August 24, 2023

It sure doesn’t cost much to make people feel a sense of belonging!

New Certified Training Day: New Certified Staff Orientation will take place Monday, August 28^th at North Star Elementary. Breakfast service will begin at 7:30 and it would be great to have as many admin there as possible before 7:30 to welcome our new hires and create a positive and supportive atmosphere. Even if you don’t have any new hires!

The program will begin at 8:00 with a welcome address from Steve Cook, to be followed by each site introducing their new staff members (name and position) to the whole group. Following the introductions, our new hires will go into breakout groups for the duration of the morning, and admin can clear out.

It is a full day for our new hires; following the breakout sessions, they have a BEA-sponsored lunch and then finish their day in trainings specific to their roles.

From Julie

• DIBELS: Here is the 23-24 DIBELS Schedule. Training will be on Friday, Sept. 8 from 7:30-10:30 in the Boardroom for anyone (certified or classified) giving the DIBELS benchmark assessments and/or progress monitoring. This will be designed for both experienced and inexperienced folks: PLEASE SIGN UP HERE so I know who to communicate information to & so I can provide enough materials at the training. Please reach out to Lindsley Gehrig with any questions or clarifications!

• Coaching: Here are the Instructional Coaching Assignments for this year. When setting your coach up for success, please consider:
  • Include in the staff picture (the Brady Bunch thing)
  • Provide a mailbox
  • Provide keys to building and alarm codes
  • Copy codes
  • Office space if possible
  • Email list

• 8/30 Professional Learning Day: Here are the Admin Assignments for 8/30 Professional Learning Day. Additionally, here is the List of 3-5 Teachers who need to take HD Word Plus on 8/30.  If not on this list, we assume teacher took the training in April and has completed the requirement. If that is the case, those 3-5 teachers can use that block of training time this day for planning. This link lists where everyone should go, including your specialists.
• Unfortunately, because our entire district is training this day, we are unable to provide food or snacks for these events. I know that certain building leaders are considering having something for staff on this day. You can do this, but please be thoughtful as to which team you are paired with. If one school got snacks and the other at the same building did not, that wouldn’t feel really great. During launch week it is likely that you are providing snacks/food during other days or times too. Take all of this into consideration when or if you choose to provide something additional for your team.

From Skip re: Seesaw: Be on the lookout tomorrow for an email from Skip about the district purchase of Seesaw for all classrooms, students, and families K-5. Seesaw is a platform for student and family engagement and communication (may be that solution to “texting” families you are looking for!). His email will be a heads up to you about this opportunity and what you can do to support it’s use for teachers wanting to jump right in.

Classified Calendars: This is the link to the calendar we went over on Monday.

From Safety: Please review the Safe Oregon Point of Contact Roster that was sent out by the safety department on 8/21/23 to ensure your contact information is correct. Please also ensure you have the Safe Oregon Tip Line number saved in your cell phones so that you know it is the tip center when they attempt to contact you. Safe Oregon Tip Center (844) 472-3367.

If you would like to receive text alert notifications when the district puts out information about incidents taking place at schools (i.e. a school goes into Lockdown), please sign up through our district website for the BLConnect text messages.

Task Force Update: The team has been working on a video regarding some of the task force messaging that you all have already heard during our launch. The hope remains to have this to building leaders on Monday so you can share it with your teams. As described, you should plan to have this take about 10 minutes. Lora did get it confirmed that it will be sent to us on Monday, so we will send it out to you as soon as we get it.

Important Information from Central Oregon FAN: Being that we have several new team-members, we wanted to refresh everyone on the role and function of FAN advocates. HERE one-page summary about these amazing supports for our families.

From Dana re: our FAN: Thank you for your patience as I work to staff FAN. HERE you will find the name of the Advocate assigned to your school.  Two positions are in the process of being hired.  One Advocate is out on leave. Based on changing demographics in our district, some assignments have been modified to better meet the needs of our students and families. Supervision of our McKinney-Vento program will be transitioning to Kinsey Martin this year. Please reach out if you have any questions

From Tami Pike: OHA/ODE SMILE AND HEALTHY GROWTH SURVEY- If you receive communication regarding having your school participate in the OHA/ODE Smile and Healthy Growth Survey, please let Tami Pike know.

