Kulshan Connect
December 3, 2021
In our Kulshan Community, we are courageous, kind, and committed!
Si desea esta información en español llame al 360-676-6456.
By Dec 10: PTSA Holiday Gift Drive
With the holidays coming soon, it’s time for our annual Giving Drive. This year, we’re asking for donations of gift cards and treats. Last year's gift cards and packaged treats made such a huge impact on our families, we decided to do the same thing again this year. All gift cards and treats can be dropped off during school hours: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM in the KMS front office by Friday, December 10. If you are able to make a donation, please let us know by signing up!
Looking for Progress Reports?
Last week, we sent progress reports home with students in their backpacks. To access electronic copies of progress reports, login to Skyward Family Acces. Then click on Gradebook to see weekly updates. (OR) Click on Portfolio along the left margin, then click on the report that you would like to view, which will open as a PDF document. If you need to reset your password, go to the Skyward login webpage and click “Forgot My Password.” If you are not sure what your account login is, contact our registrar, Tatiana Samora.
Learning Together
These next few months are full of amazing and inspirational holidays around the world. Learning for Justice offers several resources to help students gain a deeper understanding of religious and secular holidays. Our students enjoy learning more about family activities and celebrations both in the U.S. and around the world. Another resource from Scholastic called "How do you celebrate?" helps students and families learn about how people gather and celebrate this time of year. It's such a magical time of year! Enjoy!
Unified Basketball
Winter Weather and Bus Routes
Kulshan Instructional Spotlight
Glenda Everett has been teaching at Kulshan since it opened in the fall of 1994 and is one of our 6th grade social studies teachers. In Ms. Everett’s class, our students are enhancing their learning about ancient Mesopotamia through a shared reading of a middle school version of the Sumerian poem, the “Epic of Gilgamesh.” Ms. Everett is using this shared reading as an opportunity for students to learn more about the culture of ancient Mesopotamia and to provide some context about what life was like in the ancient world.
Additionally, Ms. Everett takes a moment within this content to do a mini-lesson on how we keep track of time periods as humans through history, and the various methods that have been used in the past and present, such as BC/AD, BCE, and BP (which references radiocarbon dating). One strong instructional strategy that Ms. Everett uses during this min-lesson is call and response. This strategy serves many purposes. Specifically, she would ask: “What does AD stand for?” and then cues the students to call out. If most students respond, it lets Ms. Everett know she can move forward with her line of questioning. If students mumble through the answer or only a few respond, she knows that she has to slow down. It’s a great way to determine the pace of learning in the whole class when doing some review of key concepts. In this case, it was clear that students knew because they all yelled “Anno Domini!”.
Kids speaking Latin in 6th grade Social Studies, pretty stellar.
Questions to ask your kids:
- How did the geography of Southern Mesopotamia influence the people who lived there? What problems did they face and how did they solve them?
- What can we learn from a 4000-year-old story like the Epic of Gilgamesh?
- What is happening in the Marshlands of Southern Iraq today?
Written by Tyler Dockins, Instructional Coach
Now Hiring in BPS
We are hiring in Bellingham! If you have questions about jobs available in our schools, please visit the district website at and click on “jobs”. For assistance with questions about temporary substitute assignments, you may contact Gabrielle Roberts, Substitute Coordinator by emailing or by calling the office at (360) 676-2784 or (360) 398-5572. We love having KMS parents as KMS employees and subs!
COVID Vaccine Card to KMS
It is important for us to know your student's vaccination status for contact tracing, as well as indoor events such as high impact sports. If you haven’t already, please email a photo of your student’s vaccination card to our registrar, Tatiana Samora at Tatiana.Samora@bellinghamschools.org. Thank you!
YMCA Youth Program
The YMCA is accepting 8th grade students into our After School Youth Institute Program! There is no registration necessary- youth are welcome to the FAC at the downtown YMCA on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays from 3:00 - 6:00 PM. Learn the skills needed to become proficient with technology, ace your next exam, and become a leader in your community. If you are interested in learning more or have questions you can contact your school counselors: Aaron Tiger, Michelle Strobel, or Lacey Bachman. Or you can contact the YMCA directly at: Libby Teerink, Teen Coordinator.
