move forward with posting Classified positions for next year. In an effort to align our Certified and Classified staffing processes, we will also pause posting new Certified positions for the 2026–27 school year until May 15th.

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From Ryan:

A quick reminder of expectations under Policy GCPC/GDPC-AP: Reemployment of PERS-Retired Staff.

Policy Summary:
Employees who retire under PERS may request to continue working through the end of the school year.

Requests to be rehired upon retirement must be submitted in writing at least 30 days before the end of the school year.

Approval is based on:

• District need
• Satisfactory performance history

If the request is approved:

• Continued employment is Temporary through June 30
• There is no guarantee of continued employment beyond the current school year
• Final decisions are made at the discretion of the Superintendent or designee

The district may choose to reemploy a PERS retiree beyond the year of retirement:

• Employment may be offered for a maximum of one year for each hiring action
• All employment is Temporary for the single school year
• Licensed staff may be rehired for up to three years following retirement
• Different rules and limitations may apply for licensed and non-licensed staff
• A shortened hiring process may be used

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From Scott and Kayla in Safety on behalf of Bend PD

Just giving you a heads up that your school SRO may be contacting you about gathering some student generated art that they can display in the Bend Police Department. We are unsure about the amount of space they have to display these works, so please talk with your SRO before doing anything. There is also talk that it may be themed related (Nature, animals, F1 cars–wink wink etc.) Your SRO may know about that as well.  Thanks for considering helping make their space feel fun and celebrated.

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From Jess:

Here are the school counseling program updates.

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From Gabe: Here is the weekly.  Have a great week.

May 4th-8th,2026 – Weekly 

TOSA Updates

From Monica:

SS update:

All AP and IB Social Studies teachers were given the paid (sub or curricular rate) opportunity to meet as subject area/class PLC’s to plan and discuss rubric conversions.  At this time, one person from MVHS and two from Summit were interested. BHS opted for summer work.

The TOSA/TL team hoped to facilitate this work before the start of next year.  Based on the SS teacher feedback, I need to pivot and will offer END breakout sessions or some time in the fall for SS teachers to calibrate. 

Dean’s got it; there is variation in content area rubrics, type of question and points allocated. It is not always a one rubric fit all model.  This doesn’t mean we can’t calibrate on the 0-4 BLP scale.  It will look a little different than the model presented, depending on the class.

Calibration work can happen with a shift in our timeline goal.

I added building leaders from other schools to offer them an update.  

Calendar

May 13: All Admin Training 3-4:30 @ MVHS

May 13: Excellence in Ed Awards 4:30-6:30 @ MVHS

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 SBGI

May 21: Karen Mapp session on Chronic Absenteeism 8-12 – Admin lead for attendance attends

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

Congrats to Quinn McAndrews for correctly identifying the island green at Coeur d’Alene Resort. The green is surrounded by water and golfers ride a ferry out to finish the hole.  The green can be moved with a cable system that allows the distance from the tee box to change depending on the day you are there.

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:

To Do

From Eric:

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.

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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.  

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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 22^nd 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. 

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From Robi Cole:

Here is info about a COREN leadership opportunity this summer. Check it out.

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From the Ed Tech team:

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. 

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From Gabe:

Here is the Weekly: April 27th-May 1st, 2026 

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From Sara in Student Services:

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

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From Tami Pike:

TOSA Corner

From Monica Freeman – SS TOSA:

Here is a link to updates for both MS and HS Social Studies.

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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.

Please contact me with any questions: [email protected] 

MS Only:

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:

To Do

Complete your option sets by Monday!

Option sets for curriculum ordering are due next week! Dean ran a virtual trainings for the HS admin leads on Monday of this week. If you weren’t able to make the meeting or have additional questions, please reach out to Dean.

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Thank you for updating your staffing plans as changes are occur.
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From Eric, please provide comments for the 26-27 Code of Conduct:

As we look toward the 26-27 school year, we wanted to give administators at each of our levels an opportunity to make comments/propose adjustments to the Code of Conduct.

Ideas presented within the comment copies for your level (below) will be reviewed and discussed at a district Code of Conduct review meeting and also processed through the District’s Culture & Climate Task Force.

Here are the comment copies (by Level):

Middle School Comment Copy

High School Comment Copy

From Departments

Office of Policy and Advocacy:

1. Chronic Absenteeism: Family Engagement and Attendance:  (Action needed)

We know you are working hard to get kids to school.  As part of our broader efforts to improve student attendance under the leadership of Eric and his team, and in alignment with our ongoing work on student voice, dignity, and belonging, in addition to our school design plan improvement cycles, we will be taking a closer look at the connection between family engagement and chronic absenteeism.  Research shows that specific, practical family engagement strategies can significantly improve student attendance across K–12.

