Oct/Nov 2024
BOND UPDATE
Cedarcrest Middle School
Thanks to increased state funding, better-than-expected estimates, and responsible fiscal management, we are now able to proceed with building a new Cedarcrest Middle School instead of modernizing the existing one! More details to come on this project, but kudos to our Construction Team for their hard work ensuring our students and staff will have the best possible learning environment!
ThankVoters!you,
NEW Bethel High School
Our construction crews have been busy since we broke ground on the new Bethel High School in March! The timeline for the project is 27 months from the start of construction.
Evergreen Elementary
This year, Evergreen Elementary staff and students are “glamping” at the old Naches Trail building, while Evergreen gets its extreme home makeover thanks to our voters! The much needed expansion of Evergreen Elementary will add 10,000 square feet to the school, which will include eight additional classrooms and a new commons.
WELCOME TO EXPEDITION ELEMENTARY
Families were thrilled this fall for the grand opening of Expedition Elementary, Bethel’s newest elementary school and its very first walking school.
Funded by the voter-approved 2019 bond measure, Expedition is situated in the growing Lipoma neighborhood, allowing approximately 60 percent of families to walk to school safely and conveniently.
Principal Sara Olson expressed her excitement about the new school and its unique focus on encouraging students to walk.
“This being a brand new school in
a brand new development, we had to meet with our Transportation Department to look over safe walking routes. We also worked with the construction department and risk management to identify crosswalk areas,” she said. This careful planning underscores the district’s commitment to student safety while promoting healthier lifestyles.
Interim Superintendent Brian Lowney also highlighted the school’s vital role in the community, saying, “This is not just a school. You can see that it’s a community. It’s our first walking school, and it’s a diverse school. Eighteen different languages are spoken by families at this school. This
is the third elementary school to be built with the 2019 bond dollars, and we’re proud to honor our community’s commitment to excellence in education for all students.”
While Expedition Elementary is still young, Principal Olson noted that her staff is already coming together to create a wonderful experience for the school’s 500-plus students.
“We have an amazing group here. I’ve been very impressed with the flexibility and growth mindset my staff has,” she said. “We’ve faced some unique challenges, but everyone is focused on finding solutions and putting the needs of our children first.”
UNDERSTANDING BETHEL’S BUDGET
You don’t have to Google very far to see that some school districts in our area are struggling financially. And while there are plenty of news stories about budget shortfalls, layoffs, and schools closing, here in Bethel, we’re actually doing better than most.
Only a few years ago our district was spending more than we were bringing in, but that has changed. There’s been a lot of hard work and difficult decisions behind the scenes to keep our budget on the right track.
“Last year we were about as flat as you can be,” said Chief Financial Officer Bryan Verley. “That’s what you want to do as a school district. You spend the revenue on the students that you receive for the year.”
But you can’t spend every penny that
state, federal government, and our local levies.
“Most of it comes from the state, about 77%. About 70% of the 77% comes from the prototypical funding model,” said Verley. “The number of prototypical positions are determined by the number of students you have. There’s a formula, and it’s different for different grade levels.”
Verley also said the prototypical funding formula is outdated, and all districts in Washington employ more teachers and staff than the formula pays for, which is why we need local levies to help supplement the appropriate number of staff and teachers.*
As one of the largest employers in Pierce County, Bethel’s budget largely
budget on our website, bethelsd.org. You can also hear more from our CFO and our School Board President as they discuss the district’s budget on Episode 98 of our district’s podcast.
Bonds are for building. Levies are for learning.
comes in from the state. The district maintains a general fund balance of around 10% of the budget for a variety of reasons. Verley said that includes emergencies and the fact that our revenue fluctuates from month to month, as we receive money from the
goes towards salaries to support the nearly 21,000 students we serve across our 31 schools. In fact, about 80% of our budget goes towards salaries and benefits.
You can learn more about our district’s
*Money from our 2019 construction bond is kept separate from the district’s annual budget. As the saying goes: Bonds are for building. Levies are for learning!
WASHINGTON STATE PATROL INSPECTIONS
Each year the Washington State Patrol inspects our fleet of vehicles to help ensure the safety of our students and staff. These inspections usually take up to five days and very minor issues can blemish a perfect score (like a bus getting a flat tire right before inspection).
We're thrilled to announce that this year, not only were the inspections completed in record time (2.5 days), but we achieved a 100% inspection rating!
This is a significant accomplishment. Senior Director of Transportation Mel Boyd said this milestone is a true testament to her team's dedication and hard work.
"This success reflects the diligent and tireless efforts of our Shop Coordinator, Rick, and our
mechanics—Bill, Sam, Rick, Steve, Mika, Bryce, Jeff, Steve, Brad, and Ashlee. I’d also like to acknowledge the drivers who supported the team during these inspections," she said. "This show of supporting one another
Scan the QR code to apply!
and teamwork was crucial to this achievement."
