Bobcat Blast

Dear Bethany Families,

The new school year is right around the corner! I hope you are able to come to our "Lemonade in the Shade" event TOMORROW (Friday) at Bethany to meet your child's teacher, connect with old friends, and make new ones too! The staff have been busy preparing for an amazing school year ahead. Rooms are being set up and organized, the curriculum is being planned, staff are engaging in professional development, and all we need now are your wonderful children, who are the purpose for our hard work. ❤️

I am excited to introduce a few new staff members to the community. Hopefully you can meet them yourself tomorrow!

• Michael Smith- Music

• Barbie Giles- ELL Para Educator

• Darla Beuving- Office Assistant

• Jeanne Woods- 5th Grade Teacher (Mr. Plunkett will be taking a leave of absence this year to take care of a family member ).

My best advice to start this year is to READ THIS NEWSLETTER every Thursday. Sue does an awesome job pulling together the important dates and info you need-to-know all in one place. 🙂

With Gratitude,

Ms. Rosenquist 🌹

August 23rd

2:30 - 3:30: Meet your teacher and see classrooms

3:30: Join other Bethany families outside to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.

For the FIRST DAY ONLY, families may walk their children to their classroom, entering through the teacher's outside classroom door. A quick Good-bye is always the best, so teachers can start their day. Doors will open at 7:45.

If students are being dropped off or riding the bus, students will come in the main school lobby doors and go to the gym. Staff will escort them to their classrooms.

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See the schedule below for important information:

We are trying a new format for the First Week of Kindergarten this year. We hope having this information sooner than later will help you plan for childcare during the times your child will not be at school that week. We also believe this new schedule will provide a nice, gentle start to the school year with a predictable routine each day.

☀ First Week of School for Kindergarten ☀ August 26- 30

• Students with last names starting with A-M will attend every day Monday through Friday in the MORNING. 8:00 am -10:30 am

• Students with last names starting with N-Z will attend every day Monday through Friday in the AFTERNOON. 11:45 am- 2:15 pm

Please click on the following link for more information about the Kindergarten Day.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Jami Hayes for organizing the Staff Welcome Breakfast on Monday. Thank you to the following parents who contributed to the amazing breakfast:

Michelle Bailey, Maria Davia, Mallory Fajer, Lauren Grimaud, Irum Kotaiche, Katie Luckeroth, Swagatika Mohapatra, Brian O'Connor, Rebecca Petersen, Heather Poliszuk, Stevie Sheehy, Sarah Stoddard, Lindsey Turman, Nancy Young, Olivia Zinn.

Your generosity and support created a wonderful atmosphere that truly set the tone for the upcoming school year. It was a fantastic opportunity for our staff to connect and feel welcomed as we prepare for another exciting year with our students.

Thank you once again for being such a vital part of our school community. We look forward to an incredible school year ahead!

As a parent, it's crucial to know when your child's school will be closed for various events. Planning ahead can help you make arrangements for childcare, schedule family vacations, and ensure that your child doesn't miss any important school days.

Our school events calendar includes all the important dates you need to know, such as:

• Vacation Days: Find out when your child will have time off for holidays, including Thanksgiving, Winter Break, Spring Break, and more.

• Conferences: Learn when parent-teacher conferences are scheduled. You will receive information from your teacher on how to sign up, as we get closer to the dates.

• Teacher Workdays: Discover when teachers will be working but students will have the day off, giving you a chance to plan activities for your child.

We will have other events added to our calendar through the school year, and will share that information through the weekly Bobcat Blast Newsletter.

We want to encourage families to sign up for volunteering system. We have a new system for the 2024-2025 school year, so all volunteers need to apply. This includes parents who have been volunteering for years, EVERYONE needs to do the new background check. This is going to lead to thousands of applications and long waits for your application to be approved if you wait until the fall. By doing it this summer you will hopefully be approved by the time school starts. I know that some parents have already been approved.

Volunteer Information and Application

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Our Jog-A-Thon will be in September and needs a lot of volunteers to cheer on children and help with their count cards. If you would like to help or just come to cheer on your child, you will need to have your background check completed. There will be a Spectator Area this year, but it will not be close enough to interact personally with the runners as they go by. If you want to High Five runners you will need to have done your background check. Do not wait until the week before the event and then be disappointed when you can not go outside and watch.

You will not find a school supply list for Bethany. Rather than every family having to do their own shopping, we collect money for supplies. We began this a few years ago and it has worked well. This year we are asking for a donation of $35.00 per student.

This system has several benefits:

• All students in a class have the same supplies
• Supplies purchased in bulk are less expensive
• Teachers only buy what they need. (prevents stockpiles or waste)
• Flexibility to purchase more enriching and creative materials for projects.

You are now able to pay by credit card online. Please see the links below for the Online Payment System and the directions on how to pay if this is your first time. You may also bring cash or a check to the school office or at Lemonade in the Shade.

These donations are flexible, and confidential--only the office knows who donates and how much.

We understand that some families are not able to afford the cost of supplies. All children will receive the same supplies, regardless if they are able to contribute towards the cost. Some families may be in the position to make an extra donation towards helping others. If you would like to help by giving extra money, please click on the "Donations" tab that appears on your child's grade level page.

Online Payment Link

Instructions for Online Payment System

It is back to school time! Our spiritwear store which is where all of our Bethany Bobcat branded merchandise is sold, can be purchased and a portion of the proceeds come back to school! Right now through September 17th there is a 30% off everything on the site. Use our Bethany exclusive link to shop so we get credit and also so you shop merchandise with the correct logo and school name. We can't wait to see everyone sporting new Bobcat gear this fall!

https://1stplace.sale/77425

Free Meals for All

Starting this school year, all BSD students will be eligible to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch at school daily.

Families do not have to apply, and there are no income requirements. This change is due, in part, to more generous eligibility requirements at the federal level and more funding through the state’s Student Success Act. Research indicates that universal free meals improve student health and attendance in addition to reducing bullying and behavioral issues.

Student meals include an entree, sides and a milk. Students must take the entire meal to be eligible for the no-cost option; students who only opt for milk do not qualify for free milk. This is a federal requirement meant to encourage students to eat a well-balanced, school-made meal.

The district will continue to charge for à la carte items such as milk, second entrees and snack items.

We are in the process of beginning to put classes together for next year.

If you will not be returning to Bethany for the 2024-2025 school year, please let the school office know.

Bethany Elementary

Email: BTHY-Communications@beaverton.k12.or.us

• School Office Hours: 7:15am - 3:30pm

School Hours: 7:45am - 2:20pm

Phone: 503-356-2030

Attendance Line: Call the school number and push 1 when prompted for Attendance
Website: https://bethany.beaverton.k12.or.us/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethanyBSD

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethanyelementarybsd/