Tiger Tales #15

I have seen so much scientific thinking in classrooms this week. Some younger students were collecting data to portray in different graphs while some of our older students were studying genetics and beginning to understand protein structure. Students needed to use inquiry, questioning strategies, analysis, and communication as they thought through the information they were learning. They are testing out hypotheses and using data to understand why an experiment worked, or didn't. It is great to hear students' conversations and see their discoveries and learning.

All Families

New Parent Partnership Program in Bellevue Digital Discovery

We are excited to announce that we will be adding a new Parent Partnership Program component to our Bellevue Digital Discovery elementary to support elementary age students and families who engage in homebased learning. This new program component will serve students through an Alternative Learning Experience model which includes a personalized learning plan developed in partnership with the student, teacher and family. Students will engage in learning at home, online and in-person at our new Bellevue Discovery learning lab. Together with members of the community, Kristin Tinder and Tom Duenwald are leading the co-creation of this new program component of Bellevue Digital Discovery.

We invite interested families to learn more at our upcoming Bellevue Discovery Open House, January 13 at 6:00 p.m. online, or to contact us directly at ppp@bsd405.org

Enrollment for the 25-26 school year for this Bellevue Discovery program begins Monday, December 9, and the link to enroll can be found on the Enroll at BSD webpage.

Thank you in advance for your support of this new program in BSD as we continue to diversify our learning options to meet student needs.

Our 5th grade student council is helping come up with ideas regarding community building and spirit. They met this week and shared that it would be fun for students to wear PJs/comfy clothes to school on Friday, December 20. This is optional, but all students are invited to wear this clothing on that day. We will end the day with a spirit assembly so we look forward to a fun get together before the holiday begins!

We have some fantastic new student leaders for the school. We have Library Leaders, Cultural Ambassadors, and Student Council - all 5th graders - who are helping lead our school with student voice. I met with them during their lunch (not recess) and they were excited to share some thoughts and ideas for the school. They have already made a difference by helping promote the Book Fair on our Medina News this week, supporting some new students who are new to not just our school but also our country, and they have been creating some fun community-building plans and spirit week ideas. I look forward to highlighting their ideas and involvement!

Battle of the Badges: Holiday Lights Join the Bellevue Police Department and the Renton Police Department for the largest ever Battle of the Badges Holiday Lights display. Walk through rows of decorated public safety vehicles from across the region. Enjoy music, food, and holiday fun. This interactive experience will be held at Renton Technical College on Saturday, December 14, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. Learn more on the City of Renton website.

Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink Let’s skate! November 15 – January 12, Downtown Bellevue Park plays host to the annual ice rink. Free parking is available at two downtown parking lots. Online tickets are available on the Bellevue Ice Rink website. Tickets include skate rental. Enjoy free evening skating lessons compliments of Microsoft.

On Saturday, December 7 there were two performances of Pinocchio performed by some of our wonderful Medina students. A big thank you to the Missoula Children's Theatre, who worked with the students for one week and helped lead a wonderful show. And thank you to PTA for supporting this great out of school experience.

If you would like to learn more about the PTA and to read their newsletter, The Byte, click here.

Our Next Pastries with Principals event will be held on Monday, December 16 at 8:15 in the Art Room. The presentation will be from our Mental Health Counselor, Sarah Kermgard, and our Medina Counselor, Elise Geck, who will share information and strategies about student well-being and how to support our children with online tech safety. There will be a lot of practical strategies and tips for parents to consider, especially prior to the upcoming holiday when children might be spending more time with technology. Please join us for this informative event!

Mark your calendars for January:

The January Pastries with Principals event will be on January 16 at 5:30 - 6:30 PM. We are fortunate that this event will include a presentation by the Bellevue Police and a detective to talk further about online safety.

For kids (and adults!), returning to school or a regular schedule is hard following a break. Yet, there are some things that parents can do to help ease their child's transition. Before the first morning back (Monday January 6th), start planning for any triggers that might lead to a difficult return. Tips for sleep, travel, and emotional support are provided below.

SLEEP TIP: Sleep schedules often shift toward staying up and waking up later over breaks, which leads to problems getting to sleep at a reasonable time after break. Whenever possible, encourage your student to keep a consistent routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. If this isn't realistic, do your best to slowly move up bed and wake times until your child is sleeping and waking at the desired times for school.

TRAVEL TIP: If your family has been away, plan to have at least one day at home for your student(s) to relax and recoup before their first day back at school.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TIP: It is common for kids to feel anxiety about returning to school. Parents can help their student work through these feelings by:

1) Actively listening and validating the child's feelings of unease

2) Reminding the child that it is completely normal to feel uncomfortable during times of transition

3) Reinforcing that as their parent, you have full confidence in their ability to handle the transition back to school.

Last, let us know! If your child is feeling anxious, don't hesitate to contact us so we can be a support on that first day back!

There are times that the school laptops go home with your child. As a reminder, although the school district has firewalls and protective software to safeguard students while they are at school using technology, at home you will need to provide this safeguarding yourselves.

A parent/guardian can utilize the district approved monitoring software called apParent Online by AssistX to monitor and control a student's device while they are at home. Click on the link to find out more.

apParent Online

Also as a reminder, students and families can get technology support by phone, email, or in-person.

Monday through Friday: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

(425) 456-4321

parenthelp@bsd405.org

December:

16: Pastries with Principals 8:15 in Art Room

21: Start of Winter Holiday

Please Note

In addition to the District Holiday closures, all Bellevue School District Buildings will be closed to the public December 24, 2024 through January 2, 2025.

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January:

6: First day of school after vacation

15: 5:30 - 6:30 PM Open House for Prospective Families to Medina

15: 5:30 - 6:30 PM Pastries with Principals (Bellevue Police and detective)

20: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr Day

31: 5:00 - 7:00 PM Multicultural Fair