January 8,2024
Happy New Year Tillicum Families,
I hope you and your children enjoyed a fabulous winter break. I sure did, eating more than I should have and enjoying every moment with my wife, kids, and extended family.
As a life long Washingtonian and UW grad, I really enjoyed watching the Huskies beat the Texas Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl on New Years Day. And tonight, I’ll be rooting the Huskies onto one more victory in the National Championship game against the Michigan Wolverines. I was trumpet player on the field of the Rose Bowl in January 1992 when the Huskies last won the National Championship against the very same Wolverines. LETS GO DAWGS!!
Dusty Steere
Principal – Tillicum Middle School
IMPORTANT DATES
- 1/11 Jazz Band attends International School Jazz Festival
- 1/15 Martin Luther King Jr. Day, No School
- 1/16 – 26 Winter 2 Sports Registration is open (more information)
- 1/16 – 29 Yearbook sale for this year’s2023-24 yearbook
- 1/17 Tillicum Open House: 5th grade Family Information Night
- 1/23 Math Team is hosting AMC 8 competition at Tillicum
- 1/26 End of First Semester
- 1/26 Shrek Movie Night at Tillicum at 6:30 pm – hosted by TMS Band & Orchestra
Please visit our Tillicum website for the most current information.https://bsd405.org/tillicum
MLK Recognition and Learning.On Friday, January 12th, Tillicum is running a modified schedule in order to share a schoolwide lesson focused on Martin Luther King Jr’s work and legacy. Part of this lesson will focus on educating and supporting students in developing a response to any instances of bias and discrimination that they may witness or experience. Students will experience the lesson during their regularly scheduled 2nd period class.
Sign up for Edulog Parent Portal to Receive Transportation Updates
Beginning in January 2024, all BSD bus cancellations, delays and updates will be shared directly through the Edulog Parent Portal, the district’s transportation information platform. Families who would like to receive notification about impacts to their bus routesmust sign up for Edulog. Specific route cancellations, delays and updates will not be shared routinely through direct district emails, text messages, robo calls or social media in the new year. However, districtwide messages will continue to be sent at the discretion of the district, on an as-needed basis.
The Edulog Parent Portal provides an efficient student transportation resource management tool allowing families to receive more timely messages that impact student safety, ridership and routing. For students or families unable to acquire access to the smartphone app, the district will contact families through text message using the Talking Points platform in their preferred home language to ensure all families have equal access to information. Additionally, a route cancellation link will be added to the BSD transportation webpage listing service impacts.
5th Grade Family Information Night.5thgrade families with students considering attending Tillicum Middle School next fall are invited to ourFamily Information Nighton Wednesday, January 17th, from 5:45 to 8:00 p.m.
The presentation starts at 5:45 pm with an activities showcase in the cafe and musical performance from our jazz band . A brief principal welcome at 6 pm will be followed by classroom visits to learn about the curriculum, different school programs, and amazing electives offered at Tillicum. This is not a required event for students planning to attend Tillicum next year but all are invited to get a brief look at our unique elective programs that are offered. Students are welcome to join families if they would like.
The agenda for the evening includes:
- Activities Showcase and musical performances in the Commons while families arrive.
- School Introduction and Overview.
- Classroom rotations for families to learn about the curriculum in classes and programs including Creative Writing, Art & Drama, Music, Career and Technical Education, PE, and World Languages.
- Optional French Bilingual Association presentation in the library at 8:00 pm
This evening will not contain information about registering for specific classes.
View alist of all BSD schools’ Family Information Nights.
Tutoring Services Available.Students from the Bellevue High School Science Olympiad Club are hosting free tutoring sessions on Saturdays for all grades in any subject.
Below are the dates of the program for this month, and contact information.
- Bellevue Room 4 January 6th from 1:30-3:30 pm (Bellevue Public Library)
- Mercer Island Small Meeting Room January 13th from 11 am-1 pm (Mercer Island Public Library)
- Redmond Conference Room January 20th from 2-4 pm (Redmond Public Library)
- Newcastle Meeting Room January 27th from 12:30-2:30 pm (Newcastle Public Library)
Contact Bridget Hovind or Kayla Ngo:
- s-hovindb@bsd405.org
- s-ngoka@bsd405.org
- 425-647-5441
Enroll in Unique Learning Opportunities at BSD for the 2024-2025 School Year.Bellevue School District’s choice schools, language programs and online school offer a variety of learning environments and opportunities for students. Learn more about these schools and programs and what makes them unique. Those interested in enrolling in choice schools and programs for the 2024-2025 school year may submit an application byJanuary 19, 2024.
Open houses for schools and programs continue through January 22. View thedistrict calendarto learn more.
Choice Schools
- Big Picture School (grades 6-12)
- International School (grades 6-12)
- Jing Mei Elementary – Mandarin Dual Language
- Puesta del Sol – Spanish Immersion (Tillicum Middle School, Newport High School and Sammamish High School for secondary)
Choice Language Programs
- Arabic Bilingual Program (Ardmore Elementary)
- Hindi Bilingual Program (Ardmore Elementary)
- Korean Bilingual Program (Newport Heights Elementary)
- Spanish Dual Language Programs (Lake Hills Elementary, Sherwood Forest Elementary, Stevenson Elementary, Highland Middle School and Sammamish High School)
Online School
- Bellevue Digital Discovery – accepts transfer and out-of-district students throughout the school year
Apply Today to Join the BSD Sustainability Committee.Join the Bellevue School DistrictSustainability Committeeand be part of a transformative initiative to create a more ecologically sustainable school district and community. Our district is committed to minimizing our environmental impact and increasing our understanding and agency in achieving sustainability. The four pillars of sustainability outlined in BoardPolicy 6811guide our mission, encompassing areas such as district resources, environmental safety, collective understanding and student voice. As a committee member, you will have the opportunity to influence the development and implementation of a three-year action plan and shape a schedule to reduce our negative environmental impact. Moreover, you’ll help drive community engagement and sustainability initiatives that prioritize student voice and embrace diverse perspectives. Together, let’s lead the way toward a greener, more environmentally conscious future!Apply todayand be part of the change.
- Please complete theapplication formbyWednesday, January 10, 2024, at 4:00 p.m.
- Selected members will be notified by Monday, January 15, 2024.
- The first meeting of the committee will take place on January 24, 2024.
