Family Spotlight

Don’t forget! Friday, January 31 is a no-school day for schools on our semester schedule.* Teachers will be hard at work on final grades for the first semester of the school year, which ends January 30.

Families and students on the semester schedule will be able to view Semester 1 grades in ParentVUE the week of February 3.

New to ParentVUE? It’s the parent web portal allowing access to a student’s education progress including grades, attendance, assignments, progress reports, school announcements, and Individualized Education Program for students with an IEP. If you have not yet used ParentVUE, contact your student’s school or email us, and you will be sent an activation letter with instructions.

Canvas is also used by all Bend-La Pine middle and high school teachers as an extension to in-class instruction. On Canvas, teachers post assignments, share instructional support materials, give feedback, and communicate with students and their parents/guardians.

*Bend Tech Academy and La Pine High School are on a trimester system. School is in session Friday, January 31 at those two schools only.

Forecasting season is here! If you aren’t yet familiar with it, this is the process – usually taking place from late winter to early spring – in which students in grades 5-11 choose and request classes for the upcoming school year. The process may vary by grade level, but students will use resources like the curriculum guide, discussions with current teachers, counselors, and family to make informed course selections for the next school year.

Forecasting is essential for creating the school schedule and planning staffing for the school year. As a result, schedule changes are limited and allowed only for specific reasons. Therefore, we encourage students and families to carefully consider their course selections.

Attention parents and guardians of high school students: Join us for an informative evening at Academic Information Night, tailored for current students and families in grades 9-11 from all high schools in the district. The event takes place on Thursday, January 23, 6-7:30 pm, in the Summit High School auditorium.

As students prepare to navigate the course selection process for the upcoming year, our counselors are excited to offer a thorough exploration of the following topics:

• High school graduation requirements
  
• Course pathways and sequencing options
  
• Considerations for academic planning
  
• SchooLinks Course Planner feature
  
• Course selection insights for post-secondary planning
  

Representatives from each high school will be present to share valuable information and address any questions you may have after the main presentation.

You’ll have the opportunity to connect with school counselors and learn more about various academic programs available to enhance core high school requirements.

• Career and Technical Education (CTE) equips students with skills for potential careers, preparing them for further studies or workforce entry after high school.
  
• Dual Credit / College Now allows students to earn both high school and college credit for select courses taught by approved instructors during high school hours.
  
• Advanced Placement (AP) enables students to take college-level courses, with the opportunity to earn college credit based on exam performance.
  
• The AP Capstone Diploma involves completing AP Seminar and AP Research, along with passing four additional AP exams.
  
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme is offered at Bend Senior High, focusing on higher-level thinking and personal growth, with opportunities for college credit based on performance.
  

We look forward to your participation in this informative session and hope to see you at Academic Information Night!

At December’s Board meeting, Superintendent Steve Cook had the honor of presenting the Above & Beyond the Call of Duty Award to an 8th grader from Cascade Middle School.

This fall, our Transportation Department was contacted by the parent of a student who was the target of a bullying incident on the bus. The parent shared that, fortunately, an 8th grader intervened to help. Alli Campbell chose to bravely step in and call the students to account in an effort to end the bullying.

Alli reminds us that we all have the ability to step in and interrupt bullying. For those who feel that it is unsafe to intervene, there are options. The SafeOregon tip line is an online avenue for anonymous reporting. Students can find SafeOregon on their iPads through the First Step app. YouthLine is also available as a teen-to-teen help line that offers reporting and support via phone, text, chat, and email.

These and other resources can be found at bls.fyi/SafetyResources.

Oregon’s immunization exclusion day is February 19, 2025. Immunizations are required by state law for children and students in attendance at public and private schools, preschools, childcare facilities and Head Start programs in Oregon. Each year in January and February, all schools and childcare facilities in Oregon must report the immunization status of their students to the Health Department. Children must have all state required immunizations, or a medical or a non-medical exemption, to stay enrolled.

Don’t fall behind! For more information about required vaccines, where to obtain required vaccinations, and medical and non-medical exemptions, please visit our website.

Your Student Voice Council has been hard at work since the beginning of the school year.

The leadership group consists of 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. Representatives from the council attend Board meetings to share student perspectives on agenda items.

