Bethel Pride | August 2023

PRIDE

FROM THE DESK OF...

Tom Seigel Superintendent

Summertime is almost over, and I want to thank all of our dedicated staff who have been working this summer to maintain our schools, transporting and teaching students in summer school classes and, of course, serving lunch to thousands of students through our annual summer lunch program.

This past year you have heard from me about the need for more resources in our corner of the county. With more than 124,000 residents (which is 13.1% of Pierce County's population) we are getting far less than our fair share. Presently our area has less than 4% of the county resources, such as libraries, parks, and transit, and no county service offices.

Our community has the highest level of inequality based on the county's own analysis, and it is only going to get worse unless there is significant action taken soon. If this concerns you, I want to encourage you to reach out to your elected officials and let them know.

With that in mind, I have just received the latest population projections for Bethel. The forecast states that by 2030, seven short years from now, we will have grown by an additional 20,000 residents. Counting students only, that will be over 1,000 new students in five years. Twenty years from now, there will be an additional 51,000 residents.

Seeing this growth on the horizon, I am thankful to our voters who, in 2019, passed a muchneeded School Construction Bond. Last year we opened our 18th elementary school, and our 19th will open in the coming years. We will soon be opening the New Naches Trail Elementary, and the expansion of Graham-Kapowsin High School will be wrapping up soon as well. You can read more about these projects and more on the next few pages.

I hope that you and yours have been enjoying your summer break. We are looking forward to having your students back in our classrooms very soon.

Yours,

Tom Seigel Superintendent

BETHEL PRIDE SCHOOL BOARD

YOUNG, SR. President

MARCUS

253.439.7174 myoung@bethelsd.org

JOHN MANNING

253.222.2938 jmanning@bethelsd.org

ROSEANNA CAMACHO

253.210.1783 rcamacho@bethelsd.org

TERRANCE MAYERS, SR.

206.832.6203 tmayers@bethelsd.org

POSITION VACANT

Bethel Pride is produced by the Bethel School District’s Communications Department.

Doug Boyles, Communications Director 253.800.2202; dboyles@bethelsd.org

Conor Christofferson, Assistant Director 253.800.2204; cchristoff@bethelsd.org

Email: communications@bethelsd.org

Website: www.bethelsd.org

Timra Knox, Graphic Design Manager 253.800.2203; tknox@bethelsd.org

Pam Paulsen, Secretary 253.800.2201; ppaulsen@bethelsd.org

Questions and feedback: 516 176th Street East Spanaway, WA 98387 Phone: 253.800.2000

Bethel School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Debbie Carlman, dcarlman@bethelsd.org, 253.800.2019; Title IX Coordinator, Bryan Streleski, bstreleski@bethelsd.org, 253.800.4302; and 504 Coordinator, Andrea Landes, alandes@bethelsd.org, 253.800.2301. All individuals may be reached at this address: 516 176th Street East, Spanaway, WA 98387.

El Distrito Escolar de Bethel no discrimina en sus programas o actividades por motivos de sexo, raza, credo, religión, color, nacionalidad, edad, condición de veterano de guerra o grado militar, orientación sexual, expresión de género o identidad, discapacidad o uso de perro guía entrenado o animal de servicio, además ofrece igualdad de acceso a los Boy Scouts y a otros grupos de jóvenes especificados. El empleado mencionado a continuación ha sido designado para atender consultas y quejas de supuesta discriminación: Coordinadora de Cumplimiento de Derechos Civiles: Debbie Carlman, dcarlman@bethelsd.org, 253.800.2019; Coordinador del Título IX, Bryan Streleski, bstreleski@bethelsd.org, 253.800.4302; Coordinadora 504, Andrea Landes, alandes@bethelsd.org, 253.800.2301. Todas las personas pueden ser contactadas en esta dirección: 516 176th Street East, Spanaway, WA 98387.

