Recognitions and Accomplishments of staff doing great things in the Beaverton School District

StaffDistrict Goal

(2010-2015):

All students will show continuous progress toward their personal learning goals, developed in collaboration with teachers and parents, and will be prepared for post-secondary education and career success.

Our Goal is for every student to graduate with many options and be prepared to:

THINK:Creatively & CriticallyKNOW:Master ContentACT:Self Direct & CollaborateGO:Navigate Locally & Globally.

November 2013

William Walker ES playground revitalization Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation awarded more than $2,000 in Lowe’s Tool-box for Education® grant money to William Walker Elementary School, for revitalization projects on their playground. William Walker is one of more than 580 schools across the United States to be awarded a Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant last spring for school improvement during the 2012-2013 school year.

Parent Teacher Club volunteers and the William Walker Elementary School community along with principal Joann Hulquist, worked together to provide some much needed updates to the William Walker playground. Once covered in plain asphalt, the playground now sports paint in bright primary colors and a 20 by 8 foot outdoor mural representing the principles of the school such as: Diversity, Community, and Wisdom. The playground is now a fun and engaging place for students and the local community to enjoy a variety of recreation activities.

The playground painting was completed in conjunction with a local Boy Scout, Joseph Peterson, working toward his Eagle Scout badge, and his troop members and leaders. The outdoor mural was designed and painted by volunteers over a four month period. The playground revitalization projects began in June 2013, and were recently completed this month.

Teachers at Meadow Park MS featured in Education Week Meadow Park Middle School English as a Second Language teacher, Barbara Page, Math teacher Allison Shultz and 8th grade Science teacher Meredith Vanden Berg were featured in Education Week for their work with students struggling to learn English and keep up with core content.

Read the article... Collaboration may be the new norm for teachers of ELL students

Stoller MS “What WE means to us” Team 67 Nano Ninjas on WE Students at Stoller Middle School put together a video describing what WE means to them, to their school, and to their community.

Check it out!

Master Chef Jim Miller teaches cooking classes at Merlo Community School

Master Chef competitor, Chef Jim Miller, has been working with teacher Alex Bushue and Merlo Station Community School students to cook healthy meals on a budget. He specializes in creating healthy meals with ingredients from Dollar Tree and Grocery Outlet. The kids have loved having a celebrity professional chef teach them how to make “awesome grub.”

In addition to working with the students, Chef Miller offered to teach cooking classes to the Merlo Station staff. All proceeds from these cooking classes will benefit the Merlo Station Leadership Class and will help them attend their annual leadership conference in Seaside, Oregon. Thank you, Chef Miller for being a great example of people in our community reaching out and helping Beaverton students!

Mountain View MS students submit video for National Principals Month Contest

Two 8th grade students in Mrs. Peterson-Terjeson’s technology class at Mountain View Middle School submitted a video to the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) “Great Schools Have Great Principals” contest to honor their principal, Claudia Ruf.

On October 31, 2013, a video screening was held in Mrs. Peterson-Terjeson’s technology classroom, including a red carpet, popcorn and photos by paparazzi to celebrate student Director Isak Anderson and student Actress/Rapper Elli Faglinao’s video. Ms. Ruf walked the red carpet and posed with students for photos. The video was submitted to SchoolTube.com. Mountain View Middle School students and community appreciate the dedication and service Ms. Ruf provides to their school and are keeping their fingers crossed for a prize of national exposure on SchoolTube and a $200 Best Buy gift card.

The video can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhQL85jxOeg&feature=c4-overview&list=UUqqRBk2TQ978nOfUV2RjS1A

Cedar Park MS students stand up against bullying

Last month, Cedar Park Middle School hosted students from Stand For Courage, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing recognition for young people who stand up for one another and themselves.

Nine high school students in Stand for Courage were joined by 12 Cedar Park students in a 45-minute assembly that taught students what bullying is, how it impacts the victim and the bully, strategies to take if you see it happening, and how to create a positive school culture that makes it challenging to bully. Throughout the month of

October, Cedar Park students learned more about bullying during their Advisory classes.

Mt. View MS students learn the Design Cycle

Students in Jan Peterson Terjeson’s technology classes at Mountain View Middle School used the Design Cycle to solve the Candy Challenge. The students were to design a container to hold one Hershey Kiss.

The students used the following Learning Standards: Use creativity and critical thinking skills to solve problems, using appropriate technology, locate and cite information from a variety of sources and media. Examples of their boxes were displayed outside the technology classroom along with the directions for making the containers.

Staff at Raleigh Park ES treated not tricked!

LeAnn Haslett, secretary at Raleigh Park Elementary School puts on a Halloween luncheon every year for the staff. She fully decorates the staff room and makes yummy food with questionable names for the staff to enjoy. Retired staff even come back each year, just for this fun luncheon.

Once again, LeAnn out did herself! Some of the “treats” included mold balls, ogre ooze, severed arm in sauce, herbed maggots, worm bits, black gnat salad and tossed swamp greens, spider cakes, pus bars and baked intestines.

