Staff Talk
A Newsletter for Beaverton School District Employees
January 2018 Issue
Welcome Back BSD Staff! Happy New Year!
District Budget Process Underway
The Beaverton School District is estimating a $4-6 million shortfall in 2018-2019, the second year of the State's 2017-2019 biennium budget.
In 2017-2018, the District also reduced its budget by $5.7 million because it did not receive an adequate state budget allocation. Statewide K-12 funding continues to be unstable.
The estimated shortfall in 2018-2019 is due to roll-up costs including staff salaries and benefits and flat student enrollment due to changing demographics in the area caused by the increased cost of housing. A significant unknown is Measure 101 which is slated for the January 2018 election. If passed, the measure would uphold a bill the Oregon Legislature passed in the 2017 session to protect health care coverage for working families, including 400,000 Oregon children. The election outcome could further impact school funding statewide. The Beaverton School Board will be asking voters to consider a renewal of the current five year local option levy in May 2018. The current local option levy provides $30 million annually and funds 300 teachers across Beaverton schools.
District staff will convene this month to begin the process of drafting a proposed budget for Superintendent Don Grotting to present to the Budget Committee in April 2018.
Open Enrollment Information
Applications for open enrollment are available on the District website, at each school and at the Administration Center, 16550 SW Merlo Rd., and will be accepted through Tuesday, January 23, 2018 prior to 2:00 p.m. Students may only apply to two schools. Completed applications should be returned to the school for which the student is applying. Applications to more than two (2) buildings will be denied.
Principals will make the final determinations as to what grade levels will be filled with these Open Enrollment slots.
There are some important factors families must consider when applying for open enrollment:
- Transportation to the new school is the responsibility of the family. Buses do not travel from the resident school to the open enrollment school; however, occasionally the student may live close to the attendance boundary of the open enrollment school. In this case, parents may submit a written request by completing a “No Transportation Zone Request Form.”
- Approval is for the duration of the current school level only (i.e., elementary, middle or high school).
- There is no guarantee of sibling applications being approved.
- Commitment to attend any school should be for the entire academic year.
- A lottery system may have to be implemented if there are more applications than allocations available.
- Copies of the completed applications will be distributed by the receiving school principal, pending a letter or conversation with the parent/guardian of the student.
Parents will be informed of the decisions by the principal of the school applied to within one week after the conclusion of the open enrollment period. Parents will need to confirm acceptance at that time.
Contact your school if you have any questions regarding the process.
Centralized Waste Collection for District Administration Center - Operation Kick the Can
The District Administration Center, including all portables and the Maintenance facilities, will eliminate desk-side garbage collection effective January 4, 2018. Centralized waste receptacles will be strategically placed in locations frequented by the community and easily accessible to staff. Desk-side recycling collection will not change.
This shift in approach allows us to demonstrate our commitment to sustainable practices and support the environment while raising awareness and elevating conscience choice as individuals manage discards. A further benefit is the time saved in custodial services that can be directed towards higher priority tasks.
Collection points for the Administration Center will include conference rooms, reception areas, kitchen areas, production areas, common office areas, and bathrooms. Portables will have one central collection point in addition to bathroom spaces.
The custodial team will collect and remove all desk-side garbage cans on January 3.
Thank you for your support of this initiative!
DID YOU KNOW:
There are more than 140 desk-side garbage cans in the Administration Building. It requires three hours of custodial time every day to empty these cans normally collecting less than 25 gallons of waste.
An October 2017 waste sort of desk-side garbage can waste revealed 25% of the material could have been recycled.
Inclement Weather Information
The District makes decisions based on the ability to operate school buses safely; the ability for students and parents to get to school safely, and the ability for employees to get to work safely and on time. The decision that is made will be for the entire District. As always, parents may choose to make different decisions based on their particular location.
View Inclement Weather Information for Staff on the Public Safety page on the Intranet.
The District will notify parents and staff via SchoolMessenger with a Non-School Hours Emergency message. Please manage your communication preferences in SchoolMessenger InfoCenter.
For the latest inclement weather information:
- Log on to the District website and a light blue message banner will be posted on the top of the main page with the status of District operations.
- Opt-in for SMS Alerts from SchoolMessenger
- Subscribe to Flash Alert for email or text message updates
- Like the Beaverton School District on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
- The Beaverton School District Inclement Weather Policy and transportation snow routes can be found on the Public Safety webpage.
