Month: November 2025

November 20, 2025

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Tim Broadbent pauses for a photo during our Gratitude Tour!

From Tammy and Karen

This week, we wrapped up our “Gratitude Tours” at your schools, and what a gift it was to spend time with you listening, learning, and witnessing the bright spots that make our community so special. Everywhere we visited, one theme rose to the top: you show up for one another. Amid the busyness of the season, it was powerful to pause and hear you name the moments where colleagues stepped in, encouraged, supported, or simply noticed each other. The appreciation you expressed wasn’t superficial; it was heartfelt, specific, and rooted in the relationships that make our schools thrive.

Thank you for living out the values that keep our district strong. Thank you for lifting one another up, sharing kindness so freely, and choosing collaboration over isolation. Gratitude isn’t just something we talk about here, it’s something we practice, and you modeled that so clearly this month. We hope you feel as proud of your work, your teams, and each other as we do! Wishing you a restful and gratitude-filled Fall Break filled with rest and moments of joy.

Important Links

Notes from our Team:

.From Sean Reinhart, Jennifer Hauth, and Jamie Gunter: Student Support

The Student Services Team is reaching out with yearly reminders of our protocols and procedures around suicide risk and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), as required by Adi’s Act (Senate Bill 52).  We will be providing a series of updates to ensure that administrators have information on updated protocols. 

Reminder: Safe Oregon

Safe Oregon tips involving suicidal ideation or non-suicidal self-injury require follow up with your school based mental health staff (follow up screening and entry into Student Safe each time). Refer to the student services slide deck or reach out to Sean, Jamie, Scott, or Kayla. 

Reminder: Screening Staff

As per our Adi’s Act plan, staff who can risk screen and safety plan with students include school counselors, school psychologists, and student success clinicians. ASIST trained school nurses and student success staff can collaborate with their school based mental health professionals after screening on next steps in safety planning and lethal means calls home. Policy requires that a student is screened and parent/caregivers are notified the same day that a concern is noted. Same day notification to administrators is also a requirement, as is the entry of all screening information and contact details intoStudent Safe. All administrators have access to the Student Safe system, and if anyone would like a 1:1 walkthrough, please reach out.

Action Items

  • ENJOY THIS LIST WITH NO ACTION ITEMS!

Important Dates

  • November 24-28: Fall Break and Thanksgiving
  • December 2: Horizontal in the Board Room from 3:00-4:30–Cheer to follow??
  • December 9: PLCs 3 and 4, from 3:00-4:30
  • December 16: PLCs 1 and 2, from 3:00-4:30
  • December 22- Jan 2: Winter Break
  • January 13: Horizontal Meeting 3:00 – 4:30 at Highland Elementary

And finally… Congratulations to our Next Duck Drawing winner Anna Park!

Anna Park serves as the Assistant Principal at Ensworth Elementary, where her leadership is defined by heart, versatility, and an unwavering commitment to students and families. On any given day, you’ll find Anna teaching in classrooms, working directly with students, supporting families, or simply spreading joy throughout the school. She wears many hats—and wears them all well. Anna brings a radiant smile and a boundless energy that lift the entire Ensworth community. She has a beautiful gift: she truly sees people. Whether she is partnering with a teacher, listening to a student, or connecting with a family, Anna helps others feel included, safe, valued, and heard. Her presence strengthens relationships, builds trust, and creates a school environment where every person belongs. Congratulations Anna! Let us know what your beverage of choice is and we will get it delivered!

November 13, 2025

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From Tammy and Karen

One more week and we can all take a well deserved break, full of rest, family and friends, and some rejuvenation!

We are going to reschedule PLCs 1 and 2, that are scheduled for next Tuesday, the 18th, to Tuesday, December 16th. It is important that we all be able to attend the all district staff meeting , and both options take place during our PLC time that day. Until then, keep on observing your problems of practice. As a reminder, PLCs 3 and 4 are still on for Tuesday, the 9th, and we will all come together in the Board Room for Horizontal on Tuesday, the 2nd.

Important Links

Notes from our Team:

Dr. Cook and Dr. Birk to provide all-staff virtual updates Nov. 18

Superintendent Steven Cook and Deputy Superintendent Lisa Birk will host an update for all District staff on Tuesday, November 18, with two 30-minute virtual sessions:

Session 1 – 3:05 – 3:35 p.m. (LINK to join Session 1)

Session 2 – 3:50 – 4:20 p.m. (LINK to join Session 2)

They will begin by recognizing several major accomplishments and celebrations from this school year. Other updates include:

  • State and federal funding
  • Long-term enrollment projections
  • Facility updates
  • Elementary and secondary priorities

They will provide the same update at the beginning of both meetings, then answer questions sent in from staff. Attendance is optional. If you can’t join either meeting live, we plan to share recordings with you afterward.

HAVE A QUESTION FOR DR. COOK?