Springville K-8 staff present at Expeditionary Learning National ConferenceSubmitted by: Cheryl Ames

Three staff members from Springville K-8 recently facilitated a master class at the Expeditionary Learning (EL) National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. EL holds a national conference yearly, inviting teachers and principals from across the country to submit proposals about quality work in their schools.

Jennifer Vanderschuere, student supervisor, Jen Falkowski, second grade teacher and Cheryl Ames, principal, led a session entitled: “How Can They Master the Common Core If They Are Not in Class: Creating Discipline Structures that Reduce Barriers to Deep Learning.”

The three Springville staff guided participants in learning about restorative discipline as an alternative to punishment, components at Springville K-8 that support restorative processes, and how participants might apply some of these ideas in their own schools. The Springville staff used active involvement protocols to show how restorative discipline fits into the bigger picture of character development and developing a positive school community.

Jennifer Vanderschuere and Jen Falkowski facilitating during the conference session.

Four Beaverton students win big in School Bus Safety Poster ContestFour Beaverton School District students were big winners in the 2013 National School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest:

Jaeho Lee, a 2nd grader at Findley Elementary School won the following: 1st Place in Division 1 - Oregon Pupil Transportation Association NW Regional Contest, 1st Place in Division 1 - Oregon Pupil Transportation Association State Contest, and 1st Place in Division 1 and Overall Winner in the National Pupil Transportation Association National Contest. Jaeho was awarded $500 and his poster will be used for the 2014 School Bus Safety Poster.Abigail Eom, a 7th grader at Stoller Middle School won the following: 1st Place in Division 3 - Oregon Pupil Transportation Association NW Regional Contest, 1st Place in Division 3 - Oregon Pupil Transportation Association State Contest, and 2nd Place in Division 3 - National Pupil Transportation Association National Contest.

Eric Kim, a 5th grader at Findley Elementary School won the following: 1st Place in Division 2 - Oregon Pupil Transportation Association NW Regional Contest and 1st Place in Division 2 - Oregon Pupil Transportation Association State Contest.

Brian Takahashi, a 2nd grader at West T.V. Elementary School won the following: 1st Place in Division 4 - Oregon Pupil Transportation Association NW Regional Contest and 1st Place in Division 4 - Oregon Pupil Transportation Association State Contest.

National School Bus Safety Week is an active and evolving public education program designed to promote school bus safety. This annual event is held during the third week in October each year.

National School Bus Safety Week is an excellent way for everyone - parents, students, teachers, motorists, school bus operators, school administrators, and other interested parties - to join forces and address the importance of school bus safety.Top: Jaeho Lee’s poster, Second: Abigail Eom’s poster, Third: Eric Kim’s poster, Bottom: Brian Takahashi’s poster

Mountain View MS celebrates Spirit Week

Spirit Week at Mountain View Middle School is a popular week. Students and staff show their school spirit and dress up to win a pizza party for the advisory class showing the most “spirit.”

Students are also working on showing school spirit by being to class on time and staying on task and completing their work. Staff are tracking both the percentage of students on time and the percentage of students on task. The target is 80% for November. If the target is reached, there will be an all school party. The goal for December is 90%.

Joan Park, 6th grade science teacher showed her school and college and career ready spirit!

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, veterans’ status, genetic information or disability in any educational programs, activities or employment.

Janine Weir, teacher/coordinator of the Passage Program at Merlo Station High School, reached out to Dr. Deming, head of Orthodontics at Willamette Dental on behalf of a student, Kenia Sanchez, who had had her braces stuck on her teeth for two years because she couldn’t afford to have them removed. Janine called the dental office and asked to speak with Dr. Deming. According to Janine, she “gave him an opportunity to do something wonderful for another human being”

Dr. Deming and his team at Willamette Dental removed Kenia’s braces, provided her follow up care and fitted her with clear retainers - all free of charge!

Thank you, Janine for your dedication and compassion for the students in the Beaverton School District, and thank you, Dr. Deming and Willamette Dental for your wonderful act of kindness in caring for a Beaverton student.

Together, WE are stronger!

Community involvement is a vital part of the Beaverton School District’s Strategic Plan. By giving back to our local community, our contributions, leadership and volunteer efforts help create stronger, healthier places

for students and families to work and live. We know that our employees are engaging in their local communities, volunteering, and giving back in many ways; and we want to recognize that!

Tell us how you are: “Giving Back to the Community!”

Submit your stories to Melissa Larson today!

Kinnaman second graders take clothing drive to a whole new level!Kinnaman Elementary School started the school year with a unit on communities and service providers. This unit in-spired students in Melissa Howard’s second grade class to do a community service project. The students brainstormed a list of ideas and then voted. The overwhelming majority vot-ed to do a clothing drive.

The class decided on the Beaverton Clothes Closet as the recipient of the clothing drive. Students spent several after-

noons making posters, creating fliers, and making collection boxes. One student wrote a letter explaining the project and asking for support. The letter was sent to the entire school. The response was amazing!

Clothes started pouring in. The class collected an overwhelming amount of clothes, shoes and coats. Mrs. Howard even had to borrow a truck to deliver it all to the Clothes Closet. Currently, the students are working on a Thank You newsletter to send out to the school.

Community Partnerships at their best!