Staff News and Announcements

HR High Five Podcast
May 29, 2022 - Our Human Resources department’s HR High Five Podcast series features achievements, ideas, and connections within our HSD community. Each episode has about ten minutes of content and focuses on a theme or key word. The goal of this podcast is to share ways our employees work together and highlight their contributions to our district. This month, enjoy listening to staff members Courtney Gibb, Kelsey Wright, and Jahmai Cherri discuss the topic of Serving our Community.

Oregon Savings Growth Plan Workshop
May 22, 2023 - The Oregon Savings Growth Plan offers another retirement savings option for HSD staff. Learn more at a virtual workshop hosted by Tim Ertz of Voya Financial Advisors at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23.

PERS Retirement Seminar and Workshop
May 8, 2023 - A free PERS/403(b) retirement planning seminar will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 11 in the Administration Center Board room. 

The webinar will be presented by Skylar Koon with Cetera Investors, who has been conducting similar seminars for the HSD employees for over a decade.

The workshop is open to all employees and their partners, whether they are planning to retire in the near future or are simply looking to get some questions answered. Topics will include explaining the PERS system, its changes over time, and what they will mean to you. Different payout options will also be discussed to help you start thinking about what may be best for you and your family. Sylar will review the steps necessary to acquire an estimate for your retirement as well as the paperwork process for someone who decides to retire. Other topics will include taxes, health insurance, long-term care, and how PERS fits into other retirement tools to create a cohesive financial strategy for retirement, in addition to pitfalls to avoid when utilizing PERS in combination with other retirement accounts as well as Social Security. 

Register in advance at this link. 

If you cannot attend the seminar but still have questions, you can schedule a one-on-one appointment with Skylar at this link. 

Questions can also be posed to Skylar via email at skylar.koon@ceterainvestors.com.

Thanks a Million! Teacher Appreciation Celebration
May 1, 2023 - Local nonprofit Schoolhouse Supplies is hosting its Thanks a Million! teacher appreciation celebration on Saturday, May 6. This free event will provide teachers at schools where more than 50 percent of the students qualified for free or reduced-price meals with over $1 million in supplies and gifts to kick off National Teacher Appreciation Week. There will be booths for teachers to visit to fill their bags, as well as food and entertainment. 

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon (and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. by reservation) in the Parkrose High School gymnasium, 12003 NE Shaver St., Portland 97220.  

Check your eligibility and learn more here.

HR High Five Podcast
May 1, 2023 - Our Human Resources department’s HR High Five Podcast series features achievements, ideas, and connections within our HSD community. Each episode has about ten minutes of content and focuses on a theme or key word. The goal of this podcast is to share ways our employees work together and highlight their contributions to our district. This month, enjoy listening to staff members Christy Walters, Eli Andrade, and Rose Roman discuss the topic of Organization.

Free Virtual Meal Prep Classes
April 24, 2023 - Through a grant from the Oregon Education Association, acquired by Evergreen Middle School Wellness Counselor Ellis Russell, all staff are invited to participate in free online meal prep classes starting at 4:45 p.m. on the following dates:

• Tuesday, Apr. 25 - Meal Prep Basics (90-min. Cooking class)

• Tuesday, May 9 - Meal Prep Freezer Meals (90-min. Cooking class)

• Tuesday, May 23 - Good Mood Food (60-min nutrition education class)

Learn more and sign up on this form.

JA Biztown Information Sessions
Calling all 5th grade teachers!  The registration dates for your students to attend JA BIZTOWN in the 2023-24 school year will be open soon. Please be thinking about the time of year you may want to deliver the twelve preparatory lessons and attend the simulation event. As a district, we are funding the cost of student participation. Each school will manage their bussing to the new BIZTOWN site located in downtown Hillsboro, and 5th grade teams can work together to all attend the same day!  

If you have not participated in Biztown before, you can check out this Biztown video and get general information at the JA Biztown Website. 

The new site in the Hillsboro Civic Center will open this fall. Check out this computer simulation of what it will look like. 

If you would like more information about Biztown before the registration links go live, please join us at one of the upcoming virtual Q&A sessions hosted by NWRESD.  

• May 1st 11:30am Registration Link

• May 2nd 3:30pm Registration Link

• May 3rd 2pm Registration Link

If you have other questions, feel free to reach out to Raya Cadiz at cadizr@hsd.k12.or.us.

Yoga and Fitness at Evergreen Middle School
April 24, 2023 - Free yoga and fitness classes for HSD staff members are still happening twice a week at Evergreen Middle School. Drop in at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and bring your own yoga mat.

