Bethel Schools District Newsletter
January 2024
Bethel Public Schools
(405) 273-3633
Administration
Dr. Matt Posey, Superintendent
BLE Office Staff
Jenny Affentranger, BLE Principal
affentrangerj@bethel.k12.ok.us
Mandy Sulphur, BLE Counselor
Lou Castoe, BLE Secretary
BUES Office Staff:
Tammy Cook, BUES Principal
Bethany Lee, BUES Counselor
Dana Campbell, BUES Secretary
BMS Office Staff
Tina Moon, BMS Principal
Kyle Childers, BMS Asst. Principal, Transportation Director
Leslie Wellman, Counselor
Marjorie Harris, Secretary
BHS Office Staff
Jeremy Stewart, BHS Principal
Courtney Howser, BHS Asst. Principal/Counselor
Linsy Ingmire, Counselor
Diane Taron, Secretary
Athletic Department
Jennifer Lynch, Athletic Director
Mandy Campbell, Athletic Secretary
District Information
Superintendent's Message
Dear Bethel Community,
As we bid farewell to the past year and welcome 2024, it is the perfect time to reflect on our aspirations and set intentions for the year ahead. The start of a new calendar year provides an opportunity for us to embrace renewed focus and commitment towards setting and achieving our goals.
Statistics show that many New Year's resolutions are often abandoned after the first month. However, this should not discourage us from making resolutions or setting goals. Instead, let us approach this tradition with a newfound understanding of the importance of setting realistic personal, physical, emotional, and educational goals.
Setting realistic goals allows us to carefully plan our, allocate resources effectively, and increase the likelihood of success. By outlining targets, we provide ourselves with a roadmap for growth and progress, fostering a of purpose and fulfillment. Whether it's personal development, academic excellence, or physical, let us encourage one another to set meaningful goals that promote both self-impro and collective well-being.
At Bethel Public School, we believe in the transformative power of education, not only in terms of knowledge acquisition but also in nurturing the overall well-being of our students. As we embark on this new year, let us prioritize the care and support we offer to one another, recognizing that each person's struggles deserve attention and empathy.
Moreover, in the pursuit of our goals, we must remember the importance of brain health and well-being. A healthy mind is fundamental to achieving success, and it is our duty to create an environment that promotes mental wellness. Encouraging healthy habits, practicing mindfulness, and fostering a supportive community will contribute to the holistic growth of our students, staff, and broader school community.
As we enter 2024, I invite all of you to join me in celebrating the extraordinary talents present in our school community. Let us come together and support one another as we endeavor to reach new heights. Together, we can create an environment that encourages resilience, ambition, and compassion, unlocking the potential within each of us.
Wishing you all a joyful and prosperous New Year filled with growth and success.
Sincerely,
Dr. Matt Posey, Superintendent
Table of Contents
LMHP- Mrs. Darcey Adamek, LPC
Communication is key!
Good communication between you and your child is important for developing a positive relationship and will make it easier for you to talk about difficult topics as they get older. One of the most challenging tasks to learn is how to respond to behavior. It could be helpful to learn more about using praise, engaging in play, and participating in active listening to build strong communication with your child. Here are some tips to developing healthy communication with your child.
- Pay attention to what your child is saying whenever you can.
- Make sure to allocate some time every day to simply sit and listen to your child if you have a busy schedule.
- Encourage your child’s ideas and opinions. Positive communication is a two-way street in which both parties take turns listening and talking.
- Resist the urge to correct them or finish their sentences – concentrate instead on what they are trying to say.
- Allow important or difficult issues to be discussed without the fear of over-reaction, criticism or blame.
Attached are two videos that may be helpful in communicating with your child. The first one is geared more towards younger children, and the second one is geared more towards older children.
Mrs. Darcey Adamek, M.S., LPC, LMHP
Bethel Schools Licensed Mental Health Provider
405-273-7632 ext. 8194
Bethel Lower Elementary
January Masters of Manners
Congratulations to our January Masters of Manners! They will be recognized at Wednesday with Wilbur on January 10th for having self-control!
Christmas Toy Drive and Share the Warmth Tree
Our BLE students collected new toys and gift items for ages 2-17 for our Christmas Toy Drive. They also brought beanies, scarves, and gloves to put on our Share the Warmth Tree. All items collected blessed Bethel Public Schools' families including students and their younger siblings. Thank you for participating in our Christmas campaigns!
