September 2015

Inside on pages 4-5
IN THE DISTRICT
ABC Day returns to
Bethel High in October
Bethel School District No. 403
516 E. 176th St., Spanaway, WA 98387-8399
(253) 683-6000; www.bethelsd.org
bethelpride
Bethel School District Resident
Non-profit org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 56
Spanaway, WA 98387
It’s almost here! The All
Bethel Community Day
will be held Oct. 3 from
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bethel
High School.
ABC Day offers families a
chance to explore much of
what the Bethel community
has to offer. Organizers
have put together a wide
range of activities to allow
families to learn, build
and play. Community
agencies, musical and
dance performances,
carnival games and takehome project booths will
be available in addition to
dozens of others.
Most events and activities
are free. Parking will be
available in the BHS, Bethel
Middle School and Shining
Mountain E lementar y
School parking lots.
Fo r m o re i n f o, c a l l
253.683.6050.
bethelpride
W W W . B E T H E L S D . O R G
SEPTEMBER 2015
New school year begins in Bethel
The 2015-16 school year in Bethel is looking to be a busy one with over 470 new students enrolled this year.
Classroom attendance up across district
There’s just something special
about the start of a new school
year. At Shining Mountain
Elementary, school social worker
Ann Waybright summed it up like
this, “Whether it’s a kindergartner
for their first visit, or teachers
who’ve been here for twenty,
thirty years; the first day is always
new shoes, new excitement, new
hope, and it’s just a great time to
be together.”
That was especially evident at
Shining Mountain where the PTO
organized a “Tunnel of Love” for
students to pass under as they
entered school on the first day.
Made up of parents, teachers
and even students, two lines of
volunteers joined hands and
created a tunnel for the kids to
pass under, all the while cheering
for them and wishing them well in
the new school year.
S o m e S h i n i n g Mo u n t a i n
students headed straight to class
while others made a beeline for
the breakfast line, where serving
cook Pam Christman was ready
for them with a smile on her face.
“I love seeing every single child.
I love the way they’ve got their
individuality in their dress and
their talk and their manner.”
Inside the classroom, Chelsea
Baker, a 7th grade math teacher
at Bethel Middle School, said
she was anticipating big things
for her students. “I’m excited
this year to have kids who have
had our math curriculum for
a little while, who have been a
part of the Common Core, and
so, I’m excited for some really
high-quality discussions with
my kids.”
Over at Bethel High, Cliff
Anderson did some math of his
own, “It’s an exciting time for all
the staff and students. We have
439 new freshmen, 17 new staff
members; it’s kind of the first step
in the journey.”
The first day is also a great time
for students to reconnect with
friends, and also for teachers
to connect with their students,
many of whom they’re meeting
for the first time. BMS history
teacher Carrie Willenbring said
learning about her students’
summers was a great way to form
bonds with them early on. “I
learned that one of my students
went to Russia. I learned one was
a gamer. It’s a good time to build
those relationships right off the
bat with your students.”
And there are plenty of students
to get reacquainted with for
our teachers. So far this year,
enrollment in our district is up
by 470 students! It’s going to be a
great year in Bethel.
Teachers get prepped at Summer Institute
Bethel’s Summer Institute
is a training opportunity for
educators that is unique to our
district. The annual event brings
together teachers, administrators
and paraeducators at a number
of training events that focus on
topics important to classrooms
across the district.
C l o s e t o 1 5 0 w o rk s h o p s
were offe red this s umme r
and 104 of those classes were
facilitated by Bethel teachers
a n d a d m i n i s t ra t o r s. “ T h i s
willingness of staff members
to step for ward and share
their classroom practices
with colleagues illustrates the
professional learning culture
of Bethel,” said Kathy QuickGunther, Bethel’s director of
professional development.
“Institute courses were layered
with the tools and resources
available in Bethel for teachers
to teach and students to learn. An
emphasis was placed on using
technology to enhance quality
instruction and achievement.”
This year Summer Institute
classes were held in June and
August. Quick-Gunther said
not only are the classes a great
time to learn new things, but
the social aspect is important
as well. “I love seeing everyone,
catching up, welcoming new
staff members and feeling the
excitement for the upcoming
school year!” she said. “It
renews our collective purpose
i n p r ov i d i n g o u t s t a n d i n g
educational opportunities for
our students. It strengthens
our professional bonds and our
sense of being a community
focused on positive change for
Bethel families.”
Teachers spent a part of their summer learning and collaborating at
Bethel’s annual Summer Institute.
This year’s Summer Institute
was particularly successful.
The program had roughly 4,300
course registrations.
2
bethelpride
SEPTEMBER 2015
BETHEL PRIDE • WWW.BETHELSD.ORG
‘Star’ teacher, staff receive awards
I N B R I E F
Are you READY!
for Kindergarten?
Are you the parent or guardian
of a toddler or preschool age student? If so, it’s never too late to get
your child started on the path to
academic success.
READY! for Kindergarten is a
series of 90-minute interactive
classes that are designed for parents and caregivers of children ages
2 through 5.
Sessions for the 2015/16 school
year will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Dates and locations are as follows:
Nov. 3 - Thompson Elementary
Nov. 5 - Nelson Elementary
Jan. 19 - Thompson Elementary
Jan. 21 - Nelson Elementary
Apr. 19 - Thompson Elementary
Apr. 21 - Nelson Elementary
Free childcare is provided at
Ready! for Kindergarten events.
To register, visit www.bethelsd.
org/page/2258. Have questions or
want more information? Call Ben
McCracken at 253.683.6919.
Thank you, Hair Hut!
Above Left: This year, Superintendent Seigel will be recognizing some of our amazing teachers. Periodically, he will be making surprise
visits to schools to present special star pins and certificates to educators that have demonstrated excellence in the classroom. His first
award went to Jane Wertenberger, a Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus teacher at Spanaway Lake High School. Above right: Seigel presented
Superior Service Awards to two members of his senior staff that are retiring this year. Harvey Erickson (top) has been the district’s Chief
Financial Officer since 2008. Dr. Rob Van Slyke (bottom) has served as the district’s Executive Director of Operations for the past 13 years.
Breakfast held to welcome new educators
New teachers and
administrators from the Bethel
and Franklin Pierce school
districts recently attended the
South County New Educators
Breakfast at Pacific Lutheran
University. The annual event
celebrates new educators and
serves as a kick-off for the new
school year.
Franklin Pierce superintendent
Frank Hewins spoke, as did
Bethel superintendent Tom
Seigel. Seigel touted Bethel’s
accomplishments and talked
about some of the new things
that are in place for this coming
school year, like the Spanish Dual
Language Immersion program at
Thompson Elementary.
“But what’s really exciting
i s yo u ,” Se i g e l s a i d a s h e
addressed the room full of
educators. “I’m excited you’re
here. I’m thankful you’re here.
We’re going to support you in
every way possible. We know
you’re better prepared than
ever before and we’re going to
make sure, through activities
like our Summer Institute, that
we continue to make sure that
you’re supported in being the
best possible teacher you can,
and we know you will be.”
This year’s guest speaker was
Dominic “DJ” Crisostomo from
the University of Washington
Tacoma who said his roots in
Bethel were deep. “I went to Elk
Plain, Camas Prairie, Cedarcrest
Junior High at the time, and
Spanaway Lake,” he said.
Crisostomo spoke about his
ancestors from the Mariana
Islands and the iconic latte
stones that served as foundations
for structures there. “If you are
teaching in the Bethel School
District or Franklin Pierce School
District I guarantee if you’ve not
already seen these things, you
will see them on the back of cars,
you’ll see them on shirts, kids will
doodle them in their notebooks.
This is a sense of pride. And more
importantly, a sense of identity.”
