Tillicum Times
August 28, 2023
Dear Tillicum Families,
T-minus 1 week to the start of the 2023-24 school year! Class Tuesday morning (9/5) at 7:45 am and I am so excited to welcome each and every one of our students to school just as our 8th grade WEB leaders welcomed the new 6th graders this morning during WEB orientation (WEB = Where Everyone Belongs). These leaders will be wearing their blue tie-dye shirts next Tuesday and Wednesday and are poised to help guide and direct any new or lost students.
Review this checklist to ensure that you and your child are ready for the first day of school.
- I have registered/updated my information in FinalForms. (see action item below)
- I know what school supplies to bring with me during the first week of school.
- I have reviewed and completed all necessary paperwork and payments identified in the Tillicum Taking Care of Business Online document.
- I know how my child is getting to/from school on the first day(s) of school. (bus routes linked below).
- I know to pick up a final copy of my schedule in the commons (6th grade) or gym (7th/8th) on the first day of school.
- I plan to get a good night’s rest, eat a healthy breakfast and arrive at school a few minutes early!
Thank you for taking a few moments to read the newsletter below. Feel free to contact me ([email protected]) or our amazing office Manager Suzanne Murphy ([email protected]) with any questions you may have!
Dusty Steere
Principal – Tillicum Middle School
IMPORTANT DATES
September 1 School Visit for New 7th/8th grade students 9:00 am
September 4 Labor Day – No School
September 5 1st day of school
September 15 Picture Day
September 18 Tillicum Curriculum Night @ 6:15 pm
Please remember to regularly visit the Tillicum website for the most current information. https://bsd405.org/tillicum
School Orientation for New 7th and 8th grade students. Tillicum counselors are hosting a school orientation for 7th and 8th grade students new to Tillicum on Friday September 1st from 9:00 – 10:00 am. 6th grade students who missed WEB orientation on 8/28 are also welcome to attend.
Students should enter through the main office doors and meet in the commons directly inside the main entrance. Your student does not need to bring anything to this event. Counselors will share pertinent Tillicum information, answer questions, and provide a school tour. This orientation is for students only.
Student Class Schedules. DRAFT Student Schedules are now viewable in Synergy StudentVue and ParentVue. School counselors are working hard during this last week of August to fill holes in student schedules. Should you have questions or concerns about your child’s schedule, please review our Schedule Change Guidelines.
On the first day of school, all students must pick a paper copy of their final schedule.
- 6th grade students pick up schedule in the commons
- 7th/8th grade students pick up schedule in the gym.
After School Activities and Sports Signups. We recognize that students and families are eager to solidify after school plans. Tillicum Middle School offers a variety of after school opportunities including school sponsored activities/clubs/sports in addition to Jubilee Reach sponsored sports. Signups for these after school activities will not begin until after September 11th. However, families can and should be prepared to sign up by completing the required Final Forms registrations/updates. (See related post below). Once you have done so, you might try to sign up for an activity and read “registration is closed”. Rest assured, you haven’t missed anything. Rather, I will inform families and students when registration does open in the next few weeks.
Additional information about Tillicum clubs/activities/sports can be found on our school website here: https://bsd405.org/tillicum/tigers.
Laptop Distribution. Laptop computers will be distributed to 6th graders and new to TMS students beginning on Friday 9/8 in science classrooms.
Nutrition Services and School Menus Now Available.
- Set up payment for student meal purchases using PayPAMS. Families may also pay for meals by check or cash at their student’s school.
- View September menus and nutritional information.
- The application for school meal benefits (free and reduced priced meals) is now available. The online application, available in English, Spanish and Chinese, only takes a few minutes and is the fastest, easiest way to get approved. Complete only one application per household, and list all students enrolled in a BSD school and all household members on the application. Families may reapply during the school year if financial or household size changes occur.
Getting to and from Tillicum Middle School.
- Updated bus routes for the 2023/24 school year are now available. Find your route and enroll for the district’s bus tracking program to know just when your bus will arrive.
- Driving to school? Please review and follow Tillicum Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures.
Final Forms (action required for all families). FinalForms is the Bellevue School District Athletics and Activities online forms system. This system is the clearing house for all athletics, clubs, field trips, and student activities.
Parents/Guardians and students need to update their information each school year. If you have not already done so, please sit down together as a family to complete your FinalForms documents before the first day of school.
