Chinook News: November 18, 2022

Important Dates

November 24 & 25

Thanksgiving Break, No School

December 5

Multi-Lingual Principal Coffee, 8:15am-9:45am

December 7

I-Connect, 9:00am-10:30am

December 19-January 2

Winter Break, No School

Greetings Chinook Middle School Community,

Student safety is a top priority for us at Chinook Middle School and we practice school-wide emergency drills monthly, including lockdown, evacuation, drop-cover-hold, and shelter-in-place, to practice how to respond to actual emergencies. We practiced our lockdown response on Thursday, and I am very proud of how our students and staff responded.

More information about Lockdown procedures.

Other news and updates are below.

In Partnership,

James Peterson

Principal

[email protected]

Breakfast

Breakfast is available every day. Cost: $2.50 (free for students who qualify).

Daily Menu Includes: Assorted Cereals, Mini Bagels, Banana Bread, English Muffin Sandwiches, Cinnamon Roll, Pancake on a Stick, Oatmeal Round. See the full menu.

Yearbook Preorders

Open until November 30th

You can pre-order your 2022-23 Yearbook online on the BSD Website (TouchBase Signin (intouchreceipting.com)) or in person at Chinook. Yearbooks will be available for pre-order again in January and March. Scholarships are available through the counselors.

6^th Grade Science Camp- Save the Date

We are excited to announce the return of 6^th grade science camp! For several years, Bellevue School District middle schools have provided outdoor science education to 6^th graders in a camp setting. This year, we will be returning to Camp Orkila on Orcas Island in the spring. This has been a wonderful experience for our students in previous years, allowing them to learn about Pacific Northwest forest, marine, and pond ecosystems, among other outdoor education topics. Plus it is a lot of fun! This field trip will take place March 21-24, and will be for all 6^th graders. We are still finalizing some of the details, and we will pass those along to you once those are set. For now, please save the date and watch for information about FinalForms registration. We look forward to sharing more information with you very soon!

Multi-Lingual Principal’s Coffee

When: December 5, 8:15am – 9:45am
Where: Chinook Middle School
What: Format is at a slower pace, providing time for in-person translation into multiple languages. We currently have in-person translators for Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. Electronic translation can be provided in additional languages.
Topic: Learn about services for Multilingual Learners and Advanced Learning Services.

I-Connect

Get Answers at Parents’ Info Exchange

’Tis the season of gift-giving, and at the next Chinook I-Connect meeting, share the gift of knowledge at the “Parents’ Info Exchange.” All parents/caregivers are invited for an open forum to ask questions and get some answers from fellow parents/caregivers.

Maybe you have a parenting issue you would like to ask peers to weigh in on…Maybe you are new to the area and need clarification on school customs…Maybe you don’t need advice, but you have many valuable tips to share. Think of “Parents’ Info Exchange” as what NextDoor was meant to be minus the trolling.

Some sample questions:

Who can I get to help my child with their math homework?
What do you know about XYZ club?
My child wants a cell phone. For how long can I hold out?
Can anyone recommend a good [fill in the blank]?” (One attendee last year found her doctor this way.)

Additionally, there will be multiple prize drawings, and hot cocoa will be served.

This event will be held Wednesday, December 7, 9:00-10:30 a.m. in Room 1402.

I-Connect is a program made possible by Chinook PTSA. Meetings are open to all parents and caregivers. Come for just one meeting or attend every month. The goals of I-Connect are to make connections and foster community. For more information, contact Chair Sharon Pang at [email protected].

Questions? Contact I-Connect Chair Sharon Pang: [email protected]

Student and Community Engagement Sessions for Proposed CEO Program

The Bellevue School District (BSD), in partnership with the Bellevue Police Department (BPD), is reforming its School Resource Officer Program to address laws passed by the Washington State Legislature and to respond to a need for shared values and purpose, as expressed by our learning community. The proposed new program, the Community Engagement Officer (CEO) Program, is a community-based response to the need to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for our students. The partnership between BSD and BPD reaffirms the agreed commitment to build relationships with youth, staff members, and the community to reinforce collaborative problem solving and promote a safe and inclusive learning community.

Families are invited to attend a community engagement event to share their feedback and help inform the implementation of the program.

In-person sessions will take place on the following dates:

· Highland Middle School – Tuesday, November 29, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

· Newport High School – Monday, December 5, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

· Bellevue High School – Wednesday, December 7, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Visit the Community Engagement Officer Program webpage to learn more about the history of the program and its proposed changes, and to review frequently asked questions.

