Cougar Chronicle: Mid-October 2025

There is so much news to share both from our school and from the Bellevue School District’s central office that a mid-October “Cougar Chronicle” is needed.  This newsletter is filled with many brief updates.  I have tried to sequence the announcements sequentially for ease of reading and planning.

 

Great Shake-Out Earthquake Drill

On Thursday, 10/16/25 at 10:16 AM, the students and staff of Clyde Hill Elementary participated in Washington State’s Great Shake-Out Earthquake Drill.  Students learned how to protect themselves in their classroom as well as other open spaces like the hallway or gym when an earthquake happens.  All students had a chance to practice the “Drop, Cover, and Hold” position. 

 

Unity Day

This Wednesday, October 22^nd, Clyde Hill Elementary along with schools across our district, state, and country will be celebrating Unity Day.  This day affirms our commitment to ending bullying and building connections among the members of our school community.  When people know each other – it doesn’t matter if they are adults or children – they treat each other differently.  Fewer assumptions are made and presuming positive intentions is a lot easier!  Students will engage in a Unity Day activity during their weekly visit to the library, will build a school-wide unity chain, and on October 22^nd, we encourage all students to wear orange – the color of October’s Anti-Bullying Month.  If your child doesn’t have an orange shirt, do not go buy one!  We will have something orange for students to add to whatever they wear if they want to participate!

 

Clyde Hill Food and Hygiene Drive

Our staff was approached by a former Clyde Hill student for support with a food and hygiene drive as they are working with Renewal Food Bank.  Below is a message if your family would like to participate:

Hi Clyde Hill students and families! My name is Lauren and I am working with Renewal Food Bank to host a Food and Hygiene drive for individuals and families in our community that are facing food and hygiene insecurity. The food drive is from October 20th to November 3rd, and the bins will be in the main office. Any donations would be appreciated! Here is a list of the most needed items…

Food items: Rice, pasta, canned tomato, canned corn, canned soup (cream of mushroom, cream of chicken), peanut butter, ramen, oil, salt, and sugar.

Hygiene supplies: Toilet paper, laundry detergent (in sheet form), body soap, shampoo, dental product, dish soap, baby wipes. 

 

October Assembly

Each month our school holds an assembly for students in grades K-5 to learn about the various heritage and “awareness” months.  While we feature the various heritage and “awareness” months on our morning broadcast, this assembly allows us to bring our learning to a close together.  For October’s assembly, one focus will be on the celebration of Diwali.  Our school counselor, Fran Gatica, is leading the team putting this assembly together.  The following is a message from her:

As we prepare to celebrate Diwali at our school, we invite families who celebrate this special festival to share how they observe it! If you would like, please send us a short video (about 1½ minutes long) of your child:

• Performing a traditional dance (such as Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Garba, Bhangra, etc.), 

          Or

• Sharing how your family celebrates Diwali — through decorations, traditions, or favorite foods.  We will be showing these videos during our Diwali Assembly on October 27th in the morning.

Please send your videos to Ms. Gatica at gaticaf@bsd405.org by October 22^nd so we can include them in our celebration.

Thank you for helping us make this Diwali assembly bright and meaningful for our students!

 

Fall Student Survey Launching

We are launching the Fall 2025 Panorama Student Survey to gather valuable insights into students' experiences and to further support their growth and well-being. The survey will focus on several key areas, including school climate, sense of belonging, and social-emotional learning (SEL), offering students an opportunity to share their perspectives.

Learn more about the survey.

If you would like to opt your student out of the SEL portion of the survey, please complete this online form by October 26.

 

FLU and Covid Vaccinations - What if I don’t have insurance? 

The following information is shared by Clyde Hill School Nurse, Amy Borberg:

Uninsured adults ages 19+ can get vaccinated at low or no cost through a provider participating in the  Adult Vaccine Program (AVP).  All kids can get COVID vaccines at no cost until their 19^th birthday through a provider in the Childhood Vaccine Program (CVP).    We expect that COVID vaccine for uninsured adults and all kids will become available sometime in October.   Here is a link to find a location for these vaccinations:

King County vaccination locations for children and uninsured adults - King County, Washington

(This is from King County Public Health Insider newsletter.)

