Tiger Tales #7

Can you remember the last time you learned something new?

· Were you interested in the topic?

· Did you stay focused on the task even though it was difficult at times?

· Did you participate and contribute to the learning of others?

These questions are the ones we are exploring as a staff when we talk about student engagement. Last Wednesday, October 9, we came together as a staff to discuss research related to how we can support students in being fully and authentically engaged as much as possible in our classrooms. We can support this in a variety of ways:

• Making sure each student’s voice is valued and heard.
• Providing sentence structures that students can use to help share their opinions (e.g., “I agree with _(person)__ because ______” OR “To add to what _(person)___said, I think _______”)
• Arranging the classroom discussions in different ways (small groups, Socratic Seminars, standing and sharing with a partner, etc.)
• Engaging students in content that invites conversation and connects to their lives.

We are continuing to build upon this knowledge and our expertise by focusing on this teaching and learning topic, and we encourage you as parents to continue to engage your children in talking about topics when you eat dinner together or spend time doing family activities. You might want to ask questions that invite their opinions so they can learn how to have conversations with one another. We look forward to partnering with you so that our children learn how to share their opinions and thoughts openly and thoughtfully.

You’re Invited: Japanese Language Program Community Conversation

The Bellevue School District is excited to explore the launch of a new Japanese language program for elementary-age students. The program will begin in the fall of the 2025-2026 school year. To ensure this program meets the needs and interests of students and families, the district is seeking community perspectives and insights.

We invite all those who are interested to join district leaders for a family and community listening session on Wednesday, October 30, at 5:30 p.m. at Jing Mei Elementary School (12300 Main Street Bellevue, WA 98005). For questions or additional information contact Languageprograms@bsd405.org.

RSVP to the October 30 Listening Session.

October kicks off a series of conversations hosted by the Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF), the Bellevue PTSA Council, and ParentMap to bring a comprehensive 2024-2025 speaker lineup, Education Connections, for families and the greater BSD learning community. This year's Education Connections series features nationally renowned authors, psychologists, and educators who will present on various topics relevant to students' well-being, mental health, and overall development. The Speaker Series offers free, accessible opportunities for BSD families to gain valuable insights and practical strategies to support their children better.

Join us for the next session on October 15, where Jonathan Haidt, a leading American social psychologist, will discuss the growing mental health crisis among youth in his session, The Anxious Generation: Essential Strategies for Rewiring Childhood.

The Bellevue School District is proud to announce that for the second year in a row, we have been named the #1 School District in Washington by Niche! This outstanding recognition highlights our commitment to fostering an inclusive, vibrant community where connections thrive, learning is dynamic and engaging, and leadership is shared and celebrated.

View the district overview and school profiles and full list of rankings to see how BSD compares to other districts and schools in the region, state and country. See the full list of 2025 statewide rankings, methodologies and data sources on Niche.com.

Thank you to those of you who came to the volunteer orientations on September 30 and also on October 1. There were many of you who also attended the virtual option on those days. If you did not get the opportunity to come to the training or attend one of the virtual trainings, you can have the chance to come to the volunteer training on October 16 from 11:45 - 12:15 in the Medina Library.

Volunteer Opportunity

We are looking for volunteers to come support students at lunch and recess! Volunteers would help monitor the lunchroom and outdoor play spaces with the support of our General School Assistants. You can choose the grade level and day of the week that works best for you and each volunteer slot runs for approximately 2 months at a time (but you can always volunteer for as many slots are you want!). Training is required. This is in addition to the general volunteer training offered by the Principal, since this is tailored to the lunch and recess contexts.

Recess and Lunch Volunteer Training – 10/16/2024, 11:45am-12:15pm, Medina Library or this Teams link: Join the meeting now

The first round of volunteering will begin October 21st. Our volunteer time slots are below and a sign up will be presented at the meeting. You can choose the lunch/recess and days of the week that work for you. An additional training will be provided for those that wish to sign up for the 2nd or 3rd volunteer slot. For any questions, please reach out to our Assistant Principal, Kati Weiland and thank you for your consideration!

Volunteer Slot 1 – October 21st – January 24th (Training 10/16/24)

Volunteer Slot 2 – January 27th – March 27th (Training 1/15/25)

Volunteer Slot 3 – March 31st – June 13th (Training 3/19/25)

The 2024-2025 National PTA Reflections Art Competition theme is “Accepting Imperfection.” More information will be coming home to families soon. It is open to pre-K to grade 5 students, with a mid-November deadline. For questions, contact artsclub@medinapta.org.

Also, the next general meeting for PTA will be on December 2.

You can learn more about the PTA and their newsletter: The Byte here.

October 15th is Rollover Day for School Meal Benefits

Families must reapply for school meal benefits each year. If your student(s) qualified for free or reduced priced meals last year, their prior year eligibility is extended for the first 30 school days to allow time for a new application to be completed. After the 30th day (October 15, 2024), school meals will be charged at the paid meal price if a new eligibility for free or reduced price school meal benefits has not been established.

The 2024-25 Child Nutrition Eligibility & Education Benefit (CNEEB) application can be found at: www.bsd405.org/freeandreduced

Completing the CNEEB application may qualify you for:

• Summer EBT (grocery) benefits
• Waived or reduced fees for other programs and activities, and
• Community resources available through our Family Engagement Specialists

Our lost and found has grown very quickly this year! If you are missing your child's coat, sweater, book, perhaps even a shoe (yes, there is one in Lost and Found), come take a look at the coat rack and box outside the gym doors, in the hallway. Also, please take time this weekend to label all of your child’s items (first and last name). This helps us return belongings to their rightful owners. Thank you!

Bellevue School District is launching the Fall 2024 Panorama Student Survey to gather valuable insights into students' experiences and to further support their growth and well-being. The survey will focus on several key areas, including school climate, sense of belonging, and social-emotional learning (SEL), offering students an opportunity to share their perspectives. The data collected will guide our educational practices, helping us identify both strengths and areas for growth that students perceive in themselves and their school environment. As always, student data will remain confidential and secure.

If a family prefers their child/children does/do not participate in the SEL portion of the survey, they may complete a form to opt out. Request forms to opt must be completed by October 27, 2024.

October:

11: NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS. District Professional Development Day

16: 11:45 - 12:15 AM (Medina Library) - Volunteer training

16: Unity Day (bullying prevention day) WEAR ORANGE!

18: Deadline for applications to Advanced Learning, Grades 1 - 11

21: 8:15 - 9:15 AM - Pastries with Principals (Topic: Literacy Curriculum and school Q&A)

November:

11: NO SCHOOL. Veterans Day

18: School photo re-take day

25 & 26: Elementary Conference Days

28 & 29: NO SCHOOL. Thanksgiving Holiday

December:

2: PTA General Meeting