We’re currently hiring bus drivers and bus assistants! If you’re interested in joining our team, scan the QR code below.
opportunities is a big job.
PEOPLE ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET
“We used our Strategic Plan as our compass,” said Elissa Dornan, Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning. She said everything about the plan, including the district’s Core Values, “drives what we do.”
One of those Core Values is: “People are our greatest asset.” Because of that, we work hard to provide resources and ongoing professional development to our staff.
Bethel Professional Learning Days are held in August, but the planning begins in February, when educators are surveyed for the type of trainings they want to see offered that year. That way the Teaching and Learning Department can begin to prioritize training that teachers want to see.
Then the team partners with principals, teacher-leaders, and district departments including Equity,
a lot of learning into just a few days, which includes support for new teachers, as well as teachers in their first three years of the profession.
Over three days in August, 99 courses were offered during Bethel Professional Learning Days, including a course that brought paraeducators and teachers together that focused on the neural science of hope.
And all that learning will continue as the school year moves forward, including mentors for first year teachers, and ongoing check-ins with educators in their first few years of teaching.
“It’s ongoing to ensure that people feel cared about,” said Shawn Simpson, Director of Secondary Teaching and Learning, “to help kids succeed.”
Another training that will be ongoing was initiated by the district’s Behavior
for an inspiring session with John and Jessica Hannigan’s P-12 Behavior Solutions. As experts in implementing effective behavior systems in schools nationwide, the Hannigans provided valuable insights and strategies for Team Bethel.
“This was a spectacular day,” said Executive Director of Elementary Schools Kelley Boynton. He said the theme of the day was that over 90% of challenging behaviors are predictable.
“If they’re predictable, they’re preventable,” Boynton said.
The Hannigans will continue their collaboration with the Behavior Task Force throughout the school year to support our school behavior teams.
By investing in our educators’ growth throughout the year, we are committed to creating the best learning environment possible for each and every one of our students.
STUDENTS DEBUT VIDEO GAMES AT PAX WEST
A group of Pierce County Skills Center students turned a classroom project into a real-world triumph when they unveiled their own creations at one of the biggest video game conventions in the country.
Each year, students in Ian Lewis’ Video Game Development class work with other PCSC classes to design and build original arcade cabinets, complete with unique video games. It’s called The Arcade Project, and it’s been a staple of the Skills Center since 2018. Last year, however, Lewis and his class set their sights even higher: publishing their games online and showcasing their work at PAX West, an annual gathering of the gaming industry held each summer in Seattle.
Lewis set that ambitious goal with one underlying question: Could students with limited experience really navigate the intricacies of game publishing and the high-stakes environment of a major expo?
The answer, it turns out, was a resounding “Yes.”
With support from Skills Center administrators, Lewis’ students embarked on the dual mission of creating unique, marketable video
games while also securing a coveted spot at PAX West. The students succeeded on both fronts, and by August they had their PAX invitations in hand and their completed games ready to debut under the bright lights.
One of the two PCSC games showcased at PAX was "Seas of Hydra,” described as a “cozy fishing survival game that takes place in a fantasy realm where the player is tasked with satisfying the eternal hunger of The Lighthouse Turtle.”
Students Cael Trevino and Nick Schulz were members of the Seas of Hydra team who attended PAX West. As they stood at their booth and watched strangers play the game they worked so hard to create, Trevino and Schulz felt a mix of pride and nervous excitement.
“I think I can speak for my team when I say it was a very surreal, very weird feeling,” Trevino said. “It felt like we snuck in in a way, because we had these exhibitor badges and we could go where other people couldn’t go.”
Schulz couldn’t help but feel a bit out of place sitting across from some of the biggest game developers in the world.
“There’s no other way to describe it other than imposter syndrome,” he said. “It’s like, ‘Why am I here? I’m not supposed to be here. There’s actually video games here.’”
The students say they heard a lot of positive feedback from expo attendees, which they’re already using to make their game even better. Seas of Hydra and another PCSC produced game, Limeviathan, are both now available for purchase on Steam.
The success of this year’s event has set a new precedent for future classes. The students have raised the bar, proving that ambition and hard work can lead to extraordinary outcomes. Lewis said in today’s video game industry, many people rush to put out shoddy, inferior games with the hopes of making a quick buck. He said that’s not what his class strives for.
“The work that we do in class stands out from so much of that,” he said. “Not just that it’s high school students working on it, but the quality of the work is stellar and it’s fun and it’s worth money. So it’s important to take advantage of events like this, so that work gets the appropriate amount of eyes on it.”
