Staff Talk
A Newsletter for Beaverton School District Employees
Parking Lot Safety
This is a friendly reminder to please lock your vehicles and remove all valuables when parking in school and Administration Center parking lots during non-school hours, i.e. evenings and weekends.
There have been recent vehicle break-ins in school parking lots during weekend hours.
The Beaverton School District is not responsible for damaged or stolen items and does not patrol or monitor parking lots.
2019 - 2021 District Calendar Survey
The Beaverton School District staff and community are invited to assist with the selection of the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 District calendars by selecting their preferred calendar option for each of the two years. The survey will be open through October 14, 2018. The final calendars will be announced and posted on the District’s website following the October 22, 2018 School Board meeting.
Please take the 2019-2021 District Calendar Staff Survey
Option School Application Process for 2019-2010
The application timeline has changed for the 2019-2020 school year. The lottery application phase has been shortened to make Second Consideration applications available earlier. This will allow students more time to work on their applications and schools more time to review them.
The Beaverton School District is nationally recognized for high student achievement and innovative programs. Beaverton students in grades 6-12 have the opportunity to investigate learning options that best fit their academic needs. Students can choose their neighborhood school or apply for one of a number of learning options. Transportation is provided.
Applications for the 2019-2020 school year will be available starting Monday, October 15, 2018. Please plan to attend one or more of the open houses that are available. Students may only select one option on their application, so do some early investigation of the options online.
All applicants must reside within the Beaverton School District boundaries. Beginning October 15, current Beaverton School District students are able to apply online using their student ID. Resident students not currently attending a Beaverton school, or who do not have Internet access, will need to complete a paper application available online, or at any school office beginning October 15, 2018. Please give careful consideration to your choice of school. Once an application has been submitted, no changes will be allowed.
Applications must be received no later than Friday, December 7, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. (PST).
OFFICE OF LEARNING OPTIONS
Information Line: 503.356.4440 • FAX: 503.356.4415
New Options Application Timeline
Mon., October 15, 2018 ------- Applications for the 2019-2020 school year will be available.
Fri., December 7, 2018 ------- Applications due no later than 4:00 p.m. PST.
Wed., December 12, 2018 ------- Electronic Lottery conducted for the 2019-20 School Year.
- Acceptance or wait pool notifications will be sent via email.
- Students who are not selected via the lottery will be emailed a Second Consideration application for the school for which they applied.
Thurs., January 10, 2019 ------- Second Consideration applications due to schools.
Wed., January 30, 2019 ------- Deadline to accept/decline enrollment – by 4:00 p.m. PST
Section 125 Flexible Spending Account Enrollment Period
A flexible spending account allows employees to pay for qualified medical expenses, or qualified dependent care (child care) expenses on a pre-tax basis.
Employees may choose to participate in one or both flex spending options: 1) Flex medical plan; 2) Flex dependent care plan. Under IRS guidelines, these accounts are subject to the “use it or lose it” rule which means that you must file receipts for these expenses by the end of the plan year or you “lose” the money you have set aside for the plan year.
You must re-enroll each year in order to participate in this program. New hires that recently enrolled Sept. 1, 2018 must now re-enroll for the new plan year if they wish to continue beyond Oct. 31, 2018.
For the November 1, 2018 plan year, the annual medical spending account maximum will be $2,550 a year.
How do I enroll in the program?
The enrollment form and plan information is available on the District Intranet on the District’s Benefits web page. Please remember to forward the completed enrollment form to the Human Resources Department; do not send the enrollment form to Allegiance directly. You also have an opportunity to learn more about this program at one of the following meetings with Allegiance Benefits and BSD Human Resources staff.
Section 125 Plan Information Meetings - 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. You are encouraged to attend if you have questions about this program:
- Tuesday, October 2, at the Highland Park Middle School, Media Center
- Wednesday, October 3 at Conestoga Middle School, Media Center
- Thursday, October 4, at Administration Center, Conference Room 3
Enrollment forms must be received in the Human Resources Dept. no later than Monday, Oct. 15, 2018 to be eligible for the November 1, 2018 plan year.
Please do not send forms by fax; Allegiance requires original, signed enrollment forms.
For more information, please contact Debbie Johnson, Health Benefits Coordinator, at 503-356-4459.
