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bethelprideI N t h e d I s t r I C t

JaNuary studeNt edItIoN

The Bethel Pride is looking for writing and artwork for the an-nual student edition.

The focus of this year’s publica-tion is how Bethel Schools are making a difference for students.

Students should select one of the following topics and reflect on how this program, activity, or individual has been essential to their learning.

Possible topics include: a classroom project, paper or group learning activity, an out-standing teacher, staff member or academic program, involve-ment in school sports or the arts (music, drama, etc.) or any other school–related activity. Articles should be between 200 to 400 words each.

Artwork and photography on a variety of subjects and shout outs about “My top teacher“ (a maximum of 50 words) will also be accepted.

All written submissions must be submitted in Microsoft Word. Bethel Pride staff will make final editing and publishing decisions. The deadline to submit work to the Communications Office is Dec. 10. For more details, call 253-683-6051 or visit, www.bethelsd.org.

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www.bethelsd.orgNow you can read more online when you see this symbol

Inside on pages 4-5

Mobile science lab rolls into Bethel

the seattle Children’s hospital Mobile science adventure lab rolled through Naches trail elementary, bringing with it a mix of science, education and fun. Fifth grade classes had the opportunity to perform science experiments. Pictured above from left to right are Marissa Palacios, Vinnie Nguyen, Caleb tolbert and razhawn Johnson from Mr. lewis’s class. the science adventure lab is a 45-foot-long mobile science lab. lessons focus on life science topics that promote health.

New program hopes to enhance learningLab aprons, goggles and gloves.

It was definitely a sign that this would be no ordinary day for stu-dents at Naches Trail Elementary School.

Dressed as scientists, fifth graders climbed aboard Seattle Children’s brand new Science Adventure Lab for a lesson in nutrition.

Using sophisticated lab tools and professional-grade research equipment, including test tubes, digital micropipettes, vortex mixers and heat blocks; students studied the sugar content of a new soda and several other solutions. They made their hypotheses and

documented the results of their experiment.

About 20 mobile science labs exist across the country, but Se-attle Children’s is the only one of its kind on the West Coast. This free program provides an experi-ence that is not often found in a regular classroom.

“Schools often don’t have the resources to buy kits and micro-scopes and fancy equipment. But, with this program they can have a hands on science experi-ence,” said program director Dr. Amanda Jones.

The idea behind the lab is simple. Like music, science re-

quires instruments and a level of precision and practice. So, les-sons are created to give kids the chance to solve real world prob-lems by practicing the scientific method and using specialized equipment.

A lot of thought and research went into designing the program. Jones says the group researched similar programs in Massachu-setts, Pennsylvania and other on the East Coast before developing the lab.

“We were able to see what worked and what didn’t work in other programs,” said Jones.

The mobile lab currently offers

a variety of lessons for schools to choose from. Current topics include: asthma, nutrition, D.N.A. and Crime Scene Investigation. Each is designed to give kids a hands-on experience and an in-side look at what scientists do.

“We want students to love science as much as we do,” said Jones. “The response to the pro-gram has been overwhelmingly positive from both students and staff,”

Already the lab has stopped at three Bethel Schools. In all, the program hopes to visit as many as 5,000 students in Washington state this year.

Voters will have an opportunity to get the facts about the upcom-ing School Programs and Opera-tions Levy.

Two public forums will be held in early January. Each meeting will focus on the latest infor-mation about the levy and the district budget. Meetings are scheduled for Jan. 5 at North Star Elementary and Jan. 7 at Freder-ickson Elementary. Both forums will begin at 7 p.m.

The Bethel School Board is ask-ing voters to renew the current School Programs and Operations Levy. The proposal would gener-ate about $30 million each of the next four years, to maintain cur-

rent educational programs, staff, activities and operations.

Nearly 20% of the district’s total operating budget comes from the levy. The funds are used to sup-port student learning and main-tain lower class sizes. Levy dol-lars pay for classroom teachers, textbooks, counselors, librarians, nurses, athletics and the district’s arts program. Even 45% of the Bethel’s transportation budget is

supported by levy funds. The district is estimating a tax

rate of $3.18 per thousand of as-sessed valuation, which is the same rate approved by voters in 2006.

Election day is February 9, 2010. To register to vote or update your voter registration, visit the district website, [ http://www.bethelsd.org ]www.bethelsd.org or contact the Pierce County Elections Depart-ment at 253-798-7430.

school Programs and operations levy updateLevy Informational Forums

Jan. 5, North Star, 7 p.m.Jan. 7, Frederickson, 7 p.m.

NOvEMBEr 2009bethel pride • www.bethelsd.org2

bethelprideBethel Pride is produced by the Bethel School District. It is mailed to all addresses in the district during the school year to promote community/school relations. Please let us know if you have an item of interest for publication.

Krista Carlson:Communications Director, Bethel Pride Editor; 253-683-6051; kcarlson@bethelsd.org

bethel Pride Contributors:Irene Hicks, Dodie raden and Sandra rangitsch

Bethel School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all federal rules and regulations including Title IX/rCW 28A.640 and Sec. 504. Bethel does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap including student participation in educational programs and extracurricular activities. Contact Laurie Barckley at (253) 683-6021 about Title IX or Bob Maxwell at (253) 683-6921 about Section 504 compliance procedures.

bethelpride

Nominees sought for Math/science teaching award

Nominations are now open for the 2010 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Award.

Educators, administrators, parents, students and others are encouraged to nominate exemplary K–6 math or science teachers.

Completed applications are due May 3, 2010. A state selec-tion committee will select the finalists.

Since 1983, the PAEMST has been the highest national honor for a math or science teacher. The award includes a $10,000 prize, a trip to the nation’s capital and a signed commendation from the President of the United States.

To nominate a teacher, go to www.paemst.org or visit www.k12.wa.us/EducationAwards/Presidential/default.aspx for more information.

Nominate a candidate for teacher of the year

Nomination forms for the next Teacher of the Year will be posted on both the district and Bethel Education websites in early January. Parents, students and community members are en-couraged to nominate outstand-ing teachers for the honor.

Completed nomination forms must be delivered to Judy Best at Pioneer Valley by 4:30 p.m., Mon-day, Feb. 8. No late nominations will be accepted.

Nominees who wish to com-plete the nomination packet will have one month to finish the paperwork. They must include essays, a resume and letters of nomination. Completed packets are due to Best by March 8 at 4:30 p.m.

A committee of former district Teachers of the Year and repre-sentatives from district admin-istration and BEA will make the selection in mid-March.

reflections art contest Local PTAs are looking for origi-

nal student artwork for this year’s Reflections art contest.

Students may submit entries in any of following six arts areas: Lit-erature, Music Composition, Pho-tography, Visual Arts, Film/Video and Choreography/Dance.

Artwork should adhere to the theme “Beauty is…”

Please check with your neigh-borhood school for specific dead-lines. State finalists will be an-nounced in the spring.

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grade 3

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grade 6

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grade 8

The following organizations are available to help local families and children.

If you are in need of assistance or would like to help, please con-tact the organization directly.

bethel Family Center18020 B St. E, 253-683-6850

Toys for kids from babies to •children age 18New winter clothing•Ne w p e r s o n a l h y g i e n e •itemsDisposable diapers•

Community Care Ministries13202 224th St. E (Old Thrift Com-munity Hall), Fridays 10 a.m. to noon; 360-832-2360

Toys for babies to children •age 18Stocking stuffers•High-protein food items like •tuna and peanut butter

First Place for Children12108 Pacific Ave. S, 360-531-2009

Coats, hats and gloves•Children’s underwear•

Miracle MakersA nonprofit organization that helps families in crisis.

Seeks family financial as-•sistanceNeeds groups or individu-•als who are willing to adopt families

Mary Wilson, director: 360-875-9587; email: miraclemakers@msn.com; mail: Miracle Makers, P.O. Box 1191, Spanaway, WA 98387.

salvation army (south hill)4009 9th St. SW,, 360-841-1491

Canned vegetables, turkey, •stuffing and pumpkin pie fillingJuice•Cash donations•

youth resources Inc.253-209-5216Serving homeless youth

Hoodies, socks, cash dona-•tions

Food baNKs

graham Food bank253-846-3805; M, W, F 1:30 – 4 p.m.

spanaway FIsh Food bank16001 A St. E, Spanaway; Call 253-383-1817 for an appointment between 9:15 a.m. to noon; Open M, W, F 1 to 2 p.m.

roy FIsh Food bank220 1st St., Roy; Call 843-3033 for an appointment between 9:30 a.m. to noon; Open Wed/Fri 1 to 3 p.m.

Visit fishfoodbanks.org for more FISH information.

w I s h l I s t

This fall, the Diversity Part-nership awarded over $11,000 in grants. These monies will be used to promote multicultural understanding, model accep-tance of diverse groups and cultures and empower others to actively share and celebrate their diversity in the Bethel School District.

this year’s winnersBAND Together Against Bul-

lying, Jasmine Brown, Naches Trail, $500

Performing Arts, Carla Bar-ragan, Elk Plain, $300

Celebrations Around the World, Linda Lavergne, Ka-

powsin, $600Symbolic Masks, Laura Burdick,

Frederickson, $569Heritage Club, Cindy Almogela,

Cedarcrest JH, $800Cultural Fair, Dana Thomas &

Bruce Adler, Bethel JH, $1,000Multicultural Art Museum,

Cheryl Smith, Frederickson, $500

Diversity is not a One-Day Lesson, Stacey Grewell, Naches Trail, $581

Rosetta Stone, Amy Schefer, Districtwide, $600

Speech and Debate, Karen Seaborn, Graham-Kapowsin HS, $500

King Beyond Borders, Erika

Hanson, North Star, $500PATHS Ethnic Fest, Tricia

Jump, North Star, $400Sharing Cultures , Paul

Bain, Graham-Kapowsin HS, $1,000

Spanish Club, Vicki Levens, Clover Creek, $800

Demystifying Autism, Becky Hendrickson, Shining Moun-tain Preschool, $948

Multicultural Art, Amy Lee , Elk Plain, $300

Food is Elementary, Jen-ni May, Shining Mountain, $450

TRIBES, Kimberly Hanson, Spanaway, $1,000

diversity grants announced

Learning is about to go high-tech. The FIRST (For Inspira-tion and Recognition of Sci-ence and Technology) LEGO League “Smart move” Chal-lenge will be held in Bethel this month.