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.

Your Advocacy ICCL rep will attend, with substitute costs covered by the Office of Policy and Advocacy. If there are one or two additional staff members (ex: family engagement committee members) who would benefit from participating, they are welcome as well—we can support some additional substitute costs; please contact me if interested in adding participants. Please also plan for an administrator to join us. This work will directly inform your 2026–27 school design plan and provide practical tools to strengthen attendance efforts.

More information to follow—for now, please mark your calendar.

2. ELL/Multilingual Services (From Liza):  (FYI)

Hello admin teams! I wanted to inform you about a change in ELPA test scores this school year, per ODE:

• There is a new ELPA score called “Early Proficient.” 
• “Early Proficient” means the student scored very close to proficient, so they may be able to exit English Language Learner (ELL) status.
• Next steps: Language Specialists will connect with the families of students who have scored “Early Proficient” and set up meetings to discuss their options during their case management periods. See the attached family flyer.
• The decision must be made by a parent, guardian, or by the student themselves if they are an adult (18 yrs. or older).  All forms are due by June 11, 2026. 

Your Language Specialist will be connecting with you on this new process.  If you have additional questions, please reach out to me directly. Happy to support!  -Liza

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From Gabe:

Here is the weekly: April 20th-24th, 2026

HS Administrators Only

In regards to the Karen Mapp training on May 21, the administrator in your school who oversees attendance is required to attend. I will send them an invite to the training.

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 28: AP LA Rubric collaboration and decision making teams meeting 8:00

April 30: AP LA Rubric collaboration and decision making teams meeting 8:00

May 1: HS Principal Connection @ BSHS in Perseverance Hall 8-10

May 1: 8th Grade LA CDA Meeting

May 4: IB/AP LA CDA Meeting

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 Kelly Schmidt for correctly identifying the blog image this week.  The worlds largest prairie dog in South Dakota!

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:

To Do

Save the Date:

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 23^rd 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. 

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From ODE:

Here is a link to info on a variety of Youth Advisory Councils. Please share with students.

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From Rodger Moore in Operations:

Here is a one page guideline about who is responsible for costs when it comes to repairs and improvements.

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From Gabe:

Here is the weekly agenda for Athletics and Activities. April13th-April 17th, 2026

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From Jess in Counseling:

School Program Updates

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From Sara in Student Services:

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:

To Do

Principals:

Thank you for updating your staffing plans and the FTE sheet so all information is accurate!

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Scheduling student listening sessions:

Stephen and Katie would like to meet with a group of students at each of your schools to collect feedback regarding SBGI. This can be your principal’s student advisory group or perhaps your student leadership. Please work with your level leader to get something scheduled for May.

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From Triz:

Evaluation Process:

Hope you all continue to cruise through your evaluation process and have experienced some relief in getting all the steps complete.  Just a friendly reminder that we need to have files dropped into your provided Google Files as well as the workbooks for HR to have access.  If you are having any issues with the sheet, please remember to reach out to Jessica Lamay or me.

We should be starting the summative cycle for classified staff, so if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.  

Thank you again for all your work on these!

Classified Eval Guide

Certified Evaluation Guide

Helpful hints about uploading to your google drives.

Linking Files:

Once you’ve dropped your files into the shared site folders  

Please be sure to link them into the correct column of your workbook. 

See steps in the samples below:

2. Click to select the file you are attaching in the workbook.
3. Click the ‘chain link’ icon to copy the link to that file -OR- Ctrl/Command+C.

2. Click on the ‘File Chip’ in the corresponding row and column for that employee/eval piece. Ctrl/Command+V -OR- Right mouse click, then click Paste, to attach the file.
3. Tab -OR- click on the file name pop-up (as above) to complete the attachment.
4. File is attached.

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Please share this opportunity with your teachers!

From: African American/Black Student Success 
To: American Indian/Alaskan Native Student Success, African American/Black Student Success, Latino/a/x & Indigenous Student Success, LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Island Student Success, Immigrant/Refugee Student Success
Date: April 3, 2026
Re: Apply Now: NHPI Student Success Advisory Group 

Apply Now: African American/Black Student Success Advisory Committee 

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) is currently seeking applicants for the African American/Black (AAB) Student Success Advisory Committee (Group). The African American/Black (AAB) Student Success Advisory Committee advises ODE on education matters affecting AAB students and families, in order to address systemic inequities experienced by AAB students, through focused investments and community partnerships that align with the AAB Student Success Plan. Application are due by Friday May 15, 2026 at 3pm. 

