Nearing the Finish Line of the 2021-22 School Year
With all the excitement of spring and the celebrations and events it includes, the past few months have flown by. Our learning community has now rounded the corner into the final weeks of the school year. In a few days, we’ll say congratulations and bid farewell to the class of 2022, we’ll once again express our appreciation for the staff who made it a successful school year despite challenges, and we’ll prepare to welcome our newest group of learners who will one day become leaders of their future world. Read on to hear about the latest accomplishments of BSD students and staff and to see how you can help support your students and our entire learning community by getting involved.
Inside BSD Schools
Puesta del Sol Construction Update
Construction at Puesta del Sol continues this spring with updates to the interior and exterior. Despite a nearly five-month delay in the project’s critical path due to the concrete drivers strike, concrete is again flowing at the new site. The expected completion date is now December 2022.
Graduations for the class of 2022 begin this Friday, June 10. Visit our Graduation Events webpage to learn more about each ceremony and to see photos from the events. Upcoming ceremonies honoring our BSD students and their years of hard work include:
Friday, June 10 – Evergreen Transition Program
Thursday, June 16 – Bellevue, Interlake, Newport, Sammamish high schools
Friday, June 17 – Big Picture School, International School
BSD Celebrates Pride Month During June
The Bellevue School District seeks to create a safe, caring and respectful environment for all the diverse students, families and staff in our community. During the month of June, the district celebrates Pride Month by affirming members of the LGBTQ+ community and recognizing the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals have had on our collective history locally, nationally and internationally.
BOOM Presents – Juneteenth: The Evolution of the Nation’s Newest Federal Holiday
Please join BSD’s Equity and Family Engagement teams as they present another dynamic speaker in their “Black History Beyond February” series. Dr. Quintard Taylor, Ph.D., will present and engage participants in discussion on the history and importance of Juneteenth. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States and the nation’s newest federal holiday.
Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2022 Time: 5:15 - 6:19 p.m. Location: Microsoft Teams
In the month of May, schools throughout the Bellevue School District celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, also known as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. Schools affirmed identities and shared the depth and breadth of contributions made by the AAPI community. Through a variety of experiential and academic activities, students and staff took time to reflect on how contributions from individuals from across the span of AAPI cultures have elevated and fundamentally shaped our nation.
Congratulations to Bellevue High School’s Automotive Technology Students!
Pete McCue, Bellevue High School's Automotive Technology Instructor, took several students to the Universal Technical Institute Top Tech Challenge on May 7 to compete against 12 schools and 21 teams. The program took three teams and they placed in the top 5 – finishing 5th, 4th and 1st place.
All students participated in the Automotive Service written exam and eight different stations where they covered the National ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) areas.
BSD Students Learn Japanese American History Through Local Families
With the support of the Eastside Heritage Center and a 4Culture Heritage Grant, the BSD social studies team developed an updated third grade social studies inquiry-based unit using primary source documents about change over time in Bellevue. The unit, which focuses on the Japanese American Experience in Bellevue, was recently highlighted in the Seattle Times. The article highlights Woodridge Elementary staff, students and families who share why this topic is important to them and others in our community.
Children 18 and younger are welcome to participate in the free summer meal program offered by Nutrition Services. The summer meal program provides free, nutritious meals to help children get the nutrition they need to learn, play and grow. Summer meals will be offered at Lake Hills Elementary and Sammamish High school.
Please contact your school for information on returning technology at the end of the year.
Last Day for Boys & Girls Clubs After School Programs
The last day for after school programs with Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue this school year will be on June 10, 2022. This means BSD school buses will not be stopping at those locations starting June 13, and drivers will not be boarding any of the Boys and Girls Club students at the school.
Any BSD students boarding a school bus with a destination to Boys and Girls club will be transported back to the school for parent pick up.
Dual Language and Immersion Program Enrollment – Spaces Still Available
We are excited to announce we still have some space in our Spanish Immersion and Spanish Dual Language programs for incoming kindergarteners. If you have an incoming kindergartener and are interested, please make sure to complete the application form found below. Apply at your earliest convenience. Spaces are limited, and students will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Nos complace anunciar que aún tenemos espacio disponible en nuestros programas de inmersión y lenguaje dual de español para los estudiantes que ingresarán al grado de kínder en el siguiente ciclo escolar. Si usted tiene un estudiante que ingresará a kínder y está interesada(o), por favor asegúrese de completar el formulario que se encuentra debajo. Se recomienda que llene la aplicación lo más pronto posible ya que el espacio es limitado, y los estudiantes serán aceptados basado en el orden de las aplicaciones.
