Tiger Tales

Newsletter #25 - February 27, 2023

Dear Medina Families and Community,


We hope you had a restful mid-winter break, at home or away in other locales. Thank you for the delicious PTA staff lunch! Tres Sandwiches kept us fueled during the last few days before break.


As of today, we have less than 80 school days remaining for this academic year, and our calendars reflect "so much to do with so little time"! We look forward to continued work together to improve how we support our students. This coming week, Missoula Children's Theater joins us as our students audition, rehearse, and put on two performances that are guaranteed to be memorable experiences for all. Good luck to our families and students who are part of this production!


Also, there are NO afterschool programs this week due to Missoula Children's Theatre week. All Winter programs will resume on Monday, March 6.


We have also rescheduled our Pastries with Principals event as we learned that this falls during After School Spring Registration on 3/1. Pastries with Principals will now be on the following Wednesday, 3/8, 8:15-9:30am. If you cannot make it in person but are interested in joining virtually, please email me (nhanb@bsd405.org) so that I can set up a link for you to join. We will be learning more about Restorative Practices.


In the meantime, we wish everyone a smooth return back to routines!


Warmly,

Kati & Betty

Upcoming Events

February 27 - March 3: NO Afterschool Clubs except for Missoula Children's Theater

March 4: Missoula Children's Theater Performances at 3pm and 5:30pm

March 8: Rescheduled Pastries with Principals, 8:15-9:30am, Room 155 (please email if you would like to join virtually).

March 17: Professional Development Day, no school for students

March 31: Medina PTA Auction "Swing for the Stars" at Overlake Golf & Country Club

Volunteer for Lunch and Recess Support

We are looking for volunteers to 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 from 2/27/2023 - 4/28/2023. We always need more help!


If you are interested in signing up to be a lunch/recess volunteer again or for the first time, here is the link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4DAAA72FABFAC34-lunch1


You must be approved through the district every 3 years: https://app.sterlingvolunteers.com/en/Candidates/Account/Register


Also, please make sure to review the slides that are provided through a link at the top of the Sign-Up Genius page before signing up.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our Assistant Principal, Kati Weiland.

Thank you!

A Podcast for Parents by Parents

As busy caretakers, we are always looking for ways to maximize our time. We recently discovered a Podcast "Notes from the Backpack" that feature guest speakers discussing issues that are relevant to families raising kids in today's world. The most recent episode features a timely topic: "Finding the Best Summer Program for your Child" as organizations and vendors are opening registrations for the summer. Check out this National PTA Podcast by clicking here: https://www.pta.org/the-center-for-family-engagement/podcast/notes-from-the-backpack.

How is the Bellevue School District Funded?

With recent news surrounding school consolidations and declining enrollment, there may be some questions around how schools are funded.

Primary sources come from state and federal government funding and local levies supported by taxpayers. At Medina, we are grateful for the added generosity of families and community partners who donate funds and time to enrich the learning environment and experiences for all of our students. In addition, funds from all the sources can only be used for limited purposes. Click here for more information on how the district is funded.

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Anxiety in school can be hard to identify since it may look like something else, such as frequent visits to the nurse, ADHD, or a learning disorder. Students with anxiety may appear inattentive or restless, act out in disruptive ways, have trouble answering questions in class, struggle with certain subjects, not turn in their homework, and avoid socializing or groupwork. Students with anxiety may also miss a lot of school, or avoid school altogether. This can impact their academic performance and relationships with peers and teachers. BSD has mental health services and resources available for students and families. Learn more about them here.


The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening for anxiety in children and adolescents aged 8-18 years. Talk to your student’s primary care provider about screening and any concerns you have. There are effective treatments available for anxiety, including medication and therapy. Check out the resources below for more information.

CDC: Anxiety and Depression in Children

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry: Anxiety and Children

CDC: Children’s Mental Health Data

Child Mind Institute: How does anxiety affect kids in school?

USPSTF: Anxiety in Children and Adolescents Screening

Child Mind Institute: Anxiety

Worry Wise Kids

UCLA Center for Child Anxiety Resilience Education & Support

Effective Child Therapy

Coping Cat Parents