We’ve got things dialed in and are digging in to meet the needs of individual students. We are gathering data and are eager to share progress and goals with families during conferences on November 2 and 3. Please ensure that you have signed up for a time to meet with your child’s teacher, either on zoom or in person. Sign ups are available from your teacher in ParentSquare.

Our October Principal Chat will be on Zoom on Friday from 11:30-12:30. I’ll record my report at the beginning of the Chat and share it with families so you can listen to it when you can. I’ll be covering the proposed Local Option Levy, Middle School Options, and Parent Conferences.

Zoom Link

Meeting ID: 655 121 5985

Passcode: gobobcats

As we end October, I want to remind families that costumes are to be worn to Monster Mash and not during the school day. This helps limit distractions to our classrooms and keep kids focused on learning. We look forward to sharing in the fun with our community at our Monster Mash event.

I hope to see many of you this week at our Principal Chat or next week at Monster Mash.

With Joy,

Cary Meier

Principal

This week I completed a visit to each of Bonny Slope's classrooms so that all students have met me and know how I can help them at school. Mostly, that means that students can access my help when they have big feelings to navigate, and when they are struggling with something that has been difficult to resolve. Families are also welcome to contact me to request assistance. I will continue to visit classrooms each week with lessons that complement the Kindness in the Classroom curriculum: Respect, Caring, Inclusiveness, Integrity, Responsibility and Courage.

Gillian Dyall M.S.

School Counselor

she/hers

gillian_dyall@beaverton.k12.or.us

Direct Line: 503 356 2047

BSD Head Lice Policy:

Our district head lice policy has been revised in response to current Head Lice Guidelines provided by the Oregon Department of Education’s School Health Specialist, the Oregon Health Authority’s State School Nurse Consultant, and the Oregon School Board Association. These best-practice guidelines have been created for all school districts in Oregon in response to evidence-based strategies for the management of head lice in the school setting.

Contrary to previous head lice management practices, the new policy states if a student is found to have lice, they may remain in school and will no longer be sent home. The management of head lice in the school setting should not disrupt the educational process.

If a case of live lice is found, the student will be counseled before returning to class. The referred student will be advised to avoid head-to-head contact and asked not to share personal items with others. It is rare for lice to spread in the classroom setting via shared objects, such as coats, carpet, headphones, etc. Lice do not jump, fly, or move from person to person without direct head-to-head contact. Transmission of lice almost always occurs as a result of close head-to-head contact, for example, during sleepovers, or when sharing personal items such as blankets, pillows, etc. and when living or sharing living space with infested persons.

If a student is referred to the school nurse or school staff for private screening, the parent/guardian will be notified of the screening results. Education regarding prevention methods and evidence-based treatment options will be provided to both the parent/guardian and the student as indicated.

For more information regarding Beaverton School District policy and how to identify, prevent, and treat head lice, please visit our School Nursing and Student Health page:

https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/teaching-learning/student-services/school-nursing

Amelia Carnahan

District Nurse

Serving Bonny Slope Elementary School and Cedar Park Middle School

amelia_carnahan@beaverton.k12.or.us

Every year students are considered for Talented and Gifted services in the Beaverton School District. These services are provided by your child's classroom teacher(s). Academic, intellectual, behavioral, learning, and/or performance information is considered before a student is identified for TAG services.

If you think your child might qualify for TAG services, you may wish to complete the Parent Information Form that is available in our school’s office or linked here. Completing this form gives our school TAG Committee more information about your child, but it is not required. All qualified students will be considered regardless of the form’s completion. Note: we will not test 4th and 5th grade students with this reading and math assessment unless the child is new to the Beaverton School District. Fourth and fifth grade students will have the opportunity to take the OSAS assessment in the spring which can be used for TAG identification.

Please complete and return the Parent Information Form to your child’s teacher by November 10th. Nomination forms are available on the TAG Website.

If you have any questions, please contact our TAG Facilitator, Lindsey Williamson at lindsey_williamson@beaverton.k12.or.us.

Reading Fluency: The Bridge from Decoding to Reading Comprehension

Fluency is defined as the ability to read grade-level text with accuracy and expression at an appropriate rate. Though fluency does not guarantee comprehension, lack of fluency often means lack of comprehension. The good news about fluency is that, with focused instruction, nearly all students can become fluent readers in time.

