Quote to consider:
“Choose courage over comfort. Choose whole hearts over armor.” ~ Brene’ Brown
To Dos:
RETEACH EXPECTATIONS: Many of you have already done this, but now is a great time in the year to reteach and remind of the classroom expectations and norms you have established with our students. The reminder may support our students finding success these final 6 weeks of the year, as well as support us knowing that we have done the explicit instruction that is needed for us to see this sorts of success.
LA, SS, SCIENCE and MATH TEAMS: Please reply all to the email I sent earlier with the sections/grades you all are wanting to teach next year, so we can move forward with our master schedule. Please do this by 5.11.
RESTROOM: Please continue to encourage students to use the restroom during passing periods. We are seeing way too many students in the halls (some with passes) but not in restrooms during learning times. Please reteach your restroom expectation, most adolescents can manage staying in class for 45 mins between their restroom breaks.
CURRICULUM ORDERING: Staff in the next few days please be on the lookout for an email from BLP Instructional Technology <[email protected]. This emails is being sent to all certified staff and this is the new system for ordering your curriculum, apps, etc for next year. Watch for an email from the address above, don’t trash it!
BIAS ADVISORY LESSON: All staff must teach the lesson in advisory before May 13th. It is an important opportunity to explicitly instruct school wide our expectations with this topic as well as gain student, family and staff feedback so as to build this ongoing conversation and topic proactively and collectively. Maria has worked through the lesson and has offered the following additional resources for us to use in conjunction with our roll out next week. Again, the only change to the content of the slideshow and lesson plan was to add sentence stems to support student written reflection. Everything else is copied from the Teacher Notes included in each slide in the original slideshow that was shared.
Bias Incident Graphic Organizer
WEEKLY ELL & AVID TIP: Although these tips appear in the “to-do” section weekly, please don’t overlook them!! The ELL tip of the week is found here and AVID tip of the week is found here.
Bits and Bobs:
BILINGUAL STAFF: Are you bilingual? Interested in earning a stipend to support occasional communication with our multilingual families? To learn more about this new opportunity for bilingual employees in Bend-La Pine Schools, see our CAFE Program overview. To indicate your interest and to be contacted regarding a chance to ask questions and complete next steps, please complete the interest form (see item #6 of the overview).
MINI OBSERVATIONS: The final round of mini observations for Group B is just about wrapped up. It has been amazing to see all the learning, laughter and care happening around our building while staff engage with our students and move them forward in their understanding.
STAFFING UPDATE for NEXT YEAR:
- Alicia Covell – assigned to CHS – Liz Ortiz will be our new school psychologist
- Julie McCabe – moving to PCMS – no replacement in Science due to our student numbers
- Ingrid Hoban – teaching Art at HDMS – no replacement in Math due to our student numbers
- Amy Douglass – assigned to HDMS to teach PE
NOMINATE OUR STUDENTS: This message from our district office: We are excited to feature students in our annual Calendar & Handbook, which is mailed home to all families in English and Spanish. The 2022-23 calendar will include professional portraits of students taken this spring as well as a short bio/quote. Our goal is to represent a wide range of students by highlighting a variety of backgrounds, ages, abilities and interests. Who would you like to see featured? Nominate an outstanding student today: https://bls.fyi/nominate (Due May 6). I’m happy to answer questions – Alandra.johnson@wendy-mcculloch
CONSIDER BECOMING AN ICCL @ HDMS:
- ICCL jobs are for 2 yrs
- HDMS has 2 open ICCL positions
- Interested teachers will submit an application through Frontline Recruit/Hire. This is a one page application that should only take them a few minutes to complete. https://www.applitrack.com/bend/onlineapp/
- A colleague recommendation form will no longer be required.
- Paper applications will not be accepted. Applicants must apply through Frontline Recruit/Hire.
- There will be an option for applicants to upload a cover letter, resume and letter of recommendation, but this will not be required.
- Once they start their application they will be able to select what school they are applying to.
- Applications are due by June 1st
SECONDARY BLOG: We have all seen students who are not engaged in school. One way to increase their engagement is to increase their voice and choice in the their daily interactions in school. This week’s blog gives a few instructional ideas to increase student agency.
Student Agency: Students as Leaders of Their Own Learning
Reminders:
POSITIVE COMMUNICATION: Staff please continue to email, call, write notes home sharing the positive experiences you are seeing in your class with our students. Consider challenging yourself to connect weekly for the next 8 weeks with a few families each week and see if we are able to find the joy, share the joy and admire these moments with our families.
High Desert Highlights:
