Tiger Tales
Newsletter #18 - January 5, 2024
· Language Access: Español | 简体中文 | Pусский | Tiếng Việt | 한국어 | العربية
Dear Families,
Happy New Year! We have missed our students, and from their hugs and enthusiastic greetings, maybe they missed us too? We hope you had a peaceful and reflective end to 2023 with family and friends.
While January is a great time to look ahead and start anew, we are also mindful of the important lessons we learned from last year to help steer us forward better equipped. We welcome any of your reflections regarding last year, either about our progress as a school or about your student(s).
Welcome back - we are excited to do great work in 2024 with you.
Onward,
Kati & Betty
Upcoming Events
January 9: Chinook Middle School Open House
January 9: Odle Middle School Open House
January 15: No school, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 17: Pre-school and Kindergarten Open House, 5:30-6:30pm, Multi-purpose Room
January 26: World Culture Night, 5-7pm
January 26: Pastries with Principals, 8:15-9:00am, in person and virtual option
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
Preparing for Snow Sports Season
Ski Bus After School Activity is starting up this Wednesday. In addition to the important information that will come your way from the amazing PTA organizers, please keep the following in mind:
- Traffic becomes even more challenging with additional families coming to help students get ready. If you wish to help your child get into their gear and onto the bus, we ask that you park along the street to help lessen congestion in the parking lot. This will also facilitate a smooth and easier exit from the school.
- Please do not leave your car in the car loop or help your child change in the car while in the car loop. The car loop is only for cars picking up their child and leaving right away.
- Please make sure to communicate to your child where you will be leaving their ski equipment/bags as well as details of the after school plans on Wednesday. In other words, where should they wait for you? Are they expected to change themselves?
We want the ski experience to be a safe and fun time for all. It takes all of us working together and following ski bus and traffic guidelines. Thank you in advance!
Participating in After School Activities
This is a reminder that in order to participate in after school activities at the school, your student needs to have attended school that day for at least half of the school day. If your student arrives late or leaves early and misses more than half of the school day, it is counted as an absence. Please contact the front office in advance if you have questions.
Inclement Weather and Potential Closure Guidance
Next week will see a dip in temperatures. Please make sure your child comes to school with a jacket, preferably with a hood as well to help keep them warm outside.
Winter may also bring unpredictable weather. If there are severe conditions, BSD will communicate any schedule changes or closures through direct messages, including email, text message, phone call, social media, FlashAlert, local media and posts to www.bsd405.org. While these decisions are made for the district at large, conditions may vary in certain neighborhoods. We encourage families to make personal decisions based on their specific circumstances.
- BSD Emergency closure protocols: Inclement Weather and Potential Closure Reminders – Bellevue School District (bsd405.org)
- 1-hr, 2-hr delay schedules: Emergency Closure Schedules – Bellevue School District (bsd405.org)
- BSD Decision-making process: Emergency Closure Decision Making – Bellevue School District (bsd405.org)
- Update your contact info in ParentVue: Online Student Data Verification – Bellevue School District (bsd405.org)
Keeping Our School Healthy
With travel over winter break and visits with family and friends, we may be starting to feel the physical effects of being sick. Here is guidance to help you determine if your child should stay home. https://bsd405.org/services/health/too-sick-for-school/.
Giving a fever reducing medication just before returning to school does not make a student well. It may only mask the fever until the medication wears off. In this situation, a student needs to be home so others are not exposed to illness and for them to rest and recover quickly. In addition, they are not able to be their best self and give full attention to learning. Fever reducing medications include: Acetaminophen (Tylenol); Ibuprofen; Aspirin; Naproxen; Dayquil; Nyquil
What to do if you have COVID-19 symptoms? Refer to https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-02/420456-COVID19DecisionTrees.pdf
If you have one or more of these new, changed, or worsening symptoms: ❑ Fever (≥100.4°F) or chills ❑ Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing ❑ Muscle or body aches ❑ Loss of taste or smell ❑ Congestion or runny nose ❑ Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea ❑ Headache ❑ Fatigue ❑ Sore throat ❑ Cough…Stay home and test for COVID-19 or see a healthcare provider
If your child has new medication that they need to take at school, please complete the Medication Authorization Forms with your provider and send it to kum@bsd405.org.
Med Authorization Form: https://bsd405.org/wp-content/pdf/policy/3416P%20Exh.%20A.pdf.
Questions? Please contact our school nurse- Meng Ping Ku (kum@bsd405.org)
Information about Options for Next School Year
Enroll in Unique Learning Opportunities at BSD for the 2024-2025 School Year
Bellevue School District’s choice schools, language programs and online school offer a variety of learning environments and opportunities for students. Learn more about these schools and programs and what makes them unique. Those interested in enrolling in choice schools and programs for the 2024-2025 school year may submit an application by January 19, 2024.
