KVAL News, December 14, 2011, By KVAL Communities Staff
Foundation Awards $25,000 in Grants to Teachers
A big band delivered big bucks at the Bethel School District on Tuesday.
The district's education foundation doled out $25,000 in grants to more than 40 teachers. The money can be used for field trips, books or even cameras and kitchen equipment.
Teacher Ann Burgess at Prairie Mountain School got a check for more than $500, money she'll use to buy books for her students.
"They feel rewarded, it's so enriching," she said. "They love the materials and feel appreciated. They can read novels and their learning just soars when their interest soars, so it means a lot."
The grant money comes from donations and community fundraisers.
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Bethel B-Mail, October 2011, By Pat McGillivray
An Apple A Day
12 Bethel businesses.
Buy an Apple, make a difference. That’s the message from the Bethel Education Foundation for its second-annual Apple Campaign, running through the month of October.
Green paper apples are being sold for $1 at a dozen Bethel-area businesses. The apples with the buyer’s name will be posted in the businesses through the month of October.
All the revenue from the Apple Campaign will go back to Bethel classrooms in the form of grants for field trips, guest speakers, special school projects, and more.
These Bethel partners are supporting the Apple Campaign: Oregon Community Credit Union, Strike City, Putters, Bethel Dairy Queen, Burrito Amigos, Daynight Donuts/Froyo Nation, U.S. Bank, Hoagies R Us, Little Caesar’s, Pappy’s Pizzeria, PostNet, and Jung’s Mongolian Grill.
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Talent Show Leaves ‘Em Laughing, Raises Thousands
Willamette administrators' performance at the
Bethel Staff Talent Show.
The laughter was nearly non-stop at the second annual Bethel Staff Talent Show.
Thousands of dollars were raised and countless smiles created as more than 200 staff members took turns on the stage at Willamette High School.
16 very creative acts by representatives of every Bethel school entertained a full-house audience in the annual benefit for the Bethel Education Foundation.
Dancing, singing, juggling, fire dancing, and otherwise indescribable performances by Bethel staff kept the audience’s attention.
For the second year in a row, Meadow View School took home the trophy for most money raised at the event. All the revenue will go back into Bethel classrooms in the form of Bethel Education Foundation grants.
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Volunteers Continue Willamette Pride Project
with consistently strong volunteer support.
Nearly 250 community members have pitched in this summer to help the Willamette High School building and grounds more accurately reflect the great things going on in its classrooms.
Willamette Pride, a committee of the Bethel Education Foundation, has led the effort to spruce-up Willamette with new paint, landscaping, a parking lot resurfacing, and a pair of model classrooms.
Last weekend alone, more than 80 volunteers worked at WHS through “Project Community,” an event created by Northwest Community Credit Union and KEZI-TV.
Over the last several weeks volunteers have painted the halls and breezeways of the main building, office, science wing, and the band/theater building, while the walls in the cafeteria and west gym have also been brightened.
Some plants have been removed and foundational landscaping is still being planted with the work continuing through August 17th.
Still to come are the finishing touches on a pair of showroom classrooms which could receive new carpet and paint, desks, ceiling tiles, white boards, bulletin boards, a document camera and projectors. All of it is new and donated.
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Bethel Willamette Makeover Gains Momentum
help paint the hallways at Willamette High School.
The face lift for Willamette High School has expanded, with dozens of volunteers now painting the hallways of the school.
The interior painting will continue through the summer.
Click here to choose a day and time to volunteer your services as an individual or group.
Check out KEZI-TV’s story on this event.
Willamette Pride is a grassroots community effort to spruce up Willamette so the facility’s appearance better represents the great education going on inside in the building.
A committee of the Bethel Education Foundation, Willamette Pride has solicited donations of paint, carpeting, computers, projectors, document cameras, and student desks.
Angell Flight Asphalt has donated labor and materials to renewing the parking lot at the school, while donated plants have already helped remake the entrance to Willamette.
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Bethel District News, April 6, 2011, By Pat McGillivray
Willamette Pride
Students joined parent volunteers in some
preliminary beautification as part of Willamette Pride.
"Willamette Pride" is the name of the group, a subcommittee of the Bethel Education Foundation (BEF). The team is made up of students and parents volunteering their time and boundless energy, all dedicated to helping the facilities reflect the great things going on in the classrooms.
They’ve already been working with generous paint and carpet companies, landscape architects, and nurseries, to name a few. You’d be surprised how many people have stepped forward to offer their help.
Bethel’s flagship school was built in 1949, with several additions added later. And while the district’s maintenance crew continues to do wonders, a close look reveals the building is in need of some attention and updating.
You can help by attending the "Willamette Pride" meeting Monday, April 11th, at 5:30 p.m. in the Willamette library. For more information, contact Willamette Pride Co-Chairs Brooke Cottle and Margaret Hansen at invest@betheleducationfoundation.org.
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KVAL News, January 14, 2011, By KVAL Communities Staff
Bethel Education Foundation Awards Grants to Teachers
More than two dozen Bethel teachers got a surprise Thursday in the form of checks to fund classroom projects.
The Bethel Education Foundation presented teachers with checks for $125 to $500 for projects and improvements.
The teachers applied for the money earlier this school year.
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Bethel District News, January 14, 2011, By Pat McGillivray
BEF Awards 27 New Bethel Grants
Meadow View teacher Lynda Hardwick reacts to receiving
the grant award from BEF Board member Margaret Hansen.
More than $10,000 in Bethel Education Foundation grants has been awarded to Bethel teachers. BEF Board members surprised the winning teachers in their classrooms to present the grant award certificates.
The 27 grants will be used for a wide variety of purposes to enhance and broaden students’ educational experiences. The funded projects range from science and engineering studies, to the purchase of document cameras and microscopes, and the funding of new books, model rockets, and sensory tools.
Members of the Willamette Jazz Band joined the BEF for the grant awards, playing music down school hallways to announce their arrival.
The Bethel Education Foundation has awarded 50 grants in its two years of existence, and fundraising is already underway for the next round of BEF grants. Donations can be made at the BEF website.
Below are more photos from the BEF grant award presentations through Bethel School District.
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Bethel Education Foundation Funds New Grants
Sifting through more than 50 requests, the BEF Board
agreed to distribute nearly $11,000 in grant awards.
EUGENE, Ore. -- After many hours of grading, debating and deciding, the Bethel Education Foundation Board has agreed to fund 27 new grant requests for Bethel classrooms.
The BEF grant award team will soon be making surprise visits to Bethel schools to present the grant winners with nearly $11,000 for a wide variety of academic enhancements.
In its second year of existence, the BEF was pleased to be able to fund more grants with more money than it was able to last year.
Those interested in making a donation to the Bethel Education Foundation can arrange an automatic payroll deduction through United Way and designate BEF as the recipient, or click here to make a direct donation to the BEF.
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Bethel District News, November 8, 2010, By Pat McGillivray
Wishes Granted
Meadow View's Jan Guianen was one of dozens
surprised with BEF grants last February.
EUGENE, Ore. -- They marched down school hallways with a band last year, surprising teachers by awarding grants of up to $500.
Bethel Education Foundation leaders are at it again, now accepting applications for the next round of grants.
The winning BEF grants must enhance and broaden the quality of a student’s educational experience; lend direct and immediate support to Bethel’s instructional activities and services; and assist other efforts to expand educational opportunities for Bethel kids.
BEF grants have already funded a wide variety of deserving programs including field trips, school gardens, new young adult novels, math manipulatives, music materials, calculators for high-needs students, SAT study books, and much more.
It won’t be long before more surprise presentations to Bethel teachers will be in order.
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Bethel District News, October 7, 2010, By Pat McGillivray
Biting into the BEF Apple Campaign
Oregon Community Credit Union's Barger branch
displays some of the BEF "apples" purchased by its customers.
EUGENE, Ore. -- They’re at it again. Fresh off of their wildly successful Bethel Staff Talent Show, the Bethel Education Foundation is in the middle of another big fundraiser to benefit our classrooms.
The Apple Campaign is a partnership between BEF and nine local businesses. The businesses are offering their customers an opportunity to purchase a paper apple that is immediately displayed in the business with the donor’s name. It is a public declaration of their support for Bethel schools.
All the money donated will go directly into BEF’s mini-grant program to augment, supplement and complement programs and activities in our schools.
You can take part in the Apple Campaign at the following participating businesses: Oregon Community Credit Union (Barger and Santa Clara branches), Burritos Amigos, Strike City, Putters, U.S. Bank (Highway 99 & Albertson’s branches), Pappy’s Pizza, Little Caesar’s Pizza (Danebo Ave store), Hoagies “R” Us, and Postnet.
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On With The Show
Willamette staff brought down the house with their Shake It routine.
EUGENE, Ore. --No one was quite sure how it would go. But when the Willamette auditorium sold out and Prairie Mountain’s Tom Woods took the stage first as a young Elvis, the BEF knew it had a hit on its hands.
The Bethel Education Foundation’s first ever Bethel Staff Talent Show ended more than three hours later to a standing ovation.
16 acts performed, with everything from small combos to nearly entire school staffs. There were dancers, singers, and musicians. New teachers shared the stage with 30 year veterans who’d been waiting decades for an opportunity like this.
The majority of comments that followed were of appreciation for putting another spark in the Bethel “family” atmosphere among the staff. Some are already making plans for their acts for what will assuredly be a second annual Staff Talent Show next year.
And not to be overlooked is the more than $5,000 that was raised. It will all go back into Bethel classrooms in the form of BEF mini-grants.
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Bethel District News, Sep 22, 2010, By Pat McGillivray
"Westerners" performing the Bread Smellin' Sass.
EUGENE, Ore. -- A full house of more than 550 people cheered the 16 performances in the first-ever BEF Bethel Staff Talent Show at Willamette High School Tuesday night.
The event was wildly successful and all but guarantees there will be a second annual Staff Talent Show next year.
The show was a benefit for the Bethel Education Foundation, which will turn the more than $5,000 raised into mini-grants for Bethel classrooms, events and programs.
The performances included singing, dancing, skits, an original song written and performed by a student, and a spot-on Elvis impression.
Guests voted for their favorite acts by donating dollar bills, and Meadow View’s Solid Glow Dancers proved to be the most popular act. Meadow View receives $100 to be used for the school program of its choice.
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June 4, 2010
Pictures from the BEF Rocket Station at the "We are Bethel Celebration"...
 Todd Lipkin, BEF Treasurer |  Taycee Lipkin, BEF Fundraising Chair
|
 Pat McGillivray , Ex-Officio Board Member |  Brooke Cottle, BEF President |
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KVAL News, Feb 5, 2010, By Molly Blancett
Bethel Schools Get Much Needed Boost From Grants
EUGENE, Ore. -- It's been a rough budget year for the Bethel School District.
"The year started difficult," said Bethel Superintendent Colt Gill.
The budget was so bleak teachers agreed to work for free, take a salary freeze and cut school days. Almost all elementary and middle school principals are also teaching classes.
"It's a huge amount of work but they take it on and you will hear some really positive things come out of it," said Gill.
Those teachers got a much-needed moral boost on Friday. The Bethel Education Foundation surprised every school with $7,500 total worth of grants. For Malabon Elementary School music teacher Michael Green, that means 30 pairs of new drum sticks.
The kids had their own ideas on how to use the money.
"I think we should use it for field trips," said first-grader Emily Golliher.
"For more play structures," said first grader Sophia Dau.
But instead the book fans win out. They're getting another reading teacher, which means smaller reading groups.
"If you don't know how to read, you won't know how to read silly books," said Dau.
The amounts are small. Some are less than $300. But Colt Gill said the impact is big.
"People are going to feel appreciated by the community that they are putting out this effort for," said Gill.
The Bethel Education Foundation started last August. The non-profit corporation raises money for Bethel schools.
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February 5, 2010
 Fairfield teacher, Cory Jacobs, couldn't contain her excitement when she received her mini-grant. BEF Board Member Dawnja Johnson looks on. |  Teacher Emily Snider from Willamette High School was happy to receive her certificate from BEF Board Member Denise Prewett. |
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Bethel District News, January 13, 2010, By Pat McGillivray
Schools Receive BEF Donations
The Bethel Education Foundation will award mini-grants in February.
Nearly $2,000 has been donated directly to individual Bethel schools through the Bethel Education Foundation.
While BEF’s initial fundraising efforts brought in more than $10,000 for its mini-grants fund, the nearly $2,000 was designated by donors to go to specific schools.
Meadow View received the most – $420 – to be used at its discretion.
Applications for the numerous BEF mini-grants are due Friday. The grants, ranging from $250-$500, will be distributed to winning Bethel classrooms in early February.
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The Register Guard, September 15, 2009, Letters in the Editor's Mailbag, by Janis Brew, Springfield
Give a Day’s Pay for Schools
Bethel School District teachers’ decision to work without pay on Sept. 8 is an example of the many ways teachers give unselfishly to our children and society and should not be taken for granted. Every year teachers throughout our community spend unpaid summer time getting ready for fall and spend school-year evenings and weekends planning lessons, grading papers and tutoring students. What a gift that our teachers are willing to make this commitment.
It’s disappointing that we depend on financial sacrifices from teachers to provide high-quality education. Our legislators haven’t corrected this problem, so maybe it’s time for all of us to follow the example of the Bethel teachers.
I’m not a teacher, but I am inspired by the actions of the Bethel teachers. This year, I’ll be donating one day’s pay to our schools, and I challenge our community to join me. One day’s pay can be donated to your school district’s education foundation (the Eugene Education Foundation, the Springfield Education Foundation, etc). Donations provide funding for educational materials and activities, such as science experiments, field trips, music, and extra academic support for struggling students. You’ll get a charitable donation deduction on your taxes, and you’ll get the satisfaction of helping our schools provide quality education during tough economic times.
Can’t afford a full day’s pay? Make it half a day’s pay, or even an hour’s pay. Every little bit helps!
NOTE from the Bethel Education Foundation Board:
We loved this and we'd like to add that you consider giving a donation like this to the Bethel Education Foundation.
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The Register Guard, September 5, 2009, Editorial
EDITORIAL: Bethel gets on board, forms a local school foundation | Forming a local school foundation
Good for the parents of students in Bethel schools. They’re forming a Bethel Education Foundation to solicit money and provide small grants for the schools. These private sources of help are all the more useful now that a recession is squeezing normal public funds.
In making this move the Bethel group is behind its two larger neighbors. Eugene formed an education foundation in 1993 and Springfield in 1994. But there’s no reason Bethel can’t catch up in its rate of success, however you choose to measure that.
Formation of a foundation to help the local public schools is not a novelty any more. There is, as you might expect, a National School Foundation Association, complete with real offices in Des Moines and a Web site.
According to that site, there are some 6,500 foundations assisting 14,500 school districts across the country. According to one expert, these foundations provide the three “ments.” That is, their purpose is to “augment, supplement and complement” programs and activities of the schools.
The national group traces its roots back to the establishment of the National Center for Public and Private School Foundations in Iowa in 2001.
Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley was the “driving force” behind this trend, a fact we will skip over quickly as Grassley is not popular with many because of his role in current Senate negotiations on health care reform.
In 2005, the center merged with the Association of Education Foundations to form what is now the NSFA.
None of that is terribly important to the Bethel folks, although they’ll probably want to be in touch with the national group and get whatever advice it offers.
The foundation focus will be strictly local. The current aim is to provide small grants to teachers, who will be invited to make proposals. That sounds sensible. And even if the money is not great at first it also sounds like something that will be appreciated by teachers. The implicit message of support may be as important as the dollars.
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Group to help Bethel schools | The foundation will raise funds for educational purposes
Hoping to replicate a strategy that has netted thousands of dollars for neighboring schools, a group of parents in west Eugene’s Bethel School District has launched an education foundation.
The Bethel Education Foundation, still awaiting its formal nonprofit status, will seek donations and act as a fundraising conduit for the district’s 11 schools, distributing tax-deductible gifts earmarked for specific schools and also establishing a grant fund for teachers.
A letter about the foundation will soon be sent to the home of every student, said Brooke Cottle, a Meadow View School parent and the foundation’s president. A Web site is up, though it’s not yet complete, and a logo is being designed.
“We’re about ready to run — we’re really excited,” said Cottle, whose daughter, Avery, will be a seventh-grader this year. “We see it as a chance to get some of those things back in the schools that will benefit the students so much.”
As is the case with both the Eugene Education Fund and the Springfield Education Foundation, the Bethel organization will accept proposals from teachers for specific projects and dole out “mini-grants,” Cottle said. She said she expects that the selection process, to begin in January or February, will favor schools with the largest numbers of disadvantaged students, but also ensure that every school gets something.
In the Eugene and Springfield districts, such grants have paid for a rich variety of materials and projects, including iPods, document cameras, computer software and other technology; new musical instruments; guest artists and art supplies; musical performances and field trips; and even homework tutors.
Bethel donors can give directly to the grant fund, or designate funds to a particular school — in which case the foundation will shave 5 percent off the top for the grant fund, Cottle explained.
The foundation’s launch grew from discussions last year among parents tapped for a “key communicators” panel that met regularly with Superintendent Colt Gill. District spokesman Pat McGillivray said there has been talk of starting a foundation for years, “but this group of parents was just so gung-ho.”
“We were all so concerned, when all these budget cuts were coming up,” said Cottle, who also has two preschool-age boys.
Though the recession is hitting household as well as school budgets, she voiced optimism that parents and other community members will be willing to step up and contribute.
The group already is getting donations, she said — enough to fund the start-up.
The Eugene Education Fund has channeled millions to schools since its founding in 1993, and in recent years has exceeded its fundraising goals routinely. Last year’s $785,635 broke a record.
Springfield’s foundation, started in 1994, has sputtered over the years but last year kicked into high gear, distributing nearly $10,000 in grants.
BETHEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION
To donate or learn more, visit www.bethel educationfoundation.org or call the district at 689-3280 or President Brooke Cottle at 607-3751.
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Bethel District News, August 19, 2009, By Pat McGillivray
New Foundation Established For Bethel Students
(top row) Tannya McFarlane and Karen Krumrey-Fulks helped create the BEF.
Thanks to the determination of some active Bethel parents, the Bethel Education Foundation – BEF – is now soliciting donations to support the academic achievement of all Bethel students.
BEF is a non-profit organization that will collect tax-deductible donations and convert them into mini-grants for special Bethel school or classroom programs. Such a foundation has been talked about for years, but it took a group of Bethel parents to make it a reality.
Working with Superintendent Colt Gill, the parents proposed the organization, sought advice on the best way to operate it, created a Board, filed for non-profit status, and were given a tax ID number.
Bethel families and businesses will soon be receiving information on how to donate to the foundation and enhance the education of Bethel School District kids.
