Westsider Supporters Answer The Call

Successful public schools have always been the pride and cornerstone of thriving communities, and local support for public education has always been the hallmark for communities, businesses and residents on the Westside of our metropolitan region.  Even so, the recent outpouring of local support for the Beaverton School District was a remarkable accomplishment that will produce dividends for years to come.

The Beaverton School District was recently chosen among 49 districts nationally---and the only district in Oregon--- to receive a $4 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education.  The federal  "Art for Learning Program" grant will serve an estimated 13,000 students in grades 3-5 over a five year period, by pro-moting reading and comprehension skills through the integration of art and music.  
  
But to qualify for this grant, school district officials first needed to raise $800,000 in local matching grants.  So they rolled up their sleeves, gave up their last three weeks of summer vacation and cancelled plans for the Labor Day holiday weekend, in order to complete the task.

When the school bells rang last Tuesday morning, welcoming students back to their classrooms, Beaverton officials greeted them with the news the 20 percent matching grant from local donors had met and exceeded the requirements by more than $300,000.

"The response to our request for assistance from major foundations, City of Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle, the Beaverton Education Foundation, community business partners, staff, parents and individual citizens during these challenging economic times has been a gratifying vote of confidence for the arts and a well rounded education of our students," said Beaverton School District superintendent Jerry Colonna.  "We are fortunate to live in an area where community support for high quality education and innovation is strong."

Despite the economic recession, and continued threats of state budget cuts, communities and businesses in Washington County have a strong record of supporting local schools through good times and bad.  Enrollment in Washington County public elementary and secondary schools have grown by an average of 1,331 students annually for the past 10 years---which is roughly equivalent to two new elementary school buildings every year.

Voters in Washington and western Clackamas Counties responded in 2006 and 2008 by approving capital construction bond measures to finance new school construction in Hillsboro (3), Beaverton (2), Sherwood (3), Wilsonville and West Linn (1 each in this unified district).  Voters in Lake Oswego and Tigard-Tualatin districts also supported operating levies on their 2008 ballots.  Forest Grove voters will be asked to approve a $65.3 million bond levy on November 2 to expand the local high school and replace an elementary school in their community.