QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“High Desert just feels like family!  My older child wanted to come back during conference time to see all their former teachers and share how much they miss middle school.  It is an amazing school with amazing teachers, our youngest child loves it as well!”         ~HDMS parent

TO DOS:

Hot Links have been added the right side of the home page for “SIW Schedule” and “Advisory Schedule”.  Please look here for a quick reference.

Here is a FAQ regarding the Smarter Balanced Assessment.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

D-WOW: Interpret

Monday Oct 29:

2:45 Drop In Advisory lesson support in the Media Center

Wednesday Oct 31:

7th period:  WEB Bingo

Advisory: MOH lesson-Integrity

SIW 1:30 in the Media Center

Sustainability Info

Good of the Order-Wishing Dave K happy retirement

Gallery Walk to celebrate/share some ideas from the AVID summer institute

Friday Nov 2:

7:00am First Friday Breakfast in the Staff Room provided by the Science Team

End of Quarter 1

2:45-4:30 Fall Festival

BITS AND BOBS:

Tardy Data:

Last week: Five students were tardy three or more times from October 12th – October 18th.  There was one repeat student from the previous week who will serve lunch detentions and zero egregious tardies.

All four students appearing on this report for the first time received a written notice with their specific tardy data; additionally, their family was notified of this warning.

This short week: Two students were tardy from October 19th – October 24th.  There was one repeat student from the previous week who will serve lunch detentions and zero egregious tardies.

The student appearing on this report for the first time will receive a written notice with their specific tardy data; additionally, their family will be notified of this warning.

Article to check out:

How much choice do your students really have?  At the end of this section of her article, the author provides a small sampling of ways in which you might provide learners choice – without lowering expectations for learning.

REMINDERS:

SLGG:

Please plan to meet with your content team during a common prep next week to chat about SLGGs and consider how you can make these meaningful and perhaps shared as a team.  See details in the folder Mini Obs/Summative within the documents tab.  SLGGs are due by Nov. 16th. Below are student numbers that you will need in order to fill out the form on TalentEd.

Current SRC students:

• 6^th grade-31
• 7^th grade-30
• 8^th grade-27

Current TAG students:

• 6th grade-19
• 7th grade-16
• 8^th grade-24

Current ELL students

• 6th grade: 22
• 7th grade: 22
• 8th grade: 10

ADDITIONS:

D-WOW folder

Article tab

HDMS HIGHLIGHTS:

Many exciting things happening around our school this week!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.  Be kind.  Always.”

TO DOS

Gallup Poll:

It is a district expectation that we complete the Gallup Poll.  I know there were some initial technical difficulties with the log in.  These have been fixed and updated in Staff Google Classroom.  Everyone needs to ensure that their Advisory completes this survey by Wednesday Oct 24, as the window closes at the end of next week.

Sunshine fund:

Please click here to read what the Sunshine fund is for and give your donation to Kerri Green in the Main Office.

SLGG:

Please plan to meet with your content team during a common prep next week to chat about SLGGs and consider how you can make these meaningful and perhaps shared as a team.  See details in the folder Mini Obs/Summative within the documents tab.  SLGGs are due by Nov. 16th. Below are student numbers that you will need in order to fill out the form on TalentEd.

Current SRC students:

• 6^th grade-31
• 7^th grade-30
• 8^th grade-27

Current TAG students:

• 6th grade-19
• 7th grade-16
• 8^th grade-24

Current ELL students

• 6th grade: 22
• 7th grade: 22
• 8th grade: 10

UPCOMING EVENTS

Monday Oct 22

• D-WOW: fluctuate

Tuesday Oct 23

• Picture retakes before school and at lunch.  If you want to allow a student to go during your class period to get their retakes, you may allow this at your own discretion.
• 2:45 Dual Immersion meeting in Media Center

Wednesday Oct 24

UNITY DAY- please wear orange to support this national event focused on inclusion, kindness and acceptance.

