Kulshan Connect
November 12, 2021
In our Kulshan Community, we are courageous, kind, and committed!
Si desea esta información en español llame al 360-676-6456.
KMS Veteran's Day Assembly
Learning Together
To recognize and celebrate Native American Heritage Month in November, we want to highlight this short video which explains the Point Elliot Treaty of 1855. The video was made by Children of the Setting Sun. The video recognizes one of the most important events of Pacific Northwest chronology, the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855. Recently, our 7th grade Social Studies teachers were able to visit the Hibulb Cultural Center in Tulalip to see the actual 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott as well as other significant displays on Coast Salish history and culture.
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!
Practice starts Monday, Nov 15
Practices start Monday for our Boys 7th and 8th grade Basketball and All Gender 6th - 8th grade Dance/ Tumbling. Basketball practice is after school in our gym from 4:00 - 5:30 PM. Dance & Tumbling takes place before school at 8:00 AM. Registration is due TODAY in Final Forms. More information can be found on our KMS Athletics page. If you have any questions about sports registration or Final Forms, please email Lisa Scott, our Athletics Registrar or call 360-676-4886 x4708.
Boys Basketball: Rapid Testing
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.
Child Tax Credit
Did you know?
- All families should be receiving up to $300 a month for each child through the Child Tax Credit. This is your money to help with the cost of raising your children.
- Even if your family doesn’t typically need to file taxes, filling out the Non-Filer Form this year could help you claim the Child Tax Credit, worth up to $3,600 per child.
- Visit the Child Tax Credit Information page to learn more about eligibility and the program, or to sign up. #ChildTaxCredit
- The deadline for non-filers to sign up for the tax credit payments is November 15.
COVID vaccines for students ages 5-11
The Pfizer vaccine against COVID was authorized for children ages 5-11 this week, with a very limited number of providers being able to give shots beginning Nov. 8. We are working on a BPS vaccine clinic, but because of staffing shortages in the health care sector and limited vaccine availability, this is not yet scheduled. We will update you as we learn more. 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.
Kulshan Instructional Spotlight
In Mr. Thran’s 8th Grade Social Studies class, students are embarking on a new project where they engage in a legislative bill drafting process, complete with a mock congress to simulating the experience of passing laws. The whole 8th grade team Social Studies and English Language Arts team is involved with Mr. Macleod, Ms. Fischer, and Mr. Han all partnering together on the process so the entirety of 8th grade is involved as one community. What is most inspiring about this project is that students are doing their own research about topics that they care about, brainstorming a list together, and everyone has a part to play. Some students will present their ideas as they finalize the bill, some students will play a role as an active member of a committee, and some students will preside over the Senate or the House to facilitate the process.
At Dismissal this Wednesday, a student came out of the school talking about how excited they were about doing mock congress. Asa a teacher, it is always a slam dunk when kids are talking about your lessons the minute they leave school. If you have any 8th grade student, ask them a few questions:
- What have you learned about our civic processes?
- What bills are you thinking about writing about?
- What role do you want to play in this process?
Written by Tyler Dockins, Instructional Coach
Progress Reports Coming Nov 17
We will be printing Progress Reports on Nov 15 and sending them home with students in 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 at tatiana.samora@bellinghamschools.org
Safe Schools Zone
This fall, contractors installed security cameras inside and outside of several of our schools, including here at at Kulshan Middle School. 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, and protect our school’s equipment and beautiful campus. For more information, see policy 6610.
Open House and Teacher Videos
Kulshan Spirit Gear
Raincoat Donations?
Do you have a raincoat to donate to Kulshan? Our students use these raincoats for Plant Science, Garden Classes, and other outdoor activities. Use this SignUp Genius link or just drop off raincoats at our Main Office. Thank you for your donations!
Photographers Needed!
Water Bottles
Kulshan Clubs
Mask Reminder
Masks at School: Our students are doing a great job following mask guidelines at school. Middle school is a time when students can grow rapidly, and it can be a challenge to keep up all that. One thing that would be worth checking is how your students’ masks fit when they leave for school. Masks should fit snugly over the top of the nose down to underneath the chin. We have extra masks we can and do provide students when they need them as well. Thanks for supporting the safety of all kids, and we are proud of how our kids have responded to our safety protocols.
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 michelle.strobel@bellinghamschools.org
Lacey Bachman lacey.bachman@bellinghamschools.org
Aaron Tiger aaron.tiger@bellinghamschools.org
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 take a few minutes to log into Skyward Family Access to review your contact information, mailing address, emergency contacts and to complete the Annual Health Concerns form for your student. If you need your login and password information for Skyward Family Access, please contact us. Do you need help with Skyward/ Family Access? Here are some great online resources and videos.
LGBTQ Support for Families and Youth
Bellingham Food Bank Schedule
Our local food bank (1824 Ellis Street) is open Monday, Wednesday & Friday from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. 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