LEARNING ABOUT LOCKDOWNS
Getting notification that your school is in a lockdown, or a modified lockdown can be a stressful moment. But knowing the difference between those two terms can actually help ease the tension you might be feeling.
“The majority of our lockdowns are not school related," said Bryan Streleski, our Director of Athletics and Security. "But we've got to protect our students and staff at all times.”
Pierce County Deputy Vickie Morrison is one of four School Resource Officers (SROs) assigned to our district that help make sure our students and staff stay safe. She was a recent guest on our podcast and talked about the difference between a modified lockdown and a lockdown.
“That threat on the outside of the school, that's why we put the school in a full lockdown,” she said. In a "full" lockdown, classroom doors are locked and/or barricaded, students and staff
is a tense situation, and that’s why students and staff practice them with the help of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.
“The participation is by everybody, including admin, office staff, nutrition – everybody's running [the drills] so they follow their proper procedures,” said Morrison. When a school's in lockdown, she said it's a very quiet place. “Out of sight, like nobody's home.”
During the drills, deputies then go through the school to check the doors and make sure they’re locked and secured. They’ll also enter classrooms, and give feedback to staff on what they see.
“We are not trying to scare anybody, we are just trying to prepare,” Morrison said. “The teachers themselves, they do such an amazing job.”
lockdowns are a different story. For the most part, when deputies put our schools in modified lockdowns, it’s due to an issue outside the school, usually off campus.
The first thing that happens in a modified lockdown is all external doors are locked. But here in Bethel, our external doors are always locked anyway, so there’s no real change there.
The big change is that no one is admitted to the building, and the hallways are kept clear.
“The good thing about the modified lockdown is teachers can still teach," said Morrison. "We just need to control a certain area, and we don't want kids coming and disrupting.”
You can learn more about lockdowns, safety and security, and hear more from Deputy Morrison on Episode 97 of our district’s podcast, bethelsd.org/
CHANGES TO MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL GRADING
This year, students in our middle and high schools are being graded differently, and it’s a change that’s been a long time coming.
“There were so many different ways that teachers were grading student learning,” said Lori Honig, Assistant Director of Secondary Teaching and Learning.
For example, students with five classes during the school day could have been graded five different ways.
“Each of those five teachers had different policies: for turning in late work, for retaking tests, for being graded only on academic content, or academic content and other items like behavior, participation, homework,” said Honig.
So in 2020, we set out to change
the middle and high school grading system, which hadn’t been updated since 2003. Over the past four years, we’ve had task forces, committees, and enormous amounts of research dedicated to Standards Based Instruction and Grading (SBIG). In 2023, 47 intrepid pilot teachers used SBIG during one class a day and reported back to the team what was working and what wasn’t. This year is the first of a two-year, districtwide SBIG rollout.
The old way of grading would leave some students feeling behind, and some would even give up midway through the year knowing mathematically, there was no way they could pass the class. Now, thanks to SBIG, retake policies at each school help to motivate students to never give up.
Top 5 things YOU need to know about changes to middle and high school grading
• All assignments and assessments will be graded using a common four-point rubric.
• 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.
• The current calculation for GPA will not change.
• Extra credit will no longer be available.
• Assessment retakes will be available.
“Behaviors, like participation, are going to be tracked a different way through success skills,” said Honig. “Now the grade is only about content.”
You can learn more about SBIG at bethelsd.org/sbig, and hear more on episode 100 of our district’s flagship podcast
SOUTH SOUND POW WOW
November is National Native American Heritage Month. For the second year in a row, Bethel High School recently played host to the South Sound Pow Wow, a showcase for local dancers, musicians, vendors and educators.
ABC DAY 2024
AP GOVERNMENT STUDENTS PRACTICE
POLITE POLITICS
In Emily Peterson’s AP Government class at Spanaway Lake High School, students are diving into the intricate workings of American democracy with an enthusiasm that’s rare among their adult counterparts.
Under Peterson’s guidance, the course is much more than simply memorizing how a bill becomes a law. It’s an exploration of political systems, the Constitution, and current events, giving students a comprehensive understanding of how our government actually functions.
There’s an old saying that you should never discuss politics or religion in polite company. Peterson doesn’t buy that. She knows politics can lead to heated conversations, and she welcomes it, asking her students to
actively engage in discussions that challenge them to think critically about the political world around them.
“More discourse generally leads to better discourse,” Peterson said. “I’ve been teaching for a while – through multiple elections – and the idea has always been that the better we know each other and the more we talk to each other, the better able we are to talk to each other.”
Unlike many adults, the students in Peterson’s class look for common ground on even the most divisive topics.
“The way I see it is that politics aren’t personal, at least they’re not supposed to be personal,” said Roman, a senior in the class. “At the end of the day,
most of us in our state and our area and our country – even the citizens of other countries – we all just want the best for our collective safety and want to live our lives.”