Important Reminder for Regence members — VSP Choice for Vision benefits
If you missed the notice in the May 2018 Staff Talk on Open Enrollment
Please read below:
Effective July 1, 2018, your Regence medical plan (purple and yellow) partnered with VSP vision plans to provide your vision benefit. It is important to make sure you are seeing a VSP choice provider to maximize your vision benefit. Please review the Regence VSP Choice benefits summary.
How do I find a VSP choice provider?
You can go to www.or.regence.com and go to the link “Find a doctor” and then click on “Find Vision Care” and then search by zip code to find a VSP Choice providers near you. If you go to a “Premier” VSP provider, you will receive additional discounts on your contact lens or vision hardware products.
What if I go to my eye doctor and then go to Costco for the hardware?
If your eye doctor is a VSP choice provider—the office visit is at no cost to you. Costco is also a VSP choice provider for the vision hardware and will process your contacts or glasses and frames if you identify yourself as a Regence member with VSP for vision benefits. You can also go to a Walmart store to pick up your hardware under VSP Choice.
How do I contact VSP?
If you received a new Regence card—the VSP number is on the back (see picture of Regence sample card). Their phone number is 1-844-299-3041.
When does my vision benefit renew?
Good News! If you have not used your Regence vision benefit since July 1, 2018, you may use it now before December 31, 2018. These vision benefits renew every January 1 calendar year beginning January 1, 2019.
Seasonal Flu Shot Clinics Scheduled
BSD Kaiser members may receive their free flu shot at their Kaiser medical clinic beginning in early October; Kaiser has posted their flu shot clinics on their website: www.kp.org/flu (download the flyer below).
BSD Flu Shot Clinics: no pre-registration required, family members welcome, ages 11 to adult - cost: free (Regence Blue Cross members must bring their medical card for the free shot.) There is a $25 fee for non-Regence Blue Cross vaccinations.
- Mon. Oct. 08 - 3:00 – 5:30 p.m. - Administration Center - Conference Room 3
- Tue. Oct. 09 - 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. - Whitford MS - Media Center
- Tue. Oct. 16 - 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. - Conestoga MS - Media Center
- Wed. Oct. 17 - 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. - Sunset HS - Community Room
- Thurs. Oct. 18 - 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. - Aloha HS - Cafeteria
- Tue. Oct. 23 - 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. - Beaverton HS - Lower Cafeteria (West end)
- Wed. Oct. 24 - 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. - Westview HS - Media Center
Additional dates with priority for Transportation staff:
- Thurs. Oct. 11, 9:15 - 10:45 a.m., TSC (1270 NW 167th Place)
- Thurs. Oct. 18, 9:15 – 10:45 a.m., 5th Street Transportation, 10550 SW 5th St.
For more information, please contact Debbie Johnson, Health Benefits Coordinator, at 503-356-4459.
Tech Tip: Cybersecurity Improvements
90 Day Password Change:
In response to a security audit finding, employee password reset requirements will move from 365 days to 90 days at the end of October.
For staff on Apple machines, the Nomad application is installed and in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Nomad will display the number of days left before password expiration. When you click on the application icon, the password change feature is available. Both Windows and Mac users will get notifications at least 14 days prior to password expiration.
Email Banners:
We activated email banners for all external email and email being received that looks like it is coming from a BSD address, but in reality, is coming from an outside service.
One of our largest areas of vulnerability is phishing, where attackers send emails designed to elicit staff input or usernames and passwords. With those passwords, criminals can gain entry into our systems to try and steal student and staff confidential data or damage or lock our systems to demand a ransom.
If you see the banner on an email coming from a BSD employee, double-check the email address on the From: line just to make sure it has not been forged to look like it is from within BSD. Please also never share your password with anyone.
For more information, please see the Email Banner Intranet Page.
Helpful I.T. Information and Updates
- For more information about Cybersecurity and Phishing scams, please visit the IT Security and Data Privacy page on the Staff Intranet.
- To stay up-to-date with all IT changes and updates, please bookmark the IT Changes page on the Staff Intranet.
- There is now a page on the IT intranet site that houses IT Procedures and Guidelines. The IT Department will continue to add and formalized guidelines to this page.
Community Health Education K-12 Information Nights
Topics will include:
- 2018 Health Curriculum Adoption
- New Health Learning Targets
- Erin’s Law
2018 Community Health Education K-12 Information Nights:
- Monday, October 15, 2018, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Stoller Middle School, 14141 NW Laidlaw Rd.
- Thursday, October 18, 2018, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Whitford Middle School, 7935 SW Scholls Ferry Rd.