bigger than you thinkCurrently in its eleventh

year, FIRST LEGO League anticipates its biggest season ever, with more than 16,000 teams in 40 countries com-peting in hundreds of quali-fying events and champion-ship tournaments. More than 160,000 children will compete to win honors and recogni-tion. Teams will also have the opportunity to participate at the FIRST LEGO League World Festival, to be held in conjunction with the FIRST Championship, April 15-17, 2010 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

This year’s Challenge calls for teams of 9 to 14 year-old children to research and present their own creative solutions to one of today’s most relevant topics: gaining efficiency in transportation systems.

The December 5th com-petition will be held at Cou-gar Mountain Junior High, where eight weeks of research and design will culminate in the Regional Competition. Twenty-four teams of children and mentors will demonstrate their problem-solving skills,

creative thinking, teamwork, competitive play, sportsmanship, and sense of community.

exploring new boundariesWith missions including ex-

ploring how to plan efficient routes and sequences, climb steep ramps, respond to changing conditions, travel along narrow bridges with no guard rails, and endure crash tests, teams will have to program their robots to explore the growing questions around how to make transporta-tion more efficient.

The FLL competition is judged in four areas: project presenta-tion; robot performance; techni-

cal design and programming of the robot; and teamwork. The highest honor will go to the team that best exemplifies the spirit and values of the program.

“’Smart Move’ gives kids a hands-on, real world experi-ence allowing them to use their imaginations and cre-ativity in combination with science and technology, and lets them experience first-hand the very real and exhila-rating struggle that even the top leaders and inventors in the world face,” said Dean Ka-men, FIRST founder.

LEGO robot challenge

graham-Kapowsin students exhibited their robot from last year’s FIrst competition at abC day. the gKhs team placed ninth out of 64 teams from across the country.

A top team from transporta-tion will represent the district and Washington state at in a national competition in Or-lando, Florida in March.

Driver Billy Turner and as-sistant Tina Rodriguez won the honor by placing first in

the state competition held in Spokane in early August. The Washington Association of Pupil Transportation (WAPT) will pick up their cost for air, hotel and meals for the national event.

The team will show knowledge and skill in transporting special

bus team heads to nationalsneeds students. Competition will include emergency evacu-ation, wheelchair loading and unloading, a serpentine driving course, and how to deal with a variety of behavioral situa-tions.

A strong district training program for special needs per-sonnel led by driver-trainer Tammy Sutton has made the department one of the best in the state, according to Gayle Despres, assistant director of transportation.

“Tammy is the driving force behind them,” Despres said. “The state has a certain level of mandated requirements. Tammy has taken them above and beyond what the state requires.”

The competition will be the district’s second time at nation-als. In 2008, Rodriguez and Liz Clisbee placed third out of 22 teams in competition in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Pta to host essay contest

The Washington State PTA is hosting an essay contest for stu-dents. Children in Kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to write an essay, 650 words or less, describing how a male role model has positively influenced their education.

Essays will be judged on state standards for good writing, includ-ing: content, style and conven-tions. All entries must be received by Feb. 1st. Regional winners will compete at the state level. Grand prize winners will receive four field level tickets to a Mariner’s game and have their essay published.

For more details or an entry form, contact your neighborhood school or go to the district website, www.bethelsd.org.

NOvEMBEr 2009www.bethelsd.org • bethel pride 3

Nelson dedication The public is invited to help

celebrate one of Bethel’s newest schools. Nelson Elementary will hold a dedication ceremony Jan. 9 at 1 p.m. The event will include a ribbon cutting and a tour of the school.

Nelson Elementary is located at 22109 108th Avenue East in Graham.

Voters approved the school’s construction as part of the 2006 bond. It is one of three new schools to open in Bethel this year.

daffodil princesses crowned

Three young women will rep-resent local high schools at this year’s Daffodil Festival. Princesses include: Tresa Turner, a senior at Graham-Kapowsin High School; Kaliegh Barnett, a senior at Span-away Lake High School and Emily Lanoce, a senior at Bethel High School. All will vie for the title of Daffodil Queen and participate in a variety of events during the coming year.

The Grand Floral Parades will be held on April 10th.

The Daffodil Festival is an an-nual tradition in Pierce County. However, organizers say more donations are needed to keep the festival going. To donate, go to www.daffodilfestival.net/.

students graduate from wa aerospace program

It’s mission accomplished for three Bethel-area students.

