Big Picture School Newsletter
March 25, 2024
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Upcoming Events
Check out the cultural calendar
Monthly Acknowledgement: Women’s History Month
Monthly Recognitions: Music in our Schools Month, National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, Youth Art Month, Social Work Month, National Nutrition Month, Irish American Heritage Month
March Thursdays- HS SLCs
March 28- BOOM event at BC
March 30- BSF's Spring for Schools Event 5:00 pm
April 1,2- Smarter Balanced Testing ELA- Grades 6-8, 10 (modified schedule)
April 5- End of Quarter 3
April 8-12- Spring Break
April 22, 23- Smarter Balanced Testing Math- Grades 6-8, 10 (modified schedule)
April 26-27-MS Play
May 4- Jr/Sr Prom
May 7 - AP Human Geo and AP Stats Exams
May 9 - AP Env Sci Exam
May 13 - AP Calc Exam
May 14- 8th grade field trip to UW
May 16 -Senior Retreat
Stay on top of events and activities and plan for important dates by reviewing the district calendar. Previous and current printable calendars, including the 2023-24 Family Calendar, are also available online.
BSD Celebrates Women’s History Month
Congress recognizes the month of March as Women’s History Month. The 2024 theme for Women’s History Month is Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. This theme recognizes women who understand that in order for there to be a positive future, bias and discrimination must be eliminated from institutions and experiences.
March also honors International Women’s Dayon Thursday, March 8, 2024. International Women’s Day is a global celebration marking the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women throughout the world. Many countries celebrate International Women’s Day with marches, educational initiatives and community acknowledgements. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is Inspire Inclusion. The theme is intended to underscore the crucial role of inclusion in achieving gender equality.
BSD Community Celebrates Spring with Tradition, Faith and Joy
Tuesday, March 19 marks the start of the spring equinox during which time our learning community will celebrate the season with a diverse array of festivals and traditions. Celebrations may be social, cultural or religious. The Bellevue School District seeks to affirm the identities of our students, staff and community as they welcome the season of rebirth, renewal and reflection.
BIG PICTURE ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ramen Robotics- Headed to District Championship
Way to go Ramen Robotics. The team finished 3rd out of 34 teams this weekend after the qualification matches and 9th overall with total district points after the playoff rounds. They are ranked 42nd out of 148 teams in the Pacific Northwest District and will now be heading to the Pacific Northwest District Championship in Portland, April 3-6. 😊 It was exciting to watch the competition this weekend with BP students, staff, and families. We even had a visit from Dr. Aramaki. The team has done an impressive job this year. It’s hard to believe it’s just their 2nd year. BP students on the robotics team are divided into various subgroups and collaborate on the numerous aspects of the competition. Some are focused on building, coding, and driving the robot, others are focused on marketing and fundraising, outreach or advocacy. There's something for almost every interest area on this team. They have worked countless hours since January to prepare for the competitions and have a lot to be proud of. The team has incredible advisors (Hillary and Kevin), superb mentors, and an amazingly supportive group of parent boosters. Dominic Salmieri, BP Class of 2022, laid the foundation for the team as part of his Senior project and was there to cheer them on this weekend during his break from college. What a wonderful legacy he has created. Congrats, Noodles! You rocked it!
BP Innovation and Renovation Webpages are Live
We have created 2 webpages to keep our community updated on the work for both our innovation and renovation projects. They are linked to our school website and include the information that has been shared up to this point. Additional information will be posted soon, including updates on our steering committee, information from the renovation info night and FAQs will be created for each page. Please direct questions for the facility renovation project to BPrenovation@bsd405.org and questions on the innovation project to spinlerb@bsd405.org.
Middle School Jubilee Sports- Spring
Students have received emails from Breana and Jake for Jubilee Spring sports sign-ups. Students sign up via a link they receive. Please see below for more info.