We are grateful for their dedication to bringing to the table important issues from their schools. Hearing directly from students to understand their needs and perspectives helps make our district and our schools stronger.

2024-2025 Student Voice Council

• Bend Senior High School - Quincy Bernahl, Emma Hayden, Iris Marshall, D. Prescher, Olive Shatting, Sammy Smith, Taylor Wirth
  
• Bend Tech Academy - En Shneider
  
• Caldera High School - Sergio Carillo, Chloe Grissen, Clara Kowalski, Kaylee Olvera Rivera
  
• La Pine High School - Haley Honda, Grace May
  
• Mountain View High School - Lindsay Lewis, Sylus Peterson
  
• Realms High School - Elliot DeMartin, Ben Schnur
  
• Summit High School - Cooper Alkire, Cecilia Dean, Finnegan Howell, Alaina Tarr, Esi Voelz
  

Bend-La Pine School’s

3rd annual Asian Family Night

Friday, January 31, 5:00 - 7:00 pm

Pilot Butte Middle School

At Asian Family Night, build cultural pride and community with families, students, and district staff.

• Dinner provided
  
• Enjoy fun performances and activities
  
• All are welcome!
  

Students are encouraged to prepare a poem, reading, dance, musical performance, or other talent, as a solo or with a partner. Click here to learn more and register.

1st annual Drawing Contest

2025 is the Year of the Snake! Students are invited to submit drawings representing the Year of the Snake. Artwork can be submitted to teachers or a school’s front office to be entered in the contest and be displayed at the event.

Join us to celebrate and connect together as a community!

Mountain View has rolled out a digital hall pass this year that helps students maximize the time they’re in classrooms and engaged in learning, and reduces problems that arise when students take longer than necessary with a hall pass.

In our latest Supe's On! podcast, Dr. Cook sits down for a conversation with Assistant Principal Becky Aylor and Allie McIntosh, a senior at Mountain View, to discover why the school thought this change was needed and how it's going so far.

Listen to the podcast today:

• Online – bls.fyi/podcast
  
• Apple Podcasts – bls.fyi/listenonapple
  
• Spotify – bls.fyi/listenonspotify

Rod Davis’ compassion for students and dedication to his fifth-grade classroom aren’t the only things that make him beloved at High Lakes Elementary School.

His lessons are unique, rigorous, and designed for the success of every student. Mr. Davis creates an environment in which students engage with the work and each other, turning lessons into real life purpose.

“His commitment of time and ongoing humor, positivity, and joyful attitude makes you one of High Lakes’ finest and creates community beyond the walls of his classroom.” – Kimberly Sundberg, High Lakes Elementary Principal

Please join us in celebrating Winter Walk + Roll to School Day on February 5th by walking or rolling to school. Log your trip by February 7th for the chance to win a prize!

During the month of January, you have the opportunity to provide feedback about your school and your student’s experience. It’s all in an effort to grow better academic outcomes and improved well-being for our school communities. The anonymous online survey is conducted by YouthTruth – a nonprofit organization that supports hundreds of schools and districts across the country.

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and closes Friday, January 31. Find the survey at ytsurvey.org/bendfamily25.

February:

Black History Month

Career & Technical Education Month

Love the Bus Month

January 29: Lunar New Year

February 2: Groundhog Day

February 3-7: National School Counseling Week

February 14: Valentine’s Day

February 15-22: National FFA Week

February 15: National SRO Appreciation Day

February 17: Presidents Day

The Bend-La Pine Schools Transportation Department has openings for substitute bus drivers in Bend. Starting pay for sub drivers is $28.26 per hour.

If you love working with kids, these are great positions, with time off in the middle of the day to run errands, work on projects, or relax. We provide paid training for drivers to receive their commercial driver’s license.

We also have openings for substitute bus monitors, who assist Special Programs drivers in observing and monitoring behavior of student riders. Starting pay for sub monitors is $19.37 per hour.

To learn more and start the application process, visit BLS.FYI/JOBS.

The Board of Directors for Bend-La Pine Schools will hold its next work session on Tuesday, January 28 at 5:30 p.m. at the Education Center, 520 NW Wall Street in Bend. The next regular meeting will be held Tuesday, February 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the Education Center.

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.