Position Details

• Application Deadline: Friday, May 15, 2026 at 3:00 pm 
• Applicant Eligibility: High school, college age youth and classroom teachers encouraged to apply
  • According to ORS 329.841 the Department shall form an Advisory Group consisting of individuals representing: Community members; Education Partners; and including representatives of the Department of Early Learning and Care, Youth Development Oregon, and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. 
• Meetings: Monthly 2-hour meetings (Zoom) from September-June, on the second Wednesday of the month, from 9:00am – 11:am PST; One in-person all day retreat in Salem, Fall 2026 TBD 
• Length of Service: 2 year term with the option to continue for up to 4 years total  

The role of the advisory group is to advise the department regarding the AAB Student Success Plan, grant program, and related Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs). Additionally, the department will be considering other intersectional identities, roles of applicants, and regional representation to ensure equitable and diverse representation of AAB communities in the Advisory Committee. 

How to Apply

If you are interested in learning more or applying to join the Advisory Group, please complete the Smartsheet application form linked below. The application form is due no later than Friday May 15, 2026 at 3:00pm.  

Application Form

To apply by phone call, video call, written letter, or to request translation services or accommodations, please reach out to the AABSS Student Success Coordinator at [email protected] or 971-208-0483. 

Contact Us

• Reach out to the AAB Student Success Coordinator at [email protected] with any questions regarding the Advisory Group application process.  
• Were you forwarded this message? To be directly informed of future opportunities, please subscribe to the ODE.AABSS Student Success Listserv 

Departments

From Ryan:

Next week, we’ll be sending out the complete list of each site’s Excellence in Education honoree.

Emails inviting each honoree to the recognition event will go out on Thursday, April 23.

Before that goes out, pleaes take a moment to notify their honorees directly.

We encourage you to start thinking about how you can deliver the news in a celebratory fashion – announce it at a staff meeting, share it in front of peers, or however feels right for your setting. These recognitions reflect the incredible work happening across our system, and we want the entirety of the process to feel meaningful.

The event will take place at Mountain View High School on Wednesday, May 13 from 4:30–6:30 p.m.

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From Dean:

Optional High School Resources to prevent “Look-alike” Substance Use Policy Violations

This is an optional lesson high schools can deliver through Health 1 classes or as a recorded presentation by administration for an Advisory announcement (teachers will not have enough context to deliver on their own):  “But, is it a substance use policy violation?” Lesson

If you would like additional support to deliver the lesson, please contact Dean and/or Aimee Snyder.

This is in response to emerging issue of student use of caffeine pouches, which are designed to imitate nicotine pouch use.  

We worked with our Healthy Schools partnership to make a lesson that informs students of the Student Code of Conduct and provide scenarios that are likely to be a surprise violation for students or families. 

Stayed tuned to the newsletter content for family newsletters coming soon.  

Please work with your Public Health Specialist to coordinate the roll out of this, if you choose to deliver it as an Advisory or “whole school” announcement this Spring.  We will work on adding it to the Health 1 curriculum starting next school year.

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From Kinsey – Office of Policy and Advocacy:

May Day

May Day (May 1st) celebrates the labor movement and workers’ rights, and is often recognized internationally with protests and rallies.  This year, a national “Day Without Immigrants” is also being planned on the same date.  

Locally, there are some community groups organizing strikes and community action on May 1st.  They are hoping our educators and students will participate in their May Day Strike, and have asked the district to support by facilitating student/staff absences and allowing teams of community volunteers to do service projects on our campuses as a form of the protest on that day. 

As you know, our neutrality here is important.  If you get similar requests for your school to engage in this effort, here are a few tools:

• Our response to their request—feel free to borrow any of this language;
• Our guidance on participating in protests;
• Please let us know if you believe your school will be impacted by substantial student or staff absences that Friday, so we can support you;
• Media inquiries should be directed to Communications.  

Other Dates

For your calendars: 

• April 13-24 = Student Voice Council visits to middle schools
• Thurs, April 30 = GSA Day field trip (6th-12th grades)*
• Thurs, April 30 = Life and Career Readiness Fair*
• Fri, May 1 = Asian Family Night*
• Thurs, May 14 = Latino Family Night and KínderFiesta*   *These can be found on our district Outlook Family Engagement calendar

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From Gabe:

Here is the weekly agenda for Athletics and Activities. April 6th-April 10th, 2026

Calendar

April 14: HS Admin WS 9-11 @ RHS

April 14: MS Walkthroughs @ PCMS

April 15: END Session 2:30-4:00!

April 17: HS Principal Connection 8-10 @ BTA

April 23: MS Horizontal 3-5 @ Pacific Crest

Where in the World

Congratulations to Dan Curfew for correctly identifying the satellite image of Chicago.  Fun fact, did you know that in 1900 Chicago reversed the flow of the Chicago river to prevent pollution from flowing into Lake Michigan?

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:

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?