Feb. 3-14 MAP Testing Feb. 4-Varsity games AWAY at Hope, Glendora Feb. 5- Boys’ JV game AWAY at Hope, Glendora Feb. 5-Kindergarten Readiness Night-6:30 PM-Room 130 Feb. 6-Varsity games AWAY at Mt. Calvary, Diamond Bar Feb. 7-Middle School Dance Feb. 10-No School Feb. 11-Jog-a-thon JUMPER Day!! Feb. 11-JV games AWAY at Emmaus, Alhambra Feb. 12-Middle School Musical!! 9:00 AM or 7:00 PM Feb. 14-Happy Valentine’s Day/Minimum Day Feb. 17-Presidents’ Day-No School Feb. 18-Varsity games AWAY vs. Emmaus, Alhambra Feb. 19-JV games AWAY at Christ, Covina Feb. 25-Vision Screening Feb. 26-Ash Wednesday Mar. 3-CUI Choir Festival

School Bulletin #21 Feb. 4, 2020

“Be it known to all who enter here that +Christ+ is the reason for this school. He is the unseen but ever-present teacher in its classes. He is the model for its faculty and

the inspiration of its students.”

This sign hangs in the school office and is a great reminder to students, parents and staff just what we’re all about here at Bethany. My prayer is that you will see evidence of this every time you come on our campus! You’re going to read elsewhere in this newsletter that Mrs. Boerrigter and Mrs. Orr will be retiring at the end of this school year. They have been examples to me personally of modeling Christ to students and families…they will be missed! Bethany’s Board of Schools received word of these planned retirements before Christmas and has been working with the Pacific Southwest District office to secure candidates for these two teaching positions. We received 21 candidates to consider! I am pleased to announce that the Board of Schools voted last week to call Nicole and Corey Kelso to teach Grades 3 and 5 for next year. They are currently teaching at Our Shepherd Lutheran School in Birmingham, Michigan and are graduates of Concordia-Irvine as well as California natives. Mr. and Mrs. Kelso received word about their calls just last week and will now enter a season of deliberation and prayer, determining what God’s will is for their next year(s) of ministry. Please keep them in your prayers, as well as Mrs. Boerrigter and Mrs. Orr as they finish out their ministry with us and look forward to new challenges. Blessed to be at Bethany, Dr Fink

Bear Facts The Weekly Newsletter of Bethany Lutheran School

Long Beach, CA www.bethanylutheran.org

Communication+Responsibility+Organization+Service+Sharing

Chapel Leaders Feb. 5-Kayleigh Feb. 12-Mrs. Tucker Feb. 19-Mrs. Orr

Parents, you are always welcome to join us!

Bethany Students and Families, The Girl Scouts of Troop 4833 are working our Silver Award project. We are gathering supplies and collecting donations for the homeless. We’d like your help! There will be a box in the school office to collect: • canned food • clothes for kids, teens and adults • baby formula for infants • personal care items Thank you for your support and God bless you all!

Troop 4833

Unwanted Gift Cards Wanted. Did you receive a gift card this past Christmas that frankly you were thinking about re-gifting or a couple laying around that you just aren't sure you will use? Why not donate them to help support our Student Success Program. As many of you know, the Student Success Program at Bethany Lutheran School provides early screening, identification, support, and one-on-one evidence-based reading and spelling instruction for children with dyslexia and other learning differences. Simply put the gift cards in an envelope, drop them off at the school office and fill out a donation slip. Your gifts cards will be put to good use at our extra special 10th anniversary RAG event which will be held Sunday, September 13 2020.

Shop with Scrip for

Valentine’s Day! Use Scrip/gift cards for all

your Valentine Day’s shopping, and gift giving, and add to your tuition rebate. • Michael’s and JoAnn’s Scrip

can be used to purchase decorations and crafts.

• Use Scrip to pay for candy and cards at CVS, Target or Walmart.

• Buying treats for a classroom party? Another opportunity to use

Scrip/gift cards! Choose something special

for all your Valentines: • Girl’s Day Out: American

Girl or Build-A-Bear • Pampering: Bath& Body

Works, Sephora, Ulta, or Spa Finder

• Guy’s: Big 5, Dick’s or REI • Sweet treats: Starbuck’s,

Total Wine & More or See’s Candy. You can give a See’s Candy One Pound Certificate, and let them choose their own treat, or use a See’s Candy $25 gift card if you are shopping for Valentine treats Take your Valentine out for

dinner and a movie: Choose a restaurant from the On Hand or Special Order list, and buy movie tickets for Edwards/Regal Theaters.

