Our celebration of the graduating class of 2025 begins tonight at Caldera! Join us in celebrating our seniors!

June 5: Caldera High School @7:00pm

June 6: La Pine High School @7:00pm

June 7: Bend Senior High School @10:00am

June 7: Summit High School @2:00pm

June 7: Mountain View High School @ 6:00pm

June 9: Bend Tech Academy @7:00pm

June 10: Realms High School @7:00pm

To Do

Tomorrow is the deadline:

For you to tell us which of your teachers will be Standards Based Grading Early Adopters!

Once you know who may be moving forward in your building, please fill out this FORM.  One form per building please.  Do not send it out to staff.  Early adopters will be required to attend a two hour training during in-service week.

From Departments

Congratulations to Jess Calbreath for being recognized for her outstanding presentation at the PNACAC conference in May! She highlighted our College and Career programming work on SchooLinks and will be featured in an upcoming newsletter.

From Stephen and Katie:

Principal evaluations: Plan to have your SLGGS and self reflection completed and submitted in UKG by Friday, June 13.

Principals, you are required to have the evaluation process completed for Assistant principal evaluations completed prior to administrators leaving for the summer. Please let Stephen or me know if you need help or have questions about this.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Jennifer regarding evaluations for counselors, student support instructors and student support clinicians/coordinators:

Here are the documents that were shared in the Fall. Feel free to let me know if you need support.

School Counselors 

• People in the position
• Job Description
• Evaluation Rubric
• SLGG Goals should be tied to these for this year:
  • TIER 1 BLS School Counseling SMARTIE GOALS for 2024-25
  • Tier 2 BLS School Counseling SMARTIE GOALS for 2024-25

Student Success Coordinator/Clinician

• People in this position (Elementary, Middle and High School Tabs)
• Job Description
• Evaluation Rubric
• Goal Setting Document

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Jess and Jennifer:

Recently our counselors celebrated their achievements this year with each other as well as their building leaders. Here are the slides from those celebrations: MS and HS

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Human Resources RE: Classified Employees:

We are excited to share that the start dates for the 2025-26 school year are now available and posted on the Portal here.

Complete work calendars for all classified employees are nearly finalized and will be uploaded to the Portal as soon as they are ready; we appreciate your patience as we put the finishing touches on them.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected]

Thank you for your continued support and dedication – wishing you an enjoyable wrap-up to the end of the school year!

MS Only

Please see this document lining out our transition for removing the privlidge to attend certain events for the school year like 8^th grade celebration and extra-curriculars.  This will take effect for next year.

HS Only

From Jennifer: Wayfinder workbook orders:

If your team would like to order Wayfinder workbooks for next year, please add the numbers (if any) needed before the order is placed on June 11^th. If you are placing an order, please list the contact and address of the school for where the workbooks should be sent and make sure the numbers are all accurate by grade level as well as Spanish versions. If you have workbooks leftover from last year, please subtract those from your order number so we don’t waste books as they will be the same for next year.

If your school will not be order any workbooks for next year, please list a 0 in all of the columns so I know you have completed the spreadsheet.

Wayfinder Workbook Orders – Due June 11th

Calendar

• June 6: Standards Based Grading Early Adopters for the fall identified by school HERE
• June 10: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ Caldera HS Teachers committed to designing the careers class are invited. We will cover the cost for a 1/2 day sub!
• June 11: Wayfinder Workbook Orders DUE!
• June 12: Last Day students—half day
• June 13: Last Day staff work day
• June 16: End of the Year BLAST Luncheon @11:30 Ed Center boardroom
• June 17: Mandatory AI training. Sign up if you have not yet attended a session: AI Training
• June 17: MS and HS Administrator End of the Year wrap up. SBG focus! 8:00-11:00 @ Mountain View HS

Where in the World

This week we are highlighting Kinsey Martin, Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy and Equity. Kinsey shared, “My happy place is anywhere in the world with these two!”

Welcome Kelly Schmidt and Heather Bailey to the secondary team! Kelly will be the next principal at Cascade and Heather will be the next principal at High Desert. We are so excited to have you both join the team!

To Do

Standards Based Grading Early Adopters? We need to know…

Please work with staff to identify any early adopters of standards-based grading in Synergy for next fall.  Once you know who may be moving forward in your building, please fill out this FORM.  One form per building please.  Do not send it out to staff.  

Early adopters will be required to attend a two hour training during in-service week.

Deadline for completion is June 6th.  Please contact Stephen with any questions.

From Departments

From Human Resources

Secondary Assistant Principal Pool Now Open

We’ve officially opened our recruitment process for the Secondary Assistant Principal Pool, with separate tracks for Middle School and High School roles. While this pool currently reflects just one confirmed vacancy (resulting from Mary Thomas’ exciting move to Realms as Principal), we are still determining where the resulting opening will ultimately land.

If you’re currently in an elementary role and are interested in exploring a move to secondary – or if you’re in a secondary AP role and considering a shift – please connect with Ryan before applying to talk through how this process works and what possibilities might emerge.

Stay tuned for more updates as things evolve.

BLAST Classification and Title Change

We’re excited to share a small but meaningful update to the titles used on our BLAST salary schedule. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, we will be eliminating the Dean of Students title from the schedule and moving to a single title of Assistant Principal for all staff in these leadership roles.

What’s changing?
Only the title. The calendar days and salary schedule remain the same. This update is simply a move toward consistency and clarity across our school leadership structure.

Why the change?
The work our Deans of Students do every day is already aligned with that of Assistant Principals, and in many ways indistinguishable in terms of impact, leadership, and responsibility. This adjustment brings greater alignment to the title and the role, something we believe better reflects the incredible contributions of these team members.

We’re grateful for the leadership of all our school administrators and are excited to continue supporting this important work under a shared title. If you have any questions about the change, feel free to reach out to Ryan.

New Hiring Practices 

In the coming days, you’ll see a new Hiring Guide along with updated hiring documents available through the Administrator/Office Manager box on your UKG home screen. These tools have been developed over the past year as part of a comprehensive review of legal requirements and best practices in the hiring process.

The Hiring Guide is designed to support you in your role by providing a consistent set of expectations for all hiring actions. It reflects federal EEOC guidance, widely recognized HR standards, and our district’s commitment to equity, transparency, and excellence. Its goal is to bring clarity to each step of the hiring process and ensure that our values are reflected in every hire we make.

Going forward, the documents included in the guide will be required for all hiring actions. Requests submitted using outdated forms will be returned for correction.

Thank you for your continued partnership in aligning our practices with our shared expectations. As always, Human Resources is here to support you, whether you’re navigating a complex situation or looking for a thought partner to help strengthen your team.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Jessica Houser:

FYI: Payroll Year-End Guidance Sent to Office Managers

Last week, on May 22, the payroll team sent year-end guidance and key timeline reminders to all district office managers and timekeepers. This communication included:

• Final deadlines for timesheet and leave sheet submissions
• Year-end payroll processing notes
• Reference materials to support staff wrap-up

We wanted to ensure you’re aware of this communication, as you may see increased questions at your sites related to time and leave entry or final pay. Office managers were provided this information in advance to help prepare and guide employees.

If questions come up, the team is here to support. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected] or call (541) 355-1123.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Eric Powell:

Hello School Leaders!

