Superintendent
Chris Parra
Whole Lotta Shakin’
Kindergartners at Malabon Elementary get introduced to their first earthquake drill. Preparing for quakes is one of the many safety rehearsals students will practice during the school year.
They say it’s coming.
The experts who know these things predict that we are due for a major earthquake.
To prepare for that possibility, students throughout Bethel School District took part in the Great American Shakeout, a national earthquake preparedness event.
The drill taught students how to take cover under desks in the event of a major quake.
The earthquake drill is only one of a number of safety procedures that are rehearsed in our schools.
Fire drills are a monthly requirement, and lockdown drills are performed at least twice a year, and more often in some schools.
It’s Happening At The Farm
Students get up close and personal with compost at the Bethel Farm. A federal grant is providing field trips to The Farm for students throughout the district.
Hundreds of Bethel students are now being introduced to the district’s own farm within the city.
The Bethel Farm is located on the land between Kalapuya and Prairie Mountain schools.
Complete with rows of crops, a barn with solar panels, a large hoop house, raised planter beds and a food-washing station, the Bethel Farm has been impressing visitors of all ages.
A USDA Farm-to-School grant is bringing Bethel elementary students on field trips to The Farm this fall. More will happen in the spring and again next school year.
Kids help harvest veggies, make their own salsa, get up-close with compost, learn how to plant a garden, and make a bookmark with real flower petals.
A Farm-to-School educator meets with the students in their schools before every field trip, teaching them about where food comes from and why it’s important to eat locally-grown produce.
There are great things happening at The Farm.
Parent Workshop: Social Media And Internet Safety
- Tuesday, October 10th, 6–7:45 p.m., Willamette High School.
Keeping It Fresh
Stan Walker and Brian Sheilds from Franz Bakery help serve lunch to Clear Lake students on Oregon Harvest Day.
All Bethel school lunches today were made with products produced in Oregon, most from our area, and some from our own Bethel Farm.
Bethel’s school lunches feature locally grown, fresh and tasty foods every day, but Oregon Harvest Day makes sure that all the products are from Oregon.
Students at Clear Lake Elementary were served by growers, farmers and bakers, including representatives from Franz Bakery, Emerald Fruit and Produce, Childers Meat, Camas Country Mill, and Lochmead Dairy.
The district’s Bethel Farm provided fresh squash, tomatoes, peppers, kale, and garlic.
Here’s the menu for Oregon Harvest Day.
Bethel already has a reputation as one of the state’s leaders in serving fresh, locally grown food in its school meals, and will present its secrets to success to districts from around the state next month at the Oregon School Boards Association conference.