Middle School Corner Last week the middle school participated in a team-building advisory activity. The advisory teams played Who Wants to be a Millionaire trivia, and it was exciting and challenging for the students (teachers do not play) to work together for a team score. Congrats to Bofa the Twix (Einspahr) on the victory! Put your knowledge to the test! What bug spins a thread with a sticky ball on it and uses it to lasso prey? VW, Bola spider, Praying mantis or Lady Bug Which of the following languages does the word “bologna” come from? Spanish, Japanese, French, or Italian Which animal is a member of the giraffe family but with a much shorter neck? Okapi, Gazelle, Antelope, or Gittern Answers- Bola spider, Okapi, Italian

The FISHin’ Hole Opportunities to Serve Have you driven for a field trip or sports? Did you bring items for the class Christmas party? Don’t forget to report your hours using the Bethany app, website or via Gradelink!

Congratulations to our 3rd Graders, winners of the Amazing Penny Race! All the funds from all the classes will go to the 3rd Graders’ chosen charity: the MHE Foundation. They chose this charity because they are conducting research to help kids like their former classmate, Jackson Falkner, who suffers from this rare bone disease.

Seeking gently-used jewelry and accessories!

Student Success will once again be hosting our gently-used accessories sale on Saturday, May 16 during the Bethany Block Party and Sunday Morning, May 17 between services. Please bring your gently-used accessories (jewelry, scarves, handbags, belts, etc.) to Bethany and drop them off for Jill Moorman. Separately-baggied items are greatly appreciated. (Items remaining after the sale will be donated to a worthy cause.) If you would like to help with this sale, please contact Jill Moorman: jmoorman@bethanylutheran.org 562-307-6123

February’s chapel offerings will support Mission India, a joint

project with our sister schools in the district.

“To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

We live in complex world where change is a constant force. Just as change affects individuals, organizations experience seasons of change and growth too.

It is with the knowledge that change is an essential part of growth, but with our personal regrets, that Bethany Lutheran School announces the following retirements effective June 2020:

Mrs. Chris Boerrigter: Mrs. Boerrigter has truly been a blessing to our school. She currently serves as our 3rd grade teacher. On a daily basis, she is preparing third graders for the rigors of 4th grade and beyond. Mrs. Boerrigter has taught at Bethany Lutheran for the past 19 years. Prior to coming to Bethany she also served at Grace Lutheran, Anaheim; First Lutheran ,El Monte; Christ Lutheran, Rancho Palos Verdes; and First Lutheran, Long Beach. During her teaching career, Mrs. Boerrigter taught in grades 2,3,4,5,6 and 7th, coached girls’ sports, and served as Principal for 5 years at Grace, Anaheim. Her teaching career spans 42 years.

Mrs. Boerrigter is known for starting morning devotions each day with her guitar and the class singing together. Students have also loved the fun and educational field trips to locations such as the planetarium, printing museum and trips to the public library. Mrs. Boerrigter’s previous students fondly recall learning organizational skills in her classroom, her practical approach to life’s challenges, and her unwavering commitment to each student. Those students who have had the benefit of being in Mrs. Boerrigter’s classroom throughout the years have grown in knowledge of the world around them, been prepared for their next educational step and have been surrounded with the knowledge that Jesus loves them. We will miss having Mrs. Boerrigter in the classroom on a daily basis, but wish her the very best in her retirement. Mrs. Boerrigter is looking forward to having time to travel, learn more about photography and other musical instruments, reading, and we hope she will find time to substitute teach for us occasionally, as well.

God’s blessings to Mrs. Boerrigter on this new chapter in her life.

Mrs. Diana Orr Mrs. Orr is a beloved member of our Bethany staff. She also has taught at Bethany for the past 19 years. Prior to coming to Bethany to teach, Mrs. Orr was in outside sales in the corporate world. While her children were attending Bethany, she recognized her desire to teach in a Christian environment. That desire led her to go back to school at CSULB for a teaching degree and to apply to teach at Bethany. Her teaching career has included grades 2, 4, 5, and 6th, with an additional one year spent in the Middle School program teaching Advanced Algebra.

Mrs. Orr is known for her dance and singing parties in the classroom; for the chocolate chip pancakes she makes for her students every Valentine’s Day; for continuing the long-established tradition of the 5th grade states banquet; for snacks in the classroom to help the students think better; and for growing and tasting the vegetables in the class garden box. She is also known for her love of USC. Her former students happily recall the fun from Astro Camp, trips to the Reagan and Nixon Libraries, as well as the Skirball Museum and Riley’s Farm. They will also remember learning important planning and organizational skills that prepared them for the move to Middle School, celebrating the accomplishment of their math goals, and the absolute assurance that they were loved by Jesus and by Mrs. Orr.