Collin Nelson and Joshua Schiefelbein of Bethel High School and Justin Rees of Span-away Lake High recently com-pleted a summer residency in the Washington Aerospace Scholars program. The program gives high school students an opportunity to explore aerospace through sci-ence, technology, engineering and math.

Statewide, only 150 students participated in the program. Each was selected for their aca-demic performance on distance-learning coursework developed by NASA.

During the residency, students designed a human mission to Mars. They also participated in a variety of hands-on engineering challenges, including: design, construction and deployment of robotic rovers, model rockets, lander devices, and payload loft-ing systems.

WAS is a competitive educa-tional program for high school juniors from across Washington State. The program was held at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

sample state online testing

State testing demos are avail-able for grades 6-8 at www.WAt-esting.com/online.

Beginning in spring 2010, the Measurements of Student Prog-ress (MSP), which is taking the place of the WASL, will be offering online in grades 6-8 in reading and math. About 25 percent of the students in grades 6-8 will test on-line in the first year. The items in the demo, however, are examples of online test questions and not specific to Washington.

The student demos are de-signed to provide an overall in-troduction to the online testing software for both students and educators who administer state tests.

OSPI will offer more complete tutorials for use later this winter. More specific information should be available soon. For questions about online state testing, please email Online.Assessments@k12.wa.us.

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bethelpride

bond still paying offWork continues on a vari-

ety of major and minor bond projects throughout the Bethel area. Of the 256 capital im-provements approved in the 2006 bond, 149 have already been completed. To the right is a list of major projects and their expected completion date.

Phase 1 to open in March 2011

The Bethel School Board is moving forward with plans to build a Community/HOPE Center.

Recently, the Board approved a proposal to begin the first phase of the project.

An estimated $1.7 million will be used to construct a new 3,500 sq. ft. community center. Funding for the project will come from the state, federal and private donations.

The center will be located on 38th Avenue directly across the street from Bethel Junior High. Eventually, the district hopes to complete three additional phases, including a classroom wing, weight room and a swim-ming pool. Each phase would be built as new funds become available.

Work to begin on community center

Frederickson Elementary DONE

Nelson Elementary DONE

Liberty Junior High DONE

Spanaway Lake HS (Modernization) 2010

Pierce County Skills Center 2010

Bethel Community Center 2011

Transportation Center (North)/District Kitchens

2011

Spanaway Elementary (replacement) 2011

Clover Creek Elementary (replacement) 2011

Shining Mountain Elementary (Modernization) 2012

North star gets ‘great school’ award

North star elementary principal Kris hillius receives a certificate from dr. John armenia of Phi delta Kappa. the agency named North star on of its ‘great schools’ for 2009. the award recognizes schools that rank in the top 5% statewide for student achievement.

High expectations have landed North Star Elementary School at the top of this year’s list of ‘Great Schools’.

Phi Delta Kappa of Washington and the Center for Educational Effectiveness recently presented Principal Kris Hillius and her staff with a certificate and a banner to mark the school’s dramatic in-creases in student achievement.

Over the past six years, the school has experienced sub-stantial gains on the WASL. For example, on the fourth grade test, reading scores have risen from 56% to 83%. Math jumped 38% to 62% and writing made a 20-point gain from 37% to 57%. Similar gains occurred in other grade levels and content areas.

Hillius says building suc-cessful relationships with stu-dents and families, teaching the curriculum with fidelity and using professional learn-ing communities to identify specific needs for students have attributed to the schools’ success. A strong core of vol-unteers is also making a dif-ference.

“Our staff is very excited,” said Hillius. “ It was a nice surprise and affirmation for all of our hard work.”

The ‘Great Schools’ award recognizes North Star for be-ing in the top 5% of schools statewide. Only 104 schools received the designation this year.

rendering of future Community/hoPe Center. Construction of phase 1 to begin in september of 2010.

A citizen’s committee is working on plans to realign all junior high and high school boundaries. The changes are due to the planned opening of Liberty Junior High and the newly modernized Spanaway Lake High School in fall of 2010.

Community members and ad-

Committee to recommend secondary boundary changesministrators on the committee are hoping to unveil the plans at two public forums in December.

The forums will be held Dec. 9 at Frederickson Elementary and Dec. 10 at Liberty Junior High. Both meetings will be held from 7 to 8 p.m.

Comments will be accepted dur-ing this review period.

The school board is expected to make a final decision on boundary changes at their Jan. 26 meeting.

For more information, please call Meredith Colvin at 253.683.6080 or email at mh-colvin@bethelsd.org.

Boundary Forum Meetings

Dec. 9, Frederickson, 7 p.m.Dec. 10, Liberty, 7 p.m.

2006 bond projects continue on time, on budget

For the second straight year, Spanaway Lake High School girls soccer coach Ryan Kolowinski has been named South Puget Sound League Coach of the Year.

SLHS athletic director Mark Torgerson considers Kolowinski a great coach that always has a solid turn out of players.

“Ryan provides a very positive

atmosphere for his players and he always teaches good sportsman-ship both on and off the field,” Torgerson said.

