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NOTICE OF BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING

By News

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to ORS 294.426, that a public meeting of the Budget Committee of Southern Oregon Education Service District, serving the school districts in Jackson, Josephine, and Klamath Counties, will be held at 101 North Grape Street, Medford, OR, on May 14, 2025, at 6:00 pm for the purpose of receiving the budget message and budget document of said district for the fiscal year 2025-2026 and to receive comment from the public on the budget.Ā  A second meeting of the budget committee is tentatively scheduled for May 21, 2025, at 6:00 pm and public comment on the budget will also be taken at this meeting.

These are public meetings where deliberations of the budget committee will take place, and any person may appear and discuss proposed programs with the budget committee at that time. To the extent reasonably possible, opportunity will be provided for members of the general public to access and attend these meetings remotely. A copy of the proposed budget document and the link to join the meeting via video/audio conference will be available on or after May 9, 2025 at www.soesd.k12.or.us or obtained via email request to administration@soesd.k12.or.us.Ā  Public comment will be taken during the meeting.

A second notice of the budget committee meeting will be posted on the Southern Oregon Education Service District website at:Ā  www.soesd.k12.or.us.Ā  This second notice will be posted on the website May 1, 2025.

Scott Beveridge, Superintendent

Budget Officer

Southern Oregon Education Service District Board of Directors Names Finalists for Next Superintendent

By Administration, News

After completing a multi-state search, the Southern Oregon Education Service District board is pleased to announce that three finalists have been selected for further consideration to be the next superintendent for SOESD. The selected finalists are:

Mark Angle-Hobson

Dr. Angle-Hobson has been Director of School Improvement Services with Southern Oregon ESD since 2018.Ā  Prior to that he served as Superintendent/Principal for Days Creek School District in Douglas County. Before moving to Southern Oregon, Dr. Angle-Hobson was Assistant Professor of Education at Concord University, Athens, West Virginia and Principal of the Spanishburg School in West Virginia.Ā  Dr. Angle-Hobson earned his doctorate degree in educational leadership, his masterā€™s degree in curriculum and instruction, and his administrative credentials from the University of Virginia.

Brent Barry

Mr. Barry has been Superintendent of Phoenix-Talent Schools since 2017.Ā  Prior to that he served Phoenix-Talent Schools as Assistant Superintendent of Academics and Student Programs; Principal, Orchard Hill Elementary; and Assistant Principal, Phoenix High School for a total of 21 years with the district. Before joining Phoenix-Talent Schools, he taught Math and Health at North Medford High School in the Medford School District.Ā  Mr. Barry earned his masterā€™s degree in education from Southern Oregon University and his administrative credentials from Portland State University.

Anthony Rosilez

Dr. Rosilez has been Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources with Silver Falls School District since 2024.Ā  Prior to that he served as the Executive Director of the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission for five years and held the position of Vice President of Student and Personnel Services and legal counsel with Klamath Community College for two years. Dr. Rosilez earned his doctorate degree in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin, a masterā€™s degree in educational administration from California State University, San Bernardino, and his juris doctorate from UCLA School of Law. He earned his administrative credentials from California State University, San Bernardino.

Next Steps

The SOESD Board of Directors will begin background and reference checks for the finalists over the next week. Each finalist will be invited for a “day in the communityā€ on Thursday, April 17, 2025. At that time, staff and members of the community will have an opportunity to meet the candidates. The staff and community ā€œmeet and greetsā€ will be held:

Thursday, April 17, 2025
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
SOESD Administration Office – Upstairs Conference Room
101 North Grape Street in Medford, Oregon

Comment cards will be provided for participants to share thoughts with the Board of Directors after the event.

Eco-Explorers: Turning Ideas into Action!

By Administration, News, School Improvement Services, School-Wide Improvement

What an incredible day at Eco-Explorers! The SOESD STEAM Hub, in collaboration with community partners and dedicated educators, came together to design relevant, place-based, career-connected projects that students will engage in throughout the school year. With the generous support of Innovaciones Alumbra, educators from Josephine, Klamath, and Jackson counties worked alongside local industry and community partners to develop meaningful learning experiences that introduce students to careers in sustainability, conservation, and green industriesā€”all while deepening their connection to the places they live and learn.

From firewise school campuses to habitat restoration projects, these collaborations are just getting started, and we canā€™t wait to see students bring them to life in the coming months. Stay tunedā€”weā€™ll be sharing their progress along the way!