Crisostomo said his teachers
were like latte stones to him,
serving as part of the foundation
of his life right alongside his
parents. He remembered one
teacher in par ticular, “My
ninth grade teacher, Ms. Parker
at Cedarcrest. She gave us a
journaling activity to do and I
remember pouring my heart
out. Words were spelled wrong,
I know my commas weren’t in
place – they’re still not in place
– but she told me, ‘DJ, you’re
passionate when you write.’ For
the first time in my life a teacher
gave me the confidence to do
something I didn’t think I could
do myself.”
Today Crisostomo’s trying
to pass along that sense of
confidence to other students.
“ There’s actually a for mer
student of mine, when I used
to work at Mt. Tahoma High
School, that is in this room right
now. Because of educators like
you, I have been able to help
out people that needed it, just
like I did.”
The crucial role teachers play
in students’ lives is something
Superintendent Seigel touched
on as well. “The research shows
that the most impactful thing
in a child’s education, perhaps
other than their own parents,
is the impact of a great teacher.
What you’re going to do is more
important than probably any
other job that you could possibly
choose.”
Also part of the event was
Spanaway Lake High School’s
The Music Company which
performed a number of songs,
including the Jackson 5’s famous
“ABC.”
New educators that will be working at Spanaway Lake High School this
fall pose with SLHS principal Julie Baublits (second from right) at the
annual New Educators Breakfast.
We’re H i r i n g. . . Ap p l y Now !
Bethel is one of the largest
employers in the south Puget
Sound region. Over 2,500 people
are part of Team Bethel – and
we could use a few more. We
are currently hiring classified,
certificated and administrative
positions – though our greatest
need is substitutes.
Emergency Certificated Teachers
School districts across the
state are experiencing a shortage of candidates to fill teaching
positions. So, this year we are actively recruiting individuals that
would like to become emergency
certified teachers. To qualify,
candidates must have a college
degree and experience working
with children.
Substitute Bus Drivers
Meeting the needs of our growing district requires a large transportation system. Every day over
200 buses transport children
across the Bethel area. Often
times, we find ourselves short
staffed and relying on the good
work of our substitutes to keep
the system moving.
To become a substitute driver,
no previous experience is required. Those accepted in the program will be eligible for free Commercial Drivers License (CDL)
training, valued at over $3,000.
Individuals must attend all four
weeks of training (two weeks in
the classroom and two weeks
behind the wheel), pass a pre-em-
ployment and Department of
Transportation physical as well
as drug and alcohol screening
and required Department of
Licensing tests.
***
To apply for either of these
positions, visit jobs.bethelsd.
org.
To kick off the new school year,
the Hair Hut (17701 Pacific Ave S.)
recently offered free haircuts and
stylings to homeless youth in our
area in time for the start of school.
Three stylists volunteered their
time and talents as part of the
Hair Hut’s ongoing efforts to help
people in our community.
Elizabeth Wesley Awards
Three Bethel area students are
the latest winners of the Elizabeth
Wesley Youth Merit Incentive
Awards.
The Wesley Awards are given
annually to students in Pierce
County who demonstrate
academic excellence, community
involvement, and good citizenship
during the school year.
Local winners include: Earnest
Washington, a sophomore from
Spanaway Lake High School;
Nma Ejiawoko a freshman from
Spanaway Lake High School; and
Bethel High freshman Nana-King
Karikari.
T h e p ro g ra m w a s c re a t e d
to recognize and honor the
achievements of African American
youth. Recipients are eligible to
receive merit incentive grants of
$350. Youth in grades 9 through 11
who continue to meet the criteria
are eligible for annual recognition
and award renewals. For more info,
visit www.ewesleyaward.org.
bethelpride
Bethel Pride is produced by the
Bethel School District.