Kolowinski has been a coach in

the district since 1999.He currently coaches var-

sity girls and boys soccer at SLHS.

spanaway lake soccer coach takes top league honors

NOvEMBEr 2009

No one can put a finger on the exact date in district history when the idea for a career-oriented skills center first came up.

School Board President Joy Cook recalls hearing about the need for a vocational high school “more than 20 years ago.” The concept finally became a proposal on the 2006 ballot. Voters solidly backed the idea with a resounding “YES” vote, authorizing nearly $20 million for construction.

The project went into fast-forward mode as soon as the ballots were counted. No lon-ger just a Bethel project, the skills center has morphed into a countywide facility, backed and largely financed by the Washington State Legislature.

In September 2010, doors will open on an eight-room classroom building. It’s just Phase I of the project that opens career op-tions to students, leading to real jobs that mesh with workplace demands.

the timelineCareer-Technical Education (CTE) Direc-

tor Mike Christianson became the Skills Center’s first employee. The Spanaway Lake High School grad (’92) had taught business classes for 10 years while earning his mas-ter’s degree. “I was surprised to come back to Bethel,” Christianson said. “It was the right thing and a great opportunity.”

Superintendent Tom Seigel was awarded $100,000 of state funds in 2006 to conduct a feasibility study examining interest and demand, program proposals and financial stability of an expanded project, involving neighboring school districts as well as part-ners in business and industry.

The district began an exhaustive search for the right spot for the facility. More than 100 sites later, it settled on 10+ acres at the intersection of 160th Street and Canyon Road, the location of a former Safeway store.

In the far north part of the school district, the site offered easy access to the Fredrick-son industrial area. In 2008, the package came together, and the district put up $9.3 million to buy the site.

Meanwhile, the state legislature put up $3 million for planning and design. It later cut back the grant to $2 million in the budget cuts of 2008. The district divided the project into two phases.

The 2009 Legislature allotted $10 mil-lion for Phase I construction to include an eight-classroom building. Contractor bids are due in December; the facility opens in September 2010. First classes include nurs-ing, emergency services, criminal justice, veterinary science, networking, physical therapy, environmental science and com-puter science.

what’s next?Phase II includes renovating the Safeway

building for use as a creative/sustainable design studio, material engineering, con-struction-technology lab, engine technol-ogy and two more general classrooms. A new main building will house culinary arts program, student commons, career center and training/meeting rooms.

Construction documents are in-process, despite the absence of state funding. If this year’s Legislature appropriates the funds, construction on Phase II could begin next summer. Allowing for a 13-month construc-tion schedule, the buildings could be ready for the start of school in 2011.

Currently partnered with 10 neighbor-ing school districts, business, industry and unions, the skills center will help prepare workers for jobs tailored to the needs of the future economy.

Seigel will “go back to the state” to lobby for the funds to finish the job.

“The actual amount will be less than anticipated,” Seigel said, “because construc-tion costs have gone down dramatically. This is a ready-to-go project.”

Once complete, the skills center will round off an important element of prepar-ing students for the world of work.

“It’s within our boundaries, right in our own backyard,” Seigel said. “It provides a huge, positive input that students will enjoy and find interesting – and they can make good money or go on to higher education after they graduate.”

how it happenedSeigel credits Christianson’s professional

work ethic for getting the skills center off to a good start.

“He’s been deeply involved, searching for every opportunity out there,” Seigel said.

Seigel also praises the School Board for its vision and commitment to lifelong learning for all students.

Cook, however, credits Seigel’s “dogged persistence” in getting the job done.

“Tom has been a major player,” Cook said. “It’s been a monumental effort. It proves that people who win are the people who are willing to stay in the fight.”

Ultimately, the real winners are the kids, says Cook.

“It’s thrilling any time you can touch stu-dents’ lives. This will give them a hands-on experience and help them envision their future.”

Pierce County Skills Center Opens Fall 2010

rendering of what the Pierce County skills Center will look like once completed, from the main entry point of view. Image courtesy of blrb architects.

PCsC: opening new doors for students

GroundbreakinGServicinG 10 county School diStrictS

Bethel School DistrictEatonville School DistrictFife School DistrictFranklin-Pierce School DistrictOrting School DistrictSteilacoom School DistrictSumner School DistrictTacoma School DistrictUniversity Place School DistrictWhite river School District

courSeS planned for September

key contributorS to project

AP Computer ScienceComputer NetworkingPre-veterinary SciencePre-NursingPre-Physical TherapyCriminal JusticeAP Environmental Science

bethel board of directors: Ken Blair, John Manning, Susan Smith, Joy Cook and Brenda rogers

legislators representing the bethel school district: Senators Marilyn rasmussen, randi Becker and Debbie regala, and representatives Tom Campbell, Dennis Flannigan, Bill Fromhold, tami green, Jim McCune, Joyce McDonald and Dawn Morrell

legislators from surrounding school districts: Senator Mike Carrell, Darlene Fairley, Karen Fraser, Jim Kastama and Margarita Prentice

superintendents of Public Instruction:Terry Bergeson and randy Dorn

Pierce County Council

tacoma-Pierce CountyChamber of Commerce

NOvEMBEr 2009

Pierce County Skills Center Opens Fall 2010

rendering of the PCsC from the Canyon road entrance. Image courtesy of blrb architects.

