Posts

February 2024 Newsletter

Dear families,

With the first semester of the 23-24 school year behind us, teachers and instructional staff have been sharpening their focus on taking stock of student progress while planning with their team members and families to enhance and adjust instructional practices in order to meet student needs. The turn of the semester is a time to celebrate our students’ accomplishments while looking ahead to ensure momentum and growth is sustained. 

As always, this dynamic is greatly strengthened by the unique partnerships we enjoy with our families. Thank you for your continued support and advocacy as we work together for the benefit of our students. 

Please see below for a few important dates and highlights:

Northshore Learning Options information events for new families:

Our school team is looking forward to hosting a number of events in the coming months for incoming and prospective families who will be new to one of our Alternative Learning models for the 2024-25 school year. As enrollment remains a fluid, ongoing process at Bear Creek/NLO, our team has focused on creating a robust orientation process to give families a more personalized and comprehensive intake experience centered on student success regardless of what time of year a student may enroll. 

Beyond the efforts to provide a more in-depth orientation for students and families who enroll at different points in the school year, we are resolute in providing informational forums for families who are interested in enrolling in one of our programs for the coming year. Each program will have a unique opportunity to share programmatic specific information with families and, while these experiences and forums are still in the process of development, a number of these forums have been announced and can be found on our website.

Please check out the enrollment page on our Northshore Learning Options website for dates and times!

NSD Virtual Career and College readiness event:

Join Northshore School District for the 2nd annual Virtual College and Career Night on Thursday, Feb. 8 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. This event will be filled with valuable information to help families plan and navigate post high school options and is open to all NSD high school families.

You can find out more about the event as well as sign up for specific sessions by following the district link

PTSA sponsored community education event: Getting Students Writing: How to Support Twice Exceptional Students and Other Reluctant Writers:

On January 22nd, the Bear Creek PTSA organized and sponsored an amazing educational opportunity for families in the form of a shared learning session facilitated by Austina De Bonte centered on supporting reluctant writers and general practices to support twice exceptional learners. It was a wonderful talk with well over 100 community members in attendance (in-person and via Zoom). Austina, who has been a tremendous partner with NSD for a number of years, graciously allowed us to record the session and encouraged distribution Families can access the recording of the video 

A giant thanks to our PTSA leadership for taking point in organizing this event! We look forward to working in tandem to identify further opportunities for shared learning. 

In partnership,

Brian Matthias
Principal
Northshore Networks/Northshore Family Partnership/Northshore Online Academy
bmatthias@nsd.org

 

Cooked Up Class - Volunteers needed

April will be our "international" cooking month, and we're seeking volunteers to share recipes from their culture. We're open to ideas whether it's a dessert, main course, or side dish.

Our class runs for 2 hours, covering instruction, cooking, and cleanup. Our kitchen is versatile, and creativity is encouraged.

If you're interested in volunteering to teach our class a recipe from your culture, please contact Ms. Tracy at tschellberg@nsd.org.

Available Dates:

• Week 1: April 2 and 4
• Week 2: April 16 and 19
• Week 3: April 23 and 25
• Week 4: April 30 and May 2

Teaching both days for both classes is fantastic, but we understand if you can't. 

Your child does not need to be taking this class to volunteer! 

Looking forward to seeing you in our kitchen!

Tracy

 

SBAC

Seniors will have the opportunity to do SBAC testing during the following dates: 

Wednesday, March 27^th and Friday, March 29^th Math SBAC in the BC gym
Wednesday, April 3^rd and Friday, April 5^th ELA SBAC in the BC gym

Reach out to your Cameron Whitney at cwhitney@nsd.org for details

 

For the Love of Education

For the Love of Education campaign is here to honor remarkable educators who go above and beyond every day. Join us in celebrating their dedication and passion for shaping young minds by making a contribution to classroom grants.

Your donation in honor of a Northshore Educator will be directed to a special fund set aside for future classroom grants awarded to that school.

Classroom grants serve as the catalyst for educational magic! They're the spark that ignites innovative projects, technological advancements, and creative initiatives. With your support, we can award up to $1000 for elementary school grants and up to $2000 for secondary schools, empowering educators to turn their visionary ideas into reality.

But it doesn't stop there! Your generosity goes beyond the monetary value. Write a heartfelt note honoring an extraordinary educator, and we'll amplify your words on social media, sharing the love and gratitude while sending them a special card expressing the collective appreciation for their invaluable contribution to education.

 

SAT School Day Spring Testing Information 

The SAT School Day Spring exam is scheduled for Northshore Online Seniors and Juniors 

Date: Friday, March 15, 2024
Time: Testing starts at 9:00 am. Arrive 15 minutes early
Where: Bear Creek Campus Gym

More information to come later about what to bring on test day. Registration window is from January 29-March 1. (no late registration after March 1, unless spots are available). 
 

