May/June 2011 - Bethel School District

MAY/JUNE 2011
8 BETHEL PRIDE • WWW.BETHELSD.ORG
bethelcommunity
DISTRICT CALENDAR
MAY
May 27: Schools in session,
Snow Make-Up Day
May 30: Memorial Day,
no school
JUNE
June 1-2: Spring Musical, “The
Boy Friend,” 2:30 p.m. at BJH
June 2: District Band Festival,
7 p.m. at PLU’s Olson Auditorium
June 2-4: Spring Play, “The
Seagull,” 7 p.m. at GKHS
June 3: Early dismissal for
students in grades K-6, report
card preparation
June 3: Spring Musical, “The
Boy Friend,” 7 p.m. at BJH
June 3-4 & 10-11: Play, “Run
for the Money,” 7 p.m. at CJH
Elk Plain awarded for excellence
EPSOC receives Schools of Excellence in Arts Education Award
Elk Plain School of Choice
is one of three recipients
of the new state Schools of
Excellence in Arts Education
Award. The award given
by ArtsEd Washington in
partnership with the Association
of Washington School
Principals (AWSP) is part of
the national program of the
John F. Kennedy Center for
the Performing Arts Schools
of Distinction in Arts Education
Awards.
Elk Plain was selected for
its outstanding school arts
program and for making all
components of the arts –
dance, music, theater, and
visual arts – an essential
ArtsEd Washington presents Elk Plain School of Choice with award.
part of all students’ education.
The school received accolades
for having certificated teachers
in all arts disciplines and providing
a highly integrated program
of learning for students with
stimulating classes and handson
experiences, which offer authentic
community and cultural
connections.
“We’re extremely proud to
formally acknowledge these exemplary
Washington schools who
have committed to ensuring the
arts are part of their schools’ curriculum
– in line with Washington
state law requiring the arts to be
taught in our public schools,” said
Una McAlinden, executive director
for ArtsEd Washington.
Other winners this year included
Carnation Elementary School
in King County and the Tacoma
School of the Arts.
The Schools of Excellence in
Arts Education Awards program
is open to all public elementary,
middle, and high schools with exemplary
arts education programs.
Project Unity: One district, one heart
June 3-4: One Act Comedy,
“Hard Candy,” 7 p.m. at SJH
June 4: Spring Musical, “The
Boy Friend,” 2 p.m. at BJH
June 8: Late arrival day
for students
June 8: Spring Choir Concert &
Awards Night, 7 p.m., SLHS
June 9: Band Awards Banquet,
7 p.m., GKHS
June 14: School board meeting,
7 p.m. at Pioneer Valley
June 15: Graduation to be held
at PLU’s Eastvold Auditorium:
• CSS, 2 p.m.
June 16: Graduations to be
held at the Tacoma Dome:
• GKHS, 3:30 p.m.
• SLHS, 6 p.m.
• BHS, 8:30 p.m.
June 20: Last day of school,
early dismissal
June 21: First Day of Summer
June 22-24: Bethel’s Summer
Institute, 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
at GKHS
June 28: School board meeting,
7 p.m. at district office
JULY
July 4: Independence Day
July 12: School board meeting,
7 p.m. at district office
July 26: School board meeting,
7 p.m. at district office
AUGUST
August 9: School board
meeting, 7 p.m. at district office
August 15-19: Bethel’s
Summer Institute,
8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at CMJH
August 23: School board
meeting, 7 p.m. at district office
SEPTEMBER
September 7: First day of
school
Students from Bethel, Graham-Kapowsin and Spanaway Lake high schools ramp up district spirit hoping to end school rivalries off of the field.
District high schoolers work to end school rivalries
Article by Marissa Jay
Bethel High School senior
Project Unity gives the
opportunity to bring Bethel,
Graham-Kapowsin and
Spanaway Lake high schools
together. This is a rivalry so
terrible that something has
to be done. This is the one
chance for us to be friends,
to change something for the
Evergreen Elementary Makes No Excuses!
After two years of exceptionally
hard work, Evergreen
Elementary is now a proud
member of the No Excuses
University!
No Excuses University is a
network of elementary, middle,
and junior high schools
across the United States,
which actively promotes college
readiness. From the moment
a child enters school,
it is made very clear that
college is more than just a
dream; it is a reality.
The goal of the program is
to expose students to powerful
college symbolism. College
flags and banners are
hung throughout the school
so that classrooms develop
close partnerships with universities.
Even college chants
may be used to help students
identify with college.
No Excuses University/
Turn Around Schools is an
future. We only have three years
to make a difference in our community
and this is the change we
want to make.
The concept came from the
idea that no one should be treated
unfairly just because they
go to one school as opposed to
another. In past years, the rivalries
between schools have been
carried past athletics and have
caused a great deal of trouble for
initiative focused on Creating
Cultures of Universal Achievement,
a belief that no matter what
challenges a school faces, each
staff member must believe in the
academic potential of every student.
In addition, every adult on
campus also understands that it is
his or her responsibility to translate
that potential into reality.
As a member of NEU, Evergreen
has developed exceptional
systems for collaboration, standards
alignment, assessment,
data analysis and interventions.
Evergreen is very proud to have
been accepted into the family of
No Excuses Universities and will
continue to work hard to fully
implement the initiative.
Jeff King and Damon Lopez
at Los Penasquitos Elementary
School in California developed
the No Excuses/Turn Around
Schools initiative. For more information
about this program, visit
www.turnaroundschools.com
those involved in the malicious
attacks between schools.
Through Project Unity, the
goal is to leave the rivalry on
the field and maintain a positive
attitude towards the other
high schools within the district.
The three schools have come up
with a quote that we plan on living
by, “one district, one heart”.
Just because there are three high
schools doesn’t mean we can’t be
one big family.
Project Unity will strive to work
for the common good of all three
schools coming together and
maintaining a positive relationship.
This will not happen over
night, but with open minds, open
hearts and the determination to
make a change in the right direction,
Project Unity can relinquish
rivalry between the high schools
in our district.
Evergreen Elementary is proud to have been accepted into the family
of No Excuses Universities, helping students to identify with colleges.