August 2024
BOND UPDATE August 2024
New Bethel High School
Construction on the New Bethel High School broke ground in March! The timeline for the project is currently 27 months. See the latest drone video of the project by visiting youtube.com/ bethelschools.
Evergreen Elementary Expansion
The much needed expansion of Evergreen Elementary is underway! This project will add 10,000 square feet to the school, which will include eight additional classrooms and a new commons.
This fall, the old Naches Trail Elementary will become home to the Evergreen Elementary staff and students for the 2024/25 school year while the renovation and expansion of their school takes place.
Staff, students and teachers took part in the ceremonial groundbreaking earlier this summer.
Expedition Elementary
Construction crews are making amazing progress on our newest bond-funded school, Expedition Elementary. The 66,000-square-foot building, which will be located in the Lipoma Firs Community, will house about 500 students in 27 general classrooms and various shared spaces when it opens this fall.
Recently, the School Board toured the building to see the progress and hear from the construction team.
Cedarcrest Middle School
We have completed the selection process for the Cedarcrest Middle School renovation and expansion project. The School Board approved BCRA, Inc. of Tacoma to perform the architectural services.
Facility Advisory Committee Recommendations
The Facility Advisory Committee has been studying and evaluating the overall condition of the district’s facilities and needs for projected growth. The committee is made up of parents, community members, business owners, school and district staff, as well as School Board members. The final committee recommendations included a new elementary school, the expansion/modernization of five other schools, security and safety improvements, as well as field, turf and track improvements. The board will explore the recommendations in a study session later this summer. These recommendations will become the basis for any possible capital levy or bond measures that may be necessary to accommodate for projected growth, safety and security, and/or athletic improvements.
SUMMER BOOST
This summer, more than 450 elementary school students participated in the Summer Boost program. Guided by 48 of the district’s highly skilled and experienced teachers, students began working through the first month of next school year’s curriculum. Small class sizes, offering intentional small group instruction, helped students build confidence and will help them start the school year strong.
SUMMER BOOST HIGHLIGHTS
● Small class sizes – 8-10 students per class
● Curriculum – ELA and Math
● Students preview the first module of the new Eureka Math Squared program
● Social Emotional Learning
● Free breakfast and lunch
● Fun spirit days
SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT
We are excited to announce that eight of our schools have been recognized as part of the Washington School Recognition Program!
Recognized schools make great strides to improve outcomes for students by closing gaps and showing tremendous growth and achievement.
There are three routes for schools to be honored by the Washington School Recognition Program:
Closing Gaps: These schools make significant advancements for all students or specific student groups in the area identified for improvement.
Growth: These schools have at least one student group among the highest performers on at least 60% of WSIF measures.
Achievement: These schools show high performance on at least two of the following measures: attendance, dual credit completion, English Language Arts (ELA) assessments, graduation rates, math assessments, and ninth grade on-track.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) partners with the State Board of Education (SBE) and Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee (EOGOAC) to identify and recognize schools for the program.
Our recognized schools are:
● Bethel Acceleration Academy
○ Growth for one or more student groups
● Bethel Middle School
○ Closing Gaps for English learner progress
● Clover Creek Elementary
○ Closing Gaps for one or more student groups
○ Growth for one or more student groups
● Frederickson Elementary
○ Closing Gaps for English learner progress
● Graham Elementary
○ Growth for one or more student groups
● Katherine G. Johnson Elementary
○ Growth for one or more student groups
● Naches Trail Elementary
○ Closing Gaps for one or more student groups
○ Growth for one or more student groups
● North Star Elementary
○ Growth for one or more student groups
● Spanaway Middle School
○ Closing Gaps for one or more student groups
ED NIEHL TURNS 100
Niehl recently took some time to reminisce about his experience as a Bethel High School educator and coach, where he helped build one of the most successful football programs our state has ever seen. Niehl’s history with Bethel runs so deep that he was already here when more than 30 smaller school districts came together to form the Bethel School District in 1949.
Niehl started his teaching career at Kapowsin High School. When Bethel High opened in 1952, he transferred there and spent the next 15 years teaching physical education and coaching several different sports.
It’s hard to imagine a time when Art Crate Field wasn’t hosting Friday night football games, but the field was more of a cow pasture when Niehl started coaching the Bethel football team. He vividly remembers when Art Crate
show him where he would like the field to be located.
“I walked over there, and I put my foot down and I said, ‘Art, I want the corner right here.’ And I said, ‘I'd like to have it parallel with 38th Avenue.’ And that was it. He pounded a stake. And that's where the Bethel football field is nowadays. At the same place,” Ed recalled.
The new field paid dividends right away, and Niehl’s 1950s football teams put together an historic decade. During those years, Bethel won four league championships, tied for another, and finished second three times. The teams posted five undefeated seasons in league play, and won a State Championship in 1955.
“This was a mythical championship at that time,” Niehl said. “We were voted in by sports writers and people
As if his duties in the classroom and on the football field weren’t enough, Niehl also coached Bethel’s baseball team, was an assistant basketball coach, and spent time as the school’s athletic director. While Niehl has not worked at Bethel High for many decades, his legacy lives on at BHS, most visibly with the school’s Ed Niehl Gymnasium.
