Chinook Newsletter: March 30, 2026

Mar 30 2026

Dear Chinook Community,

As we wrap up the final week of the third quarter, it is hard to believe how quickly the year is moving. Spirit Week is also underway, and it has been great to see students showing their Chinook pride and building community as we head into Spring Break. I also want to give a special shout-out to our Band, Choir, and Orchestra for their amazing spring concerts and the pride they bring to our school community.

A quick reminder that there will be no school next week, April 6 through April 10, for Spring Break. I hope this time offers rest, time with family, and a chance to recharge before the final stretch of the school year.

Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support.

Sincerely,

James Peterson (Principal)

Topics

Important Dates
Spirit Week
PTSA Updates
Community Flyers
In Case You Missed It

Important Dates

April 2: Spirit Assembly (special schedule)
April 3: End of 3^rd Quarter
April 6-10: Spring Break, No School
April 13: Beginning of 4^th Quarter
April 14: No Place for Hate Lesson (special schedule)
April 16: 6^th Grade Science Camp Parent Information Session, 6:30 PM
June 10-12: 6^th Grade Science Camp
June 22: 8^th Grade Promotion, 12:30 PM

Spirit Week

Spirit Week is here. All week long, we will be building excitement leading up to our Spirit Assembly on Thursday, April 2. Each day features a fun dress-up theme to celebrate school spirit and community.

Spirit Week Themes:

Monday – Mismatch Day
Wear clothing that does not intentionally go together. The more clashing, uncoordinated, and creative, the better.

Tuesday – Spy Day
Dress like a secret agent. Black on black is encouraged.

Wednesday – Dynamic Duo Day
Match or coordinate outfits with a friend.

Thursday – Grade Color Day
• 6th grade: Yellow
• 7th grade: White
• 8th grade: Blue

Friday – Pajama Day
Wear your comfiest pajamas or cozy clothing.

We look forward to seeing our students show their Chinook spirit all week long!

PTSA Updates

Parent Social: Join us for a Parent Social on Wednesday, April 1st at 6:30 PM at Zeeks Pizza. This is a casual, optional opportunity to connect with other Chinook parents and meet members of the PTSA board. RSVP here: https://pp.events/bEAjNPa3

Last Call for Nominations: We are also in the final phase of planning for next year and welcome interest in PTSA board and committee roles for 2026–2027. If you are curious about getting involved or would like to nominate someone, we would love to connect so please complete this form by April 3rd.

Staff Appreciation: Our popular Grab & Go will take place on April 23rd. Sign up here to help us appreciate our staff.

For more PTSA news, check out our most recent Kodiak Korner Newsletter and visit the PTSA website.

Attend Computer Science Family Engagement Night

Curious how computer science fits into your child’s future? Computer Science Family Engagement Night is an opportunity for families to experience and learn about the vast array of computer science experiences that our students have from PreK-12.

Date: April 23, 2026

Time: 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Location: Newport High School

Address: 4333 Factoria Blvd. SE, Bellevue, WA 98006

RSVP to attend.

The event will include hands-on activities for all ages, featuring:

Student projects
Robotics
PreK-5 computer science
AI in BSD
Community partners
Rocketry
Partner vendors
Career and Technical Education (CTE)

For more information, contact computerscience@bsd405.org.

Community Flyers: View and Submit Online

Looking for information about local programs, activities, and opportunities for students and families?

The Community Flyer page includes district‑approved flyers from local organizations offering opportunities for students and families. These may include youth sports, enrichment programs, camps, academic supports, and community events. Flyers are reviewed to meet district guidelines and are shared as a resource for families.

View Community Flyers | Submit a Community Flyer

6^th grade Camp Parent Volunteers

We are looking for parents to help supervise and support students at Camp Orkila on Wednesday June 10-Friday, June 12. We expect 2 parent chaperones PER cabin. At this time, we are still determining a chaperone fee, we will notify you as soon as possible. More information will be sent via email by Kristin Jonas (6th grade teacher)!

LINK: 6th Grade Chinook: Orkila Parent Volunteer Application 2026 – Fill out form

Avoid the Spring Slump – Keep Attendance Strong!

As we enter spring, student attendance often declines — a trend known as the Spring Slump. Research shows that students who miss just two days a month (or 10% of the school year) are at risk of falling behind academically. Learn about strategies to help maintain strong attendance.

Student Survey – Spring 2026

We are launching the Spring 2026 Student Survey to gather valuable insights into students' experiences and to further support their growth and well-being. Students in grades 3–12 will participate in the survey during the school day at their school. Each school will administer the survey sometime between April 1 and April 30, based on their schedule.

The survey will focus on several key areas, including sense of belonging, student engagement, and social-emotional learning (SEL), offering students an opportunity to share their perspectives. Learn more about the Student Survey.

If you would like to opt your student out of the SEL portion of the survey, please complete an opt-out form by March 27, 2026.

BSD High School and Beyond Plan: Preparing Students for their Future

Last fall we shared that Washington state has adopted SchooLinks as the universal solution to fulfill the statewide High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) requirements for students.

In working on their High School and Beyond Plan, BSD encourages students in grades 6-12 to take ownership of their learning while exploring their values, strengths, passions and long-term goals. Students can then focus their learning on the skills necessary to reach their goals. The HSBP is a map to get a student from where they are to where they want to be, both academically and in life.

BSD is in the process of transitioning from our Naviance platform to SchooLinks following this timeline:

Earlier this year, all students in grades 6-11 learned how to use SchooLinks to begin using the HSBP functionality and college and career models in two classroom-based assemblies.
This spring, all students in grades 8-11 will participate in a HSBP Financial Aid Lesson via SchooLinks.
Once a student has finished all High School and Beyond tasks for the year in SchooLinks, students in grades 8-11 will submit their own High School and Beyond Plan by June 5.
BSD 2026 graduates (seniors) will continue to use our current platform, Naviance.
All BSD students in grades 6-12 will use SchooLinks for their HSBP and college application process in the 2026-2027 school year.

BSD will share more information as we work to fully utilize this very exciting platform via school and district communications, and on our district website.

Learn More

Washington state statewide: High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP)
Washington state HSBP vendor: SchooLinks
Bellevue School District College and Career Readiness

Smarter Balanced Assessment Dates

This spring, all students in grades 6-8 will take the Smarter Balanced Assessments in Math and English Language Arts. 8th graders also take the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science.

May 12: SBA English Language Arts Computer Adaptive Test (modified schedule coming soon)
May 14: SBA English Language Arts Performance Task (modified schedule coming soon)
May 19: SBA Math Computer Adaptive Test (modified schedule coming soon)
May 21: SBA Math Performance Task (modified schedule coming soon)
May 28-29: WCAS in 8th grade Science Classes (regular schedule)

Please note these dates and plan ahead to ensure your child is present at school. Additional details and modified schedule will be shared in the coming month.