breaking new ground for the PCsC. From left to right: John aultman, former assistant superin-tendent government relations, osPI; ray arment, superintendent, eatonville school district; tom seigel, superintendent, bethel school district; Frank hewins, superintendent, Franklin Pierce school district; alan burke, deputy superintendent K-12 education, osPI.

site plan view of the PCsC, phase 1, in which the new classroom building will be constructed. Image courtesy of blrb architects.

newS pierce county SkillS center proGram deScriptionS

aP Computer scienceStudents create video games using trigonometry and higher math, computer programming in C++, as well as 2D and 3D animation. With guidance from the program partner, DigiPen Institute of Technology, the course prepares students for careers as video game programmers and artists. Many of DigiPen’s college graduates go on to work in companies such as Nintendo, Interplay, DreamWorks Interactive, KnowWonder and Valve. Students must have taken Algebra I and pass a qualifying entrance exam.

Criminal JusticeThe Criminal Justice program prepares students for careers in criminal justice and/or further academic work. It gives a broad overview of the criminal justice system with emphasis on polic-ing, corrections and the courts. A work-based learning (intern-ship) helps students to put theory into practice and to investigate employment opportunities. The curriculum is based on Pierce College’s course, The Homeland Center of Excellence.

Medical science - therapeuticThe Medical Science program introduces students to the knowl-edge and skills applicable to many medical occupations. Students will explore careers in their areas of interest, as well as in targeted demand areas for future job openings. Students completing course work and clinical internships may earn eligibility as Washington State Nursing Assistants Certified (NAC) and Lab Technicians. Private transportation is required for clinical internships.

aP environmental scienceStudents work collaboratively with industry and agency profes-sionals to learn about environmental management practices us-ing state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Activities include weekly field trips, evaluation of field and/or lab data, examination of issues, and communication with an awareness of multiple perspectives.

Pre-Veterinary technicianThis program will prepare students for a career in animal healthcare and science and provides a foundation for employment in fields such AS veterinary medicine, fish and wildlife, service animal care and training, zoological and aquatic parks, equine science, research, and animal nutrition. With emphasis on hands-on in-teractive labs, field work, research, and debates, this program will take a multi-faceted look at animal health.

emergency servicesStudents will learn how to identify and apply the disaster planning and management cycle from mitigation through recovery. Students will assess response strategies for nuclear, biological, chemical, and natural disaster incidents. They will learn to critically assess the intergovernmental and interagency responsibilities for disaster management support. The program prepares students for chal-lenging careers as a professional emergency managers.

PC hardware and softwareThe (PC) program focuses on the internal components and com-puter assembly. This hands-on learning covers the installation of operating systems and troubleshooting using system tools and diagnostic software. Students will work directly with the New Market Technology Department. The program prepares students for the CompTIA A+ certification exam.

NetworkingStudents will gain a broad understanding of the installation and management of computer networks. The networking program is aligned to industry-recognized standards. Students are eligible to receive college credit upon successful completion. They may take certification exams to earn MCSE, MCSA, A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications. Many employers look for these certifica-tions during the hiring process.

Pre-Physical therapist assistantStudents prepare to meet prerequisite requirements for post-secondary Physical Therapists Assistant programs. PTA’s are skilled technical health care professionals who are capable of carrying out treatment programs under the supervision of licensed physi-cal therapists. Curriculum design is aligned with post-secondary programs.

NOvEMBEr 2009bethel pride • www.bethelsd.org6

Camas Prairie student Christian McNamera and her teacher Mr. rivard celebrate her perfect score on the 5th grade Math wasl. McNamera got all of the questions right to receive the full 550 points on the test.

Principal ellen eddy joins bethel school board members Ken blair, John Manning and brenda rogers in a ribbon cutting ceremony at Frederickson elementary school.

bethelcommunity

The school year is now full

speed ahead, with plenty

o f s p e c i a l e v e n t s a n d

recognitions to highlight. With

such a robust community, it is a

wonderful time to be in Bethel.

tacoma rainiers mascot rhubarb and superintendent tom seigel enjoy the festivities at the all bethel Community day. about 1,000 people attended the event. Photo courtesy of diane Karl.

In the

Spotlight

board President Joy Cook (pictured right) thanks susan smith (left) for all of her years of service to bethel. smith has been a director on the school board for the last eight years.

related field,” said Meray. “I want to play college sports. I know it will be tough but I look forward to playing.”

Meray says this year’s team exceeded all expectations.

“We overachieved what other coaches and the community thought we could do.” Meray said, “Our team really needed to come together and give 100%. I didn’t want to let them down.”

gK headlineFor GK’s head volleyball coach

Loni Parks, victory was a long-time coming.