- Subscribe to the District’s RSS Feed
Address Updates and Employee Online Services
Also, Payroll would like to remind employees of the opportunity to receive monthly pay stubs and/or W2s electronically through Employee Online Services (EOS). EOS gives you immediate access to view and update your tax and contact information, view current and past check stubs and W2s, simulate tax withholding through a “What-if” calculator, and other services.
In the interest of both protecting your personal information and contributing to the overall efficiency and expense reduction of the District, please consider using the link provided below to “opt-in” to receiving monthly check stubs and/or W2s in electronic format: https://eos.beaverton.k12.or.us/ifas7/emponline/Default.aspx
Early Release/Teacher Collaboration
We are looking for stories to share and we would like to feature you, your team and your school. Please let us know if you have a great example of collaboration or professional development happening in your school or team and we would love to feature it on the District's main webpage, in District publications and on social media.
How is Early Release helping your students prepare for post-high school success?
Send an email to Melissa_Larson@beaverton.k12.or.us to share!
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
Actions for Allies: if you are a staff member interested in supporting LGBTQ+ students, read GLSEN's 2015 National School Climate Survey. It is GLSEN's flagship report on the school experiences of LGBTQ youth in schools, including the extent of the challenges that they face at school and the school-based resources that support LGBTQ students’ well-being.
If you’re interested, please email Gretchen Mollers (gretchen_mollers@beaverton.k12.or.us) to get on the LGBTQ+ Affinity Group email list.
2017-2018 BEF Beaverton's Choice Grants
Beaverton's Choice is a site like Donors Choose that helps individuals and businesses match up their time, resources or a tax donation with specific classroom projects in our Beaverton public schools.
Teachers list their needs online; donors choose which ones are of interest. It’s as simple as that! Now Beaverton Education Foundation can help make your fabulous classroom project go viral through Beaverton’s Choice!
Creating a classroom project, or campaign, using Beaverton’s Choice is a simple online process. Go to the Beaverton’s Choice application site. You will need to enter five pieces of information, click submit, and BEF will do the rest to get your project online and the fundraising started!
You will need the following to submit a project:
- Title | A good title can make your request stand out. Identify your classroom problem or opportunity, and use a personal tone.
- Intro | This will be the introduction to your project and the default message shared on social media.
- Goal | Enter the goal for the project – the amount of money you are trying to raise
- Picture | Use a horizontal photo that helps donors connect emotionally with the project maximum benefit.
- Story | This is where you can go into more detail on your classroom or school project. Include your school name and grade level(s) served. At the end of the story include the budget details for the project.
That is all you need to submit a project. If you have questions, refer to details of creating a project for step by step instructions.
Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis and will be posted to Beaverton’s Choice for funding by the public. You will be notified via email when to begin promoting and sharing your project. The BEF Grant Review committee reviews your project and considers your active sharing in their funding decision.
BEF Kids Count Grants
Applications must be for extended day or year programs. Summer programs must serve the same students for a minimum of four weeks, and a minimum of 45 hours instruction time. Programs must provide tutoring and/or enrichment opportunities for students that enhance and improve student learning.
BEF Kids Count Grants fund the upcoming summer and the following fall extended day programs. Middle schools are not eligible to apply as they receive funding through the BEF Middle School Extended Day program.
HOW TO APPLY:
- Please submit an Intent to File Form. Deadline is January 12, 2018. A BEF Intent to File form must be submitted by the Intent to File deadline to be eligible to apply for a BEF Kids Count Grant.
- Consult with a BEF staff member (optional) and review all resources materials – scoring guide, sample grants.
- Please submit a full application. Application Deadline February 9, 2018.
Applications received after the deadline date will not be accepted. Submit applications to the Beaverton Education Foundation via email BEF.
Questions? Please contact the BEF office: 503.643.7453 or email: BEF.
Are you the recipient of a Kids Counts Grant? Have you turned in your completion form?
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School Board Business Meeting - January 22
View meeting materials.
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Hazeldale December Construction Update
Beaverton School District
The Beaverton School District recognizes the diversity and worth of all individuals and groups. It is the policy of the Beaverton School District that there will be no discrimination or harassment of individuals or groups based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, marital status, age, veteran status, genetic information or disability in any educational programs, activities or employment.
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