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  • Bethel Newsletter: June 2023

    Happy June, Bethel families, students and community members! This month's newsletter is packed with information about the amazing things happening in our schools, as well as upcoming events and opportunities. As always, feel free to reach out to communications@bethel.k12.or.us with any questions. Happy reading!   Wrapping up 2022-23 The end of the school year is just around the corner, and it's been a big year! Here in Bethel, we are thankful for the support from our families, staff and students who have helped us navigate challenges and celebrate success throughout the year. We hope that this summer break is rejuvenating and fun for everyone in Bethel! June important dates  8 :  Bethel Grad Walk   9 : WHS Graduation   15 : Kalapuya Graduation   16 :  Last day of school   The Bethel Blueprint We are so excited to announce that Bethel's new strategic plan – The Bethel Blueprint – is finally complete! The plan was unanimously approved by the Bethel School Board on May 8 and will serve as a roadmap that will guide our district's work for the next few years. View the full plan on the Bethel website or check out a PDF copy of the plan here .  OUR MISSION  To create relevant, responsive, and joyful learning communities where all students thrive. Senior Spotlights Congratulations to the class of 2023! Head to our website for a roundup of  senior spotlights who will be graduating this year and some fun information about what they enjoyed about high school, as well as what adventure they're heading off to next! Stay tuned for a Kalapuya senior spotlights. SUMMER MEALS, RESOURCES + MORE Free breakfast and lunch meals will again be available to all Bethel students throughout the summer months! Children ages 0-18 have access to both breakfast and lunch at three Bethel schools - Prairie Mountain School, Meadow View School and Willamette High School.  Willamette High School – 1801 Echo Hollow Road - June 26- August 4 Breakfast : 9:00-9:30 a.m. Monday-Friday Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  Monday-Friday   Prairie Mountain  – 5305 Royal Ave – June 26-August 11 Dates: Breakfast 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Monday - Friday Lunch: 12:00-12:30 p.m. Monday - Friday     Meadow View – 1855 Legacy Street – June 26 – Aug. 4  Breakfast 8:30 - 9:00 a.m. Monday - Friday Lunch: 12:00-12:30 p.m. Monday - Friday   Cascade Family Resource Center to continue through summer months The Cascade Family Resource Center will continue to operate during the summer months. The Cascade Family Resource Center is open to all Bethel families from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month! Families are invited to come in and "shop" for food and essentials, including fresh food, dairy products, breads, canned products, clothes, toiletries and more. Have questions? Contact Shannon Witty at Shannon.Witty@bethel.k12.or.us What : Cascade Family Resource Center When : 4-6 p.m. every first and third Thursday of the month Where : Cascade Middle School - 1525 Echo Hollow Rd, Eugene, OR 97402. Summer Reading at the Eugene Public Library Eugene Public Library's Summer Reading program helps students keep their skills up while school's out and offers a full calendar of free fun. Starting June 1, visit the Downtown Library, Bethel Branch, or Sheldon Branch to get your all-ages Book Bingo cards. Plus, kids and teens can each choose a free book to keep.    No library card is needed to participate. But to get the most out of your library, sign up to get one! Library cards are free for all Bethel School District students and for all children ages 0-5 who live in the Bethel district. It’s easy to sign up for a library card: learn how  here . Families can either call or sign up in person to receive their free library card.   During summer, join in free events indoors and out, all over town including creative activities, StoryWalks, and live performances. Learn more in person at the library, by phone at 541-682-5450, or online at  eugene-or.gov/library . BOND PROJECTS Check out some of the amazing bond work that’s being done across our district! From a new CTE building at Willamette High, to big progress on the new Cascade Middle School building.                               RECENT + UPCOMING EVENTS A short and sweet groundbreaking event was held Tuesday at the site of where the new Kalapuya Career Technical Education (CTE) building will be constructed this summer. The project is part of the Kalapuya YouthBuild program - a CTE pathway that will introduce and train students in multiple high-wage trade pathways including framing, construction, plumbing, electrical, sheet metal. Once completed, Kalapuya students will use the new CTE building to construct low-income housing units and tiny homes that will support local families transitioning out of homelessness, disabled veterans, or other underserved populations. Thank you to the donors at Oregon Community Foundation for helping to make this project happen. Learn more about the program here . Learn to Ride a Bike! Do you or your child want to learn how to ride a bike? Join Bethel, 4J and Springfield Safe Routes to School programs, the City of Eugene, the City of Springfield, and Shift Community Cycles for this fun event with pedal-powered smoothies, bike checks, information about bike share, and workshops for families and individuals of all ages on biking for transportation.  We’ll start with balancing and gliding without pedals or training wheels. Some will learn to pedal in one session, while others may need more practice to reach that final goal. You don’t need your own bike to participate, but please bring a helmet and bike if you have one. Contact Safe Routes to School at Rachel.Tochen@bethel.k12.or.us with questions or to volunteer. What : Learn to ride a bike! When :  1 p.m. to 3 p.m. June 4 Where : Meadow View School, 1855 Legacy Street Healthy and Safe Schools Plan Each year, school districts across the state are required to review and submit their Healthy and Safe Schools plan to the Oregon Department of Education. Here’s a link to our updated plan.

