Category Archives: Uncategorized

January 15, 2026

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From Tammy and Karen

High rates of Youth Truth participation make a big difference in the quality of the information we receive and helps us to better design school programs to increase belonging and success in our schools. We saw this fun sign at Juniper and thought it was a great way to keep families focused on Youth Truth! During my stop at LaPine Elementary today, I found Megan giving out Rice Krispie treats to kids whose families completed the survey. What fun and creative ideas do you have to encourage families to fill out the survey?

As principals, you play a critical role in helping families see why YouthTruth matters. When you encourage parent participation, you reinforce that family voice is not only welcomed but essential to our improvement work. Thank you for helping elevate family voice so we can respond thoughtfully!

Please share the following with all your kindergarten staff:   Head Start, a preschool organization that we often partner with, and support is gearing up for transitioning families for kindergarten this next fall with an event in February.  They are looking for several kindergarten teachers to come be part of the event. More information here. We would encourage your participation to the extent you are interested and able and will be compensating up to 10 kindergarten teachers for 2 hours of your hourly salary to participate in the event. If interested, please fill out these two questions by the end of January.  Thanks for your support of the class of 2039!  

Important Links

Notes from our Team: 

From Ryan in Human Resources

Quick heads-up as you plan ahead:
Please hold Wednesday, May 13th, 4:30–6:30, for our annual Excellence in Education celebration at Mountain View High School, immediately following our Admin PD (also at Mountain View).

For those of you newer to BLS, this is one of the most meaningful events on our calendar and is a chance for us, as a community, to celebrate employees who have gone above and beyond this year through leadership, innovation, outstanding practice, and true service above self.

Each school and department is expected to have at least one Administrator or Supervisor in attendance to help celebrate your honoree(s). Your presence really matters. For many of our employees, this is a rare and powerful moment of recognition, and it means even more when it’s shared with the leaders who know their work best.

More details and the nomination forms are coming soon. For now, please make sure this time May 13th is protected on your calendar.

Thanks for the culture of appreciation you help create across our district, let Ryan Kelling know if you have any questions.

From Triz in Human Resources

Principals & Supervisors –

Here at BLS we aspire to place the best teachers possible in front of students, and as such we want to be very deliberate in renewing third-year Probationary/Temporary status teachers.  The primary means for removing underperforming Probationary/Temporary staff members before they reach Contract status is non-renewal of their contracts prior to the end of the third year of probation; once a teacher attains Contact status, separation of a deficient performer from the district becomes a much more labor-intensive process.

Per the 25-26 Full Evaluation Resource Guide sent out with your Evaluation Google file this fall, HR Leadership had requested that you notify us by November 1st regarding any third-year Probationary/Temporary certified staff with whom you had concerns and that no later than December 5, 2025, you would have met with and notified an third-year staff member of concern that they were being placed on Support Strategies.

*****Deadlines For Non-Renewal of Third Year Probationary Teacher****        

Timeline

No later than November 1st: 

  • Notify HR Leadership regarding any third-year Probationary/Temporary certified staff about whom you have concerns with
  • Met with and notified those staff members that they are being placed on Focused Performance Review (~3 weeks)

No later than December 5th

  • Met with and notified third-year staff member of concern that they are being placed on Support Strategies (4-6 weeks)
  • Communicate with HR Leadership and BEA President Sarah Barclay regarding your concerns about these staff members

If you have not moved anyone to Support Strategies, you must reach out to us immediately so we can determine whether it is possible to meet the required timelines.  Should you have any questions/concerns regarding these steps, please contact me [email protected] to discuss further.

******Please remember our change in practice for Temporary 3 certified staff.  We now require all Probationary 3 practices for renewal/non-renewal for Temporary 3 certified staff. When you write a letter of support for a Temporary 3 staff member, then you are obligating your school to employ this person for the 2026/27 school year and beyond*********

If you have taken the necessary measures with a third-year Probationary/Temporary staff member that you don’t believe should be granted Contract status, we are at the point beyond which you will be able to meet deadlines to non-renew that teacher.

Those of you with third-year Probationary/Temporary certified staff being recommended for Contract status you will need to generate letters of support for each one. The School Board wants each of us to be able to articulate the specific reasons any third-year Probationary/Temporary teacher should move to Contract status, and they take time to read every letter you prepare. Please have these letters uploaded in the appropriate school folder in the google drive listed below no later than February 2, 2026. If you experience any issues with uploading your letters or accessing any of the links below, please email [email protected]. 

Complete and upload all your Renewal Recommendation letters into the appropriate school folder within this google drive.  You will find the list of probationary/temporary certified staff.

  1. Here is a draft template/sample Renewal Recommendation letter for your guidance (make as many copies of the letter as you need)
    • Be sure your letter is submitted on your school’s letterhead and has your signature prior to uploading
  2. Certified Professional Growth and Performance Manual here.
  3. Rubrics for certified staff (link)

From Kinsey – Office of Policy and Advocacy

Student-Led Protests:

Here is guidance for administrators and staff regarding how to navigate student-led protests.  Please review and share applicable portions with your staff.  This guidance is a general quick reference—for specific instances or questions, please let me know.

Home Visits:

Regarding our community engagement work: The end of the semester is a great time to drop by a home to check in on a struggling student or deliver a quick care package/item.

Too busy?  No time?  Home visits usually take 30 minutes or less.  This small investment has a significant positive impact on the student and family, and for the staff who see you modeling this level of care and community leadership.  Likely, you’ll find a home visit is more meaningful professional development than sitting in workshops talking about concepts like equity or belonging—I’m confident you’ll grow immediately as a leader after visiting a student’s home.  

Your MTSS team or counselors can recommend a student/family to visit.  Ask your Family Liaison, FAN Advocate, or ELL Specialist to go with you as needed, or ask them if you can tag along on a visit of theirs.  Additional tips here.  