Just because they keep it civil doesn’t mean these students don’t have opinions about the way our political system operates. A senior named Tatiana said if she were in charge, she would work to make sure everyone in our country had a platform to express themselves and run for office – not just the ones who can afford it.
“I would change campaign finance laws,” Tatiana said. “We have so many people with open minds who are open to changes, but the cost to get your voice heard is just outrageous. I would definitely change that.”
EDUCATING THE WHOLE STUDENT
It’s been a thrilling start to the football season, full of entertaining storylines and improbable upsets. Graham-Kapowsin’s freshman phenom quarterback AJ Tuivaiave is only 14 years old, but he’s already etching his name in the school’s history books. In October, AJ tossed seven touchdowns without a turnover in a 57-36 win over powerhouse Yelm High.
For the first time in eight years, all three of our comprehensive high schools are back in the 4A South Puget Sound League. Director of Athletics and Security Bryan Streleski said this is going to bring back all the local rivalry games.
“We're really excited about it. It'll be a little bit different for our community, but we get to see our kids playing against each other more and really competing. There's nothing better than having kids that know each other compete really hard on the field, and walk off giving each other high fives,” he said.
With Bethel High coming off a playoff run last year, and UW commit Zaydrius Rainey-Sale taking the field again for the Bison, the gridiron will be heating up. But Streleski warned not to lose focus on our other fall sports teams.
“We're looking to make some state playoff runs for our volleyball and soccer teams,” he said. “And we always have qualifiers for our cross country and golf into the state tournament. So we’ve got some great athletes doing great things.”
What’s astounding is the sheer number of student athletes that will be competing from our secondary schools this fall.
“Our middle schools are going to see 150 plus kids in the fall season alone running track and field, playing baseball, playing softball. Our high schools are going to be running 200 to 300 kids out in all the different sports,” Streleski said.
That’s an opportunity that connects students to staff and builds a sense of community in the schools.
“It's a lot of high fives. It's a lot of frustration. There's some tears in there. But, man, it's really fun to see those kids come across the finish line, win a baseball game, a softball game, whatever it may be in the middle schools and seeing our kids at the high schools move on to the playoffs.”
Streleski said athletics is an important part of educating the “whole student.”
“It wraps in the life skills. It wraps in to discipline and some of those things that are going to come up the rest of your life, not to mention the healthy habits of eating right and being able to compete,” he said. “All of the things that make you able to move through your adult life, you're learning at a young age, but you're also doing it in a safe environment with people that really care and want the best for you.”
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW BETHEL?
DOWN
The year the school district started. District’s first superintendent, _____ T. Anderson. Frederickson mascot.
Bethel High NFL star or city in Ohio. Friday night lights happens here. Bonds are for building, levies are for _____. The district’s oldest elementary school. The district’s newest elementary school. All of our middle schools used to be _____.
Bethel is the host district for which educational facility? The only incorporated town in the district. The district covers 202 _____ miles of Pierce County.
ACROSS
What is Ruth Bethel’s middle name?
SLHS football team name. Challenger MS/HS name origin.
Mountain visible from many Bethel schools. First name of Thompson Elementary namesake. Shining Mountain mascot. Bethel coach who turned 100 this year.
Mascots for many of our elementary schools. Levies have to be renewed by voters every _____ years. Longest serving superintendent of the district.
What fuels our energy efficient buses?
Nearby military base. Financial magazine that named Bethel one of the best employers in the state, five years running.
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 / Gender-Inclusive Schools 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. Title IX inquiries may also be directed toward the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR): https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html. Information about the nondiscrimination and sex-based discrimination policies and grievance procedures, and how to report a concern or complaint: bethelsd.org.
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 por el 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. Los siguientes empleados han sido designados para atender consultas y quejas de supuesta discriminación: Cumplimiento de los Derechos Civiles/Coordinadora Escolar de Inclusión de Género, Debbie Carlman, dcarlman@ bethelsd.org, 253.800.2019; Coordinador del Título IX, Bryan Streleski, bstreleski@bethelsd.org, 253.800.4302 y Coordinadora 504, Melissa Munson-Merritt, mmunsonmer@bethelsd.org, 253.800.2301. Todas las personas pueden ser localizadas en esta dirección 516 176th Street East, Spanaway, WA 98387. Las consultas sobre el Título IX también pueden dirigirse a la Oficina de Derechos Civiles (OCR) del Departamento de Educación de EE.UU.: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html. Para más información sobre las políticas de no discriminación y discriminación por razón de sexo; los procedimientos de reclamación y sobre cómo comunicar una preocupación o queja visite: www.bethelsd.org.
