Kulshan Connect
February 11, 2022
In our Kulshan Community, we are courageous, kind, and committed!
Si desea esta información en español llame al 360-676-6456.
Feb 14-18: Kulshan Spirit Week!
Kulshan ASB are planning another Spirit Week, February 14-18. The themes are:
- Monday, Feb 14 - Pajama Day
- Tuesday, Feb 15 - Disney Day
- Wednesday, Feb 16 - Wacky Wednesday/Silly Sock Day
- Thursday, Feb 17 - Blackout Day
- Friday, Feb 18 - Decade Day: 6th grade '70s, 7th grade '80s, 8th grade '90s
High School Course Catalog
Are you an 8th grader? Are you interested in looking at all of the courses offered in our local high schools? Then check out our new Course Catalog! Your teachers and counselors will be helping you register for high school this spring. This is an exciting time as you think about finishing up your 8th grade year and starting high school.
Upcoming Kulshan Music Concerts:
Wed, February 16: KMS Orchestra Concert at 7:00 PM in the Commons
Feb 24 Vaccine Clinic
We have a local vaccine clinic coming up, open to everyone and all ages including for children 5-11 years old and 12+ (including boosters). The clinic will be held on Thursday, Feb. 24 at Birchwood Elementary School, 2:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.. Sign up here.
Thank you to our voters!
Thank you SO MUCH to our voters! As you know, local bonds are used by districts across our state to close significant gaps in state funding for capital projects. For over 10 years, we have made great strides in reducing expenses for families by covering things such as school supplies, course fees, activities and athletic participation fees, and just last year, we added ASB cards and yearbooks to this list. Every day, we are working hard to create amazing learning spaces for our students! Thank you!
Homework Club Snacks Needed
Former KMS Student Now a Coach!
New District Calendar
Winter Sports at KMS
We have had a great start to our Winter Sports Season!! Students can still sign up for these sports on Final Forms. Our sports are 7th and 8th Grade Girls Volleyball (after school daily in the Gym from 3:45 - 5:30 PM) and All Grades and All Gender Wrestling (after school in our Commons from 3:45 - 5:30 PM) If you have any questions about Final Forms or your student's registration, please call our main office at KMS 360-676-4886 or email Lisa Scott / 360-676-4886 x4708. Go Thunderbirds!
Instructional Spotlight
Adam Shaffer is in his 4th year at Kulshan Middle School, and is our amazing librarian. Instructionally, Mr. Shaffer is an expert at student investment. Alongside other reading teachers and Ms. Stephanie (Assistant Librarian) at Kulshan, he intentionally builds a strong reading culture in the school through many above and beyond efforts. Primarily, Mr. Shaffer ensures that students have access to high quality books. For example, he wrote a grant to increase the access to manga books, and the Bellingham Schools Foundation was impressed by the request, they extended the offer to all four middle schools in Bellingham. He also ensures that that students have access to books by authors of color, female authors, and authors from many different backgrounds who tell stories about characters with varied experiences. When students see themselves in a story, a book, or in an author, they are more likely to read. Every single kid in Kulshan Middle School can see themselves in our library. This is also due to his belief that the library should be a fun space, one can walk into the library during our lunches and see nearly 40-50 students reading, playing games/puzzles, and hanging out with friends. You won’t find a perfectly silent library at Kulshan with a librarian shushing students. The library is a space of joy. Because of this, if a student is reluctant reader at first, eventually they tend to pick up a book because they love the library so much. Whether it is classroom visits doing a read-aloud to kids, hosting read-alouds in the library, or ensuring kids have fun in our reading space, Mr. Shaffer matches kids with their perfect books and sparks a joy for reading that hopefully lasts a lifetime.
Feb 18: Report Cards
Attendance Office Reminders
Human Growth and HIV Lessons
Our Kulshan PE teachers will be sharing out the Human Growth and Development and HIV lessons that we will be teaching this Spring. Washington State requires HIV/AIDS prevention education for all students, and families are often curious about the materials and information that will be shared with students. Our PE teachers teach specific lessons which can be previewed here. As always, families may opt their child out of these Human Growth and Development & HIV/AIDS lessons. Please let your child's PE teacher know in writing if that is your choice. Thank you!
Summer Scholarships
The Assistance League of Bellingham will once again be offering summer enrichment scholarships to middle school students in Whatcom County. I am happy to report that we are able to provide up to $400 for each student this summer. I hope you will encourage your students to apply. Last year, middle school students used their scholarships to attend a variety of local summer programs including Wild Whatcom, BellinghamART, Dancing for Joy, Camp Kirby, Volunteens, Chamber Days and Mountain Biking Youth Trail Corps. Applications are due by March 17th and scholarship winners will be notified by April 12th. The applicants must complete an application form, respond to an essay question, have their parent or guardian sign a publicity consent form and ask a non-relative to complete a recommendation form. Contact your school counselors with questions or to get an application: Michelle Strobel, Lacey Bachman, Aaron Tiger.
6th grade Choir Concert
Free Family Podcasts
For those who find parenting, mentoring, and teaching middle schoolers a challenge, the Strengthening Families Training have timely pointers. We encourage you to become familiar with their local program and you can check their online option, which can be done from the comfort of your home. There is no cost involved and Elsa Powell will be able to enroll you at no cost. Leave a message or text at 360 676 4165. All podcasts are available free online, like this one on Encouraging Good Behavior. Also disponible: Alentando el Buen Comportamiento
Now Hiring!
Have you considered becoming a substitute or school volunteer? Our district is dedicated to keeping schools open and operational, but we need YOU! Being a substitute offers flexibility and helps support our schools, staff and Bellingham’s children in fulfilling The Bellingham Promise. We are currently accepting applications for substitute teachers, emergency certified substitute teachers, paraeducators, bus drivers, warehouse/delivery drivers, custodians, nurses, food service staff and office personnel. Join us!
Kulshan Food Pantry
Our Kulshan Food Pantry is experiencing low inventory! If you would like to donate, please bring shelf-stable food or health care items to our KMS front office. Wondering what to bring? Please use our Sign Up Genius if you can. We GREATLY appreciate your support. Questions? Please reach out to our Kulshan counselors: Aaron Tiger, Michelle Strobel, or Lacey Bachman.
Social Media Accounts
Have you seen concerning social media pages related to Kulshan students? We encourage all members of the Kulshan community to take action:
- Please report accounts to Instagram if the accounts are bullying or harassing or otherwise violating Instagram terms of service. This step is easy and anonymous.
- Talk with your family and friends about digital citizenship and appropriate social media behavior. If necessary, families and students can send information, tips, or concerns regarding a safety issue in our schools by texting or calling 844-310-9560 or by visiting bellinghamschools.org/safe for confidential, anonymous, two-way communication with our safety staff.
- Continue to stand up for our Kulshan values both in person and online, to protect our students’ mental health and well-being.
Winter Weather and Bus Routes
COVID Vaccine Card to KMS
It is important for us to know your student's vaccination and booster 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. Thank you!
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. Thanks for partnering with us to help your students learn healthy phone boundaries.
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>
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
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