From Sean in Student Services

From the Desk of April Diehl, Medicaid Program Manager:

The district will soon be sending an email to families requesting that they complete a Medicaid Parental Consent form. This consent allows the district to access Medicaid reimbursement for eligible services, and your help in sharing this information ensures families are aware of the email and its importance.

Please share the following message to families in your weekly newsletter:

Families will soon receive an email from Bend-La Pine Schools requesting completion of the one-time Medicaid Parental Consent form. The district is asking every family to respond, whether or not your child is covered by Medicaid. Families who have already completed the consent will not be emailed. This form allows the district to access Medicaid reimbursement for certain health-related services provided at school. Completing the form does not affect your child’s benefits or services in any way. Please watch for the email and take a moment to complete the form when it arrives. Thank you!

From Scott and Kayla in Safety

We have locked in two dates & times for our admin to do a tour of KIDS Center. Sign up for a KIDS Center Tour here.

From Sara in Student Services:

As we begin to establish a consistent MTSS process for Bend-La Pine Schools, we want to hear from you about what’s working and what the challenges are currently. We would love to set up a 30 minute meeting with you and relevant members of your team to learn more about what you do. 

We are hoping to have gathered input from all schools by the middle of February. Could you please take a look at this attached spreadsheet and sign up for a time that works for you.

From Garra in Nutrition Services

Around the World Wednesdays: Tell your students to pack their appetite and passport! Bend-La Pine Schools Nutrition Services is taking students on a flavor tour throughout southeast Asia. On Wednesdays beginning February 6, school communities will have the opportunity to explore a new country through a special lunch crafted by our own Executive Chef TJ Bennett. For this journey, no plane ticket is required! 

Nutrition services have created a passport for each elementary student. We will deliver these booklets to the schools by 1/28. We are asking schools to distribute these to the students by 2/4; the promotion begins on 2/6 and ends 3/11. Students will hold on to their passport through our six weeks of culinary travel. Each Wednesday when a student selects the new highlighted special, they will receive a sticker to place in their passports. The sticker represents their passport getting stamped for “traveling with their taste buds” to the highlighted country that day. At the end of the promotion, students will have the opportunity to vote on which item was their favorite and where their taste buds would like to go next. 

From Katie Legace – Executive Director Secondary Programs

High Schools have several “Phone Caddies” that are available for free for your school! If you have any interest in these, reach out to your nearest High School and let them know how many you want!

Action Items

  • Share Head Start information with Kindergarten Teachers
  • Encourage Youth Truth participation and share any good ideas (or visit here to get ideas)
  • Mark May 13th on your calendar for Excellence in Education Celebration
  • Share Medicaid message (from Sean) in parent newsletters
  • Be on the lookout for the Passports from Nutrition Services and share with teachers
  • Sign up for a tour of the Kids Center
  • Sign up for a time to meet with Student Services about MTSS needs
  • Carefully read Triz’s instructions for Probationary 3 teachers
  • Let your local high school know if you want any of their phone caddies!

Important Dates

  • January 13: Horizontal Meeting 3:00 – 4:30 at Highland Elementary
  • January 19: Martin Luther King Jr Day – No School
  • January 20: PLCs 1 and 2 from 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 21: Educator Network Day
  • January 27: PLCs 3 and 4 from 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 28: All Admin PD 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 30: Progress Reports – No school for students
  • February 3: Horizontal Meeting 3:00 – 4:30
  • February 10: PLC Meetings – all groups 3:00 – 4:30

And finally… Congratulations to our Next Duck Drawing winner Patrick Flanagan!

Patrick Flanagan has spent much of his career in Bend-La Pine Schools and currently serves as the principal of Ponderosa Elementary. Before that, he was the principal at La Pine Elementary and earlier taught at Juniper Elementary, giving him BLS experience at both the classroom and school-leadership levels. Outside of work, Patrick is an outdoor sportsman who enjoys spending time in Central Oregon’s playgrounds! Family is an important part of his life, and he values time with his wife—who is also a BLS teacher—their children, and grandchildren. Patrick is known for approaching problems from different angles and often brings creative, outside-the-box thinking to his work. He enjoys the challenge of finding practical, uncommon solutions and contributing ideas that help move things forward. Congratulations Patrick – let us know your drink of choice and we will deliver!

January 8, 2026

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From Tammy and Karen

Who doesn’t want a new year filled with endless opportunities for growth and success? May you embrace each opportunity with reckless abandon and joy!

The blogs prior to break were leaner than most, so please read this one carefully, as it has more content and there are many important things for you to share with your staffs that are timely. You play a very important role in communication with the staff and there are several things you will need to communicate.

By the end of the day tomorrow (Friday), Karen and I will be reaching out to about 4-6 of you, who we will task to lead the January 28, All Admin PD at Perseverance Hall, just like the last meeting that was facilitated by our Middle School colleagues. When we reach out, we will let you know the chapters of the book, and the date/time of an initial planning session with us. What an opportunity to grow and share !

There are also several other leadership opportunities we want to highlight and call out from the notes below:

  • the opportunity to strengthen our belonging and dignity work by participating in an upcoming visit to Bethlehem Inn
  • the privilege of getting ready to celebrate black history month
  • the importance of calling 8888 for any kind of help (safety, maintenance, etc.)

Important Links

Notes from our Team: 

From Julie: Curriculum and Instruction

Please communicate this information with your staff as soon as possible.

Progress Reports – IT is finishing them this week and they will be sent to translation.  They are not live yet. Do not enter any data until January 15th or you might lose your data.  The deadline for having all progress reports finished is at the latest 2/6.  