    Friday, Jun 02 2023

  • Bethel's new Strategic Plan is here! The Bethel Blue...

    The Bethel Blueprint We are so excited to announce that Bethel's new strategic plan – The Bethel Blueprint – is finally complete! The plan was unanimously approved by the Bethel School Board on May 8 and will serve as a roadmap that will guide our district's work for the next few years.  OUR MISSION   To create relevant, responsive, and joyful learning communities where all students thrive. View the full plan on the Bethel website or check out a PDF copy of the plan here . Crafting the  Bethel Blueprint How did we get here? Our new strategic plan was developed in collaboration with Bethel staff, students and families over the course of about 10 months. During this process, we collected feedback from more than 4,000 people through 32 focus groups, more than 50 one-on-one interviews, and a handful of community forums. Bethel students, staff, families and community members also provided their input in three separate surveys. A flexible, student-centered plan The plan is designed to be a flexible, student-centered document that incorporates feedback from our community. The plan emphasizes the importance of supporting the whole child and aims to focus on relevant curriculum, responsive systems, staff and student well-being, deep engagement, and joyful learning spaces. Regular Updates The Bethel community can expect regular updates about our progress. We will solicit ongoing feedback from staff, students, and families to ensure that we remain on the right path to improving outcomes for students and staff. Engagement will include annual staff, student, and community surveys as well as regular meetings with community groups that represent historically underserved students such as those who receive special education services, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and BIPOC students. Sharing the Results We are committed to sharing the results of these efforts with our Bethel community. Progress reports will be shared at least once per year. These reports will be shared in the boardroom and also posted on our website. Bethel's new Logo As part of the strategic planning process, we also embarked on a total redesign of the Bethel logo!  Our new Bethel logo was created by Willamette High School student Natalie Langenberg. Natalie and about 25 other students in Kate Doyle’s graphic design class were provided with some ideas and parameters for Bethel’s new logo and they created a variety of incredible representations of our district. Ultimately, we landed on Natalie's design and we are thrilled with how it turned out.  The five stars represent the five districts that were consolidated in 1948 to create what is now the Bethel School District. The river represents our two high schools - Willamette and Kalapuya. The buttes represented in the image are Skinner and Spencer buttes, which are Eugene landmarks. Thank you, Natalie! What's next? The plan is currently being translated and printed and will soon be shared with all Bethel families.  Thank you! Thank you to everyone who was involved in making this plan come to life. This plan is is a testament to our district's collective commitment to improving our systems so that we may better serve our students. 

    Friday, May 19 2023

  • Construction to begin on new Kalapuya High School CT...