Nonperishable Food Drive
Our students brought nonperishable food items for our Food Drive. The site goal for Bethel Lower Elementary was 3,994 items. Our school collected 4,505 items! Since we met our site goal, Mrs. Affentranger will complete a challenge selected by Mrs. Arnold's first graders this month!
Nonperishable Food Drive Class Winner
Congratulations to Mrs. Arnold's first graders for bringing 1,123 items for our Nonperishable Food Drive! They won a class pizza party and will select a challenge for Mrs. Affentranger to complete!
Guest Servers at Our Christmas Breakfast
The Lower Cafeteria ladies served our students and staff a Christmas lunch on Thursday, December 7th. They were most appreciative of the Bethel Ag officers' assistance with serving this special lunch!
Bethel Elementary PTO's Penguin Patch Shoppe
Our PTO ladies worked hard to get the Penguin Patch Shoppe ready for our little shoppers and to promote their fundraiser. They also blessed staff with goodies from their "Woot Woot Wagon!" We are thankful for their service and support of our school, staff, and students!
December Wednesday with Wilbur Guests
We had a special surprise at our December Wednesday with Wilbur assembly! Mr. Smith brought his HS jazz band. It was the first time for the jazz band to perform for the BLE students, and it was a great experience!
Blessings from Macomb Public Schools
On Monday, December 11th, staff from Macomb Public Schools blessed the BLE with a ton of snacks! When MPS lost a colleague/friend earlier in the first semester, they were blessed by a thoughtful and generous school district. MPS wanted to pay it forward to our staff. It was extremely thoughtful!
Celebrating Good Manners & Behavior
Mrs. Affentranger enjoyed celebrating good manners and behavior for the 2nd quarter! For six weeks, students worked hard to earn "heart" punches on their "happles." Students who earned 5-6 heart punches were able to attend the PrinciPAL's Manners Event. Mrs. Affy read "Olive the Other Reindeer" and "The Littlest Elf" to the students. Then, they danced to a couple of Christmas-themed brain breaks!
Winter Spirit Week
During our Winter Spirit Week, the BLE students and staff enjoyed dressing up for Long Winter's Nap Day, Timber Tuesday, Winter-Wear Wednesday, Snowman Day, and Winter Spirit Day!
Bethel Upper Elementary
BUES NEWS
Bethel Upper Elementary School Newsletter
January 2024
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
January 3 – Second Semester Begins. Welcome Back!
CHRISTMAS BREAK is December 20 through January 2. Students return on January 3, 2024.
STAFF PROFESSIONAL DAY – VIRTUAL DAY FOR STUDENTS – No in-person school – JANUARY 26
The Wednesday Parent Communication Folders go home every Wednesday. Please remember to check all materials in the folder and sign and return to your child’s teacher the following day. All important information will be in the folder each week.
5th GRADE MUSIC PROGRAM – January 18 – 6:30 p.m. – Old Gym
ATTENDANCE is a must for a student to be successful academically. Please have your child to school each day and on time. Those students that miss even a portion of the day miss instruction which adversely affects their academic success.
Remember to please not drop your child off at school prior to 7:35 a.m. and make all after school transportation arrangements PRIOR to school. Calls to the office to let your child know how to get home are a big disruption to the classroom and the learning environment.
Please remember to “like” the Bethel Upper Elementary Facebook page. We post important information on the site. Also, parent communications will be sent via email and text. If you have not received any emails or texts, please contact Mrs. Campbell at Ext 1100 to update your information.
PTO POPCORN DAY
We will continue to have PTO POPCORN DAY at the Upper Elementary once per month. If you would like your child to participate, please send $1.00 on the following dates:
January 25, February 29, March 28, and April 25
REPORT CARDS GO HOME ON JANUARY 10
Bethel Middle School
Middle School Student Council
The middle school students council members were able to adopt three angels for Christmas. They took a trip to Walmart and were able to hand pick the gifts.
Academic Team
Academic team did a fantastic job at the Dale meet. The team got 1st place.
Academic Meet
Halle Carter was the 2nd highest individual scorer and Bat Boughner was the 3rd highest individual scorer for the meet.
