Bethel Newsletter: September 2025

Posted Date: 9/08/25 (3:29 PM)

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Bethel District News

September, 2025

In this issue

2025-26 bell schedule
Reminder about early release Wednesdays
Congrats to our "20 under 40" winners!
Feedback from families survey
Bethel Green Teams
Safe Routes tips and resources

Upcoming no-school days

Friday, October 24th: K-12 Curriculum & Professional Development

Students Clap at Cascade Middle School as 6th-graders enter the building.

Students stand outside of Irving Elementary on the first day of school!

Reminder: Early Release Wednesdays

All Bethel schools will dismiss 90 minutes early every Wednesday this school year. Thank you for supporting this time for our educators to collaborate as professionals and continuously improve our practices!

Bethel District Calendars

📅 Early Release Wednesdays + Expanded After-School Care

For the 2025–26 school year, all schools will have a 90-minute early release every Wednesday.

Click here for more details on our website.

To help families adjust, we’ve expanded after-school care across the district:

Boys & Girls Club has moved to the new Clear Lake Community Center (previously Clear Lake Elementary School) Click here for more information.
YMCA will offer care at Meadow View and Fairfield Annex, with registration now open.
Adventure Club has relocated to Danebo Elementary and accepting students from all Bethel elementaries. For more information or to apply, call Lolita at 541-870-6348.
After School Club is a unique certified child care center in Eugene that provides fun, nurturing, and enriching environments for students at Irving Elementary with both K–5 and preschool care. Click here for more information.

yellow flyer with text and illustrations

Bethel Family Resource Center open Thursday from 4-6pm

The Bethel Family Resource Center (formerly the Cascade Family Resource Center) is open this Thursday 9/4 from 4 - 6 pm. We are a full-service food pantry offering produce, dairy, bread and non-perishable foods. In addition, we have laundry soap, toilet paper, toiletries and more. Please wait to come until about 3:45 pm, at 3:50 pm we will come out to distribute numbers for entry. We will begin serving folks by no later than 4 pm. Please be aware of parking limitations due to bus pick-up lanes. We have air conditioned waiting rooms for folks to sit and visit while you are waiting your turn to shop. We would love to serve any family in need of food resources so please come check us out at the new Clear Lake Community Center (formerly Clear Lake Elementary School) on Barger Dr.

Congratulations to Bethel's "20 under 40" winners!

Included in the "20 Under 40" award winners are not one but THREE members of the Bethel School District family. Congratulations to Willamette High School Principal Alyssa Dodds, Bethel School Board member and NAACP Executive Director, Drae Charles, Bethel Education Foundation Board member, Amanda D’Souza! Bethel is so lucky!

Click here to read more

Getting better at getting better

In Bethel, we’re always working toward continuous improvement—getting better at getting better! One of the best ways we can do that is by hearing directly from you. This short and simple survey is designed to give families and students a chance to share what’s going well in Bethel, where we can improve, and how we can strengthen communication across our schools. It’s completely anonymous and takes less than two minutes to complete—your feedback truly makes a difference!

Click here for the survey

Students gather outside at the kalapuya farm for a green team fair.

Bethel’s Green Teams

Walk into any Bethel school and you may notice some subtle (and sustainable!) changes. Every site has a staff Green Team Leader and a student Green Team working together to build a growth mindset around sustainability and reduce landfill waste. Green Teams at each school focus on small, sustainable changes that benefit the earth—simple shifts that add up to a big impact across the District.

Each team leads its own projects—like a pollinator garden at Willamette High and Prairie Mountain’s collection of more than 1,300 shoes for developing countries—while also advancing districtwide goals. At our elementary and middle schools, we’ve replaced single-use spork packets with real flatware, and all schools use sorting tables to support composting. Last year, students collectively composted over 8,000 gallons of food scraps, keeping them out of landfills. This year, we’ll highlight the importance of reducing food waste—and composting what’s left. Please remind your student: “Don’t throw away your FORK!”

Questions or interested in volunteering? Contact Ellie.Owens@Bethel.K12.OR.US

Safe Routes - Top safety tips

Choose streets with low traffic volumes, slow speeds, few intersections, bicycle lanes and sidewalks with no roadway construction.
Before crossing any street, look and listen for traffic in all directions.
If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic so you can see approaching cars.
Don’t cross or run out into the street from between parked cars. The cars can hide you from drivers so they can’t see you.
Before starting to cross make sure drivers see you and have stopped. It’s best to make eye contact with the driver so you know they see you.
Traveling with other people provides safety in numbers. Ask your school if there is a Walking School Bus or Bike Bus to join or if they can help you find someone to travel with.
Be aware of your surroundings. If you have a cell phone, put away your phone and ear buds, especially while crossing the street.
Be predictable and visible. If riding a bike, scooter or other device, ride in a straight line and be visible with light or reflective clothing.
If you ride a bike, skateboard or scooter, always wear a helmet that is properly fitted and fastened.

In addition, here are some video resources:

Biking, Helmet use, Walking

Part of Bethel's maintenance team poses for a picture outside of Clear Lake Elementary.

Celebrating our amazing staff!

Do you have a favorite Bethel staff member who should be celebrated? Is there someone who goes above and beyond to help students and staff? Show them some love with a Bethel Spirit Award nomination!

Spirit Awards!

A note from the Superintendent

As we kick off a new school year, I want to take a moment to share a few things I’m especially excited about in Bethel. This is a district that puts students at the center—and it shows in the way we care, collaborate, and continually grow together.

Our updated strategic plan, the 2025–26 Bethel Blueprint, outlines where we’re headed and how we’ll continue creating relevant, responsive, and joyful learning communities.

Inclusion for Every Student

This year, we’re deepening our commitment to inclusive education—ensuring every student feels a true sense of belonging and has access to learning that reflects their strengths and needs.

Time to Collaborate and Improve

With our new early release schedule, teachers have dedicated time each week to reflect, collaborate, and grow through professional learning communities (PLCs), all with the goal of improving outcomes for students.

Reasons to Celebrate

We’re seeing real progress: rising early literacy scores, growing middle school programs, strong CTE pathways, and consistently high graduation rates. These are signs of a community that believes in its students—and supports them every step of the way.

Thank you for being part of what makes Bethel such a special place.

Kraig Sproles