Get Involved!
BEA Committees and Task Forces
BEA has several committees and task forces dedicated to various topics and causes. See below for committee descriptions. If you’d like to express interest in a committee or task force, let us know here!
Bargaining Committee
The chairperson shall be appointed by the President. The BEA Executive Board Liaison shall be the President, UniServ Consultant, and Bargaining Chair. The President shall act as spokesperson to membership, District, press, and general public. Members are appointed for a one-year term or until the contract is ratified. Responsibilities of the Bargaining Team include:
- Prepare proposals to present to District.
- Bargain according to rules in ORS 243.650 to ORS 243.782 a. Salaries b. Fringe benefits c. Other conditions of employment d. Issues important to the membership
- Have a ratified contract by end of current school year.
- Meet regularly according to calendar
- Special meetings may be called by chair.
- Must choose secretary to keep continuing record of activities.
- Chairperson shall report to Executive Board and Rep Assembly, as necessary.
Chair: Suzanne Albrich
Beaverton Political Action Committee (BPAC)
Develop proposed legislative positions, communicate with legislators and congress, make and support recommendations for political candidates, school board candidates, and ballot measures. Communicate with the membership regarding committee activities and seek to increase membership in B-PAC, OEA-PAC, and NEA-PAC. Meets monthly and as needed for candidate endorsement interviews.
Budget Committee
Members shall include the President, newly elected President, Vice President, and Treasurer, as well as any other appointments. Usually meets over the summer.
Responsibilities of the Budget Committee include:
- Prepare an annual BEA Program Budget.
- Present proposed budget to Executive Board for consideration.
- Meet regularly according to calendar developed in cooperation with Executive Board.
- Special meetings may be called by President.
- Treasurer shall report to Executive Board and Rep Assembly, as necessary. They shall prepare an annual written report summarizing objectives, programs, gains, and unattained goals.
Chair: Adam Oyster-Sands
Communications Task Force
This task force is focused on communication to members, help streamline BEA communication, create a calendar of communication, look at different ways to communicate to members.
Chair: Janaé Hiersche
Community Relations Committee
Develop and assist in implementing an ongoing community relations program. Develop public awareness and understanding of educational and labor issues and improve educators’ image in the community.
Community Schools Task Force
Will help to educate BEA members and the community about the pillars of Community Schools, identify organizations to partner with to develop a community schools model, and research successful models of community schools around the country.
Elections Committee
No candidate of an election for the Association shall serve on the Elections Committee .
The Elections Committee will accept nominations for vacant positions, accept and publicize candidate campaign materials, disseminate voting materials to the general membership, and report results to the President and Executive Board. Special meetings may be called by the Chair. The Chair shall archive election results.
Chair: Erin Gettling
Elections Guidelines Task Force
Created by an NBI brought to the March Rep Assembly, this task force will research and develop campaigning guidelines for BEA elections. The task force will present their findings and recommended guidelines to the RA for approval by October 2024 in order to have guidelines in place for the 2025 BEA elections.
Chair: Erin Gettling
Grievance Committee
Represent and assist members in resolution of employment related problems, determine whether contract grievances shall be arbitrated, and monitor BEA Collective Bargaining Agreements. Meets as needed.
Chair: Suzanne Albrich
Membership Committee
Identify and train potential leaders that are representative of BEA membership, increase membership, create opportunities for member involvement, promote the work and accomplishments of BEA members, plan and implement SPARKS, and welcome and orient new members to BEA.
Negotiations Advisory Committee
Research, survey, and prepare negotiations proposals based on member needs in salaries, fringe benefits, rights, and other conditions of employment. A bargaining team shall be selected by the President to include some members from the Negotiations Advisory Committee. Meets during bargaining years prior to going to the table.
Chair: Juveria Khan
Organizing Committee
Develop and maintain organizing structures within BEA membership, facilitate communication during campaigns, and recruit organizer leaders. The members shall be appointed by the President, subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
Chair: Katie Lukins
Joint PD Advisory Committee
Per Article 10.E.6 of our collective bargaining agreement:
A jointly appointed District Professional Development Advisory Committee composed of administrators and teachers and co-chaired by the Association President and the Deputy Superintendent/designee shall meet at least monthly to discuss District-level planning for and implementation of curriculum revisions and District-wide program changes and priorities which may have a significant impact on unit members.
Co-chaired by Lindsay Ray and BSD Teaching and Learning Executive Administrator Jill O’Neill
Racial and Social Justice Committee
Educate and provide resources for members to celebrate and empower students, families, and educators who are people of color, identify as LGBTQ+, and/or belong to another historically marginalized group. Advocate for systemic change that will ensure every student, family, and educator feels seen, safe, and engaged.
Chair: Lexie Speed
Joint Special Education Committee
Per Article 10.E.2 of our collective bargaining agreement:
A jointly appointed Special Education Committee, co-chaired by a designee of the Association President and the Executive Administrator for Student Services or designee, and comprised of representation from resource room teachers, SLPs, psychologists and specialized program teachers, will meet quarterly to discuss and problem-solve special education topics.