Krista Carlson:
Communications Director,
Bethel Pride Editor; 253.683.6051;
kcarlson@bethelsd.org
Bethel Pride Contributors:
Doug Boyles and Timra Knox
Bethel School District is an Equal Opportunity
Employer and complies with all federal rules and
regulations, including Title IX, RCW 28A.640, RCW
28A.642 and Section 504. Bethel does not discriminate
on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national
origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military
status, sexual orientation including gender expression
or identity, the presence of any disability, or use of a
trained service animal by a person with a disability in
its programs and activities and provides equal access
to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
Please contact Title IX officer, Bryan Streleski, Director
of Athletics and Security at 253.683.6055, Section
504 coordinator Lori Haugen, Executive Director of
Special Education, at 253.683.6920 or the Civil Rights
coordinator, Debbie Carlman, Director of Equity and
Achievement at 253.683.6035 with any questions or
complaints.
Under the Open Records Act, the public is afforded full
access to information concerning the administration
and operations of the school district (policy 4040).
This information is limited to records not protected by
state and federal privacy laws. For more information
on access to school district records, call the records
custodian, Kathryn Kemp, at 253.683.6000.
bethelpride
SEPTEMBER 2015
WWW.BETHELSD.ORG • BETHEL PRIDE
Spanaway Lake grad earns Navy honors
Seaman Recruit Richard Cassube, a
recent graduate of Spanaway Lake High
School, has been awarded the Navy’s
newest honor, the Honor Graduate
Ribbon.
Every sailor graduating from Navy
Recruit Training – or “Boot Camp” –
receives the National Defense Service
Ribbon. The Honor Graduate Ribbon
now recognizes enlisted personnel who
“demonstrate superior performance
throughout basic military training in the
areas of academics, physical readiness,
recruit leadership and commitment to
the Navy Core Values.”
As one of the first 15 honor graduates
who received the new award, Cassube
is now part of Naval history. With Boot
Camp behind him, he is now headed into
the Navy’s Nuclear Engineering Program.
Cassube was battalion commander
of the Spanaway Lake High School
JROTC last year and joined the Navy after
graduation.
The Navy is the third service to create an
award for their top boot camp graduates.
Seaman Recruit Richard Cassube, SLHS class of 2015 (left), assists a fellow sailor with the proper Both the Air Force and the Coast Guard
measurements of the ribbons on his dress uniform. Cassube was among the first 15 recruits ever to offer similar awards.
You can read more about it at www.
receive the Recruit Honor Graduate Ribbon. (U.S. Navy Photo by Susan Krawczyk)
navytimes.com.
New facilities win regional recognition
3
I N B R I E F
Transportation receives
near perfect score
Every year, the Washington State
Patrol conducts inspections of the
district’s bus fleet. During their
most recent review this summer,
the WSP gave the transportation
department their highest score
ever - a 97 percent.
For the past four years, the district has received exceptional
ratings from the WSP. The annual
review is required by law. It looks
at both the mechanical operation
and physical condition of buses.
Mark your calendars for
FUTURESCHOOLS
Starting this fall, community
members will once again be invited
to get a close up look at how our
schools operate.
Du r i n g F U T U R E S C H O O L S
tours, community members are
shuttled around the district to
see specific schools in action.
Patrons meet with the principals,
conduct classroom observations
and participate in discussions.
About three to four schools are
highlighted per trip. Tours depart
the Educational Service Center at
7:45 a.m. Transportation, snacks
and beverages are provided. Tour
dates are as follows:
• October 20
• November 18
• December 10
• January 6
• January 27
To participate, please contact
Jerri McKeown at 253.683.6016.
Dedication set for new
Operations Support Center
Bethel School District’s Central Kitchen and Transportation Center has been awarded the Engineering News-Record Northwest’s Best Project
of the Year in the category of Government/Public Building. The program’s jurors, all design and construction professionals, evaluated several
entries for the competition. The Central Kitchen and Transportation Center is the first school-based “design build project” in the State of
Washington. The project will be honored at an awards ceremony later this year and will be highlighted in the Nov. 23 edition of ENR Northwest.
Our maintenance and grounds
crew invite you to join them, the
school board and administration
for an open house and dedication
ceremony on Oct. 3 to celebrate
the grand opening of the new
Operations Support Center.
Located right next door to
Bethel High School, the building
previously housed the district’s
transportation offices. But, when
that department moved out, the
building was refurbished to provide
a permanent, more centralized
home for the district’s grounds
and maintenance staff. The new
location provides easy access to
all school facilities and greater
operational efficiency for the
department.