• Wed. Oct 24 1:00-3:15 conference prep
• Wed. Oct 24 3:15-7:15 conferences
• Dinner break provided by DPO (Math, SS, PE) 4:45-5:15
• Dinner break provided by DPO (LA, Sci, Electives) 5:15-5:45

Thursday Oct 25

• Thurs. Oct 25 7:15-11:15 grading time
• Thurs. Oct 25 11:15-7:15 conferences
• Dinner break (LA, Sci, Electives) 3:45-4:15
• Dinner break (Math, SS, PE) 4:15-4:45

Friday Oct 26

• trade time-day off

Last years SBAC scores will be available during conferences at our front table if parents are asking about these please direct them to the Main Entrance.

BITS AND BOBS

Site Council:

Site Council is the group of parents, teachers, classified staff and administration who recommend improvement for HDMS.  There are openings for this school year.

The Site Council meets periodically and has the following purpose:

1. To improve the instructional program and student academic achievement;
2. To provide an opportunity for school improvement;
3. To promote Board based representation and shared decision-making;
4. To promote the use of appropriate educational research and best practices;
5. To provide suggestions for school goal-setting

It is understood that site-based councils must work within the parameters of state and federal laws, Board policies and goals, budgetary restrictions, negotiated contracts, and ethical standards and practices (Board policy CFA-IFCA).

Please chat with me if you are interested in a role on HDMS Site Council.

Tardy Data:

Ten students were tardy from October 5th – October 11th.  There was one repeat student from the previous week who will serve lunch detentions and zero egregious tardies.

All nine students appearing on this report for the first time received a written notice with their specific tardy data; additionally, their family was notified of this warning.

Safety Training opportunity:

Consider making time to join Bend Police and Bend Fire professionals, in partnership with 9-1-1 and other first responding agencies to crisis situations, for an active threat training on November 13, 14, 15 or 19 at Elk Meadow Elementary School from 7-10 p.m. nightly. We are looking for approximately 40 “players” for each night’s training. Participants will see first-hand how emergency personnel respond to active threats in schools in several live scenarios throughout the evening. Participants will implement procedures they’ve learned during their own school trainings as controlled scenarios play out in front of them. RSVP https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SMG9LKKYou are welcome to share this invitation with staff members. Further information regarding this training will be emailed to participants in early November.

Free Event:

November 15 from 5-8 pm at 10 Barrel Brewing (East) for a FREE community event featuring the Sundance-selected documentary Most Likely to Succeed. Following the screening, there will be an interactive discussion about re-imagining our school system.

About The Film:
Most Likely to Succeed examines the history of education in the United States, revealing the growing shortcomings of conventional education methods in today’s innovative world. The film explores compelling new approaches that aim to revolutionize teaching as we know it. After seeing this film, the way you think about “school” will never be the same.

Reserve your seat

REMINDERS

Badges:

Staff badges are to be worn at all times while at HDMS.  Employee badges are not valid unless they have the new year sticker.  If you don’t have a purple 2018/2019 sticker on your badge, please see Kerri in the Main Office.  If you do not have a current district badge, you need one please email Kara Catalla in HR to request one.

Resources available:

Please check out the resources that our district libraries offer us through the Staff portal.  Look on the right-hand side for the link ‘BLS Libraries’.   There you will find links, articles, ideas, and reference materials that may support less work for you and deeper learning for our students.

There have been additions to the following folders within the document tab:

• Sped/TAG info
• Sustainability Team
• Safety Team

There have been additions to the following tabs:

• Behavior Resolution Reports
• HDMS Calendar of Events
• Counseling Calendar

New Tab:

There is a new tab on the blog ‘Counseling Calendar’.  This is where you can look for a calendar of counseling groups, which students are involved and read our school comprehensive counseling vision and services.

Joe and Nole are excited to begin The Council for Young Men with a small group of 7/8th grade boys.  The weekly group starts Tuesday and will meet during rotating periods for the next ten weeks.  Meeting dates and periods will be posted on the HDMS counseling calendar.

