Our dedicated operations team is gearing up for one of the busiest summers in our district’s history.

Thanks to our community's incredible support, we are officially moving into the brand-new Bethel High School building. This massive undertaking is a monumental milestone for our district, and we want to send a huge thank you to the voters who made this beautiful new space a reality!

The domino effect of school construction means Cedarcrest Middle School is also packing its bags. Soon after school gets out, the old Cedarcrest building will be torn down to make way for a brand-new school. In the meantime, Cedarcrest staff and students are moving into the old Bethel High School building, which will serve as their temporary home for the next two years while their new school is being built. Once again, a big thank you goes to our voters for partnering with us to build a better future for our kids.

Moving two entire schools is just the tip of the iceberg. Operations teams will be working districtwide to ensure every building is refreshed and ready for the first day of school this fall. Roofs are being replaced at Roy Elementary and Thompson Elementary, while Pioneer Valley Elementary is getting brand-new flooring. Drivers will also notice smooth new pavement at Centennial Elementary and Roy Elementary.

To accommodate our growing community, Expedition Elementary is officially getting portables, and Frederickson Elementary staff and students will stay cool with a brand-new HVAC chiller. 

Crews will update the Pierce County Skills Center’s kitchen, tackle Art Crate Stadium with multiple projects including concessions, and Spanaway Lake High School is getting a new greenhouse. We are also making crucial portable improvements at Elk Plain to better serve our Special Services team.

On top of these major construction tasks, custodial teams will be doing the heavy lifting of waxing floors, resurfacing gym courts, and cleaning carpets across our schools.

When students return in the fall, they will step into bright, safe, and beautifully updated spaces designed to help them thrive.

A sixth-grader steps onto the wrestling mat for the first time, nervous but ready to try something new. What they don’t know is that the same discipline required to master a wrestling takedown also helps them focus during a mid-term exam.

For most of our 4,817 participating middle and high school athletes, sports aren't about going pro, they are about personal growth. In fact, only one-third of our students play at the varsity level.

While our varsity teams get the headlines, our JV and C-Team programs are where the real magic of growth happens. These teams aren't just a bench, they are a laboratory for grit and persistence.

“Two-thirds of our kids are playing on sub-varsity, which means they're developmental,” said Bryan Streleski, Director of Athletics and Security. “We're trying to make them better, trying to help them improve, to get better every single day.”

In our schools, "developmental" is just another word for "opportunity." It’s where a student who has never picked up wrestling headgear finds their footing and their confidence.

That commitment to the game translates directly to the classroom. Student-athletes in our schools maintain GPAs nearly half a point higher than students who don’t participate in activities. These students are also seeing higher attendance and graduation rates as well. 

“They’ve got to stay eligible to participate,” said Streleski. “But they're not just staying eligible, they're excelling.”

To ensure every student can find a place to belong, our athletic programs continue to expand. This year, we added a middle school girls wrestling tournament to mirror our long-standing high school programs. And girls flag football continues to expand.

Perhaps the most powerful example of that community is found in our Unified Sports teams, where special education students and general education students compete together in everything from basketball to track and field. “It's phenomenal,” said Streleski. “It's great for our students with special needs. It's also great for our partner kids to learn and grow and understand how to work within a community.”

These opportunities are made possible by our community. The Educational Programs & Operations Levy is the backbone of our athletics program. It ensures our students have the tools to succeed both on the field and in life. Thank you, voters!

Dena Mariano has spent 27 years teaching in our schools, but she is still finding new ways to grow. 

This year, in her first grade classroom at Shining Mountain Elementary, she has seven multilingual students in her classroom. These are students who are learning English, on top of learning the curriculum. It sounds like a heavy lift for a six-year-old. Enter Brianna Kangas, the school’s multilingual education teacher.

"Being multilingual is such a superpower,” Kangas said. "There's different neural pathways that are strengthened and created when you are acquiring and learning another language, and so it just makes your brain super, super strong.”

To help the multilingual students unlock those superpowers, Kangas and Mariano are using Total Physical Response (TPR) to turn new vocabulary words into actions. A familiar phrase that echoes throughout the classroom describes it well, "Say the word and do the motion!"

TPR is not American Sign Language. Kangas and Mariano co-plan their lessons and determine which vocabulary words will get the TPR treatment. Putting an invisible crown on your head is used for the word “British.” For the word “country” students pretend to plant a flag in the ground.

This allows first graders, some of whom are still learning English, to define and understand concepts as broad as American Independence, and to get hands on with events like the Boston Tea Party.

When students learn the word "government," there is a gesture. When they say "independence," there is a movement. 

“Recently, I got a new student who is a newcomer to the United States and on day one he was able to participate in our lesson through the use of those hand gestures,” said Mariano.

And the strategy works whether you’re a native English speaker or not.

“When you pair a motion with a vocabulary word, when you're saying something at the same time your body's doing something, there's something that happens in your brain that's going to help you remember and connect that word," Kangas said.

In other words, every student is benefiting. And the impact continues as those vocabulary words become essays. As students lean over their papers, their free hands often form the gestures they learned earlier that morning. They are rehearsing their sentences before committing the words to paper.

“You'll see them doing the hand motions as they write, to help them recall that vocabulary,” said Mariano. ”They can really just focus in on the mechanics of writing.”

Kangas co-teachers with Mariano for one period a day. Their partnership is helping students to build the academic language they need to thrive.

And in this classroom, students are learning with their voices, their hands, and their hearts.

“Speak a lot! Do not be afraid to express your opinion.”

That’s the advice Lyllian, a senior at Bethel High School, offered to those following in her footsteps. It is empowered advice, and likely not something she would have shared three years ago. Her confidence blossomed through a unique opportunity in our district called the Superintendent’s Student Leadership Council.

“I felt like SSLC pushed me past my comfort zone of talking to other individuals,” Lyllian said. “It helped me step into the realm of what's happening at my school and what's happening at other schools.”

Now, finishing up her third year with the council, Lyllian finds it powerful to advocate for change that can impact students districtwide.

The SSLC recently put their representative power into action during their annual roundtable dinner with the School Board. This isn’t a dry presentation from a podium. Instead, Board members visit individual tables to listen, learn, and engage in in-depth conversations about the student experience.

And the students did not shy away from heavy topics. They led discussions on staff diversity and the need for more multicultural programs and interpreters. They also brought practical solutions to the table, requesting updates to the advisory curriculum to include "real-life skills" like financial literacy. While algebra has its place, they want to graduate knowing how to handle loans, credit, taxes, and mortgages, while also mastering professional skills like resume building and interviewing.

Board President Marcus Young thanked the students for bringing both concerns and solutions to the table. “I felt like I heard the voice of those individuals that you all serve in your schools,” he said. “You did it with conviction, you did it with clarity, and you actually caused me and the Superintendent to have to reassess our thoughts.”

School Board Vice President Teresa Cosio said the candor was a breath of fresh air for the Board. “Continue these conversations, but bring them to the board more often,” she told the students. “We need feedback throughout the year on how well we're doing and how our staff is doing on supporting you.”

As for Lyllian, her journey of self-expression is just beginning. After she crosses the Bethel High graduation stage next month, she plans to attend The Evergreen State College in Olympia to major in performing arts and fine arts, with a goal of minoring in creative writing. While she’s there, the change she championed here will continue to support students across our district for years to come.

The spring sun has finally arrived, and at Kapowsin Elementary that means Amy Dalin’s library is on the move. 

While some might picture a library as a place of hushed silence and heavy curtains, Dalin prefers a bit of "controlled chaos" and the fresh air of the Pacific Northwest.

Dalin is in her second year as a teacher librarian, but her journey to Bethel began in a very different setting. After graduating from WSU with a biology degree and working as a nursing assistant, she realized her true calling lay in the classroom. She spent three years as a high school science teacher before finding her home in the library. This shift was fueled by a desire to reconnect students with the joy of discovery through pages rather than just lab reports.

“It’s incredible to see these kids grow and get excited about books," Dalin said. "That’s why I became a librarian. I saw a lot of kids just not being excited about books and I was like, that’s what I want to do. I want them to love reading.”

Her inspiration stems from a family legacy of teaching and the impact of her own high school mentor. He was a steady presence for her during difficult times, and she strives to be that same "rock" for her students today. Whether she is leading the Battle of the Books team or helping students dig into the school’s garden club, her focus is always on fostering growth.

As the weather warms, Dalin often trades the bookshelves for the school grounds, proving that literacy doesn't have to be a sedentary indoor activity.

“We like to take the kids outside to read sometimes when it’s really beautiful," Dalin said. "We have bins of books and I'm like, let’s just go out, sit down on the ground and enjoy some sunshine and read some books.”

By bringing stories into the sunlight, Dalin is ensuring that her students don't just learn to read, but learn to love the experience of getting lost in a great book. 

The smell of fresh coffee is filling the staff room at the old Naches Trail Elementary this week, but the faces gathered around the table aren't familiar ones. Following an electrical fire at Puyallup’s Ferrucci Junior High, our district stepped in to ensure their students had a place to finish the school year.

To make the Ferrucci staff feel at home, Naches Trail staff stocked the lounge with snacks and drinks, accompanied by a handmade “Welcome to the Neighborhood” sign.

This spirit of partnership is possible because of our 2019 School Construction Bond. The bond funded the new Naches Trail Elementary, leaving the old building available as a vital resource for our staff and the community, and now, for our neighbors in need. Thank you, voters!

In the end, Superintendent Brian Lowney said we are here to support all students, and that includes being a good neighbor when Puyallup needed us. “We are more than happy to step in and help, and we’ve ensured this won't impact our students here in Bethel or cost our taxpayers anything extra.”

For 16,000 students in our district, their school day starts when they're greeted by a smiling face at the bus door. Our drivers do more than navigate traffic. They set the tone for a child’s entire day, turning a simple commute into a foundation for educational success.

Tone is important, but safety is paramount. That’s why we’re proud to announce that our transportation team’s meticulous attention to detail has once again earned the district a Letter of Achievement from the Washington State Patrol and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for exceptional inspection results.  

This Letter of Achievement is the direct result of the "diligent and tireless efforts" of our entire transportation team.

While the high-tech routing software we recently launched helps keep our bus schedules efficient, the true engine of the department is our people. “When I think of a bus driver, they’re not just opening and closing doors and pressing the gas and brake pedals and turning the wheel,” said Transportation Director John West. “They are responsible for so much more. They really have the ability to set the tone.”

Preparation for that responsibility is rigorous. Drivers undergo 6-8 weeks of training, including more than 300 hours of paid classroom instruction and on-the-road practice. This includes specialized certifications to ensure they are ready for any situation, because at the end of the day, they are transporting the most precious cargo there is.

“Families rely on our services at Transportation, and we take that seriously,” West said. “We really take pride in our jobs and pride in our drivers, and all around what we do to get kids to school so they can have the best education possible.”

Interested in joining our state-recognized transportation team? We offer paid training, flexible schedules, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on a child's life every day. Visit jobs.bethelsd.org to learn more.

We are excited to announce that nine of our schools have been recognized as part of the 2026 Washington School Recognition Program!

With nine schools honored, the Bethel School District leads all of Pierce County in state recognition this year, standing as one of the top-recognized districts in the entire state for student growth. That means ensuring every student group, regardless of background, is on an upward trajectory.

If you walk into any of these nine schools today, you'll see what success looks like in action. A teacher at Frontier Middle finding a new way to explain a concept to a student learning English. A senior at Bethel Acceleration Academy – perhaps the first in their family to head toward a diploma – realizing that their income level doesn’t dictate their future.

State Superintendent Chris Reykdal praised the achievement. “I want to thank every student, every family, and every educator that has leaned into the work of advancing student achievement,” he said.

The program recognizes school achievement in specific categories:

Closing Gaps: These schools made significant advancements for student groups in areas identified for improvement.

Growth: These schools have student groups among the highest performers (top 10% statewide) on key measures.

This is a huge win for our teachers who stay late, the parents who push at home, and the students who decide that "good enough" isn't enough. Our schools are getting better because they refuse to leave anyone behind. 

You can find a complete list of all the 2026 recognized schools at https://sbe.wa.gov/2026-recognized-schools

The buzz of a busy high school hallway can be a daunting soundtrack for a ninth grader just arriving from middle school. But at Graham-Kapowsin High School, that transition is becoming a journey of confidence.

Ever, a current freshman, felt that shift personally. For her, the backbone of her high school experience wasn't just the curriculum, but the specific programs that the teachers provided to keep her upright.

"Study Support was very helpful," Ever said. "I was able to go in the morning because some kids aren't able to go after school, so having these things during school are very helpful for many students".

Study Support is just one of many programs that GK has put in place recently to help 9th graders thrive.

"There's after-school ELA help, and math help, and science, and it's like—it's really helpful,” Ever said. “You're able to focus on that certain subject and you're really able to talk to the teacher personally instead of doing it in front of a whole class."

The goal is simple but essential: to keep students on track to graduate. Principal Kevin Zamira said that ninth grade is the foundation for everything that follows. “It's easily the most pivotal year of their high school career,” he said.

The data shows their strategy is working. In the 2023-24 school year, only 57.5% of freshmen were on track to graduate. That number jumped nearly 10% in a single year, and by the second trimester of this school year, it had reached 79%.

A team of 20 teachers at GK is working tirelessly to help students master the real-life skills needed for success. Skills like communication, confidence, and critical thinking – the same skills highlighted in our district’s Portrait of a Graduate. 

"My communication skills have really improved," Ever said. "They've given us many, many tools, and the teachers are very welcoming. If you need help in any class, you can just always talk to them.”

Ever recently visited Frontier Middle School to help eighth graders prepare for their own leap into high school this fall. She, and other freshmen, showed them how to manage Gradebook and use the resources available. 

"All these things, all these resources, have helped me prepare for 10th grade," Ever said.

Ninth grade success leader Courtney Paulsen said the GK staff is constantly evolving to meet student needs. "You have teachers and staff members that care about the students, and we are willing to change to help students," she said.

With the success being seen in the freshman wing, GK is now looking to expand this supportive model to the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.

Behind every student iPad screen is a complex web of protection designed to keep kids safe. In an era where cyberattacks are a multibillion-dollar industry, our Technology Department isn't just managing devices, they are building a digital fortress.

"The weakest link, and this is why we’re focusing on people, is humans," said Mike Christianson, Chief Technology Officer. While the district uses sophisticated software, Christianson knows that one wrong click can bypass the strongest defenses.

This isn’t just a kid problem, adults can make these mistakes too. Recently our tech team has been doing a little "friendly phishing." They send emails to staff that look too good to be true: a link to a free Starbucks card can seem very tempting as an afternoon pick-me-up. But when a staff member clicks the link in one of these test emails, they receive an immediate, helpful tip on how to better identify fake emails in the future. 

The district has also implemented districtwide security upgrades funded by our community’s continued support of our Technology Levy. This includes MDR Systems that detect and shut down malicious activity the moment it appears. That, along with the addition of two-factor authentication has helped protect our staff and students. A few months ago, we hired a white-hat hacking company to break into our system, and they couldn’t do it. The digital deadbolts were locked.

When it comes to Artificial Intelligence (AI), the district is moving with "responsible, ethical, and intentional" caution.

“To AI or to not AI,” posed Christianson. "That’s probably the wrong question. It’s more like: when to AI, not if to AI.”

While AI is an essential tool for the future, the district is currently limiting student access and working on introducing protected ecosystems, different than ChatGPT.

“We have another product we've been working with out of the University of Washington on their project called Colleague AI,” said Christianson. “It's built for teachers and students.” And it ensures that no student data will be sold or misused.

Staff will also be getting training on AI in the near future. “We want a responsible, ethical, and intentional use of AI,” said Christianson. “It’ll be rolled out with guidance for students, staff, and teachers for summer training in August. We’re also going to be utilizing these late starts to continue that learning throughout the year.”

We live in a complex digital world. And our tech team is making decisions that will help ensure that technology remains a tool for growth, not a distraction. This work is only possible thanks to our Technology Levy. Thank you, voters!