Staff Talk
A Newsletter for Beaverton School District Employees
National School Counseling Week - February 4-8, 2019
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 pressure 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.
Beaver Acres Elementary School Counselor Sharon Smith Manley
Meadow Park Middle School Counselors
Sunset High School Counseling Team
BSD Graduation Rates Hit An All-Time High
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.
Employee Financial Services Fair - March 6
The fair is for employees to learn more about their financial wellness and will feature guest representatives on PERS and 403(b)/457 investment opportunities including the District’s third-party administrator, Carruth Compliance, as well as two workshops you can attend:
Student Loan Forgiveness Workshop
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Presenters: Jason Rizk and Grahm Porozni
Only 14% of eligible parties actually participate in the student loan forgiveness programs, and about 85% of those are enrolled incorrectly. This presentation will cover strategies to minimize student loan payments while maximizing the amount eligible for forgiveness, focusing specifically on the Teacher Loan Forgiveness and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Programs. Attendees will explore the differences between the two programs, the common pitfalls/mistakes people make in qualifying, and how to apply correctly.
PERS Program Overview Workshop
5:30- 7:00 p.m.
Presenter: PERS retirement counselor, Oregon PERS
A PERS retirement counselor will provide a general overview of how your retirement
plan works--no matter how long you have been in PERS, this workshop will assist all
PERS members, Tier 1, Tier 2 and OPSRP.
Please register for these workshops on TeacherSource. Click on the Scheduled Events
tab to see the three workshops listed.
Lockout and Lockdown
There have been questions regarding the “modified lockout” protocol we used back on December 19, 2018. The District Safety Committee, and law enforcement partners agree that the terms lockout and lockdown should only be used as they are defined by the Standard Response Protocol (SRP). From this point forward, we will not modify the lockdown and lockout protocols.
The protocols are defined:
Lockdown! Locks, lights, out of sight - all interior doors are locked, lights are turned off, move away from sight, do not open the door, and maintain silence.
Lockout! Secure the perimeter - bring everyone indoors, lock perimeter doors, take attendance, and continue business as usual.
Although it is not explicitly stated on the SRP posters, during a lockout, no one enters or leaves the building unless escorted or instructed by law enforcement (this includes parents, staff, students, etc.).
In the future, if safety procedures are required that extend beyond day to day procedures, the District office and/or law enforcement will instruct schools on how to proceed. The District will not use the “lockdown” or “lockout” language unless we are strictly following those procedures.
JUULing and Vaping: Get The Facts
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration called the issue of teenage vaping an epidemic. In a recent survey, 24% of BSD 11th graders said they had tried an e-cigarette or vaping product at some point. How did we get here? More importantly, as educators, parents, students, and community members, what can we do about it?
First and foremost, we can educate ourselves and others. Vaping devices heat nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that is inhaled. Vaping is the same as JUULing. JUUL is simply a brand of vaping device. It is the most popular vaping device among teenagers and it looks like a USB drive. JUUL is popular with teenagers for several reasons. It is marketed via social media, billboards and magazines, often portraying vaping as hip and youthful. The pods are formulated with flavorings that appeal to young people.
Vaping and JUULing is marketed as a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes. It is important to note that “safer” does not mean “safe.” E-cigarettes and vaping devices contain nicotine. In fact, one JUUL pod equals the same amount of nicotine as in one pack of cigarettes. Nicotine can permanently alter the brain. The brain is “under construction” until age 27, meaning the pre-frontal cortex is still developing. This means nicotine use can affect memory, attention, the ability to learn, memory, attention and can contribute to behavioral problems. In the survey, 58% of BSD students surveyed believe there is low to no risk of harm using e-cigarettes or vaping.
E-cigarettes and vaping devices like JUUL are not currently regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has the ability to stop e-cigarette sales and mandate that producers go through a formal FDA approval process. So far, the agency has not taken this action.
This is why the Beaverton School District is taking action. In cooperation with community partners including the Washington County Public Health Department, Providence Health Services, law enforcement and the Rebels for A Cause student group, we are launching a District-wide anti-vaping/JUULing campaign. Throughout the next several months, you will see articles, posters, flyers and social media posts. We are also working to organize a town-hall event, a candid conversation about the facts of this teenage vaping epidemic.