Participants: Edgar Z-A (7), Logan S (8), Jordy R-P (8), Brandon Z (8), Holgan G (8), Anthony S (8), Joshua L G (8), Angel S M (8)

HDMS HIGHLIGHTS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

Culture is a set of living relationships working toward a shard goal.  It’s not something you are.  It’s something you do.

~ Daniel Coyle

TO DOs:

Please consider reviewing the following folders as new items have been added:

• AVID
• PBIS
• Sustainability Team

Consider reviewing the new weekly data in the Behavior Resolution Reports tab.

Consider coming down to the cafeteria to sit and eat with students or watch them play and engage with peers in a different environment.  Several staff have done this and the positive comments made by the students about seeing their teacher at lunch have been powerful.

Consider viewing this 3 min video related to the article The Curve of Forgetting that was mentioned during our PD

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Monday Oct 15

• D-WOW: simultaneous

Wednesday Oct 17-

• District providing breakfast to all HDMS staff in the Gym.  Shay will stay after breakfast and spend the rest of his day at HDMS.

Wednesday Oct 17

• Advisory
• 6^th grade- Class Meetings (after announcements please walk your class to the Cafeteria, there will NOT be an “all call”)
• 7^th and 8^th grade- Digital Citizenship #6, Gallup Poll

Wednesday Oct 17- SIW

• District mandatory meetings for selected content teams

Thursday Oct 18

• Safety Meeting at 7:15 in the downstairs Staff Room

Friday Oct 19

• Kindra’s last day.  Swing by the Main Office throughout the day to enjoy a treat and say farewell.

CPR class-Wednesday Nov 7^th HDMS Media Center 2:00-5:00, Please sign up with Stephanie Bent

BITS AND BOBS:

Tardy Data:

• Six students tardy for September 28th – October 4th.  Zero repeat students from the previous week and zero egregious  number of tardies.
• All six students appearing on this report for the first time received a written notice with their specific tardy data; additionally, their family was notified of this warning.

Some of our families and staff have been impacted by ICE, the following is an FYI regarding our families dealing with immigration/deportation issues.

In chatting with our Superintendent’s office and our legal counsel, here is the recommendation:

If a teacher receives a request for a letter of support from an attorney, they may write the letter (but are not required to do so).  However, because the information included is more than we publicly release about a student, we first must receive consent from the parent to share information with the attorney.  (The attorney can help provide that consent documentation, and it should be filed in our records.)

Remember, your letter is a legal document, and follow-up testimony, while unlikely, may be required.  Your job title and relationship to the student are important to include, but please don’t use district letterhead.  If the staff member writing the letter would like their document reviewed before sending it to the family’s attorney, Sharon Smith is willing to help with that.  The staff member should keep a copy of their own letter, for their records.

Just a reminder regarding ACT:

• If you have a student with an apostrophe in their login, hold down the apostrophe key until the student is shown the option to select the vertical apostrophe. That is the only apostrophe that works on iPads in this case.
• Student Transfers through ACT Aspire need to be requested by schools using the “Students” tab, then selecting student transfer.  Then notify either Dave VanLoo or Stephanie Bent to approve the request.

🎉Digital Citizenship Week officially begins Monday!🎉

We have assigned lessons to be taught during Advisory, if you want to embed more of this in your content classes eel free to take just a few moments each day to call attention to these important topics.

• There are many other resources that you can draw from in addition to the lesson table that our team sent out last week.
  
  For instance, you could share this video from Common Sense Media to introduce Digital Citizenship Week 2018 and identify some common topics with your students.  Consider creating an account with Common Sense Media to access even more materials and resources.
  Please reach out to Scott MacDonald if you have any questions.

REMINDERS:

Student Observation forms:

• There is now a hot link on the right hand side of the home page of the blog where you can enter any info regarding students you want to document.  When you get an email with a Behavioral Resolution please consider NOT printing but saving to your computer so this info remains confidential, as many of our printers are in public locations where students have access as well.