As you all plan for your annual end-of-the-year activities on campus (carnivals, field days, etc.), we wanted to encourage school teams to be thinking about our students who tend to struggle during unstructured activities and events. 

Please work with your various teams on campus to identify students who may need extra scaffolding and/or supports to participate in these fun end-of-the-year events. 

Thank you all for your continued leadership and enjoy these last few weeks of school.

HS Only

Here is the 2025-26 ABC calendar for the high schools on the rotator schedule.

MS Only

Principal evaluations: I will be scheduling evaluations with principals beginning the week of June 16. Plan to have your SLGGS and self reflection completed and submitted in UKG by Friday, June 13.

Principals, you are required to have the evaluation process completed for Assistant principal evaluations completed prior to administrators leaving for the summer. Please let me know if you need help or have questions about this.

Calendar

• June 10 and June 17: Mandatory AI training. Sign up for one session! Mandatory AI Training
• May 31: HS only: Deadline by which Distracted Driving assembly or advisory lesson is completed
• June 3: MS ONLY – End of Year Horizontal/Celebration – 4:30 @ Gabe’s House
• June 6: Standards Based Grading Early Adopters for the fall identified by school HERE
• June 10: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ Caldera HS
• June 12: Last Day students—half day
• June 13: Last Day staff work day
• June 17: MS and HS Administrator End of the Year wrap up. SBG focus! 8:00-11:00 @ Mountain View HS

Where in the World

This week we are highlighting Stephen’s new happy place. He is surprising his boys with a new puppy, so shhh! Meet Griffey, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

To Do

Standards Based Grading Early Adopters? We need to know…

Please work with staff to identify any early adopters of standards-based grading in Synergy for next fall.  Once you know who may be moving forward in your building, please fill out this FORM.  One form per building please.  Do not send it out to staff.  

Early adopters will be required to attend a two hour training during in-service week.

Deadline for completion is June 6th.  Please contact Stephen with any questions.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Please Read: Research regarding math options in high school:

Check out this summary of research that supports that taking AP Statistics over AP Calculus serves most of our students better in their post secondary journey. The research is also supports our math pathways.

From Departments

From Ryan in Human Resources:

Process

• Each school (or department) will request a posting for their ICCL hires.
• The hire will be requested and processed through UKG the same as all other hires.
• One TAG ICCL has been added to all elementary and middle schools.  You will want to post this position separately so that it is clear who is applying for the TAG position.
• You can view your current ICCL allocations, who is in the position, what budget code they are paid from and any empty positions on the ICCL spreadsheet.

For those new to ICCL hiring, here are few things that will help you better understand the process

1. All ICCL positions are two-year positions.
2. If an ICCL Leader has completed their two-year term, they may apply for subsequent terms but will be subject to the hiring process.
3. Column F on the ICCL spreadsheet shows the number of district paid ICCL positions allocated to each school, and is based on student enrollment. Student enrollment cuts can be found at the very bottom of the spreadsheet.
4. If you decide to hire more ICCL members than what the district has allocated, those positions can be paid for out of your school improvement funds  This will still be a two-year contract.
5. If you have an open district-paid position and have a current ICCL that is being paid out of SIF funds, you may choose to move the SIF-paid ICCL leader into the district-paid position and collapse the SIF-paid position.  A PA will need to be submitted for the budget code change.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Paul Dean: Classroom Guidance from Maintenance & Custodial Departments

While there is no board-adopted policy that explicitly governs classroom furniture or decorations, our BLS operational practice has been to guide schools as follows:

• District-Purchased Furniture: Bend-La Pine Schools assumes responsibility for the cleaning, movement, and maintenance of furniture that has been purchased by the district.
• Staff-Purchased Furniture or Items: Any furniture or furnishings that are brought in by staff members are considered the responsibility of the staff and/or school site. This includes maintenance, movement between rooms, and cleaning as needed.

Regarding classroom decorations and wall attachments, there are fire code restrictions that must be followed. These include limits on how much and the type of material that can be affixed to walls and ceilings, as well as requirements to maintain adequate clearances and pathways for emergency egress. Decorations/furniture should not obstruct exits or create fire hazards that would impede safe evacuation in the event of an emergency.

Additionally, per OSHA safety requirements, any shelving units or storage furniture that exceed a certain height (typically 5 feet or higher) must be properly secured to walls to prevent tipping hazards. This applies to both district-owned and staff-supplied furniture and is an important consideration for student and staff safety during daily use or seismic activity.

Lastly, we ask staff to be mindful of classroom lighting. Excessive use of supplemental lighting (e.g., lamps or string lights) should be minimized, as the district is actively pursuing sustainability initiatives to reduce energy consumption and meet long-term environmental goals. Use of natural light and district-installed lighting should generally meet classroom needs.

If admin have questions about whether a particular room adheres to these requirements, you may reach out to Walt Norris or Dan Dummitt for assistance.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Eric:

Check HERE to learn about New Synergy features that have been enabled to assist school discipline staff with correcting discipline data entry errors via the new State Reporting Validation system.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Josh Marks in Student Services:

“SLP Updates

Based on the collective feedback and careful consideration, our SLP team is going to move forward with some programmatic shifts for the 25/26 school year. These shifts are designed with several key goals in mind:

·         Increase equity among our SLP team with regard to services

·         Provide additional time for collaboration

·         Enhance flexibility within our team

·         Ensure excellent service to our students and families

Here are the details of the upcoming changes:

1.    New Staffing Assignment Model: Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, we will be adjusting how staffing assignments are made for Speech-Language Pathologists. Assignments will now be made in teams. A group of schools will be assigned to a group of SLPs, allowing for more collaborative and flexible service delivery. 

2.    Elementary and Secondary Focus: Our teams will be primarily focused on either elementary or secondary levels, allowing for more specialized expertise and targeted support. There will be four Elementary teams and two secondary teams that are broken up by Middle School and High School. Lastly, please note that all of our south county schools will be part of each of these teams. 

Process 

In December the core SLP team explored data around workloads and caseloads. When looking at the data it became clear that inequities exist within our system. In addition, Student Services admin conducted 1:1 Interviews with all SLP staff that included a major theme of wanting more professional collaboration and connection with their peers. With this information a few different models of service were explored and debated. After the initial meeting 5 additional SLP’s were asked to join (which increased the group about half of the team). The new models were shared and debated until ultimately one model emerged as the top choice. Once the top choice was selected Student services admin set up 1:1 Meetings with the remaining SLP’s for input. 

Timelines

December through March – Data sharing and exploration including meeting with all SLP’s in small groups or 1:1.

April – Email sent to all SLP’s about the pending updates to service models.

May – Initial teams were shared with SLP Staff.

June – SLP Teams will divide up schools based on workload and caseload data.

June through August – Communication to schools on SLP assignments.  

As we move forward please know that our team is excited about these changes and feel they will enhance our service to schools, students and families. In addition, we believe this will lead to a more equitable, collaborative, and flexible work environment for our SLP team. With these changes services will not change or decrease at any schools. If you have any additional questions please feel free to reach out to me directly!”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Sean in Student Services:

You all have done an amazing job of getting your staff trained in CPI verbal intervention and CPI full course. 

