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Volume 12 Issue 3

January-February 2016 We are floating right into the second month of the New Year and the classrooms are

flooding with academics again. As I walk through the charter halls and visit each

classroom, I witness a carefully thought out balance between the fundamentals of

learning, fun, and classroom management. I am proud of the teaching staff at Bethany

Charter School. Their classrooms have children enjoying themselves and feeling safe,

relationships are nurtured, and higher order thinking skills are aspired to. Every day

potential is noticed and encouraged.

January 29th marks the end of the first semester. Report cards will be sent home in

the Friday folders on February 5th . Please go over the report cards with your child

carefully and discuss strengths and improvements for the second half of the school

year. On Tuesday, February 2nd ,we have our first awards assembly. Everyone is

invited to attend the 8:15 am celebration to honor our Practicing PRIDE students,

honor roll and excellent attendance. Hope to see you in the den.

Teachers are in the second year of implementing the common core teaching

standards. Teachers have been researching materials that fit the new requirements and

supplementing their existing curriculum to meet the new standards. Bethany Charter

School is eagerly awaiting new curriculum that aligns with these new standards that

have been successfully implemented in other schools. Our teachers are doing a good

job at meeting this challenge. Students will be preparing to take the Smarter Balance

Assessment for the second time as well. There is a parent opt out form in the office if

you are wishing your child to not participate.

There has been a great deal of hype in the den this month over yo-yos. NED and his

assistant, Grace, visited the charter with a character education assembly that promotes

positive attitudes and encourages students and staff to do their best every day. NED

show receives no outside funding for their assembly costs so we volunteered to sale

yo-yos so that NED could visit another school. It is a pay it forward campaign. No one

is required to purchase the yo-yos. A shout out to: The NED Show “There’s a

Champion in Every Kid!”

Mr. Cooper, our intern counselor is training staff and students on a bully prevention

curriculum. This is a very simple idea with a huge impact on students who feel

victimized. Students will learn their three step social responsibility of using a STOP,

WALK AWAY and TALK. Ask your bobcat what this stands for and when they are

expected to use the steps. You may want to try this with argumentative siblings. ☺

You may have noticed the covered out-door play area showing a bit of wear and tear.

Bethany Charter School board of directors hired an engineer to determine the extent of

structural integrity left in the building. Mr. Slevcove, one of our very own BCS board

members, will be checking in to receiving quotes on restoration and repairs in the near

future. This is a big project that is in need of a lot of TLC.

It has begun! The excitement of our annual school auction, “ Walking on Sunshine!”

Please take time to look for ways you can assist in helping make this huge success.

Mark your calendars for April 23, 2016 and plan on attending the social event of the

year!

Make it a great season to be a Bobcat!

-Mrs. Frank

PRIDE:

A family of Bobcats

P= Practice Kindness

R= Respect

I= Inspiration

D= Determination

E= Excellence

2

Classroom News !!! 1st & 2nd Grade

Miss Turner

Brrr! Though January has had its share of

cold days, the effect on our Bobcats has been

to settle in and get to work in our toasty

classroom. And work we have! Our

mathematicians have their pencils flying and

brains buzzing with numbers! Students are

advancing in their math skills: both grades are

solidly in multiplication and division

problems. Again, one of the best ways to help

your Bobcat succeed is to assist him or her in

mastering math facts including addition/

subtraction and multiplication/division.

Memorization of math facts helps students

move through problems quickly and be better

prepared for concepts that build upon that

knowledge.

Budding scientists are applying their

observation, predicting, hypothesizing, data

writing, and analysis skills using the Scientific

Method. While several Bobcats prefer rapping

and dancing about it, others want to get down

to the Science. Each Bobcat will soon be ready

to complete a project of their choice with a

partner for the Spring Science Fair.

Readers have learned focus skills of

author’s purpose, plot events, and theme while

using story mapping, cause and effect, and

reading ahead for comprehension strategies.

Students are able to take AR tests on most

books they are reading, and the ReadTheory

assessment on comprehension is up and

running. Students practice silent reading and

reading aloud regularly with occasional buddy

reading. We have recently began sending

home leveled book readers in Friday Folders.

Books are selected according to each student’s

general reading level and increase in difficulty.

Students are enjoying the adventure of

discovering our national parks and their land-

forms. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has inspired

dreams in all of us. And an overview of the

regions of our great U.S.A. has been an

introduction to our upcoming unit on Native

Americans in the order of how the colonists

and early Americans encountered them.

So Bobcats- cuddle up to a few wonderful

books and some hot chocolate for another

wintry month of expanding your world

through reading, and read, read, read!