Use THIS LINK to submit a question for the first meeting (3:05-3:35 PM)

Use THIS LINK to submit a question for the second meeting (3:50-4:20 PM)

From Eric in Student Services

We had a Community Justice Officer from Deschutes County reach out to a school this week with the following request: 

Hello, I am _____, (Student’s) Community Justice Officer. I was wondering if I can get a copy of (Student’s) Attendance, grades, and credits. I am not sure if this is the correct email to request all three. If there is someone else, I should reach out to or if you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you.

For this specific student, we did not yet have a record of the student being on probation or an ROI to communicate with outside providers. After communicating with district legal counsel, the following was recommended as the reply to be sent to the CJO:

“We need you to provide us with a release of information or legal basis for releasing this information, such as a health or safety emergency as defined by ORS 336.187.”

If you ever get a request like this, you can also forward the requestor to me and I can work with them directly to get them needed information (as I am allowed). Thanks!

.From Jennifer Director of Student Well-Being

College and Career Day K-12

Don’t forget to promote College and Career day on November 20th! Here are some ways to celebrate.

  • Dress as a professional
  • Wear college colors
  • Consider incorporating videos or lessons bringing awareness to careers and colleges. 
  • Consider inviting parents from the community in to talk about their careers.  

We hope you’ll join in the celebration.  Please send pictures of your participation to Becca Burda.  

Elementary only:

Waypoints formative assessment for K-2 teachers closes on November 21st and will not be able to be re-opened for teachers. Please send a reminder.

Action Items

  • Choose a time and tune in to the all district staff meeting on Tuesday
  • Share information with your staff about College and Career Day next Thursday, Nov. 20
  • Make sure all your K-2 teachers have completed the Waypoints assessment before they leave for break

Important Dates

  • November 14: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
  • November 18: All District Staff meeting—see choice of times above
  • November 20: College and Career Day
  • November 24-28: Fall Break and Thanksgiving
  • December 2: Horizontal in the Board Room from 3:00-4:30–Cheer to follow??
  • December 9: PLCs 3 and 4, from 3:00-4:30
  • December 16: PLCs 1 and 2, from 3:00-4:30

And finally… Congratulations to our Next Duck Drawing winner Lorin Page!

Lorin is the Assistant Principal at Three Rivers K-8. In case you are new and don’t know who she is, we don’t often get to see Lorin as much as we would like, as she takes on more of the communication with the middle school admin team and Tim does the elementary. When Lorin in not in school, she can often be found camping, hiking, adventuring, and traveling with her husband Ray, who is a teacher at Amity Creek. Prior to Administration, She is proud of her children who she and Ray have successfully launched into the world. Lorin was a special education teacher and Student Services Coordinator and worked at Highland Magnet School prior to Three Rivers. Congratulations Lorin! Let us know what your beverage of choice is and we will get it delivered!

November 6, 2025

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From Tammy and Karen

This week we began our Gratitude Tour site visits, and they have truly been bucket-filling for everyone involved. It’s such a gift to witness and hear about the incredible things happening in your schools every day. We are deeply grateful for these moments of celebration and connection over the next couple of weeks.

As many of you know, Karen will be away next week (November 10–14) to support her parents in Minnesota as they transition to a place with additional care and support. While she may be reachable by phone at times, please don’t hesitate to contact me (Tammy) if you need anything—I’m happy to help in any way I can.

We also know that several of you are currently supporting parents or loved ones with significant medical needs. Please know that we are here to support you however we can. Most importantly, give yourself the grace and permission to care for your family first—we’ll take care of supporting your school. Hugs!

Important Links

Notes from our Team:

From Eric in Student Services

When your school is documenting a Child Abuse Report, will you please store the Child Abuse Form in the following ways:

Send a copy to Eric Powell in Student Services (Email is fine) 

The building Principal should also maintain a copy of the report. Thank you!

From Ryan in HR

Earlier this week, all Classified staff received an email announcing the opening of applications for the 2025 cohort of Bend-La Pine’s Alternative Pathways Program (APP), a district-supported opportunity for Classified employees to pursue licensure for Certified roles that offers tuition reimbursement, paid student teaching/practicum leave, and other supports as needed as they pursue their license. The announcement was also shared in the most recent edition of this week’s Staff Spotlight.

The APP focuses on hard-to-fill positions and places a particular emphasis on supporting multilingual and bilingual staff, helping us strengthen our connection to students and families while developing our future educators and leaders.

I’m asking that you all take a moment to think about who in your building or department might be a great candidate for this program, both those who have already expressed an interest in becoming licensed educators and those who may not yet see their own potential. A shoulder tap from you might be the spark that helps someone find the confidence they need to take this step.

Applications are open through December 2, 2025. If you’d like more info on the program, you can email Ryan Kelling or visit the  Employee Portal.

