Fall Sports Activities Sponsored by the Silverton YMCA, just click and print the ones you are interested in.

Orientation at a Glance........
     An informal orientation at Bethany Charter School will take place on August 31, 2010 from 10:30-11:30.  The start of the academic year is approaching soon and many of our Bobcat's are feeling a sense of excitement.  The Charter doors will be open to tour through the campus, meet your classroom teacher, preview academic materials or just visit with a member of our PRIDE.  This is an opportunity to cure some of the anxiety and jitters that a student can have when approaching a new school year.  We are here to share in the excitement of the upcoming school year.
 Can't wait to see you all at the Orientation!
Bethany Charter School Staff

 
A Bobcat end of the year greeting to our Parents and Students,
 
As the 2009-2010 school year comes to a close, on behalf of all the staff at Bethany Charter School, I would like to offer our greatest thanks to each of you for all  you have done for the students and staff of Bethany this year….and every year.  Thank you, Bethany Parents and Friends, for your ever-present encouragement and support.  I consider it a privilege to have been part of such a wonderful school community!
 
The Bethany Charter School classroom Teaching Staff have all committed to returning to the Charter for the following school year.  Bethany is fortunate to have qualified, dedicated and compassionate staff members to work with our children. There are new and very exciting curricular improvements and educational initiatives on the horizon.  As our teaching staff gains experience working together, the devoted colleagues find ways to improve the education program at Bethany.  It is in learning from experiences and making mistakes that Bethany can only become one of the best!  If you have suggestions for field trips, guest speakers, or other educational opportunities to add to the new school year ahead please share with me in either an email or phone call.  
            “Much education today is monumentally ineffective.   All too often we give young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to grow their own plants.”                   
                                                -–John Gardner
The world is changing.  We need to prepare the students for this change.  Economic, social and technological forces make new demands on what students need to know to be successful.  Basic skills are no longer enough.  Students need not only to have a good understanding of the core academic subjects, they must also be able to solve problems, make decisions, and be prepared for responsible citizenship in today’s world.  Parent participation in this is crucial.  Kids today are learning things for the future that we have not yet experienced.  Please work on the basic skills over summer vacation in order to have your children ready for success this fall.  
 
It is a bittersweet farewell to our physical education teacher, Ms.  Boatner.  She truly is one of the finest!  She prepared lessons and standards for our Bobcats that are completely commendable. The children and staff will truly miss her.  Who would think that such a beautiful person inside and out would go ahead and get married?  Congratulations and good luck.  Keep teaching Ms.  Boatner, your talent is special.
 
As we head for the finish line, be sure to mark your calendars for the upcoming end of the year events that have been an exciting tradition for closing days at Bethany Charter School.  I am hoping to see you at one or more of the events.  It means a great deal to your child that you are a part of their school journey.
 
I again, thank you for entrusting your finest possession to our teaching staff and myself. We certainly are honored to be your school of choice!
 
Summer is upon us!
 
Mrs.  Frank
Bethany Charter School Principal
 

May is already here,
 
The school year is certainly passing by quickly.  It is amazing how time seems to slip away so fast.  June 17th, the last day of school, will be here before we know it.  I hope you have taken every opportunity this year to be involved in your child’s education.  It will not be long before they are adults and we will wonder what happened to all those years. 
 
You may have heard in the news that schools are faced with budget shortfalls and Bethany Charter School is one of these schools.  The BCS board and budget committee recently passed a budget for next year that has had to dip into our savings account to continue to operate status quo and be able to continue with the programs that we offer the students who attend Bethany Charter School. There are limited ways that schools have slashed their budget to make up for the shortfall in monies.  Often a school will look at job cuts, bigger class sizes, holding off on buying textbooks, cutting field trips or limiting supply purchases.  Bethany already operates on the most frugal budget and can not make class sizes bigger or lay off staff.  Our class sizes are large and our staff is required to wear many hats.
 
 Many of our parents do not realize that the policy of being enrolled in Bethany Charter School is to commit to volunteering and fair share hours.  As I think back to this last school year and the challenges we had to try to generate enough volunteers to run our 33rd annual school carnival, I find it upmost important that the volunteer policy is implemented and abided by for the success of Bethany.  There are many opportunities for you to meet the requirements of this policy. 
 
I will be publishing a volunteer accountability plan and idea book for you to review and commit to for next year.  Bethany is a community-run school; BCS expects parents and community members to play active roles in school.  We need all of our parents talents. 
 
The “Ice-Cream and the Arts Night” was a great success.  The work that the students did was outstanding!  If you missed it, you missed a great display of our student’s talent. The masterpieces will be displayed in the Bobcat multi-purpose den until Grandparent’s Day.  Stop by and be visually inspired by the creative students’ projects at BCS.
 
We continue to have traffic jams at dismissal time.  We will be piloting a slight change at Bethany.  On May 3, the 1-4th graders will be dismissed at 2:25.  If you only have students in these grades and you are a driver, we need you to be a first parent at pick up time in the drive up parking lot.  It is our hope that this will eliminate the backed up traffic waiting to get in the parking lot.  Parents have been receiving tickets in Salem Keizer schools for backing up traffic.  We do not want that to start happening to our families.  I will observe and analyze the change and see if it should be implemented for 2010/2011 school year.  Thanks for cooperating with this change.
 
May our Bobcats continue blooming,
Mrs.  Frank

We currently have openings for the 2010/2011 School year.  Please call to schedule a tour, visit the classrooms and meet our staff.  Enrollment forms can be uploaded and printed from the link on the left.
 

 
April 29th is  one of our favorite days at Bethany Charter School.  It is Grandparents or special person luncheon.  Special guests invited by our Bobcat students will join together in a special lunch prepared by our very own food expert, Mrs.  Fleshman.  There will be entertainment, a delicios noonish feast, and great company for those who can attend.  The cafeteria just hums with excitement at this wonderful gathering.  Please look for your invitation soon. 

Inviting all to attend our Social event of the year.  Ice-cream and the ARTS. 
     The students and staff are proud to present to you their art pieces in our Bobcat Museum on Thursday, April 22nd, 2010.  Please plan to attend and enjoy an ice-cream treat while roaming the majestical aisles of our museum.  There will be poetry, music, and a chance for an artist to be located amongst our guests in the annual art contest. Please help us celebrate the artistic abilities in our PRIDE.   

 
 
This Is It!
This Was It!
 
 
 
     Bethany Charter School hosted it's first annual talent show before leaving on Spring break 2010.   Thursday March 18th.
Parents, students, community members and even relatives joined together to enjoy over 30 talented acts in our
Bobcat auditorium.   There was a wide variety of talent and unique moments performed before the spectators eyes.  the audience was serenaded by opera, poetry, silly skits, piano recitals, musical arrangements, vocal idols, gymnasts, jokesters, and even a love song sang to our mascot Harvey.   The opening act of 5th and 6th graders singing the Star Spangled Banner lead the audience to believe this was going to be a pretty historical talent show.  But as our Kindergarteners sand London Bridges Falling Down while 4 brave little Bobcats made back bridges, the audience soonrealized that anything could happen at this talent show.  It was an honorable morning for all who joined together in our Bobcan Den to celebrate the diverse talent amongst our PRIDE. 
 
 
Thank you for being a part of our annual academy of Bobcat talent. 
 
 
 
Charter Talent Academy
 
 

The re enrollment phase begins March 1st and will end on the 31st. Parents be sure to fill these out if you are planning on having your children attend for the 2010-2011 school year and return them to the office as soon as possible.