CPI training by the numbers! ⚡

THIS YEAR: 

🎉 453 staff members have been trained in CPI verbal intervention or the full CPI course

🛺 Including 65 staff members from transportation

📚There were more than 25 training opportunities

✨ We now have 581 TOTAL staff members trained in CPI strategies

🛟 Every school has AT LEAST a 50:1 student to staff ratio of trained staff

We will offer a full course training for new staff during the August in-service week, so be on the look-out for that date. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Lisa Birk, Deputy Sup:

Hi all, On June 4th, we will be cancelling our All-Admin meeting at Aspen Hall and in the future, I will avoid graduation weeks for All-Admin meetings. 

Instead, we will be having a half-day training later in June in partnership with COREN as we bridge from our current Admin content to our learning for next year. We are working with the partners to nail down the date and will let you know as soon as possible. Thanks for your flexibility!

HS Only

Here is the 2025-26 ABC calendar for the high schools on the rotator schedule.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Principal evaluations: I will be scheduling evaluations with principals beginning the week of June 16. Plan to have your SLGGS and self reflection completed and submitted in UKG by Friday, June 13.

Principals, you are required to have the evaluation process completed for Assistant principal evaluations completed prior to administrators leaving for the summer. Please let me know if you need help or have questions about this.

Calendar

• June 10 and June 17: Mandatory AI training. Sign up for one session! Mandatory AI Training
• May 26: Memorial Day, No School
• May 27: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ Summit HS
• May 28: Perseverance Awards Ceremony 5:30 @ The Loft on Bond Street
• May 28: Dual Immersion Graduation Ceremony 5:30 @ Aspen Hall
• May 29: MS Counselor Celebrations 8:00-11:00 @ PBMS (Principals and admin who oversees counseling required to attend)
• May 31: HS only: Deadline by which Distracted Driving assembly or advisory lesson is completed
• June 6: Standards Based Grading Early Adopters for the fall identified by school HERE
• June 10: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ Caldera HS
• June 12: Last Day students—half day
• June 13: Last Day staff work day
• June 17: MS and HS Administrator End of the Year wrap up. SBG focus! 8:00-11:00 @ Mountain View HS

Where in the World

This week we are highlighting Josh Marks, Director of Student Services. Josh writes: “whether winter or summer, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family. We like to hike and backpack in the summers and ski in the winter. Keeps me grounded year around!!”

To Do:

If you haven’t already done so, start calendaring your certified and AP/Dean evaluations.

From Departments

From Ryan in HR:

Extra Duty Rosters

HR would like you to review the current and projected vacancies for any Extra Duty positions at your site. To the extent possible, it would be extremely beneficial for all involved – employees, admin, HR, Payroll – to have all year-round and fall Extra Duty positions filled before the end of the current school year. 

Please remember that all Extra Duty positions must be filled through a competitive hiring process.

To support this work, here is a link to the current allocations and rosters for each site: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wRC0hwxXUMv5R8Ni7h82rIAiKj1ElCY7QE_5pD-Qmgk/edit?usp=sharing

Please reach out to [email protected] for clarification as needed.

SafeSchools Update

Thank you SO MUCH for the quick response to the SafeSchools trainings that were outstanding or unaccounted for. It was incredible to see the quickness with which that list got smaller. The list will be updated every Monday, so please check back. 

New Blast Roles

The recruitment for  two new vacant BLAST positions has commenced. 

• We are currently recruiting for an Elementary Assistant Principal; we have two known vacancies for the 25-26 school year: one at North Star, as Lynne Tat is in that role in an Interim capacity for this school year; and one at Juniper, as Jessica Scott is taking a leave of absence for the 25-26 school year. By posting this as a pool posting, we are looking to maximize an ever-shrinking calendar. 
• Walt Norris, current Director of Custodial and Sustainability, will retire effective June 30. After a review of the current state of the Custodial Department and a review of organizational methods in other districts, a decision was made to delimit the Director of Custodial and Sustainability classification and to create a new classification, the Director of Facilities Operations, to lead the combined Custodial and Maintenance departments. This position will report to Doug Pigman, the Executive Director of Facilities and Maintenance and will begin July 1, 2025.
  

If you have any questions about these vacancies, please connect with Ryan.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Canopy, the district’s Employee Assistance Plan provider, is available to ALL employees. 
Canopy has free, confidential resources designed to help employees thrive and includes these kinds of services: 

✔ 24/7 Confidential Counseling – provides access to professional, real time, support anytime, anywhere.
✔ Personalized Coaching – offers one-on-one guidance to help you set goals and find balance.
✔ On-Demand Learning – includes webinars, tip sheets, and resources to support your mental wellness. 

Check out this flyer to learn more and find out how to access Canopy’s services.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From IT:

The Synergy grade book test environment will need to be refreshed on 6/1. Staff will not be able to play in the standards-based grade book sandbox after 5/31 until trainings begin in August.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Kinsey – Office of Policy, Advocacy, and Equity:

Summer groceries/food access:

Can you please share this in your next school newsletters (for families and for staff)?  

Need help with buying groceries for your family?  The state of Oregon offers a program that can help families with school-age children who need help with access to food while school is out for summer.  For details and to apply, see flyer: 

Summer EBT Flyer English

¿Necesita ayuda con alimentos para su familia?  El estado de Oregón ofrece un programa que ayuda a las familias con niños de edad escolar a comprar alimentos durante las vacaciones de verano.  Para más detalles y para aplicar, véase este volante:

Summer EBT Flyer Spanish

Family engagement staff:

Evaluations: I am working on summative evaluations for FAN Advocates and Family Liaisons.  You consistently engage with them and see their work in your buildings weekly–if you have any feedback to contribute to their evaluation, please send it my way or give me a call.  I appreciate your partnership and insights.

Staffing: Curious who your school’s Advocate, Liaison, or Language Specialist will be next year?  The goal is to keep these positions as stable and consistent as possible year to year, as this is key for relationships and trust with families, colleagues, and students.  Until/unless you hear otherwise, assume these roles will be filled by the same people you currently have assigned.  

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Facilities:

Grounds and Athletic Fields 

Like other departments, Maintenance is responding to budget constraints and limited staffing.  Our Outside Services Team, therefore, is adjusting our fertilization schedule to better manage available resources and align with sustainability initiatives.  

Instead of applying fertilizer during early spring (spring break), we will now fertilize in late June or early July, with an additional application for athletic fields in the fall. This change—along with scaling back from the previous 3–4 applications per year—will save the district thousands of dollars and significantly reduce water usage, which aligns with conservation efforts encouraged by both the City of Bend and the BLS.

These adjustments will also allow our crews to focus on other critical turf maintenance tasks, such as edging and weed control, which we can better manage as the grass growth slows. Rest assured, playing surfaces will remain safe and the turf healthy.

We’re also prioritizing aeration this year—something we haven’t done consistently in the past. This will have a major positive impact on the overall condition of our fields.

Finally, we are in the process of organizing a dedicated field maintenance crew and hope to bring on summer help soon to accelerate this work.

Thank you for your patience and support as we implement these changes.

• Greg Rider, Outside Service Manager

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Dean Richards:

As you get closer to the finalizing the courses that teachers will be teaching, please communicate with them about the assignments for next year. If you have staff who are leaving or entering your building, please update your synergy option set. The email that goes out to teachers in which they request curricular tools is tied to the option set. We want to make the transition to a new site as comfortable as possible. 

