Staff Talk
A Newsletter for Beaverton School District Employees
The Staff Talk Newsletter is sent to all staff, and contains important information about being an employee in the Beaverton School District as well as recognitions and kudos. This newsletter is published twice a month, generally around the 1st and the 15th. Please take a moment to read through this important publication so we are best able to support you in your important work.
I am grateful for the passion and expertise that each of you bring to the table everyday. I’m amazed at how everything comes together — facilities and maintenance making sure schools are clean and safe, bus drivers delivering students to school safely, principals, teachers, paraeducators , secretaries, family engagement staff working with students and parents, food service staff preparing healthy food, and many District administrative departments making sure organizational and operational tasks are accomplished in support of all schools.
I continue to be excited about how hard our staff works to connect with our students, encourage them to follow their dreams and leverage the limitless educational possibilities available to them.
Thank you,
Don Grotting
Superintendent
Budget Listening & Learning Session - Hold'Em Exercise
Budget Listening & Learning Session
Hold 'Em Exercise
Monday, Oct. 29, 2018
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
William Walker Elementary @ 118th
650 NW 118th Ave.
Portland, OR 97229
Beaverton School District
Budget Scenario 2019-20
Statewide - Although Oregon is experiencing a strong economy and stable job market, the state budget is facing tremendous pressure from the PERS obligation. Currently, there is no revenue reform to help cover these rising costs and the projected kicker would reduce the ending fund balance of the current biennium.
Timeline: The Governor’s budget will be released by December 1st. The Co-Chairs Budget is usually released by late February and Legislature meets February through June. Final State budget is due by June 30th. Beaverton will start the staffing process in late February. Adopt budget by June 30.
There are also many unknown factors that will impact the budget for 2019-20:
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State Funding Level
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Increases to utilities
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Construction market conditions driving up maintenance and repair costs
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Costs for contractual obligations for staff
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Health insurance increases
Costs that we can estimate currently include:
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PERS increase
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Length of school year
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Current service level including step costs
Local Background
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Enrollment: Beaverton School District has had relatively flat enrollment for the past few years. However, our enrollment is steadily growing on the borders of our district and declining in the center of the district. Our student demographics are also changing. Our students in poverty are decreasing as housing costs increase. We are also seeing a decrease in our English Language Learners. These changes have a negative impact on our State School Fund (SSF) allocation.
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Student Achievement: In 2018, greater percentages of Beaverton students meet or exceed state standards on the Smarter Balanced and Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (OAKS) than their peers statewide in all subjects tested at all grades. We are also seeing improvement in our subgroup data. BSD graduation rates continue to be higher than the state average and the gap between BSD and the state is increasing.
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Current Service Level: Beaverton has added nine instructional days to the school calendar during the last three years. Five of these days were additional days to the licensed contract. This is in alignment with School Board and Governor’s priorities. Our salaries and benefits have kept pace with the economic demand of the area.
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Instructional Investments:
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Student Success Coaches at all elementary schools to address increased social and emotional needs of our students.
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CTE and High School Success - in response to Measure 98, Beaverton has increased Career and Technical Education opportunities at our high schools. We have also invested in graduation mentors to increase graduation rates and attendance.
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Early Learning - Beaverton has invested in ten pre-kindergarten classes at five elementary schools.
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AVID - (Advancement Via Individual Determination) All secondary schools have AVID tutorial classes and schoolwide AVID strategies have been implemented.
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Future Ready - Full secondary 1:1 device implementation and increased elementary technology strategies and devices. The Future Ready initiative necessitated technology infrastructure upgrades and modernization funded primarily through the bond.
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Social Workers and Counselors have been increased to support increased student needs.
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Professional Development - New curriculum adoptions have been supported with professional development for all teachers. Early release implementation has increased collaboration and professional development across the district.
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Operation & Support Services Investments:
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Custodial staffing has increased commensurate with the addition of square footage in new facilities, maintaining staffing at the minimal 2012-13 funding level per square foot.