Conferences:

Below is the schedule that staff voted on for our conference schedule:

• Wed. Oct 24 1:00-3:15 conference prep
• Wed. Oct 24 3:15-7:15 conferences
• Dinner break provided by DPO (Math, SS, PE) 4:45-5:15
• Dinner break provided by DPO (LA, Sci, Electives) 5:15-5:45
• Thurs. Oct 25 7:15-11:15 grading time
• Thurs. Oct 25 11:15-7:15 conferences
• Dinner break (LA, Sci, Electives) 3:45-4:15
• Dinner break (Math, SS, PE) 4:15-4:45
• Fri. Oct 26 trade time day off

HDMS HIGHLIGHTS:

Below please enjoy images of students and staff engaged in learning at HDMS this week!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

Kindness is the light that dissolves all walls between souls, families, and nations.

~ Paramahansa Yogananda

TO DOs:

Please make sure to review the Advisory schedule as well as materials on Google classroom prior to each Wednesday morning, so you know what to expect and are prepared.

A new tab has been added to the right of Equity/ELL titled “Behavior Resolution Reports”.  Please familiarize yourself with the data within this tab.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Wednesday October 10:  SIW in the Media Center

• 1:30-1:40 Good of the Order
• 1:40-2:45 PD based around AVID Focus Notes

Thursday October 11: MAC survey day.  Kristine Evans, our FAN Advocate, will be getting materials out to staff shortly regarding the process.  If you have questions about this please see Kristine.

BITS AND BOBS:

First Aid/CPR:  We need 5 more staff members to be certified in First Aid/CPR in order to meet the state requirement for student/staff ratio.  Please consider signing up for the next training, especially if you are a coach.  (Stephanie Bent is the district contact for this training)

REMINDERS:

Please plan to meet with your content team during a common prep within the next week to chat about SLGGs and consider how you can make these meaningful and perhaps shared as a team.  See details in the folder Mini Obs/Summative within the documents tab.

HDMS HIGHLIGHTS:

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“We were initially trying to get him into Realms, but after a few weeks of him being at HDMS, I know he is where he is supposed to be. We are so happy he is at High Desert.  There is just something so special about your school.”                                                            ~ HDMS Parent

TO DOs:

• Consider completing and submitting the Open House Feedback Form (in Staff Feedback folder).
• Consider donating blood on Nov. 9^th.  Email Ms. Freeman if you are planning on participating.
• Consider familiarizing yourself with the Non-Discrimination Policy, found within the document tab.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Wednesday Oct. 3: Advisory topics:

• FEMA emergency alert shared with students (see document within documents tab)
• 8^th grade Class Meeting in Cafeteria
• 6/7^th Gallup Poll (see folder within documents tab)

Wednesday Oct. 3: Emergency test broadcast message between 11:18-11:48

Wednesday Oct. 3: SIW agenda:

• 1:30-1:45 MAC training (bring your computer), AVID update
• 1:45-2:15 6^th grade Kid Time/EBISS
• 2:15-2:45 7^th grade Kid Time/EBISS
• 2:45-3:15 8^th grade Kid Time/EBISS

Wednesday Oct. 3:  Athletic grade checks. Please make sure grades are up-to-date by 1 pm.

Friday Oct. 5^th:  First Friday Breakfast in the Foods room, served by the Main Office Staff

Friday Oct. 5^th: 3rd period, Bus Evacuation drill click here for the schedule

BITS AND BOBS:

• On October 3, 2018, many student, staff and visitor cell phones should receive one emergency test broadcast message with an audible alert sometime between 11:18 and 11:48 a.m. This broadcast is expected go to Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) compatible cell phones that have wireless carriers that are participating in WEA, which are switched on and within range of the cell tower. These messages are set to alert the public of emergencies — including AMBER alerts and tornado or flood warnings, for example. This test is being conducted by Federal Emergency Management Agency in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission. We want to make you aware of this for two reasons: 1) This could be a teachable moment for you and your students OR it could be a distraction to your teaching and learning environment if cell phones are on and receiving messages during this time. 2) This is not a test conducted by Bend-La Pine Schools. This is the first nationwide Presidential-level WEA test and individuals cannot opt out.  As stated in the To-Dos, this info is to be shared during your advisory on 10/3 immediately after announcements.
• Our WEB/Leadership class is taking on the promotion of a Red Cross Blood Drive as a service project this Fall.  The event is happening on Friday, November 9th from 8:30-1:30. We need to get an idea of how many Red Cross adults will be needed to support this event, the number of workers is based on how many participants will be giving blood on this date.  Will you please email Elissa Freeman if you would be willing to give blood on your prep on this day?  No pressure at all, just needing an approximate number!
• Class Meeting Protocol:  When your Advisory has Class Meetings on the agenda, please take attendance and then walk your Advisory students to the cafeteria and then sit at a table and stay with them for the entire meeting.  We have Class Meetings several times throughout the year.  The purpose of these meetings is to get specific, grade level information to our students, to build community, pride and connection with our students.
• Open House Feedback data:  To date I have received 16 total responses to the Open House Feedback Form I sent out last week.  I am interested in looking at this data with our ICCLs so we can be informed when looking at any adjustments.  Please take time to submit your feedback so your voice is heard.  Thanks to the folks who have already taken the time to share their thoughts.
• During SIW you heard Alicia Covell (our school psychologist) present about Trauma Informed Care and ACEs.  Here is a video that may give some more insight into how ACEs can show up in our students.  You may be hearing about this video in the community, I wanted to support with the information I have.  You do not have to view this video.  I am just attempting to keep folks aware.  Please do not plan on showing this video to students. A topic in this video is suicide, please keep in mind that suicide is a sensitive issue and it has likely touched all of our lives in varying degrees. Although this video is very well done, it does not follow some best practices for discouraging suicide and offering hope for those who are feeling helpless.

These resources may be helpful to you:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Oregon Youthline (a free, confidential teen-to-teen crisis and help line; supervised teens are available 4 to 10 p.m. daily; adults available all other times) at 1-877-968-8491 or text teen2teen to 839863.
• The Deschutes Co. Suicide Prevention website has resources and supports that reflect best practices.www.deschutes.org/suicideprevention
• www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org (information and support)
• www.thetrevorproject.org (crisis intervention and resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning young people ages 13-24)
• www.namicentraloregon.org (National Alliance on Mental Illness of Central Oregon)
• https://www.bend.k12.or.us/district/organization/student-mental-health (district website with resources)

REMINDERS:

• Consider reviewing “HDMS SIW 2018-2019 draft” within the document folder so you can plan accordingly.
• Consider reviewing “Advisory Schedule 2018-2019 draft” within the document folder you can plan accordingly.
• Within the document folder you will find info regarding the Gallup Poll that you will need for Advisory Oct. 3^rd (8th grade advisory will take the Gallup Poll on Oct. 10th).  The materials staff will need for this activity are also in the Staff Google Classroom.
• Items have been added to the Equity/ELL folder within the documents tab, please consider checking out these new resources.
• Items have been added to the PBIS folder within the documents tab.
• Items have been added to the Counseling folder within the documents tab.
• Here is a link to the behavioral resolutions from Monday through Thursday

KID TIME/EBISS

• 1:30-1:45 staff meeting
• 1:45-2:15 6^th grade
• 2:15-2:45 7^th grade
• 2:45-3:15 8^th grade

Kid Time is an opportunity to come together with other staff members around individual students, not to admire a problem, but to collaborate and be solution driven about next steps and group agreements to better support each child.

Please fill out FYI entries for any student that you have concerns about on the Google doc linked here.  We will compile this information and use it to determine which students have the greatest need for discussion.  This info, as well as the wisdom of the group, will inform our next steps to better support each student.

We will start with about five students per grade level.  Students names will be posted prior to Wednesday, so you can plan your time accordingly.  There will be a Google Doc where the conversations as well as next steps will be captured so all can be on the same page moving forward.

Counselors will be available in the following locations so you can continue conversations around kids before or after the official grade level Kid Time meeting in the Media Center.