When listening to students read, one thing teachers listen for is fluency because it is a window into comprehension. A common misconception when we learn a student needs to work on fluency is that they need to read faster. Pace is actually only one part of being a fluent reader. The other equally important components on which to focus are expression and accuracy.

Rate

Problem: Is the student reading at a pace similar to the speed they speak? We can’t expect a child to read faster than they normally speak. If the reading is much slower than the student speaks it is difficult to remember the content.

Solution: Repeated reading. Research supports the strategy of repeated reading to improve pace and comprehension. Simply re read the text. Children can work on pace by practicing short texts and poetry passages.

Expression

Problem: Does the student sound like a robot when reading? If the student sounds like a creature from Star Wars, reading word by word in a monotone voice, this indicates a lack of comprehension because the student is reading just words, not working toward making meaning.

Solution: Model reading a few sentences smoothly with expression and have the student practice by re reading the passage in phrases. The more they practice and get used to hearing the reading sound more like speech, the more they will read with expression.

Problem: Does the student race through the passage until they are breathless and only stop when they are out of oxygen? The student doesn’t pay attention to punctuation or place the expression where it was intended. This indicates a lack of comprehension because the punctuation is key to understanding the author's intended meaning.

Solution: SLOW DOWN!! Circle the punctuation and have the student pause at every comma, period, etc. They will develop a habit after practicing. The intended meaning will be much more clear (and more interesting).

Accuracy

Problem: Is the student reading words that are not “real words”?

Solution: Re read the word, sounding out all the sounds until the end of the word. then make sure it looks right, sounds right and makes sense. Students should be stopping and thinking, “What? That doesn’t make sense!” The strategy is to go back to figure out the word. There are several other strategies for figuring out words but these questions encompass most of them.

Listening to your child read is so important in their literacy development. Spending the time now, even if they are an avid reader, is an investment. Often the little fixes are the tipping point to better understanding when reading. Please feel free to contact your teacher or myself for any other ideas when listening to your children read. Remember the most important part is enjoying the experience!

Jennifer Oordt

Academic Coach

Applications for the 2023-2024 school year will be available starting Monday, October 17.

Rachel Carson’s address was incorrect in the message sent out yesterday and they have added another Open House. Please do some early investigation of our option schools and programs online and plan to attend one or more of the upcoming open houses. Please know that students may only apply to one option school or program. Please give careful consideration to your choice of school. Once an application has been submitted, no changes are allowed.

NOTE: Rachel Carson’s address was incorrect in the message sent out yesterday and they have added another Open House.

All applicants must reside within BSD boundaries or currently attend a BSD school on an approved inter-district transfer. (Upon acceptance to an option school or program, you may be required to provide proof of address or inter-district transfer.) Beginning October 17, current BSD students are able to apply online using their BSD student ID. There’s also an online application for resident students not currently attending a Beaverton school. If you do not have internet access, visit your school office for a paper application.

Applications must be received no later than Friday, December 9 at 4:00 p.m.

Options Lottery & Admissions Timeline (2023-2024 School Year)

● Monday, October 17: Lottery opens.

● Friday, December 9: Lottery applications due by 4:00 p.m.

● Wednesday, December 14: Lottery is conducted.

● Thursday, December 15: E-mail notifications sent offering enrollment or notice of wait-pool status with second consideration applications; results cannot be given over the phone.

● Monday, January 9: Second consideration applications due to schools.

● Wednesday, February 1: Deadline for parents to accept by 4:00 p.m.

Option School/Program & Location

Grades

Open House Dates/Times

Arts & Communication Magnet Academy (ACMA)

11375 SW Center St., Beaverton

6-12

November 15 & December 5

6:30 p.m.

Beaverton Academy of Science & Engineering

(BASE)

10740 NE Walker Rd., Hillsboro

6-12

November 17 & December 1

6:00 p.m.

International School of Beaverton

(ISB)

17770 SW Blanton St., Beaverton

6-12

Middle School:

October 25 & November 3

6:00 p.m.

High School:

November 1

6:00 p.m.

Rachel Carson Environmental Science Program

at Cedar Park Middle School

11100 SW Park Way, Portland

6-8

October 13 & 25

6:00 p.m.