    Exciting new projects are happening in Bethel! We are thrilled to announce that beginning next week (May 22), Kalapuya will launch its YouthBuild program and begin construction on a new Career Technical Education (CTE) building! This building wil be located southwest of the Kalapuya barn and replace the current softball field near Prairie Mountain. Construction is set to take place through October pending no construction delays.   About Kalapuya YouthBuild  Kalapuya students will be involved in the construction of this new CTE building from start to finish. This project is a part of the Kalapuya YouthBuild program, a CTE pathway that will introduce and train students in multiple high-wage trade pathways including framing, construction, plumbing, electrical, sheet metal. Students will also gain experience in advanced degree professions related to construction and low income housing development such as architecture, engineering, land use planning, nonprofit management. Students will gain the skills, technical knowledge, academic foundations, and hands-on experiences that will prepare them for high-skill, high-demand and high-wage careers.   Once completed, Kalapuya students will use the new CTE building to construct low-income housing units and tiny homes that will support local families transitioning out of homelessness, disabled veterans, or other underserved populations. This program will provide students with valuable education, training, and career planning services and it will also connect them to direct action that serves a critical community need. 

    Thursday, May 18 2023

  • Middle School Track Meets: We need volunteers!

    Hello Bethel families and staff!   I’m reaching out with a fun volunteer request to see if anyone might be available to help staff a Bethel middle school track meets this spring! Upcoming meets where we will need additional volunteers is included below: 4:45 p.m. - 7 p.m.  Wednesday, May 10 4:45 p.m. - 7 p.m.  Wednesday, May 17  All middle school track meets take place at the Willamette High School track - 1801 Echo Hollow Road.  Note : We recognize that not all volunteers will be available for the duration of the meet. The sign up options included below allow you to sign up for one or multiple events.  If you'd like to volunteer, p lease sign up  here .  ​Have questions? Feel free to reach out to ​Shannon Witty at shannon.witty@bethel.k12.or.us or Jill Colclasure at Jill.Colclasure@bethel.k12.or.us    Thank you for any help you can provide! ​   Alisha Dodds Community Relations and Communications Director  Bethel School District  she/her/hers [Wednesday, May 3 at 1:37 PM] Hello amazing Bethel families and staff! Just a reminder that we are still looking for volunteers to help at middle school track meets. Those who would like to sign up can do so by visiting this link:forms.gle/Qad67tBDP3EDuJbn7