When you’re fortunate enough to reach the 100 year milestone, as Niehl did earlier this year, there’s one question people always want to know: What’s the secret to longevity?
“I've been asked that many times and since I turned 100,” Niehl said. “I never had any problems as far as eating, sleeping, and keeping active. And that's all I can say – keep going, just keep active, eat the right things, stay away from drugs, and do the best you can with what you got.”
*Ed Niehl (right) and his son, Bob.
75 YEARS OF BETHEL
In 1949 the world was a changing place.
• Harry S. Truman was sworn into office
• The first ever Emmy Awards were held
• NATO was established
• George Orwell’s 1984 was published
• Lionel Richie was born
Things were also changing in Spanaway. In 1949, 34 separate school districts in our area, including Elk Plain, Kapowsin, Spanaway, Rocky Ridge, and Roy, were combined to form a new, larger district to better support the students in the area.
The woman behind that colossal change was Ruth Wilkinson Bethel, the first female superintendent in Pierce County.
Who was Ruth Bethel?
Born in 1890, Mrs. Bethel spent almost 50 years working in education, first serving as a teacher in a one-room school in Whatcom County located on an island. Mrs. Bethel had to row a boat back and forth to school each day.
She moved to Pierce County and taught in the Roy School District before becoming the principal of Roy High School in 1930. Five years later, she was the superintendent of the Roy School District.
Roy’s decline during the 1930s made Mrs. Bethel’s job a tough one. Schools were short on money, and bond elections were defeated. Roy High School eventually burned to the ground in 1942. When it was not rebuilt, Mrs. Bethel accepted
a position in the Pierce County Superintendent’s Office.
She was named Acting County Superintendent during the superintendent’s term of World War II military service. When he returned, Mrs. Bethel became his deputy until he resigned. She was then elected, and served as Pierce County Superintendent from 1948-1958.
Ruth Bethel eventually retired from public service and passed away in 1967.
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.
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 and text to families*
Radio & television stations
FlashAlert (signupatflashalert.net)
District & school websites – bethelsd.org
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. Right At School and the Bethel Acceleration Academy will also be running two hours late. There will be no half-day preschool, no late start or early release programs, no out-of-district transportation, no Challenge program, and no transportation for Challenger Middle or Challenger High School. Morning classes at the Pierce County Skills Center are also canceled. On two hour delays no breakfast is served.
Snow Routes in Effect – Due to road conditions, some bus stops have changed location. Snow route information is available at bethelsd.org/snow.
*Pleasemakesureyourcontactinformationisuptodatewith yourschoolsoyouwillreceivethephonecalls,emailsandtexts.
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.
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.
2024-2025 BACK TO SCHOOL
Looking for Bus Routes, Enrollment, and School Supply lists? You can find all the information you need on our Back to School website. Just scan the QR code or visit bethelsd.org/backtoschool.
*Vaccine doses may be acceptable with fewer than listed depending on when they were given. **Health care provider verification of history of chickenpox disease is also acceptable. Students must get vaccine doses at the correct timeframes to be in compliance with school requirements. Talk to your health care provider or school staff if you have questions. Find information on other important vaccines not required for school at www.immunize.org/cdc/schedules.
To request this document in another format, call 1-800-525-1027. Deaf or hard of hearing customers, please call 711 (Washington Relay) or email doh.information@doh.wa.gov
Dec. 2023
Instructions: To see which vaccines are required for school, find your child’s grade in the first column. Look at the matching row across the page to find the amount of vaccines required for your child to enter school.
ATHLETICS
2024-2025 BACK TO SCHOOL
ALL parents of student-athletes must use FinalForms to complete and sign athletic participation forms for your students. FinalForms saves data from season-to-season and year-to-year, meaning that you will never need to enter the same information twice. FinalForms also pre-populates information wherever possible, for each of your students, saving you time.
You may review your data at any time to verify it is current. You will be required to sign your forms once per year and after any update.
IMPORTANT: You will receive an account confirmation email from FinalForms. Please click the link and follow the steps to login and access your student(s). If you require any support during the process, scroll to the page bottom and click “Get Help”.
If you cannot locate the email from FinalForms, please contact the Athletic Director at your school.
Middle School Sports 24/25
● September 3, 2024
○ Baseball (Boys)
○ Fastpitch (Girls)
● September 4, 2024
○ Track (Boys and Girls)
○ Baseball (Boys)
● October 28, 2024
○ Basketball (Girls)
● October 29, 2024
○ Wrestling (Boys and Girls)
● January 27, 2025
○ Basketball (Boys)
○ Soccer (Boys and Girls)
● March 24, 2025
○ Football (Boys)
● March 25, 2025
○ Cross Country (Girls)
High School Sports 24/25
● August 21, 2024
○ Football (Boys)
● August 26, 2024
○ Cross Country (Boys and Girls)
○ Golf (Girls)
○ Soccer (Girls)
○ Swim (Girls)
○ Tennis (Boys)
○ Volleyball (Girls)
● November 4, 2024
○ Bowling (Girls)
● November 18, 2024
○ Basketball (Boys and Girls)
○ Flag Football (Girls)
○ Wrestling (Boys and Girls)
● March 3, 2025
○ Baseball (Boys)
○ Fastpitch (Girls)
○ Golf (Boys)
○ Lacrosse (Girls)
○ Soccer (Boys)
○ Tennis (Girls)
○ Track and Field (Boys and Girls)
2024/25 PARENTVUE UPDATE
When you login to ParentVUE you'll be prompted to complete the 2024/25 Student-Family Update. This yearly update ensures we have accurate information on who will need busing this fall, as well as up-to-date emergency contacts and correct email addresses. Visit https://wa-beth-psv.edupoint.com/PXP2_Login.aspx to get started.
