Remembering Bonnie Benedict

Bonnie May Benedict
March 10, 1924 - April 2, 2019

"She taught generations of students in the area and left behind a legacy of learning that former colleagues say will last well beyond her life." - Newberg Graphic, Issue 15

Bonnie Benedict is the namesake of Bonnie Benedict Preschool. CPRD honors the Newberg woman who was so instrumental in the creation of Newberg's first preschool, and the development of the program which continues to this day.

Chehalem Park and Recreation District was formed in 1966. At that time, kindergarten was not being offered in the public schools.  Antonia Crater, one of the founding members of the CPRD Board felt strongly that early childhood education would make a difference in the community.  She asked the Board to consider offering a kindergarten-preschool program through the park district. The Board accepted this proposal and our first “activity program” was born.  The Board asked Bonnie Benedict to develop this program, and the preschool was begun. During the early years, there were two classes of 26 kindergarten students and two classes of 26 preschool four year-olds. The program ran very lean in the early years, with classes being held in the old Presbyterian Church basement. Most equipment and supplies were donated but people were very enthusiastic about the school and the curriculum that Bonnie developed. In 1968, a 3-year-old class was added to the school with 15 students in the class.  Bonnie taught for 32 years and retired in 1998. We now have children in our program whose parents were in those early classes.  Bonnie Benedict and her husband also ran the Summer in the Parks program in those early district years. These were the first classes that were offered through CPRD.