If you will be moving over the summer, please submit the change of address information within 5 days of your move to SPResidency@bsd405.org. Student Placement will work with you regarding your student’s school.
Join the Reimagining Middle Schools (RMS) Steering Committee
Do you want to join us to imagine a new kind of middle school experience?
We are happy to invite you to apply to be a member of the Reimagining Middle Schools (RMS) Steering Committee. This group will include approximately 15-20 members, including students, parents/guardians, teachers, support staff, administrators, community members — and YOU!
The RMS Reimaging Middle School Steering Committee will make suggestions for a new, “reimagined” middle school model that is more relevant, fun, engaging and reflective of you! Your voice and ideas will help this team make the middle school experience better for all students.
Share Your Feedback: Participate in Superintendent Search Focus Groups
Bellevue School District is excited to begin its search for the next superintendent. The School Board has hired Human Capital Enterprises (HCE) to lead the search. Over the coming weeks and months, we invite you to be part of the process! Throughout the month of June, you will have two ways to share your input:
Online Survey
Focus Groups
We value your perspective and look forward to hearing your thoughts on key issues such as:
What is great about our district and what are we pleased to have accomplished?
What are the challenges we face as a district?
And what are our hopes and dreams for the next superintendent?
Focus groups gather a small number of individuals in a guided discussion about a specific topic to get their feedback. This series of superintendent search focus groups are led by HCE. Participants are given the opportunity to share their thoughts about attributes and qualities they would like to see in a new superintendent during the 30-minute online format.
As we prepare for the reopening of school on September 1, 2022, families should anticipate that free meals will no longer be available for all students attending a BSD school. With the expiration of USDA waivers at the end of this school year, Nutrition Services will return to traditional methods of payment for school meals (free, reduced price or paid).
Look for the 2022-2023 application for school meal benefits online on the Free & Reduced Price Meals webpage by August 15, 2022.
New: Students determined to be eligible for reduced price school meals will be able to receive lunch for free. Due to new state funding, the $0.40 copay for a reduced price lunch will no longer be collected. Students eligible for reduced price school meals will continue to receive breakfast for free in schools that offer the program.
Health Services Updates
Staying Home When Sick
One of the best ways to protect our BSD community from infection is for students, staff and visitors to remain home when sick. Please visit our Too Sick for School? webpage to learn more about when to stay home from school and school activities.
Masks are available for staff, students and visitors throughout the district. Students may ask teachers or office managers if they need masks.
Drive-Thru Diagnostic PCR Testing for Students
BSD offers drive-thru diagnostic PCR testing for students who show symptoms of COVID-19. Testing is available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at ESC West, outside of Room 100. Tests are available by appointment only, as there are limited slots each day.
The Bellevue School District partners with local organizations and non-profits to support our students and families. Visit our Community Partner webpage to learn more about these organizations, find out about their services and how you can engage with them. Upcoming events include:
Sign Up Now: Bellevue Essentials Class
Do you want to learn how Bellevue city government really works? Join the 2022 Bellevue Essentials class! Participants will learn all about Bellevue through presentations, interactive experiences and engaging tours. A cohort of 35 students meet every Wednesday night, beginning September 28, and concluding December 7. The course is by application, and a diverse class of 35 participants will be selected.
Informational meetings will be held June 9, 6-7 p.m., June 14 noon-1 p.m., and June 16, 5-6 p.m.
Complete the Bellevue SchoolPool Transportation Survey
The City of Bellevue is seeking travel data on how students travel to and from school. This annual survey will help them evaluate strategies for the Bellevue SchoolPool program, which aims to reduce drop-off and pick-up congestion at schools.
Please consider participating in their short, five-question survey for each school-aged child. The survey will be open until Wednesday, June 13. Complete the survey.
If you have questions, please contact Stela Nikolova, Bellevue SchoolPool Program Lead, at snikolova@bellevuewa.gov.
WSDOT Bridge Closure – May Impact Travel Routes
The Washington State Department of Transportation’s I-405, Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project team and contractor Flatiron-Lane Joint Venture (FLJV) are planning work to remove and replace the Main Street Bridge. The Main Street Bridge across Interstate 405 in downtown Bellevue will be closed for potentially up to five months starting as early as Monday, June 13. A full weekend closure of I-405 between Northeast Fourth Street and Southeast Eighth Street to demolish the bridge is scheduled for the weekend of June 17 to June 20.
BSD Transportation has already rerouted buses with no impact on current pick-up and drop-off points. This means there will be no change for families.
BSD utilizes Let's Talk! to exchange messages with families. Find messaging options on our website.
Please contact staff at your student's school about schedules, attendance and any other school-specific questions or concerns. Visit https://bsd405.org and select Schools in the top menu to find your school.
