Thank you everyone who entered to win this week's Major* Award! As you know, there can only be one winner each week, and this week, that person is Anthony Voeghtly from Thompson Elementary. Congrats, Anthony! Your prize is currently being smelted and polished, but we'll be sending it your way soon!
Want to win next week's Major* Award? Just answer the following questions:
1) Which district football team is playing in the state championship game?
2) How many items did Frederickson Elementary collect in its food drive?
3) Which former bus driver will be honored at tomorrow's Stuff the Bus event?
Everyone who sends the correct answers to staffnews@bethelsd.org will earn a chance to win an ultra-rare, Major* Award. The winner will be chosen at random and announced in next week's Staff News.
(Pictured above: Coach Eric Kurle and his GKHS football team are gearing up for the biggest game of their lives. The team's magical season continues tomorrow when they play for the state championship. Read more below.)
*Major is a state of mind
|
|
Our music educators are responsible for teaching their students to read sheet music and hit the correct notes, but their most important lessons transcend music altogether.
In our choir, band, and orchestra classes, students are learning skills and lessons that will be with them for the rest of their lives, whether they continue playing music or not.
Kit Carollo, who teaches band in a number of our elementary schools, says music creates a sense of belonging for many young people who feel like they don’t fit into other groups.
“Being part of a music class really gives them a chance to be part of a school family,” Carollo said.
Bethel High School orchestra teacher Rebecca Pelandini says her class teaches students to be accountable to each other.
“Every section is reliant on the other sections playing at the right time,” she said. “It’s about teamwork and trust, which is a huge aspect of what we do in music.”
Cougar Mountain Middle School Choir Director Hannah Blackburn loves seeing her students become a team over the course of the year. She says choir gives kids a voice and teaches them compassion.
“It’s all the things that make us human and able to relate as humans,” she said. “Especially in this pandemic, where we’ve been so separated by being isolated.”
We’re incredibly thankful that our Bethel voters have continued to support programs like these by renewing our Educational Programs and Operations Levy. The levy not only helps fund adequate transportation for our students, but it also gives them the chance to be creative in a visual art class; to perform in band, choir, and orchestra; and to participate in team sports. We’ll be asking voters to renew two levies in February. Learn more about them here.
Click the image above to see our choirs, bands, and orchestras at work.
|
|
One win away from history |
|
Graham-Kapowsin High School’s magical football season continued last Saturday when the Eagles beat Kamiakin 42-0. Now, for the first time in program history, GK will play for the 4A state championship this Saturday.
Despite being undefeated and ranked number one in the state, Coach Eric Kurle knows there’s still work to be done before his team can celebrate.
“We can’t enjoy it,” Kurle told the News Tribune. “We’ve gotta focus. I keep telling them this is the third quarter, next is fourth. We’ve gotta keep it going, we know we have a lot of work to do. We’ve got two great programs that we have to play next week and we have to be ready. We’ve gotta find the strength of our team, find their weaknesses and try to get after it.”
The Eagles will take on Lake Stevens tomorrow at Mount Tahoma High School, with the winner being crowned state champion. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
|
|
In the news: From Braves to Bison |
|
We’re thrilled that both KING 5 and KIRO 7 news stopped by Bethel High School to speak with students and staff about the school’s mascot change from the Braves to the Bison.
A new state law bans public schools from using Native American names, symbols, or images as school mascots, logos, or team names, so a committee of students, staff and community members got together to find a new mascot.
The committee sent a survey to the community at large, as well as to all district staff and BHS students. The survey results, which included mascot ideas, were used by the committee to help guide their conversations, and eventually to reach their final decision, which was unanimously approved by the school board last month.
See the KING 5 story here, and keep your eyes peeled in the coming weeks for the KIRO story.
|
|
SPED PARAS (FRONTIER MIDDLE)
Thank you for the many hours you have put in to help organize and collect data for our students! We couldn't do it without you!
