Bond Project Update: October 2024

Thank you, voters!

Families were thrilled this fall for the grand opening of Expedition Elementary, Bethel’s newest elementary school and its very first walking school.

Funded by the successful 2019 bond measure, Expedition is situated in the growing Lipoma neighborhood, allowing approximately 60 percent of families to walk to school safely and conveniently.

Principal Sara Olson expressed her excitement about the new school and its unique focus on encouraging students to walk.

“This being a brand new school in a brand new development, we had to meet with our Transportation Department to look over safe walking routes. We also worked with the construction department and risk management to identify crosswalk areas,” she said. This careful planning underscores the district’s commitment to student safety while promoting healthier lifestyles.

Superintendent Brian Lowney also highlighted the school’s vital role in the community, saying, “This is not just a school. You can see that it’s a community. It’s our first walking school, and it’s a diverse school. Eighteen different languages are spoken by families at this school. This is the third elementary school to be built with the 2019 bond dollars, and we’re proud to honor our community’s commitment to excellence in education for all students.”

While Expedition Elementary is still young, Principal Olson noted that her staff is already coming together to create a wonderful experience for the school’s 500-plus students.

“We have an amazing group here. I’ve been very impressed with the flexibility and growth mindset my staff has,” she said. “We’ve faced some unique challenges, but everyone is focused on finding solutions and putting the needs of our children first.”

New Bethel High School

Our construction crews have been busy since we broke ground on the new Bethel High School in March! The timeline for the project is 27 months from the start of construction.

Evergreen Elementary Expansion

This year, Evergreen Elementary staff and students are “glamping” at the old Naches Trail building, while Evergreen gets its extreme home makeover thanks to our voters! The much needed expansion of Evergreen Elementary will add 10,000 square feet to the school, which will include eight additional classrooms and a new commons.

Cedarcrest Middle School

Thanks to increased state funding, better-than-expected estimates, and responsible fiscal management, we are now able to proceed with building a new Cedarcrest Middle School instead of modernizing the existing one! More details to come on this project, but kudos to our Construction Team for their hard work ensuring our students and staff will have the best possible learning environment!