When you are ready to have teachers request curriculum, please send this email and cc Dean

Hello –

You will receive an email from ‘BLS Instructional Technology’ this week with the subject ‘<first name>’s Instructional Tools Requests. This email is authentic and is sent by our Instructional Technology department. Please find time before May 31 to review this email and request any instructional tools you wish to use for next year.

Beginning next week we have four weeks left for teachers to make requests. This is a tight timeline, especially for teachers teaching new courses. We need some time to engage with teachers for curricular tools that may be denied or that we need more information about before purchasing over the summer.  Please send the email as soon as possible under these difficult conditions.

Middle School Only

From Dean:

We will have a training at Pacific Crest for all Science teachers to engage in the new Science curriculum, LabAids.  These are required trainings for teachers to attend. If a teacher is teaching multiple grades, they may choose a grade level. Some teachers may choose go to more than one.  Colleen Behrens has worked with them if that is the case. Subs are paid for with curriculum dollars.

• 6^th grade, Tuesday, May 27^th
• 7^th grade, Wednesday, May 28^th
• 8^th grade, Thursday May 29^th

__________

More Science News!  

Beginning the 3^rd week of August Science materials will be delivered to your sites.  Colleen is working with the warehouse to help facilitate the delivery.  For most sites there will be 6 to 8 pallets of materials delivered. Science teachers will be paid 4 additional hours to clear out the current science materials and move new materials in at the beginning of the year.  The funding for this will come from the curriculum budget. Please send the timesheets to me for approval.  

The following email was sent to teachers from Colleen informing teachers. 

Hi Science Team,

Thank you all for taking on the important (and sometimes daunting!) task of clearing out old science materials to make room for the new LabAids equipment coming your way. I know this is overwhelming for many of you. Your effort is truly appreciated. 

Each of you will receive a total of 4 hours of additional pay at the curriculum for recycling and clearing out outdated materials and unpacking and organizing new instructional materials once they arrive.  You can choose to claim the hours this school year, next school year, or split them between the two.

LabAids materials will be delivered to your school the week of August 18. 

I’ll coordinate with Distribution and your lead building engineer to ensure pallets are delivered and unpacked smoothly. I’m also working with the high school clubs to find students to volunteer to help unpack the pallets. More details to come. 

Thank you again for your time and dedication. Please reach out with questions and concerns.

____________

The Math bypass test will be given at schools the first week of June for 6^th and 7^th grade students.  Any student may take the test. A student may self-select, a teacher may refer or a parent may refer. 

June 2^nd: LPMS

June 3^rd: Three Rivers and High Desert

June 4^th: Pilot Butte and Pacific Crest

June 5^th: Cascade and Sky View

June 6^th: Realms

High School Only

Reminder:  Please drop your communication to families about graduation in this file. Thank you to CHS and LPHS!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Dean:

We will have a mandatory training for Physics Teachers at Mountain View for teachers to engage in the new Physics curriculum, PEER Physics. The training will be Monday, May 19^th through Wednesday, May 21^st.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Comms:

Hello and happy Thursday! This is a friendly reminder that we need the Class of 2025 questionnaire completed no later than Tuesday, May 20 so we have enough time to turn around translation for the newsletter. I know these details are all coming together right now, so I appreciate your work on this. 

We look forward to sharing the celebrations!

Calendar

• May 20: Val/Sal pictures and a quick blurb about each student due to Becca and Scott M
• May 20: HS Counselor Celebrations 1:00-4:00 @ Wall Street Lab (Principals and admin who oversees counseling required to attend)
• May 20: Excellence in Education Event 4:30 @ Mountain View HS Auditorium
• May 20, June 10 and June 17: Mandatory AI training. Sign up for one session! Mandatory AI Training
• May 22: MS Horizontal – 3:00 @ Pilot Butte
• May 23: High Schools announce Val and Sal today!
• May 26: Memorial Day, No School
• May 27: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ Summit HS
• May 28: Perseverance Awards Ceremony 5:30 @ The Loft on Bond Street
• May 28: Dual Immersion Graduation Ceremony 5:30 @ Aspen Hall
• May 29: MS Counselor Celebrations 8:00-11:00 @ PBMS (Principals and admin who oversees counseling required to attend)
• May 31: HS only: Deadline by which Distracted Driving assembly or advisory lesson is completed
• June 4: All Admin PD at Aspen Hall, 3:00-4:30
• June 10: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ Caldera HS
• June 12: Last Day students—half day
• June 13: Last Day staff work day
• June 17: MS and HS Administrator End of the Year wrap up. SBG focus! 8:00-11:00 @ Mountain View HS

Where in the World?

We are highlighting

Congratulations to La Pine MS for being honored as a Wayfinder North Star School!

To Do:

From The Business Office: Friendly Reminder: Report Year-to-Date Non-Contract Time by May 11

Administrators: As we approach the end of the fiscal year, all administrators are asked to ensure that their non-contract time—from July through the current pay period—is fully reported in the system no later than May 11, the Time and Leave cutoff.

Missing or outdated entries may lead to an inaccurate display of leave balances, which can create confusion when trying to understand remaining entitlement for the year.

If you have leave to report from any prior month, not just the current pay period, please complete a leave sheet with the accurate dates of the absence. We will process prior leave entries using the same approach as current-month reporting.

To review your leave usage and remaining balances, log into Employee Online and view the bottom section of your most recent pay stub.

Thank you for your attention to this important task and for helping ensure accurate records as we close out the fiscal year.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

School Improvement Funds: April has calculated each school’s SIF funds for this year and has added the allocations to the SIF tab on the staffing plans. We will be reviewing your school improvement plans in the fall. Reach out to Katie, Stephen or April if you have any questions.  

From Departments

Reminder about Tutoring Services and companies: We do not vet or promote them.

It has come to our attention over the last couple of months that a few people are inquiring about a tutor list. We wanted to provide a refresher about the district’s practice regarding the referral of students and families to paid tutoring services.

Currently, and for the last few years, we do not maintain or update a list of tutors. We are unable to vet tutors or companies, nor should we refer families to specific paid services like tutoring.

This approach is rooted in liability concerns, as directed by the district years ago, to avoid promoting individual tutors or specific companies. Our aim is to prevent any potential complications regarding liability for both the tutoring staff and families. Additionally, we do not want to refer families to paid services due to unmet educational needs that could and should be addressed by intervention programs at our schools.

For families looking for tutoring options on their own, we encourage them to explore alternatives through online searches or by discussing with others in the community. Local tutors and companies are welcome to share their information/flier on the school’s designated public bulletin board; however, please note that we do not and should not be actively promoting their services specifically.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

BLS staff members working as private tutors or consultants outside of their work day:

BLP staff members who work as private tutors or consultants may not advertise their services or share any contact information with families or students during the school day or use district devices to do so (ie:  iPad or laptop).  This includes sharing with families or students that you provide these services

Similar to any private tutor who is not a staff member, BLS staff members who work as private tutors or consultants are welcome to share their information/flier on the school’s designated public bulletin board. Again, no staff member should be actively promoting their services specifically during the work day or using district devices.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Administrator PD in May and June: We will be meeting at Sky View MS for our May meeting and at Aspen Hall for our June meeting. Please make a note of the change.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Jennifer:

Wayfinder’s Waypoint Summative Assessment Announcement

The Wayfinder Waypoint Summative Assessment is now active! If your school has completed the Fall Summative Assessment, please ensure that both teachers and students participate in the End of the Year assessment. This assessment will measure student growth in Life and Career Readiness skills.