From Jessica Houser in Payroll

Please make sure employees at your site are aware of this important payroll update.

For the November and December payrolls, all employees will receive a paper paystub (or a live check if not enrolled in direct deposit) mailed directly to their home address on file. Payday remains the last business day of each month.

This change ensures every employee can easily access their pay information during school breaks when most staff are off-site or not connected to the district network. From now on, paystubs and paychecks will no longer be routed to school sites for pickup or distribution.

What to Know

  • All employees will automatically receive mailed paystubs in November, December, June, July, and August.
  • Employees who want paper paystubs in additional months can email Payroll to opt in. (This election resets each year.)
  • Employees can update their home address in UKG.
  • Those who need help setting up direct deposit can review the “How To” guide on the Payroll Portal or reach out to Payroll.
  • Substitute and extra-duty employees will continue to receive paper paystubs automatically every month.
  • Employees can still view electronic paystubs through Employee Online when using a district device or network connection.

Thank you for sharing this information with your teams and helping ensure every employee has consistent access to their pay details.

From Julie in Curriculum and Instruction

The mClass Math Beginning-of-Year assessment is our required benchmark assessment for math k-5.

We have noticed that not all teachers have administered this assessment yet.

Next Steps:

  1. Check Your School’s Status: Log in to Amplify.
  2. Review the Admin Reports: Navigate to the Completion Report. This report will specifically show you which teachers still need to administer the assessment.
  3. Administer Immediately: Please contact any identified teachers and ensure they administer the assessment as soon as possible.

Meeting this benchmark is crucial for informing instruction. Please prioritize completion this coming week.

From Kinsey in Policy and Advocacy

Transgender Awareness Week    -Action item-

November 13-19 is Transgender Awareness Week.  Next week your building will receive a kit with ideas and supplies for simple ways to support your transgender students or colleagues.  Please connect with your Advocacy ICCL representative (or watch your mailbox) for those kits, and encourage your staff to participate.  

Family Engagement:    -For your review (share as applicable)-

Family Liaisons: Here are our Spanish-speaking liaisons, and here are reminders on how to use their services.  We also have part-time Black/African American, Asian, and Youth Partnerships Liaisons–if you’d like to connect with one of them, let me know.

FAN Advocates: Here are reminders on their role.  Remind your staff: FAN does not coordinate Christmas gifts for families and hasn’t for over 10 years.  FAN resources are maxed out prioritizing basic needs (food, utilities, etc).  There are many community-based organizations that do support religious or holiday-based requests like Christmas gifts: Here, here, and here are a few resources.  

Concerns/celebrations: If you have concerns about your liaison or advocate (inconsistent attendance, lack of responsiveness, etc), I need to know right away.  Of course, if you have a note of appreciation or celebration about them, send me those too!

Translation/interpretation: Remember, CAFE members are not your primary resource for language services.  Also, please don’t ask them to “quickly review” your AI/Google-translated communication.  Use Linguist Link for translation/interpretation requests.  Here are reminders on differences between these services.  

Food Access and Your Parent Groups:   -For your review (share as applicable)-

In the absence of SNAP benefits for families in need, some of you have parent groups organizing to gather food and distribute it to families.  This is great, if/when boundaries are respected.  Share these talking points with your parent group, as applicable.  

Here is the link to the policy on which movies can be shown during the school day in our schools that we went over at horizontal this week. Don’t forget, PG can only be shown in 4th and 5th grades and you must use a parental permission form to get permission to show them. SWANK , our new movie site can filter movies by ratings.

Action Items

  • Make sure your office staff knows the new person to send DHS reports to
  • Do you have a classified staff member who may be a great candidate for the Pathways Program? Let them know!
  • Share the Payroll Update with your staff
  • Connect with Advocacy ICCL Rep to partner with them on sharing about Transgender Awareness Week with your staff

Important Dates

  • November 11: Veteran’s Day–Enjoy!
  • November 12: All Admin PD from 3:00 – 4:30 at Perseverance Hall
  • November 14: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
  • November 18: PLC 1 and PLC 2 Meeting Day 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
  • November 20: College and Career Day
  • November 24-28: Fall Break and Thanksgiving

And finally… Congratulations to our Next Duck Drawing winner Kimberly Sundberg!

Kimberly is the principal at High Lakes Elementary, where she is in her 5th year as principal. Prior to that, Kimberly was in the great state of Alaska, where she cut her teeth in education as a teacher and eventually a school leader. Kimberly is passionate about creating an environment where students are loved, well cared for, and have a strong sense of belonging at their school. You can feel it the moment you walk into High Lakes. You may think of Kimberly as a serious person, but don’t let her fool you, she is as funny as they come! Fun fact, Kimberly and Lisa Birk went to the same high school in Idaho. Congratulations Kimberly! Please let us know your drink of choice and we will be happy to deliver.