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BOND CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Thank you to our voters for approving our School Construction Bond in 2019, and thank you for your patience as we continue to build schools during this very challenging time. Global supply chain issues and workforce shortages have continuously caused delays in construction projects around the world. Good planning on our part has helped us navigate many of these problems. We have extended our pre-construction phases, worked with contractors to order essential materials as early as possible, and are working closely with the county to plan ahead and put our best efforts forward to get past any known obstacles in the construction process. Here are the latest updates on the five biggest projects we have

currently underway.

New Naches Trail Elementary

The 77,000-square foot school, pictured above, will soon house 41 general classrooms! This new, larger school will allow us to work towards accommodating projected growth in the area.

Evergreen Elementary Expansion

Once the New Naches Trail is complete, the old Naches Trail Elementary will become home to the Evergreen Elementary staff and students while the renovation and

expansion of their school takes place. The Evergreen Elementary project will expand and modernize the current building, which was originally built in 1979.

Elementary #19

Construction crews have broken ground on our 19th Elementary School! The 68,000-square-foot building will house about 500 students and will be located in the Lipoma Firs Community.

Graham-Kapowsin High School Expansion

Construction is wrapping up on the Graham-Kapowsin High School expansion project. The 33,000-square-foot

expansion is adding a new classroom wing, an auxiliary gym and weight room, along with a larger commons area and administrative spaces. GKHS will also soon be home to a new School-Based Health Clinic, the construction of which is being funded through a congressional award.

New Bethel High School

Construction on the New Bethel High School project is anticipated to begin in 2024, subject to permitting. Once started, the construction timeline is 27 months. There will be an Open House for this project in September, 2023. More information will be sent to families and community members closer to the event.

SPRAYPAINT AND CREATIVITY

When voters approve a bond to build a new school, and if that school is eligible for matching funds from the state, then one half of one percent of the state’s cost is reserved for public art to go into that building.

Koda Witsken (center, above) is the owner and lead creator of Hue Murals. Out of over 200 potential artists provided by the Washington State Arts Commission, Koda was chosen by Challenger High School staff as the artist they wanted to work with for their new school.

The new Challenger High School was completed in 2022 as part of the 2019 School Construction Bond. Thanks to our voters, the new 39,000 square foot school replaced the old portables that had been used as classrooms for several decades.

Koda didn’t want to create art that wouldn’t feel at home with the staff and students at Challenger, so she

asked students what they wanted to see. Through her conversations she came back with one key message: They wanted art that looked and felt like them.

“All of the Challenger students have chosen to be here at this alternative high school,” Koda said. “They have very colorful and vibrant personalities, so they wanted the art to reflect themselves.”

Students also wanted the art to be in the main hallway. Koda said the students were excited about their new school, but found all the white walls made it difficult to navigate.

So Koda created two very large, very vibrant spray painted murals that, quite literally, reflected the students.

Students and staff submitted more than 100 photos that they thought reflected what it meant to be part of the Challenger family. Students voted, and the chosen photos were

reflected in the murals, including four student portraits.

Students also got to sit down with Koda and she shared her expertise as a professional artist. She held portfolio reviews, tattoo apprenticeship reviews, and gave insight on what it's like making a living as an artist.

You can hear more from Koda by scanning the QR code below. She is our most recent special guest on our award winning podcast.

Photo courtesy of Haley Dicks

Universal Dress Code Policy

Our School Board is always looking for ways to ensure that every student in this district is afforded the most equitable and safe learning environment possible. To that end, the Board recently noticed some inconsistencies in our dress code and asked for a review of the policy for possible improvements.

District Equity Specialists, together with our Elementary and Secondary Learning teams, reviewed the policy and presented their findings to the Board in June. The team found several areas where positive changes could be made to the current policy.

One area the team found concerning was the lack of consistency regarding dress codes throughout the district. Equity Specialist Will Waverly spoke to the Board about why that lack of consistency could

elementary school with the highest percentage of black and brown students, why are they the only ones with uniforms?” he said. “Either we have it for everyone, or we have it for no one.”

Based on their findings, the team recommended the board edit the policy to make it consistent for every student in the district.

So starting this fall, no schools will have required uniforms.

“Every school will have the same policy. There’s always that student that transfers from one school to the next, and there won’t be that challenge of trying to navigate what’s okay here that wasn’t where I was before,” said Director of Equity and Achievement Deb Carlman.