Instructions for Students:

·         Students can access the assessment in the Wayfinder app on their iPad under the To Do List.

The assessment will remain open until June 12th and is expected to take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Please note that it may take longer for educators to observe students in grades K-2.

After your school has finished the assessment, feel free to schedule a meeting with Jennifer to review your data dashboard and discuss goals for the upcoming year.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The End of the Year Celebration is fast approaching. We ask that the principal (for HS) and one admin that oversees counseling attend. The counselors have worked hard on their Flashlight Presentations😊

Yes, the Excellence in Education celebration is the same day at 4:30 at MVHS!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As we approach the end of the year, we would like to highlight the importance of school counselors having a retreat/planning day as part of our Comprehensive School Counseling Program (CSPC). This practice fosters collaboration, reflection, data analysis and strategic planning for the upcoming year.  

We know many of you already do this, but here are some best practices for your planning day:

• Environment: Take time away from the school building to foster review, reflection, and planning. Work with your admin to determine the when, where and how long based on the needs of your program. 
• Involvement: Invite administrators or stakeholders to join part of the session for insights and support (Admin lead of counseling, STC, Grad Coach, SSC, etc.).
• Agenda: Establish a structured agenda to ensure efficient use of time and cover all necessary topics. Think about roles and norms like facilitator, note taker, etc.
• Calendar Review: Examine the existing annual calendar for opportunities to integrate CSCP goals and activities
  • Please use the ASCA Calendar Template 
  • Example: Secondary & Elementary 
• Program Agreements: Assess how and where the BLS CSCP program agreements can be integrated into your school counseling programming
  • MS Program Agreements (Visual for Families)
  • HS Program Agreements (Visual for Families)
  • EPP
  • ES Program Agreements (in progress) 
• Data Analysis: Analyze relevant data from the current academic year to inform our goal setting and program enhancements.
  • Student Conference
  • Pre/Post 
  • Attendance, Behavior, Credit
  • SchooLinks
    • Course Planner
    • Activities
    • College Application Manager
    • Senior Survey
  • Wayfinder 
  • YouthTruth
• Goal Setting: Set clear and achievable goals for the upcoming year based on your data analysis and program priorities.  Similar to this year, school counseling programs will be expected to submit tier 1 and 2 goals next year based on data needs.
  • Tier 1 SMARTIE Goal 
  • Tier 2 SMARTIE Goal 
• Planning: Develop a plan for the beginning of the school year, including orientation activities, student outreach initiatives, and staff training sessions. 
• Task Distribution: Distribute program tasks among team members for equitable workload and maximum efficiency.
  • Example from CHS

Thank you once again for your dedication and commitment to our students and your comprehensive school counseling program.

High School only

Val and Sal Announcement: Will be made by high school principals to students and their families on Friday, May 23. Please be sure to send a photo of each student and a few sentences highlighting them to Becca and Scott Maben by May 20. Here is what the graduation edition of the family spotlight looked like last year.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Distracted Driving education: May 31 is the deadline by which Distracted Driving assembly or advisory lesson must be completed!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Process for changing diploma types:

If there is a request for a student to change their diploma type, the process happens at the school Tier 3 meeting using the Standard Diploma Consent Form that was developed last year. Steps are:

• Transcript review
• Review of Course Plan Progression/credit check for both diploma types
• Parents/guardians, administrators, student must agree with the change and sign the form
• Changes occur before the second semester of the senior year.

Calendar

• May 14: All Admin PD at Sky View Middle School, 3:00-4:30 Read Chapter 4!
• May 20: Val/Sal pictures and a quick blurb about each student due to Becca and Scott M
• May 20: HS Counselor Celebrations 1:00-4:00 @ Wall Street Lab (Principals and admin who oversees counseling required to attend)
• May 20: Excellence in Education Event 4:30 @ Mountain View HS Auditorium
• May 20, June 10 and June 17: Mandatory AI training. Sign up for one session! Mandatory AI Training
• May 22: MS Horizontal – 3:00 @ Pilot Butte
• May 23: High Schools announce Val and Sal today!
• May 26: Memorial Day, No School
• May 27: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ Summit HS
• May 28: Perseverance Awards Ceremony 5:30 @ The Loft on Bond Street
• May 28: Dual Immersion Graduation Ceremony 5:30 @ Aspen Hall
• May 29: MS Counselor Celebrations 8:00-11:00 @ PBMS (Principals and admin who oversees counseling required to attend)
• May 31: HS only: Deadline by which Distracted Driving assembly or advisory lesson is completed
• June 4: All Admin PD at Aspen Hall, 3:00-4:30
• June 10: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ Caldera HS
• June 12: Last Day students—half day
• June 13: Last Day staff work day
• June 17: MS and HS Administrator End of the Year wrap up. SBG focus! 8:00-11:00 @ Mountain View HS

Where in the World?

We are highlighting Monica Freeman, Interim Assistant Principal at Realms MS/HS, this week. Monica shares that “finding time to spend with my girl, Lucy.” 💙 is what brings her joy!

Happy National Principals Day to our building leaders! Thank you for all you do.

To Do

YouthTruth Data:

Please send a detailed explanation of when and how you shared/processed Youth Truth Data with staff, students, and families to Stephen or Katie. Be sure to include what data you included in those conversations (staff, student, family).

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Certified Appreciation Week:

Don’t forget next week is certified/teacher appreciation week. Here are some resources from Wayfinder if interested.

From Departments

From Scott in Technology:

iPad Roll-In is Coming!

As many of you know, all students will be turning in their iPads before the last day of school. Since we are transitioning to keyboard-equipped devices at all high schools, every student will receive a new or different device for the 2025–26 school year.

This will be a massive undertaking—the first time in 12 years that we are either replacing or swapping all 17,000+ student devices in a single summer.

To make this a success, we need your help:

Communicate early – Remind students to back up their work, update their devices, and locate their charging bricks and cords.

Create a school-specific plan – Connect with your IT Client Services representative to understand the process and build a plan to collect student iPads before the end of the year.

Recruit help – This is not a job for media/library staff alone. Plan to involve available staff, students, or volunteers to support the roll-in process.

I’ll be sending more detailed instructions, tips, and ideas for iPad roll-in over the coming weeks.

Thank you in advance for your support!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Ryan in Human Resources:

SafeSchools Training Update:

Next week, we will be sharing a list of employees who have not yet completed their required SafeSchools trainings with supervisors via email. 

These trainings are a critical component of our ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe environment for all students and staff. They also serve to establish a shared understanding of protocols and expectations that can be applied consistently in any situation.

Supervisors will be responsible for ensuring that all employees they supervise complete the trainings as soon as possible. These trainings may be completed during work hours. Certified employees are already compensated for this time, and Classified employees may be provided paid release time if necessary.

Looking ahead, we recognize the need to improve communication around training deadlines and will work to establish clearer expectations next year, including potential accountability measures for non-completion.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for helping reinforce our collective responsibility for school safety.

BLAST Vacancies:

The recruitment for two more vacant BLAST positions has commenced. 

We are currently recruiting for an Athletic Director/Assistant Principal at La Pine High School and for the Principal vacancy at Elk Meadow Elementary School.