Progress Report Updates and Changes 

  1. Characteristics of a Learner has switched from M=Met, SM=Somewhat Met etc…TO 1-4 scale like the rest of the progress report
  2. Characteristics of Learner is now based on priority standards for your grade which are directly linked to Wayfinder and ODE standards.  Here are the priorities and rubrics. 
  3. Slight changes to wording in mathematics in K-2, 3-5 remains the same as previous years
  4. Amplify-Forefront-Synergy Data Flow
    • Only End of Unit assessments will automatically transfer from Amplify to Forefront to Synergy- all other assessments will need to be entered into Forefront manually
    • Data will be migrated from Amplify-Forefront-Synergy 1x per week until January 12th
    • 1/13-1/20 Kerry Morton (YOU ARE THE BEST) will upload the data each day.  Please not there is a 1-2 day delay as the data migrates from Forefront to Synergy
  5. EL-Forefront-Synergy-  This project is delayed but should be available by End of Year progress reports
    • If you have data in Forefront for EL, and you teach 3rd-5th, you can print handouts to see final calculations of scores.  Here are the directions: Using Forefront Handouts Sample below:
  1. Remember Forefront is available for entering EL assessments.
  2. Here is the folder for Progress Report Guidelines
    • 3-5 has updated information regarding reading fluency
  3. Asset-Based Language  Resource to use for progress report comments

IMPORTANT:

ROAR is experiencing some issues in K/1. The wrong assessments are showing up.  Stanford is working on it.  Please wait until next week to start this assessment.  

K-letter, phoneme

1-phoneme, word, sentence

From Kinsey – Office of Policy and Advocacy

Community Engagement: Don’t forget about the chance to win a gift card ($25-$49.99) to places like El Sancho, Spork, downtown shops, and more!  Just a little motivation and token of appreciation for getting outside your building/office and into the community we serve.  (Bingo card here.)    

Thanks to all of you who visited The Giving Plate this fall!  (If you missed that round, it’s not too late–reach out to me.)  Our next community partner visit is in January, to the Bethlehem Inn.  Sign up here to participate.  

Black History Month: In the next few days, your Advocacy ICCL representative will share with your staff some opportunities for recognizing Black History Month and honoring our Black students, colleagues, and community members–including our fourth annual Inspiring Displays Contest.  Last year, over 18 community agencies and partners voted on the amazing contest submissions—more info here.  

When that message comes through, please reiterate it with your staff.  This will A) honor the leadership of your Advocacy ICCL rep, and B) show your staff that you care about this topic as a leader and want your school engaged.  Here’s a draft communication you can edit or copy/paste into your staff blog, or you can simply reference the message your Advocacy ICCL rep will have recently sent.

From Colleen in Student Services

As we continue to strengthen inclusive, student-centered practices across our schools, we encourage you to become more familiar with the role of school-based Occupational Therapists (OTs). OTs are key partners in supporting student access, regulation, and participation in learning and daily school routines. Reviewing the attached document will provide helpful context on how OTs support students, staff, and school-wide systems.

For full details on OT roles and responsibilities, please refer to the Bend-La Pine Schools Occupational Therapist Essential Roles and Responsibilities document. Not sure who your building’s Occupational Therapist is? Click [HERE] to find your assigned OT.

From Scott and Kayla in Safety

We have updated our 8888-emergency phone document for schools to show which district level leaders receive the phone calls. I’ve linked the updated document, and it can also be found in our Safety Google Drive – here. 

As we are coming back off winter break, would you please send this document and link out in your weekly blogs as a reminder on when and how to use the 8888 phone number for any safety/emergency related issues at schools.

Safety Cadre: We are working with Kids Center to provide a training for our fourth Safety Cadre meeting. Kids Center has graciously offered to facilitate tours of their site for our admin who are interested. If you are interested in a brief pre-training tour (multiple times will be available), please reach out to Kayla Martin so we can get an estimate on attendance.  

From our Central Oregon STEM HUB Partners

I hope that your new year is off to a good start. If you have not already, we would appreciate your help in sharing these survey links directly with relevant educators and others in your network.

As a reminder, the survey is designed for elementary school teachers, principals, and district superintendents. It only takes about 15 minutes to complete, and participants will receive a free coding workshop and be entered to win a $30 Amazon gift card. 

The survey links are included here:

Every response provides us with a better understanding of the current CS opportunities in elementary schools across the state. Thank you for your support!

From Sara in Student Services:

As we begin to establish a consistent MTSS process for Bend-La Pine Schools, we want to hear from you about what’s working and what the challenges are currently. We would love to set up a 30 minute meeting with you and relevant members of your team to learn more about what you do. 

Some things we’d like to find out more about when we visit with you are:

  • What MTSS meetings you currently have and what are their purposes?
  • What data do you routinely look at during each of these meetings?
  • Who attends each of these meetings?
  • What are things that are working really well? From your lens, what MUST stay as part of an MTSS process (for example, certain components of meetings, essential questions or connections, etc)
  • Are there any stuck points or gaps in the current system? (You don’t have to have a solution to this!)
  • Are there any forms or collection tools that are working especially well that you could share?
  • Any other feedback you have

We are hoping to have gathered input from all schools by the middle of February. Could you please take a look at this attached spreadsheet and sign up for a time that works for you.

Action Items

  • Communicate the information from Julie to your staff
  • Sign up for a Bethlehem Inn visit
  • Meet with your Advocacy Coach to plan for Black History Month
  • Get to know you OT
  • Review the 8888 document
  • Let Kayla know if you want to tour the Kids Center
  • Share STEM HUB survey with staff
  • Sign up for a time to meet with Student Services about MTSS needs

Important Dates

  • January 13: Horizontal Meeting 3:00 – 4:30 at Highland Elementary
  • January 19: Martin Luther King Jr Day – No School
  • January 20: PLCs 1 and 2 from 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 21: Educator Network Day
  • January 27: PLCs 3 and 4 from 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 28: All Admin PD 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 30: Progress Reports – No school for students

And finally… Congratulations to our Next Duck Drawing winner Brian Raber!

