Tiger Tales
Newsletter #14 - November 17, 2023
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Dear Families,
We had a wonderful start to this week with our Veteran's Day Assembly on Monday where our whole school honored Veterans among our families and staff. This event was made more memorable since it was the first time our preschoolers joined us in an all school assembly!
Before we close off this week, we want to thank you for the delicious PTA Lunch yesterday. It was such a treat to have Thanksgiving food together as a staff and to try a little bit (or a lot) of everything. Thank you especially to our 4th grade Families for the set up, cooking, cleaning, and organization to make this happen.
While next Monday and Tuesday are early release conference days, some of you have already attended conferences these past few days. We hope that you learned all about the growth your child is making, not just academically, but social-emotionally as well. It will also be a shorter week with Thanksgiving near the end. Tiger Tales #15 will skip next week and be available the following Friday on December 1st. As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We are always happy to hear from you and support in any way. Until then, have a fantastic weekend and a peaceful time with family and friends.
With love and gratitude,
Kati & Betty
Upcoming Events
November 20, 21, 29 - Elementary Conference Days, early release for students
November 23, 24 - No school, Thanksgiving
December 20 - January 1 - No school, winter break
January 2 - School resumes
January 15 - No school, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February 19-23 - No school, mid-winter break
March 22 - No school for students, District Professional Day for staff
April 8-12 - No school, spring break
Bus Route 25 Cancelled during November 20-22
Bus Route 25 is cancelled next week due to driver shortage. This affects both AM and PM rides. Families impacted should plan alternate transportation for their students. All other bus routes servicing these schools will run normally as scheduled.
November Safety Drill - Lockdown Practice
During the week of November 27, we will be conducting a lockdown drill and practicing quickly securing the building. A lockdown is different from a lockout. A lockdown is used when there is a threat to the campus or school, or while the nature of the threat is evaluated. During a lockdown, staff lock classroom doors, shut off the lights, close the blinds, while continually assessing the situation. Teachers will talk to students about transitioning to run, hide, or fight based on the situation presented.
Please talk with your student about preparing for emergencies and disasters. Encourage them to talk about their concerns and express their feelings. Emphasize that even though sometimes things happen that we may not expect, there are lots of things we can do to help us stay safe. For additional information and resources, please be sure to visit the BSD Safety & Security Page.
- BSD Safety & Security: https://bsd405.org/departments/security/
- Talking to Kids about School Safety: https://www.mhanational.org/talking-kids-about-school-safety
Don't forget Early Release Monday and Tuesday!
On the 20th and 21st we will operate on a Wednesday schedule, dismissing students at 12:20 PM. This early release time also applies to school day preschool. Working day preschool will end at the regular 6pm time. Boys and Girls Club will begin the afterschool care at 12:20 on all three days.
5th graders will not bring instruments on Tuesday, November 21st, due to the shorter day. Please make a note of this in your personal calendars.
Brrrr...It's Cold Outside!
With temperatures in the mid 30s early morning, please make sure your child has a jacket to wear. Unless there is lightening or extreme weather, recess is outside daily. Don't forget to label the jacket with their name in case they leave their jacket behind around the school. If your child or family is need of warmer clothing, please do not hesitate to reach out to our counselor Elise Geck (gecke@bsd405.org) or Family Engagement Specialist Judy Hunsberger (hunsbergerj@bsd405.org) for assistance.
Bringing Personal Items from Home
We have noticed an increase in students bringing cards and other personal items to school. This is a reminder to please keep toys, trading cards, electronic games, stuffed animals, money, and other personal items of value at home. We do not want a situation where the items are misplaced, lost, or broken or become the reason for an argument or hurt feelings. If a child wishes to bring a special item to share with the class, they must first get permission from the teacher. If a student wants to bring the special item or game to lunch or recess, they must pass it by the teacher and administration.
Attendance Matters
We have heard from some families and students that they will be on vacation this coming week. With winter break also approaching, please notify the school for any pre-arranged absence. Each student in the Bellevue School District can have up to 5 Pre-Arranged absence days per year, which are excused. Parents may use these, for example, for extra-curricular sports, family events, private school interviews, or extended weekends or breaks. For a one-day absence, we ask that you email medinaattendance@bsd405.org or call 425-456-5401.
If a student will be absent for 2 or more days, parents are required to fill out a Pre-arranged Absence form. Please submit the completed form a week BEFORE the absence. Download and fill out the Pre-arranged Absence form and email it to medinaattendance@bsd405.org or have your student pick up a paper copy from the main office. This form can also be found on the Medina Elementary School website under "Report an Absence.” Thank you for including your child’s full name when emailing for any attendance related matters.
Resources from our Counselor
Please download the attachment for a handy list of community organizations with resources for Mental Health, Basic Needs, and Childcare.
District & Community News and Resources
School Funding 101 - Understanding Our Money Sources
Learn more about the district’s sources of money and how we can spend them. In school districts, we have multiple buckets of funds where our money is accounted for — General Fund, Capital and Technology Fund and Building Fund. Each of these funds has designated uses and we as a district are limited in how we can transfer money between these funds based on state law.
Families Helping Families Thanksgiving Food Drive
The Families Helping Families Thanksgiving Food Drive is a long running tradition in the Bellevue community. Families Helping Families provides Thanksgiving baskets to Bellevue School District families in need. Over the past 16 years, more than 40,000 people have received support through Families Helping Families.
Each year Families Helping Families strives to provide full and delicious holiday feasts. If you would like to ensure that requested meals are made available, please contact info@familieshelpingfamiliesgive.com.
Bellevue School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:
Civil Rights, Racial Discrimination, and Gender Expression or Identity Discrimination:
Civil Rights/Nondiscrimination Compliance Coordinator Nancy Pham, (425) 456-4040 or phamn@bsd405.org
Sex-based Discrimination, including Sexual Harassment:
Title IX Coordinator: Jeff Lowell, (425) 456-4010 or lowellj@bsd405.org
Disability Discrimination:
Section 504/ADA Coordinator: Heather Edlund, (425) 456-4156 or edlundh@bsd405.org
Mailing address for all three: 12111 NE 1st Street, Bellevue, WA 98005.