-Mrs. Starr

These are exciting times in the kinder-

garten class. The students are reading

and writing like I’ve never seen

before. Assessment scores are up from

last year, and all the kids are sounding

out words. Some of them already

know almost the entire list of kinder-

garten words already! I am amazed at

what the full day has done for our kids.

Most recently we have been doing a

unit on the weather. We have read lots

of books, sang songs, and learned the

ever-popular “water cycle song.” We

are studying animals that hibernate and

will finish up the unit by making a

snowstorm in a week or two.

This month we finally got to meet our

fifth & sixth grade buddies. Hopefully

we will be spending time with them

every couple of weeks. We have some

really great older students to pair up

with and learn from.

Here are a few things coming up in

kindergarten. We always look forward

to a visit to Dr. Kim’s dental office in

February for National Dental Health

Month. We are also working on a

special choreographed dance for

National School Choice Week. These

kids have the moves! In addition, we

will be starting a study of insects.

Hopefully I can convince a local

beekeeper to come in and give us a

presentation.

Mrs. King

First and Second Grade News:

Recently we have been waddling

like penguins, creating masterpieces,

and showing off our smarts. We have

learned about different species of

penguins, where they live, how they

keep each other warm, and how they

care for their eggs. We have also had

some fun creating penguin art and

sharing our knowledge with others.

Up next for science will be the moon

and solar system!

I am so proud of how the first and

second graders have been improving

and working hard on literacy and

math. I have really enjoyed reading

with each student while they work on

their fluency – great things are

happening when we read together.

Our little spelling dictionaries are

helping with writing and we love

adding new words to them. I am also

seeing some hard working going into

our math as it is getting more

challenging as we move forward.

Keep bringing back those reading

logs so we can earn another reading

party. Let’s keep working on bringing

our homework back on time too.

~ Miss Turner

Kindergarten

Mrs. King

B OB CA T PRI NTS

3rd & 4th Grade

Mrs. Starr

3 B OB CA T PRI NTS

BOBCAT EYES CAUGHT…

Mrs. Rush & Grandma Aumick assisting the 7th/8th grade classroom

Deegan Flory, Kowa Nesemann, Esteban Santos, Aiden Kelly helping out with Ned

yo-yo sales over lunch

The Buchheits sharing a visit with their new baby goats!

Annual Bethany Charter School Auction

and Dinner will held Saturday, April, 23rd

from 5pm-9pm at the Vanderbeck Valley

Farm.

We are in need of items for classroom baskets, the following

are the themes for each grade::

Kindergarten, “Let’s Craft”

1st-2nd, “Let’s Grow a Garden”

3rd-4th, “What’s for Dinner?”

5th-6th & 7th-8th-”Civil War Beaver/Ducks”

*If you are interested in helping with auction duties please contact Mrs. Otte .

*If you checked “auction” in the fair share packet, Mrs. Otte will be contacting

you soon.

Mark your calendars:

1/29 Grade Prep-No School

2/1 EARLY RELEASE @12:30

2/2 Semester 1 Awards

Assembly @8:15a

2/4, Portland Opera @ BCS

2/12, Parent Club Mtg, 1:15pm,

BCS

2/15, NO SCHOOL

2/16,8th SHS Curriculum visit

2/18, Kindergarten Field Trip

2/22, EARLY RELEASE, 12:30pm

3/4, Parent Club Mtg, 1:15pm,

BCS

3/5, 3rd-5th, Regional Battle of

the Books

3/10-3/18, Spring BOOK FAIR

tentative

3/11 & 3/14 NO SCHOOL

3/14, Parent Teacher

Conferences

3/21-3/25, NO SCHOOL,

SPRING BREAK

SPRING BOOK FAIR!! March 10th-18th tentatively The book fair will be open

during conferences, Monday, March 14tth

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Hello again parents!

As we start the New Year, we have been finalizing our first

semester grades. Students have been given ample time in class to

review their current academic performance, review or redo any

assignments they feel they underperformed on, and complete

missing assignments or tests. We are working towards

independence when it comes to their grades. In the second semester,

students will be completing a weekly review of their missing

assignments to try to limit becoming behind throughout the long

semester. Remember, I highly encourage parents to keep a regular

eye on your child’s performance. Nightly school homework and

studying for fifth graders should not be exceeding 50 minutes per

night (including 20 minutes of nightly reading) and sixth graders

should not be exceeding 60 minutes per night (including 20 minutes

of nightly reading). Please communicate with me if your child

reports to you that they are beginning to struggle staying with the

class, or if they are bringing home more work than our nightly

target. The earlier I can help facilitate an adjusted plan, the easier it

will be for your student to catch back up.

