BCS Kickoff 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16 the entire Bethany community (students and teachers and their families) is encouraged to kickoff the new year with a community supper. This is sponsored by the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) and families will have opportunity to learn more about how they can get involved.

Students attended their first day of classes on Thursday, Aug. 12, which concluded with the an all-school social (see photos below). Students played interactive and get-acquainted games, including the traditional tug-of-war competion between classes.

First-day enrollment was 247. Though total enrollment is down from last year, due to a large graduating class, each returning class gained students and the incoming sixth grade class is larger than last year's class. Rachel Roth Sawatzky, admissions director, noted that retention continues to be extremely high for a private school with 96% of last year's 6th-11th grade students returning.

New vocal music teacher Nathan Swartzendruber (right) races students to find gummy bears in a whipped cream pie  during first-day of school activities.

Jama wins the gummy bear contest

grade 7 tug of war

Senior and frosh girls tug of war

tug of war heat

cooling down with dilly bars