    Wednesday, Apr 26 2023

  • Bethel Newsletter: April 2023

    Happy April, Bethel families, students and community members! This month's newsletter is pack with information about the amazing things happening in our schools! As always, feel free to reach out to communications@bethel.k12.or.us with any questions. Happy reading!   Bethel in the news  Kids learn to ride bicycles at local event Bethel, Eugene and Springfield students learned how to ride bicycles at a recent community event! Check out the cuteness  here . Bethel students learn mental health strategies through "Sources of Strength" Our district recently held a two week mental health campaign using the Sources of Strength curriculum. Students across the entire district participated, and part of it was captured in the news! Check out the coverage here. Willamette culinary team takes third place in statewide culinary competition Willamette High School culinary arts team recently competed in the Oregon ProStart Championships where they placed third in the culinary side of the competition. Check out the coverage here ! Calendar April  14  No school K-12 - Professional Development Day May 5 No School - Curriculum/ PD Day 29 No School - K-12 - Memorial Day Transfers, Enrollment & Kindergarten Orientation Enroll now for the 2023-24 school year! Enroll now for the 2023-24 school year!  All Bethel students (new and returning) can now register for the 2023-24 school year .  Incoming kindergarteners can register for kindergarten   All students (from inside and outside of the district) can now  submit transfer paperwork .     Get all of the details about enrollment, transfers, kindergarten and KITS here:  Kindergarten Orientation, Transfers, Enrollment and KITS 2023-24 UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES  Freaky Friday - the musical! Willamette High School Theatre is proud to present…Freaky Friday the Musical! When an uber-organized mother and her spontaneous teenage daughter magically swap bodies, they have just one day to put things right. Masquerading as each other, they must work together to solve the mystery of how to break the spell. By spending a day in each other's shoes, Katherine and Ellie come to appreciate one another in a way they never could have imagined. In the end, both learn the true power of love and the strength of the bond between a mother and daughter in this heartfelt and hilarious adaptation. Show details When : May 4-6, 2023 at 7pm Where : Powers Auditorium @ WHS Tickets : are available in advance at willamettehs.booktix.com or at the door.  $6 students/staff $8 general admission   ' Middle School Mentor Program Calling all Bethel parents and volunteers! Can you give 45 minutes a week to make a difference in the lives of middle school students in Bethel?   The Bethel Mentor Program pairs caring and committed community members with middle school students who are interested in receiving some extra support. The mentor and mentee meet weekly during lunch for conversation and sharing.   Mentoring is currently taking place Shasta and Cascade Middle Schools. Mentors must commit to volunteering weekly for the 2022-23 school year, pass a criminal background check and participate in a short training. Parents can’t mentor at their student’s, school but can mentor at the other middle school. To learn more and complete an application to mentor, please visit  www.bethel.k12.or.us/bsdfamilies/ms_mentors/ Volunteer in Bethel! Community is a huge part of what makes the Bethel School District the wonderful place that it is. We welcome families, parents, community members and volunteers into our buildings and are actively seeking interested volunteers to help out in our schools. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available, and we’re excited to welcome our community back in! If you’re interested in learning more about volunteering, first contact your school to see how they might need volunteer help. Then, head to our volunteer page to fill out the necessary paperwork.  Here’s the link . Thanks for considering volunteering in Bethel! We can’t wait to see you.                                                                         Healthy Kids Day   The YMCA is hosting a Healthy Kids Day activity on Saturday, May 6. The event is free and provides an essential service to our communities by connecting families with activities and resources to help their youth stay healthy and resilient. Interested in going? Find more information  here. What: Eugene Family YMCA Healthy Kids Day®  Who: Eugene Family YMCA, Community Organizations, Community Members  When:  Saturday, May 6, 10 am- 1 pm  Where: Eugene Family YMCA, 2055 Patterson St (Tennis Center, Y Parking Lot)  We will have:   inflatables, food carts, raffle, yard games etc Bethel Celebrations and Happenings What's cool in middle school right now? Chess Bethel has recently seen an explosion of middle school chess clubs. There are clubs at three of the four middle schools – Cascade, Prairie Mountain and Meadow View. There’s so much interest, in fact, that many students are on a waitlist to join their school’s chess club. Read more here ! Willamette High School introduces first Black Studies course Willamette High School has a new history class this semester – Black Studies. It’s the first of its kind in Bethel, focusing exclusively on the history and origin of African cultures, communities, and leaders across the globe. Not only is the class focused on the historical foundation of such communities, but it’s also engaged in conversation about current black leaders, business owners, celebrities and more. The class starts out each day with music – whether that’s Rihanna or an artist from a different generation – teacher Nate Jackson will probably sing along. Read the full story here .  WHS Girls Basketball takes 4th in state The WHS Girls Basketball team finished 4th in the 6A OSAA State Championship tournament last month. The team also took home the 6A tournament Sportsmanship Award!  WHS Speech and Debate Team members are heading to national competition Congratulations to the Willamette High Speech and Debate team, which had five students qualify for the National Speech and Debate Tournament in March!  The Wolverines competed in 12 different events at the national qualifying tournament, in Medford, and have secured their spots at the national competition which will take place in Phoenix, AZ in June. 👏  Hannah Ford will compete in Program Interpretation with a piece titled the ABCs of Gender Disparity. 👏 John Allen Lawrence-Winton  and  Clue Buchanan  will compete for team Oregon in World Schools Debate. 👏 Abigayle Shreve and Aly Indell will compete in Poetry Reading.  Community Partnerships and Events Move EUG Community Planning Project The City of Eugene Transportation Planning Team wants to hear from you! Do you walk, bike, or take the bus to get around? Do you have safety concerns when walking, biking or driving a car? If so, visit the Move EUG Engage Eugene page to share your transportation project ideas via an interactive map, and take a survey about your experiences while walking and biking in town. If you’d like to share your challenges and ideas in-person, attend one of the many events this spring, all listed on Engage Eugene. engage.eugene-or.gov/move-eug For more information contact Willow Hamilton, Community Engagement Coordinator, at  whamilton@euegne-or.gov , 541-682-5471   LTD Student transit pass As the school year comes to an end, Lane Transit District wants to remind students to get their free Student Transit Pass before summer break. All K-12 students in public and private schools across Lane County are eligible for the Student Transit Pass program. Students and parents can visit their school’s office to get an electronic tap card or information about how to use the Umo Mobility app to redeem a Student Transit Pass. Students must get their bus pass before the last day of school to continue riding the bus for free all summer long. For more information visit your school’s office or www.ltd.org/student-pass/