Brian Raber is in his first year as Assistant Principal at Elk Meadow and is in his third year with Bend-La Pine Schools. He hails from the great state of California, where prior to stepping into building leadership, he was a Special Education teacher. Brian prides himself in supporting caring classroom communities through the use of community circles, to strengthen the community as well as a tool for repair when harm has been caused. Have nothing to do on a Friday night? You should catch one of our local Central Oregon high school basketball games! You just might catch Referee Raber on the courts trying to help maintain peace and order on the hardwoods as well. Need a pickleball partner–he’s your guy! Congratulations Brian! Let us know your beverage of choice and we will deliver!

December 18, 2025

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Happy First Day of Winter this Weekend! I do love the Solstice!

From Tammy and Karen

As we wrap up the final blog of the year and head into winter break, I’m feeling grateful and hopeful. This season has been full of hard work, laughter, collaboration, and countless moments of care and connection that make a difference every day.

Winter break is a chance to pause, rest, and enjoy the simple things. We hope it brings you warmth, joy, and time to recharge. Thank you for all you do, and wishing you a peaceful break and a bright start to the new year ahead.

Over the Break, Tammy and Karen will be working the first part of next week. From Christmas Day through January 2, Tammy will be out of the country, so please reach out to Karen with any urgent concerns. Enjoy any travel or fun plans you might have and we look forward to sharing stories in January!

Important Links

Notes from our Team: 

From Kinsey – Office of Policy and Advocacy

Community Engagement: Don’t forget about the chance to win a gift card ($25-$49.99) to places like El Sancho, Spork, downtown shops, and more!  Just a little motivation and token of appreciation for getting outside your building/office and into the community we serve.  

All you have to do: Join your colleagues for quick tours of local service providers, tag along with your family liaison or FAN advocate on a home visit to check on a student, and continue the school-specific efforts you’re already doing.  (Bingo card here)    

Thanks to all of you who visited The Giving Plate this fall!  (If you missed that round, it’s not too late–reach out to me.)  Our next community partner visit is in January, to the Bethlehem Inn.  Sign up here to participate.  

From Dave VanLoo–School Improvement

Here is a brief resource to help administrators with YouthTruth implementation. YouthTruth goes live on January 5. Contact Dave VanLoo with any questions about YouthTruth surveys.

YouthTruth January 2026 Admin One-Page Sheet

Action Items

  • Check out the Special EDge blog this week for the first Campus Kudos featuring Silver Rail and RE Jewell! Review the calendar for your school’s turn!
  • Sign up for a visit to Bethlehem Inn
  • Get ready for Youth Truth! How will you get more staff and families to take it this year?
  • Enjoy your last day with students and have fun on your break!

Important Dates

  • December 22 – Jan 2: Winter Break
  • January 13: Horizontal Meeting 3:00 – 4:30 at Highland Elementary
  • January 19: Martin Luther King Jr Day – No School
  • January 20: PLCs 1 and 2 from 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 21: Educator Network Day
  • January 27: PLCs 3 and 4 from 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 28: All Admin PD 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 30: Progress Reports – No school for students

And finally… Congratulations to our Next Duck Drawing winner Lybe Hawkins!

Lybe Hawkins brings both deep experience and joyful curiosity to her role as principal of Silver Rail Elementary. She has spent 22 years serving Bend-La Pine Schools, teaching at LaPine Elementary and Ensworth, supporting students and administrators at Lava Ridge, and now leading Silver Rail for the past four years. Lybe is known for her fun, adventurous spirit and her genuine love of the world around her. When she’s not at school, you’ll likely find her in the garden, out with her two fuzzy and adorable dogs, Clyde and Charlie, or binoculars in hand embracing her self-described role as a “Bird Nerd,” always on the lookout for her next feathered friend. Congratulations Lybe, we look forward to bringing you a hot drink in January – hopefully on a snowy day!

December 11, 2025

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From Tammy and Karen

What is with the weather here these days? Today my phone said it will be in the 60’s on Saturday! Karen is back from Minnesota and is really missing the white stuff, so bring it on! Nothing like a little snow to get us geared up for the upcoming winter break. One can hope..

Just a reminder that our All Admin PD will be at Aspen Hall and will start promptly at 3:00. Don’t forget to read chapters 6-8 (through page 99) in our Leading with Dignity book. It is also a seasonal celebration as well, so there will be fancy snacks! Come ready to spread cheer with your colleagues and friends!

Important Links

Notes from our Team:

From Sean Reinhart, Student Services

25-26 Child Count Data

Please click the link below to look at this year’s child count data, as well as our historical trends.  Overall, we are up about 40 students total with IEPs.  With the overall decrease in enrollment, that puts the district at 12.5% of students receiving special education services.  

25-25 Special Education Census Data

As a reminder, December 1 of each school year is the day that we report the total number of students with IEPs in BLS.  This is the number that ODE uses to base our funding for the following year.  School districts get a “second ADM weight” for each student with and IEP up to 11% of the district population.  BLS is currently at 12.5%.  

From Kinsey – Office of Policy and Advocacy

Cell phone/personal device usage: As we approach the policy shift that prohibits personal devices effective January, please remind teachers to review the IEPs, 504s, and Individual Health Plans of students in their class, and/or check in with Learning Specialists, to be clear on which students have documented permission to use their personal devices.  This info should also be noted in Substitute Folders.  

This will help reduce 1) the number of false claims by students saying they have a medical ‘need’ for their phone, and 2) repeated corrections or consequences for students who do need them but who frequently get reprimanded for usage that is actually permissible.  

Immigration: Check that you have the ICE guidance (linked and highlighted in this document) printed and posted near your front-entry/reception window for the staff who greet visitors.  This is also a good point to refresh yourself on the procedures expected of you and your team. 

If you become aware of immigration activity in the community that has impacted a student or family, please: 1) be extremely mindful of confidentiality, privacy, and professional boundaries—do notshare this information unless absolutely necessary, 2) take care of yourself and your emotions so you can take care of others , 3) refer the student or family to appropriate resources (your family liaison, our newcomer counselor specialist George, school counselor, FAN, etc), 4) let me know if you have a need I can support, resource- or policy-wise.  Thank you for your calm, compassionate, and steady leadership as these tough things continue impacting our community.    

