Cougar Connect: January 2025

Happy New Year!  I want to welcome the many new families who are joining Clyde Hill Elementary as we start 2025!  

We have had a great week settling back into the routines of school.  As we have welcomed new students into our classrooms, we have been relearning our school expectations and reteaching routines in classrooms, at recess, in specialist classes such as art, PE, library, and music, as well as at lunch.  

We also recognize that for our families that are new to Clyde Hill there are few key pieces of information that are helpful to know (and it's always great to remind everyone else):

Parking Lots:

• The parking lot off of NE 24th is for K-5 drop-off.  Please do not use the other parking lot for K-5 drop-off.  
• The parking lot off of 98th Ave NE is for Staff and Prek Drop-off and Pick-Up. 
  • Pink parking passes for preK families indicate those adults other than staff who are allowed to enter the lot in the morning.  
  • Additionally, this is the lot where the buses pull in.  Cars are not allowed up in the bus turn around loop.

We strongly encourage families to use school bus transportation whenever possible.  Buses arrive in ample time for students who wish to eat breakfast at school.

 

Attendance:

If you are going to be absent, call the attendance line at 425-456-5002 or email clydehillattendance@bsd405.org 

 

Transfer Window Closing Soon:  Friday, January 17th at 4 PM

If you want to transfer to a Bellevue school outside of your home attendance area, you must complete a transfer request during the Open Transfer request period.  This window has been open since mid-December 2024 and closes on Friday, January 17, 2025 at 4 PM (this is a firm deadline!).  If you decide you want to transfer after this window closes, you move to the bottom of the waiting list.  For some schools, this is a very long waiting list.  If you are seeking a transfer, do not miss this deadline on 1/17/25 at 4 PM. 

 

Open House Dates, 2025-2026 Open Transfer, Choice Schools and Language Programs Application Window

The Open Transfer, Choice School and Choice Program Application period for the 2024-2025 school year will close on Friday, January 17, 2025. Students and families are invited to learn more about Bellevue School District schools and programs during the final week of school open houses. The following open houses will take place over the next weeks.

• January 13, 2025 – Ardmore Elementary School Open House, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
• January 13, 2025 – Tillicum Middle School Open House, 5:45 – 8:00 p.m.
• January 13, 2025 – Bellevue Digital Discovery Open House, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
• January 14, 2025 – Enatai Elementary School Open House, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
• January 14, 2025 – Newport High School Open House, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
• January 14, 2025 – International School Open House, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
• January 15, 2025 – Medina Elementary School Open House, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
• January 15, 2025 – Sammamish High School Open House, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
• January 16, 2025 – Bellevue High School Open House, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

 

Preparing for Winter Weather

While we have managed to avoid ice and snow so far this winter, planning ahead and knowing how the Bellevue School District handles inclement weather is important. 

• First, bookmark the BSD Website (https://www.bsd405.org/)  All closures get posted on the website once they are announced.  
• Make sure phone number and email address are updated via ParentVue.  Did you get messages during the bomb cyclone?  If so, your number and/or email are updated.  If you are not sure, you can always call the Clyde Hill main office at 425-456-5000 to check because school closure messages are typically sent out via automated phone message and email.
• The decision to close schools or start late is usually made or announced just after 5 am if the decision was not made the previous afternoon or evening.
• If our school has a late start, there is no breakfast service.    
• If school starts one hour late, doors will open at 8:50 instead of 7:50.  If school starts two hours late, doors will open at 9:50.  
• If schools close early, please check with your childcare providers to know how they plan to handle these situations.  In most situations, aftercare providers close as their staff are not on site and the weather conditions are deteriorating causing schools to close.  Make sure your family has a plan for this and your child(ren) know what to do (e.g. take the bus home, know that you will pick them up, etc...)

 

The Anxious Generation Book Club - Postponed

The Anxious Generation Book Club has been postponed to a later date to ensure adults have enough time to fully engage with the book.  If you are interested in participating and need access to the book, please reach out to Clyde Hill's librarian, Mary Ann McCarthy (mccarthym@bsd405.org), as we want to make sure any family interested in reading the book has access to a copy.  Additionally, the author, Jonathan Haidt has numerous videos online connected to this text and topic.  Happy searching, watching, and listening if that's your preferred style!

 

Online Safety for our Children

We are fortunate to have a special opportunity for the Medina Elementary and Clyde Hill Elementary parent communities.  Bellevue Police Department Crime Prevention Officer, Ruby Daly, Detective Ashley Elliott, and other members of the police department will discuss current crime trends, statistics, and they will offer some crime prevention tools to support our children’s safety. Parents will also have an opportunity to ask questions of the police department. We hope that you can join us for this unique opportunity, and we look forward to having an engaging conversation as school communities in support of our children.

When: Thursday, January 16^th,  5:30 – 6:30 PM

Where:  Medina Elementary School Cafeteria, 8001 NE 8^th Street, Medina

To assist with our planning, please fill out this form. This will also allow us to make copies of the PPT in different languages to accommodate our audience.

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Updates and News from the Bellevue School District Central Office

Attendance Matters: Understanding School Avoidance

School avoidance is when a child refuses to attend school or has difficulty remaining in school the entire day. It can start by missing a day or two sporadically over a few of your child’s school years and slowly increase from there.

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, nausea, etc.)

·       Showing unusual distress about going to school and begging you not to make them go

I Think My Child May Have School Avoidance, What Can I Do to Help?

·       Contact your child’s school team

o      Reach out to your student’s school team to discuss your concerns and hear about supports such as school-based counseling, parent support group offerings, and 504 accommodation plans.

o      Supporting a child in working through their school avoidance can be overwhelming, painful and feel hopeless at times.

o      Please know you do not have to solve this heavy task alone. Your child’s school team is available and eager to partner with you. We welcome and encourage you to reach out to us with your concerns.

·       Make an appointment with your child’s pediatrician

o      Consider making an appointment with your child’s pediatrician or family doctor to rule out any medical complications that could be interfering with your child’s ability to attend school regularly. Common barriers to attendance include problems with sleep and untreated anxiety or depression. Thankfully, there are evidence-based treatments that can help such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and medication.

 

Free Money Management Workshops at the Bellevue Family Hub

Community partners Bellevue LifeSpring and Hopelink will hold upcoming family workshops on the topic of money management basics. The sessions will provide tips and tools to help families manage their budget, understand banking essentials, and improve financial credit. Childcare and snacks provided and virtual sessions available. Learn more at Bellevue Family Hub locations at Stevenson Elementary School or Highland Middle School or visit the Bellevue LIfeSpring website for additional event details.

Session in Spanish

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

 

Session in English

Thursday, January 30, 2025

5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

The location for both sessions is Stevenson Elementary School (14220 NE 8^th Street, Bellevue, WA 98007).

 

Again, thank you for helping us get 2025 off to a fantastic start!  We look forward to many wonderful days and weeks this year at Clyde Hill Elementary!

 

In partnership,

Amy MacDonald

Principal, Clyde Hill Elementary School

 

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.