The AD/AP vacancy is a result of the MOA moving these positions to the BLAST schedule. 

The Elk Meadow vacancy is due to Ben Johnston’s resignation. 

If you’d like to learn more about either vacancy, please connect with Ryan.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Kinsey – Policy, Advocacy, & Equity:

Complaint Management:

Please go into your bookmarked Complaint Dashboard and ensure each complaint submission is either resolved or actively being investigated:

• The “Resolved By School” column should say: Yes if resolved, No if still under investigation (and within the timeline for investigation and response), or Help Requested if you need support.  Click on the row for that complaint, and scroll down to change this status.
• Complete these fields for each complaint: 1) Confirmed Bias Incident (Yes, or No if not founded or if it’s a general/other complaint), 2) Response Steps, 3) Other Notes (this one’s optional).  Feel free to paste links to Google Docs, or attach documents with notes/findings/communications.  

Weekend Snack Bags:

The Giving Plate is resuming their weekend snack bag program!  As a reminder, this program provides extra snacks for students in need, to supplement food access over the weekend.  

Please note:

• Families must complete a form to qualify and begin receiving this resource.  
• FAN Advocates continue to be the point of contact for family qualification/permission forms and for snack bag distribution to students.
• If your school’s parent volunteer network has stepped in to organize snack bags during the Giving Plate’s pause in service, please let them know this program is resuming and they can phase out their coordination.  Better yet, if this is an issue your Booster Club/PTA cares about, they can volunteer with the Giving Plate as individuals or a group–that effort will directly benefit food access for students in your schools.  

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Dean in TLC

Thank you for working on the Curriculum Option Set! I know that not all schools have it completed, and I understand that there may be a delay in sending the curriculum request email due to late staffing plans.  Instructional Technology is prepared to invite teachers to make requests for next year. Before those emails are sent, I want to confirm that you have shared the current plan for what teachers will be teaching next year and the content of the email will not be a surprise to them. 

Instructional Technology would also like to have you communicate with your staff that the curriculum request emails will be arriving in their inbox.  Please cut and paste this email to your staff:

Hello –

You will receive an email from ‘BLS Instructional Technology’ this week with the subject ‘<first name>’s Instructional Tools Requests. This email is authentic and is sent by our Instructional Technology department. Please find time before May 31 to review this email and request any instructional tools you wish to use for next year.

Once you have communicated the current plan with your teachers and sent this email, please let Dean know with a quick email that you are ready for them to receive the email. 

Middle School Only

May Meetings: Time to sign up for a May visit with Stephen. Please choose a date this month for a 60 minute check in. Here is my Calendly link or you can use Outlook directly.

Calendar

• May 2: Deadline: Option Sets must be built for curriculum process
• May 7: National School Nurse Day! Show some love to your nurse this week!
• May 7: District Safety Cadre Training @ 1:30 – mandatory for all safety admin leads
• May 7: Safety Cadre Meeting, 2:00-3:30, location TBA
• May 14: All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30 Read Chapter 4!
• May 20: HS Counselor Celebrations 1:00-4:00 @ Wall Street Lab (Principals and admin who oversees counseling required to attend)
• May 20: Excellence in Education Event 4:30 @ MVHS Auditorium
• May 20, June 10 and June 17: Mandatory AI training. Sign up for one session! Mandatory AI Training
• May 22: MS Horizontal – 3:00 @ Pilot Butte
• May 26: Memorial Day, No School
• May 27: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 TBD (moved from May 20)
• May 29: MS Counselor Celebrations 8:00-11:00 @ PBMS (Principals and admin who oversees counseling required to attend)
• May 31: HS only: Deadline by which Distracted Driving assembly or advisory lesson is completed
• June 4: All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30
• June 12: Last Day students—half day
• June 13: Last Day staff work day
• June 10: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ TBD

Where in the World

This week we are highlighting our wonderful TLC Accounting Specialist, April Jorgenson who identified Anini Beach on Kauai as her happy place. Beautiful!

To Do

• Check out the “do not schedule” dates from Kinsey below. Put those in your calendars now so you avoid school events on these days.
• If you haven’t already….sign up for the Mandatory AI Training

From Departments

From Scott in Communications:

On our way to brand new websites for Bend-La Pine Schools

A team from District Communications and IT have started the process of converting all our websites to a new platform for the 2025-26 school year. We have partnered with Finalsite, a leading provider of websites for schools. We are beginning this month with design for a new District site and will follow that with a new school template. We will work through the spring and summer with the goal of launching the new sites before school begins in September. If we run into issues or need to change the timeline, we can continue to use our existing sites as long as needed.

We have been talking about this change for a couple of years now, and we’re excited to be underway. The benefits include greater online security, cost savings, cleaning up and better organizing our web content, improved features for those visiting our sites, better mobile functionality, a much-improved content management system (for web editors), visual appeal, and improved accessibility for people with disabilities.

Starting next week, Scott Maben will begin reaching out to each school admin team to ask you questions about your existing website, your thoughts on your new website, and who will be your primary school website content manager in the 2025-26 school year. We also will share details on project timelines and staff training as we solidify those details.

Feel free to ask questions now or hold them for when we connect in the coming weeks.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Ryan in Human Resources:

• This note is coming to you a bit later than planned, but please join me in welcoming Sarah Westling to the building. Sarah is serving as our Certified Specialist II, supporting HR tasks and bringing valuable experience from her time in the Eugene 4J HR office. We are thrilled she chose to join us and are grateful for the contributions she’s already made to our team.

If you haven’t already, please stop by the large HR office next time you’re at the Ed Center to introduce yourself and welcome Sarah to BLS.

• The recruitment for three vacant BLAST positions has commenced. We are currently recruiting for a Director of Student Services, an Athletic Director/Assistant Principal position at Summit High School, and for the Principal vacancy at Cascade Middle School.

This Director of Student Services position comes in response to the growing scope of the department, particularly the integration of the Occupational Therapist classification that had formerly existed as a part of our local service plan with the High Desert ESD, which brings added responsibilities and oversight needs. Additionally, this position will supervise the daily operation of the Transition Co-Op program and manage the mentoring and training program for all Student Services staff. 

The Athletic Director/Assistant Principal position is a result of the latest MOA between BLS and BEA that moved the high school Athletic Driectors to the BLAST schedule prosepectively.  I’m confident that this role will help us align our co-curriculars at the secondary level with our overall vision of the student experience we’re working to provide for all students, regardless of their school. 

The Cascade Middle School Principal is to fill the vacancy created by Gabe Pagano, who accepted the offer to be the Director of District Activities and Athletics beginning July 1.

If you’d like to learn more about any of the vacancies, please connect with Ryan.

• Certificate of Insurance Reminder – It’s a busy time of year with events and travel, many of which require a Certificate of Insurance (COI)for participation. If an event your staff are planning requires a COI, please share this link and ask that they complete the form as early as possible to ensure that a certificate can be issued: Certificate of Insurance Request Form. Any questions about this form or COI’s can be directed to Andrea. 
• Clarification on Educational Assistant Responsibilities – There is a need to clarify the scope of Educational Assistant (EA) duties and ensure compliance with OAR 581-037-0015 regarding the supervision and assignment of EAs in our buildings. This message comes in response to recent timesheet entries referencing “teaching” as a task, which is not a permissible responsibility for EAs.

