Our Endorsed Candidates for the May 2023 Beaverton Election

Maham Ahmed for BSD School Board (Zone 3) – Maham is a former White House Policy Analyst who currently works in communications for the National Forestry Service Wildfire Management Department.  She is passionate about the Beaverton community as well as policy work, and recognizes that many issues in our schools have very complex solutions.  She is committed to working with our communities, educators, and students as she tackles those issues.  Learn more about Maham at mahamforbsd.com

 

 

Justice Rajee for BSD School Board (Zone 6) – Justice is the cofounder of Beaverton Black Parent Union and the Executive Director of Reimagine Oregon.  He has worked with youth and families within marginalized communities for many years, and he is excited to bring his expertise to the School Board.  He is committed to deciphering out what is working and what isn’t for students in Beaverton, looking at the structures of schools and how to measure success, and increasing community involvement in schools.  Learn more about Justice at www.justicerajee.net

 

Tammy Carpenter for BSD School Board (Zone 7) – Tammy is a local physician, and is ready to tackle the challenges students and educators are facing in Beaverton.  She is focused on identifying structures and curriculum that will serve all of our students.  Learn more about Tammy at www.tammycarpenter.com

 

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)

 

BEA Reps Adopt a Resolution for Community Schools

BEA leadership is committed to establishing community schools in Beaverton School District.  The National Education Association has been talking about community schools for years, and helping to spread the practices of these transformative places across the nation.  The six pillars of community schools are: strong and proven curriculum, high quality teaching, inclusive leadership, positive behavior practices, family and community partnerships, and community support services.

At the January 9th BEA Representative Assembly, reps adopted a resolution for community schools in Beaverton.  We are excited to work with our students, staff, families, communities, and district leaders to establish community schools in order to help our students and communities thrive.

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.

BEA Endorsements for the November 8th Election

WHAT IS BPAC?
The Beaverton Teachers Political Action Committee (BPAC) is a committee made up of BEA members who guide the political activity of our local union. We conduct interviews and endorse candidates for public office, engage members in political action and communicate with members about local political advocacy.

Below are the endorsements from BPAC, PAT-PAC, and OEA PAC for the November election. All PAC endorsement decisions are made by groups of union educators who interview candidates and endorse those who will advocate for strong and fully funded public education as well as workers’ rights.

BEA ENDORSEMENTS:

⇒  YES on Measure 34-321(BSD teachers’ levy)
⇒  Ken Helm (House District 27)
⇒  Lisa Reynolds (House District 34)
⇒  Farrah Chaichi (House District 35)
⇒  Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (Senate District 17)
⇒  Wlnsvey Campos (Senate District 18)

PORTLAND ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS (PAT) ENDORSEMENTS:
⇒  Jo Ann Hardesty (Portland City Council Position 3)
⇒  Jessica Vega Pederson (Multnomah County Chair)
⇒  Dacia Grayber (House District 28)
⇒  Maxine Dexter (House District 33)
⇒  Tawna Sanchez (House District 43)
⇒  Travis Nelson (House District 44)
⇒  Thuy Tran (House District 45)
⇒  Khanh Pham (House District 46)
⇒  Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (Senate District 17)
⇒  YES on Portland Measure 26-288 (changes the way Portland City Council is elected)

OEA-PAC ENDORSEMENTS:

⇒ Tina Kotek (Governor)
⇒ Christina Stephenson (BOLI Commissioner)
⇒ Ron Wyden (US Senate)
⇒ Suzanne Bonamici (Congressional District 1)
⇒ Earl Blumenauer (Congressional District 3)
⇒ Val Hoyle (Congressional District 4)
⇒ Jamie McLeod-Skinner (Congressional District 5)
⇒ Andrea Salinas (Congressional District 6)
⇒ YES on Measure 111 (State must ensure affordable healthcare access, balanced against requirement to fund schools, other essential services)
⇒ YES on Measure 112 (remove language allowing slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for crime)
⇒ YES on Measure 113 (Legislators with ten unexcused absences from floor sessions disqualified from holding next term of office.)
⇒ YES on Measure 114 (gun violence prevention)
Read all OEA endorsements across the state here

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

You will receive ballots for BEA Executive Board elections in your district email this week, as well as a special edition Elections Focus with information about candidates and links to candidate speeches (in an email dated April 30th from Sara Schmitt).  If you have any questions about election processes or procedures, please reach out to Elections Task Force members Erin Gettling or David Nelson.

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