Safe and Sound 4 Student Success Grants Continue Building Connections
BEF NEWS
Safe and Sound 4 Student Success Grants Continue Building Connections
Monday, January 22nd, 2024
For many Beaverton middle schoolers, the final bell marks the end of another day. But, for 1,425 students across 10 district middle schools, it represents a world of personalized academic support and meaningful connections through Beaverton Education Foundation’s Safe and Sound 4 Student Success (S4) program.
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.
“S4 is one of the reasons I go to school,” shared one S4 student participant, while another said, “Last year S4 brought everyone together and we felt like a family.”
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.