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Increased maintenance staffing resulted in an immediate improvement in client satisfaction. These increases have slowed but not reversed the growth rate of deferred maintenance.
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Operational costs have increased in response to additional buildings and square footage, upgrades to heating and cooling units, increased instructional days, unfunded mandates, community use of schools, and security and seismic updates. Operational budget increases have not accompanied these additions.
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We will continue to communicate with the School Board and community throughout the budget and legislative process.
There's still time to get a flu shot!
- Tue. Oct. 16 - 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. - Conestoga MS - Media Center
- Wed. Oct. 17 - 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. - Sunset HS - Community Room
- Thurs. Oct. 18 - 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. - Aloha HS - Cafeteria
- Tue. Oct. 23 - 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. - Beaverton HS - Lower Cafeteria (West end)
- Wed. Oct. 24 - 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. - Westview HS - Media Center
Additional dates with priority for Transportation staff:
- Thurs. Oct. 18, 9:15 – 10:45 a.m., 5th Street Transportation, 10550 SW 5th St.
BSD Kaiser members may receive their free flu shot at their Kaiser medical clinic beginning in early October; Kaiser has posted their flu shot clinics on their website: www.kp.org/flu (download the flyer below).
For more information, please contact Debbie Johnson, Health Benefits Coordinator, at 503-356-4459.
Date Change: SST Open House - Nov. 7
Please note that the School Of Science and Technology (SST) Open House will now be held on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the SST, 18640 NW Walker Rd., Beaverton, 97006.
For a list of all of the Beaverton School District’s Option School Open Houses, and application process timeline, please visit the Learning Options Information webpage.
American Indian/Alaska Native Culture Night - October 19
The event will feature traditional stories told by Albert Lemos and Three Sisters Stew.
Equity Seminar Series #2: Film Screening Paper Tigers and Panel Discussion
Please register on TeacherSource:
TL-2173: Equity Seminar Series #2 - Film Screening & Panel Discussion (Paper Tigers)
More than two decades ago, two respected researchers, clinical physician Dr. Vincent Felitti and CDC epidemiologist Robert Anda, published the game-changing Adverse Childhood Experiences Study. It revealed a troubling but irrefutable phenomenon: the more traumatic experiences the respondents had as children (such as physical and emotional abuse and neglect), the more likely they were to develop health problems later in life—problems such as cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure. To complicate matters, there was also a troubling correlation between adverse childhood experiences and prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse, unprotected sex, and poor diet. Combined, the results of the study painted a staggering portrait of the price our children are paying for growing up in unsafe environments, all the while adding fuel to the fire of some of society’s greatest challenges.
However, this very same study contains the seed of hope: all of the above-mentioned risk factors—behavioral as well as physiological—can be offset by the presence of one dependable and caring adult. It doesn’t need to be the mother or the father. It doesn’t even need to be a close or distant relative. More often than not, that stable, caring adult is a teacher. It is here, at the crossroads of at-risk teens and trauma-informed care, that Paper Tigers takes root. Set within and around the campus of Lincoln Alternative High School in the rural community of Walla Walla, Washington, Paper Tigers asks the following questions: What does it mean to be a trauma-informed community? And how do you support teens whose childhood experiences have left them with a brain and body ill-suited to learn?
Submit your school's project for United Way’s 2019 MLK Weekend of Service
In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King’s call to serve, Hands On Portland, the United Way, and community partners will join forces to positively impact the community with the 2019 MLK Weekend of Service: “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve” January 18th - 21, 2019.
Last year the Beaverton School District submitted four school projects. From packing boxes or purging a stock room, to organizing sheet music or winterizing a courtyard garden, there’s plenty of work to be done in our schools. This is an opportunity to expose your school to volunteers with whom you could potentially establish a long-term partnership.
Think big, ask your staff what they’d like done in January and submit your ideas ASAP.
If you are interested in hosting a volunteer project for this event, please contact Christina Mackin by Thursday, October 18, 2018 at christina_mackin@beaverton.k12.or.us
Helpful I.T. Information & Updates
- 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.
