BSD Briefs
December 12, 2017
District Goal: WE empower all students to achieve post-high school success.
Beaverton School 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 in January 2018 to begin the process to draft a proposed budget for Superintendent Don Grotting to present to the Budget Committee in April 2018.
Hazeldale Elementary School Construction Update
Construction is progressing on the rebuild of Hazeldale Elementary School. Structural steel is being installed for the administration office and special education classroom wing. A crane is moving pre-cast panels into place for the gym. Work is also underway on the underground plumbing and electrical.
In late September, the Hazeldale community celebrated the official groundbreaking for the new school. Hazeldale staff and students are located temporarily in the new middle school on NW 118th this year, while their school is demolished and rebuilt.
The new Hazeldale Elementary School is scheduled to welcome students in the fall of 2018. You can follow the construction progress on the webcam.
Canvas Parent Night at Five Oaks Middle School
Five Oaks Middle School hosted a “Canvas Parent/Guardian Night” on Monday, December 4 for parents and guardians of nearby middle and high schools. Canvas allows secondary parents and guardians to see what their students are working on in their classes.
More than 40 people attended the event, setting up accounts and learning how to navigate the Canvas Learning Management System.
Celebrating Culturally Relevant Teaching Film Series
Teachers and administrators gathered for a celebration of the completion of the Culturally Relevant Teaching film series on Tuesday, December 5, 2017.
Culturally relevant teaching (CRT) is both a mindset and actions that are necessary to break the predictive link between student demographics and student success. Through the explicit and deliberate use of students' cultural knowledge, prior experience, and frames of reference, CRT empowers students to excel intellectually, socially, and emotionally.
The series of 10 films features teachers from different schools from all levels around the District. Participants had the opportunity to meet the “actors and producers” and learn about how they too can enhance their practice as culturally relevant educators.
WE Embrace Equity: Women in Construction
Sheri Stanley wanted go into ophthalmology. But a job washing dishes at a hazardous materials laboratory changed her path in life.
In high school, Sheri loved science and was inspired by her female chemistry teacher. A high school science lab dissecting a cow's eye introduced her to ophthalmology. "I got to take out the lens and look at the rods and cones inside the eye. The colors were gorgeous and I started to be fascinated by the eye."
Sheri started college at the University of California, San Diego planning to do pre-med and major in Chemistry. She was working at a jewelry store part-time. Her father suggested she look for jobs in the sciences to build a network and make connections. Sheri answered the dishwasher ad in the newspaper. "I thought, 'how bad could it be?' It was bad. We were cleaning toxic sludge out of containers."
Three days into the job, Sheri was observing the chemists in the laboratory writing their calculations out in lab notebooks. In school, she was using a spreadsheet program that could do those calculations. Sheri told the chemists about the program. She took their notebooks and entered all the data. "Just like that, the calculations department was born and that was my department."
As Sheri explored her interests in college, she changed majors twice. First to chemical engineering, then to mechanical engineering, keeping chemistry as a minor. All the while, she continued to work at the hazardous materials lab. By the time she graduated, her network of industry connections had expanded. She applied to the Navy's "New Professionals" program. In the program, civilians do four tours of duty in four different areas in the Navy's research lab. At the end of the program, the civilian can select which field they want a job in.
The program provided Sheri the opportunity to participate in some incredible projects. In addition to working on hazardous materials issues, she helped streamline torpedoes and submarines.
After moving to Oregon, Sheri continued engineering consulting, but now from home while she and her husband raised their kids. While volunteering in Beaverton schools, a friend suggested she apply to be a substitute instructional assistant. Then in 2008, she applied for the position of Energy Manager and eventually moved into project management.
Two and a half years ago, Sheri was promoted to Administrator for Facilities Development. The position oversees 27 people working on the $680 million bond program approved by voters in 2014. Sheri's job is to make sure the program, which includes the construction of six schools and hundreds of other projects, is completed on time with the funds available.
"I can't say that I had this path planned. Doors opened a little and I kind of pushed on them to open them even more," says Sheri. Her number one piece of advice to high school and college students? "Say yes to even that random opportunity, like washing dishes in a haz mat lab – you don't know where it will lead!"
Inclement Weather Information
When the weather gets snowy or icy, school schedules may be affected. The District generally posts the announcement of delayed school opening or school closure by 5:30 a.m. All Portland Metro area media outlets announce the information on TV newscasts and online.
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 of 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.
The District will notify parents 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
- Manage your communication preferences in 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
Early Release
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
(students will be dismissed 90 minutes early)
Early Release
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
(students will be dismissed 90 minutes early)
Winter Break
Schools Closed
Thursday, December 21, 2017 – Wednesday, January 3, 2018.
School resumes Thursday, January 4, 2018
Beaverton School District
Read past issues of the BSD Briefs.
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 education programs, activities or employment.
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