From Tammy
Announcement! Check your email tomorrow for an exciting announcement about our next Executive Director of Elementary Programs! I’m so excited!
Editable SIW Planning Doc: This was a request from our admin meeting last week. Here is a link to the SIW planning doc I made in Canva. Please make a copy and make it your own. Cross your fingers this works! If someone with more Canva experience than me can make it easier than this—please help!
Division 22 Requirements: Each year, the Deputy Superintendent has to submit to ODE a report stating that we meet a variety of requirements and have the evidence to back it up. There are several requirements that pertain to elementary and we need evidence to back them up. This week, we are focusing on your main schedule and where there is explicit mention of 150 minutes of PE/week. I have taken the sample schedule I shared with you and made slight changes that show what it is you need to do. You can see those here. This sample schedule shows the following:
- 75 minutes of PE+ per week using the SEL PE standards during morning circle
- 60 minutes of PE+ per week using one recess a day, 4 days per week of certified supervised and structured PE games at recess (4/5 need this to meet instructional minutes in other ways)
- 60 minutes of PE class/week
That is 45 min/week more than needed, so staff can adjust morning meeting/recess as they do already. Just make sure your main schedule shows where it would be in general. Please document on the specials block how many minutes/week PE is and for the others (recess and SEL), please put (PE+) to indicate you know the PE standards will be used here.
While it feels big, keep in mind, you are already doing it. It is the documenting of it for evidence we have to produce. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything. Many of you already shared you main schedules a while back. Because you shared live docs, I should automatically get your changes. If you did not share your schedule or don’t remember, here is the link to the folder that shows them and where you can link them to. (It’s the Admin Resources Drive—Schedules—24/25) The updates and sharing of schedules need to be done by Wednesday, Oct 9. Thanks so much!
October Site Visits: Please sign up here for an October site visit. When I send the invite it will include an agenda (spoiler alert! it will mostly be about school design plan work).
Conferences Time Frames: After consultation with BEA two years ago, we have landed on the following information regarding length of a conference. If a teacher has 25 or less students, their conferences need to be between 25-30 minutes to accommodate for transition times as needed (25 min gives time for a quick restroom break, time in case one goes longer, etc.). If a teacher has 26 or more students, their conferences can be 20 minutes, giving the teacher the ability to have a few longer ones as well as building in transition times if needed.
Important Links
- September 25th Elementary TLC Update
- Topics of Interest/Problem of Practice–list them here! (Check out what your colleagues are doing or not doing for Halloween festivities)
Notes from our Team:
Tracy Howk in Instructional Technology: Digital Citizenship week is October 14-18, an annual campaign to promote healthy, balanced, and positive approach to media and tech use among young people. Here are some handy resources.
Visit our Instructional Technology blog for more, including resources for families
Common Sense Education: Digital Citizenship lessons
Wayfinder: Digital Citizenship lessons found in Activities Library, filter to grade level
Digital Citizenship Kahoot! or search and filter to find one that best fits your needs
From Kerry Morton, Math Instructional Coach: The Math Curriculum Review Team will need to share the pros and cons of each Field Test as we progress through the year. These will probably only be 10-20 minutes depending on how many questions your staff has about each program. These are the date ranges of when the team will need some time:
November 8-22 Amplify with Desmos
December 12-January 10 StemScopes
January 31-February 7 Experience Math
From Ryan in HR: I’d like to remind you of the importance of having all staff record all absences in Red Rover, not just those requiring substitute coverage.
Please share with your teams that every absence, regardless of whether a substitute is needed, must be logged in Red Rover. This streamlined process allows clerical and administrative staff to plan efficiently for any gaps throughout the day and helps us better manage school operations.
I appreciate your attention to this small but important ask. Your support in communicating this expectation to your staff will help ensure consistency and efficiency across the board. If you have any questions or need clarification, don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your cooperation!
From Andrea in HR: We are excited to introduce Canopy, Bend-La Pine Schools new Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider!
Canopy EAP services include mental health support, counseling, behavioral coaching, digital tools, and resources to help navigate life and work – from financial coaching to gym and pet insurance discounts – Canopy’s mission is to create happier and healthier lives for employees.
Canopy services are free, confidential, and available to ALL district employees and their family members. Learn more about Canopy and how to access their services on our district’s Benefits website.
From Scott Mc in IT: Regarding the Cybersecurity Awareness Training-
First of all, thank you all for supporting our Cyber October effort. Especially for your help to promoting the Cybersecurity Awareness Training. We will have another automated message sharing the link to the training early next week. It would be very helpful if you could communicate with your buildings the 30 minutes you are setting aside for the completion of the training. Now that this training is required, it will be a module in our “Safe Schools” effort moving forward.
From the Spotlight: New advisory committees to give employees a voice in District-level discussions
In an effort to bring Bend-La Pine Schools staff and leaders together in dialogue on District initiatives, Superintendent Steven Cook is forming advisory committees for Classified, Certified, Administrative, and South County employee groups. Each District Advisory Committees will meet four times during the school year, giving employees an opportunity to be a voice for their community. The purpose of each meeting will be to:
- Hear from leadership on the state of the District, Legislative updates, District initiatives and issues before the School Board
- Have a dialogue on these issues
- Provide feedback on areas of focus
- Share current and emerging issues from the field
The advisory meetings will begin in November at the Education Center, 520 NW Wall St. in Bend. The South County committee meetings will be in La Pine. Classified Committee members will be paid for their time. Certified Committee members will be provided with a half-day substitute.
We are planning for up to 15 members per committee with representation from schools, levels, and operational groups. Depending on the number of applicants, a lottery or other selection process may be used to select committee members.
Applications are due Wednesday, October 16. Applicants will be notified on Monday, October 21. To see the meeting schedule and submit your application, please use THIS FORM.
From Jessica Houser, Business Operations Manager: This is a reminder that the deadline for submitting information regarding employees who missed work due to being in a level two or three evacuation zone between September 9th and 17th is tomorrow, Friday, October 4th at 12pm.
If you have not filled out the Google From, please do so at your earliest convenance to ensure we have all the necessary information. Your input is important for us to determine the next steps for those affected. There is no need for your employees to submit additional forms at this time. We truly appreciate your prompt response and continued support.
Action Items
- Update and share main schedules with PE documentation by 10/9
- Sign up here for October’s Site Visit
- Want to apply to be on the District Admin Advisory Team? Sign up here by 10/16
Important Dates
- October 9. PE minutes documented in main schedule due
- October 7. Advertising training in the boardroom 10:00-11:30 (at least 1 admin and Office Manager)
- October 15: Horizontal Meeting at La Pine Elementary, 3:00-5:00 (La Pine and Juniper host) Please allow extra time for travel, depending on where you are located it could take 45 min to get there. Please do your best to be on time.
- October 23: All Admin PD—more to come
- Conferences: Oct 29–3:15-7:15, Oct 30–3:15-7:15, Oct 31–7:15-3:15
- Work Day: October 30, 7:15-3:15
- October 30: Administrator EL training–all day, exact time and location TBD
- October 31: Safe School Trainings need to be done by today
- November 11: Veteran’s Day–No School
And finally…
Here is the link for the site!
