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Monday, Feb. 19, President's Day: No school and schools/district offices closed.
Feb. 20-23: Regular school days.
Waiver Approved: The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has approved the district's request to waive the one allotted make-up day due to the November snowstorm. June 22 is now the last day of school. Any additional emergency closures would result in make-up days added to the end of the school year. Click here for an updated calendar.
Public Events Calendar
In Brief
Superintendent Search
Thank you to the community members who attended the input sessions with the search consultant in January. The search consultant will present to the School Board in March a report of the public input gathered. That information will be posted on the Superintendent Search Web page following the Board presentation. Click here to view the search process and timeline...
Dollars for Scholars
is dedicated to promoting further education for our
district seniors by providing scholarships for post-secondary education. More than $54,000 in scholarships was distributed to 76 seniors last year. This amount was double from the year before, thanks to our community's generosity and commitment to the futures of its young people. Student scholarship applications for 2007 will be available on-line soon. Donations can be made by calling (360) 715-2545 or mailing it in to BDFS, P.O. Box 5213, 98227.
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 Feb. 7 was a Learning Improvement Day throughout the district for elementary and middle school staff and a workday for high school teachers. Learning Improvement Days and early/release late arrival time provide important opportunities for staff to work across grade levels and schools to improve instruction for children. Since the School Board established early release/late arrival collaborative time in the early 90s, much of the time has focused on improving literacy instruction. Literacy scores have climbed from less than 50 percent of students meeting state reading standards in the early 90s to nearly 90 percent in 2006.
Much of the collaborative learning time for staff this school year is focused on math. Above photo: Elementary teachers from Alderwood, Birchwood, Parkview, Northern Heights, Roosevelt and Silver Beach attended collaborative work sessions on Feb. 7 at Northern Heights. They worked in grade level groups on specific math units.
Update on Task Force Work
Much of the work accomplished in the district is the result of committees and task forces. Membership consists of community members, parents/guardians and staff. Task forces will make recommendations to the Superintendent by the end of this school year for presentation to the School Board. This is an update on the work of the task forces and committees appointed by the School Board:
- Elementary Boundary Advisory Task Force: Reviewing and recommending alternatives to existing elementary school boundaries. Public input sessions will be held this spring and details will be shared with the community as soon as dates are set. Click here to read more...
- High School Graduation Requirements Task Force: Reviewing and recommending revisions to graduation requirements for future high school students to ensure that all Bellingham graduates are college ready. Click here to read more...
- Use of Time Task Force: Reviewing existing time for instruction, planning and professional development; exploring structures in place in other districts; and proposing policy and procedures in support of before and after school time, planning time and collaboration time (early release, late arrival days). Click here to read more...
- Elementary School Design Development Advisory Committee for Yew Street Road: Working with the architectural firm Studio 15 to present a school design and site plan for the new elementary school to be built on Yew Street Road and open in fall 2008. Click here to read more...
- Elementary Design Development Advisory Committee for Aldrich Road: Working with Northwest Architectural Company to present a school design and site plan for the new elementary school to be built on Aldrich Road. Click here to read more...
- Technology Plan Committee: Reviewing the existing district technology plan, investigating new technologies and recommending revisions to the district technology plan that defines the district's future picture of technology usage. Click here to read more...
- Budget Advisory Committee: Recommending the annual allocation of funds for next school year in support of district programs for each instructional level and functional area. Click here to read more...
School Information and Communications
1306 Dupont St.
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6520
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