Hereā€™s what participants are saying:

ā€œThank you for such a powerful workshopā€”this has inspired me to do so many things with my students.ā€
ā€” 4th Grade Teacher

ā€œThis is such an amazing opportunity! Many of my students have difficult family situations and providing them with a chance to experience hands-on learning outside the normal scope of their day is such a gift! Thank you for this!ā€
ā€” 3rd Grade Teacher

ā€œThank you so much for hosting such a wonderful event! It was a great opportunity to sit down and connect with Southern Oregon educators.ā€
ā€”Community Partner

Superintendent Scott Beveridge has announced his plan to retire

By Administration, News

After ten years as superintendent and 31 years at SOESD serving children, students, districts, families, and our communities, Superintendent Scott Beveridge has announced his plan to retire at the end of the school year.Ā  We are proud of the key initiatives and important milestones achieved under Superintendent Beveridgeā€™s leadership, and we thank him for his service and commitment to the SOESD mission.

In a January 7, 2025 memo to the board and staff, Superintendent Beveridge announced he had reached his decision to retire earlier in the year knowing SOESD had achieved goals outlined in the current strategic plan that paved the way for a successful launch of the 2024-25 school year.Ā  Beveridge expressed his appreciation for the support of the SOESD board during the past decade, praised staff and announced his intent to provide ample notice of his departure so that the board could conduct a thorough search for a qualified replacement.

ā€œThe new Phoenix campus will provide expanded classrooms and a new conference center. Our new building in Grants Pass will double classrooms for our preschool and increase space for Early Childhood Services. Our strategic plans have produced a business model with a budget that has more than doubled since the 2015-2016 school year for delivering valued new services. Last June, districts rated satisfaction with our services at 93% or higher on average across each division, and our staff had rated the highest positive work environment year over year. In the last two years, about a third of staff have joined our team, who collectively are so strongly qualified, capable, and passionate about serving students, districts, families, and our communities,ā€ says Beveridge.Ā  ā€œIt is with this confidence of timing that I look back at what weā€™ve accomplished together and look forward to what SOESD is poised to help others accomplish next.ā€

FAQ: Carruth Compliance Consulting Data Breach

By Homepage, News

Carruth Compliance Consulting Data Breach

Carruth Compliance Consulting (Carruth) provides third-party administrative services for 403(b) and 457(b) retirement plans and monitors contribution compliance for employees of public schools and non-profit organizations, including Southern Oregon Education Service District. On January 13, 2025, SOESD was notified by Carruth that it experienced a data security incident. Carruth reported that upon learning of the Incident, they began working with third-party specialists to investigate the activity, and then notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation. An investigation revealed that unauthorized access to Carruthā€™s network had occurred resulting in a compromise of sensitive employee data for Carruthā€™s clients, including SOESD.

Carruth Notice of Data Security Event

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I affected?

This data breach potentially impacts all employees who have been employed by SOESD between 2014 and December of 2024.Ā While Carruth provided third party administrative services for SOESDā€™s 403(b) and 457(b) retirement savings plan, the Districtā€™s original contract with Carruth included options for Carruth to provide services monitoring the Districtā€™s compliance with IRS regulations for all employees. To be on the safe side, we are assuming that all SOESD employees during this time frame have been impacted by this breach, and we encourage everyone to take the steps listed below.

What information was compromised?

The compromised information at Carruth may include employeesā€™ name, Social Security number, dates of birth, and financial account information. In some cases, it could also include driver’s license number, and for those who may have applied for a hardship loan it could include W-2 information, medical billing information (but not medical records), and tax filings. Carruth reported that if you or others provided them with the personal information of your beneficiaries, their information may also have been affected in this Incident.

What is SOESD doing?

SOESD isĀ  working with legal counsel and Carruth to understand the full scope of the breach and to ensure they are taking appropriate steps to mitigate the impact on our employees.

We are providing this FAQ and will continue to update it with the latest information as it becomes available.

Since Carruth has refused to send individual notifications to present and former employees, SOESD is working with data privacy experts to send out individual notifications via mail, which is the preferred method to notify impacted staff.Ā  Those letters should be sent as soon as possible.

Since Carruth was unable to process employee contributions to 403(b) and 457(b) accounts in January, they are returning all funds, and SOESD is working to then distribute the funding to employee 403(b) and 457(b) accounts.

What can I do?

Enroll in Credit Monitoring and Identity Restoration Services: Carruth is offering free credit monitoring and identity restoration services through IDX. To enroll, please call IDX at 877-720-7895.

Who is IDX?

IDX is a leading data incident response services provider that helps protect people who may be affected by data security incidents. Carruth retained IDX to provide complimentary credit monitoring and identity protection services to our employees and answer questions you may have about the incident.

