Cougar Chronicle: January 2026

Happy New Year Clyde Hill Families!

2026 is off to a fantastic start at Clyde Hill Elementary School.  Students have come back with wonderful focus and a positive energy!  Our staff is excited for what the upcoming weeks of learning hold.  Below are key updates for families to know throughout the month of January.

 

Preschool Playground

It is with great excitement that I share the completion of our new preschool playground!  Through the advocacy of preschool team and support of Facilities Department, Clyde Hill Elementary now has a preschool playground that supports the play needs of our youngest learners at Clyde Hill Elementary.  The playground is reserved for our preschool students during the school day and after school for our preschool students in the aftercare program. We will announce an "official" opening once all inspections are completed!          

                       

iReady Benchmark Assessment

The beginning of January is a time for students to highlight the growth they have made so far this year.  One way students are showing their growth in both literacy skills and math is through completing the second "benchmark" assessment in the iReady online learning program.  Students in Kindergarten - 5th grade took their first benchmark assessment in both literacy and math in September.  Since then they have had opportunities in class to work on an individualized learning path.  Students are now taking their second assessment/placement test which allows teachers and students to see their growth.  Our focus at Clyde Hill is supporting all students in reaching the growth goal set by the iReady program or for students who are still working to reach grade level standards, reach their stretch goal - a goal that will, over time, help students meet grade level standards.

 

Upcoming Assembly:  Little Footprints, Big Impact

When:  Thursday, January 15th

What:  This assembly is provided free of charge to the students of Clyde Hill Elementary by King County.  In this assembly students will learn about how their conservation efforts impact the community, local habitats, and the humans and animals that live there.  Local theater educators, Terrence and Angela, present this assembly.  Having worked with Terrence and Angela at both of the previous schools where I was principal, I am excited to introduce them to the students and staff at Clyde Hill Elementary!

 

Students and New Technology

If your child received some new technology as a holiday gift, specifically a smart phone or smart watch, please review the school expectations about personal technology devices:

• Smart watches can only be used as watches at school.  This means that games, pictures, music, and other apps that are available on a smart watch should not be accessed at school.
• Smart phones need to be kept in a student's backpack during the school day.   

Another popular item that we have seen showing up at school is walkie talkies.  Like cell phones, these need to stay in backpacks during the school day.  They are not to be out at school during the school day, including recess and lunch.  Like any technology device from home, the school is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or broken items.

 

Update from Nurse Amy Borberg

The following update is from Clyde Hill's school nurse, Amy Borberg.  The link below the picture will allow you to access the links embedded in the newsletter.

NurseNewsletterImmunizationsFLU1-7-26_1.pdf

 

Family Game Night

Clyde Hill's Family Engagement Team is excited to host a Family Game Night on Tuesday, January 27th!  Please see the flyer below for more information!  If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Clyde Hill's librarian, Mary Ann McCarthy at:  mccarthym@bsd405.org

 

 

Upcoming Events and Dates to Know at Clyde Hill

• Monday, January 19th:  Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, No School
• Wednesday, January 21st: PTA General Membership Meeting, 5 PM - Library
• Monday, January 26th:  No School - Staff Work Day to Prepare for 2nd Semester
• Tuesday, January 27th: Family Game Night, 5:00 - 6:30 PM - Library
• Friday, January 30th:  PTA Family Dance 
  • More information can be found on the Clyde Hill PTA website at:  https://www.clydehillpta.org/events/schooldance

Just a reminder that while school staff are present at events such as the Family Game Night and School Dance, student supervision is required by the adults they attend with.  We ask that our families help maintain school expectations such as walking in the hallways and appropriate voice levels when supervising their students at school.

 

Administrative Support

Beginning in the second week of January 2026, elementary schools without assistant principals who have requested support will receive administrative support one day per week on a rotating schedule.  I am pleased to share that Mrs. Brenda Naish will be at Clyde Hill acting as a second school administrator one day per week for the remainder of the 2025-26 school year.  Mrs. Naish is a very experienced school administrator who has been at Clyde Hill Elementary several days this fall providing additional support as needed.  We have worked together for over 20 years in the Bellevue School District, and I look forward to her partnership for the remainder of the school year.  She will be helping with student support and may also be attending student meetings such as IEP and 504 meetings.