6th Joe- River commons

7th Lynne- Staff room

8th Cathy- FRR

HDMS HIGHLIGHTS:

Students were sharing their smiles and excitement all around HDMS this week!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“We left this meeting feeling great about it and all of the teachers at HDMS.  You guys are awesome!  The support that you all offer for the students is obvious.  Thank you so much for all that you do.  We appreciate you!”                                                    ~Parent of a 6th grader

TO DOs:

• Open house:  Thank you for the extra time and energy to support our Open House.  Please take some time to give me feedback using this google form so we can continue to get even better.
• Check out the D-WOW folder to stay up to date on our word of the week.
• Culture of Care:  We are looking for some staff members to join a team devoted to nurturing a Culture of Care at HDMS.  This is a program that involves regular communication with Dr. Robinson who spoke at Trauma Informed Care at Summit HS in August –via phone conference and through a few site visits to HDMS.  We’d need to meet as a group once a month or so.  Time tbd.  Let Paul know if you are interested in being part of the team.
• Review the meeting notes from our Safety Team (posted in the Safety Team folder within the documents tab).  Please consider joining us next month.  (Also added in that folder is an update regarding our field usage protocol).
• I have added a new folder titled: Staff Feedback within the document tab.  Paul left some feedback to teachers comments regarding the Sept. 12 SIW.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Mon. Sept. 24^th: Intramurals sign ups begin during both lunches for students (have them see Mr. Kennedy at lunch for more info)
• Tues. Sept. 25: DI meeting in the Media Center-all are welcome
• Wed. Sept. 26: SIW at 1:30 in the Media Center:
  • Good of the order
  • SLGGs (see info in Mini/Obs folder within the documents tab)
  • Update and info on ELL (Clarissa)
  • Accommodations vs modifications in Sp Ed (Alicia Covell)
  • Counseling dept. overview (Cathy, Lynne, Alicia)

BITS AND BOBS:

• Mid Oregon Credit Union is continuing a partnership with KTVZ to present $500 monthly awards for innovative, sustainable classroom projects that are worth being recognized in the community. The program identifies the classroom efforts and awards the teacher/school the funding, and a news story airs on KTVZ to provide a spotlight on the good things that are happening in education. Here is a link for additional information. Please send any nominations directly to Kyle Frick (Mid Oregon) at [email protected]
• An essay contest for current 6th graders is being sponsored by the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary. The 350 word or less essay will speak to the importance of voting.  If this becomes a class assignment, all students from the winning class will earn a pizza party.  Here is additional information.
• Spanish-speaking staff who are interested in being paid outside of their work time to provide interpretation and translation please notify Kinsey Martin.  She will explain the process and invite you to a one-hour interpretation training so basic expectations can be explained.
• An article has been added to the tab about learning, retention and forgetting – Likely this will not be new information for you, but will no doubt be a good reinforcement of what you already know or connection to prior knowledge!
• Green Team?  HDMS currently doesn’t have a sustainability team.  If you are interested in this work and what this could do for our students as well as our school, please see this link for more information.  Please see the document “We Reduce…”
• Recycling:  We are attempting to support classroom recycling bins being dumped weekly by our Attendance aides.  Gina is working on a schedule… thanks for your patience!
• SBAC data: Here is a link to a pdf with graphs.
• ASPIRE:  LA and Math teachers please make sure you are aware of the ASPIRE window and plan time for this assessment in your classes this fall and winter, spring is optional.  More details regarding log in etc. can be found in the folder titled: Testing
• A few documents have been added to the Equity folder.

REMINDERS:

• In lieu of an email reminder for duties this year, I have instead posted the schedules on the right side bar of the blog.  Please be sure you have looked over these documents. They cover the entire year; consider printing these documents to put in your sub notebooks.  Thank you in advance for being in your location and positively reinforcing safe student behavior.
• If you would like a Synervoice message to be sent home to a specific group of students (ex. members of a club or team) please send Kindra the text of the announcement and a list of the students to send it to and give her and Veronica three days notice to translate and create the group in Synergy.

