KVAL News, Feb 5, 2010, By Molly Blancett
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.