The team also added language to

personal items.” But while district leaders want parents to have their say, school leaders also play a large role.

“It is the responsibility of schools to ensure that student attire, hairstyle, jewelry, and personal belongings do not pose a health or safety risk to any student and do not create a hostile or intimidating environment that disrupts learning for any student,” the new policy reads.

A number of common sense rules from the current policy will remain in the new policy, including a ban on clothes that display anything obscene or sexual, or anything with drug or alcohol related messages. As always, displays of threats or weapons and any sort of hate speech is also banned.

District administrators are now

be inequitable to some of our students.

“Our two middle schools and our

the current policy that says parents “hold the primary responsibility in determining the student’s personal attire, hairstyle, jewelry, and

working with school principals to create a plan to implement the new policy this fall.

this fall, no schools will have required uniforms.

INCLEMENT WEATHER PROCEDURES & INFORMATION

In the event of an emergency or inclement weather, the Bethel School District will take precautions to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

BE PREPARED FOR A SCHOOL EMERGENCY

” Ensure that your child’s emergency contact information is accurate and current.

IN CASE OF A SCHOOL EMERGENCY

” DO NOT call or rush to your child’s school. Phone lines and staff are needed for emergency response efforts.

” DO NOT phone your child. Staff and students are discouraged from using cell phone communications for safety reasons.

For inclement weather that impacts school start or end times, the district will utilize the following forms of communication to relay important information to families and staff.

” Phone call & email to families*

” Radio & television stations

” FlashAlert (signupatflashalert.net)

” District & school websites – bethelsd.org

” Facebook (/bethelsd) and Twitter (@BethelSD)

” Emergency Hotline: 253.800.6001

School Closures & Modifications

Schools Closed – This means all Bethel schools are closed for all students, and no transportation will be provided to other schools outside of the district, even though they may be open. All scheduled activities are also cancelled.

Two Hours Late – This means buses will begin their first route two hours late but at regularly scheduled stops. There will be NO preschool, Head Start, LSA, or classes at CHS, late start or early release programs, and no out-of-district transportation.

Snow Routes in Effect – Due to road conditions, some bus stops have changed location. Snow route information is available at bethelsd.org/snow routes.

*Pleasemakesureyourcontactinformationisuptodatewith yourschoolsoyouwillreceivethephonecallsandemails.The systemissetuptocalltheprimaryphonenumberonly.

” Families will be updated via robocall and email as soon as information is available.

In the event of an emergency at your chIld’s school, It Is Important to know the followIng terms. Be aware that no entry Into or exIt from the school wIll Be allowed untIl an “all-clear” announcement Is made. If you enter a campus that Is In lockdown, asses the sItuatIon, return to your vehIcle and exIt the premIses.

Modified Lockdown – A modified lockdown takes place if an external threat is identified near the school. All exterior school doors are locked and students are confined to the building.

Lockdown – A lockdown takes place if an internal or external threat is identified at the school. All school doors are locked and students are confined to classrooms.

Shelter in Place – Students take refuge in designated areas to protect them from hazardous materials or severe weather.

Evacuation – In the event of certain building emergencies, students will be relocated to an evacuation assembly area.*

Reunification – Parents/guardians will be directed by school Emergency Notification System, or public safety officials via media, to their child’s specific location.*

*StudentswillbereleasedONLYtoparents/guardiansorthosewho aredocumentedasemergencycontactsandwhopresentapictureID suchasadriver’slicense,militaryIDorpassport.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES & INFORMATION

BACK TO

BETHELSD.ORG/BACKTOSCHOOL

ENROLLMENT FREE & REDUCED MEALS SUPPLY LISTS PARENTVUE

Please visit our website to enroll new students or to complete the required annual updates for current students.

Free and reduced price breakfast and lunch are available to students who qualify based on certain income requirements. A new application must be submitted each year to maintain this student benefit.

The annual Emeals application will be posted in late August at bethelsd.org/ meals.

Supply lists for K-12 students are available on our website.

Please remember that lists may vary by school and may need to be replenished throughout the year.