HDMS HIGHLIGHTS:

Amazing learning happening all around our school and campus!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The honeymoon period is just about over, now it is our job to do the work to make it a happy marriage for the rest of the year” ~ Jon Williams

TO DO:

• Create a document outlining the “ins and outs” of your classroom that will be shared before and/or during Open House. This can be a power point, a video, an interview of you and a student, a single page hand out, a student scavenger hunt around your room.  Please be sure to include your contact info.  Ultimately these will need to be translated.  The process for translation is in the Equity folder.  Staff will have time on Sept. 19^th 1:00-3:15 to support this work or to recoup time spent after hours to create these documents for this event.  Please make sure your students have this info on your google classroom prior to the event.

• Advisory Teachers: Just a reminder to send Ben Iverson the names of two students (from Advisory Class) you think would be a good Student Council member.

• Thank you for the time during SIW this week where we engaged in conversations around our procedures at HDMS. Please visit the documents in the folders titled HDMS Coordinated Care and HDMS Nuts and Bolts to ensure you are on the same page.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

– Sept. 19^th Open House 5:00-7:00pm

– Oct. 3^rd Deputy Quick will be instructing his annual “Anti Crimes” class to all 6^th graders in the Media Center through their Social Studies class.  There is an informational “opt out” letter that has been sent home to all 6^th grade students.

– Oct. 5^th First Friday breakfast in the Foods room from 7:00-7:40.  This month’s meal will be created and served by the Main Office Team.

– Oct. 17^th District serves HDMS their annual Staff Appreciation breakfast

– Nov. 9^th Our Leadership students are working with Red Cross to support a blood drive here at HDMS.  Please see Mrs. Freeman if you want more details or to offer to support!

BITS and BOBS:

-State testing update

You may or may not have heard by now that our state has decided that a SBAC “opt out” will be counted as a “Does Not Meet” from now on.  This brings two things to my mind: First, the perception – portrayed through the media – of how well our schools are doing educating kids in our community will likely take a hit as this change will no doubt drop our school’s “Meet” percentage.  Second, the validity (and usefulness) of analyzing OAKS scores for informing instruction just got less valid, reliable and useful. (Boen’s opinion)

-ACT/Aspire info

Here are several training and implementation resources for ACT Aspire Periodic assessments.

Training modules (may require email address)

https://actaspire.tms.pearson.com/

How to access reports

http://actaspire.avocet.pearson.com/actaspire/Home#pdf=8468_18590#page=121

 –Spanish Class

Instructor: David Engel, Professor of Spanish at COCC & OSU-Cascades

Course: Spanish 1A (no credit, but participants earn 11 PDU’s)

Dates: Fall 2018, Wednesdays, 4:15-5:15pm, September 26-December 12, 2018 (no class meeting November 21).  Total of 11 classes – 11 hours seat time

Location: Pacific Crest Middle School

Cost: No cost for participants for class or materials

Curriculum: Prepared and provided by instructor (including handouts).  Generally follows the curriculum of OSU – Cascades.  Outside of class study and practice will be encouraged but not required for participation.  Suggestions and options for additional study and practice will be provided by instructor as part of class curriculum.

To Register: Email Stephanie Bent if you are interested.  Course limit is 25.

If there is sufficient interest, this course will continue through winter and spring terms.

-Boundary committee details

Bend-La Pine Schools is seeking volunteers to join a committee to review school attendance areas and make recommendations for school boundary adjustments to the Superintendent. Boundaries for all schools may be affected as Bend-La Pine Schools prepares for the opening of a new elementary in north central Bend in the fall of 2019 and a new high school in southeast Bend in the fall of 2021. Committee members must serve for two years, starting with the first meeting Oct. 2. Applications are due Sept. 17. Applications and more information can be found at  www.bend.k12.or.us/boundaries

REMINDERS:

– Blog: Please take time to familiarize yourself with this blog and where items are located.  I have added a few items this week in the following locations: AVID, Equity and ELL, Articles

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept18/vol76/num01/Getting-Consistent-with-Consequences.aspx

-Attendance

Please make sure you take accurate attendance within the first 10 mins of each class period. This is especially important for 1st – 3rd periods as there is a call that goes out to the families of any student that is marked absent during those periods.  It happens often that a student will get marked absent in only one or two class periods during the morning and Gina will have to interrupt classes to verify attendance before that call goes out.