Section 125 Plan Enrollment
April 24, 2023 - Section 125 plan enrollment for 2023-24 opens on Monday, Apr. 24. Schedule time with an American Fidelity representative to review your coverage including FSA, HSA, Dependent Care, Disability, and other optional plans ahead of the fall rush.

HSF Innovative Grants
April 10, 2023 - The Hillsboro Schools Foundation (HSF) will award grants of up to $7,500 to fund innovative educational projects during the 2023-24 school year. A total of $50,000 will be distributed this May. 

Through their Innovative Education Grants, HSF supports projects that put the tools of exploration, imagination, and self-expression directly into students’ hands, providing them with opportunities they would otherwise not have under normal school funding. The process is simple, fair, and open to all HSD teachers, administrators, staff, and volunteer family groups for programs that enhance student achievement both inside and outside the classroom. Proposals are evaluated and selected based on student engagement and achievement; innovative instructional methods and tools; and sustainable, measurable results. 

The grant application is now open and available at hsfonline.org/apply-for-grants. Submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Apr. 11. 

Participation in a grant training webinar at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 2 is strongly encouraged. Please RSVP to Aron Carleson at aronc@wcchamber.org for the link. You may also reach out to Aron with any questions.

Ethnic Studies Youth Conference
April 10, 2023 - Portland Community College, in partnership with Pacific and Portland State, will offer its 4th Ethnic Studies Youth Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, May 26 at the PCC Rock Creek Campus. It is a platform that centers middle and high school student art, testimonies, and research on the pressing issues of the day. The conference is free and open to the public.

There is an opportunity for groups of students to make presentations of up to 15 minutes on a topic of their choice. Brief descriptions of arts and presentation topics are due by Saturday, Apr. 15. Learn more in this flyer and on the Critical Educators of Color Pathway website.

HR High Five Podcast
April 3, 2023 - Our Human Resources department’s new HR High Five Podcast series features achievements, ideas, and connections within our HSD community. Each episode has about ten minutes of content and focuses on a theme or key word. The goal of this podcast is to share ways our employees work together and highlight their contributions to our district. This month’s theme is Teamwork! Enjoy listening to staff members Tiffany McGowen, Wendy Holland, Jon Turcotte, Maria Jose Leon Aguilar, and Karla Sanchez Toro share stories about the value of working as a team, then let us know what you think by filling out the HR High Five Podcast Feedback form.

Special Education Teacher Information Session
March 20, 2023 - Interested in becoming a special education teacher? Register for a virtual information session from 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 12 to learn about different pathways and supports HSD offers to help you achieve your dream!

STEM Summer Camp Teacher Recruitment
March 13, 2023 - The PSU Center for Entrepreneurship seeks four STEM Camp Instructors to provide teaching and workshop support for 7 weeks this summer. Instructors will assist with hands-on prototyping activities for middle school students. Learn more in this flyer.

Lewis & Clark School Counseling Master’s Degree Information Session
March 6, 2023 - Lewis & Clark’s Graduate School of Education and Counseling is holding a virtual information session from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 9 on its School Counseling master’s degree and preliminary license program. Click here to register.

HR High Five Podcast
March 6, 2023 - Our Human Resources department’s new HR High Five Podcast series features achievements, ideas, and connections within our HSD community. Each episode has about ten minutes of content and focuses on a theme or key word. The goal of this podcast is to share ways our employees work together and highlight their contributions to our district. This month’s theme is The Heart of HSD! Enjoy listening to staff members Salo Acosta, Ciara Hartzell, and Yaquwlyn Vazquez Burgos share stories about what motivates them in their work. Watch for new episodes at the end of each month during the school year.

PERS Retirement Seminar
February 20, 2023 - A free PERS/403(b) virtual retirement planning seminar will take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22 via Zoom. The webinar will be presented by Skylar Koon with Cetera Investors, who has been conducting similar seminars for the HSD employees for over a decade.

The workshop is open to all employees and their partners, whether they are planning to retire in the near future or are simply looking to get some questions answered. Topics will include explaining the PERS system, its changes over time, and what they will mean to you. Different payout options will also be discussed to help you start thinking about what may be best for you and your family. Sylar will review the steps necessary to acquire an estimate for your retirement as well as the paperwork process for someone who decides to retire. Other topics will include taxes, health insurance, long-term care, and how PERS fits into other retirement tools to create a cohesive financial strategy for retirement, in addition to pitfalls to avoid when utilizing PERS in combination with other retirement accounts as well as Social Security. 