Co-chaired by Lindsay Ray and Executive Administrator for Special Education Lori Krumm
Substitute Advisory Committee
Provide information and recommend action to the Executive Board regarding concerns and needs of substitute educators. The Executive Board Substitute Member shall chair this committee and work as its liaison to the Executive Board.
Chair: Sarah Kennedy
Other opportunities to get involved with your union:
Canvassing for State Representative Farrah Chaichi
Anti-tax and anti-labor interests have decided to target Beaverton’s Representative Farrah Chaichi in the upcoming May primary election. Rep. Chaichi has been one of BEA’s biggest champions in the legislature, never settling for subpar deals and relentlessly fighting for better school funding, affordable healthcare, and stronger labor rights, among many other progressive issues. These strong labor values have made her a target—we need to step up to support her so she can continue to represent our values and needs in Salem!
As a local, we have decided to organize three critical canvasses to talk to the communities we serve about how important Rep. Chaichi is to us.
Please sign up to join us at one or more of the following canvasses over the next month, as the primary is less than four weeks away:
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Sunday, April 28th at 1pm (Barsotti Park, 16610 SW Blanton St)
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Sunday, May 5th at 1pm (Pio Pio Park, 2135 SW 187th Ave)
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Saturday, May 18th at 11am (Ceder Hills Park, 2300 SW Cedar Hills Blvd)
Sign up at bit.ly/BEAMayVote. On that form, select that you’d like to volunteer for Rep. Chaichi, and then select the days you can volunteer.
Together, we can continue to make Beaverton and Oregon stronger!
Run for a BEA Leadership Position!
Run for a BEA leadership position! Elections will take place the first week of May. You can declare your candidacy by emailing the elections committee (Erin Gettling and/or David Nelson) by April 14th.
Open positions:
- Four at-large executive board positions (two year term)
- One at-large executive board position (one year term)
- Substitute member executive board position (two year term)
- Treasurer (two year term)
- Secretary (two year term)
Run to be a delegate for the OEA and/or NEA Representative Assemblies!
Each year, BEA members elect delegates to attend both the Oregon Education Association and National Education Association Representative Assemblies. These annual meetings are where representatives of our local association join with educators from around the state for the OEA RA and from around the country for the NEA RA to pass new business to help steer the direction of our organization, approve legislative objectives, changes and additions to bylaws, policies, and resolutions, elect leadership, and hear about the work that our union has been doing for the last year.
The OEA RA will be Friday, April 21st through Saturday, April 22nd in Portland (we generally meet from 5-9 pm on Friday, and will meet all day on Saturday). The NEA RA will be July 2nd – 6th in Orlando, FL. If you have any questions about either of these events or what it means to be a delegate, please contact Katie Lukins at [email protected].
If you are interested in running to be a delegate for either OEA RA or NEA RA, please fill out this quick form by February 1st. We will be holding elections for delegates in the second week of February.
It’s Vital to Pass the Beaverton Teachers’ Levy Renewal on November 8th
November election:
This November, among many other things, the future of our school district is on the ballot. Beaverton voters will be voting on the renewal of the operating levy that currently funds almost 300 teaching positions. This levy renewal won’t increase taxes and will maintain the funding for teaching positions.
This graphic shows how many teachers in each building are currently funded by the levy. Without passing the renewal of the levy, the funding for these positions will go away – resulting in a reduction in positions. As educators in Beaverton, we know how much support our students need. We cannot afford to lose this funding and have our class sizes increase. Join us to talk to voters about the importance of maintaining the funding for teaching positions in Beaverton!
Levy Campaign Events:
Talking face-to-face with voters (canvassing) is the most effective way to ensure that our neighbors vote. We have planned four dates to gather and knock on doors together to talk to Beaverton voters about the importance of renewing the operating levy. Bring a friend and join us on at least one of these days to get the levy passed!
Sunday, October 23rd noon-3 pm
Meet at the BEA Office
Sunday, October 30th, noon-3 pm
Meet at Beaverton City Library
Saturday, November 5th, noon-3 pm
(Location TBD)
Sunday, November 6th, noon-3 pm
Aloha HS area (Exact meeting place TBD)
Sign up to canvass at bit.ly/BPACGOTV22.
Come Support Your BEA Bargaining Team!
We’ll be forming a gauntlet for every joint bargaining session to show support for the BEA Bargaining Team and to remind the BSD Team that we are united in our demand for a fair contract. Bargaining sessions begin at 4:30 pm, so our presence outside as bargaining team members arrive will be a powerful visual reminder of our strength at the table. Feel free to bring a sign showing your support for the team, highlighting a high class size or caseload, describing what you do during plan time, or demanding a fair contract. Be sure to wear red and bring a colleague with you!