 

Bellevue School District Levies:  Election Day February 10, 2026

Local Levies Help Fund Learning and Safety

Washington state does not pay for all the costs of running public schools. Local levies approved by voters help fill that gap so that students have the tools and support they need to learn and grow. All levies approved by BSD voters stay in the Bellevue community to support our students and schools.

BSD has two levies on the February 10 ballot. The Educational Programs and Operations Levy helps pay for teachers, counselors, and programs such as art, music, athletics, and advanced classes. The Technology and Capital Projects Levy funds student laptops and tablets, network systems, and safety improvements in school buildings.

Ballots will be mailed to Bellevue voters around January 23–24 for the February 10 election. The ballot includes two replacement levies that continue local funding for our schools.

The levies support student learning, classroom staff, safety programs, technology, and building maintenance. This funding helps make sure every student has access to safe and supportive learning environments.

Watch the district’s short informational video and learn more about what each levy funds.

 

Bellevue School District Announcements and Updates

With the start of 2026, we have several announcements and updates that Bellevue School District central office has asked we communicate with families.  The following are those updates.

 

Join the BSD K-12 Financial Literacy Team!

Help Shape Financial Education for Our Students

We invite families and staff to join our brand-new BSD K-12 Financial Literacy Team! Together, we’ll create a plan for implementing the Washington State K-12 Financial Literacy Standards in Bellevue schools.

Who Can Participate?

The team will be comprised of:

• Elementary and Secondary Administrators
• Parents/Guardians
• Secondary Students
• Elementary and Secondary Teachers and Staff Members

Meeting Details

We will meet monthly from January through June on Microsoft Teams. Meetings will be held from 4-5 pm on the following dates:

• January 13, 2026
• February 10, 2026
• March 10, 2026
• April 14, 2026
• May 26, 2026
• June 16, 2026

In addition, there will be one or two hours of independent work expected between meetings.

Our Purpose and Why Your Voice Matters

All students deserve access to financial education, regardless of background or income. As a team member, you’ll help shape the way financial literacy is taught across our district. Your ideas and perspectives will ensure our plan reflects the needs and strengths of our diverse BSD community. Participation is a meaningful way to support student success and empower future generations!

How to Join

If you’re interested in participating, fill out this short form and you’ll receive the link to the first meeting.

Questions? Contact Kristi Sutton at suttonk@bsd405.org.

 

Closing January 16: Open Transfer, Choice Schools and Language Programs Applications

The open transfer, choice school and language program application period for the 2026-2027 school year closes on Friday, January 16, 2026. Learn more about who should apply.

New student enrollment opens for preschool and K-12 on Monday, February 2, 2026.

Bellevue Digital Discovery, BSD's online school, accepts applications year-round.

Attend Open Houses and Information Nights

There's still time to learn about BSD schools in preparation for the 2026-2027 school year. Learn more about our offerings in preschool through high school at upcoming open houses and information sessions:

• Enatai Elementary Open House
• Interlake High Open House
• Bellevue Digital Discovery Open House - Grades K-12
• International School Open House
• Medina Elementary Open House
• Bellevue Big Picture School Online Open House – Grades 6-12
• Sammamish High Open House
• Bellevue High Open House
• Newport High Open House
• Bellevue Digital Discovery Open House – Grades K-8

 

Attendance Matters: When are Absences Considered School Avoidance?

 “School avoidance” is when a child refuses to attend school or has difficulty remaining in school the entire day. There are many reasons why students avoid attending school and uncovering the reason why your student is avoiding and/or refusing is key to fixing it.

School avoidance may look like:

• Full day absences from school
• Going to school but leaving early
• Going to school, but only after crying, hiding, having an outburst, or refusing to move
• Faking illness to miss a day of school or having physical symptoms related to anxiety (e.g., headache, stomachache, nausea, etc.)
• Showing unusual distress about going to school and begging you not to make them go

Learn more about school avoidance and how to prevent it in this edition of the Attendance Matters series.

 

Thank you for taking a moment to read this newsletter.  We look forward to seeing all of our Clyde Hill families at school in the near future!

 

In partnership,

Amy MacDonald

Principal, Clyde Hill Elementary

 

The 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: Karen Dejong, 425-456-4277 or dejongk@bsd405.org