    Wednesday, Apr 12 2023

  • TONIGHT! Bethel Mental Health Education Night

    Join us TONIGHT at 6:30 p.m. either in person at the Willamette High School Lecture Hall or on Zoom   for our Mental Health Education Night ! This event is part of our  district-wide Sources of Strength campaign, and our Student Health and Wellness Series At this event, parents, guardians and family members will learn about mental health support they can provide to both their own students, as well as their students’ friends. We will provide Sources of Strength and QPR (Suicide Prevention) training. In person attendance: The event will be held at Willamette High School located at 1801 Echo Hollow Rd. Please park in the north lot, and enter the front office (main two story building). We will be meeting upstairs in the Willamette Lecture Hall. There will be people and signs to direct you. If you are in need of childcare, please plan to arrive 15 minutes early to get your kids settled, as the presentation will start promptly at 6:30.   Zoom: Click  here for the zoom link. Meeting ID: 316 743 8762 Passcode: bhc   Mental Health Education Night Thursday, March 16th, at 6:30 p.m. at the WHS Lecture Hall Child care and zoom option available  Please contact your school with any questions. We look forward to supporting our students and helping them identify their many strengths! Sincerely, The Bethel School District   Second-annual Sources of Strength campaign Las week, our district kicked off the second-annual Source of Strength campaign! This district-wide effort   aims to unite our school community around  hope, help, and strength. The campaign , “What Helps Me - Building My Wheel of Strengths,” runs March 6 - March 17 and aims to unite our school community around  hope, help, and strength. What is Sources of Strength? Sources of Strength is our district-wide social and emotional learning curriculum. It’s fun, powerful and strength-based. It prioritizes mental health and helps students to recognize the strength they already possess and can rely on when things feel hard.  While students have been learning about Sources of Strength throughout the school year, we feel it’s important to emphasize this program for students, staff and families for an entire two weeks. As part of the campaign, students will have the opportunity in their classroom to learn more about strengths, and participate in an activity that helps identify their specific strengths. We know that recognizing many strengths is more powerful than one, and so students will also have the opportunity to learn and share with their peers. Middle and high school students will also have additional activities led by their Sources of Strength Peer Leaders. [Thursday, Mar 16 at 5:06 PM] Join us TONIGHT at 6:30 p.m. either in person at the Willamette High School Lecture Hall or on Zoom for our Mental Health Education Night! This event is part of our district-wide Sources of Strength campaign, and our Student Health and Wellness Series. Zoom and in-person options available.

