From Josh Marks
Certified Special Programs Staff,
We are happy to be able to hire 6 Instructional/Curriculum Coaches within special programs. Staff in this position will receive an extra duty contract for $625 for the remainder of this school year and $1250 for next year as these are two-year positions.
It will be a 30 hour commitment for the rest of this year, and a 60 hour commitment for the whole 2021-2022 school year.
Staff who are selected to be part of this team will work with Special Programs leadership on future planning around professional development and the direction of the department. If you are interested, please submit a no more than one page essay describing why you would like to hold the position as well as one reference. Send these to Candy Gelatt in HR by February 12th. Interviews will be held after finalist are selected. To access a job description and a reference form click here.
For additional questions please feel free to reach out to me…Josh Marks
From Sean Reinhart
Dear special educators and school leaders,
Thank you for your patience as we have been looking at data and collaborating with teachers and admin to determine the best plan for serving IEPs in our new district CDL program as well as Bend – La Pine Online. You can find the guidance titled District CDL and Bend – La Pine Online Special Education Service Delivery HERE.
Also, we will add an “FAQ” section on the second page as questions come into the SPO office. Thank you and have a great day
From Special Transportation
Please review the document shared last week regarding special transportation. Here is another question and answer we have been asked recently.
Can students in grades 4 an 5 come in-person to school for special education services on asynchronous school days, such as Wednesday?
YES, on Wednesday only AND
If your site has used the same criteria provided to identify the student during LIPI AND
If the student is already routed and riding a general education bus.
The special education student will need to stay at school for the full day on Wednesday. Again, this is only for students riding general education busses.
From Shannon Watters
Howdy,
I know everyone is just jumping with excitement that it is almost Progress Report time again!!!
I’ve attached some documentation on how to access the progress report and how to utilize the “Admin Progress Report”. Progress report
Some reminders:
- Progress reports need to be done for all students who receive services, regardless of placement.
- If you have had an IEP within the 30 calendar days before 2/5/21, you can use the “6” option to report progress.
- Remember, you must have a FINALIZED IEP before starting a new progress report. If you just had an IEP meeting and haven’t finalized it, you can’t do a progress report for that student until the process is complete. RCC is and has been working hard to get everything reviewed.
- Once you have added your information into the progress report, you MUST select “Print Progress Report and Save to Historical Folder” for the information to be saved in Synergy. You must do this every time something new is added into the report. It will not create multiple progress reports, just updates one.
If you have questions, please feel free to email me.
From Behavior Coaches
EDUCATION FOUNDATION GIFT – Free Banni Bunting Mindfulness Training
Dear Bend La Pine Schools Educators & Staff:
For over 30 years the Education Foundation has had a mission to support teachers and students in the BLPS by funding classroom grants and activity fee scholarships. We know that this unprecedented time we are living in is causing many challenges for you to be able to do the work you are passionate about in a Comprehensive Distance Learning format. We are expanding our mission this year and including efforts to deliver some support and appreciation directly to YOU. Our hope is that the more you feel supported and appreciated by your community the better you will be able to stay energized and resilient to persevere in your mission to serve students during this challenging year.
We are excited to partner with Banni Bunting to bring these mindfulness sessions specifically for you as BLPS educators and staff. It is an invitation to take some time for yourselves – to rest and renew in order to be resilient this year. It is with deep and sincere appreciation that we hope you will access and enjoy these mindfulness sessions. Whether you choose to sit down and listen to them with a cup of tea or as a podcast out on a winter walk – know that your dedication to the students in Bend-La Pine Schools is acknowledged and greatly appreciated.
Angie Cole, Allocations Chair on behalf of the entire Education Foundation Board
Relationships in the Classroom:
Each week we will highlight one of our Top 10 Behavior Coaching Tools for reducing challenging behavior. This week, our topic is RELATIONSHIPS, something many of you are likely feeling the importance of as we move into in-person learning.
Who does the student connect with in the building?
- Teacher – Student Relationships are important for learning. As we know from Hatte’s Visible Learning Research, they accelerate student achievement with an effect size of 0.52, which falls well into the zone for optimal results.
- For students who have experienced trauma, Teacher- Student Relationships are important for survival. The brains of students who have a safe and trusting relationship with their teacher experience reduced toxic stress and have the opportunity to heal, and eventually, learn. Moreover, creating a family culture in the classroom, fostering positive student – student relationships, and establishing teacher – family partnerships increases resilience and growth for all students.
- Determine a regular check in routine for students to have with a safe trusted adult. Build in increased school community time such as having “jobs” around the school, helping younger students, etc.
- Tools: 2 x 10 Strategy; Therapeutic Dosing Article, Friendometry.com
- Tools for Relationships: Include Limbic Brain Breaks
NEUROSEQUENTIAL MODEL – The Power of Relationships and Connection
Relationships: Stress, Trauma, and the Brain: Over the next several weeks, we will be highlighting Dr. Bruce Perry’s work, The Neurosequential Model in Education. Dr. Perry’s work is based on an understanding of the structure and sequential nature of the brain, which can help educators increase their students’ engagement in learning and mitigate behavioral problems. In this video Dr. Perry talks about how relationships are essential to human life and student connections. Research demonstrates that when teachers establish a true empathic connection with students, they are able to engage and reengage students in learning, and actually heal and grow children’s brains. Dr. Perry discusses the important role relationships have in learning, and gives us practical ways to do this in the school setting. The video is 7-minutes long and will change how you think about your students.
CASEL SEL TOOLS – As Students Head Back To School
As we begin to transition from distance learning back to in-person learning, SEL remains as important as ever. This is the perfect time to re-examine our efforts to make needed adjustments and refocus on supportive relationships, equitable environments, and the academic, social, and emotional development and overall well-being of all students and adults.
”Tier 1 and More” Blog
The Behavior Coaches blog is full of resources for PBIS, Social-Emotional Learning, Trauma-Informed Practices and more.
Mental Health Provider Directory
Looking for a comprehensive list of Mental Health Providers in Central Oregon? This website organizes medical providers by symptom, insurance, language, and specialization.
Bend La Pine Schools District Website: Student Mental Health and Families in Need
If You Or Someone You Know Is In Crisis: Contact the Deschutes County Crisis Clinic by phone at (541) 322-7500 extension 9, or call 1-(800) 875-7364. Walk In hours are available Monday through Friday 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM.