June 13, 2024

Almost!! Just 3ish days left!

Do Now:

  1. wrap up evaluations
  2. complete ALL Title stuff by 6/25–call Meryll or Tammy if you need help
  3. close out expenditures–remember, you can carry over up to 20%
  4. prepare staff for a smooth check-out process

Reminders:

New Notes:

From Scott and Becca in Communications: We know you’re counting down the days left in the school year but we are already hard at work on the Welcome Back program on Tuesday, August 27. This year’s virtual presentation will have a direct feed to every building! That means your school community will have a moment to stand out and shine. Throughout the program, we’ll go live to each school for 20 seconds. Find a unique way to say HELLO to all of Bend-La Pine Schools across the district. There will be prizes to the most creative greetings. Let the idea buzz around your head this summer and be ready to offer ideas to your school when you return in August.  Have a great summer!

From Kinsey in Policy, Advocacy, and Equity:

Free and Reduced Lunch. With the great news about all our schools moving to CEP status (and school-wide free lunch), we need a thoughtful game plan for supporting families in accessing the district and community benefits that come with the traditional Free and Reduced Lunch application/status specific to their family.  Our first step in this process is to identify every possible component of our system that requires a FRL application in order to access/benefit (AP exam discounts, fee waivers, etc).   Can you please do two things: 1) Add any items here that you are aware of that are directly connected to a student’s qualification for Free/Reduced Lunch, and 2) Share this with your staff so they can contribute to creating a comprehensive list.  We will use this information to coordinate alternative ways to access these benefits, and/or to enhance supports for families in submitting applications even in CEP settings.  Thank you!

Upcoming professional learning opportunities: Please see my June 11th email about professional learning opportunities.  CFEE and Taking It Up are district priorities for professional learning, so please review and register for those as applicable.  Also, encourage your ICCL team or whole staff to attend Taking It Up.  Hearing that this matters to you as their building supervisor is a big motivator in increasing participation!

From Jackie Mueller in Sustainability: Summer Energy Conservation and SOP Here is the Holiday SOP as a reminder about shutting down the schools when the last of the staff and students depart for the summer holiday. Completing building walk-throughs, we have seen high participation in closing schools over the breaks which is translating into savings. Here is an alternative reminder for staff and a checklist that can be shared.

Schools are going into unoccupied mode on June 24th. The morning purge is still active to try and get the schools down to 70 but the AC will be off. Please try to be cognizant of lighting and open windows and doors in schools to try and keep it cool.

Wonders Big Boxes: The Wonders hard back recycling boxes are being filled and your efforts and support are greatly appreciated. I will be working on a pick-up plan after the 19th. Please reach out with any questions.

Waste Stations in Cafeteria’s: Next school year, we will be sharing waste reduction efforts for the cafeterias, where all schools will have silverware and boat stacking. We are currently in the design process of creating classy waste stations. Until these are complete, the sustainability, custodial, and admin teams will work together to assist any schools that do not have systems in place at the start of the year. We will also be providing education and training for staff and students at the commencement of the 2024-2025 school year.

From Tammy and Lisa:

Cheers to the last BLOG post of the 23-24 school year! (Anything burning that you need to know right away, we’ll email!)

Please share this flier with all your new hires, so that they don’t miss any opportunities to receives some professional development that will help them get a jump start to our materials.

Our last Horizontal of the year will be from 2:00-3:30 at the Environmental Center, across from Troy Field by the Ed Center. Well be going over things to know before you go and celebrating colleagues and friends. Afterwards, we will follow up at Crux to continue the celebration.

We’ll get to tell you on the 21st, but we also want to say it here, how much we love and appreciate all of you! Getting to lead the elementary team this year has been a real gift, as we have learned with you, stretched with you, I’m sure at times confused you, and laughed with you. While Lisa will be stepping into another role this next year and won’t be with us in the same capacity on the daily, we have comfort in knowing she will be still be with us, alongside Dr. Cook, leading and championing the work to educate thriving students in Bend-La Pine Schools. If you thought this year was good, just wait…to be continued in August!

Important Dates

  • June 15-16: Juneteenth Community Celebration in Drake Park
  • June 20: 11:30 am Admin end of year celebration at Ed Center. It is a lunch for you all and some words from Dr. Cook.
  • June 21: Last Horizontal meeting/celebration of the year 2:00-3:30, at the Environmental Center, followed by some camaraderie at Crux!
  • The month of July: Rest and relaxation!!
  • August 5 and 6: K-12 Administrator District Welcome Back, Riverhouse
  • August 8: Elementary Kick-Off, location TBD, but be prepared for a full day (7:30-3:30)

And finally…

This week, we were reminded during a graduation speech by Interim Principal Zach Harju at REALMS, of an inspiring story, heard long ago, about lessons we can learn from geese. As you watch the video below, reflect on lessons you learned this year as a leader, how you supported others, who was there to lift you up, and what lessons we still want to continue to work on in 24-25 together as a flock.

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