From Kim Crabtree, Transportation

 Admin, please note that local field trips will be a “drop and return” for our bus drivers. They will not be staying on site to wait during the trip. If there is an emergency, please contact our office and we will return early. This information was provided to all office managers in August, but lately, our bus drivers are getting quite a bit of pushback from teaching staff.

We appreciate your understanding. Thank you!

From Jennifer Hauth-Student Well Being

Jess Calbreath, Amberlee Solito, and I presented at the Oregon State School Counseling Meeting this week on Bend La Pine’s journey to implementing a Comprehensive School Counseling Program. Please take a look at the slide deck that outlines our implementation journey over the last four years. Also, check out our elementary school counseling video (2 Minutes) that was shared at the Board meeting. For the first time in a long time, we have an elementary school counselor at every school!


At our Elementary School Counselor shared SIW PLC this week, they shares that they will be starting Sources of Strength presentations in January. The parent letter needs to go out two weeks before the classroom presentations. Slide Deck

From Student Services Coach Haley Gembarowski

Student Services is introducing a new process we are going to be using to boost morale and include more positivity and celebration in our weekly Special EDge Blog.

We will be starting Campus Kudos, a section of the blog highlighting two schools per week and celebrating ways that the school’s Student Services team has been working to promote inclusion, belonging for students, and working as a team to support each other. We will NOT be celebrating individual staff members in this process but really would like to make the focus be upon the entire team. Everyone deserves to be celebrated because they are doing hard work! 

So here is our ask: Please fill out the linked form when you feel you have seen something from your school team that is worthy of celebration, particularly things around inclusion, belonging, and teamwork. This can be a running record, and does not need to be filled out ONLY when it is time in the schedule for a particular school to be celebrated. 

HERE IS THE FORM

HERE IS THE TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR WHEN SCHOOLS WILL BE CELEBRATED (subject to change if we need to shift things around for more time to gather input)

Thank you all! We are excited to start celebrating your school teams and all of the hard work they are doing!

From Dave VanLoo–School Improvement

Here is a brief resource to help administrators with YouthTruth implementation. YouthTruth goes live on January 5. Contact Dave VanLoo with any questions about YouthTruth surveys.

YouthTruth January 2026 Admin One-Page Sheet

Action Items

  • Read Chapter 6-8 (through page 99) in our Dignity book for All Admin PD on Wednesday
  • Review ICE guidance with office staff and be extremely confidential with information
  • Review with teachers that when they go on a local field trip, the bus will drop and go
  • Watch the elementary counseling video–several cameos by amazing people!
  • Get the Sources of Strength Parent Letter ready to be sent at least 2 weeks prior to teaching the lessons
  • Be on the look out for Campus Kudos in your Student Services Department
  • Get ready for Youth Truth! How will you get more staff and families to take it this year?

Important Dates

  • December 16: PLCs 1 and 2, from 3:00-4:30
  • December 17: All Admin PD 3:00 – 4:30 pm at Aspen Hall
  • December 22 – Jan 2: Winter Break
  • January 13: Horizontal Meeting 3:00 – 4:30 at Highland Elementary
  • January 19: Martin Luther King Jr Day – No School
  • January 20: PLCs 1 and 2 from 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 21: Educator Network Day
  • January 27: PLCs 3 and 4 from 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 28: All Admin PD 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 30: Progress Reports – No school for students

And finally… Congratulations to our Next Duck Drawing winner Megan Silvey!

Megan Silvey is in her third year as principal at La Pine Elementary, however, she has been there a lot longer than that. Fun fact about Megan, is that she has worked in our district in Nutrition Services, as an educational assistant, a classroom teacher, an assistant principal, and now a principal! She has done it all–almost! You don’t need to talk to Megan long to know she exudes a passion for serving students and creating systems and environments where all students can succeed. Megan is also a proud mom to two grown daughters who are living their best lives as a registered nurse and a high school FFA teacher, and a proud wife to Randy, who loves a good laugh with Megan. We celebrate you Megan! Let us know what your drink of choice is and we will get it delivered!

December 4, 2025

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From Tammy and Karen

This week (which has been especially “interesting”) I’ve been reminded that the greatest gift we have in our work is each other. Every day, we lean on the collective wisdom, creativity, support, and generosity of our colleagues, and it is this spirit of collaboration that turns challenges into possibilities. When we share ideas, step in for one another, ask thoughtful questions, or simply listen with care, we create a community where everyone can thrive. Our individual strengths are powerful on their own, but together they become something extraordinary—something that lifts our schools, our students, and our shared purpose. Thank you for the many ways you show up for one another; your collaborative spirit is the heartbeat of our success.

Important Links

Notes from our Team:

From Julie Richards, Director of Elementary Curriculum

Please share with staff:

Subject: Maintaining Strong Instructional Routines as We Approach Winter Break

As we move into the final three weeks before winter break, we want to thank you for your continued dedication to high-quality instruction and for the warmth, creativity, and care you bring into your classrooms during this season.

These last weeks before break are a critical window for student learning, particularly in reading and mathematics, where consistent, uninterrupted instructional time has a meaningful impact on student growth. Strong routines, clear expectations, and protected instructional minutes help ensure that students continue to make progress right up to the final day.

We fully support engaging, fun, and meaningful seasonal activities and projects that are inclusive of all students and reflect the diverse traditions, backgrounds, and experiences in our school community. At the same time, we ask that core daily routines for reading and math remain intact and that instructional minutes in these areas are not reduced or replaced. When possible, consider ways to integrate literacy, math, and content standards into projects and celebrations, allowing students to learn while engaging in seasonal fun.

Your ability to balance joy with purpose is one of your greatest strengths. By maintaining consistent instructional routines alongside engaging and inclusive activities, we ensure our students continue to thrive academically while feeling valued and connected during this time of year.