The ceremony starts at 10 a.m.
with the open house to follow.
Board seeks input on school improvement bond
To relieve overcrowding and
to maintain safe, secure and
healthy schools, the school board
has released its priorities for a
possible Districtwide School
Improvements, Technology and
Safety Upgrades ballot measure.
If approved, the measure
would renovate or modernize
several schools, make districtwide
seismic, technology and fire/
safety upgrades, improve athletic
fields for year-round use and
build a regional community and
swimming complex.
The Board’s list of priorities
represents the hard work of
more than 80 staff, parents and
administrative members of the
district’s Long Range Facilities
Planning Team. It also reflects
several years of studying facility
needs, including the age and the
condition of each building.
To address aging facilities and
the growing student population,
several sites have been targeted.
These projects include
a modernization and partial
replacement of Bethel High
School; classroom, gym and
cafeteria expansion at GrahamK a p ow s i n H i g h S c h o o l ; a
replacement and relocation
of Challenger High School; a
remodel of Cedarcrest Middle
S c h ool ; a n e w e le me nta r y
school; and improvements to
both Naches Trail and Evergreen
elementary schools.
The bond would also support
other initiatives like better school
safety and security, expanded
sidewalks and improved walking
routes, technology infrastructure
improvements, earthquake/
s e i s m i c u p g r a d e s , H VA C ,
roof repairs and more energy
efficiency programs.
As the number of students
increases, so do the needs
of supporting them and our
community.
In recent years, the district
has seen an increase in the need
for field space for school and
community users. The board’s
priority list addresses this concern
by developing a new sports park
by the Bethel Learning Center
and installing more turf fields at
Graham-Kapowsin and Spanaway
Lake high schools.
A new student/community
indoor swimming pool is also
part of the plan. The facility
would include a 50-meter pool
and possibly other family-friendly
features such as a lazy river, a
waterslide and a splash pool. It
would also finally provide a home
for the district’s swim teams and a
venue for swimming lessons. To
view a copy of the board’s priority
list or to learn more about the
district’s budget visit our website,
www.bethelsd.org/domain/4412.
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4
SEPTEMBER 2015
WWW.BETHELSD.ORG • BETHEL PRIDE
bethel
Pads roll out
ndary schools
passed the Technology Levy in 2014, they
plan to give all Bethel students greater access
Just one year into the levy and the district’s
technology into the hands of students is now
ality. As the plan unfolds and more devices roll
an expect to see a shift to a more digital style
e goal is to give students the skills they need to
e future – whether they plan to attend college,
apprenticeship, or enter the job market right
ool.
****
dents lined up outside Spanaway Lake High
s weren’t in session yet. In fact, the first day of
l eight days away. These students were in line
r new iPads.
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ed this fall.
technology levy only generates a limited
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stribution. Now that all of the high schools are
program can be extended to all middle and
hools over the next three years. Eventually,
grades will have the technology integrated
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SEPTEMBER 2015
WWW.BETHELSD.ORG • BETHEL PRIDE
5
6
bethelpride
SEPTEMBER 2015
BETHEL PRIDE • WWW.BETHELSD.ORG
WEB and Link Crew programs welcome 6th and 9th graders
The first day of school can make
any student a bit apprehensive.
But for students making the
transition from elementary to
middle school, or those moving
from middle to high school, it’s
an especially nerve-racking time.
That’s where the WEB ( Where
Everybody Belongs) and Link
Crew programs come in.
For middle school students, the
WEB program kicks the new year
off before school officially begins,
with an orientation day filled with
games, school tours and icebreakers
geared at connecting the younger
6th grade students with their eighth
grade WEB leaders.
At the high school level, freshmen
are welcomed by juniors and seniors
who serve as Link Crew leaders.
Like the WEB leaders, these veteran
students are teamed with a small
group of incoming
students and offer
them friendship
and assistance not only on
orientation day, but throughout
the upcoming school year.
