Family Spotlight

The school levy approved for the May ballot seeks funding for unmet District needs. With passage of the levy in the May 21 election, the District would focus more resources on:

• Strengthening and adding Career Technical Education pathways
• Protecting and maintaining class sizes
• Recruiting and retaining teachers and support staff
  
• Increasing advanced academic offerings for students
  
• Improving support systems for struggling students
  
• Enhancing elective offerings, including in music, art, technology, business, world languages
  

Calculate your estimated levy tax on our website! View the sample Deschutes County property tax statement and plug your assessed property value into our calculator.

Levy information: https://bls.fyi/levy

Do you know someone on the road to kindergarten in the 2024-25 school year? Learn more about their new school journey in a park near you!

The big yellow school bus is hitting the road on Saturday, April 20 and touring neighborhood parks with all the kindergarten details you need to know. Families with new kindergarten students can stop by and learn about registering for the new year, register on the spot, or find out when to visit your child’s school this spring. PLUS all incoming kindergarten students will receive a cool SWAG bag!

Mark your calendar for the morning of Saturday, April 20 and find out where and when you’ll find the big yellow school bus!

A letter from Pacific Crest Middle School student Reese Johnson made its way to the White House and onto social media. As part of a Science Literacy project called Write for a Change, Reese wrote a letter addressing the gender pay gap and it was posted to the President's Instagram page in March.

Reese, you make us proud. Your voice makes a difference to your community!

Teacher conferences are next week. Are you ready?

• Monday, April 8 - Tuesday, April 9 - school for all
  
• Wednesday, April 10 - Thursday, April 11 - no school elementary and middle school
  
• Friday, April 12 - no school for all
  

As a reminder, middle school students now have the same three days off as elementary students. This change, consistent with the recent collective bargaining agreement negotiated with the association representing our certified staff, provides teachers additional time to prepare for conferences with families.

Make the most of your conference time with your child’s teacher! Write down questions and ask your student if they have any questions they’d like you to ask. And talk to your child about what you learned from your teacher.

In a continuing effort to promote safety for students traveling to and from school, the District will enforce a new rule prohibiting e-bikes and e-scooters on school property for anyone under age 16 this spring.

“We have seen growing numbers of underage riders bringing electric bikes and scooters to school, even as we’ve reminded students and families that state law prohibits those under 16 from operating these,” Superintendent Steven Cook said. “Stakeholders and our community have asked for stronger measures to promote the safety of riders and the pedestrians who share sidewalks and pathways with them. We’re ready to do what we can to accomplish this.”

Middle schools in the District provided bike safety lessons earlier this school year and have shared safety resources with students and families. E-bike and e-scooter ridership among students under 16 has continued to be an issue, especially at our middle schools. This has resulted in some collisions leading to injuries, as well as many close calls reported to us from bus drivers and concerned community members.

A new District regulation states that those who operate bicycles, electric bicycles or electric scooters must follow Oregon motor vehicle and bike regulations and laws on school property. The rule also states, “E-bikes and E-scooters are prohibited on district property for persons under age 16.” This means the District will no longer allow any student under age 16 to bring an e-bike or e-scooter onto school property.

We are giving families time to arrange alternative transportation if their students are currently using, or plan to use, an e-bike or e-scooter to travel to and from school. Beginning April 8, administrators will contact students and parents/guardians about instances of violations of the e-bike/e-scooter rule. For repeated violations, the e-bike or e-scooter will be held at the school for the parent/guardian to pick up.

Lava Ridge Elementary School 2nd grader Ivy Sapp is an artist and a winner! She knows it's never too early to care about elections. Ivy won the 2024 Deschutes County K-5 "I Voted" Sticker Contest presented by Deschutes County Clerk Steve Dennison on March 13 in Ivy's classroom.

In the lead up to the May 21 election, you'll see her artwork on "I Voted" stickers and on the cover of the Voters' Pamphlet. Congratulations, Ivy! Thank you for inspiring us to get involved.

Join us in congratulating Bend High’s computer science and robotics teacher - Don Carter! In early March, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oregon State VEX Robotics State Championship in Salem. The award honors Mr. Carter's contributions to robotics in the state of Oregon.

Thank you, Mr. Carter, for everything you contribute in the classroom and to our community!

Join us for SafetyNet Family Night at your neighboring middle school for an internet safety training and free dinner.

The two-hour training provided by the KIDS Center covers internet safety, social media threats, cyberbullying, hackers and scammers, identity theft, and more. Learn how technology can be used in a safe and positive way.

Mark your calendar! All events begin at 5:30 p.m.

• April 25 - High Desert Middle School
  
• May 2 - Realms Middle School
  
• May 9 - Westside Village K-8
  
• May 16 - Three Rivers K-8

Learn more and register today.

Do you have a question or comment about students' use of technology in Bend-La Pine Schools? Let us know! Go here to leave your comment or question.

Did you miss the March School Board presentation of Champion for Students Michael Chavarin? We were lucky enough to be joined by the student who nominated him for the Champion for Students Award: Caylee Adams, a junior at La Pine High School.

Five schools in our district welcome new permanent principals in the 2024-25 school year.

Three principals are familiar faces to their students. Superintendent Steve Cook announced on February 29 that he’s pleased to have three elementary leaders assume their interim roles on a permanent basis: Bear Creek, Elk Meadow, and R.E. Jewell. And we welcome two principals who are new to the district!

After extensive searches to fill these important roles and community forums to meet the candidates, Dr. Cook was excited to make the placements official. We offer a warm Central Oregon welcome to the following administrators!

• Marc Zollinger - Bear Creek Elementary
  
• Ben Johnston - Elk Meadow Elementary
  
• Beth Martin - North Star Elementary
  
• Jesse Rasmussen - R.E. Jewell Elementary
  
• Donna Servignat - Summit High School
  

The leadership group consists of stellar students from across the district's seven high schools. They work with their peers to share ideas about policies with the Superintendent and Board of Directors. These students are a powerful voice for students throughout the district.

Meet two more members!

Colin McCracken, a senior at Bend Senior High, appreciates the importance of his role in Student Voice Council connecting his peers to the Superintendent and School Board.

“My role inspires me to do my best to support and represent the voices of my peers. I feel a sense of responsibility as I represent different groups of students that may have concerns different from my own.”

Mountain View High senior Liam Williams wants to give a voice to underrepresented peers.

"If I met someone new coming to Bend-La Pine Schools, I would mention how amazing our teachers are. Every teacher cares about their students. They are friendly and welcoming."

The current supply of COVID-19 iHealth tests for BLS expired at the end of March. There has not been an extension notice provided from the Food and Drug Administration. The Oregon Health Authority will no longer be distributing free iHealth tests to schools. Unexpired COVID-19 tests can be obtained at a local pharmacy or through a health care provider.

For more information on when to stay home due to illness, please visit the "Health Info and When to Keep Your Student Home" on the Bend-La Pine Schools website.

The Board of Directors for Bend-La Pine Schools will hold its next board budget committee meeting on Tuesday, April 9 at 4:00 p.m. at the Education Center, 520 NW Wall Street in Bend. The school board meeting follows at 5:30 p.m.

For information about board members, meetings and agendas, please visit our School Board page.

Are you curious which district policies and regulations are currently under review? To see proposed changes and give feedback on new language, click here.