I am having trouble enrolling with IDX. Is someone from SOESD able to assist me with enrolling in the services provided by IDX?

Each impacted individual must enroll separately in the services provided by IDX. In order to enroll in the services provided by IDX, you must contact IDX at 877-720-7895 and provide them with information they request.

Monitor Your Accounts: Regularly review your bank accounts, credit card statements, and other financial accounts for any suspicious activity. If you see anything unusual, you can report it to your financial institution immediately.

Check Your Credit Reports: You are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). Visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228 to order your free reports.

Consider Placing a Fraud Alert or Credit Freeze on your Credit Report: You can place a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit report to help protect yourself from identity theft. See details below.

Report Any Suspicious Activity: If you suspect you are a victim of identity theft, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.identitytheft.gov or 877-ID-THEFT (877-438-4338). You should also file a police report.

Fraud Alerts & Credit Freezes

Fraud Alerts and Credit Freezes

  • Fraud Alert: A fraud alert notifies creditors to verify your identity before issuing new credit. You can place an initial fraud alert (lasting one year) or an extended fraud alert (lasting seven years) if you are already a victim of identity theft.
  • Credit Freeze: A credit freeze prevents credit bureaus from releasing your credit report without your explicit consent. This makes it harder for identity thieves to open accounts in your name.

Refocusing Professional Learning

By News, School Improvement Services, School-Wide Improvement

SOREN Implementation Jay Schroder co-authored an article, “Refocusing Professional Learning: Cultivating Teacher Wellbeing to Promote Agency” that has been published in theĀ Holistic Ed ReviewĀ Journal. This article discusses Jayā€™s work with Teach From Your Best Self (TFYBS) and shares promising results from early research findings about the impact of this important professional learning. You can read the article here:

https://her.journals.publicknowledgeproject.org/index.php/her/article/view/3221/3058.

 

Oregon Regional Teacher of the Year Nominations are Now Open

By News, School Improvement Services, School-Wide Improvement

The Oregon Department of Education, in partnership with the Oregon Lottery, is pleased to announce the continuation of Oregon Regional Teacher of the Year to honor exemplary educators in every region of the state!

  • Nominations are open statewide through February 6, 2025
  • Teachers will submit their applications by April 6
  • Oregon Education Service Districts will select a winner from their region
  • Regional Teachers of the Year will be honored across the state in May 2025!
  • One of the Regional Teachers of the Year will be named the 2025 Oregon Teacher of the Year in September 2025 and will be eligible to apply for the honor of the National Teacher of the Year!

Regional Teachers of the Year will receive a cash prize of $1000 and will be celebrated across the state.Ā  The 2025 Oregon Teacher of the Year will receive a $10,000 cash prize (with a matching $5,000 going to their school!) and serve as a spokesperson and representative for all Oregon teachers.

Anyone can nominate a teacher! All Oregonians are encouraged to nominate their favorite teacher today at: oregonteacheroftheyear.org

Sassy AI

By News

Sassy is an AI tool that has been developed for students in Oregon for career and education exploration. The target audience for this tool is middle school. Imagine that your students have taken their aptitude or interest assessment and now they have more questions regarding where they might go to college, what classes might they need and where might they go to work?! Within careerconnectoregon.org , students can use ā€˜Sassyā€™ to find out what a career pathway might look like, where they might go to college, and more!

Click here to view a video.

Herald & News Article: Klamath Community College helps find transitional housing solution

By News, School Improvement Services, School-Wide Improvement

The apprenticeship program at Klamath Community College is about to roll out temporary housing units under two separate projects that are giving its students hands-on experience in home building, while helping those in need.

The construction of small cottages is part of Gov. Tina Kotekā€™s housing initiative pumping millions of dollars into small home construction, or transitional housing. Once completed, the homes are sent to areas of need. In Klamath County, two such cottages and a storage shed will help families who lost their homes to the Copperfield Fire east of Chiloquin. Eight primary residences and 22 other buildings were destroyed in the 3,822-acre fire which started on Sept. 1, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Read More.

Southern Oregon STEAM Hub at Culture Night

By News, School-Wide Improvement

Southern Oregon STEAM Hub had an incredible time at Culture Night with the amazing students and families from SOESD Indian Education! šŸŽ‰ We loved sharing tools from our lending library and watching everyone dive into hands-on coding and problem-solving with BeeBots, Ozobots, and LEGOs. The students blew us away with their creativity and curiosity! šŸŒŸ Thank you for inviting us to be part of this special evening!

#IndianEd #SOESDSTEAM #CultureNight

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