From Jackie Mueller, Sustainability Coordinator: Please share the Sustainability Overview with all incoming staff. This document will give staff and overview of why sustainability is important in Bend-La Pine Schools as we start the school year. BLS is striving to have a school wide Sustainability Advisor in each school to work with Green Teams. Details will be coming soon, but please check with staff to see if there is any interest in this position. If you would like to stay informed on Sustainability in BLS, bookmark the Sustainability blog for resources and education ideas.

A few of the 22-23 accomplishments:

• Green Teams working on Food waste reduction through Love Food Not Waste
• Cafeteria commercial composting at 9 schools and silverware at 16 schools
• Vanpool in place at Three Rivers
• 14 schools certified as Oregon Green Schools
• Earth Day celebration at Miller Elementary School
• BLS involvement in Climate Teach-in day
• Year 6 of the Strategic Energy Management program – $56,000 in energy milestones and savings
• Sustainability goals embedded in the District Design Standards
• Grant for reusable dishware kits for schools – to be used for in-class celebrations and staff celebrations – to get one for your school email [email protected]
• 400+ students involved in BLS Green Teams

From Jennifer Hauth: Several of you of reached to partner and ask questions about welcoming your new school counselors to your building. Jess and I have put together a brief overview of a comprehensive school counseling model and considerations when collaborating and planning the school counseling program at your school site. A .5 school counselor will only be able to do an abbreviated program. Depending on the needs of your school, there is an option for Tier 1 but I anticipate they will be doing more Tier 2 (small groups, individual short-term/skill building sessions, family engagement, collaboration and consolation). All counselors are responders when students are in crisis and can do suicide risk screens and safety plan. However, SSCs and school psychs are also trained and this duty should be shared.

All new counselors have school counseling mentors assigned to them and Jess Calbreath is serving as our district lead counselor. She will be running our monthly PLCs as well as all professional development.

New to Sharezies: Jessica and Dan shared their MTSS calendar and Ben shared his slidedeck about the 5 Voices. Additionally, Nichole shared her Marten Memo, Patrick shared a check-out form, Tim shared his Three Rivers family letter, and I put in an example of a CORE Effectiveness slidedeck. Thanks everyone for sharing the wealth and if anyone has come up with a better name for this tool, I’m all ears!

Sexual Abuse training offered by PACE: Child sexual abuse is a pervasive societal problem that requires ongoing conversations. Learn about child abuse statistics, the grooming process and how to identify a predator in educational settings. Head into the new school year with a baseline understanding of how to prevent sexual abuse and bring your questions! There is a current training planned for Aug. 31 at 12:00 pm. If you are interested, you can sign up HERE. McKenzie Nix is a great resource and she can come to talk to staff or do trainings during the year. Email [email protected]. 

Red Rover: You likely received an e-mail from Red Rover regarding your new account. Below are some basic training videos that may be helpful to learn more. Remember, no office maa

• Red Rover Basics for Employees
• Time Tracking for Employees

Student Services Info: Below are the documents we discussed on Monday. HERE is a link to watch the SB 819 presentation. 

• Student Services Information
• Inclusion Foundations
• SB 819

From the Office of DEI: Who is our school’s Latino Family Liaison?

Family Liaison team hiring has been ongoing since last spring–getting closer!  Liaisons’ school assignments should be ready as soon as hiring is complete, by end of next week at the latest.  Thank you for your patience—I know you need this information yesterday.

In the meantime, please use Linguist Link to request interpreters for back-to-school events like Open House.  You can also request an interpreter to come to your office for a couple hours to make phone calls, etc.  (Make sure you submit translation requests ASAP for all welcome-back newsletters and invitations to your events.) 

If you need more immediate support, there are various tools available for language access.  If you need a Family Liaison for a specific family support situation beyond interpretation, please contact the Welcome Center (x6820 or [email protected]).  If you have other questions, reach out to Kinsey. 

Also from the Office of DEI: ICCL liaison to LEAD/equity work: By next Thurs Aug 31, please submit here the name of your ICCL team member who will serve as the liaison/representative between your building’s leadership team and the district’s LEAD/equity work.  Some context and FAQ on this ask are available here—if you or your ICCL have additional questions not addressed there, please reach out to Kinsey. 

Lastly from Office of DEI: September Tier I equity and inclusion strategies:

1. Menstrual Dignity Act: When your staff teaches behavior expectations in different areas of the building this fall, be sure to explicitly teach the purpose and expectations for use of the menstrual products and dispensers in the bathrooms.  Basic talking points and additional resources here.  Also be sure that school tours include mentioning where and how all students can access gender-neutral bathrooms and expectations for behavior in those spaces.  
2. Classroom practices: Share with teachers: Our district equity coaches can help teams walk through Menstrual Dignity Act, Bias Incident Lesson (more on this soon), or other sensitive topics.  Reach out to the team!  Additional tips and strategies available on the LEAD website.

UKG Info: HERE is a one-pager in order to change a time-leave request for a prior period time sheet. Most of you need to do this for two time periods in July to mark all the non-contract time you took in July. Thanks Nichole!

August 9th Launch: Pretty please share your feedback about our launch for ES this year. We have only 6 responses and we want to make sure that we gather your ideas before it feels like it was a year ago (we might already be there). Thanks in advance.

Forefront Information: Here are a few resources that will be helpful to School Psychologists, Learning Specialists, Administrators, and Interventionists:

• New Reporting Suite

• Using Forefront to run Data meetings webinar on 9/13 – if you can’t go, but register, they will send you the recording afterwards.

From IT: Please encourage your teaching staff to check out the “Teacher Hub” located in the Staff Portal Quick Links.   This is your one stop resource shop for all new and returning teachers.   

Call to Action from Deschutes County: Oregon Health Authority recently notified us that the state is seeing an uptick in younger youth suicides (ages 14 and younger).  While the number of overall youth suicide deaths has not changed from the year prior, this change in our younger population is concerning. 

We are sharing this information with you to place emphasis for those serving students, grades 4 to 9, to be vigilant in watching for warning signs and to follow your school’s protocols/Adi’s Act when they see signs for suicide risk.  We want to encourage our school districts to continue to support school staff and ensure they are receiving suicide prevention/intervention trainings as we move into this coming school year.

We have the benefit of knowing how diligent you all have been when it comes to this state-level call to action and we encourage each district to carry on with your district’s policies and protocols when it comes to suicide prevention.  Below are some key reminders to help support each of your districts and schools in order to help keep a vigilant eye, steps to take, and the resources available. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Warning Signs

• Verbally (directly/indirectly) stating they do not want to be here, are burdensome, etc.
• Indirect verbal example for younger ages: “I want to go to sleep and never wake up”
• Direct verbal example for younger ages: “I want to die”
• Giving away prized possessions
• Examples for younger ages: giving away Pokemon cards they historically have cherished or a stuffed animal
• Shifts in mood, affect, academics, socialization
• More warning signs, including risk factors, can be found here.

*** If we see any of these warning signs, follow your school district’s Adi’s Act. Each sign should be taken seriously.***

Resources Available

• First Step App (see attachment)
• YouthLine: 877-968-8491 or text “teen2teen” to 83983
• 988: available via call or text for both English and Spanish, 24/7
• Deschutes County Crisis Line: 541-322-7500 ext. 9
• Click here for the Deschutes County Local Mental Health Resource Page

Looking for an Artist? Arts for Learning Northwest is an organization that may be of interest to you or your team. This program has a variety of art programs available to support schools. Take a look!

Important Dates!

• August 28, 7:30 am: New Teacher Orientation Day at North Star Elementary (until about 9 for administrators and a full day for new staff)
• August 29 8:30-9:30+ District Virtual Welcome Back Event (see Scott’s notes above about the enthusiasm around it.
• August 30, all day: Districtwide Wayfinder and Really Great Reading Training for all
• September 6, first day of school! It is a full Wednesday.
• September 11-22, first round of partnered site visits will happen these two weeks. Scheduling will come later, but you can expect they will be sometime between 8:00-11:30.
• September 13, First School Improvement Wednesday (SIW). Early release at 12:45.

and finally….