BETHEL SCHOOL DISTRICT — Members of Bethel’s Long Range Facilities Task Force will reconvene this week to study future options to ease the overcrowding in our schools if November’s School Construction Bond does not pass.

The School Board has already authorized planning for a reboundary of the district next year, and a return to year-round schools in 2021 (Bethel was previously a year-round district from 1974-1981).

Former members of the Task Force will join new members, selected from a recent application process which resulted in an overwhelming amount of community interest, due to the parental impact of the options being considered.

Specifically the Task Force will look at multi-track year-round schools, double shifting, repurposing commercial sites into schools, leasing classroom space at adjacent districts, turning a middle school into an elementary school, and converting Elk Plain K-8 back to a K-5 configuration to free up space for more elementary students.

The Task Force will analyze the impact of these options, both financially and otherwise, on the district. This will include the impact on transportation, food services, maintenance, building capacity, staffing, and the impact on the community – daycare, family schedules, vacations, etc.

The first Task Force meeting will be held September 18 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Pierce County Skills Center.