- Girls golf:
- Registration is from March 11th to March 20th
- Season is March 26th to May 16th
- Practice is one day a week (day is TBD) from 3:15 pm to 4:30 pm
- Boys Basketball and Girls Soccer
- Registration is from March 18th to 29th
- Season is April 15th to May 31st
- Soccer practice is M, T, TH, F 3:40 pm to 4:40 pm
- Basketball practice is T, TH 4 pm to 5 pm
- Wednesdays are game days 2:30 to 5 pm.
Thank you
Thank you to the PTSA and parent volunteers who sponsored the middle school dance last Friday. The students thoroughly enjoyed the Fantasy-themed dance and time to socialize with their friends.
Thank you to the 6th grade parents/guardians who chaperoned the 6th grade field trip to Bellevue College on Friday.
We appreciate all the BP families do to support our amazing students and staff.
BP PTSA info
- PTSA Newsletter- Week of March 24: Click here
- Order BP Spirit wear here: https://bigpictureschool.itemorder.com/shop/sale/
- PTSA membership: https://www.bellevuebpsptsa.org/membership
- School Directory Now Available! Our school directory is now available via DirectorySpot! To gain access, please use the email address you have registered with the school. Note that not all students/families have opted into the Directory. Please let us know if you have questions! https://www.directoryspot.net/general/login.php
DISTRICT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Register for Spring for Schools by MARCH 25, Hosted by the Bellevue Schools Foundation
Bellevue Schools Foundationis hosting its annual Spring for Schools fundraiser on Saturday, March 30, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Meydenbauer Center. This year’s event is themed as a garden party, centering attendees around the Foundation’s goal to cultivate innovation in each of the District’s 28 schools. “Spring for Schools uniquely offers guests the chance to engage directly with the educators and students who benefit from the Foundation’s funding. Attendees have a chance to learn about the breadth and depth of the support BSF provides throughout the year to all 28 schools and connect with other attendees who are inspired and motivated to make a philanthropic impact in the education sector,” shares the Foundation’s Executive Director, Juliet Buder. BSF is hoping to raise $500,000 from Spring for Schools to fund essential District programs including Mental Health, Computer Science, Early Learning, Fentanyl Prevention, and Arts, Enrichment, and Innovation classroom grants.
Join the Foundation, district teachers, Superintendent Aramaki, and your fellow community members for one of the most inspiring and impactful evenings in Bellevue!
New Website Project Update: Content and Webpage Optimization, Staff Training
Work on the new BSD websites has been ongoing for almost one year, with the Listen and Learn project phase beginning in March 2023. Today, the project continues in the development portion of the Design and Development phase.
As noted in the project update in December, the project team has been focused on the website audit, content migration and training in the new platform. To allow more time to complete this part of the work, the Design and Development project phase will continue through summer 2024, with the new websites launching at that time. Several other aspects of the project will also take place during this time, specifically content and webpage optimization and broad staff training.
Coming soon will be the Launch and Promotion phase, in which the BSD community will learn:
- How BSD’s websites have changed
- Where to find important information on the new websites
- How to use the new and innovative features across websites
- E.g., navigation menus, site search, and language and accessibility tools
- Where to share feedback and submit website enhancement requests
- And more!
Special Education Family Resource Session: Insights into Positive Communication Among IEP Teams
Join us for an informative session tailored for families (teachers welcome too!) of students with disabilities. Our panel of experienced parents and dedicated BSD staff will address questions moderated by both BSD’s Special Education Family Liaison, Gita McIntyre, as well as a member of our Bellevue Special Needs PTA. The panel will provide valuable insights regarding each member’s perspective on what successful collaboration and support strategies looks like for students with IEPs. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen partnerships and enhance your student’s educational journey. Date: Thursday, March 28, 2024 Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m. Location: Highland Middle School Commons
2024 Summer Programs
Bellevue School District is proud to offer summer programs for students in 3rd to 12th grade. Learn more about the programs offered and stay tuned for registration coming soon.