You can sign up to support the BEA Bargaining team in a variety of ways at bit.ly/BEABargain2022
Volunteer for the School Board Race
The BSD school board has four positions up for election on May 18th. BPAC has interviewed and endorsed the following four candidates:
- Zone 1 – Susan Greenberg
- Zone 2 – Dr. Karen Pérez da Silva
- Zone 4 – Sunita Garg
- Zone 5 – Ugonna Enyinnaya
If you want to volunteer to help elect these candidates, there are opportunities to phone bank, to drop literature (leave flyers at voters’ homes), to distribute lawn signs, and more. You can sign up here to get more information.
BEA Executive Board Elections are this week
The positions and candidates are as follows:
BEA Executive Board At-Large Positions – 2 year term (3 open positions)
- Julia Barto – 3rd grade teacher at McKinley ES
- Terry Cherney – Special Education teacher at Beaverton HS
- Andrew Dennis – Science teacher at Stoller MS
- Aarti Kamalahasan – Kindergarten teacher at Sato ES
- Betsy Thornewood – Social Studies teacher at Sunset HS
BEA Executive Board Substitute At-Large Position – 2 year term (1 open position)
- Sarah Kennedy – BSD Substitute
BEA Treasurer – 2 year term
- Adam Oyster-Sands – Language Arts teacher at Westview HS
BEA Secretary – 2 year term
- Gretchen Mollers – Outreach and Engagment Specialist TOSA
Become a Delegate to the OEA and NEA Representative Assemblies!
The Beaverton Education Association is a local union that is part of the Oregon Education Association. As members, we are able to be a part of the governing body of OEA by serving as elected delegates to the OEA Representative Assembly. This year will be a virtual gathering, but there will still be opportunities to debate and vote on policies and bylaws, legislative objectives, budget, and new business for the association for the next year. OEA RA delegates also elect OEA officers at the RA (this year those elections will happen by mail).
This year, the OEA RA is April 16th and 17th in the privacy of your own home—that means you can guide the business of our union in your PJs!
Since BEA is a large local, we have a large number of allotted spots at the RA. In fact, we usually have far fewer people run than we have spots. We’d love to increase participation in order to give our members insight into the state-level union, as well as a voice in its priorities. If you are interested in running to be an OEA RA delegate, please fill out this form.
If you were elected last year, you still have a year left for your term and don’t need to run again. If you’re not sure where you are in your term, but would definitely like to participate this year, please go ahead and fill out the form and I’ll let you know what you need to do. Let me know if you have any questions at all!
Here’s a quick video with a look into the OEA RA.
But wait, there’s more! If you’re interested in spending a week in July with 8,000 educators from across the country guiding the priorities, policies, and business of the National Education Association (NEA), please consider running to be a delegate to the NEA RA. This year’s event will be virtual, but the work is still vitally important. If you’re interested in running or if you have questions, please fill out this form.
Give input on updates to ODE guidance on Returning to in-person instruction
From the Oregon Department of Education:
With the Governor’s recent announcements, elevating teacher voice is as important as ever. On December 23 Governor Brown announced changes to the Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidance. Some of these changes, including transitioning the Health Metrics for Returning to In-Person Instruction from mandatory to advisory, take effect on January 1, 2021. Other changes are set to be in place on or about January 19, 2021.
Over the next two weeks the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Health Authority will be engaging with school and community partners to explain the changes that took effect on January 1 and get input on any changes for the January 19 update. With the hope of these updates being informed by teacher voice, I’d like to hear your ideas and help to answer questions you may have.
Please consider joining us for one of the following opportunities:
Large group forums (limited to 400 participants) on Wednesday, January 6, 2021:
7-8:00 AM Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqfuCrrjwvHtT1OFsrRzcyiZQ4W6_7VU7Q
5-6:00 PM Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYocOuppzgrH9AabbETtNGPeoL3SOVhZD9X
Small group idea sharing (limited to 40 participants) on Thursday, January 7, 2021
7-8:00 AM Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrdOCvpz4vH9IS_S8N0hVKUaLPJiHjdqsR
5-6:00 PM Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqc–grj8sH9HUHNwFUA3SxGil_ncYkJ_K
If you have questions in the meantime, please write to [email protected].
ODE Listening Sessions on Re-opening Schools for In-Person Instruction
The Oregon Department of Education is seeking input from educators surrounding the reopening of school buildings for the purpose of in-person instruction. Please sign up for one of the sessions below to make your voice heard. We are excited that ODE is soliciting input from educators, and hope to get as many folks in the “room” as possible as these decisions are being made.
We hope you’ll join one of the upcoming webinars.
- Session 1: Monday, December 7, 2020 at 5:00-6:00pm – Registration
- Session 2: Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 7:00-8:00am – Registration
- Session 3: Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 11:00am-12:00pm – Registration
- Session 4: Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 5:00-6:00pm – Registration
- Session 5: Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 7:00-8:00am – Registration
Contact Erin Rothweiler, [email protected] with questions.
Visit the Ready Schools, Safe Learners webpage for the latest information on the 2020-21 school year from ODE.