That yearlong commitment
is something Marcus Gulie,
an eighth grade WEB leader
at Cedarcrest Middle School,
takes to heart. “I want to make
a big impression on them (the
6th graders); that they feel
welcomed and they can talk to
me about anything.”
It’s that relationship that
Cedarcrest’s WEB Coordinator,
Kevin Lewis (who is also a 6th
grade Humanities teacher),
finds most important because
of trouble he had in middle
school growing up. “You know,
as a kid I was bullied a lot
by the older kids.
And a lot of younger
classmen fear the
older kids as they come into a
middle school or junior high
setting. And the fact that these
eighth graders are so invested in
their school and the community
as a whole is just a phenomenal
experience for me, to see these
kids want to make it a better
place.”
To experience what WEB Day
was like at Cedarcrest this year,
visit our YouTube Channel at www.
youtube.com/bethelschools.
Thank you to all of our WEB
and Link Crew leaders who
took time out of their summer
to make our orientation days
a GREAT success!
High schools rededicate Ar t Crate Field
This summer, Art Crate Field
underwent major renovations.
The synthetic turf, track, lighting
and sound systems were replaced.
To celebrate, all three high
schools held rededication ceremonies to mark the improvements.
New LED Lighting
Art Crate Field is now the “first
lighted LED large athletic field in
the Pacific Northwest,” according
to Chris Fote, an electrical engineering consultant for the field
improvement project.
The new lights mean big changes this fall at Art Crate and promise to improve lighting and reduce
the negative impacts of spill and
glare into the neighborhoods. “It’s
going to be dramatic reduction,”
said Fote.
Athletes will notice a big change
as well. “It is about quality and
consistency of lighting for the
athletes and spectators,” said
Bryan Streleski, Bethel’s director of athletics. “The LED lights
provide the most consistent light
levels across the playing field for
athlete performance and spectator appreciation.”
On top of all that there are monetary savings as well. According to
Fote the old floodlights had a total
lighting load of 79.2 kilowatts. The
new LED lights will have a lighting
load of 46.0 kilowatts, promising
over a 40% reduction.
With Art Crate leading the way,
other schools and recreational
fields in Seattle and Tacoma will
also make the switch to LED lighting this fall.
New Synthetic Turf
Art Crate is one of the most heavily used sports facilities in south
Pierce County. So, after more than
a decade of use and to fulfill the
district’s long-standing promise to
the county and the state, the entire
artificial surface was stripped out
to make way for new field turf and
an improved track. The projects
were completed in time for the new
school year.
Future Turf Fields
The school board has included
more artificial surfaces in their priority list for a future bond. Their list
would make improvements to both
football fields at Graham-Kapowsin
and Spanaway Lake. The GK fastpitch and baseball fields would also
be turfed because of ongoing soil
and drainage issues.
Plus, there is also a plan to add a
community sports park behind the
Bethel Learning Center. The park
would include concession stands,
restroom facilities and be striped
so that a variety of field sports could
use them year-round.
***
To see videos of the lighting and
turf installations, visit www.youtube.com/bethelschools.
Pictured right, top: SLHS cheerleaders cut the ribbon at the home game on Sept. 17. Pictured right, bottom:
GKHS lineman Foster Sarell got the ribbon cutting honors at the Eagles’ game on Sept. 18. Bethel High
held their ceremony on Sept. 25, after this issue went to press.
bethelpride
7
SEPTEMBER 2015
WWW.BETHELSD.ORG • BETHEL PRIDE
Three local students take state BMX titles
Did you know? Bethel is
now the proud home of three
champion BMX racers!
Bethel High junior Ella Austin
and Centennial Elementary
students Makayla Austin, 2nd
grade and Nicholas Austin,
Kindergarten recently won state
titles. The trio just completed
in the Washington State BMX
Championship Series. This series
took them all over the state and
they competed at 10 events
including the finals.
This is Ella’s second state BMX
title, the third one for Makayla,
and the first one for Nicholas.