    Tuesday, Mar 14 2023

  • Bethel Newsletter: March 2023

    Happy March, Bethel families, students and community members! This month's newsletter is packed with exciting information, including news about our graduation rates, bond updates, opportunities to engage with Bethel students and an update on our strategic planning process. Happy reading! As always, feel free to reach out to communications@bethel.k12.or.us   Bethel in the news  Success goes deeper than grad rate data at Bethel's Willamette High School  Check out this awesome story about the programs and people behind Willamette High School's great graduation rates! Willamette High School unveils new softball field Check out coverage of the brand new softball field at WHS!  Calendar March 2  End of Trimester 2 - K-8 3  No School K-12 - Grading/Curriculum/PD 27-31  Spring Break April   14  No School - Grading/Curriculum PD May 5 No School - Curriculum/ PD Day   Kindergarten Orientation, Transfers, Enrollment and KITS 2023-24 March is a big month for planning in Bethel! As we start to round the corner into spring, this is often when we begin to plan for the upcoming school year.  All Bethel students (new and returning) can now register for the 2023-24 school year .  Incoming kindergarteners can attend a kindergarten orientation at their neighborhood school and register for kindergarten   All students (from inside and outside of the district) can now submit transfer paper work!   Get all of the details about enrollment, transfers, kindergarten and KITS here:  Kindergarten Orientation, Transfers, Enrollment and KITS 2023-24 Celebrations in Bethel! Blacknificent Celebration  Bethel held its first-annual Black History Month banquet "Blacknificent" at the end of February. It was a great celebration of community and culture with delicious food and great company.  Softball Field Celebration + Ribbon Cutting Many Bethel families, students, staff and community members showed up to celebrate the new softball and multi-use field that was recently completed at Willamette High School.We are so excited for our students to be able to practice and play in this amazing new setting! A huge thank you to our community for making this bond-funded new facility a reality - we could not have done it without out Bethel voters. Willamette Girls Basketball is heading to state! Congratulations to Willamette Girls Basketball on making it to State! The team played an incredible game on Friday night and has qualified for the 6A State Basketball Tournament. The girls are set to play at 1:30 pm on Wednesday, March 8th  against Jesuit High School at the Chiles Center on the campus of University of Portland. Interested in attending? We would love to see as many Wolverine fans as possible make the trip to support our team. Tickets can be purchased at OSAA-Tickets / Shop   Hope see you there! Go Wolverines! Lane County Public Health: Fentanyl Awareness Campaign You may have recently heard that students within our community have increased access to deadly pills that contain fentanyl, an extremely powerful opioid. Nationally, overdose deaths among those ages 14-18 increased 94% in 2020 and another 20% in 2021. Here’s what's happening : teens are sharing fake pills that can be sold easily through social media. Fentanyl can stop breathing within seconds and is causing overdoses and deaths right here in Lane County. Fentanyl has no taste or smell and is found in fake pills and powders being sold as common prescription meds or party drugs. The drug landscape has changed and we need to act! We have partnered with Lane County Public Health to promote a new campaign called Fentanyl Aware. This campaign educates young people, parents, and their communities about the risk of drug overdose and ways to stay safe. Together, you and your family can explore the Fentanyl Aware website , follow and share posts on the campaign’s Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, to learn more about this drug, its effects, how to prevent overdose, and help teens know what to do if they witness an overdose. Let’s not wait. Let’s empower our school community with the necessary tools in this time of alarming overdose risk. Thank you for your partnership on this important matter. Local Resources + Programs + Opportunities Middle School Mentor Program Calling all Bethel parents and volunteers! Can you give 45 minutes a week to make a difference in the lives of middle school students in Bethel?   The Bethel Mentor Program pairs caring and committed community members with middle school students who are interested in receiving some extra support. The mentor and mentee meet weekly during lunch for conversation and sharing.   Mentoring is currently taking place Shasta and Cascade Middle Schools. Mentors must commit to volunteering weekly for the 2022-23 school year, pass a criminal background check and participate in a short training. Parents can’t mentor at their student’s, school but can mentor at the other middle school. To learn more and complete an application to mentor, please visit  www.bethel.k12.or.us/bsdfamilies/ms_mentors/ Volunteer in Bethel! Community is a huge part of what makes the Bethel School District the wonderful place that it is. We welcome families, parents, community members and volunteers into our buildings and are actively seeking interested volunteers to help out in our schools. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available, and we’re excited to welcome our community back in! If you’re interested in learning more about volunteering, first contact your school to see how they might need volunteer help. Then, head to our volunteer page to fill out the necessary paperwork. Here’s the link . Thanks for considering volunteering in Bethel! We can’t wait to see you. State testing opt-out forms State testing will begin soon in Bethel and across the state. Students in grades 3-8 & 11 will test in math and English language arts, and students in grades 5, 8 & 11 will test in science. Most students participate in state testing, but parents have the right to opt their children out if they choose.   Why does my child’s participation matter?  While no single assessment can give a complete picture of your child’s progress, having your child take the statewide assessments provides educators and administrators with one source of information about what educational approaches are working and where additional resources may be needed. Your child’s participation is important to ensure schools and districts receive the targeted resources they need to help all students succeed.   To learn more about state tests, or to submit a form to opt your student out of testing for math and English language arts, please visit www.bethel.k12.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Opt-Out_Form_English_fillable.pdf . If you wish to exempt your student from the science assessment, please reach out to your school directly. Does your student walk, bike or roll to school? With planning assistance from the Oregon Department of Transportation, City of Eugene and the Bethel School District are working on a Safe Routes to School Plan to improve conditions for students and families who walk and bike to school. We could use your help identifying challenges and opportunities for active transportation. Learn more about how to participate here . Learn how to ride a bike! Do you or your child want to learn how to ride a bike? We’ll start with balancing and gliding without pedals or training wheels. Some will learn to pedal in one session, while others may need more practice to reach that final goal.   Join Willamalane, Safe Routes to School, the City of Eugene, the City of Springfield and Shift Community Cycles for this fun event with bike checks, information about bike share, and workshops for families and individuals of all ages on biking for transportation.   You don’t need your own bike to participate, but please bring a helmet and bike if you have one. Contact Safe Routes to School at jack.blashchishen@springfield.k12.or.us with questions or to volunteer.   RSVP at fb.me/e/2l5jZhVqm   District-wide Sources of Strength campaign! Second-annual Sources of Strength campaign kicks off today! We are excited to announce our second annual district-wide Sources of Strength Campaign is launching TODAY! The campaign, “What Helps Me - Building My Wheel of Strengths,” runs March 6 - March 17 and aims to unite our school community around   hope, help, and strength.  Learn more about how Bethel will be learning and celebrating over the next two weeks: www.parentsquare.com/feeds/18733477

