Bethel Flame

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! I hope you had a fun, restful, and relaxing summer. We have been busy getting ready for the 2024–2025 school year, and we are so happy to see you back at Bethel.

Welcome to our first edition of this year's Flame newsletter! This will be sent out on the first Friday of each month and will include information you need to know about our entire school, preschool through high school. We hope this change is a welcome one and that you'll enjoy reading about everything great that's happening here school-wide. As always, if you have information you'd like included in the next edition of the Flame, please send that to us HERE.

I would like to highlight a few items as we begin the school year:

2024-2025 Chapel Theme:

Our theme for this year is “Run the Race” based on Hebrews 12: 1c-2b - “...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”

New Lunch Provider:

After a policy change by Morton 709's food service, we were very pleased to find a solution that will allow us to continue to provide a daily school lunch option for those that would prefer not to bring a lunch from home. Our new provider, Ordo, has contracted with a commercial kitchen in the area to provide quality lunch options to our students that can be ordered weekly through their website. More information and the order link can be found HERE.

Champions Extended Care:

We are also excited about our new partnership with Champions to provide our before and after care services. This new program is not just supervision for those that need to drop children off early or pick them up later; it's a robust program designed to provide enrichment to your child's education here at Bethel. This year, we are able to offer this option to students aged 5 through 8th grade, and registration is open now. More information and enrollment options can be found HERE.

Volunteer Opportunities:
One of the greatest blessings of our school (and one of the major reasons for our success) is our volunteers. Please check with your classroom coordinators to see how you can help, and let us know your interest in all-school events HERE. We hope you'll take advantage of one or more of the options available to you this year!

We are very blessed to welcome several new wonderful teachers to Bethel this year!

Kindergarten - Bethel parent and active PTL member Mrs. Melissa Widmer joins us as a certified teacher with more than nine years experience teaching kindergarten.

2nd grade - Joining us in second grade is Mrs. Dawn Finneran. She has been a Bethel Church member for several years and recently retired from the Pekin school system after 35 years teaching 2nd grade there.

4th grade - Mrs. Angie Rush is our new 4th grade teacher, moving to the area all the way from Marietta, Georgia. She and her husband Aaron are proud parents of three boys who will be in 5th grade, 2nd grade and preK.

Upper grade music - Finally, Maestro (yes Maestro!) Brian Dollinger will be taking over our 5th through 8th grade music program. A Bethel parent for the past few years, Mr. Dollinger brings his wealth of experience and education to share with our students.

As we start another exciting school year, please consider blessing your child's teacher (or a few of them!) by making a purchase from their Amazon wish list. Please check back often, as lists will continue to be added and updated. Your generosity is so appreciated!

Preschool parents: should plan to drop off and pick up their students each day inside at their classroom door. Morning preschool classes end at 11:15 AM, and children staying for afternoon enrichment will be dismissed at 2:55 PM.

Grade school and high school parents: are also welcome to walk children to their classrooms each morning. If you'd prefer to drop your child off outside, please make sure to pull forward as far as you can along the walkway in front of the school, and please do not drop your child off before 8:10 AM. Classroom hallway doors open at 8:15 AM, and all students need to be in their classrooms by 8:30 AM.

Afternoon pick-up is not changing from last year. Parents should plan to come inside to fill out a dismissal form in front of the school office between 2:45 and 3:00 PM (between 11:15 and 11:30 AM on early dismissal days) if you'd like your child to be called down to the commons after school closing. You may also stay in your vehicle and pick up outside; click HERE for more information.

Make beautiful music with Bethel's choirs, starting up soon! Joyful Noise for students in 6th grade through high school will meet on Mondays from 3:00 to 3:30, and Praise Kids for students in 2nd through 5th grades will meet on Thursdays from 3:00 to 3:30. Choirs will start the week of August 26. To join the choir, simply show up at the first practice, and Mrs. Hoyum will have your contracts ready to go!

Saturday, August 17 Back to School Carnival - volunteer HERE!

Saturday, August 24 Come check out what Bethel cheerleading is like at our open gym! All are welcome - 2:00-3:30 PM

Monday, August 26 Joyful Noise choir (6th grade through high school) begins - 3:00-3:30 PM

Tuesday, August 27 Bethel Back to School Night in the commons (kindergarten through high school) - 6:30-8:00 PM

Wednesday, August 28 Preschool orientation day (MW, MWF classes) & parent meeting in the commons - 8:45-9:45 AM

Thursday, August 29 Preschool orientation day (TTh, MTWTh, MTWThF classes) & parent meeting in the commons - 8:45-9:45 AM

Thursday, August 29 Praise Kids choir (2nd through 5th graders) begins - 3:00-3:30 PM

Tuesday, September 3 & Wednesday September 4 Preschool morning classes begin

Friday, September 6 Coffee with the principal in the school commons - 8:45 AM

Monday, September 9 Preschool Lunch Bunch & enrichment classes begin

Monday, September 9 PTL meeting in the high school room - 6:00 PM

Monday, September 9 & Tuesday, September 10 Preschool chapel services in the sanctuary (all are welcome to join us!) - 9:15 AM

Week of August 19 - Hebrews 12: 1c-2b: "...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith."

Week of August 26 - New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Revelation