The ParentVUE and StudentVUE mobile apps provide access to most of the features and data available in the web version of the parent and student portal. Please visit our website for more information.

SCHOOL

BETHELSD.ORG/BACKTOSCHOOL

BUS ROUTES BELL SCHEDULES TECHNOLOGY HEALTH

In mid-August, postcards will be mailed to families detailing individualized bus route information for students. If you don't receive a card, or have questions, please contact the Transportation office at 253.800.5900.

Each school's schedule can be found on our website and on the school's website.

iPads will be distributed at each school. Schools will send out information directly to families.

Information about immunization requirements and students with life-threatening conditions can be found on our website.

ParentVUE Annual Update

Please take a few minutes to complete your Annual Update in ParentVUE now. This update gives us the information we need to plan bus routes for next school year. Given the nationwide driver shortage, it’s vitally important that we have an accurate picture of who will need busing this fall. The update also ensures that schools have current emergency contact information, correct email addresses, and forms such as Attendance and Information Release Authorizations.

Because this information is so crucial, you will no longer be able to access ParentVUE to view

your student’s real-time grades, communicate with staff members, or submit absences until you have completed your Annual Update.

Just log in to your ParentVUE account to fill out your Annual Update. Follow the prompt to ‘Begin Registration’ and select the 2023-2024 Annual Student Update from the drop down menu. Please read through the information on the Welcome page and click ‘Continue’ at the bottom to be guided through a process to review your student's information.

There is a brief video walk-through of the process to assist you.

If you are not registered with ParentVUE, please check the email you have on file with the district. Each week, an email is sent to all custodial parents who have not yet set up their ParentVUE account, inviting them to do so. Included in that email is a unique activation key, which is necessary for the first login. If you don’t see the email in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can’t find the email, please contact your school’s registrar to get an activation code.

Thank you for helping us plan for the upcoming school year!

Interpretation & Translation Services

All families have the right to information about their child’s education in a language they understand. We can provide an interpreter or translated documents, free of charge, when you need them. For information on accessing interpretation services, please contact Special Services at 253-800-2300, or contact your school office.

Summer School is a life saver for some students

Summer is a great time to rest, relax, and recharge your batteries, but not every student benefits from so much time out of the classroom.

For those students, Bethel offers a host of summer learning opportunities.

Our more traditional summer school program focuses on high school students who need to make up credits in order to get back on track for graduation. Spanning two separate sessions, our Credit Retrieval Program offers students an assortment of history, math, science and ELA classes, both online and in person at Spanaway Lake High School.

In addition to getting caught up on classes needed for graduation, ELA teacher Ashley Literski said summer

courses keep students sharp and ready for the coming school year.

“Students who are engaging in summer credit retrieval, they’re not having to start over at the beginning of the next school year,” Literski said. “They’re still engaging in those math skills, those reading skills, those writing skills. As they practice those skills, they’re keeping them sharp so they’re ready to go for next year.”

Most students would rather be out enjoying summer than being in a classroom, which is why Literski said her online courses have been such a success this summer.

“I have the advantage of being online, so my students are able to be outside,” she said. “I have several students on Zoom sitting

outside in the sunshine, doing their work. They’re able to do it selfpaced to accommodate their work schedules.”

Math teacher Terri Moore is teaching several in-person classes this summer. She said the Summer Retrieval Program has a number of other benefits that students can’t get during the school year.

“It allows them to focus on just one subject instead of being hustled throughout the day to their other classes,” Moore said. “They have a lot of workload during that time and they’re having to navigate the hallways, which can be a little crowded. So here, they come in with a more positive attitude and they really just want to get this done.”

fentanyl – have made their way into our community. In fact, Washington state has seen a 20-percent increase in fatal overdoses over the last year. Sadly, many of those deaths involved accidental overdoses in children.

Fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid, has become the dominant street drug across our country in recent years. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, fentanyl is involved in more deaths of Americans under 50 than any cause of death, including heart disease, cancer, homicide, suicide and other accidents.

Pierce County Sheriff's Deputy Carly Cappetto said fentanyl use is extremely prevalent in our community.

“Fentanyl is so easily accessible right now – more accessible than heroin,” she said. “And because it’s so cost efficient, a juvenile with a couple of bucks can buy a pill. Right now the

cost of one pill is just $2. You can buy a soda for $2.”

In addition to being cheap, fentanyl is incredibly powerful, according to DEA Acting Special Agent In Charge Jake Galvan.

“A lethal dose of fentanyl is two milligrams,” Galvan said. “Two milligrams is enough to fit on the tip of a sharpened pencil – two grains, basically. Typically, in an outpatient procedure, 10 micrograms is used. So we’re way above micrograms, we’re into milligrams.”

The drugs are being produced and trafficked by cartels, and Galvan said cartel leaders are using technology –including social media – to sell their deadly product.

“What the cartels did, they’ve optimized (social media) to sell their product,” he said. “They’re taking advantage of these emojis, the symbols that represent what they

want to sell.”

The D.E.A. has met with leaders from all the largest social media platforms in an effort to rid the sites of cartels.

“They need to do more,” Galvan said of the social media owners. “They need to be responsible for what’s going on on their platforms, because they track everything that goes on on their platform, all the way down to who they connect with via instant messages. They track all of that.”

The fentanyl epidemic is especially insidious because it creates a ripple effect throughout the community, according to Cappetto.

“Everybody is being affected by fentanyl. It’s not just fentanyl addicts and people who are using the drug. Every community member is affected because it causes someone to not be able to hold a job, not be able to hold a family, not be able to care for their children, which then trickles down to the rest of the community because it causes the community to step up and foster more kids. Our foster care system is full,” she said.

These can be difficult topics to talk about, but ignoring them doesn’t make the problem go away. It's our sincere hope that sharing this information will help shed light on a topic many people have ignored for far too long. Scan the QR code above to learn much more about this very important issue on our special podcast: One Pill Can Kill.

DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge, Jake Galvan and Pierce County Sheriffs Deputy, Carly Cappetto

DISTRICT CALENDAR*

2023-24 Meal Plans

Thanks to the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision, 24 of our schools will serve free breakfast and lunch to all students in the 2023-24 school year, with the possibility that two more schools will become eligible soon. Please see the full list of schools below.

If your student attends one of these schools, please fill out a Family Income Survey at bethelsd.org/meals. Filling out the survey will ensure your student receives the appropriate fee discounts and waivers and ensures your child’s school will continue to get the full amount of federal and state funding available.

Three of our schools, Elk Plain School of Choice, Frontier Middle School, and Graham Kapowsin High School, will continue to operate under the traditional National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs for the 2023-24 school year.

To see if your household qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, fill out the Free and Reduced Meals application on our Meals website. Meal payments can be made using our electronic payment service, PayPams, online or via their downloadable app for apple and android phones. For more information visit bethelsd.org/meals.

» Bethel Acceleration Academy

» Bethel High School

» Bethel Hope Early Learning Center

» Bethel Middle School

» Camas Prairie Elementary School

» Cedarcrest Middle School

» Centennial Elementary School

» Challenger Secondary School

» Clover Creek Elementary School

» Evergreen Elementary School

» Frederickson Elementary School

» Graham Elementary School

» Kapowsin Elementary School

» Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School

» Liberty Middle School

» Naches Trail Elementary and Preschool

» North Star Elementary School

» Pioneer Valley Elementary and Preschool

» Rocky Ridge Elementary School

» Roy Elementary School

» Shining Mountain Elementary School

» Spanaway Elementary and Preschool

» Spanaway Lake High School

» Spanaway Middle School

» Thompson Elementary and Preschool

*Child Nutrition Services has submitted the application and is awaiting approval for Cougar Mountain Middle School and Nelson Elementary School to participate in the Community Eligibility Program for the 2023-24 school year.

Bethel School District No. 403

516 176th St. E., Spanaway, WA 98387-8335

(253) 800-2000 | www.bethelsd.org

Spanaway, WA 98387

Don't forget to complete your Free & Reduced Lunch application. Forms will be available late August. Visit

Bethel School District Resident