Bethel School District (52) is a

school district A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations. North America United States In the U.S, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts, wh ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. It serves the Bethel neighborhood in northwest Eugene. During the 2018–19 school year approximately 5,450 students were enrolled in Bethel's 11 schools, making it the third largest school district in Lane County. Bethel School District was formed in 1948 with the consolidation of the Bethel, Irving, Clear Lake, Danebo, and Malabon school districts.

Willamette High School Willamette High School, or "Wil-Hi", is located in the Bethel-Danebo area of West Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKen ...

opened in September 1949 with an enrollment of 381. Students in the class of 1950 were WHS's first graduates. Alvadore was the last of six small districts to join Bethel in 1960. Tom Powers served as the first superintendent from 1948 to 1970. The auditorium at Willamette High School is named in his honor. Ray Klappenbach served from 1970 to 1987. Kent Hunsaker was superintendent from 1987 to 2003. Steve Hull 2003–2005, Tim Keeley 2005–2006, Colt Gill 2006–2016, Chris Parra from 2016 to 2020, and Dr. Kraig Sproles from 2020 to today.

Bond Measure

In November 2012 Bethel voters approved a $49.5 million bond measure with a 73% Yes vote. It did not increase anyone's tax rate. The Bethel bond resulted in the construction of new schools to replace Fairfield Elementary and Malabon Elementary, at the time the oldest elementary schools in the district. With the bond the district also built state of the art science classrooms and a new front office at Willamette, the district's comprehensive high school. The WHS facility was the first

LEED certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, constructio ...

K-12 public school building in the Willamette Valley. All of the new school buildings opened with ribbon-cutting ceremonies in September 2015. The bond also provided for improved safety and security features at all Bethel schools; updated technology throughout the district; new textbooks; energy efficient windows and HVAC controls; new roofs; replacement carpeting; improved playgrounds; renovated restrooms and locker rooms; updated fire panels; new boilers; modern clock systems; kitchen serving lines; gym bleachers; phone systems; security fencing; school lighting; press box; parking lot resurfacing; ADA improvements; stage curtains and sound system; kitchen appliances, and more.

Schools

Elementary schools

Bethel's elementary schools serve students in grades Kindergarten-5. Full-day Kindergarten was introduced at every Bethel elementary and K-8 school in September 2015. * Clear Lake Elementary * Danebo Elementary * Fairfield Elementary * Irving Elementary * Malabon Elementary

K-8 schools

Bethel's K-8 schools opened in 1998 (Meadow View) and 2002 (Prairie Mountain). K-5 students are in the elementary wings and grades 6-8 are in the middle school wings. * Meadow View School * Prairie Mountain School

Middle schools

The district's traditional middle schools are home to students in grades 6–8. * Cascade Middle School * Shasta Middle School

High schools

Willamette is Bethel's comprehensive high school. In the 2018–19 school year enrollment was approximately 1,450. Kalapuya opened in 2002 and was designed as an alternative school. Its enrollment is close to 100 students. * Kalapuya High School *

References

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External links

Bethel School District
(official website)
Bethel Education Foundation
(official website)
Bethel School District Facebook page

Bethel School District Twitter page
School districts in Oregon Education in Eugene, Oregon School districts established in 1945 1945 establishments in Oregon