- Wednesday, October 24, 2018, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Meadow Park Middle School, 14100 SW Downing St.
For more information, please contact Jared Cordon, Administrator for Early Learning and Elementary Curriculum and Assessment for grades K-5 at jared_cordon@beaverton.k12.or.us and Brian Sica, Administrator for Secondary Curriculum and Assessment for grades 6-12 at brian_sica@beaverton.k12.or.us.
LGBTQ+ Staff Affinity Group
If you are a staff member who identifies as LGBTQ+, consider joining the District’s LGBTQ+ Staff Affinity Group. We:
- Create an inclusive and affirming environment for BSD students, staff, and families
- Inform each other about the challenges and successes of supporting LGBTQ+ students, staff, and families
- Support one another through sharing resources and strategies
If you’re interested, please email Gretchen Mollers (gretchen_mollers@beaverton.k12.or.us). Our next gathering is October 17th where we'll focus on inclusive curriculum. Check out TeacherSource to register.
Actions for Allies: So much is happening in October! Allies can show your support for our community by celebrating National Coming Out Day on October 11th, or celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month.
Dyslexia Awareness Month
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing and developing connections between letters and sounds, according to the International Dyslexia Association. With effective teaching, children become proficient readers and writers.
The Oregon Legislature passed laws in 2017 improving how public schools support children with dyslexia. The Beaverton School District has benefited from training on dyslexia. All 34 elementary schools have at least one teacher who has completed an Oregon Department of Education-approved dyslexia training. We have a plan in place to screen for reading difficulty for all of our kindergarten and new first-grade students this fall.
On October 14, the Morrison Bridge will be lit up in red to celebrate the strengths of children with dyslexia. The “Light It Up Red” event includes a dinner, inspirational speaker and games.
Download the flyers below to learn more about these events.
International Walk + Bike to School Day - October 10
International Walk + Bike to School Day is an annual event that promotes walking and biking. It is great for kids and it is great for the community. Why?
- It increases community traffic safety
- It increases physical activity
- It reduces traffic congestion near schools
- It teaches safe transportation skills to children
- It increases awareness of how walkable a community is and where improvements need to be made
- It's FUN
If your school isn’t registered yet, talk with your principal or PE Teacher. The Beaverton Safe Routes to School webpage has all the information you need to plan a successful event.
Your school can order incentives for walkers and bikers, there are BSD pencils, stickers, reflectors, shoelaces, and one really cool Nutcase helmet for every registered school – which can be given away as a prize or as needed.
Mark your calendars and get ready to walk or bike to school on October 10, 2018. Plan now for a safe walk and bike ride to school. If you need help, contact Lynne Mutrie, BSD Safe Routes to School Coordinator.
BEF Phone-a-Thon - October 9-17
Between October 9-17, hundreds of BSD high school students and community volunteers will telephone Beaverton residents during the 20th Beaverton Education Foundation’s annual Phone-a-thon, requesting donations to fund critical classroom, after-school, and summer programs across our District. Programs funded by BEF include Safe and Sound for Student Success (S4), Camp Achieve, Innovation Exposition 18 (iX18), and Beaverton’s Choice, a crowdfunding platform to support BSD teacher innovation and hands-on academic programs for Beaverton students.
Last school year Beaverton Education Foundation’s 3,000 donors helped fund 96 programs and activities that reached 22,261 students at all 53 BSD schools. Our goal this year is to fund 130 projects and reach 30,000 students in all 53 schools, in honor of our 30th anniversary supporting inspiration, innovation and success. The partnership between BEF and BSD is vital and ensures that thousands of students benefit from these important hands-on projects and programs, all created by fellow Beaverton educators, for Beaverton students.
Costs of the phone-a-thon are underwritten by generous sponsors, so that donors’ tax-deductible donations can help more Beaverton kids. BEF thanks them for their support.
For additional information or to learn how to apply for Beaverton’s Choice funding, visit our website at www.beavertonEDfoundation.org
Hazeldale Elementary School - Final Update
Five Oaks Middle School - September 2018
WIlliam Walker Elementary School - September 2018
School Exclusion Day Workshops Hosted by Washington County Health & Human Services
Washington County Letters on Flu, Norovirus and Pertussis
Hiteon teacher Tom Steiwer honored as part of KATU's "Leaders in Learning"
Brothers win Romanian-American Heritage Gold National Award
Stefan and Victor presented a photo exhibition titled “A Chapter of Romanian History in the Northwest of America – Queen Marie and Maryhill Museum of Art”, introducing to the Romanian public an important historical and cultural connection between USA and Romania at the Sinaia City Museum housed in the historic Florescu-S ̧tirbei Palace in Sinaia, Romania.