“There were seven seniors on this year’s team that I had my first year of coaching. We made it our goal to go to state,” said Parks. “It was amazing that we made it to State. It’s been an amazing year.”

At the center of the team’s suc-cess was senior, outside hitter Kayla Reno. Averaging 13 kills and 11 digs per game, it didn’t take long for a college coach to spot her potential.

Recently, Reno signed her letter of intent to play for the University of Montana.

Montana Head Volleyball Coach Jerry Wagner says the university is ecstatic to have her.

NOvEMBEr 2009www.bethelsd.org • bethel pride 7

AT H L E T I C S B R I E F S

bethelsports

bethel rec basketball Sign-ups are underway now for

youth basketball. Registration for students in 4th through 6th grade will be accepted at The Lineup and the Bethel Rec Office until Dec. 12. Practices and games will take place during January and February. Cost is $40 per child. For more informa-tion, visit www.bethelrec.org or call 253-875-1378 or 253-847-5086.

sPsl league honorsSeveral local athletes have re-

ceived special recognition from the South Puget Sound League. The following is a partial list of sports and athletes who have received league awards during the fall season. Volleyball

Kayla Reno (GKHS), Player of the Year, First Team; Kaitlyn Molloy (GKHS), First Team; Shelby Woodson (GKHS), First Team; Kaitylyn Foster (GKHS), Second Team; Taylor Burton (GKHS), Second Team; Heather Hernandez (GKHS), Honorable Mention; Brook Molloy (GKHS), Honorable Mention; Pele Ume (GKHS), Honorable Mention; Kindra Alvarez (SLHS), Honorable Mention ; Bronti Lemke (SLHS), Honorable Mention; Reisha Lizama (SLHS), Honorable Mention

Cross CountryJordan McCann (BHS), First Team; Katie Pham (GKHS), Second Team; Hayley Lawrence (BHS), Second Team; Lucy Svetlonova (GKHS), Second Team

tennisMalcolm Reed (SLHS), First Team

girls soccerJordan Burton (GKHS), Second Team; Rose Fulgham (GKHS), S e c o n d Te a m ; M i r a n d a Gi b s o n ( G K H S ) , Se c o n d Team; Amalia Perez (SLHS), Second Team; Kim Wagner (SLHS), Second Team; Tianna Holloway (BHS), Honorable Mention; Maurya Hiden (BHS), Honorable Mention; Jessica Larson (GKHS), Honorable Mention; Fallon Staley (SLHS), Honorable Mention

FootballA n t h o n y M e r a y ( B H S ) , Offensive Back of the Year, First Team; Patrick Loughlin (BHS), First Team; Albert Naputi (BHS), First Team; Happy Iona (BHS), First Team; Kariri Kiambuthi (BHS), First Team; Nathan Lott (BHS), First Team; Brandon Bailey (BHS), First Team; Travis Otis (BHS), First Team; Greg Logan (GKHS), First Team; Jamaal Jones (GKHS), First Team; Thomas Gomez (GKHS), First Team; Dalton Dorosky (GKHS), First Team; Nick Johnson (GKHS), First Team; Shay Patton (SLHS), First Team; Drakkar Sweet (SLHS), First Team; Tommy McDonald (BHS), Second Team; Noland Ewell (GKHS), Second Team; Devin Bales (GKHS), Second Team; Eric Nothstein (GKHS), Second Team; Kyle Grosvenor (SLHS), Second Team; Andre Frazier (SLHS), Second Team; Sadat Sully (SLHS), Second Team; Deven McKinney (SLHS), Second Team

Jr. Wheelchair Sonics play ball

student shows how wheelchair basketball is done

seattle Jr. wheelchair sonics team member travis rimestad, with ball, demonstrates to fellow classmates how to play wheelchair basketball. the assembly was held largely in part to help spread awareness of people with disabilites.

It began like any Bethel High Basketball game would begin – stands full, spirits high with an-ticipation and full of energy.

And as the crowd cheered for the players wheeling out, it be-came more than a typical game.

taking care of businessThe Seattle Jr. Wheelchair Son-

ics Team showed the crowd how wheelchair basketball is done. The team is a member of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA), and is part of the Seattle Adaptive Sports group.

Among them was team mem-ber and BHS senior Travis Rime-stad, who has worked on getting the team to visit since the Spring of last year.

Rimestad, who started attend-ing Bethel High in the 10th grade, has a rare congenital disorder called arthrogryposis, which is known to cause joint and muscle weakness.

“This is what makes me who I am,” said Rimestad during the assembly. “I would not change anything.”

The Sonics played against both staff members, winning 7-4, and

BHS basketball players, winning 14-11, even though the Bethel students were given a 4-point advantage.

spreading awarenessThe assembly was held largely

in part to help spread awareness of people with disabilities. Those who put together the event also took time to educate the audi-ence through speech and visual presentations.

Among the people responsible for putting together this event was Morgen Larsen, BHS Librar-ian.