Complete the Community Engagement Officer Program survey to submit a question, concern or idea and we’ll try to address it at the event. Complete the survey in another language:

· 社区衔接员项目

· 社區參與官員計劃

· Programa de Oficiales de Participación Comunitaria

· Chương Trình Cán Bộ Gắn Kết Cộng Đồng

· Программа «Офицер по работе с общественностью»

· 지역사회 참여 경관 프로그램

· برنامج مسؤول المشاركة المجتمعية

Rainier Athletes Seeking Adult Volunteer Mentors

For the past ten years, Rainier Athletes has been a partner of the Bellevue School District. The mission of the organization has remained steadfast: use athletics and mentorship to direct students towards a path of achievement and close opportunity gaps.

A student participant in Rainier Athletes is paired with a dedicated mentor and fully sponsored year-round to participate in sports, extracurriculars and summer camps. Mentors build relationships with the student and foster an authentic connection with the student’s family and community to holistically support and motivate students to achieve their greatest potential.

Rainier Athletes is in search of caring adults to be connectors that bring together a community of support for students in our district. Learn how you can apply to volunteer as Rainier Athlete’s mentor.

Cold Weather Resources and Holiday Supports

As the cold weather sets in, please be aware of resources made available by the King County Regional Housing Authority KCRHA. Anyone experiencing homelessness or needing housing support can reach out to any of these cold weather shelter resources.

East King County Shelters & Day Centers: KCRHA WEBSITE

Congregations for the Homeless

Bellevue – Adult men
515B 116th Ave NE, Bellevue (closest bus route is the 271)
425-496-4885

The Sophia Way

Kirkland – Women
3030 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue (closest bus routes are the 239 and 250)
425-896-7385

New Bethlehem Place

Kirkland – Families with children
8045 120th Ave NE, Suite 100, Kirkland
425-679-0354

The Landing, Friends of Youth

Redmond – Youth & young adults
16101 NE 87th St., Redmond, 24 hours
425-449-3868

Reclaim (formerly Snoqualmie Valley Shelter Services)

Snoqualmie – Single adults & couples
38625 SE River St, Snoqualmie
425-773-2874

Thanksgiving Community Support:

Eastridge Church 24205 SE Issaquah-Fall City Rd. Issaquah, WA, 98029
Limited quantity of free turkey & groceries Saturday 11/19 @ 9:00AM (first come, first served).

Free COVID-19 Rapid Test Kits for BSD Students, Staff, and Families

D will be distributing free COVID-19 at-home rapid test kits to students, staff and their families ahead of Thanksgiving break. COVID-19 testing allows people to take precautions in a timely manner to help prevent the virus from spreading. Tests are voluntary and will be distributed from ESC West, Room 100 at the following times:

Monday, November 21: 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 22: 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 23: 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Questions

Please email [email protected] to learn more.

Too Sick for School?

Cold and flu season is upon us now, and we continue to see positive cases of Covid 19 in the Chinook learning community.

There are at least a dozen symptoms shared by some or all those ailments, making it nearly impossible to know what you have without a diagnostic test, a medical exam or both.

You may wonder, “When is my child too sick for school”? If your child has any of the following, keep them home for rest and recovery:

Fever, headache, exhaustion, body aches and pains, fatigue, weakness, stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

Keeping ill students at home & encouraging frequent hand washing protects all, including those with fragile immune systems & certain medical conditions. While we regret any inconvenience, it may result in fewer lost workdays & less illness for family members.

Once symptoms are significantly improved, and no vomiting or fever for 24 hours (without the use of Tylenol or Ibuprofen), we look forward to seeing students back at Chinook. Thank you.

Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures

Goal: Safely and efficiently drop students off in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon through a systematic process.

For the safety of our students, please:

Drive SLOWLY
Manage technology (no cell phones, please)
Demonstrate respect and patience toward all

The right lane (curb) will always be drop off and pick up. The left lane is “thru” traffic. Please follow the guidance of the traffic attendants.

Drop Off

Please pull forward, do not stop in the middle of the passenger loading zone.

Watch for students crossing.
Cars should pull completely forward and utilize the full length of the passenger loading zone.
If you need to get out of the car, pull into a parking spot for continued traffic flow.

Pick Up

Watch for students crossing.
Cars should pull completely forward and utilize the full length of the passenger loading zone.
If you need to get out of the car, pull into a parking spot for continued traffic flow.

Volunteers Needed

Show your support for our safety solutions by volunteering to be an attendant for our carline during morning or afternoon drop off and pick up. To volunteer or if you have any questions, please use this link.

Commitment to Nondiscrimination

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 [email protected]

Sex-based Discrimination, including Sexual Harassment: Title IX Coordinator: Jeff Lowell, (425) 456-4010 or [email protected]

Disability Discrimination: Section 504/ADA Coordinator: Heather Edlund, (425) 456-4156 or [email protected]

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