Volunteer Requests: March 10th we will be heading to OMSI

for our second class field trip. These we will be studying the

scientific method and beginning our study of Oceanography. I still

have a couple of slots available for parents who are interested in

chaperoning the trip. Also, I still have opportunities for volunteers

to help in the classroom with reading, math, or grading. If you are

interested in helping out our class, please don’t hesitate to contact

me!

One area of importance is our continued focus on our

common core state standards throughout the second semester. As a

reminder, these standards have really increased the expectations and

challenges previously associated with fifth and sixth grades. Many

of these skills are often complex and difficult to grasp on their

initial teaching opportunity. That is why your child will see the

same, or similar, information multiple times in a variety of ways.

Students will find these skills progressively simpler to master the

more opportunities to work with them. So, if your child becomes

frustrated or overwhelmed by a new concept (particularly in math),

don’t stress! Encourage your student to bring their questions or

concerns to class to be reviewed by the class during our daily

review.

Finally, as we start a new semester, students start with a

clean slate. I encourage parents to become a partner in your child’s

education and help them by staying informed of their regular

academic performance. The best way to stay involved is to create a

regular and consistent time to meet with your child and review their

online grade performance and missing assignments. If you have lost

or forgotten your Pinnacle Gradebook Parent Login information,

please contact the office.

Thank you all for your continued support of

my classroom and our school,

Douglas Bonham

Fifth and Sixth Grade Teacher

5th & 6th Grade

Mr. Bonham

7th & 8th Grade

Mrs. Merklin

Happy Winter Term!

January started out snowy but has been a month full of

academics as we settled back into the rhythm of school. We

have already had our first field trip of the year with a visit to

OSU to tour the campus and complete a toxicology lab. The

kids had a great time - we may have some future Beavers in

our class!

From Christmas to Spring Break is when our classroom is

really humming and the students are accomplishing great

things! Currently, we are working in our Common Core math

book and writing Theme Analysis papers in writing and

literature. In science, we are completing the first wave of

science fair, which is a guided, group project that will

contribute to future independent science fair success. We just

finished an integrated unit on Medieval life and the students all

produced some amazing hands-on history projects. Next stop -

the Renaissance!

At this time, I am also beginning to evaluate high school

readiness. This is a two year process for my seventh graders,

but as we draw near to freshman forecasting happening in

February, preparing for high school is becoming very real for

the eighth graders! Parents, be sure to mark your calendar for

March 8th to be at the High School for freshman Parent Night.

You will be receiving more information as we draw near to

this important event.

A quick reminder to the 8th grade parents: I need your

student's baby/growing up pictures ASAP (no more than 10,

please). Pictures must be delivered electronically to my email

address. If you need help scanning your photos, please see the

office.

The dates for our class trip to Seattle are May 25-27. Save the

date! This is a wonderful trip and a great experience for the

students and chaperones alike. We have two more fundraisers

to help pay for this trip - Valentines and butter braids.

We are running our class Valentine's Day fundraiser for the

next two weeks to help pay for some of the fun things we want

to do on the trip - specifically, going to a Mariner's game!

Please send in bags of wrapped Valentine candy and small

toys and/or stickers, etc. with your child toward this fundraiser

- all of the items we sell are donated by the parents of 7th and

8th graders and all proceeds go directly toward the trip. Don't

forget to purchase some Valentines for your student - the kids

in our class love to receive them after selling them and putting

them together! Mark your Valentine order form confidential

and place them in the office and I will deliver them to your

student myself! Thanks in advance!

Have a great February!

Mrs. Merklin & Mrs. Taylor

B OB CA T PRI NTS

6

Bethany Charter School

11824 Hazelgreen Rd. NE

Silverton, OR 97381

503-873-4300

BOX TOPS & CAMPBELLS LABELS FOR EDUCATION

We are still taking Box Tops and Labels for Education They can be brought

to the office or placed in the bin in the hallway outside the office door. Also,

we receive money from e -scrip. Remember to register your Safeway and

Fred Meyer cards for Bethany Charter School. These programs help fund

Battle of the Books, student scholarships for sports, Lego team, student

school supplies and more!

In December, we collected more than 1300 box tops for education! Great

job! Congratulations to Miss Turner’s class for winning the popcorn

party for collecting the most box tops!

SAVE THE DATE!!

Spring Auction, Saturday,

April 23rd,2016

After School Sporting Events

We would like to remind everyone that if there is a sporting event scheduled where

Bethany is hosting the game, no students can attend without a parent chaperone. All stu-

dents must go home at the end of the school day and can return when the game begins.

Thank you so much for your support!

Visit our Website for Upcoming

Events, Calendar dates, Sports

Schedules & more!

www.bethanycharter.silverfalls.orvsd.org