Mrs. Orr’s post retirement plans include traveling, volunteering, reading for pleasure, and visiting her mother-in-law in Buffalo, New York. We hope she will include occasionally substitute teach at Bethany as well. We are excited for Mrs. Orr’s new adventures, but will miss seeing her daily on campus.

Our very best wishes to Mrs. Orr in her retirement.

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FEBRUARY 1ST-15TH

PARENT PAGES // VOL. 19, NO. 5 // JANUARY 2020 1

Parent PagesRESOURCES FOR CHRISTIAN PARENTS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Concussion Awareness

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

s a parent, few things are more enjoyable than watching your

children play, whether it’s on the playground, the field or the court. By the same token, few things will cause as much instant anxiety as when we witness the injury of a child. When we were young and experienced a head injury, we were likely told to “shake it off” and pushed back into the game. Even today, when we have new information about the potential dangers of a concussion, our children may want to ignore such an injury to get back to playing. This is a time when we need to step in and teach our children how to keep their brains safe. We cannot, and should not, hover over our children like a helicopter, but we are wise to provide concussion awareness teaching.

Our children do not need to be playing an organized sport to experience a concussion. This brain injury happens when a blow to the head or body causes the brain to move or twist inside the skull. While most concussions are minor, some can cause other compli-cations, and multiple concussions can be very danger-ous. It is essential to teach your children to follow the recommended safety practices for the sports they love. Make sure coaches have been trained in concussion protocols and then make sure your children follow the directives of the coach. While teachers and coaches diligently watch for head injuries, it is a good idea to encourage your children to report any head bumps

and any body blows that cause their heads to snap back. These injuries happen quickly enough that adults watching might miss them.

Any head injury should at least temporarily remove a child from a game, allowing adults to monitor for possible symptoms of concussion. Even a brief loss of consciousness can be an indicator of a concussion. Clumsy movements and slow responses to questions provide further cause for concern. Watch for a loss of memory surrounding the event and mood or behavior changes. If these symptoms are present, do not hesitate to have your child examined by a healthcare profes-sional. More severe symptoms might include uneven size of the pupils, slurred speech, agitation, vomiting or the inability to stay awake. These symptoms represent

VOL. 19, NO. 5 // JANUARY 2020Parent PagesA RESOURCE OF LCMS SCHOOL MINISTRY

Writer: Dr. Kim Marxhausen Designer: Frank Kohn

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. TO REPRINT: Permission is granted to reprint articles from this newsletter with the credit line “Reprinted with permission of LCMS School Ministry.”

Published by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod // 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122-7295 // 314-965-9000 // lcms.org

© 2020 LCMS PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

an emergency. If the healthcare provider diagnoses your child with a concussion, that child should not play for a while to allow the brain to heal. Additionally, you should receive written instructions for safety measures for returning to school.

Effects from a concussion might not appear until hours or even days after the injury. Seek medical help if your child complains of a persistent headache, nausea, bal-ance issues or blurry vision. Besides these symptoms, your child might experience confusion or unusual sensitivity to light or noise. Pay attention if your child protests that he just doesn’t “feel right.” A concussion will cause chemical changes in the brain that can result in unexpected symptoms.

In some instances, a child may experience post-con-cussion syndrome, a condition that can cause sleep, psychological and cognitive problems lasting for weeks or months after the initial injury. While this condition is rare, it is a reminder that we should not dismiss

the impact of a concussion on the developing brain of a child. A concussion is, after all, a traumatic brain injury.

In terms of team support, parents can join with coaches in keeping an eye out for possible concussion injuries during the game. Even low-contact sports can pose a risk for concussion. It should also be noted that helmets protect the skull from fracture but do not pro-tect the brain from concussion. If your child falls from a bike and cracks her helmet, she should be checked for a concussion. Keep yourself trained in what symptoms to watch for and always support a coach’s decision to remove a child from play.

The Center for Disease Control (cdc.gov/HEADSUP) has easy-to-understand handouts on concussion symptoms. Read over this information and review it with your child at the beginning of each sports season. Additionally, when your child has a sports checkup, ask the doctor to review this information with your child

too. If handled correctly, this will not scare your child out of playing sports. Instead, like the repeated practice of a school fire drill, it will strengthen your child’s awareness.

God, our perfect Creator, built our brains to be able to heal from most injuries. Brain plasticity refers to the characteristics of the brain that allow it to modify and adapt to changes, includ-ing recovery from injury. This adapt-ability is part of how our children learn and thrive in their environments. Being aware of concussions is a crucial way to support healthy brain development.

We are blessed to have playgrounds, fields and courts available for our chil-dren’s enjoyment. Both unstructured play and organized sports contribute to our children having healthy, happy lives. Helping us to pay attention to in-juries and symptoms are excellent ways that God keeps our children safe.