2024-2025 BACK TO SCHOOL
NEW GRADING PRACTICES START THIS FALL FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS
Over the last four years, we have been researching and developing a plan to standardize and improve grading practices in all of our middle and high schools. You can expect to see the following changes in 24/25:
1. All assignments and assessments will be graded using a common four-point rubric.
2. Only the student's overall grade will use letter grades. There are no more pluses and minuses or D grades—just A, B, C, and F using a common grading scale.
3. The current calculation for GPA will not change.
4. Extra credit will no longer be available.
5. Assessment retakes will be available.
This is the first phase of a two-year implementation process called Standards Based Instruction and Grading [SBIG]. More information will be shared throughout the year. In the meantime, you can learn more on our website: https://www. bethelsd.org/sbig.
INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION
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.
If you would like to provide feedback regarding any language access services you’ve received in Bethel SD, please scan the QR code or visit https://www.bethelsd.org/resources/languageaccess-services and fill out the survey. Thank you.
SCHOOL SUPPLY LISTS
ELEMENTARY
• Backpack
• Reusable water bottle
• School Supply Box
• Headphones/Earbuds w/microphone if possible (Grades K-5)
• 3-Ring Binder (4th-5th grade only)
*All other supplies will be provided by the school
MIDDLE SCHOOL
• Binder – 2 inches or larger
• College-ruled notebook paper – Minimum of 2 packages
• Dividers/pocket folders for each class
• #2 Pencils
• Pens (blue or black for writing)
• Red Pen (for correcting/editing)
• Composition books – Quantity: 4
• 3"x3" sticky notes – Quantity: 2 packages
• Pencil pouch
• Highlighters – Assorted colors
• Colored pencils
• Earbuds
*Please contact the front office of your school if you need assistance with supplies.
2024-2025 BACK TO SCHOOL
SCHOOL MEALS
Child Nutrition Services will continue to participate in the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the 2024-25 school year. Students attending the CEP schools will receive FREE breakfast and lunch for the 202425 school year. Please visit bethelsd. org/meals to see the updated list of CEP schools.
Free meals at our school depends on YOU!
ALL Bethel School District families must complete the Child Nutrition Eligibility and Education Benefit Application (CNEEB) this year. Completing this form also ensures that
your student’s school will continue to receive the full amount of federal and state funding available.
The online application will be available Monday, August 12th, 2024 at https://emealapps.bethelsd.org/
By submitting this application, households may qualify for:
● Free and reduced price meal benefits for students enrolled in schools that aren’t providing free meals for all students
● Summer 2025 EBT benefits
● Reduced fees for other programs and activities
○ You must check YES! Please share my child’s income
eligibility for each program you wish to receive discounts for:
□ ASB Fees (ASB Cards, events & athletic entrance fees)
□ Course Fees (AP tests, credit retrieval and instrument rental)
□ Athletics fees
□ iPad Coverage
STADIUM REGULATIONS
To ensure the safety of our students, parents, and community, the following must be adhered to:
Only clear bags or small clutch/ purses/wallets will be allowed inside the stadium. Bags must be clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and do not
exceed 12” x 6” x 12”. A small clutch bag, not exceeding 4.5” x 6.5”, with or without a handle or strap, may be carried inside the stadium.
Additionally, all elementary and middle school students who plan to attend school-sponsored events,
such as football games, must be accompanied by an adult. They will be turned away if they attempt to gain admittance without a parent.
We thank you for your understanding and adherence to these guidelines.
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SUPERINTENDENT&SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTORS
Bethel Pride is produced by the Bethel School District’s Communications Department.
Bethel Schools
516 176th Street East, Spanaway, WA 98387
Phone: 253.800.2000
Email: communications@bethelsd.org Website: bethelsd.org
TheBethelPrideisintendedtoinformthecommunityatlargeaboutgoingsoninthedistrict.Becauseweusebulkmailing, individualaddressescannotberemovedfromthemailinglist.
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, Melissa Munson-Merritt, mmunsonmer@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, Melissa Munson-Merritt, mmunsonmer@bethelsd.org, 253.800.2301. Todas las personas pueden ser contactadas en esta dirección: 516 176th Street East, Spanaway, WA 98387.
Bethel School District No. 403 516 176th St. E., Spanaway, WA 98387-8335
(253) 800-2000 | www.bethelsd.org