Thank you for your professionalism, intentional planning, and commitment to maximizing every learning minute for our students.

From Kayla Martin, Safety

Thank you all for your attendance and participation at our second cadre meeting! Here is the link to the Cadre and Student Services slides. 

A few pieces of information that were discussed: 

  • Here is the Health & Safety POC Roster- The best place to start when fielding your safety concerns. 
  • Want to revoke visitation privileges? Start here.
  • Holiday party refresher
    • Volunteer: Helping with the party by providing a service or supporting supervision (Ex: helping students build gingerbread houses in the hallway) 
    • Visitor: Attending the party!
  • Provide feedback  here!!

From Kinsey – Office of Policy and Advocacy

Policy Training: Here is the slide with links to the policies we discussed via scenarios at your recent horizontal meetings.  Let me know if you have an issue related to one of these scenarios or policies that you’d like to discuss.  

Bias/Complaint Response Template: As a reminder, most of our complaint policies require that you communicate your investigation findings in writing.  This can often be an informal email format (for a bias incident between students, or a straightforward complaint where you’ve been communicating frequently with the parent or employee already), and other times a more formal findings document.  

In either case, there are certain points you need to include in that written conclusion of the investigation (ex: your conclusion, how to appeal, etc).  Here is a template you can download and use.  It’s geared toward bias incidents and a formal format, but you can adapt and use pieces as desired.  If this is overwhelming or unhelpful, disregard.  I’m always happy to review a draft email or findings document to check it against policy considerations before you send it, if helpful for you!

From Dave VanLoo – Director of School Improvement

Here are links to use for documenting OSAS testing opt-outs and exemptions in 2025-26. These forms are like what we have used in the past and are needed for cleaning up data at the end of the school year. Opt-outs apply only to ELA and Math testing; anything else follows ODE’s exemption process.

ELA & Math:  https://forms.gle/PJL18GBVXBrtZHT7A

Science & ELPA: https://forms.gle/VvvQoTtdz8hYFKfw5

In addition, principals and VPs can view students added to the opt-out and exemption forms at these links. These links contain data for all schools, but schools can filter their own students to help plan and manage testing.

2025-26 OSAS ELA & Math Opt Out Tracking Form (Responses)

2025-26 OSAS Science & ELPA Exemption Tracker (Responses)

Let Dave VanLoo or Stephanie Bent know if you have any questions or need other staff added to the response spreadsheets. 

From Tami Pike – Director of Health Services

Health Services Support During School-Sponsored Activities

Please ensure that parents/guardians of students who require specialized health services (e.g., diabetes management, seizure support, adrenal insufficiency care) are informed that the school nurse must receive at least two weeks’ notice before any school-sponsored activity that occurs outside of regular school hours (such as dances, movie nights, or Robotics events). This advance notice is necessary to arrange appropriate health supports.

For overnight trips, a request should be submitted by the parent/guardian at least four weeks’ in advance of the event to allow sufficient time for planning and coordination.

Parents/guardians can submit a request for health services support here (English/Spanish).

This guideline does not apply to athletic events or classroom field trips, as those requests must be submitted by the coach or teacher using the Request for Direct Care Nursing Services form.

PPE  Our post-COVID PPE supply is running low, and we are currently out of medium-disposable gloves. Prior to COVID, schools were responsible for purchasing their own gloves for general use, and we will be returning to that practice. The remaining PPE items listed below will not be replenished once they are gone.

Current inventory available through Distribution:

  • Small disposable gloves
  • Large disposable gloves
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Disposable masks

Well Child Exams. Please share in your school newsletters. English/Spanish

Action Items

  • Prepare for our PLC meetings in the next two weeks by revisiting the notes, thinking about your problem of practice, collecting any data or helpful resources, and be ready to set goals for outcomes and for your individual and collective learning. You can access notes and slides for the next meeting here.
  • Share information with staff regarding teaching expectations for the month of December
  • Share Well Child Exam info in school newsletters: English/Spanish
  • Check out the Bias Incident Response Template from Kinsey
  • Use the forms provided by Dave VanLoo to document opt outs from testing

Important Dates

  • December 9: PLCs 3 and 4, from 3:00-4:30
  • December 16: PLCs 1 and 2, from 3:00-4:30
  • December 17: All Admin PD 3:00 – 4:30 pm at Aspen Hall
  • December 22 – Jan 2: Winter Break
  • January 13: Horizontal Meeting 3:00 – 4:30 at Highland Elementary
  • January 19: Martin Luther King Jr Day – No School
  • January 20: PLCs 1 and 2 from 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 21: Educator Network Day
  • January 27: PLCs 3 and 4 from 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 28: All Admin PD 3:00 – 4:30
  • January 30: Progress Reports – No school for students

And finally… Congratulations to our Next Duck Drawing winner Lynne Tat!

Lynne Tat is in her second year as Assistant Principal at North Star. Prior to that, she was a counselor at High Desert Middle School for many years and a District Equity Coach. Her roots in elementary school go way back though, as she started out her career as an elementary teacher in Pendleton. She is the proud mother of Hannah, a member of the Wolfpack at Caldera and Brady, who is a High Desert Diamondback. Throughout the year, you can find Lynne cheering on her kids in sports, or husband Ban, as the coach. Lynne brings a passion for creating school environments in which all students, families, and staff are seen, welcomed, and appreciated as valuable members of a community. Thanks for all you do Lynne! Let us know what your beverage of choice is and we will bring it your way!

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.

October 30, 2025

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Happy Halloween!!

From Tammy and Karen

As we wrap up a long week of parent-teacher conferences (and the loooong days that you put in), we want to take a moment to express deep gratitude for the time, energy, and heart you’ve poured into building strong partnerships with families. These conversations strengthen the bridge between home and school—and your commitment shines through in every one of them. As we head into the long weekend, we hope you’ll take time to rest, recharge, eat too much candy, and enjoy a well-deserved break!