 

PTA Trunk or Treat – Friday, October 24^th

If you attended Family Bingo Night, you saw what happens when our school community comes together to enjoy one another’s company!  PTA’s Trunk or Treat is another fun-filled (sugar-fueled?) opportunity to connect with families in our school community while our students “harvest” candy from the many Halloween-themed car trunks!  The following information was shared by David Cordova, chair of Trunk or Treat:  

The Clyde Hill PTA is happy to present our annual Trunk or Treat on Friday, October 24 at 6 pm.  Families that are interested in hosting a Trunk can sign up at Clyde Hill PTA: Clyde Hill Elementary Trunk or Treat-October 24, 2025.   We are also looking for a limited number of volunteers to help with parking management as well as helping to restock candy. See the sign-up website for more details.

Trunk hosters should plan to arrive at 5 pm to get set up, which will be in the East parking lot bordering 98^th Ave NE and NE 24^th St.   

  Our very own Candy Monster is set up in the office; the Candy     Monster, as   always, appreciates your candy donations!

 We understand the Northwest Arts Center on NE 23^rd St. east of the school also   has an event that evening, and Chinook Middle has an event as well, so it will be   a busy and fun time in the neighborhood.   Please keep this in mind when making   transportation arrangements. 

 Please contact David Cordova at 206 369 4637;    dcordova@deloitte.com with   any questions. 

 

 

 

 

Education Connections: Look for the Helpers

Meet the trusted adults students turn to for support. Learn how to help your child get involved, how to be a supportive presence, and find resources in times of crisis. With recent budget impacts to MHAT services, families may be unsure where to turn. Join us to access mental health care information, learn about school-based support, and connect with local community programs. Free and open to all BSD families, staff and community. The event will include a panel conversation facilitated by Dr. Kelly Aramaki, BSD Superintendent.

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, October 28

Time: 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Location: Rainier Room at WISC

Address: 12241 Main Street, Bldg. #1, Bellevue 98005

Learn more and RSVP online.

"Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." Mr. Rogers

 

Industry Experts Needed: Join a Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee

Attend the first in-person meeting for the Bellevue School District’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program Advisory Committees for the 2025-2026 school year. Your insights and expertise are essential in shaping the future of our students and enhancing their career readiness. This event will be a fantastic opportunity to connect with CTE teachers from across the district and fellow industry professionals.

Event Details

Date: Thursday, October 30, 2025

Time: 5:00-7:00 p.m. (dinner will be served at 4:45 p.m.)

Location: Wilburton Instruction Service Center

Address: 12241 Main Street, Bldg. #1, Bellevue 98005

If you’re unable to attend the event, we’d still love your participation at future advisory meetings and support in other ways, such as visiting classrooms as a guest speaker or offering internship opportunities. Please complete the survey to let us know of your interest in supporting BSD CTE Programs.

 

Pick-Up/Drop-Off Lane

Just a quick reminder for our families who are using the pick-up and drop-off lane from NE 24^th St. that if you are using this lane, drivers need to stay in their car.  Students need to be able to open and close their car door as well as buckle themselves into their car seat or booster seat independently.   In recent weeks we are seeing more drivers exiting their car to help students.  If your child needs assistance getting into or out of the car, please use the parking lot that is accessible from NE 24^th St.   When drivers stay in their car, we can keep the line moving safely and efficiently.  If your child has a large instrument (cello, bass, and baritone players) that cannot go on the bus and you need to assist them with their instrument, please reach out to me about how we can facilitate this pick-up.  Large instruments and 5^th graders add complexity, but we have a solution for the 7-8 families who might fit into this category!

 

Thank you for the ongoing support of our learners, and I look forward to seeing you at Clyde Hill Elementary very soon!

 

In partnership,

Amy MacDonald

Principal, Clyde Hill Elementary School

 

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

Mailing address for all three: 12111 NE 1st Street, Bellevue, WA 98005.