BSD Briefs
February 4, 2019
District Goal: WE empower all students to achieve post-high school success.
National School Counseling Week 2019 - "School Counselors: Providing Lessons for Life," will be celebrated from Feb. 4-8, 2019, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by American School Counselor Association (ASCA), highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.
The special week honoring school counselors provides recognition for school counselors who implement comprehensive school counseling programs, a vital part of the educational process for all students as they meet the challenges of the 21st century.
"Maybe you don’t see them every day, but school counselors are there for students when they need them. Whether students go to their counselor for advice about a personal problem; for support preparing for college; for assistance with figuring out the school schedule; or trying to handle the pressures of school and extracurricular activities, professional school counselors play a critical—and often unsung—role in our schools. The Beaverton School District is lucky to have such dedicated counselors who work tirelessly to support all students. Thank you, counselors, for all that you do." says Danielle Hudson, Executive Administrator for Student Services.
Please take a moment to thank your school counselor.
Beaverton School District Graduation Rates Hit An All-Time High
The Oregon Department of Education recently released graduation rates for 2017-2018. The Beaverton School District hit an all-time high of 86.4% of students graduating in four years. This continues a five-year upward trend and improvement of 6.7% since 2013-2014. In addition, all historically underserved student groups improved during this same timeframe.
In 2017-2018, the High School Success Fund (Measure 98) was established to improve graduation rates, and college and career readiness.
The District has invested in several strategies to ensure all students graduate prepared for post high school success. These strategies include expanding Career & Technical Education (CTE) Programs and college level educational opportunities, and establishing dropout prevention strategies. “With these investments, we expect to see our graduation rates continually improve,” says Superintendent Don Grotting. “Our teachers, counselors, other staff members and principals are working hard to ensure every student crosses the graduation line. We have more work to do, but we are definitely on the right track.”
CTE: In 2016-2017, there were 18 CTE programs in the Beaverton School District. With the support of the High School Success Fund in 2017-2018, the District added or expanded 8 additional CTE programs (for a total of 26) available for our high school students. The programs integrate technical and career skill development with academic content. They are aligned to industry standards and each pathway has an industry advisory council to guide program development and professional learning for staff.
College level educational opportunities: The High School Success Fund requires high schools to assign student to advanced and college level courses based on multiple academic qualifications in order to avoid bias in course assignments. In Beaverton, we are providing access and supports so students can be successful in challenging courses. The District is expanding its participation in Willamette Promise and Northwest Promise.
The Willamette Promise provides high school students with the opportunity to earn up to a year of college credit and complete technical courses before high school graduation. Beaverton School District is one of 43 school districts in Oregon to partner with the Willamette Education Service District in this work.
NW Promise is a collaborative effort between Northwest Regional ESD and the high schools and higher education institutions in northwest Oregon. They focus on cooperation between high school teachers and college faculty to ensure students are working and learning at a college-level, specifically seeking to reach historically underserved students, including students of color and first-generation college goers.
Dropout Prevention: The 2017-2018 dropout rate for Beaverton is 1.9%. The District has implemented Freshman Success Teams consisting of teachers, counselors, Grad Mentors and Attendance Monitors. These teams meet regularly to review data on students’ courses, grades, absences and discipline. An Early Warning System allows them to see which students are not meeting targets. The team then develops strategies to ensure at-risk students stay on track to graduate. In addition, the District is building an online learning infrastructure to support Freshman on Track and credit recovery.
The Beaverton School District sees graduation as everyone’s business in our K-12 system, including elementary and middle schools. Students are engaged in their future career and college plans at the middle school level through AVID. They are learning skills and behaviors that will make a difference as students progress to high school. At the elementary level, Student Success Coaches help students learn how to manage their behaviors so they are ready to learn and succeed.
Elementary Attendance Boundary Adjustment Community Meeting
The Beaverton School District is undertaking a boundary adjustment project with the objective to lower the number of students that are enrolled at Elmonica Elementary School. The District formed an Elementary Attendance Boundary Adjustment Committee of community members to assist in evaluating potential adjustments to the Elmonica attendance boundary. The Committee held a community meeting on Saturday, February 2, 2019. At the meeting the community had the opportunity to give public testimony.