Please take a moment to sign up for the next round of Site Visits! For November, we will be doing a “Gratitude Tour!” We want to hear about all of the things you are grateful for at your school!

Important Links

Notes from our Team:

From Kinsey -Advocacy, Policy, and Equity

SNAP Benefits and our Community – FYI: 

As you may have seen, the anticipated federal shutdown is expected to disrupt SNAP benefits beginning in November. Many families in our community may experience reduced access to food for an unknown period of time. Local food banks are already reporting strain as they prepare to absorb the increased need.

We will share resources and reminders of local food services in the next Family Spotlight.  In the meantime, please feel free to 1) print, distribute, and share these bilingual food resource lists with all families and with your staff (Bend, South County, Redmond), 2) if you feel moved, consider donating time, funds, or other support to any of these local services (you can easily google any of their websites and find the Donation button 🙂), and 3) if your PTA or Booster Club wants to support food access, encourage them to support these local services.  

For those who visited the Giving Plate for our Community Engagement Bingo activity this week, thank you.  Your presence meant a lot to their over-stretched team, now more than ever.  (Missed it but want to visit and count that Bingo square?  Contact me!) 

MAC Survey – Action Needed: 

With the SNAP food assistance program being frozen and our students being impacted, this is a great time to remember just how critical our FAN Advocates are for our community.  Your participation in the MAC Survey process (completing your training ASAP, claiming time on the survey day in mid-November) brings in funds that pay for FAN Advocate positions, so that we have folks on staff who can help families navigate.  Thank you for prioritizing this!  Contact your FAN Advocate if you have questions.  

From Paul Dean in Operations

Work Order Submission Best Practices

When submitting a work order that requires greater visibility at your site, please include @[insert principal’s email], @[insert custodian’s email], and @[insert office manager’s email] in the comment section of the request. Doing so will:

  • Ensure that key staff are aware of the request, helping to reduce duplicate work orders.
  • Allow all recipients to receive automatic updates as the work order progresses.

To help our maintenance staff be better prepared and efficient:

  • Provide as much detail as possible in the Description/Summary section. This information helps staff bring the right tools and materials and may prevent multiple trips.
  • When possible, attach photos showing the repair issue. Photos help clarify the request and document the condition of the area needing repair.

From Jennifer in Student Well Being

College and Career Day: 

It’s that time of year again. November 20th is College and Career Day in Bend-La Pine Schools. As with last year, we are looking to draw attention to the multitude of pathways available to students after they graduate high school. This is a K-12 day! We want all students to be dreaming about what options they have after they leave our schools.  
 
Here are a few things you could do at your site to make the day a success.  It would be great if classrooms or advisories could look to do something for just 10-15 minutes this day.
Dress as a professional
Encourage students and staff to dress up as someone from a career they are interested in.  Remember there are a lot of great careers out there!
Wear college colors
Encourage students to wear the colors of a favorite college.  Remember, college can mean community college, trade school, 4-year university, etc.  Be careful with wording here as college brand clothing can be expensive and prevent students from feeling like they can participate.  Colors are more inclusionary.  
Consider incorporating videos or lessons bringing awareness to careers and colleges. 
Our 6-12 sites could lean into some of the activities in SchooLinks.  All secondary students have required activities to complete through BLS School Counseling curriculum and to complete their Educational Plan and Profile, so this would be a perfect opportunity to complete one of these required activities.  Consider onboarding 6th and 9th grade students on this day if you haven’t already done so.  Students are required to take a “Find your Path” assessment when first logging in that will jumpstart the college and career exploration process.
Comprehensive School Counseling Program and Lessons could be completed this week: High School and Middle School 
Wayfinder also has some great resources, especially their integration with Roadtrip Nation and their Future Ready Collection K-12. For middle school, these have been added for the week of November 17th as potential advisory lessons in our scope and sequence.
Here is a great website from the State of Oregon called Career Journeys.  There are amazing short videos, lesson plans and other activities any teacher could do.
Also available is the Career Connected Learning Central Oregon website which allows exploration of career paths close to home.
Consider inviting parents from the community in to talk about their careers.  
This could be done in a variety of ways from advisory to lunch opportunities.  You could also ask parents to submit a short video of them talking about their jobs and stitch them together for students.  Remember our visitor and volunteer requirements if you decide to invite parents into schools.
 
We hope you’ll join in the celebration.  Please send pictures of your participation to Becca Burda.  

Wayfinder data Available:
Wayfinder Waypoints data from the summative assessment is now available for your MTSS meetings. I will work with elementary admin on Tuesday, November 4th to go over how to use it. High and middle school admin leads, I will meet with you all in our smaller teams in the next two weeks. Reach out with any questions. Elementary and Middle school Counselors will be trained on Wednesday, November 5th during shared SIW. We are still working to schedule time with high school counselors.

From Lindsley – Elementary Literacy Coach

I am putting the following in the TLC blog- it is specific to 2nd grade but if you see cursive taking instructional priority in other grade levels at your school, you could use the same questions to get alignment through your building.

2nd grade RGR Handwriting – recommend sticking with print through the end of the program

  • At about unit 13, it will shift to cursive. I recommend continuing to do the lessons for all the rich sentence-level grammar, but continue with print (could use this paper)
    • Why no cursive? Ask yourself and your teams these questions.
      • What standard supports cursive instruction? 
      • Are your students all fluent with print yet?
      • Unless your class is at 100% reading at benchmark, how could the additional time it takes to learn cursive be spent teaching them to read?
        • If they are at 100%, which technology would better serve students today- typing fluency or cursive fluency?

Action Items

  • Consider printing and distributing information about food resources to your community!
  • Review Paul Dean’s tips for submitting work orders
  • Start thinking about celebrating College and Career Day on November 20th.
  • Bring computers to November 4th Horizontal meetings so we can look at Wayfinder Data together.
  • Don’t forget Daylight Savings Time ends on November 2, 2025!