Visit the JUULing and Vaping Campaign webpage on the Intranet for a newsletter article and resources.
We have also created a JUULing and Vaping webpage for parents - Vaping, JUULing and Teens: Get the Facts.
Immunization Exclusion Day - February 20, 2019
Beaverton School-Based Health Center Immunization Clinics
Data Privacy
School districts and states across the country are doing more to increase protection of the data we collect and store. Beaverton is one of the consortium members and is a leader among districts in Oregon.
There are 22 states that have joined the Privacy Alliance. The goal is to have standard privacy agreements that districts can require vendors to follow.
When new software or applications are requested, the vendor will have to sign the data privacy agreement.
A new ticket type will be created in the HelpDesk system to start the process of vendors being confirmed as meeting the District standards for curriculum, login and data privacy. This ticket type can be found by selecting IT -> Applications and Software -> New Application or Software Request
Opt-in toggle to try early version of new Outlook Web App
Users can try it by clicking on the "Try the new Outlook" toggle on the top right of their inbox, and they can opt-out and go into the classic experience with the same toggle. Users can opt-in and opt-out as often as they want.
- 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.
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 March 20th; look for registration in TeacherSource.
Actions for Allies: show your support for our community this February by reading one of transgender activist Janet Mock's books, either Redefining Realness or Surpassing Certainty.
January School Board Meeting Audio
The audio from the January 22 School Board Business Meeting is now available. Please use the handy guide below to scroll straight to the portions of the meeting that interest you.
Pledge to Flag :11
School Board Recognitions :37
Public Participation 14:55
Reports
Superintendent comments 38:03
Beaverton Student Advisory Committee Update 44:45
School Report: Rock Creek 47:41
Student Success Coach Update 1:07:57
Division 22 Assurances 1:41:35
Financial Update 1:45:07
Action Items
Consent Agenda 1:50:39
School Board Member Comments 1:50:58
Signal to Noise Festival - March 21, 2019
- Pre-festival events 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
- Awards Ceremony 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
The Signal To Noise Festival is a film awards ceremony and exhibition that originated at Beaverton's Arts & Communication Magnet Academy in 2001 and has occurred every Spring since then at various locations across the District.
Inclement Weather Information for BSD Staff
When any inclement weather event occurs the Superintendent and designated District administrators are frequently communicating. We will drive the roads early in the morning to evaluate current travel conditions, check in with our neighboring school districts and confer with our weather service to better understand the latest weather forecast. All of this happens before any decisions are made.
When schools are closed and weather conditions remain unsafe to travel, we will continue to gather information throughout the day in order to determine whether schools will be open or closed the following day.
For more information, please visit the Inclement Weather webpage on the District Intranet.
Educator & First Responder Partnership Breakfast
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 Stoller Middle School Principal Veronica Galvan.
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.
Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend of Service
At Vose Elementary, 20 volunteers from Umpqua Bank did campus grounds clean up and debris pick-up and organizing miscellaneous staff projects inside the building.
At West TV Elementary, 18 community volunteers helped with some much needed grounds clean up including raking playground bark chips. Inside, volunteers cleaned the walls of the public spaces, organized the storage closet and sorted t-shirts for AVID.
At Highland Park Middle School, three community volunteers organized the music rooms, straightened and organized band uniforms, sorted and filed sheet music, and helped with other general organizing of the space.
Finally, at Mountain View Middle School, three community volunteers organized a storage area, cleaned out cupboards, dusted and sorted supplies and made room for AVID storage.
District Nurses in D.C. Promoting Health of Kids
As part of their trip, they met with Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkeley and Representative Suzanne Bonamici to advocate for the health of Oregon's kids.
School Board Winter Work Session
Monday, February 11, 2019
3:00 p.m.
Administration Office
16550 SW Merlo Rd.
Beaverton
Schools Closed
Monday, February 18, 2019
Presidents' Day Holiday
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