    Monday, Mar 06 2023

  • Does your student walk, bike or roll to school?

    How does your student typically get to school or travel in their neighborhood? Across Oregon, Safe Routes to School Programs are working to make it safer, easier, and more fun for families to be active on the way to school.  With planning assistance from the Oregon Department of Transportation, City of Eugene and the Bethel School District are working on a Safe Routes to School Plan to improve conditions for students and families who walk and bike to school. We could use your help identifying challenges and opportunities for active transportation. How can I participate?   1) Join us for a walk audit! Tuesday April 11th at Willamette High School (arrival) or Cascade Middle School (dismissal) We will be observing student arrival/dismissal and documenting walking and biking conditions in the area of the school.   2) Attend a public meeting! Meet with us in person on April 11th at 5:30pm to share your ideas and experiences.   2) Share feedback using our interactive online map! [Link to the online map: http://odotsrtsprojectid.com/ ] People who provide feedback on the map will be entered to win fun prizes.   Questions? Contact Reed Dunbar at (541) 682-5727 ¿Cómo llega su hijo(a) a la escuela o viaja en el barrio? Por todo Oregon, los Programas de Rutas Seguras a la Escuela (SRTS) están trabajando para que el camino a la escuela sea más seguro, más fácil y más divertido y para que las familias estén mas activas. Con la asistencia de planificación del Departamento de Transporte de Oregón, la Ciudad de Eugene y el Distrito Escolar de Bethel están trabajando en un plan de Rutas Seguras a la Escuela para mejorar las condiciones de los estudiantes y las familias que caminan o van en bicicleta a la escuela. Podríamos usar su ayuda para identificar desafíos y oportunidades para el transporte activo. ¿Cómo puedo participar?   1) Únase con nosotros para una auditoría de caminatas el 11 de Abril en Willamette High School (llegada) o Cascade Middle School (salida) Estaremos observando la llegada/salida de los estudiantes y documentando las condiciones para caminar y andar en bicicleta en el área de la escuela.   2) Participe en una reunión pública! Reúnase con nosotros el 11 de Abril a las 5:30 para compartir sus ideas y experiencias.   2) Comparta sus comentarios utilizando nuestro mapa interactivo en línea.  [Enlace al mapa en línea: http://odotsrtsprojectid.com/ ] Las personas que brinden comentarios sobre el mapa participarán para ganar premios divertidos.   ¿Preguntas? Contactar Reed Dunbar en (541) 682-5727

    Sunday, Mar 05 2023

  • Kindergarten Orientation, Transfers, Enrollment and ...