“Travis is out there edu-cating students, staff and community members about disability awareness and op-portunities for people with physical disabilities. He is full of ideas and is eager to share his personal experiences, so that others might have a brighter future too!” says Larsen.

Rimestad plans to go on to college after graduating from Bethel High, and is work-ing towards earning a sports scholarship.

Call it a pair for the history books.

Graham-Kapowsin’s volleyball team and Bethel’s football team just wrapped up two phenomenal seasons.

Rolling over opponents, the Bethel Braves looked unstop-pable. Head football coach Gavin Kralik says his team was hoping to go further in the playoffs. But their run was cut short with a disappointing, post-season loss to Skyview in Vancouver. The team ended the season with a 9-2 record.

On the volleyball court, the GK Eagles proved to be a pow-erhouse. A group of seniors led the charge, looking for their first state title. After placing first in the SPSL, the girls battled their way to the state championships and a sixth place finish.

bethel’s offensive leaderKralik credits much of his

team’s success to senior Anthony Meray’s record-setting season.

“He was outstanding.” Kralik said. “He had a lot to do with the team’s success this year.”

Meray covered 2,741 yards during the season and scored 29 touchdowns. The accomplish-

ment not only set the record for the most all purpose yards in SPSL history, but it also placed him second in the league for rushing yards during a single season.

As if that weren’t enough, Meray is beginning to receive college of-fers, but says he is still looking for the right school to fit his needs.

“I hope to go to Division 1 College and major in a health-

“She is someone we came across and couldn’t get enough of seeing her play,” said Wag-ner. “The more we watched, the more of an outstanding person and talent she was to us. We couldn’t be happier that she chose Montana.”

Both Meray and Reno have received numerous awards this season, including Player of the Year honors for their respective sports.

Two high schools shine this seasonbethel and graham-Kapowsin compete in play-offs

gK’s reno protects the net during a recent game. Photo courtesy of lani Parks.

running back anthony Meray rushes over 200 yards in bhs’ win over Kentridge. Photo courtesy of brian liesse, Kent Valley sports

NOvEMBEr 2009bethel pride • www.bethelsd.org8

d I s t r I C t C a l e N d a r A R O U N D T H E D I S T R I C T

bethelpride

december

dec. 1-18: School holiday concerts (see website for details, www.bethelsd.org)

dec. 3-5: Harvey, 7 p.m. at gKhs dec. 8: School board meeting, 7 p.m. at district office

dec. 9: Two-hour late arrival

dec. 11: Willy Wonka, 7 p.m. at BJH

dec. 12: Willy Wonka, 4 and 7 p.m. at BJH

dec. 18: Last day of classes ar-rival; morning kindergarten will attend; no afternoon kindergar-ten classes

dec. 21-Jan. 1: Winter break, no school

January

Jan. 1: New Year’s Day

Jan. 4: Classes resume

Jan. 5: Community Levy Infor-mation Forum, 7 p.m. at North Star Elementary

Jan. 7: Community Levy Information Forum, 7 p.m. at Frederickson Elementary

Jan. 9: Nelson Elementary dedication ceremony, 1 p.m.

Jan. 10-12: The Crucible, 7 p.m. at BHS

Jan. 12: School board meeting, 7 p.m. at district office

Jan. 13: Two-hour late; after-noon kindergarten will attend, no morning kindergarten

Jan. 14-16: The Crucible, 7 p.m. at BHS

Jan. 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, no school

Jan. 21: Beginning theatre showcase, 7 p.m. at BHS

Jan. 23: District Art Festival and Technology Fair, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at SJH

Jan. 23: Jazz Night (district jazz bands perform), 5 to 8 p.m. at LJH Commons

Jan. 25: Advanced theatre showcase, 7 p.m. at BHS

Jan. 26: School board meeting, 7 p.m. at FJH

Jan. 29: Early dismissal for students in grades 7-12, report card preparation

Jan 29: End of secondary 1st semester

Jan. 30: Dinner Auction, 5-9 p.m. at BHS

Naches trail third graders sang from their hearts as they performed “heart of america” by teresa Jennings and under the direction of Mrs. ursula Mullen, during their Veterans’ day assembly. Kennie walsh, seen above, performed the solo.

Veterans’ Day was honored across the district this year

with nearly all Bethel schools participating in assemblies and events. We would like to once a g a i n t h a n k t h o s e m e n a n d women who so proudly serve, have served, and will serve our country.

Congressman Jim Mcdermott at the evergreen-washelli National Cemetery Veterans’ day Celebration, where the bhs aFJrotC Ca-dets led the Parade of Colors. Photo courtesy of Jim gaglione.

elk Plain school of Choice students honor Veterans’ day. Pictured: trevor Portugue, Nathaniel Moreland, Jadyn henderson and Veronica Fischer of Ms. scott’s Kindergarten class.

the Color guard of gKhs, lead by Michael Meray, pre-sented the colors at the CMJh Veterans’ day assembly.

drummers from bethel Junior high school performed during their Veterans’ day assembly. the drummers acted out parts with the sound of their drums.