Portland State University's Community Counseling Clinic brings a low-cost specialty clinic to the Beaverton community
The Beaverton Community Counseling Clinic is open every Tuesday night during the school year. It is conveniently located on the Beaverton High School Campus in the Merle Davies Building adjacent to the main campus. Individuals interested in accessing services for their children or families can contact the PSU Community Counseling Clinic at 503-725-4620 and request the services of Beaverton's Tuesday Night Clinic.
City of Beaverton to offer Know Your Rights: Fair Housing 101
Did you know that more than 50 percent of illegal acts of housing discrimination go unreported? This could be because community members are unaware of their rights, or out of fear of how reporting discrimination might impact their housing stability. The city's Diversity Advisory Board and Human Rights Commission have teamed up with city staff to host a Fair Housing "Know Your Rights" training.
Community members and housing advocates are invited to attend and learn how to spot housing discrimination, and what to do if housing rights are violated.
Mark your calendars! The event is Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018. Dinner will be provided beginning at 6:00 p.m., and the training will run from approximately 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Childcare and interpretation are available upon request. Please RSVP to Emma Deppa at 503-526-2443 or edeppa@beavertonoregon.gov.
The training will be presented by the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, with dinner catered by Zoup!
2018-2019 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 5 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.
- Your school name, number of students and/or grade level(s) served.
- What are the anticipated learning outcomes and how will they be demonstrated by the students?
- How will this project make a difference – why does this matter?
- Budget details – what will the money be spent on.
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 committee reviews your project and considers your active sharing in their funding decision.
Staff Spotlight: Sandra Soto, Bilingual Community Liaison, Aloha High School
Sandra Soto was born and raised in Oregon. The daughter of migrant worker parents, she grew up in Forest Grove and loves the area. When she was younger, she and her family didn’t feel there were many resources for Spanish-speaking families. Sandra often found herself being the liaison between the school, doctors and the community, and her parents. She sometimes missed school to attend doctor’s appointments with her parents to interpret for them, and often even interpreted her own doctors’ appointments. These experiences led her to the Beaverton School District.
Sandra works as one of two Bilingual Community Liaisons at Aloha High School. She works with teachers, counselors and administrators to ensure all students and families feel welcome in the school. She communicates with parents, answers their questions and connects them to resources within the school and in the community. “I am learning that I am responsible for knowing what everyone in the building does. I relay information to Spanish-speaking families, and if there is information they don’t know, I need to figure it out,” says Sandra.
This is Sandra’s second year with the Beaverton School District. She started as a Paraeducator at Mountain View Middle School in February of 2017 and quickly moved to the position of Graduation Mentor at Aloha High School. “I was responsible for 35-40 freshmen last year, keeping track of them academically, their attendance, and making sure that their parents were in the loop,” says Sandra. “Working together as a team with the counselors and teachers was really helpful to me in this new position.”
Sandra hasn’t always dreamt of working with high school students. “When I started my job at Mountain View Middle School, my whole first month I was sure I was going to quit…but I ended up loving it and unintentionally followed the 8th grade class to Aloha High School, so it has been really great.” Her new-found passion for her work has sparked a new goal for Sandra. She is returning to school at Portland State University to study social work with a goal of becoming either a school social worker or to work for Washington County to support kids and families in our area.
“We’ve all been there…we walk into a new position, a new organization, and through those days of learning, being overwhelmed with new systems and issues, questioning our own qualifications and preparations, you hear stories of great people who have helped to build something special,” explains Matt Casteel Principal at Aloha High School. “Sandra is one of those people. Her personal story is powerful, her work ethic is amazing, and her impact is priceless.”
Sandra also has a passion for music and make up. She freelances for both Too Faced and Tarte Cosmetics and can be found working at Ulta in Tanasbourne and Sephora in Washington Square. “That to me is my fun job,” says Sandra. “And I also love music and can kind of sing – I kill at karaoke!”
Jacob Wismer ES Jog-a-Thon Kick off gets kids pumped!