To register, please create an account at RegiSmart (if you have not created one previously). Select Innovation Lab High School from the drop down menu to register and pay the $60 exam fee online no later than March 1.

NOTE: Innovation Lab is the registration site we are using for NLO students. The exam will be held on March 15 at Bear Creek Campus for NLO students. Also, the SAT is now an online exam and will be proctored from your student issued Chromebook. Additional Chromebooks will be available on test day.

 

Other SAT Exam Opportunities

SAT exams are also administered several times per year at other locations outside of the Northshore School District.  Students will need to establish a College Board account before they can register for these tests.  It is important that the student registers with their own account, not a parent's account.  Creating an account takes about 30 minutes.  This is the same account that you will use if you are registering for an AP test.

With a College Board account, you can register for the SAT, and access/print your SAT Admission Ticket. You can also access your SAT scores online and send them to colleges.  Additionally, an account lets you manage your personal college list, save your scholarship searches, compare costs at colleges that interest you, and more. As these tests fill up quickly, we recommend that if you want to test at a convenient location that you sign up for the SAT early.  Otherwise, you might end up taking the test at a location further away.

Registration and further information about the SAT can be found at www.sat.collegeboard.org or by contacting your student's counselor.

 

Virtual career and college fair 

Northshore School District will host the 2024 Virtual College & Career Fair on Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 6:30pm. This event will provide Northshore families with valuable information to help plan and navigate post high school options. All sessions will be recorded using Zoom and Language interpretation is available through YouTube. Sessions will be posted by the end of February 2024. In the interim, interested students, families and staff can use the following link to register for sessions and breakout rooms: https://www.nsd.org/schools/academics/career-college-readiness/college-and-career-night-2024 

 

Yearbook Update 

This year the NLO Yearbook Team is publishing a school wide Yearbook featuring students in all 3 of our wonderful programs. Yearbooks can be purchased directly from our publisher, Treering, using the links in the attached flier. Additionally, the Yearbook Team is seeking entries into our Yearbook Cover Art Contest! Find more information in the flier attached.

Arrgggh…Thar Be Pirates

[Wednesday, Feb 7 at 12:26 PM]
SBAC Clarification - these testing dates are for Seniors only. Lower grades will test on a future date. Details will be provided shortly.

 

Dear families,

With the first semester of the 23-24 school year behind us, teachers and instructional staff have been sharpening their focus on taking stock of student progress while planning with their team members and families to enhance and adjust instructional practices in order to meet student needs. The turn of the semester is a time to celebrate our students’ accomplishments while looking ahead to ensure momentum and growth is sustained. 

As always, this dynamic is greatly strengthened by the unique partnerships we enjoy with our families. Thank you for your continued support and advocacy as we work together for the benefit of our students. 

Please see below for a few important dates and highlights:

Northshore Learning Options information events for new families:

Our school team is looking forward to hosting a number of events in the coming months for incoming and prospective families who will be new to one of our Alternative Learning models for the 2024-25 school year. As enrollment remains a fluid, ongoing process at Bear Creek/NLO, our team has focused on creating a robust orientation process to give families a more personalized and comprehensive intake experience centered on student success regardless of what time of year a student may enroll. 

Beyond the efforts to provide a more in-depth orientation for students and families who enroll at different points in the school year, we are resolute in providing informational forums for families who are interested in enrolling in one of our programs for the coming year. Each program will have a unique opportunity to share programmatic specific information with families and, while these experiences and forums are still in the process of development, a number of these forums have been announced and can be found on our website.

Please check out the enrollment page on our Northshore Learning Options website for dates and times!

NSD Virtual Career and College readiness event:

Join Northshore School District for the 2nd annual Virtual College and Career Night on Thursday, Feb. 8 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. This event will be filled with valuable information to help families plan and navigate post high school options and is open to all NSD high school families.

You can find out more about the event as well as sign up for specific sessions by following the district link

PTSA sponsored community education event: Getting Students Writing: How to Support Twice Exceptional Students and Other Reluctant Writers:

On January 22nd, the Bear Creek PTSA organized and sponsored an amazing educational opportunity for families in the form of a shared learning session facilitated by Austina De Bonte centered on supporting reluctant writers and general practices to support twice exceptional learners. It was a wonderful talk with well over 100 community members in attendance (in-person and via Zoom). Austina, who has been a tremendous partner with NSD for a number of years, graciously allowed us to record the session and encouraged distribution Families can access the recording of the video 

A giant thanks to our PTSA leadership for taking point in organizing this event! We look forward to working in tandem to identify further opportunities for shared learning. 

