The Bark Community Edition 1/9/2026

Jan 9 2026

Happy New Year and Welcome Back, Bennett Families!

We hope you all enjoyed a wonderful winter break filled with rest, joy, and time with loved ones. We are so glad to have everyone back, and we’re excited for the great year ahead together.

It’s already been a busy and joy‑filled start to 2026 here at Bennett! Thank you to all the families who joined us yesterday for our Open House. We were thrilled to welcome familiar faces from our preschool families who will be joining us in kindergarten next year, as well as new families interested in becoming part of our community from preschool through fifth grade.

It was a wonderful turnout, and we want to give a special shout‑out to our Student Lighthouse Team. They served as warm and enthusiastic greeters and shared recordings about their favorite things at Bennett, they truly represented our school with pride.

Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable weekend!

With Bulldog Pride,

Jessica Strazzulla

Principal

Upcoming Dates

Save these dates on your calendar!

1/13- PTSA meeting @6pm Bennett Library
1/16- Open Transfer, Choice Schools and Language Program Application period closes
1/19- MLK Holiday - No School
1/23- Walkathon GLOW PARTY!
1/26- Non-Student Day- required certificated staff workday (No School)

BSD Cultural Calendar

Bennett Elementary Family Photo Wall📸🐾

Thank You for Sharing Your Family Photos!
A big thank you to all the families who have already sent in their pictures, we love seeing your smiling faces! If you haven’t had a chance yet, no worries! We’ll continue accepting photos. It’s never too late to join in. Be sure to check out the beautiful Family Photo Wall that celebrates our amazing community in our hallway outside our main office.

Drop off a copy or email a digital copy to me strazzullaj@bsd405.org,

Nurse Corner

Welcome back from winter break! We want to let you know that we’re seeing higher levels of Influenza, RSV, COVID‑19, and other respiratory illnesses right now. We are also seeing H3N2, a newer strain of Influenza A, which can cause more severe symptoms. At Seattle Children’s, all influenza A detections were H3N2 (mostly subclade K variant). The new variant emerged after the strains for this year’s flu vaccine were selected. This means it's different enough to partially evade some pre-existing immunity and vaccine protection. However, evidence suggests a 72-75% vaccine effectiveness in protecting against severe disease in children. Please consider getting a flu shot if you haven’t already done so.

Common symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, headache, runny nose, muscle aches or chills, sore throat, and sometimes diarrhea or vomiting. If your child has a fever or is showing signs of the flu, please consider keeping them home so they can rest and recover. If they have a cough that is disruptive or distracting at school, staying home may also help them feel better sooner. When they return, please remind them how to “cover their cough”, wash hands, and consider wearing a mask.

School Nurse

(425) 456- 4805

Local Levies Help Fund Learning and Safety

Local Levies Help Fund Learning and Safety

Washington state does not pay for all the costs of running public schools. Local levies approved by voters help fill that gap so that students have the tools and support they need to learn and grow. All levies approved by BSD voters stay in the Bellevue community to support our students and schools.

BSD has two levies on the February 10 ballot. The Educational Programs and Operations Levy helps pay for teachers, counselors, and programs such as art, music, athletics, and advanced classes. The Technology and Capital Projects Levy funds student laptops and tablets, network systems, and safety improvements in school buildings.

How Local Levies Help Students Every Day

Bellevue School District is funded by federal, state and local funding, including voter-approved levies. BSD has two levies up for renewal on the February 10 ballot.

Local levy funding helps pay for classroom teachers, student health services, and special education. It also provides one-to-one devices, up-to-date technology, and training for teachers.

The levies also fund safety measures like secure entrances and emergency preparedness. These levies help maintain the quality of education and safety standards families expect in Bellevue. Visit our levy renewal web page to learn more.

Learn more our levy renewals.

District News and Resources

Join the BSD K-12 Financial Literacy Team!

Help Shape Financial Education for Our Students

We invite families and staff to join our brand-new BSD K-12 Financial Literacy Team! Together, we’ll create a plan for implementing the Washington State K-12 Financial Literacy Standards in Bellevue schools.

Who Can Participate?

The team will be comprised of:

Elementary and Secondary Administrators
Parents/Guardians
Secondary Students
Elementary and Secondary Teachers and Staff Members

Meeting Details

We will meet monthly from January through June on Microsoft Teams. Meetings will be held from 4-5 pm on the following dates

January 13, 2026
February 10, 2026
March 10, 2026
April 14, 2026
May 26, 2026
June 16, 2026

In addition, there will be one or two hours of independent work expected between meetings.

Our Purpose and Why Your Voice Matters

All students deserve access to financial education, regardless of background or income. As a team member, you’ll help shape the way financial literacy is taught across our district. Your ideas and perspectives will ensure our plan reflects the needs and strengths of our diverse BSD community. Participation is a meaningful way to support student success and empower future generations!

How to Join

If you’re interested in participating, fill out this short form and you’ll receive the link to the first meeting.

Questions? Contact Kristi Sutton at suttonk@bsd405.org.

Closing January 16: Open Transfer, Choice Schools and Language Programs Applications

The open transfer, choice school and language program application period for the 2026-2027 school year closes on Friday, January 16, 2026. Learn more about who should apply.

New student enrollment opens for preschool and K-12 on Monday, February 2, 2026.

Attendance Matters: When are Absences Considered School Avoidance?

“School avoidance” is when a child refuses to attend school or has difficulty remaining in school the entire day. There are many reasons why students avoid attending school and uncovering the reason why your student is avoiding and/or refusing is key to fixing it.

School avoidance may look like:
Full day absences from school
Going to school but leaving early
Going to school, but only after crying, hiding, having an outburst, or refusing to move
Faking illness to miss a day of school or having physical symptoms related to anxiety (e.g., headache, stomachache, nausea, etc.)
Showing unusual distress about going to school and begging you not to make them go

Learn more about school avoidance and how to prevent it in this edition of the Attendance Matters series.

Embracing Mental Health

BSD has a variety of mental health resources available online and accessible year-round and has also partnered with Care Solace to help support the well-being of our community. Whether you or a family member need support with mental health or substance use, Care Solace can connect you to care options that meet your needs — quickly, confidentially, and at no cost to you. Access support by:

· Calling 888-515-0595 (Multilingual support available 24/7/365)

· Visiting the Care Solace website

· Searching for providers independently or click “Book Appointment” to get assistance via video chat, phone, or email.

Please note that Care Solace is NOT an emergency response service or mental health service provider. If you have a life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.