- Detailed information on FinalForms including how to register and/or update information can be found here.
Online Student Data Verification (action required for all families). Online Student Data Verification is a feature within ParentVUE that allows parents and guardians of active K – 12 students to update and manage their student’s demographic information. By updating student’s data, we can communicate academic progress to the appropriate contacts, distribute important information as needed, contact families in emergency situations, and respond to a medical situation appropriately.
Families can update student information through the online student verification process beginning August 23, 2023. Synergy ParentVue provides parents and guardians the ability to view the student assignments, grades and attendance. When logging on to update student information in August, a prompt will remind parents/guardians to acknowledge the yearly attendance agreement. Make sure to update your email address and the language you prefer to receive messages. Information is HERE.
Taking Care of Business Online. “90% of finding success in middle school is showing up”. While student attendance is critical, the other 10% of success is showing up prepared. The “Taking Care of Business” document linked below includes important information and links for students and families to show up on the first day well prepared for an outstanding school year.
Taking Care of Business Online Link
As always, if you have questions or need support, please don’t hesitate to contact the school.
Cell Phones- Away for the Day. Research shows that access to cell phones at school has a negative academic and social impact on students. When students do not have the freedom of accessing their phones during school hours, they are more engaged socially and academically. Per BSD Policy, Telecommunication devices will be turned on and operated only before and after the regular school day and during the student’s lunch break, unless an emergency situation exists that involves imminent physical danger.
This means, students may use cell phones only:
- Before school in the Commons until 7:40 a.m.
- During Lunch in the Commons
- After school to communicate about after school plans.
Parents/guardians that need to send an emergency message to their students may contact the Tillicum office at 425-456-6700. Students are expected to keep cell phones, earbuds, and electronics powered off and out of sight.
The following process will be followed when students violate these expectations.
- Step 1: Device held in main office until after school, picked up by student.
- Step 2: Device held in main office until after school, and parent/guardian contacted.
- Step 3: Device held in main office until after school, and parent/guardian is contacted. Conference with administration and one week with device left at home or kept in office during school hours.
School Year Calendar. Stay on top of events and activities and plan for important dates by reviewing the district calendar. Previous and current printable calendars, including the 2023-24 Family Calendar, are available online. The 2023-24 BSD Cultural Calendar is also available. Learn about the cultures, traditions and significant days in our learning community.
Update Your SchoolMessenger Preferences for Important Notifications. Tillicum MS and BSD uses the SchoolMessenger communication notification system to send regular announcements and urgent alerts such as school delays and closures. Families may receive SchoolMessenger communication via phone call, text message and email. You do not need to create an account to receive notifications, as you will automatically receive them to the phone number and email address listed in your student’s record (see below for information about online student data verification).
However, if you choose to set up a SchoolMessenger App account, you may adjust how you prefer to be notified. You may also view messages from the last 30 days online website or by setting up the app on your IOS or Android smartphone.
Important: Families should sign up with the same email address used for Online Student Data Verification through ParentVUE.
Learn more about SchoolMessenger and create/update your account.
Tillicum Curriculum Night Monday September 18. Mark your calendars now for this evening opportunity for families to visit the school, hear from the principal and meet each of your child’s teachers. The event will begin at 6:15 pm. Additional details and schedule forthcoming.
Social Media. How does your student use social media? How do you know? Tillicum, like other schools nationally, has seen a rise in bullying and harassing behavior between students via text and social media. It is important for families to be aware of the social media activities of their children, to be aware of the apps installed on their devices, and to know what is in their feeds.
Resources:
Parenting, Media, and Everything in Between | Common Sense Media
What Are Some Basic Social Media Rules for Middle Schoolers? | Common Sense Media
BSD Health Fair. In partnership with state and local partners, BSD will hold health fairs on Wednesday, August 30 and Thursday, August 31. The health fairs will offer immunization clinics to students in preparation for the start of the 2023-2024 school year, as well as information about community agencies, overdose awareness (watch a video shared by Superintendent Aramaki in July about this topic.), internet safety and resources from physical and mental health providers. The fairs are free and open to the public. Immunization appointments are required. Please note, COVID and flu vaccines are not currently available.
BSD nurses, athletics and activities, and technology departments will be on-hand to support families, answer questions and provide resources. Partner organizations will also be in attendance, including: Washington State Department of Health, Youth Eastside Services, International Community Health Services, and Safeway Pharmacies.