-- SPED Team, Frontier Middle
KATHY HUGH (TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT)
Mrs. Kathy Hugh (assistant director/transportation) is often found working long hours to help our drivers and schools. She can be found on buses and first to jump in and go the extra mile to help folks out. I hear often from drivers & schools and mechanics about just how much she does for them. Thank you for your continued support. She also volunteers her time to stuff the bus for students and families in our district and community as do many drivers. and she supports the roadeo for drivers, in addition to her many other contributions outside of work with her horses. Thank you.
-- Heather Gunderson, Transportation Department
PEGGY MAHON (PHYSICAL THERAPIST)
Thank you so much Peggy, for helping our class with all the things we threw at you on Monday. We really appreciate you!
-- Michaela Estes, Spanaway Middle
JAMES VANDERZIEL (TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT)
Just about everyone in the district has either directly, or indirectly, been assisted by James. He is very knowledgeable and helpful. He cares about everyone's issues. He is the go-to person for everyone here. If it can be fixed, he can fix it. If he doesn't know how to take care of it, he researches an answer. When there are issues beyond our control, he is the one working with providers for answers. We are all very grateful to have him here.
-- Anonymous, Technology Department
|
|
Stuff the Bus in honor of Tina Yates |
|
The Transportation Department’s annual Stuff the Bus event will carry extra meaning this year, as it honors a woman who dedicated her life to helping others.
Bus driver Tina Yates was the backbone of the annual event, which raises money and goods to help local families in need. Yates recently passed away after a battle with cancer, and this year’s Stuff the Bus will honor her spirit and passion for helping others.
Even as she was fighting cancer, Yates was at the front of the line at last year’s Stuff the Bus, according to her friend and fellow bus driver, Jamie Morris. Yates was admitted to the hospital in October, and one of the last things she asked was that Morris not let Stuff the Bus fail.
“As a friend of this amazing woman, I am trying to keep her final wish and desire to see this event succeed a reality,” Morris said.
This year's Stuff the Bus event will take place tomorrow (12/4) at the Spanaway Walmart (20307 Mountain Highway E.) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(Pictured above: Not only did Tina Yates help run Stuff the Bus, she also volunteered her time distributing food on B.O.B. the Bus during the pandemic.)
|
|
With the holiday season now upon us, we wanted to remind you of those dates that the Educational Service Center will be open with limited service or closed for regular business. Limited service dates are those days with limited staff availability, no front desk reception, and no service to the general public. On closure dates, the ESC campus will be closed. |
|
Changes to quarantine rules |
|
Effective immediately and in alignment with guidance from the Washington Department of Health and Tacoma Pierce County Health Department, Bethel will reduce COVID-19 quarantine duration requirements. If quarantined, students may return to school as early as eight days after exposure under the following conditions:
- COVID-19 test administered with negative results between days 5 and 7 following the exposure
- COVID-19 test administered by health care providers, pharmacies, or other community-based test sites
- Free of COVID-19 symptoms
|
|
Schools rally to feed our community |
|
‘Tis the season for giving, and our school communities are certainly doing their part. Schools all over the district are hosting fall food drives, and the amount of food they’re collecting is truly impressive.
Frederickson Elementary recently wrapped up its food drive, and when all was said and done, they had more than 9,000 items ready to be delivered to local families in need. The Pioneer Valley Elementary community came together this year to honor a former teacher by collecting more than 6,000 food items for families in need.
The first annual Marquart Memorial Food Drive was named in honor of longtime PVE teacher Gregg Marquart, who sadly passed away earlier this year. The food will be given to Harvest House and ParkWay Community Services, who both do great work in our community. Let us know about the great things your schools are doing at communications@bethelsd.org
|
|
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: Title IX Coordinator, Director of Athletics and Security: 253.800.4303; Section 504/ADA Coordinator, Executive Director of Special Education: 253.800.2300; Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Director of Equity and Achievement: 253.800.2019. 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: Coordinador del Título IX, Director de Atletismo y Seguridad: 253.800.4303; Coordinadora de Sección 504/ADA, Directora Ejecutiva de Educación Especial: 253.800.2300; Coordinadora de Cumplimiento de Derechos Civiles Directora de Equidad y Logro: 253.800.2019. Todas las personas pueden ser contactadas en esta dirección: 516 176th Street East, Spanaway, WA 98387. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