All three of them are headed
to San Diego in October to race
for a chance to win a top 3 award
for their age division in the west
region Gold Cup Series.
Pictured left to right Ella, Makayla and Nicholas Austin. Photos courtesy of Christopher Austin.
‘ Ta s t e o f Wa s h i n g t o n ’ Braves take the field
I N
B R I E F
Want to play Lacrosse?
Bethel Blackhawks Lacrosse
Club is open to all Bethel School
District students. This season
they will offer lacrosse for boys
grades 5-12 and girls grades 7-8.
New player registration begins
i n N o v e m b e r. V i s i t t h e i r
website for more information
at www.hawkslacrosseclub.
org
or facebook.com/
bethelblackhawkslax.
Fami l y s p o r t s pas s es
To help make attending sports
contests more affordable for families, we now offer family sports
passes. The passes are available
at district athletic events and they
cover the cost of home games and
meets in the South Puget Sound
League.
A single event pass, which covers the admission for two adults
and two children is $15.
Seasonal event passes are $150.
They admit two adults and two
children to all home games and
athletic events during a sport
season.
2016 Homecoming
dates anno u nced
All three high schools are getting ready to showcase their
school spirit during their big
homecoming games. Here are the
dates and times when each school
is playing:
• Oct. 2: Graham-Kapowsin
HS Homecoming game vs.
Spanaway Lake HS
On October 7, students across the state will be celebrating local farms
and the fall harvest. They will be dining on food grown and/or produced
by local farmers.
Taste of Washington Day is organized in partnership with the Washington
School Nutrition Association and the Washington State Department of
Agriculture.
To learn more about Taste of Washington and other Farm to School
programs, visit www.wafarmtoschool.org.
Fall sports are in full swing and a big component of that is
high school football at Art Crate Field. We would like to extend
a big thank you to the Bethel Braves Youth Football program for
coming out to cheer on our Bethel High football team at their
Sept. 11 varsity game against Mount Rainier.
The Braves posted a 42-7 win against the Rams.
Impor tant Update: ABC Day Fun Run
Due to an organizer’s mistake, the wrong PO Box
was used on our ABC Day Fun Run registration
forms.
As a result of this error, some participants may
receive their registration returned to them.
We apologize for this issue. If you tried to sign
up and are not sure if your registration has been
received, please email us at abcdayfunrun@gmail.
com.
What is the ABC Day Fun Run?
On Saturday, Oct. 3, we will be hosting our first
annual ABC Day Fun Run/Walk at Bethel Middle
School. This event is being held to raise money to
bring the Nick of Time Foundation to our area. This
organization offers free Youth Heart Screenings,
which we would offer to our high school students.
Heart screenings provide early detection of disease
and defects, which helps save lives.
Registration
Day of race registration is available. T-shirts may be
in limited supply and can be ordered. To participate,
simply clip out the entry form and bring your $12
participation fee. All checks must be made payable
to Bethel Area Council. Check in/registration opens
at 7:30 a.m. at Bethel Middle School. The race starts
at 8:30 a.m. The course consists of sidewalks with
curbs, gravel and grass so good shoes and sturdy
strollers are recommended.
Proudly
sponsored
by...
•
Oct. 16: Spanaway Lake
HS Homecoming game vs.
Rogers HS
•
Oct. 23: Bethel HS
Homecoming game vs.
Spanaway Lake HS
All games start at 7p.m. at Art
Crate Field.
R eg i s ter fo r B et hel
R ec K-2 bas ket bal l
Bethel Recreation is now accepting registration for its Kindergarten through 2nd grade
basketball program. The session
is open to all Bethel area children
and costs $45 per student. Families can sign up in person at the
Lineup. Online registration closes
in mid-October.
For more information, visit www.bethelrec.org or call
253.683.5940.
Fo l l ow yo u r f avo r i te
teams at SP SL . o rg
The South Puget Sound League
offers a great website that provides fans with the latest scores,
standings and schedules. All high
schools and their sports teams are
listed on the site. There is even a
mobile app for your smartphone.
