Blog

  • Join the BEF Team

    Join the BEF Team

    The Beaverton Education Foundation is hiring professionals to join our dynamic team. We are a growth organization looking for team members to grow with us. BEF offers a flexible, casual work environment and an inclusive culture. No matter the role, every BEF employee shares one galvanizing message, to support students and staff of the Beaverton School District.

    Answer the Call Student Fundraising Coordinator

    This position is responsible for all aspects of the student-centered fundraising. The position is a part-time seasonal position with training and a small test event in the spring and a larger, more comprehensive multi-day event in the fall. It is expected to offer a variable schedule – with an estimated annual time commitment of 600 hours, with peak hours in September and October. Learn more here.

    Deputy Director (positioned filled 2.28.24)

    The Deputy Director will lead efforts to raise awareness for the organization, furthering the mission of the organization to connect community and classrooms. The Deputy Director will focus on developing, nurturing and managing institutional and individual relationships; communicating our value to the community; and acting as a primary connector between school district staff, their projects and our community to garner support for an ever-evolving portfolio of programs and projects. Full Details can be found here.

    About BEF

    BEF is the only nonprofit serving the 54 Beaverton public schools with program investments to benefit all 40,000 students. BEF-supported programming incubates promising ideas, creates hands-on learning opportunities and fills in funding gaps. This includes providing classroom supplies and bolstering summer and after-school learning, as well as scaling up staff-led learning innovations that begin as pilot programs and grow to reach thousands of students across Beaverton. These best practice investments provide hands-on learning opportunities that make a real difference in the lives of all of our Beaverton students by ensuring students have an opportunity to learn, thrive and reach their highest potential. Last year, BEEF raised $434,000 impacting the lives of 33,000 students across Beaverton, with individual giving averaging 50% of the total revenues.

  • Summer Learning Increases Classroom Success

    Summer Learning Increases Classroom Success

    The data is in, Summer Boost was a success. Tasked with limiting reading and math regression over summer break, elementary students in this summer’s BEF-funded program garnered impressive improvements in reading level and math skills coupled with increased joy for learning.

    In its second year, Summer Boost provided an unprecedented 19,000 brand new, high-interest books and math tools to students at 13 Beaverton elementary schools prior to summer break. 

    “When parents and students would ask when they had to return books, we were happy to share that thanks to BEF funding, these books were for their home library,” said Michael Vieira, Academic Coach at McKinley Elementary. “Developing a home library that siblings, friends and family can return to time-and-time again is yet another component that makes Summer Boost a powerful resource for our students.”

    Student assessments showed an impressive 86% of Summer Boost students improved their literacy level and 37% of students improved their attitude towards reading. Additionally, 65% of students enrolled in Summer Boost showed an improvement in their math skills.   

    One of the most exciting outcomes of this year’s program was achieved by current second graders, with 83% of these students demonstrating increased math knowledge.

    “Join me in celebrating all the achievements of all our Summer Boost participants,” shared Kristine Baggett, Beaverton Education Foundation’s Executive Director. “Supporting programs that shift academic trajectory, especially by our youngest learners, are especially valuable and align with BEF’s mission to give students opportunities to reach their highest potential.”

    Summer Boost was made possible through a BEF Kids Count Grant. Learn more about last year’s grant recipients today.

  • Delivering Messages of Thanks that Last

    Delivering Messages of Thanks that Last

    Twice annually, Beaverton Education Foundation helps families thank Beaverton educators with personalized notes and a modest donation, earmarked to fund classroom projects on BEF’s crowdfunding platform, Beaverton’s Choice.

    Saying, “thank you,” can brighten a day, recognize hard-working staff and share the impact they make in our lives. This December nearly 250 educators received hand-delivered cards of thanks, from appreciative families. Messages of thanks included: 

    Each note was accompanied by a Dutch Bros gift card and included a donation to BEF on the educator’s behalf. Donations totaled over $3,500 and will support Beaverton’s Choice classroom projects that need additional funds to reach their goal. 

    Learn more about Beaverton’s Choice current projects today.

  • Safe and Sound 4 Student Success Grants Continue Building Connections

    Safe and Sound 4 Student Success Grants Continue Building Connections

    This fall BEF awarded $76,279 for S4 programming, ensuring 1,425 students at Beaverton middle schools have access to dedicated academic support, mentor connections and the chance to participate in popular extracurriculars like soccer, basketball and clubs. 

    “Students gain a sense of belonging to our school through S4,” says Kelly Smith, Highland Park Middle School’s school psychologist and soccer coach. “For many students, if not most, it’s their only chance to play a sport on a team. Being in our soccer club is truly an identity that connects kids to Highland Park and students develop leadership skills while out on the field.”

    S4 helps students in need of structured homework time, tutoring, and small group instruction to succeed in school. When combined with the extracurricular activities they long for,  S4 students are more motivated to attend school. As students’ relationships with peers and educators grow and their interest and involvement in school strengthens, on and off the field, so does their academic success.

    Now in its eleventh year, BEF has worked with educators for over a decade to refine and expand the program, growing from one school at its inception to ten middle schools throughout the district. 

    “Participants are selected based on need and teacher recommendation,” explains Grant Piros, assistant principal at Meadow Park Middle School. “There’s time for homework as well as differentiated instruction and is tailored to meet the needs of the students in the group.”

    The program is offered twice a week, as an extension of the traditional school day; Students must attend a homework club one day in order to participate in the second extracurricular-focused day. 

    “S4 serves an incredibly diverse, committed set of students who are striving to do well at school,” says Kristine Baggett, executive director of the Beaverton Education Foundation. “We are grateful to donors who make S4 possible.” 

    Support from NW Natural, the Joseph E. Weston Foundation and a bequest from Patricia Knecht’s estate helped make S4 programming for the 20223-22 academic year. As a component of Beaverton Education Foundation’s initiative to expand access to math and science, S4 is also funded in part by donors to our Building STEAM 4 All initiative including First Tech Federal Credit Union, Genentech, Intel and others.

  • BEF funds Beaverton’s Choice projects for December 2023

    BEF funds Beaverton’s Choice projects for December 2023

    Thanks to our generous donors Beaverton Education Foundation has awarded $55,521 funding 40 classroom projects for the 2023-24 academic year.  

    Aloha High School
    Students Served: 200
    Recipients: Serafina Warner, Jose Perez, Bernice Lira, Enrique Abad, Chelo Hines & Brian Flores Torres
    Award: $1,120

    Funded in part by the Aloha PTO Booster Club

    Staff and students participating in Aloha’s Dual Language program will receive a student-designed shirt to proudly wear and share their message – One Language is Never Enough. Thanks to our generous community for funding the group’s project, students and staff can promote awareness for the Dual Language program, help more students further develop their Spanish communication skills and create a stronger sense of community. 

    Beaverton Academy of Science and Engineering
    Students Served: 100
    Recipient: Christine Muggli
    Award: $940

    ACT prep materials will help students practice tests, learn strategies and thrive far into the future thanks to our community’s support for their Beaverton’s Choice classroom project, ACTing for Our Future

    Hazeldale Elementary School
    Students Served: 75
    Recipients: Colin Laing, Anne Rachal & Leslie Stolin
    Award: $1,580

    Aspiring fifth grade entrepreneurs at Hazeldale Elementary will soon have the opportunity to apply for a job, earn a paycheck, pay taxes and run a business all on their own during a field trip to BizTown. Support for their Beaverton’s Choice project, provided funding for this amazing, one-of-a-kind experience.

    Ridgewood Elementary School 
    Students Served: 10
    Recipients: Lisa Jenson & Katie White
    Award: $340

    Funded in part by BEF Building STEAM 4 All initiative

    Students in the Social Communication Center (SCC) will have exciting experiences, opportunities for engagement and innovative learning experiences thanks to funds raised for their recent Beaverton’s Choice project for classroom robots.

    Bethany Elementary School
    Students Served: 160
    Recipients: Brad Stewart, Christopher Cushman, John Plunkett, Rebecca Carney, Clint Kelley & Miranda Garey
    Award: $2,620

    Funded in part by The Anne Kelly Ofstun Tubby Fund and the Bethany School Parent Teacher Organization

    Bethany students will achieve even greater reading milestones with funding for books for their fourth and fifth grade March Book Madness reading competition. 

    Kinnaman Elementary School
    Students Served: 75
    Recipient: Carolynn Langston
    Award: $1,750

    Funded in part by the BEF Band Together initiative

    Coyote Choir participants will meet twice a week from 3-4 pm through the spring to continue the work they began last year to Lift Every Voice and Sing! Funding from their Beaverton’s Choice project will support third through fifth grade students as they prepare for multiple performances throughout the year, both for Kinnaman and for the BSD community.

    All Elementary Schools
    Students Served: 15,785
    Recipient: Leah Biado-Luis
    Amount: $2,099

    Funded in part by the Bonny Slope Community Organization, Findley Parent Teacher Organization and the Oak Hills Elementary Parent Teacher Organization

    Students at all Beaverton elementary schools will learn life-saving pedestrian safety lessons in a low-stakes environment that mimics a real-world experience, thanks to our connected community’s generous support for a recent Safe Routes to School Beaverton’s Choice project.