If a student shows up late to your class, please make sure you change their absence to an excused or unexcused tardy.  I know that you are all really busy teaching and it’s okay if you can’t do it right away, but if you can leave yourself a note to do this before the end of the period it will save Gina from having to interrupt the student’s next class to verify attendance.  There is more specific information regarding attendance in the Nuts and Bolts slide show in the documents tab.

If you forget to take your attendance, Gina will send you a reminder email or she will call your classroom and let the phone ring once.  Please take your attendance as soon as possible.

Lastly, if students bring you an attendance note from their parents, please make sure you have them bring it down to the Attendance Office.

-Insurance:

Please remember to enroll or opt-out of your coverage for the 18/19 plan year by 9/15/18.  We have two drop-in sessions remaining if you need assistance with the online process or have questions on the benefits themselves.  OEBB and the District office will not be staffed Saturday, 9/15/18, we recommend completing your enrollment by Friday the 14^th.  If you do not re-enroll for your insurance, your benefits will terminate 9/30/18.

OEBB Enrollment: https://myoebb.org/oebb/!pb.main

If you do not remember your login information – use the forgot username/password link.  New employees must create their account using the “create your myOEBB account” link.

Insurance Information: https://portal.bend.k12.or.us/employee-info/content/2018-19-benefit-open-enrollment-information

District Contribution/Cost of Insurance: https://portal.bend.k12.or.us/employee-info/content/2018-19-benefit-rate-sheets

Wednesday, September 12: 4:30pm-6:30pm, Friday, September 14: 3:30pm-6:30.  Both drop-in sessions are located at the Education Center – Wall St Lab – 520 NW Wall St Bend, OR

HDMS HIGHLIGHTS:

Thank you!  What an amazing week at HDMS!  I saw smiles and heard laughter all over our building.  Thank you for all the extra support, smiles and time to ensure our students had a successful week!  I have received positive and heartfelt feedback from several families and students sharing how welcome, connected and supported they have felt this week—Well Done!  ~ Teamwork makes the dream work!

TO DO:

• Please make sure to connect with an ICCL in regards to ideas, feedback, suggestions for how we want our Open House event to be this year. Please make sure to communicate with an ICCL before Sept 11.
• I have heard from a few staff members who have reached out with positive phone calls and emails to share with families a celebration or highlight from the first week. Consider working this into your prep or before/after school time.  This supports connection for our students and families and promotes partnership and communication with our school.

BITS and BOBS:

• HDMS has been asked to host the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Student Success September 12^th! This group is doing a tour all over our state looking at different programs in schools. We have been selected to showcase the districts middle level Dual Immersion program.  This means we will have about 10 visitors from the committee as well as district personnel and media at HDMS from noon to 1:00pm on the 12th.  Kinsey and I are giving a presentation in the Media Center, to give them an over view, then we will take them to our two DI classrooms so they can see students in action.  I know it’s a busy time of year so extra kudos to Manuel and Maria!

REMINDERS:

• Standard bells schedule begins Monday Sept. 10.
• Raptor doors will be locked starting Monday Sept 10 at 7:00am. You will need to use your swiper badge to get in.  If you don’t have a badge that works, please let Kerri Green know and she will work to remedy that.
• ALL exterior doors MUST be closed and locked at all times. Do NOT prop open
• Joint Committee on Student Success: Wednesday Sept. 12^th from noon-1:00pm
• First SIW: Sept 12^th from 1:30-3:00: Nursing procedures and nuts and bolts of HDMS
• Fire Drill Friday Sept. 14^th at 9:40. Please take attendance and review the fire drill expectations prior to this.
• Open House: Wednesday Sept. 19^th from 5:00-7:00pm

HIGH DESERT HIGHLIGHTS:

• The best part of this week has been seeing all the smiles around our building! We are so privileged to do the work we do! 
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