Bethel School District

January 19, 2021

As previously announced, following the latest guidance from the Governor, along with information and resources from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, we have determined start dates for all of our elementary grade levels:

• February 1: Preschool, Kindergarten and 1st grade
• February 17: 2nd and 3rd grade
• March 1: 4th and 5th grade

If you haven't visited our Frequently Asked Questions page, you can find it at bethelsd.org/Page/6023.

Students will return in a hybrid A/B model
In the A/B hybrid model, half of our students will meet in person at school on Monday and Thursday (Cohort A) for full days of instruction, with the second half of the students meeting in person on Tuesday and Friday (Cohort B.)

On days when students are not attending in person, they will be engaged in teacher-directed independent learning and Zoom lessons.

The student day for in-person learning will be 4½ hours. This will allow teachers to conduct a Zoom check-in with the cohort of students learning at home that day. The shorter student day will also support students as they learn in an environment very different from what they have previously experienced while in school.

You will find a copy of the Hybrid Elementary Bell Schedule by clicking here. You will be notified the week of January 25th what cohort your student(s) are in.

Health & Safety
Mask wearing and social distancing is mandatory for all students and staff in our schools. To learn more about our building safety protocols, please click on the Health and Safety tab above.

If you have specific questions, or didn’t fill out the recent survey regarding your preference of returning to hybrid or remaining in remote learning, please contact your school office.

January 8, 2021

It is time to begin the process of getting all students back into classrooms for in-person learning.

Following the latest guidance from the Governor, along with information and resources from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, we have determined start dates for all of our elementary grade levels:

• February 1: Preschool, Kindergarten and 1st grade
• February 17: 2nd and 3rd grade
• March 1: 4th and 5th grade

Because middle and high school environments are very different from those of an elementary school, secondary start dates will be announced later, and will align with the Governor’s updated school guidance for in-person instruction.

Students will return in a hybrid A/B model
In the A/B model, half of our students will meet in person at school on Monday and Thursday (Cohort A) for full days of instruction, with the second half of the students meeting in person on Tuesday and Friday (Cohort B.) On days when students are not attending in person, they will be engaged in teacher-directed independent learning.

We used the elementary parent survey conducted in October for our preliminary planning. We know much has changed since then, so we are asking elementary parents to take the time to redo the survey now, so we have the most up-to-date information about your student’s needs.

Click here to fill out the preschool and elementary survey (DEADLINE: Jan 15)

Elementary FAQ for Parent Selection Process

We are also asking parents of middle and high school students to fill out a survey with their preferences. This survey will help as we plan the hybrid model for middle school and high school. If, as more information is available about the hybrid model, you want to move your middle or high school child from one plan to the other, you will be able to do so by contacting your school by a date that will be publicized.

Click here to fill out the middle and high school survey (DEADLINE: Jan 24)

Special Education Students
We will increase in-person services for students served in K-12 self-contained special education classrooms to four days per week beginning on February 1. Schools and IEP case managers will be in contact with families prior to February 1 with more information.

Health & Safety
Mask wearing and social distancing is mandatory for all students and staff in our schools. To learn more about our building safety protocols, please visit www.bethelsd.org/backtoschool.

Any changes to this proposed schedule will be determined by the Superintendent, in consultation with the Board of Directors, based on guidance and direction from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Governor, and state and local health authorities.

Additional resources
Governor's updated school guidance for in-person instruction
Healthy Washington: Roadmap to Recovery

January 20, 2020

School Board Recap: Jan. 12, 2021

Reorganization of the Board

Board policy calls for the reorganization of the board at the first regular meeting in January. The Board members unanimously elected a president and a vice president to serve one-year terms.

• 2021 President: Roseanna Camacho
• 2021 Vice President: John Manning

Curriculum Adoption: Television Production and Broadcast Journalism

http://go.boarddocs.com/wa/bethel/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BWAQ6C66FDAB

Policy Adoption
The following policies were accepted for second reading:

• 3120 Enrollment
• 3143 Notification and Dissemination of Information about Juvenile Offenses and Threats of Violence
• 3144 Release of information concerning student sexual and kidnapping offenders (policy and procedure being retired; information now embedded within 3143)
• 4314 Notification of Threats of Violence or Harm (policy and procedure being retired; information now embedded within 3143)

Budget Update

Billy R. Wessell, Chief Financial Officer, shared the 2021-22 budget development timeline.

http://go.boarddocs.com/wa/bethel/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BWY9SG24658F

New Bethel High School

The Constructability Review of the new Bethel High School is now complete. This procedure is necessary to order to be placed on the list for state matching funds.

http://go.boarddocs.com/wa/bethel/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BVEMK55B1BD8

You can find the full list of agenda items on BoardDocs.

Bethel Pride

September/October 2020

You can view the Bethel Pride archive by clicking here.

Bethel in the News

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