Please note the seminar will not be recorded. 

Register in advance at this link. Once you have registered, you will receive a follow-up email confirming your registration, along with Zoom instructions to attend the seminar at the scheduled time. If you do not receive a confirmation email, make sure to check your spam folder or reach out to Skylar at skylar.koon@ceterainvestors.com.

HSD’s Evaluation 5D+ Rubric Training
February 20, 2023 - Licensed staff are invited to join us for an optional professional development session on HSD’s Evaluation 5D+ Rubric. The objectives will be to:

• Understand our 5D+ Evaluation Rubric

• Understand our Instructional Framework: 5Ds of Teaching and Learning

• Identify how the 5Ds are represented in our instructional day

There are two sessions to choose from:

• Thursday, Feb. 23 from 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the Administration Center Board Room

• Thursday, Apr. 20 from 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the Administration Center Board Room

Mark your calendars if you can make it. Extended contract will be paid.

HR High Five Podcast
February 6, 2023 - Our Human Resources department is pleased to announce its new HR High Five Podcast series, which features achievements, ideas, and connections within our HSD community. Each episode has about ten minutes of content and focuses on a theme or key word. The goal of this podcast is to share ways our employees work together and highlight their contributions to our district. This month’s theme is celebration! Enjoy listening to staff members Morgan Quimby, Dave Peterson, and Leandre Butler share their stories. Watch for new episodes at the end of each month during the school year.

Strategic Plan Feedback 
January 30, 2023 - All staff are invited to review the core elements of our draft 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and provide their feedback by Friday, Feb. 17. The survey will be made available to students, families, and other HSD stakeholders on Monday, Feb. 6 once translation is complete.

Licensed Transfer Window Open
January 23, 2023 - Now through Wednesday, Mar. 1 licensed staff may request consideration for a voluntary transfer to another school or assignment, or for a leave of absence or change to FTE in the 2023-24 school year (per Article 12, Section b of the HEA/HSD Licensed Professional Agreement). Full details were emailed to licensed staff directly; please speak with your HEA building representative or supervising administrator if you have questions.

Hillsboro Public Library Newsletter for Teachers
January 16, 2023 - January’s edition of the Hillsboro Public Library’s Student Success Newsletter features information on upcoming study halls, a teen art contest, and a program for beginning readers. Also check out the Library’s January events brochure for additional events and information.

Paid Leave Oregon Staff Notice
January 2, 2023 - Paid Leave Oregon is a new state-level program that allows individuals to take paid time off for many of life’s most important moments that impact our families and our health and safety. Required contributions are made by employers and employees. Employers pay 40% and employees pay 60% of the contribution rate, which is 1 percent for 2023.

While some employers and employees will begin paying for the new program in January, Hillsboro School District intends to provide an Equivalent Plan administered by a private insurance carrier. This plan will provide at least the same benefits as the State's program. Mandatory monthly paycheck deductions of 0.6% will not begin until the benefits are available in September 2023.  

Hillsboro School District has determined that providing these benefits through a fully insured Equivalent Plan is the best option for the district and its employees. More information will be provided during the annual Employee Benefit Enrollment period in August 2023. 

You can find more information about Paid Leave Oregon here: https://paidleave.oregon.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Oregon School and After School Wellness Awards
January 2, 2023 - ODE, the Nutrition Council of Oregon, the Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council, and OregonASK are teaming up to reward exemplary school and after school programs for creating and sustaining a culture of wellness for youth and staff. Learn more here and apply by Jan. 31, 2023.

United Way Campaign
December 12, 2022 - Each year, HSD joins forces with United Way of Columbia-Willamette to mobilize support around improving lives in our region. Participating in the United Way’s annual campaign provides you with the opportunity to share in this vision and enhance our community.

Local agencies need ongoing help with the most basic needs in our community. The United Way’s program for specific agency donations allows donors to select an agency of their choice to receive their contribution. There are many Washington County agencies that work directly with children and families, or you can select any other tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity to receive your donation through the United Way.

For more information, please visit the United Way website and review their FAQ. When you decide to donate, you can email your completed pledge form to Katie Russell-Willis, send it via interdepartmental mail to AC201, or fax it to 503-844-1557. 

Click here to view informational videos and see how your donation makes an impact.

This year’s campaign runs from Friday, Nov. 4 to Friday, Dec. 16. 

Each of us has an opportunity to give back to our local neighbors and communities. Thank you for what you do, not only as an educational professional, but also as an integral, contributing member of our local community.