Dear Bonny Slope Families,

On November 8, voters will have the opportunity to decide whether to renew a 5-year local option levy. It’s Measure 34-321, and it’s likely to be on the back side of the ballot. If passed, the proposed levy renewal would fund approximately 286 teaching positions, maintain class sizes and help prepare students for post-high school endeavors.

This school year, the current local option levy is budgeted to pay for 286 teachers: 150 teachers at elementary schools, 48 teachers at middle schools, 68 teachers at high schools and 20 teachers at option schools. At Bonny Slope, we have 6 teachers paid for by the current levy.

If passed, the proposed levy renewal would continue the existing tax rate of $1.25 per $1,000 of assessed property value. A homeowner with an average assessed property value of $303,021 would continue to pay approximately $32 per month, or about $379 per year. The proposed levy renewal is projected to raise approximately $39-$43 million annually; over a 5-year period, it would raise about $205 million.

If the proposed levy renewal does not pass, the levy rate of $1.25 per $1,000 of assessed property value would not be assessed. The District would not receive about $39 million per year to fund 286 teaching positions, starting next year.

I’ve been asked by some parents to explain the difference between bonds and levies. Bonds pay for capital construction projects and other infrastructure, like technology and buses. By Oregon law, bond money cannot pay for teaching positions or school programs. In May 2022, Beaverton voters passed a bond to pay for two school rebuilds, seismic upgrades, ventilation improvements and other projects.

Levies are used to help pay for the day-to-day operations of a school district. Levies can pay for staff, programs and services that are either not funded or are not fully funded by the state of Oregon. If the proposed levy renewal passes, 100% of the funds would be used to pay for teacher salaries in the district. No additional funding source for staff positions is available to the district.

The current local option levy expires on June 30, 2023.

For more information, please watch this video (English or Spanish) and then visit the proposed levy website.

Thank you,

Cary Meier

Principal

THANK YOU!

Thank you to all our amazing students, staff, families, volunteers, donors and sponsors for making this year’s Jog-A-Thon a success! Our Bonny Slope community is truly incredible and your support had a HUGE impact on fundraising results and in making the Jog-A-Thon event fun and memorable for all! Check out our recap of Jog-A-Thon on BSCO’s Instagram page.

★ 91% student body participation

★ ALL classes above 75% participation

★ $86K raised

★ Students collectively ran over 1,000 miles

We are SO proud of the amazing effort our students put in!

LAP RESULTS

★Top BSE lappers: Henry Strauhull, Owen Patterson, James Barker, Joshua Barker

★ 5th Grade: Ayush Agrawal, Benjamin Kim, Bowen Dibble, Elle Downs, Jackson Feltz, Jacob Holloway, Justin Chen, Owen Davis, Rogue Cronkrite, Rylan Anger

★ 4th Grade: Bowie Pak, Braven Rule, Evan Cech, Joscelynn Craib, Noah Durst, Owen Bain

★ 3rd Grade: Aanya Katarya, Luke Geddis, Makaleigh DeHaan, Mason Parkin

★ 2nd Grade: Diane Kammer, Emily Bannas, Jackson Mouton, Thomas Catalan

★ 1st Grade: Arthur Faulk, Maryam Hasanzada, Michael Psihogios, Miles Watkins, Oliver Mangum, Rosalyn Walker, Samarth Uthaman

★ Kindergarten: Braxton Pilling, Devante Hamilton, Sawyer Lewman, Zoey Bloom

FUNDRAISING RESULTS

★ Top Fundraiser for the School: Angel McVay

★ 50 students raised $300+ and will get to participate in the OMSI Science Festival in the school gym on Saturday, 11/5 from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Event details have been sent out to these student’s families and an RSVP is requested!

★ 208 students raised $150+ and will have a special donut breakfast with Mrs. Meier, Mrs. Skundrick and Bobby the Bobcat on Tuesday, 10/25 from 8:00 AM - 8:25 AM. Event details have been sent out to these student’s families and a response is requested if you are unable to drop your child off by 8:00 AM on that day.

★ 476 students raised $50+ and will receive a goodie bag sent home in their Friday folder on 10/21.

THANK YOU Bonny Slope community -- we are truly STRONGER TOGETHER! We’ll see you on the track next year!