Tiger Tales #8

Dear Medina families,

I love a whole school assembly so we can gather together with an intended focus. On Monday, our schoolwide assembly recognized some important events this month: Bullying Prevention Month, Neurodiversity Month, and Unity Day. Through stories, discussion, and reflection, students learned about the importance of kindness, inclusion, and appreciating the unique strengths and perspectives that make our community stronger. We celebrated how small acts of empathy, respect, and cooperation can help everyone feel safe, valued, and connected.

As part of the assembly, Miriya Chandra (2nd grade) and Nova Nalai (5th grade) were recognized with special stuffed tiger awards for exemplifying this month’s virtue of cooperation through their actions and positive contributions to our school community. We are proud of all of our Tigers for helping make Medina a place where everyone belongs.

In partnership,

Lara Lyons
Principal, Medina Elementary School

Each Friday teachers will select a student to be a 'Tiger Ticket Winner' from each classroom. I announce these students' names over the intercom and they come to the atrium to have their photo taken with Pawlie the Medina tiger and to receive a little Medina prize. Congratulations to the winners this week!

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. This past Wednesday we all wore orange to signify our stance for promoting kindness and acceptance. The 'wings' in our atrium were created when classes partnered up together and discussed how to share kindness and care to one another at school. Each student colored a feather and added some words or a sentence about how to spread kindness at Medina. The words above the wings say: Our School Takes Flight When We Unite!

Come take a look next time you're here!

Big things are happening in Tech this year! Medina students in grades K-5 are learning how to be responsible Digital Citizens by keeping personal data safe, responding appropriately to online bullying, strengthening their AI literacy, and recognizing healthy vs. unhealthy media use.

Throughout the year, students will use a variety of applications to express themselves creatively and connect to learning in science, math, social studies, and language arts. They will use Seesaw (Grade K-1), Book Creator (K-5), Canva (3rd & 4th grades), and Office 365 (Grade 2-5). All grades are also learning to type using Typetastic.

Students will explore Computer Science using unplugged activities, coding, and physical computing. Coding platforms include Scratch Jr and Octostudio (Grade K-1), and Scratch and Code.AI (Grade 2-5). Students will also explore physical computing tools and robotics using Lego Spike Essential kits, Ozobots and Microbits.

Thank you to our generous PTA for supporting these specialists who directly work with all the students at Medina!

I hope you will drop in, grab a cup of coffee and a treat and settle in to hear a speaker. On Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 8:10-9:00 we will have a guest speaker talk with us about technology.

Tom Duenwald, Director of Education Technology and Assessment, will be talking with us about BSD's goals with technology, the ways AI is being considered, and the balance we want to have with instructional technology and the classroom. Please come join us!

Every November 11 we honor our veterans. Veterans Day helps us thank and honor all those people who have served in the U.S. military forces. As we explain to students, it is different than Memorial Day, which is set aside to remember military personnel who died in service.

We have different ways we will honor the veterans connected to our Medina community. One way you can help us do this is by providing us with names of those family members who are veterans. Please email the below information as well as a photo to:

lyonsl@bsd405.org or to oneillz@bsd405.org

1. Name of Honoree:

2. Branch Served:

3. Current or Final/Retired Rank:
4. Years Served:
5. Student at Medina Elementary School that Honoree is related to:
6. Would the Honoree like to attend an assembly in November? (Date TBD):
7. A photo of your veteran.

Please help us honor those who have served our country!

We are excited to welcome some new members to our Medina staff community!

Miranda Lowe - GSA. Miranda has a degree in psychology and education, and she has subbed in the GSA role at Medina this year, so she is very happy to continue her work at Medina full-time.

Kristina Morris - GSA. Kristina is a certified substitute teacher for another district and has supported students in different settings. She is looking forward to joining BSD and Medina as a GSA.

Francine O'Neill - Paraeducator 4. Francine had a leadership role supporting students through Jubilee Reach and in working with schools. In addition, she has middle school experience. She is looking forward to supporting our special needs students.

Matthew Terlep - Physical Therapist (PT). Megan, our current PT, is on leave right now so we have Matthew assuming work with our students who need PT. He has been a part of BSD so we welcome his experience.

Victor Pardo - a new custodian will be joining Cam and Maria in their work to keep our school clean and safe. We are very happy to have him.

Please help me welcome them all to our Medina Tiger team!

Thanks for your partnership, parents! A few updates for you:

• Recess Reminders: Recess is an important opportunity for students to practice our 4 Medina Agreements through play, problem-solving, and positive interactions with peers. We appreciate families reinforcing these expectations at home and encouraging students to be safe, respectful, responsible, and kind during unstructured times.

• Bus Safety Matters: If your child rides the bus, please remind them to be kind with their words, keep their hands and feet to themselves, and stay seated while on the bus. These choices help create a positive environment and allow drivers to focus on safely transporting students to and from school.

• Sandbox Update: Our sandbox is temporarily closed while we replace contaminated sand and prepare the area for students to safely enjoy again. Thank you for your understanding and partnership in maintaining a safe school environment.

Dear BSD students, staff, families, and community,

You are invited to participate in the upcoming BSD Sustainability Summit, where students, staff, and families can:

• Learn about inspiring projects at many Bellevue schools,
• Find opportunities for community actions and initiatives,
• Develop a youth climate project idea and get grant application help during the 6–7 p.m. workshop.

Wednesday, October 28

3–7 p.m.

Bellevue City Hall

RSVP for the summit

Come to be inspired, and go forward with more tools to help your school and community!

All are welcome: students, staff, families, and community members.

For more information:

https://ecolearn.org/bellevue/

Planned by BSD students!

Cell Phones/Smart Watches

We discourage students from bringing cell phones and smart watches to school. However, we understand that many families rely on them for communicating with each other after school. Please remember that cell phones/smart watches brought to school are brought at the owner’s own risk and families need to understand that the phones are easily lost. If a loss occurs at school, it is not the responsibility of the school.

If Cell Phones or Smart Watches are brought to school, they must remain OFF and in backpacks during the school day, including recesses, lunch, and bus rides. Cell Phones and Smart Watches will not be used during school to communicate. If a child needs to call a parent during the school day, they can use a school phone in the office or classroom. Families that need to communicate with the child should call the front office or email the classroom teacher to relay the message.

Join us for an informative event designed to raise awareness and understanding of dyslexia. Learn about its impact, challenges, and strengths, and discover resources and strategies to support our students with dyslexia. Together, we will foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for all learners.

Date: Tuesday, October 27

Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m.

In-Person Location: Wilburton Instructional Service Center, Rainier Room, 12241 Main Street, Bldg. 1, Bellevue, WA 98005

Online Location: Join via Microsoft Teams

Learn more about the event.

October

23: PTA Trunk or Treat!

28: 8:10 in library - Pastries with the Principal

November

13: Picture re-take day

11: NO SCHOOL: Veterans Day

16-20 Parent-teacher conferences (NOTE: Students dismissed at 12:20 all week)

26: NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving

27: NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving holiday