Bobcat Blast

Dear Bethany Families,

It was wonderful to welcome back the children after a week away! The sunny weather really helps brighten everyone's mood. ☀️ Without the cloud cover though, we have had some COLD mornings! As we head into winter, please label any warm clothing with your child's name. You wouldn't believe how many gloves, hats, and coats we accumulate every year! (Or maybe you can believe it after seeing the lost and found during conferences! 🤣

I also want to make everyone aware of a CHANGE we are making to our morning arrival. Starting on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10th, we will be closing the lobby door at 7:45 am (we have been giving a 5-minute grace period and not closing the door until 7:50).

On average, we have around 50-60 students who arrive in the 5 minutes between 7:45 and 7:50. An additional 35-40 students arrive after that on a daily basis. We know everyone will have an occasional day when the morning routine is behind schedule or something comes up, but PLEASE try to make sure your child arrives to school between 7:30 and 7:45 am. SCHOOL STARTS at 7:45 am. That means teachers are ready to start instruction soon after.

We've had quite a bit of time to adjust to the earlier school schedule and we're hoping to practice this new routine for two weeks before the break and then start January off with good new habits for all!

P.S. We know the parking lot and 174th Ave get really busy and backed up. The doors open at 7:30 am, so if you drive your child to school, you may want to plan to get here a closer to that time (or 7:35, 7:40ish). Also, allow for time to DEFROST the car on the cold mornings. THANK YOU!!!

With Gratitude,

Ms. Rosenquist

December

• 6 - Family Movie Night, 5:45pm
• 9 - Staff Development, No School
• 13 - Option School Applications Due
• 20 - Winter Sing, 8:15am
• 21-31, Winter Break, No School

January

• 6 - School Resumes
• 8 - PTO Meeting on Zoom, 7:00pm
• 17 - Staff Development, No School
• 20 - Holiday, No School
• 27 - Grading Day No School
• 31 - School Family Event, TBD

Click on the Link Below for the full school year calendar

We will be showing the movie, The Wild Robot. Doors will open at 5:45 pm, and the movie will begin at 6:15 pm. This is a family event vs. a drop off event. All children will need an adult present in order for admittance. Limited snacks will be available. Families are also welcome to bring their own food items.

Students may only select one Option school on their application. They should give careful consideration to their choice of school. Once an application has been submitted, no changes will be allowed. We strongly encourage online applications.

Applications must be received online or in the Learning Options office no later than Friday, December 13 at 3:00 p.m. PST.

As is our tradition for participating in giving initiatives, Bethany Elementary Library Media Center is participating in Cedar Mill Community library Winter Reading Challenge where they have a community goal of 5000 reading hours. Last year we logged the most hours of reading in the month of December for an elementary school.

The students will receive a paper reading log this week and they can color in or write the minutes they read through the month of December. All reading counts, even being read to! The log has to be returned to the class teacher / school library when students return from winter break.

Each log that is turned in is eligible to be chosen for prizes from local businesses.

The class with the most reading hours will get donuts sponsored by the school library!

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The WCCLS Student Library cards were mailed to all new Bethany Elementary students in November. 78 students would have received their cards.

Visit the Cedar Mill and Bethany community libraries for books, media, Storytime, games, craft kits, fun programs for kids, OBOB practice battles and a wide selection of books in many world languages.

Many parents have asked about the school Winter Sing-a-Long on December 20th and if families are invited. The short answer is YES. The more detailed explanation is that there will not be room for hundreds of parents. The Drama Club students will be doing most of the "performing". Mrs. George invited those families to come for sure.

All students will be singing together, and we will be recording the program to send to families on Parent Square, so no one will miss out! If your child has been talking about this at home and really wants you to come, then please do. If you do decide to come you will need to check in as a visitor, so please plan to come a little early.

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Shop now for Bethany spirit wear during our holiday sale! Choose from hundreds of designs and garments, all with home delivery guaranteed by December 23rd!

Enjoy a limited-time savings of 25% sitewide with great gifts for the entire family! In addition, all orders over $75 will receive free shipping. Shop Now!

As we enter the rainy season, our playground often becomes muddy. While we can ask students to avoid the grass, it only takes one misstep for them to end up covered in mud.

We've already had to reach out to several families to bring in fresh clothes. We're suggesting that all parents pack an extra set of clothes in their child's backpack to save everyone a trip. You might think it’s not needed, but trust us, it happens across all grades.

Example: We have had 5 students who fell in the mud today .... within an hour. 😀

As winter approaches, we want to share some key parking lot procedures to ensure a safe and efficient drop-off for all students.

Dropping off your child: Please enter the parking lot slowly and follow the designated car line to the sidewalk. Our staff will guide you to pull all the way forward before letting your students out. It's important to pay attention to their instructions to maintain a smooth flow of traffic and allow multiple cars to unload simultaneously. Stopping in the middle of the line to have students get out can cause delays and create safety concerns as other vehicles may need to navigate around you.

Curbside drop-off: Please remain in your vehicle and let your child exit independently on the curbside. School staff in bright yellow vests will be there to assist and greet the children. Make sure to give your hugs and kisses before you get in the car to keep the process moving and ensure everyone's safety.

Lastly, we encourage families to prepare in advance by having backpacks, lunchboxes, and other items ready before reaching the drop-off area, allowing for a quick and smooth exit for students.

Teamwork Makes The Dream Work!

Thank You For Your Help.

During the year we will have different outside organizations offer classes after school at Bethany. We will put a link to their fliers in the Bobcat Blast. You can also find them on the Bethany website. (Click on the Bethany Drop-Down). After School Classes

We want to thank all of our parents who have signed up in the new volunteer system. If you still need to sign-up please use the link below.

Volunteer Information and Application

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.

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.

Instructions for Online Payment System

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/