GT Multicultural Fair
The Gifted & Talented classes held a Multicultural Fair on December 13. It was open to the 3rd, 4th & 5th grades in the morning. The 6th, 7th & 8th grades visited during 4th, 5th & 6th hours. We tried to showcase the dominant cultures that have helped shape Oklahoma.
We had Native American booths, as well as a booth focusing on the All-Black towns that were developed during the land runs. This is very unique to Oklahoma history. Another definite culture that has influenced Oklahoma that was represented was the Cowboy culture. Some students tried roping and found it was more difficult than they thought.
We had several European countries: The United Kingdom, dominated by kilt wearing "Scots, " Germany, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Russia & Scandinavia. Students had a chance to try foods from those areas, such as macaroons, pita bread & tzatziki sauce, Perogies, and root beer floats at our Irish Pub.
South American countries were also represented with Mexico, Colombia & Ecuador. Some students chose countries based on family members who have ties to a certain country. Egypt, Iran, Japan, and China were also represented.
Several students chose island cultures with Puerto Rico, Cuba and other places represented.
This activity was a fundraiser to help keep our GT and academic bowl team programs running and was quite successful. We appreciate all who came and spent money, and we especially appreciate all the parents who helped provide items for sale.
Bethel High School
Gordon Cooper Technology Center
Application Information
The online application will open the week of January 16th, 2024. We will make announcements when the date is set. Students will have the opportunity to apply through their Biology class or can come into Mrs. Ingmires office. Students can also apply at home; we just want students who want to apply to have the means to do so.
The application will be available at https://www.gctech.edu/
New Student Shadowing
Students who have applied will have the opportunity to spend a morning or afternoon on the GCTC campus. More information will be released in early January. Students must have a signed form in order to participate through BHS.
ACADEMIC TEAM
Congratulations to the Bethel High School Academic Team! Led by junior captain Landry Yarbrough, the Bethel High School Academic Team has advanced past districts and regionals to the class 4A Area Tournament this year! The class 4A Area Tournament will be held at Oklahoma Christian School in Edmond on Saturday, January 13, 2024.
If the team places in the top 2 in the Area Tournament, then they will advance to the State Tournament, the top 8 teams in the state in class 4A, at the end of January.
This year's Bethel High School Academic Team members are the following:
Junior Captain - Landry Yarbrough
Senior - Luke Drew
Senior - Benjamin Martin
Senior - Dalton Cosby
Sophomore - Elijah Robertson
Freshman - Hunter Brooks
Senior Information
Cap and Gown
If you have not already purchased your cap and gown, you need to quickly. The later the order is placed, the more shipping and handling will cost. If a student is financially not able to purchase a cap and gown, please see Mrs. Ingmire.
Quotes and Baby Pictures
If you have not turned in your quote or baby picture, please do soon. These will need to be turned into Mrs. Depuy. She will scan the photo and give it back promptly.
FAFSA
The FAFSA portal is set to opened on December 31, 2023. The FIRST step that must take place is signing up for a username and password. The student and parent will have different usernames and passwords. These must be created before you can begin to file the FAFSA. It may take up to 5 business days to get the user/passwords. This step can be completed now. There is more information on the Counselors Page on the website under the Senior Information tab.
After School Math Tutoring
OKLAHOMA'S PROMISE
If your student qualifies, please notify Mrs. Ingmire.
Flyers are available outside Mrs. Ingmire's office. Paper applications are also available in the counseling office. Juniors can now apply! Applications must be submitted by June 30, 2024.
ACT INFORMATION
Up to 4 fee waivers can be used for eligible 11th and 12th grade students. Please see Mrs. Ingmire about fee waiver eligibility.
*Juniors will be given a free ACT at Bethel High School in the spring. This test is part of graduation requirements for our Juniors.
Bethel Athletics Information
Did you know?
Bethel Athletics now has a QR code that can be used for digital entry? Please use the code below to pay for entry for yourself or family members. Cash will still be accepted at the gate for entry.
Cafeteria
School Nurse
Michelle Jackson, RN, BSN
District School Nurse
Bethel Public Schools
405-273-0385 ext. 1308
Energy beverages are associated with health concerns including dehydration, irregular heartbeat, and insomnia. Parents, teachers, and other school staff can educate students about the dangers of these drinks.