Dear Cougar Students and Parents,
2022 is coming to a close and the end of 1st Semester is just around the corner. I ask all parents to stay connected with their student's progress in class via Canvas and appreciate you encouraging them to stay focused and engaged through the final weeks of the semester.
In addition to focusing on grades, we want to remind our school community that attendance matters! We know that students are most successful when they are in class, on time and engaged from bell to bell. To reinforce consistent attendance as a priority, we will require students to maintain a 85% rate as a prerequisite for purchasing tickets to our next school dance, Winter Formal, held on Jan 28th. Students can review their current attendance rate in StudentVUE. Students who do not meet the 85% rate will have an opportunity to submit an appeal for review/approval.
Finally, the district office has asked us to share the new Choice School lottery process and Area Change Request (ACR) deadline with families. Cambio de plazos para lotería, ACR. Deadlines to apply for Bend-La Pine Schools’ Choice Option schools and/or to submit an Attendance Area Change Request (ACR) have shifted:
- Applications open: Jan. 3, 2023
- Application deadline for ACRs and Choice Option applications: Jan. 20, 2023 at 3 p.m.
Learn more about our choice option schools here and review details about the ACR process here.
If you want to take an “inside peek” of campus life, you can check out my principal Instagram page here — @mvkicks.with.hicks
Keep reading for ways to give back this season and show Bend that MVCares!
Go Cougars! 🐾
Michael Hicks, Principal
Get Into Giving!
We have multiple efforts under way that our school community can take part in giving back this holiday season.
Gift Card Drive: This year we organized a gift card drive for FAN to help MVHS students and all families throughout the Bend La Pine School District.The gift card drive is our effort to collect both small and large gift cards to stores, restaurants, movie theaters, coffee shops, gas stations etc. around town. Teachers are collecting gift cards from students in class, but if parents would like to bring in additional gift card donations, they can drop them off in the Main Office.
Warm Clothing Drive: Interact Club’s Cozy Cougs drive for FAN is happening in the commons until December 16th! Bring some cozy gear to help out our fellow Cougars this winter, don’t have access to cozy gear? Rally to the commons and donate to any of the drive bins provided!
Give The Gift of Gear!
Get your cold weather essentials or those last minute gifts here! The MV Cougar Gear Shop is stocked and ready. Check out new merch and order online here: Coug Gear Shop
Inclement Weather Resources
The city is covered in snow! Learn more about how the district makes decisions during bad weather here and take measures to stay connected to information regarding delays and closures due to inclement weather. BLS will share information the following ways:
- 💻 Visit the BLS website: www.bend.k12.or.us (an alert banner will be posted to every page in the case of a delay, closure or early release.)
- 📞 Call our hotline, which will be updated with weather delay or closure information: English 541-323-7669 or Spanish 541-355-0044.
- 📱 Subscribe to Mystop to receive push notifications on your mobile device about changes to the school bus. Sign up today: bls.fyi/mystop. To install the app, simply visit the Google Play Store (for Android) or the Apple Store (for iOS), and search for "Versatrans My Stop" or log-in via the web at My Stop. Make sure you select Bend-La Pine Schools when prompted.
- 📲 Visit our social media pages: Facebook English: @BendLaPineSchools, Spanish: @EscuelasdeBendLaPine, Twitter: @BLPSchools
- 💬 Sign up for BLConnect, an emergency alert text messaging system. Register at this link: bls.fyi/blconnect
- 📺 Tune it to local media
Supports for Families
The holiday season is a time for togetherness and joy, but it can sometimes bring unwelcome guest, like stress and grief. Some of us may be experiencing the holidays without a loved one. Some of us may be balancing endless to-do lists and hosting family and friends. While we each celebrate this season’s joys, it’s important to stay mindful, acknowledge our feelings, and reach out for help if needed.
Bend-La Pine schools partnered with Care Solace to support the well-being of our community. If you or your family member are looking for help with mental health or substance use, Care Solace can help you quickly find treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of the circumstance. This is a complimentary and confidential care coordination service provided by Bend-La Pine schools. If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a mental health care provider:
- Call 888-515-0595. Support is available 24/7/365 in over 200 languages.
- Visit www.caresolace.com/bls and either search on your own or click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.
We are so proud to have Perla Ruiz as a part of our MV staff, working day in and out to serve students and families across our district through FAN (Family Access Network)! This month, 7 of nearly 200 nominees were selected to receive a grant from Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation and the fabulous Perla Ruiz was one of those honored. To learn more about Perla and our FAN program, click here.
All About Seniors - Class of 2023
The final deadline to order graduation cap & gown is Dec 30! Details on how to order through Miners Grad Services can be found on the Senior Information page of our website. Be sure to bookmark this page to stay informed.
Next up for seniors:
- Feb 9 - Senior Meeting - General Graduation Reminders
Supe's On! Podcast Episode 20: How vaping is affecting our schools and what we can do to help
Vaping is impacting our schools. While we know that a majority of students are not vaping, the number who are need support. In Superintendent Steve Cook's latest podcast, he examines this topic alongside Becky Aylor, Assistant Principal at Mountain View High School, and Dr. Aimee Snyder, Prevention and Health Promotion Supervisor at Deschutes County. Together they discuss the size of the problem, the steps our schools are taking to help students and the actions we can all take to prevent vaping or intervene once a student has started. Listen now at bls.fyi/podcast
- December 12-16 : Winter Spirit Week
- December 13 : Winter Choir Concert, 7pm in the MV Auditorium
- December 15 : Winter Orchestra Concert, 7pm in the MV Auditorium
- December 16 : Assembly Bell Schedule
- December 19-Jan 2 : NO SCHOOL, Winter Break (FYI - school resumes on Tuesday, Jan 3)
Check out our weekly MVHS Announcement webpage for continued school announcements.
Be sure to visit the MVHS website and like/follow us on Facebook to keep up to date on what is happening around campus. Go Cougs!
Credits:
Go Cougs!