Open houses for schools and programs continue through January 22. View the district calendar to learn more.
Choice Schools
· Big Picture School (grades 6-12)
· International School (grades 6-12)
· Jing Mei Elementary - Mandarin Dual Language
· Puesta del Sol – Spanish Immersion (Tillicum Middle School, Newport High School and Sammamish High School for secondary)
Choice Language Programs
· Arabic Bilingual Program (Ardmore Elementary)
· Hindi Bilingual Program (Ardmore Elementary)
· Korean Bilingual Program (Newport Heights Elementary)
· Spanish Dual Language Programs (Lake Hills Elementary, Sherwood Forest Elementary, Stevenson Elementary, Highland Middle School and Sammamish High School)
Online School
· Bellevue Digital Discovery – accepts transfer and out-of-district students throughout the school year
From the Counselor
Recommended Grade Level: All
SEL Skill(s): Emotion Regulation, Impulse Control
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials:
- Goal setting worksheet for younger students
- Goal setting worksheet for older students
Apply to Join the BSD Sustainability Committee
Apply Today to Join the BSD Sustainability Committee
Join the Bellevue School District Sustainability Committee and be part of a transformative initiative to create a more ecologically sustainable school district and community. Our district is committed to minimizing our environmental impact and increasing our understanding and agency in achieving sustainability. The four pillars of sustainability outlined in Board Policy 6811 guide our mission, encompassing areas such as district resources, environmental safety, collective understanding and student voice. As a committee member, you will have the opportunity to influence the development and implementation of a three-year action plan and shape a schedule to reduce our negative environmental impact. Moreover, you’ll help drive community engagement and sustainability initiatives that prioritize student voice and embrace diverse perspectives. Together, let’s lead the way toward a greener, more environmentally conscious future! Apply today and be part of the change.
· Please complete the application form by Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at 4:00 p.m.
· Selected members will be notified by Monday, January 15, 2024.
· The first meeting of the committee will take place on January 24, 2024.
January Is Americans of Chinese Descent Month in Washington
Washington-Americans of Chinese Descent Posters | OER Commons
History of Americans of Chinese Descent | OER Commons
January 2024 marks the first annual celebration of Americans of Chinese Descent Month. In May of 2023, Governor Jay Inslee signed into law legislation that made Washington the first state in the nation to honor Chinese Americans with this acknowledgement. Senate Bill 5000 is the culmination of advocacy by parents, students, educators and others throughout the state, including many individuals from BSD, who brought forth the measure and worked to see it passed. The new law also encourages public schools to designate time for educational activities that commemorate the contributions of Chinese Americans and Americans of Chinese descent.
January Cultural Calendar
- January 1, 2024 – Shogatsu
- Shōgatsu, also called Oshōgatsu, marks the beginning of a new calendar year. On the eve of the new year, temple bells ring 108 times: 8 times to ring out the old year and 100 times to usher in the new year.
- January 6, 2024 – Día de los Reyes (Three Kings Day)
- Also known as Epiphany, Día de los Reyes or Three Kings Day, is traditionally celebrated by members of Hispanic communities. Three Kings Day marks the arrival of the three wise men who brought gifts to Jesus on the 12th day following Christmas.
- January 7, 2024 – Orthodox Christmas
- Members of the Orthodox Christian community celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ according to the Julian calendar.
- January 15, 2024 – Martin Luther King Day
- Martin Luther King Day commemorates the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr., the recipient of the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize and an activist for non-violent social change until his assassination in 1968.
- January 27, 2024 – Holocaust Remembrance Day
- Since 2005, nations have held commemoration ceremonies to mark the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust.
Community Partnerships
Register for Spring for Schools, Hosted by the Bellevue Schools Foundation
I'm excited to share that Spring for Schools 2024 registration is live! You are invited to attend Bellevue Schools Foundation's annual event on Saturday, March 30 at 5:00 p.m., and I truly hope to see you there! As a reminder, Bellevue Schools Foundation provides critical funding to our school-- you can take a look at the programs supported in our classrooms here. {Insert a line about a favorite program of yours/why you believe funding from BSF is critical} The evening will offer attendees a chance to connect with one another and teachers, and explore the initiatives funded by BSF in their signature Education Showcase.
Event registration is free, and childcare will be provided as capacity allows. Additional event details can be found here. The purpose of the evening is to raise funding so that BSF can continue to provide transformational opportunities for our students and teachers — please consider making a donation here.
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.