Cell Phones Off Please
If your student carries a phone to school, please remind them to keep it turned off and put away between 9:15 AM - 3:45 PM. We ask families not to contact their middle schoolers on their cell phones during the school day. If you need to contact your student, you can always call our school’s main line. In the cases where students are on phones during class repeatedly, we may need to direct students to check phones into the office during the day, potentially leading to having parents or guardians picking up the phone at school. Thanks for partnering with us to help your students learn healthy phone boundaries.
COVID vaccines for students ages 5-11
The Pfizer vaccine against COVID was authorized for children ages 5-11 earlier this month. You can find out where pediatric doses are being offered on the Health Department’s Pediatric COVID vaccine page or on the Vaccine Locator by filtering for “Pfizer-BioNTech Pediatric, ages 5-11”.
Attendance Office Reminders
Need Holiday Support?
Kulshan Food Pantry
Our Kulshan Food Pantry is back! Please use our Sign Up Genius if you can. If you are dropping off non-perishable food or healthcare items for the pantry, please deliver to our KMS front office and let them know it's for the food pantry. We greatly appreciate the ways our families come together to support our Kulshan community. If you and your family are in need of food support, please reach out to any of our Kulshan counselors: Aaron Tiger, Michelle Strobel, or Lacey Bachman.
Free Dinners Mon - Thurs @ 5:00 pm
Bellingham Public Schools Community Meals Program:
What: Dinner for children (up to age 18) and parents
How much: Free for kids up to age 18, parents pay $4.75
Where: Shuksan Middle School’s Cafeteria (2713 Alderwood Ave.), Meals must be eaten on site and can’t be taken home
When: 5:00-6:00 pm, Mondays-Thursdays
* No dinner on all-school early release Thursdays
Kulshan Garden Update
Hello this is an update from your Food Educator Karey! We had an amazing end to fall garden lessons last week. Students helped prepare the garden for winter, played garden games, and searched for plants in the same family. Unfortunately, this year we will not be able to teach winter cooking lessons due to the pandemic. However, I will be back in the spring to teach fun and interesting garden classes. If you are interested in volunteering over the winter to prepare the garden for the spring please contact: kulshan@commonthreadsfarm.org>
COVID Vaccines Available
If you are interested in getting your child the COVID vaccine, the Whatcom County Health Department has good information about available locations for walk-up and appointments.
Safe Schools Zone
This fall, contractors installed security cameras inside and outside of several of our schools, including KMS. This project was approved by voters in our community as part of the 2018 school facilities bond. Security cameras will help us maintain the health, welfare and safety of students, staff and visitors. For more information, see policy 6610.
Open House and Teacher Videos
Water Bottles
Kulshan Clubs
Support for Tribal Affiliated Students
Did you know we have over 400 students in our district with tribal affiliation? Lummi Behavioral Health can serve students with ANY tribal affiliation/status. Here is the interest link for starting MH services with Lummi Behavioral Health. If you are interested or have questions please talk to your school counselors:Michelle Strobel, Lacey Bachman, or Aaron Tiger.
College Bound Application
Did you know college is free for qualifying families? Middle school is the only time that families can sign up for the College Bound Scholarship Program. The College Bound Program covers the average cost of tuition, some fees, and a small book allowance at over 65 Washington State colleges, universities and technical schools. Please fill out our district Free and Reduced Lunch Form to apply. Please let your KMS counseling team know if you have any questions.
Skyward Family Access
Is your contact information for your student up-to-date? You can do this online now through our Skyward Family Access program. Please review your contact information, mailing address, emergency contacts and complete the Annual Health Concerns form for your student. If you need your login and password information for Skyward Family Access, please contact us. Also, here are some great online resources and videos.
LGBTQ Support for Families and Youth
Bellingham Food Bank Schedule
The team at Bellingham Food Bank works tirelessly to make sure they have great food to give families. Anyone can visit the food bank as often as needed, regardless of address. The food bank is proud to be of service to our families—always striving to serve them with dignity, respect, and a smile. Check out the Food Bank website to learn more about their satellite food banks, home delivery and Whatcom County Foodbanks. You can also make a donation here.
WTA Bus Fare: FREE for Youth
Kulshan Contacts
Kevin Terpstra, Assistant Principal
Tatiana Samora, Registrar Я говорю на русском языке.
Jeneen Durand, Attendance Secretary
Elsa Powell, Family Liaison Hablo español.
Kulshan Middle School 1250 Kenoyer Drive Bellingham, WA 98229 360-676-4886