Tiger Tales
Newsletter #4 - September 8, 2023
· Language Access: Español | 简体中文 | Pусский | Tiếng Việt | 한국어 | العربية
Dear Families,
Thank you for an incredible first week back! Today was the first day of Kindergarten, and Monday we will welcome our youngest Tigers to Preschool. We reconnected with many familiar faces and felt honored to get to know new ones. Thank you for getting our students ready for school and for your partnership in creating a Beloved Community where our students thrive.
Have a restful weekend, and the adventure continues for a full week on Monday!
With anticipation,
Betty Nhan and Kati Weiland
Upcoming Events
September 10 - Preschool Playdate @ Medina Park, 9:30am
September 11- First day of Preschool
September 13 - Curriculum Night, 5:30-7pm
Please note that this event is designed for adults, and childcare will not be provided.
- 5:30pm - 5:55pm: Grades PreK-2 Classroom Presentation
6:00pm - 6:25pm: Principals' Presentation & Specialist Meet and Greet
6:30pm - 6:55pm: Grades 3-5 Classroom Presentation
September 27 - Pastries with Principals, details coming soon!
Important Reminders about Arrival and Dismissal
Thank you for following the arrival and dismissal procedures and helping us to keep our students safe. Here are a few reminders:
- School supervision starts at 7:45am. Please do not drop off students before that time as there is no staff to supervise them.
- If you are in the car loop, please do not leave your car. This slows down the flow of traffic and creates backups along the streets and neighborhoods. We need you in the car to keep moving along the loop. Students will meet you further up the loop once you stop.
- If you are a kindergarten family, please use the smaller car loop by the field to pick up your kindergartner. See picture below. The kindergarten classes will be waiting with their teachers there. If you have an older student in addition to your kindergartener, please let the K teachers know and they can radio for your older student to come down and meet you.
- If you are Grades 1-5 only, please use the larger main car loop. The smaller car loop is designated for Kindergarten only.
- Before 8:00am, please remind students to go to their designated entrance areas.
- After 8:00am, all students should go through the main front entrance.
Student Safety in Cars
Our wonderful Medina Police Department shared a reminder with us that we would like to pass along:
A great resource for more information is: https://wacarseats.com/
Please help us keep your children safe during drop-off, pick-up, and beyond!
Introducing our Family Engagement Specialist!
We are privileged to have Judy join our team to help us serve our families. Please read below about her deep experience of advocacy and download the attachments for Family Resource Information.
My name is Judy Takahashi-Hunsberger. I am the district LEAD Program Family Engagement Specialist assisting other Family Engagement Specialists and collaborating with Pre-K Family Engagement Specialists to deliver Family Engagement resources and events based on individual school community needs. I also serve as the Family Engagement Specialist Support for Phantom Lake, Tillicum, Spiritridge, Big Picture, Digital Discovery, Medina, and Clyde Hill. In addition, I work closely with the McKinney Vento Coordinator, counselors (school and MHAT), social workers, psychologists, and nurses to help when a family/ school needs support/resources.
We collaborate to find resources from city, county, state, federal, and outside agencies to support all our families. I also support Truancy Board to ensure that families are supported with resources needed when attendance is a concern. I am looking forward to working with our school staff and families. Please don’t hesitate to call or email me if you need any clarifications or concerns. I am available to attend meetings to support our school staff and families in finding the best resources to benefit the families we serve. It is my honor to serve the BSD community, and I look forward to working alongside all of you.
Judy Takahashi-Hunsberger
425-456-5679
Visiting and Volunteering
We are grateful for the many ways that the families and community continue to support our staff and students. One key way families support us is by volunteering in the school and classroom. During the first few weeks, our teachers and students take this time to learn systems, settle into school routines, and build a class community. If your child's teacher is seeking volunteers, they will reach out to you when they are ready for the extra help in the classroom. All visitors and volunteers must be pre-arranged and confirmed with the teacher before arriving to the school.
Celebrating Our Community
Please refer to our District’s cultural calendar (linked HERE) for each month. We want to recognize and elevate the many celebrations, holidays, and heritages that make our world, community, and neighborhood so beautiful. If you’re interested in sharing your rich culture with us, please reach out as we’re always looking for ways to enrich our students’ experiences and for students to see themselves in our hallways and in our classrooms.
In September, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins September 15th – October 15th. We want to create create schoolwide displays that honor and recognize the Hispanic/Latinx culture and welcome any of your stories, pictures and artifacts that we can share with our students and staff. Please email me if you are interested in helping.
Links & Resources for Hispanic Heritage Month for Families:
Visit the local Sea Mar Museum of Chicano/a/Latino/a Culture – https://seamarmuseum.squarespace.com/
https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/11-picture-books-that-celebrate-hispanic-heritage
https://www.parents.com/holiday/how-to-celebrate-hispanic-heritage-month-with-kids/
Nutrition Services - Student Meals and Payments
Nutrition Services – School Meal Benefits and September Menus Now Available
The application for school meal benefits (free and reduced priced meals) is now available. The online application, available in English, Spanish and Chinese, only takes a few minutes and is the fastest, easiest way to get approved. Complete only one application per household, and list all students enrolled in a BSD school and all household members on the application. Families may reapply during the school year if financial or household size changes occur.
View September menus and nutritional information.
Set up payment for student meal purchases using PayPAMS. Families may also pay for meals by check or cash at their student's school.
News Across the District
Update Your Information
Update your emergency contacts in Synergy ParentVUE starting in August 2023. More information on emergency contacts and emergency school release can be found on the student reunification process webpage. The BSD Safety and Security Department seeks to establish a culture that provides a safe learning environment through preparedness and awareness.
School Year Calendars
2023-2024 Official Notices
The 2023-2024 Official Notices are now available on the district website. English, Spanish and Simplified Chinese versions can be found on the Official Notices page. Content in the District’s 2023-24 Official Notices includes:
- Student Education Records (FERPA & Directory Information)
- Notice of Rights Under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment
- Notice of Students and Staff Rights and Responsibilities
- Non-Discrimination
- Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying
- Notice of Child Find
- Notice of Complaint Resolution
- Notice of Pesticide, Asbestos and Lead
- Weapons
- Truancy
- Office of the Education Ombuds services
This information above can also be found on the Official Notices webpage.
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.