Maryhill Museum of Art published an article about this project in their fall newsletter, the article is on page 6.
Congratulations, Stefan and Victor!
Kathy Gray & Jolyn Iboy, Facility Use Specialists
Keeping the money in the classroom. Kathy Gray and Jolyn Iboy see that as their primary mission. You might know them as the people who run SchoolDude. Technically, their title is Facility Use Specialist.
Kathy and Jolyn are responsible for helping school staff, community members and parents navigate the Districtwide facility use program, SchoolDude. The District began using SchoolDude three years ago in an effort to bring consistency, efficiency and transparency to the facility use process. “It had been a paper system for many years. It was cumbersome and inefficient,” says Kathy.
“Kathy and Jolyn have made a herculean effort from taking a nascent idea of a Districtwide facility use program to the implementation of a uniform facility use system which had been done 50 different ways when they started,” says Executive Administrator for Long Range Planning Steve Sparks.
“One of the things that I enjoy the most is explaining to people the process, why we have it and walking them through the steps. You can almost see the person on the other end of the phone have that ‘aha’ moment where they get it,” says Jolyn.
She and Kathy have been with the District 14 and 20 years respectively. Before coming to facilities, Jolyn worked in the mail room and as a maintenance secretary. Kathy spent 16 of her years with the District as a bookkeeper at Southridge. She says that while she misses being in the schools, she knows that she is still helping kids, just indirectly. “ It’s really all for them. They are in a safer building. They are in a cleaner building. The money is being spent in the classroom on teachers. It’s not being spent on things that happened in the evening when they weren’t there, or destruction or vandalism,” says Kathy. She likes that she is able to take the pressure of keeping track of who is using the buildings off of school staff. “The more we can help them, the more they can focus on their jobs of supporting students.”
Kathy and Jolyn both agree that one of the most challenging parts of their job is helping people understand the fee system and why they are charged to use the buildings. “They look at it as a community center. Everybody has a different passion they want to share with students. We have to have rules and they have to be consistently enforced. We have a responsibility to make sure that our schools can be used for their intended purpose. It’s all about keeping money in the classrooms. Our first goal is to educate students.”
Westview HS student helps blind children in India
The inspiration to start up a new organization for the visually challenged across the world came from his parents. His parents, Raj Kumar Vavilapalli and Madhavi Lukalapu have donated to the local blind school in their hometown in rural Southern India for the past nine years. However, these donations were annual and did not seem to influence the students of the blind orphanage throughout their daily lives. Sai Hitesh wanted to make that influence affect as many children as possible.
The I Mission works to bring light in life for visually challenged people all over the world. The I Mission is committed to helping the blind through a variety of methods including prevention, treatment and improving the lives of the incurably blind. The I Mission works with impoverished nations’ organizations that are dedicated to helping the visually challenged. To raise funds for the cause, they host educational workshops and cultural events in the Portland metropolitan area. The educational workshops enrich the knowledge of local elementary and middle school children for their future academic success in a series of competitive platforms. The cultural events aim to show Portland some of the art forms that are commonly practiced around the world.
Learn more at theimission.weebly.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/theimission/
Sai was featured on KGW during the summer - watch the segment below.
HS2 Students win SafeOregon PSA Contest
Check out their video: https://youtu.be/MwluCKfZozE
BSD's Future Bus debuts at Portland Mini Maker Faire
School Board Fall Work Session
Monday, October 8, 2018
3:00 p.m.
Merlo High School
1841 SW Merlo Dr
Beaverton, 97003
View Meeting materials...
School Board Business Meeting
Monday, October 22, 2018
6:30 p.m.
Administration Office
16550 SW Merlo Rd.
Beaverton, 97003
View Meeting materials
Beaverton School District
The district prohibits discrimination and harassment based on any basis protected by law, including but not limited to, an individual's actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national or ethnic origin, marital status, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, familial status, economic status, veteran status, or because of a perceived or actual association with any other persons within these protected classes.
Email: melissa_larson@beaverton.k12.or.us
Website: www.beaverton.k12.or.us
Location: 16550 SW Merlo Rd, Beaverton, OR, United States
Phone: 503-356-4360
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeavertonSchoolDistrict
Twitter: @beavertonSD