Important Dates

  • October 31: No School and School Improvement Plans are due today.
  • November 4: Horizontal Meeting 3:00 – 4:30 at the Board Room
  • 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 Stephanie Jensen!

Stephanie is the Assistant Principal at Buckingham Elementary! She has been a leader with BLS for 10 years. Prior to that she worked at Sisters School District as a Reading Teacher and ELD teacher, which means she has a vast knowledge of instructional strategies and she is passionate about ensuring kids have everything they need to feel a sense of belonging. She believes in the Power of Moments, and likes to create experiences for teachers, kids, and families that are meaningful and memorable. She is always on the go, literally– she even has a treadmill under her desk so she can keep up the steps after the kids are gone! Congrats to a great leader, teacher, and mom! Stephanie, let us know your drink of choice!

October 23, 2025

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What is that you ask?

Vector trainings of course! Elementary leaders as of 1:30 today still have 63 Vector trainings to complete (4 of you still have all 10!) If you did not get a celebration text from Tammy today that you are done, please log into your system and get them done, as some of you still have 1 that was assigned later hanging out there. Have you checked your staff completion rate lately? Please do that as well and poke those who are not done to get ‘er done. Thank you for prioritizing this as important and urgent.

From Tammy and Karen

Keep this in mind, as you move about your year. We know this is the hard season for a lot of reasons, but even on the hardest of days, there are small steps and celebrations you are making forward, which are going to take you places!

As we head into conference week, we just wanted to wish you all an amazing time connecting with families, staff, and catching up with yourself, because we know that pile called “to do during conference days” is getting big! Let us know if there is anything we can do to support!

Important Links

Notes from our Team:

From Julie in Curriculum and Instruction

Winter/Spring DIBELS schedule

From Ryan in Human Resources

To support consistency across schools and ensure appropriate use of substitute coverage, guidelines outlining expectations by role classification for the 2025–26 school year have been developed.

These guidelines can be accessed here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X5QnwsfOyZIeS2UlkhPjl3EbIDWMXSPvkg_mPJUYIgA/edit?usp=sharing

Please review and share with office staff and others responsible for approving or entering substitute requests. These guidelines reinforce responsible staffing decisions while maintaining operational continuity and student support.

From Jennifer in Student Well Being

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow, October 25 is the last day for grades 3-5 Waypoints fall assessments. The K-2 Waypoints are open until November 21.

From Dave VanLoo in Teaching and Learning

ODE requires schools to report OSAS results to parents annually. Individual student reports (ISR) with ELA, Math, and Science scores from spring 2025 testing have been loaded into Synergy.  Here is a folder with brief instructions for staff, parents, and students to access OSAS state test scores in a variety of ways in Synergy. All users can view and download the one-page ISR that ODE creates each year. Teachers also can view lists of prior year OSAS scores for their classes in TeacherVue. Whether Spanish ISRs are loaded for a student is based on the ‘resolved’ language in Synergy. Schools should be prepared to print an ISR for any parent who requests it and may continue to print ISRs as makes sense. Teachers who want to use ISRs at conferences can quickly pull them up in real time and display them on any screens that are available to them.

From Michelle Rhoads in Transportation:

We’re excited to announce 2025 Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on November 14. This special event is an opportunity to celebrate Ruby’s courage by walking to school and  is the perfect opportunity to teach students about the Civil Rights Movement and connections to collective efforts for change.

The history of Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day: On November 14, 1960, Ruby Bridges bravely integrated William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. In May 2018, a group of fifth graders from Martin Elementary School in South San Francisco, California, learned about Ruby and asked their school board to pass a resolution making November 14 Ruby Bridges Day. This day honors Ruby’s historic role in advancing civil rights and serves as a reminder of the importance of equality, justice, and education for all children. Communities across the country participate in this event to recognize Ruby’s courage and to inspire future generations to continue her legacy. Here is a video about Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. Here is a link to the Ruby Bridges Foundation.

Your school is encouraged to promote this special day in meaningful ways. Here are some ideas on how to participate, found on the Oregon Safe Routes to School website. English Bingo Below, Spanish Bingo Below.

For information on how to participate in this event, please contact Michelle Rhoads, Bend – La Pine Schools Active Transportation Coordinator, [email protected] , phone 541-355-5721.

Action Items

  • Get your Winter and Spring DIBELS dates on your main calendars
  • Review Substitute guidelines and share with office staff
  • Review with your 4-5 grade teachers how to get OSAS scores for conferences and print for parents if requested
  • What is your plan to celebrate Ruby Bridges Day? Don’t have one and want to celebrate? Check out the resources and call Michelle Rhoads for some inspiration and help.

Important Dates

  • October 29: Teacher work day (8 hrs)   Conf. (4 hrs.) Admin will have a ½ day Amplify training on this date. (Half in the morning and half in afternoon–check your calendar invite)
  • October 30: Parent Teacher Conferences, 7:15-7:15
  • October 31: No School and School Improvement Plans are due today.
  • November 4: Horizontal Meeting 3:00 – 4:30 at the Board Room
  • November 11: Veteran’s Day–Enjoy!
  • November 12: All Admin PD from 3:00 – 4:30 at Perseverance Hall

And finally… Congratulations to our Next Duck Drawing winner Tom Lence !

Tom is the Assistant Principal at High Lakes Elementary, where he was a teacher there prior to becoming Assistant Principal. Did you know that Tom and his wife taught in China prior to coming to Bend-La Pine Schools? Tom has also recently discovered that he likes to hunt rocks, so if you know of any good rock hounding areas, hook him up with the coordinates! He is the proud dad of two daughters and proud husband of Tami, a teacher at Silver Rail. Thanks for all you do, Tom, for the High Lakes Lynx and Bend-La Pine Families. We’ll be bringing you a beverage of your choice soon!