    Kindergarten Orientation + Registration Kindergarten orientations will be held for most Bethel schools on March 8. Clear Lake Elementary School will hold its kindergarten orientation tonight, March 1. Two sessions will be held for each school. Please follow this link   for more information about kindergarten orientation and registration. Kids in Transition to School (KITS) Program Registration Calling all incoming kindergartners! Bethel School District is offering a FREE summer program for you and your child to get ready for kindergarten.  KITS (Kids In Transition to School ) improves early reading and social skills, building a solid foundation for future success. Throughout the 8 week program… Children attend groups to learn valuable classroom skills and prepare for kindergarten Parents/guardians attend workshops to learn ways to support their child during the all-important start in kindergarten Transportation is provided Healthy snacks are provided KITS starts June 27th and is open to all Bethel families, but space is limited and groups are filled on a first come, first served basis. CLICK HERE to learn more about the KITS program and to REGISTER YOUR CHILD  (registration opens March 1st, 2023) Click here for a look   at how KITS makes a difference for kindergartners. Questions? Call Krista Bushnell at the Bethel School District office at 541-607-1434 Enrollment for New and Returning Students All Bethel families complete their student(s) enrollment paperwork online beginning today, March 1. Follow this link to learn more and get started. Note : All Bethel families must complete enrollment paperwork each year. In-district and Interdistrict Transfers Bethel students who want to attend a school other than their neighborhood school, as well as out-of-district students who want to attend a Bethel school next fall (2023-2024 school year) can apply for in-district or interdistrict transfers beginning March 1 through March 31. This initial transfer window allows the district to plan for the upcoming school year. Families who apply during this initial period should receive information about their transfer request by the beginning of May. A second transfer window is open from April 15 – May 31 for families who do not apply in March. Families can expect to hear back from the district regarding their transfer request by the last day of school, June 16. A third transfer window will be open for most of the summer from June 1 – August 15. Families will be notified of their transfer request results by Friday, August 29. Students who have already been granted a transfer only need to reapply if they are moving from one level to another, for example, from elementary to middle school or middle school to high school.   There is no guarantee a transfer request will be approved. Out-of-district students who transfer into Bethel are not eligible for bus transportation. Learn more about transfers at www.bethel.k12.or.us/bsdfamilies/transfers/ .

    Wednesday, Mar 01 2023

  • Hoax calls to Lane County schools

    Good morning, Bethel families and staff.  You may have already seen some social media chatter about law enforcement agencies in Lane and Douglas County receiving FALSE reports of an active shooter in various schools.  Police have determined these calls to be fake. No Bethel schools have been targeted by these phone calls, and there are no current emergencies taking place at any of our schools. Emergency dispatch informed us this morning that police have investigated each report and have determined that they are FALSE, however, law enforcement is taking each threat seriously and is working in partnership with all schools to ensure safety of students and staff.  Details of false police reports  Police have investigated the calls and have determined that the same person is repeatedly calling the non-emergency line from the same number to make similar reports.  This is a type of scam called “swatting” that’s often done to prompt a police response to a school or other organization. This is a current nationwide trend. Swatting is a term used to describe hoax reports made intentionally to schools and school districts sending them into lockdowns on unfounded or non-legitimate threats. Many of these calls are coming from out of country.  Schools nationwide and in our region are seeing an uptick of these types of calls. Just this morning, a swatting call was made from the same phone number to two other local school districts.  Families may feel the need to call the school, or to come pick up their children. Police assure the District that there are no current emergencies and no need to visit your child's school.  We want to remind you that school is a safe place and that the Bethel School District is committed to providing a safe environment for staff and students every day.  Bethel works closely with Eugene Police and surrounding law enforcement agencies to provide safe learning spaces, and takes all conversations about weapons and/or violence seriously. Every concerning conversation or potential threat is investigated immediately as if it is real. If you believe there is a legitimate threat, we urge families to report it using  Safe Oregon’s Tip Line  or to a trusted adult at school.  In the event of an actual emergency, families can expect to receive immediate communication via text message and email through ParentSquare. To review our safety-related communication procedures,  please follow this link .  Thank you for your continued support. Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.  Alisha Dodds Communications Director Bethel School District 

    Tuesday, Feb 21 2023