Educational Assistants may support instruction, but they may not provide instruction in place of a licensed teacher. Their role is strictly supportive in nature and must be carried out under the direction and supervision of a licensed educator.

Per state regulation, EAs can assist in the following ways:

• Instructional Support – Reinforcing lessons through practice activities, life skills instruction, or supplemental learning opportunities, as directed by the teacher.
• Clerical Support – Assisting with preparation of materials, duplicating, setting up classroom tools or technology.
• Student Supervision and Control – Monitoring students in various school settings.
• Personal Care, Translation/Family Engagement, and Media Center or Lab Support – As assigned.

If an EA is involved in instructional activities, these must be:

• Planned by a licensed educator
• Supervised and monitored on a regular basis
• Conducted with access to assistance and consultation

This means EAs cannot independently plan lessons, deliver new content, or be responsible for student learning outcomes.

Please ensure that all staff understand these expectations, and that any duties assigned to EAs align with the law. 

In instances where a Certified teacher is not present and no substitute is available, you may shift the EAs responsibilities from their regularly scheduled duties to supervision of a group of students. This would not be compensated, so long as the employee is already working that hour.

If you or your teams have questions about appropriate EA assignments or need support reviewing supervision plans, don’t hesitate to reach out to your level leader or HR.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Kinsey – Policy, Advocacy, & Equity:

Student Voice Council:

We’ll be honoring the departing senior representatives of the SVC at the May 13^th board meeting, in case you’d like to join (not critical, but you’re welcome) or otherwise recognize them: BSHS: Iris M, Quincy B, Taylor W; MVHS: Lindsay L; Realms: Elliot D; SHS: Alaina T, Finnegan H.

And, we are launching our recruitment for the 25-26 Student Voice Council!  Most of your schools have current members who will return to continue their term next year, but ALL of your schools will have open spaces for new representatives.  We will be promoting in a variety of ways (materials coming soon), and would love you to talk it up in your school as well (school-wide announcements, advisory, family newsletters, etc).  As you know, these students have quite the audience with our school board and public community, and have a lot to say about your schools—ensuring diverse and strong representative of your school on the SVC is critical in the positive impact this group can have.  Once we have applicants for your school, we’d love your partnership in interviewing and selecting your reps.  More to follow—for now, please help promote this with students, staff, and families.

Do Not Schedule dates:

As you start to schedule dates and events for next year, don’t forget to schedule around these dates.  Please share this with athletics, activities, counselors, office managers, parent groups, etc.  Thanks!

Interpreter requests:

As you submit requests for interpreters for end-of-year requests, please follow these tips (and share these with relevant staff):

• Submit in advance!  
• Be sure to note the event format.  Interpreters deserve to know in advance if they’re showing up to speak in front of hundreds of families!  
• Attach or paste links in Linguist Link any agendas, handouts, slides, or other materials that may be helpful for the interpreter to adequately prepare.
• If you need help thinking through efficient models of bilingual communication during a family event, please contact your Family Liaison, Language Specialist, or me.  

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Sean in Student Services: Last CPI Training of the year!

Student Services are offering one final Full CPI training this year.   As a place to start, please have any regular inclusion EAs that has not been trained register for this training.  Further, encourage any temporary inclusion EAs that intend to apply for a regular position for next school year to register for this training.  After that, look at your buildings support team and identify untrained folks that you would want trained and have them register as well. 

Training details:

• What:  CPI Training
• Date: May 6, 2025
• Time: 8-4
• Location: Pacific Crest Cornice
• Sign up in UKG

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Tami Pike:

National School Nurse Day recognizes school nurses who work to improve the health and learning of students. – Oregon School Boards Association

View the National Association of School Nurses National School Nurse Day Proclamation here.

Be sure to let your school nurse know how much you appreciate them!!

Calendar

• April 30: Deadline to share/process YouthTruth Data with staff, students and families
• May 1: HS only: HSS $ must be spent!
• May 2: Deadline: Option Sets must be built for curriculum process
• May 7: National School Nurse Day! Show some love to your nurse this week!
• May 7: District Safety Cadre Training @ 1:30 – mandatory for all safety admin leads
• May 7: Safety Cadre Meeting, 2:00-3:30, location TBA
• May 14: All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30 Read Chapter 4!
• May 20: Counselor Celebrations 1:00-4:00 @ Wall Street Lab (Principals and admin who oversees counseling required to attend)
• May 20: Excellence in Education Event 4:30 @ MVHS Auditorium
• May 20, June 10 and June 17: Mandatory AI training. Sign up for one session! Mandatory AI Training
• May 26: Memorial Day, No School
• May 27: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 TBD (moved from May 20)
• May 31: HS only: Deadline by which Distracted Driving assembly or advisory lesson is completed
• June 4: All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, 3:00-4:30
• June 12: Last Day students—half day
• June 13: Last Day staff work day
• June 10: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ TBD

Where in the World

This week we are highlighting Ryan Kelling, Executive Director of Human Resources. Ryan shared that Poipu Beach, Kauai is his happy place. “We come back every year as a family, and each time I’m reminded just how much I have to be grateful for. I’m wound pretty tight most days, but in Poipu, the noise quiets. Being with the people I love most, in a place that lets me be fully present, is enough.”

To Do

Staffing allocations and templates have been shared with principals. We will review plans with principals the week of April 21.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Reminder: Please share student, staff, and parent Youth Truth data with your stakeholders by April 30th.

From Departments

From Lisa in the Superintendent’s Office:

This year we have done a lot of work on policy and implementation discussion related to AI use in BLPS. This training is MANDATORY for all school admin and you may choose between 4 options (5/20, 6/10, 6/17). Please refer to the document below to sign up for a time. They are listed in Yellow. 

As a reminder, Optional PD opportunities are available for all. As always, if you have an interest in a specific topic, please feel free to let me know so we can work on standing up some trainings. Have a great day. -L

Mandatory AI Training

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Jennifer in Student Services:

Save the Date: Culture of Care Summer Institute is August 11th-15th. Location is TBD.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Paul in Operations:

Operations News

Please click on this Important Update On Fundraising for Capital Improvement Projects

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Dean in TLC (also emailed):

It has long been the district’s goal to have curriculum ready for teachers on the first day of their contract in August. Each year we do our best to improve our process that will allow us to meet that goal, or at least move us closer. This year we continue to need your support.  In order to move toward a more automated process for ordering instructional tools and materials specific to the courses certified staff will teach, each school will need to create an abridged option set in Synergy shortly after finalizing section allocation.

We are not requesting a full option set. Instead, we are asking you to create an option set that only contains one section per prep (for our purposes, a prep is the combination of a teacher and a course – for example, Jane Smith/Modern World History). You will not need to enter meeting days or rooms for these sections, and you will not need to enter both semesters of a yearlong course. All sections can go into period 1. Grade levels and credit do not matter. We simply need one section of a course in the option set for each person who will teach it. Please name this option set ‘Curriculum Option Set’ so that it is easily identifiable.

Last year, Mountain View did a test build of this curriculum option set based on 2023-24 section allocation, with the addition of newly approved and forecasted 2024-25 courses. At one section per teacher prep, i.e., one section of each course each person would teach, the process took just under two hours including double-checking for accuracy. Attached are brief instructions for creating the curriculum option set as quickly and easily as possible.