P.E. teachers, Colin Arnold and Brent Van Volkinburg, dressed as eagles at the Jog-a-thon kick off assembly last month to build community and get students and staff excited about the school's largest fundraiser of the year.
Staff Spotlight: Prachee Bhatnagar, Paraeducator II SRC, Cedar Park Middle School
What is an SRC? It stands for Structured Routines Center. The Structured Routines Center is a specialized program that provides services to students whose Individual Education Plans (IEPs) demonstrate a need for communication, socialization, life skills, and academic instruction, as well as provision of sensory supports. Prachee Bhatnagar is a paraeducator in the SRC at Cedar Park Middle School. “My job is so fun, it is coined as the SRC, but that is the least of what we do,” she says. “We do have a schedule, but we work with the kids to deal with changes and to be flexible.”
Prachee, a truly bubbly and happy person, has been working in the SRC at Cedar Park Middle School for six years now and has been with the District for 11 years. She started as a parent volunteer in her childrens’ classrooms. “One of my daughter’s teachers said, “I think you have all of the qualities of a good assistant” and I thought, I love working with kids and volunteering so much, so why not make even more of an impact on kids.” So, she began her career as an Instructional Assistant in the kindergarten at Ridgewood Elementary School. “They say whatever you need to learn for the rest of your life you learn in kindergarten and that is so true,” laughs Prachee.
At Cedar Park Middle School, the SRC used to be a self-contained classroom. But over the last couple of years, the program has become more inclusive. A number of students now participate in general education classes and the entire SRC is now included in P.E., Art and Drama. Prachee says the SRC team is very collaborative and loves to not only collaborate as a team, but also with all of the general education teachers in the building.
Prachee says her favorite thing about her job is helping students work through their disabilities to become more flexible and successful. “We have to figure out how to unlock whatever it is behind the door in each student’s brain – to find the key to each of those locks is the quest in this classroom.”
In her spare time, Prachee and her family enjoy being outdoors, hiking, walking, sightseeing and traveling. Their favorite thing to do is to get together with friends and play games. She and her husband recently adopted an Aussiedoodle puppy they named Tofu. Prachee’s advice to others in her profession, “My best advice is to be flexible, be ready to go with the flow, be ready to learn a lot, be a kid, and just laugh and have fun!”
Teachers from China visit West TV ES
Teachers from China visited West TV Elementary School on Thursday, October 4, 2018 as part of the Nike Active School Innovation Exchange. The visiting teachers observed Brain Boosts in classrooms and participated in fourth and fifth grade P.E. lessons taught by Beaverton teachers, then had the opportunity to teach the students a lesson on Kung Fu in Chinese.
The Active Schools Innovation Exchange is an effort by Nike to make an impact worldwide to increase physical activity by recognizing and honoring a delegation of teachers from China for their innovation in physical activity, physical education and sport. This experience gives an opportunity for teachers to collaborate and showcase innovative ways to impact student learning and physical activity.
"The chance to be part of this exchange has been invaluable for our teachers. They have the opportunity to showcase our approach to including physical activity in our general education classrooms as well as our physical education curriculum," says Cheryl Wardell Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) K-12 Physical Education. "Additionally, getting to see how teachers from China have created amazing activities with ordinary bicycle tires and teaching our students different physical skills such as Kung Fu, has been a cultural experience that will not be soon forgotten. It was a day that has inspired us to continue our effort of creating a culture of movement."
Community Health Education K-12 Information Night
Monday, October 15, 2018
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Stoller Middle School
14141 NW Laidlaw Rd.
Community Health Education K-12 Information Night
Thursday, October 18, 2018
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Whitford Middle School
7935 SW Scholls Ferry Rd.
School Board Business Meeting
Monday, October 22, 2018
6:30 p.m.
District Administration Office
16550 SW Merlo Rd.
Beaverton 97003
Meeting Materials
Community Health Education K-12 Information Night
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Meadow Park Middle School
14100 SW Downing St.
Budget Listening & Learning Session
Monday, October 29, 2018
6:30 p.m.
William Walker Elementary @118
650 NW 118th Ave.
Portland 97229
Meeting Materials
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