Many new teachers and staff joined Beaverton High School this year. The Hummer was able to interview several, and their backgrounds and stories are listed below.
Taylor Galloway:
Taylor Galloway is the new substance use specialist who works at BHS and Aloha. Before transferring to Beaverton, she was a substance use specialist for other schools in the district. She is especially passionate about social work. Galloway got her bachelor’s degree from Portland State University and her master’s from George Fox University, both in social work. “I love getting to know and [learn] from students. It’s also a privilege having the opportunity to advocate for so many students and families,” said Galloway. She is looking forward to becoming a member of the BHS community because of the “culture of collaboration and joy!” In her spare time, Galloway likes socializing, listening to music, and spending time outdoors.
Lisa Leonardo:
Lisa Leonardo is splitting her time between Beaverton and Sunset as a resource room teacher. She works to support students who need extra help and manages a caseload of students at both schools. Leonardo has been a teacher for about seven years, but previously held various jobs in business management. She was inspired to become a substitute teacher when her daughter enrolled in the district.
“I saw how progressive BSD schools were with technology and enjoyed volunteering in the classroom,” said Leonardo. She then decided to get her Master of Arts in Teaching, which allowed her to become a licensed substitute teacher, temporary or long-term teacher. She is currently working towards getting her Special Education endorsement from George Fox.
Leonardo grew up in Pennsylvania and describes herself as “bi-coastal.” She played DIII Volleyball at Carnegie Mellon University and is a huge fan of pro sports in Pittsburgh. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys traveling to the East Coast with her family.
Nick Sidlin:
Nick Sidlin is the new student manager at BHS. Before joining the Beavs, he was an associate principal and before that, he was a social-emotional coordinator for middle schools. Mr. Sidlin received his master’s in education from Catholic University in DC as well as a BS in History from Southern Oregon University. Picking a degree is no easy task, but Mr. Sidlin’s love for working in schools made it an easy choice. He started his career in Washington D.C. and was also a volunteer for the Peace Corps in Guyana, but after that was all said and done, he started what he’s doing now. Being a student manager means working with students and their families. Although it can be stressful, as most jobs are, the students and staff help to motivate Mr. Sidlin. “We have an amazing community here, it is literally the coolest place I have worked.” In his free time, he likes to boulder and race an open ocean outrigger canoe. You can also catch him playing with his dog and reading plenty of books. As the year stretches on, Mr. Sidlin is looking forward to seeing kids grow and getting to know as many people as possible!