Building administrators have received their staff allocations. We are asking you to have your curriculum option set built by Friday, May 2. This should allow just over two weeks for building the curriculum option set. We are not asking for this option set to be 100% up to date all of the time. Even if some preps change in your final option set, the curriculum option set will be accurate enough to allow us to start ordering curriculum in May.

We realize this is an additional task at a time of year that can already feel overwhelming. Our hope is that this proves to be a fairly simple process for you. Our efforts now will better allow our secondary teachers to begin the school year as smoothly as possible, and for that we are grateful.

Please reach out to Kindra or myself if you have any questions. 

High School Only

From Jennifer in Student Services

With the academic year drawing to a close, we wanted to take a moment to share some essential reminders and updates regarding our school counseling program expectations. It’s important that these points are communicated and completed by our students.

Calendar

• April 22: HS Administrator work session 8:00-10:00 @ Realms HS
• April 23: END for all teachers
• April 22 and 23: All day training for Campus Monitors – mandatory
• April 24: MS Horizontal 3:00 – 5:00 @ Sky View
• April 30: Deadline to share/process YouthTruth Data with staff, students and families
• May 1: HS only: HSS $ must be spent!
• May 7: District Safety Cadre Training @ 1:30 – mandatory for all safety admin leads
• May 20: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ BSHS Perseverance Hall
• May 31: HS only: Deadline by which Distracted Driving assembly or advisory lesson is completed.
• June 10: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ TBD
• May 20, June 10 and June 17: Mandatory AI training. Sign up for one session! Mandatory AI Training

Where in the World

No Where in the World this week as Word Press has a bug where it isn’t allowing pictures right now. We’ll be back next week!

To Do

Staffing allocations and templates have been shared with principals. We will review plans with principals the week of April 21.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Reminder: Contract letters for licensed employees were sent to all licensed employees via UKG and must be returned no later than April 15.

From Departments

From Lisa in the Superintendent’s Office:

This year we have done a lot of work on policy and implementation discussion related to AI use in BLPS. This training is MANDATORY for all school admin and you may choose between 4 options (5/20, 6/10, 6/17). Please refer to the document below to sign up for a time. They are listed in Yellow. 

As a reminder, Optional PD opportunities are available for all. As always, if you have an interest in a specific topic, please feel free to let me know so we can work on standing up some trainings. Have a great day. -L

Mandatory AI Training

Calendar

• April 14: Personal Finance Training (required for HS teachers teaching the course) @Ed Center, Room 203 8-4.
• April 14-18: KT out of the office
• April 22: HS Administrator work session 8:00-10:00 @ Realms HS
• April 23: END for all teachers
• April 22 and 23: All day training for Campus Monitors – mandatory
• April 24: MS Horizontal 3:00 – 5:00
• April 30: Deadline to share/process YouthTruth Data with staff, students and families
• May 1: HS only: HSS $ must be spent!
• May 7: District Safety Cadre Training @ 1:30 – mandatory for all safety admin leads
• May 20: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ BSHS Perseverance Hall
• May 31: HS only: Deadline by which Distracted Driving assembly or advisory lesson is completed.
• June 10: HS Principal work session 8:00-10:00 @ TBD
• May 20, June 10 and June 17: Mandatory AI training. Sign up for one session! Mandatory AI Training

Where in the World

This week, we are highlighting Susie Alvarez Tostado, Assistant Principal at Caldera High School. Susie shared, “my happy place is traveling. Anywhere and everywhere.  This picture is from this year’s international trip to Iceland, southern coast from Reykjavik and back.”

To Do

HSS Spending: All HSS money must be spent by May 1, which is in four weeks!

From Departments

From Scott and Kayla in Safety:

Here are the Safety Cadre #3 Training Slides- Secondary from the last meeting.

Wednesday, May 7^th is our fourth and final training of the year. Safety administrators for every school are required to attend this training.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Ryan in Human Resources:

Contract letters for licensed employees were sent to all licensed employees via UKG and must be returned no later than April 15.

If you have not yet completed yours, please log in to UKG to review and submit your response as soon as possible. 

Administrators, please ensure your staff are aware of this deadline and follow up as needed – and don’t forget to return yours too!. 

If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to Candy Gelatt or [email protected]

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From BLPO

For our semester schools, next Friday, April 11^th is the last day that students with a W. For our trimester schools, the date is May 2^nd.

Senior’s last day is May 18^th. 

OSSMs are working to pull the reports and share these dates with students and counselors.

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

Emergency contacts:

We’ve learned from other districts across the country who have experienced immigration raids, or smaller-scale detention/deportation actions in their community, the importance of having up-to-date emergency contacts in Synergy for each student.  If parents/guardians suddenly become unavailable, we rely on emergency contacts–outdated information adds stress to an already traumatic situation.  

With conferences coming up, please encourage families (all families, not just those to whom the above situation might apply) to update their emergency contacts.  This might look like a station in your lobby with iPads and instructions (I’m working on getting some we can provide you), a reminder by classroom teachers, etc.  

Day of Silence:

The 2025 Day of Silence is coming up (student-led advocacy day to support the LGBTQ community).  I have asked your DEI-ICCL rep and/or GSA advisor to send a message to staff about this day, so staff are aware and know how to navigate.  

If you haven’t seen that message come out to your staff, or if you’d like to re-send it in your staff memos, please reach out to your DEI-ICCL rep.  Teachers should plan for nonverbal or written means of participation in class that day, if possible.

HS Only

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

Seal of Biliteracy (and Multiliteracy!) Cords:

In addition to purchasing the Biliteracy Seal cords like always, we’ll also be purchasing the Multiliteracy Seal cords for schools.  This is the same state award process, but designated for students who qualify in three or more languages.  We’ll get those cords (and the accompanying state-issued certificates and seals) distributed via our normal processes in May.  

You will need to add an asterisk to your grad program, delineating the Oregon State Seal of Multiliteracy and the corresponding cord (gold/white/purple), separate from the asterisk that indicates Oregon State Seal of Biliteracy (purple/silver cord).  This will impact very few students, maybe a couple each year.  

Calendar

• April 4: BLSO closes enrollment for all students on a trimester schedule.  (Exceptions can be made for graduating seniors.)
• April 8: MS and HS work session 8:00-10:00 @HDMS
• April 8: ICCL/Administrator training 4:15-6:15 @ BSHS Perseverance Hall
• April 9: All Administrator Professional Development 3:00-4:30 @ BSHS Perseverance Hall
• April 11: This is the last day for semester based students to drop a class and earn a W.  Any class kept open after April 11^th will earn a letter grade which includes a Fail. (9 weeks from the start of the semester.)
• April 14: Personal Finance Training (required for HS teachers teaching the course) @Ed Center, Room 203 8-4.
• April 14-18: KT out of the office
• April 22: HS Administrator work session 8:00-10:00 @ Realms HS
• April 23: END for all teachers
• April 22 and 23: All day training for Campus Monitors – mandatory
• April 24: MS Horizontal 3:00 – 5:00
• April 30: Deadline to share/process YouthTruth Data with staff, students and families
• May 7: District Safety Cadre Training @ 1:30 – mandatory for all safety admin leads

Where in the World

In this week’s Where in the World, we are highlighting Sean Reinhart, Executive Director of Student Services. Sean’s happy place is on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho.