The Bark Community Edition 8/28/2026

Aug 28 2026

Hello Bennett families,

As we prepare for another wonderful school year, helping students arrive and depart safely each day is one of our top priorities. Thank you in advance for partnering with us and following the procedures below to keep traffic moving smoothly and ensure the safety of all students, staff, and families.

Arrival

Starting at 8:50 AM, students in 1st-5th grade may enter the building and head directly to their classrooms. This "soft start" provides a calm and flexible beginning to the day, allowing students time to settle in and prepare for learning. Depending on the teacher's preference, students will either line up outside their classroom or enter directly.

Building Entry Locations

1st Grade: Families received arrival procedures directly from their child's teacher in the welcome letter.
2nd & 3rd Grades: Enter through the courtyard doors.
4th & 5th Grades: Enter through the top playground doors (same as previous years).

To support a smooth and confident start to the day, we ask families to say their goodbyes at the school entrance. Staff members will be on hand to warmly welcome students and help them get settled for the day ahead. Thank you for helping us foster student independence while ensuring a calm and positive morning routine.

Traffic Safety Reminders

Please help us keep everyone safe by following these important expectations:

The speed limit in school zones is 20 mph whenever children are present.
Always stop for students using crosswalks and for our student safety patrol members.
Use designated crosswalks when crossing the street.
Do not park in the drop-off/pick-up lane.
Remain in your vehicle while in the drop-off/pick-up lane.
Students should enter and exit vehicles from the right (sidewalk) side whenever possible.
If parking to walk your child to school, please use extra caution when backing out of parking spaces.
Do not park or pick up/ drop off students on 179th Street or NE 18th Street.
Do not block driveways, crosswalks or cone designated areas
Please be patient, wait your turn in line, and avoid cutting ahead of other vehicles.
Be respectful of staff members who are assisting with traffic and student safety.

Dismissal

For families using the pick-up lane, please pull all the way forward and follow directions from school staff who are managing traffic. To keep the line moving efficiently and safely, do not park in the lane or exit your vehicle to pick up your child.

Families who prefer to meet their child on foot may wait by the flagpole.

Please also remember that parking in the school bus area or waiting near buses is prohibited. Students need safe access to board their buses, and buses must be able to enter and exit without obstruction.

Thank you for your support and partnership. By working together, we can ensure a safe, smooth, and positive start and end to each school day for all Bennett students.

With Bulldog Pride,

Jessica Strazzulla, Principal

Upcoming Dates

Save these dates on your calendar!

8/31- Meet the Teacher 3-4pm, followed by PTSA sponsored ice-cream social
9/2- First Day of School 1st-5th grade
9/7- No School, Labor Day
9/8- First Day of Kindergarten
9/9- First Day of Preschool
9/16- Curriculum Night 5:30-7:00pm- parent only event
10/2- Walkathon
10/16- Picture Day

2026-2027 BSD Academic Calendar

BSD Cultural Calendar

School Supply List Reminder for 2026-2027

Each year, we suggest a few basic supplies to help students start the school year prepared and ready to learn. In June, families received a school supply list, and we are including a copy here for your reference. If you have any questions, please contact the Bennett front office. We are happy to help!

School Supply List 2026-2027

Meet & Greet & Ice Cream Social

We are excited to welcome our Bennett families to our Meet & Greet on Monday, August 31, from 3:00-4:00 PM! This is a wonderful opportunity for students to meet their teacher, visit their classroom, and reconnect with friends before the first day of school.

Following the Meet & Greet, please join us for our PTSA-sponsored Ice Cream Social from 4:00-4:30 PM. It's a great opportunity to connect with other Bennett families, meet new friends, and celebrate the start of another exciting school year together. We hope to see you there! 🍦💙

Cell Phones, Smartwatches & Electronic Devices

To support a focused learning environment, Bennett Elementary will follow Bellevue School District Policy 3245P: Cellular Phones and Other Electronic Devices. This expectation applies to cell phones, smartwatches, and any other personal electronic communication devices.

Students may bring these devices to school; however, we ask that they remain powered off (or on silent mode), stored away, and kept in backpacks throughout the school day unless a staff member has specifically authorized their use for an educational purpose. Smartwatches are included in this expectation and should not be used for calling, texting, messaging, gaming, or accessing the internet during school hours.

Students will receive a warning and if they are not meeting these expectations the device will be brought to the main office and the following process will be followed:

Step 1: Device held in the main office until after school and picked up by the student.
Step 2: Device held in the main office until after school and parent/guardian contacted
Step 3: Device held in the main office, parent/guardian notified, and device returned only to a parent/guardian after school. A conference with administration will be held, and the student will be required to either leave the device at home or keep it in the office during school hours for one week.

If families need to communicate with their child during the school day, please contact the school office and we will be happy to assist. Thank you for partnering with us to minimize distractions and help create a learning environment where students can remain engaged, focused, and ready to learn.

Attend the New Family Welcome Event

Join the Bellevue PTSA Council, BSD Welcome Center and the Bellevue Schools Foundation for a Bellevue School District welcoming afternoon designed especially for kindergarten families and open to all families new to BSD.

Meet BSD staff, learn about school and family services, connect with your PTSA, enjoy student showcases, and explore community programs, sports, Scouts, and nonprofit resources. Food will be available for purchase from food trucks, and complimentary light snacks will be provided.

Event Details

Date: Wednesday September 23, 2026

Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Location: BSD Welcome Center (12011 NE 1st St, Bellevue)

Add the event to your calendar.

District News and Resources

Get Ready for the First Day of School

Get prepared with all the information you need to head back to school. Visit the Back to School Information and Resources webpage to learn more about:

Information for new families

Back-to-school events

Start and dismissal times

Class assignments

Bus routes (now available)

School supplies

School meals (September menus and free and reduced meal applications now available)

Before and after school care

Athletics and activities

Student technology

Required health forms and immunization requirements

School safety and security

Staying connected through BSD apps

And more!

Some information has been updated over the past few weeks.

View all of BSD's back-to-school resources.

Coming Soon: Attendance Notifications via Text Message with Talking Points

After piloting with several schools in the 2025-2026 school year (Interlake, Odle, Tillicum, Lake Hills), the Bellevue School District will begin sending out automated daily absence notifications via text message to all schools, using Talking Points. Families will be notified via text message on September 2 and 8, and automatic attendance text messages will begin on September 14.

What is Changing?

Instead of receiving a generic phone call through School Messenger, parents/guardians will receive a customized text message in the morning (pilot schools only), and another customized text at the end of the day (all schools) via Talking Points notifying them of their child’s absence(s) that day.

The texts are sent automatically. The morning text (pilot schools only) will be sent out 1-1 ½ hours after the start of the school day, and the evening message will be sent at 5:00 p.m.

Parents/guardians can and are encouraged to respond to the text and to use text rather than email or phone call.

Remember, every day matters! Just one absence every two weeks is considered chronically absent (even if it’s excused). Please schedule appointments and personal travel on non-school days and only keep your child home if they are actually Too Sick for School. Lastly, please minimize full-day absences when possible. As the saying goes, “better late than never!”

Learn more about this change.