Good afternoon, Bethel staff and families,

We’re excited to share some wonderful news for our students and community: Bethel has received $900,000 in funding from Governor Tina Kotek and the Oregon Department of Education to support summer learning opportunities for students in Summer 2026.

Bethel was not initially included in the state’s list of summer program recipients, and we advocated for a review of the process and awarded grants. We are deeply grateful to Governor Kotek, ODE, and our state partners for recognizing the importance of early literacy and expanding access to summer learning opportunities for students across Oregon.

This funding will support several important summer programs in Bethel, including:

• Summer Reading: This 6-7 week program will serve about 400 students in current grades K–5 and provide targeted literacy support for students identified through reading assessments as needing additional support in skill development. Participation is by invitation only, and families will receive direct communication from their school if their student is invited to participate.

• KITS Programming: Kids in Transition to Kindergarten, or KITS, is a 6-week program that runs from June to August and is open to all incoming kindergarten students in Bethel. We are currently finalizing details of the program and enrollment information will be shared with the community soon!

• Credit Recovery: A three-week program that provides high school students with additional opportunities to earn required graduation credits. The program helps students close skill and credit gaps in core subject areas while staying connected to school and supported by caring staff along the way. Eligible students are contacted directly and invited to the program.

We are incredibly thankful to continue offering these opportunities for students and families this summer. Thank you for your continued support of Bethel students and families.

Sincerely,