The boundary adjustment project will review potential adjustments to the Elmonica attendance boundary by removing areas from the Elmonica attendance area. The areas removed from Elmonica attendance area will be added to Barnes, Beaver Acres, and/or McKinley elementary school attendance boundaries. Adjustment to the attendance boundaries of Barnes, Beaver Acres, and/or McKinley elementary schools may also be considered in order to ensure a balanced future student enrollment with each schools' building capacity.
Educator & First Responder Partnership Breakfast
Beaverton School District administrators and staff and local first responders gathered for the quarterly Educator & First Responder Partnership Breakfast on Thursday, January 31, 2019 at Beaverton Foursquare Church.
Participants heard law enforcement's response to the recent Stoller Middle School Lockdown from Lt. John Bennett of the Washington County Sheriff's Office, and the District's response and reunification rollout from Dr. Carl Mead, Deputy Superintendent of Operations and Support and Veronica Galvan, principal of Stoller Middle School.
Following the debrief presentations, participants had the opportunity to participate in a school lockdown scenario tabletop discussion facilitated by Ashley McConnell Vanderjagt, District Emergency Management Coordinator and Rick Puente, Director of Public Safety for the Beaverton School District.
School Board Winter Work Session
Monday, February 11, 2019
3:00 p.m.
Southridge High School
9625 SW 125th Ave.
Beaverton, 97008
BEF Funds Second Round of 2018-19 Projects - Congratulations to our Innovative Educators!
The Beaverton Education Foundation (BEF) congratulates the schools and teachers listed below. Through a partnership with BEF and with ongoing community support, their Beaverton’s Choice projects have been fully funded. BEF’s mission is to connect our community and classrooms to provide all Beaverton students access to the people, tools and experiences that expand the depth, breadth and relevance of their academic journey. Take a look at these innovative projects created by Beaverton teachers!
- Aloha-Huber K-8, Scott Drue, Mallory Goldhammer, and Jared Cordon: Support Play for Pre-Schoolers at Aloh-Huber K-8
- Barnes Elementary, Lasandra Rodriguez, Paul Marietta, and Jared Cordon: Support Play for Pre-Schoolers at Barnes Elementary
- Bonny Slope Elementary, Janet Maza, Madison McGinty, and Jared Cordon: Support Play for Pre-Schoolers at Bonny Slope Elementary
- Greenway Elementary, Jennifer Bailey, Katie Eide, and Jared Cordon: Support Play for Pre-Schoolers at Greenway Elementary
- Vose Elementary, Monique Singleton, Janice Lewis, and Jared Cordon: Support Play for Pre-Schoolers at Vose Elementary
- Springville K-8, Patrick McNeill and Blake Allen: Springville Music Mentors
- Five Oaks/Rachel Carson Middle, Thomas VanDyke and Blake Allen: Five Oaks/Rachel Carson Music Mentors
- Conestoga Middle, Jeremy Kane and Blake Allen: Conestoga Music Mentors
- Stoller Middle, Gregory Hall and Blake Allen: Stoller Music Mentors
- Cedar Park Middle, Jennifer Stenehjem and Blake Allen: Cedar Park Music Mentors
- Whitford Middle, Andrew Nash and Blake Allen: Whitford Music Mentors
- Southridge High, Natalie Ballard: Southridge Literary Magazine
- Aloha High, Melissa Bondra: FAFSA Filing Frenzy!
- Ridgewood Elementary, Ryan Cutsforth: Help Ridgewood Gaming Club Build a Gaming Library
- Cedar Park, Trisha Parks: Bring us Historical Fiction
- Aloha High, Martina Pederson: Mandala of Values
- Terra Nova High, Sarah Chilcott: Aquaponics Project at Terra Nova
- Highland Park Middle, Mandy Burton and Blake Allen: Highland Park Music Mentors
- Meadow Park Middle, Michael Schlabach and Blake Allen: Meadow Park Music Mentors
- Elmonica Elementary, Marissa Burke: Child's Work is Child's Play!
- Raleigh Hills K-8, Dax Smith: Wildlife Photography with Physical Computing,
- Raleigh Hills K-8, Kurt Kohler: Earthquake Shake Machines
- Mountain View Middle, Heidi Fraser and Blake Allen: Mountain View Music Mentors
The Beaverton Education Foundation has awarded $38, 623 to 38 classroom projects at 26 Beaverton schools so far this academic year! New projects are posted bi-monthly; see the latest opportunities to help fund innovation at www.beavertonEDfoundation.org.
Beaverton School District
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Email: community_involvement@beaverton.k12.or.us
Website: 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