Helix School District

Dear Helix Parents, Students, and Community - After a long year of modified music classes, the Helix school band is equipped this year to play once more. We have bought specialized instrument masks and students will be practicing in a larger space to allow us to safely play our instruments again in class. Considering the limited time our students have been able to practice this last year and with the continued concern of COVID-19, Mr. Butler and I have decided that the Helix bands will not be performing in the Westward Ho Parade this year. I’m confident that this decision is in the best interest of the students and their families. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call me at 541-457-2175, ext. 3757 or email me at brad.bixler@helix.k12.or.us Brad Bixler, Helix Superintendent Jonathan Butler, Helix Band Instructor

Fall Junior High Sports Schedules

Dr. Earl will be at our school on Wednesday, August 11th from 1:00-3:00 pm to provide sports physicals. If you would like your student to get a sports physical, please feel free to wait to register your student when you bring them to the physical. We do not expect you to make an extra trip to Helix if you do not need to. Click the link for the physical form - https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/168999/PhysicalExamination-2017.pdf

This morning Governor Kate Brown today directed the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to create a rule to require masks indoors for K-12 schools statewide for the 2021-22 school year, in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recently updated guidance, and based on the latest science on the spread of the Delta variant. Information about Helix School District's plan for the 2021-2022 school year will be coming next week after I receive updated guidance from ODE. Please be safe!

Good Morning, As of today, the Helix School District is adopting the updated Ready Schools, Safe Learners (RSSL) Resiliency Framework for the 2021-22 School Year. For further information about the Framework, please follow this link - https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-family/healthsafety/Documents/Ready Schools Safe Learners Resiliency Framework for the 2021-22 School Year.pdf I recognize that it isn't possible to please everyone, even as things begin to improve. There are some people who want everything to go back to normal immediately, and there are others who would like to see more health protocols in place until COVID-19 and all its variants no longer pose a threat. The reality is COVID-19 and its variants aren't going away anytime soon, and while vaccination is a powerful tool in stopping the spread, vaccines aren't available for younger children and they aren't mandated for everyone. Your voice is important as we make decisions for the fall. Please complete the following short survey about health protocols in the next few days. Survey Link - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDXKoeEbijC729mSO_cJKv6nnB6DPzHK_m4mbM-ypNrZpltQ/viewform?usp=sf_link Thank you for your input! Have a great rest of your summer! Brad Bixler, Helix Superintendent

Good morning. As of Monday, June 21st, the Helix SD has received signed inter-district transfer forms from the Pendleton SD. If I have not contacted you, and you are in the Pendleton SD, we do not have a transfer form for your student. Please go to the Pendleton District office and complete an inter-district transfer form, if you intend to enroll your student in the Helix SD for the 2021-22 school year. Thanks, Darrick Cope, Superintendent, Helix SD

Good afternoon. Just a couple things ~ Interdistrict transfers must start in the release (home) district for both continuing and new students. Mandatory registration is Aug. 10th and 11th. Since this will be my final text, I wanted to thank you for all your flexibility, patience and understanding this past school year. Without your support the Helix SD would not have had the success we did. Thanks for everything, Darrick Cope

Good evening. Just a reminder, tomorrow is an early release. Students will be dismissed at 12:23pm. Also, 8th grade graduation starts at 6:30pm and doors open at 6:00pm. Due to COVID restrictions, each 8th grader is only allowed two attendees. Thanks, Darrick Cope

Wheel-A-Thon 2021

As a result of the new ODE guidance, Helix students in grades K-12 will no longer be required to wear their masks at outdoor recess, PE or at events like the Wheel-a-thon.

Happy Mother’s Day from the Helix School District.

Spirit Week Fundraiser

Student pick-up today will be at the front of the school. The bus lane is closed because of the track meet. Teachers will bring the K-5 students to the front lawn area by the flag pole to be picked up. Sorry for the inconvenience. Thanks, Darrick Cope

Good afternoon and Happy Friday!!! Just a reminder, all spectators (parents, etc.) at the MS Track meet today must stay outside of the chain-link fence to watch, unless you have signed up with Mr. Simpson and are assisting with the events. Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's Day. Thanks, Darrick Cope

Parents, Good afternoon. The 2021/2022 school calendar is now published. It can be found by going to the school webpage, click on the Parent Resources link in the upper right side of the page and opening the School Calendar folder. Thanks, Darrick Cope, Superintendent, Helix School District

NOTICE OF BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING HELIX SCHOOL DISTRICT #1-R NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to ORS 294.426, that a meeting of the budget committee of the Helix School District #1-R will be held on the 5th day of May 2021 at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of receiving the budget message and budget document of the district for the fiscal year 2021-2022. The meeting will be held at the Helix Schools, 120 Main, Helix, Oregon. This is a public meeting where deliberations of the budget committee will take place and any person may appear and comment on proposed programs with the budget committee at that time. A copy of the budget document will be available at Helix Schools at the time of the meeting. Darrick Cope, Budget Officer Publish: April 13, 2021 District Web Page: April 13th – May 5th www.helix.k12.or.us

HELIX KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION Helix Kindergarten Registration for the 2020-2021 school year will be held on Wednesday, April 14th from 2:30 - 4:30 PM in the kindergarten classroom. At this mandatory registration, your student will be assessed on kindergarten entrance skills and be able to explore their new classroom. Your incoming kindergarten student needs to be 5 years old before September 1st. Please bring your child’s birth certificate and immunization records with you at this time. We are looking forward to meeting the class of 2034! If you have any questions or are unable to attend, please contact Cindy at 457-2175.

The GHS volleyball team is playing Umatilla at 1 pm this afternoon!. The match will be live streamed! Please go to www.nfhsnetwork.com and register, then search for Griswold. There will be a fee associated to watch the match! Go Grizzlies!

Superintendent Candidates Interview Update: Due to scheduling conflicts we have moved the on-site interview for McKennon McDonald to early next week. Because of this change, we will not be including McKennon in the staff or community Zoom sessions on Friday, April 2. As McKennon is currently a teacher in the district, we would encourage both staff and community members to still provide the district with input on McKennon as a candidate for the position of Superintendent/Principal for the Helix School District. Please provide your input by email to Cindy Wood, Administrative Assistant at cindy.wood@helix.k12.or.us

HELIX SCHOOL BOARD SELECTS SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES At a work session prior to the March School Board meeting, a hiring committee made a recommendation to the board to interview three of the Superintendent applicants. The three applicants have been contacted and have agreed to an interview. The candidates are Brad Bixler, Human Resources Director in the North Bend School District, McKennon McDonald, Special Education Director in the Helix School District and Tim Sprenger, Principal at Central Middle School in the Milton-Freewater School District. On Friday, April 2 at 1:00pm, the Helix School Board will begin interviewing each of the candidates. At this same time, there will be a Zoom meeting set up for the staff to meet and ask questions of the candidates. In addition, there will also be a Zoom set up for parents and community members to meet the candidates. Rory Simpson will host the staff Zoom meeting and an IMESD HR employee will host the parent/community Zoom meetings. After the interviews are completed, the school board will select one of the candidates as their choice for Superintendent for the 2021/22 school year. This person will begin their tenure as Superintendent on July 1st, 2021. More info and Zoom links will be provided after Spring Break. Please call the office at (541) 457-2175 for more information.