To learn more, visit www.spsl.org.
M iddl e s cho o l s p o r t s
s chedu l es are o nl i ne
L ooking for th e latest in f o r m a t i o n o n y o u r c h i l d ’s
middle school team? The
district’s new website, www.
bethelsd.org, has the full
list of game dates, times
a n d l o c a t i o n s. To f i n d t h e
schedules, just go to Depar tments, click on Athletics and th en Sched u les.
Hey, Sp o r t s Fans !
Our communications staff
can’t make it to ever y g ame
t h i s s e a s o n . So, w e n e e d
you r help. We wou ld love to
share some of the great pic tu res you h ave taken of ou r
amazing students in action,
as well as our awesome fans!
To s h a r e y o u r p i c t u r e s ,
just post them on Instag ram, Twitter or Faceb ook.
Be sure to tag us and use the
hashtag #BethelSDSpor ts.
8
bethelcelebrates
SEPTEMBER 2015
BETHEL PRIDE • WWW.BETHELSD.ORG
DISTRICT CALENDAR
OCTOBER
Oct. 2: Graham-Kapowsin
HS Homecoming game vs.
Spanaway Lake HS, Art Crate
Field, 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: ABC Day Fun Run, BMS,
7:30 a.m. check-in, 8:30 a.m.
run
Washington State Fair
Junior/Senior High Art Show
Oct. 3: All Bethel Community
Day, BHS, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Oct. 3: Operations Support
Center Dedication & Open
House, OSC,10 a.m. to noon
Oct. 9: Statewide In-Service
(No School)
Oct. 13: School Board
Meeting, ESC, 7 p.m.
Oct. 14: Late Arrival
Oct. 16: Spanaway Lake HS
Homecoming game vs. Rogers
HS, Art Crate Field, 7 p.m.
Oct. 23: Bethel HS
Homecoming game vs.
Spanaway Lake HS, Art Crate
Field, 7 p.m.
Oct. 26-30: Elementary
Conferences, Early Dismissal
Austin Jarman, GKHS
“Isolation”
First Place, Best of Show
Oct. 27: School Board
Meeting, GKHS, 7 p.m.
We are proud to have so
many talented and creative
young artists in our district.
This year, 123 students
submitted artwork in
2D, 3D and photography
c a t e g o r i e s. Si x t y- f o u r
received awards, including
one “Best In Show.”
For a complete list of
winners, visit our website,
www.bethelsd.org.
Oct. 28-30: Secondary
Conferences, Early Dismissal
NOVEMBER
Nov. 3: Election Day
Nov. 4: Late Arrival
Nov. 7: Holiday Craft Fair,
SLHS, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Nov. 8: Holiday Craft Fair,
SLHS, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Nov. 11: Veterans Day
Nov. 13: HS end of 1st
Quarter, Early Dismissal
Nov. 17: School Board
Meeting, ESC, 7 p.m.
Nov. 26-27: Thanksgiving
Break (No School)
Julia Rodin, BHS
“Still Giant”
Honorable Mention
DECEMBER
Dec. 2: Late Arrival
Dec. 8: School Board Meeting,
ESC, 7 p.m.
Anne Antanavage, SLHS
“Nightmares”
First Place
Dec. 9: Elementary & MS end
of 1st Trimester, Early Dismissal
Dec. 21 - Dec. 31: Winter Break
(No School)
BSD SCHOOL BOARD
Stanley Chapin, President
253.847.1614
schapin@bethelsd.org
Warren Smith, Vice-President
253.531.2211
wsmith@bethelsd.org
Abigail Denn, GKHS
“Orting Pond”
First Place
John Manning
253.537.5521
jmanning@bethelsd.org
Amy Pivetta Hoffman
253.720.3020
apivettaho@bethelsd.org
Brenda Rogers
360.893.5425
brogers@bethelsd.org
Jasmine Sayers, BHS
“Alfred”
Honorable Mention
Shetia Searight, SLHS
“Girl with Braids”
First Place