High School Credit Recovery Summer School 2024
The High School Summer School program is designed to support students in need of credit recovery for on-time graduation through in-person classes held at Sammamish High School.
- Location: Sammamish High School
- Program Dates: Monday to Friday, July 9 – July 31, 2024. In-Person Attendance Required.
- Time: Students may take 1 or 2 courses. Period 1: 9:00 – 10:30; Period 2: 11:00 – 12:30
- Meals: A no-cost lunch will be served at 10:30am daily
- Program Cost: There is no fee for the program.
- Grade Level: Incoming 9th grade to 12th grade
- Student Eligibility and Identification: This program is for high school students in need of course credit for courses previously taken. Students are identified based on needs to support on-time graduation through school counselor recommendations. This program is not for grade improvement, nor earning original credit for pathway acceleration. This program is for credit recovery for classes previously failed (grades F, W, I, NC).
- Program Design: Students will participate in class, in-person daily during their designated class times. Afternoon tutorial hours will be available for students as needed. The summer coursework utilizes the ALEKS learning platform for math, specially designed chemistry and biology summer curriculum, and the APEX learning platforms for all other courses. In-person attendance is required daily.
- Courses Offered: Available courses and times will be posted on the HS Summer School webpage by February 28.
- Registration: Summer School registration will be online through the summer school website starting March 1 through June 25. All students in need of summer school will receive registration access codes from their school counselor. Priority enrollment will be given to rising 12th grade students and students most in need of graduation assistance. Final confirmation of enrollment will be sent via email at the end of June. Registration assistance can be provided by contacting hssummer@bsd405.org
- Credits: Students will earn a letter grade for their summer credit recovery course(s).
Community Information
City of Bellevue Youth Link Upcoming Dates
The City of Bellevue Youth Link has several upcoming events and opportunities for community involvement.
May 3, 2024 – Deadline to submit Community Leadership Awards Nomination Form. Join Youth Link as they celebrate their 34th Annual Community Leadership Awards event in May! This annual, citywide event celebrates Bellevue youth who contribute through leadership, community service, advocacy, diversity and social justice support.
Educators, community members, parents and other adults may nominate a student in Bellevue. Students are welcome to nominate their peers. Nominations will be open until Friday, May 3, 2024.
Youth Link will host the awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Bellevue City Hall.
May 15, 2024 – Apply to join the Youth Link board! The Youth Link Board consists of 12 youths and six adults from the Bellevue community who advise the City Manager about issues that impact youth. They advocate making system-level changes during a two-year term. The board meets twice a month, on the second and fourth Wednesdays. Applications for both youth and adult positions must be submitted by May 15.
Resources For Families
Mental Health Resources for the BSD Community
The BSD website includes a Mental Health Servicessection, which provides mental health resources for students, staff and families. The BSD community is encouraged to explore these resources to learn more about mental health topics including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse and suicide prevention. Individuals seeking support may also reach out to school counselors and MHAT counselors. The Bellevue School District has also partnered with Care Solaceto complement districtwide efforts that support the well-being of students, families and staff. Care Solace is a free and confidential care coordination service that can help you quickly find mental health or substance use treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of circumstance. Care Solace is NOT an emergency response service or mental health service provider. If you have a life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. The Care Solace team is always available — including nights, weekends and holidays.
How to Report a Safety Concern
Bullying and safety concerns can always be reported to any staff member at your school. Reporting forms are located in the main office and each classroom. The Bellevue School District also utilizes an anonymous reporting tool called SafeSchools Alert through which anyone can make a verbal or written report of harassment, intimidation or bullying. Information on how to submit a report via any of these methods is available on the district website at www.bsd405.org/help/report.
Questions? Contact Information
Bethany Spinler, Principal
Matt Stokes, Assistant Principal
Carol Anne Yamamoto, Registrar
Kelley Hoang, Attendance
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.