In partnership,

Brian Matthias
Principal
Northshore Networks/Northshore Family Partnership/Northshore Online Academy
bmatthias@nsd.org 

Greetings, Bear Creek families,

I’d like to begin by wishing you all a very Happy New Year! I hope the winter break was a great time for you and your children to connect and make long lasting memories. As we enter the new year, I’m reminded of the many things I am grateful for. Certainly, one of them is the opportunity to work with such an amazing school community. Each day on campus, in classrooms (in-person and online) meeting and connecting with students, staff and families, is a reminder of the power of working together for the betterment of our amazing students. Thank you, as always, for the high level of support you have shown our school, your student(s), and each other. It matters tremendously. 

Student Council K-6

Join NLO’s new Student Body Council starting this January!

The Student Body Council is a group of students who care about making a positive difference in our community at Northshore Learning Options. All are welcome to join. As I’m sure you are aware, the nature of our three programs here on the Bear Creek Campus and in Northshore Learning Options allows for three unique schedules and groups of students to complete their education. As we create this new Student Body Council (SBC) we are going to try to use the uniqueness of our programs to our advantage. We hope that the SBC can become a place where students can get involved with their school community. 

Our overall goal is to create a sense of belonging at school through leadership, service, voice, and engagement. All Student Body Council members work together to plan activities, confront and resolve problems, and gain leadership skills through the implementation of beneficial activities during the school year. Students involved build beneficial leadership skills, make new friends, and have fun while working in teams. 

On the logistical side of things, we have created a system that we think will work to keep all of our programs working together to help our K-12 community. This student council will consist of 3 main groups - an elementary council (Leadership Club) with an advisor (grades K-6th), a secondary council with an advisor (grades 7th-12th), and an elected executive leadership board (which includes a President, Vice President, Secretary, 2 representatives from both the Elementary and Secondary Council). 

We are still looking for participation for the elementary council. Complete the interest form to let us know when you are available to meet.

Elementary Council (Leadership Club) will meet with advisor Leslie Harwood in Room 113. Meeting dates and times = 1st Wednesday of each month from 9-10a

• Jan. 3 (1st Meeting)
• Feb. 7
• Mar. 6
• April 3
• May 1
• June 5 

Feel free to reach out with any questions!

SBC Contacts: 
President, Amalie Landry at  1082673@apps.nsd.org
Vice President, Norah Cherry at  2007351@nsd.org
Leslie Harwood, K-6 advisor at  lharwood@apps.nsd.org 
Mary Mendenall, 7-12 advisor at  mmendenall@nsd.org

BCC Kids Who Code

We are excited to offer an introductory coding club to students attending Bear Creek Campus. The club will meet weekly on Wednesdays and will follow a curriculum from Girls Who Code, a non-profit that strives to get kids from underrepresented groups interested in the world of computer science and engineering. Each week students will learn a concept that can be completed as an offline activity. Additional online activities will be introduced to complete at home. 

An information night will be held on January 16th at 4:00 in Room 121. Please submit your questions in advance of the meeting. 

Sign up for BCC Kids Who Code 

Photo Release

We are currently working on a few projects and may be collecting photos of students actively working on class projects and tasks, or photos of their creations. Most photos will be angled from the back of student heads, but some may include faces. If you would NOT like your child's image or work visible publicly, please complete the Permission to Withhold Student Directory Information form and return it to the front office before January 12th

PTSA Events:
Cozy Read-in and Book Swap

This event has been rescheduled for Thursday, February 29th from 5-7pm in the gym.

Austina De Bonte

Please join us for our first BCC PTSA sponsored Community Education Night on Monday, January 22, 2024 7pm-8:30pm with special guest speaker Austina De Bonte. This will be a hybrid event in the BCC Library and on Zoom. 

One of the most challenging academic areas for twice exceptional students is writing. Learn the five root causes of writing challenges, how to identify what’s going on, and how to support each one. This session synthesizes methods used by Bridges Academy as well as private tutors, and is full of practical tips and techniques that can be used at home or in the classroom.

Sign Up Here

Nordic Heritage Museum

Come join us on Friday, February 9th 11am-12:30pm for an excursion at the Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle. We will tour the museum and students will create some Nordic art of their own to bring home with them.

To learn about more upcoming excursions, please visit the BCC PTSA website.

Greetings, Bear Creek families,

I’d like to begin by wishing you all a very Happy New Year! I hope the winter break was a great time for you and your children to connect and make long lasting memories. As we enter the new year, I’m reminded of the many things I am grateful for. Certainly, one of them is the opportunity to work with such an amazing school community. Each day on campus, in classrooms (in-person and online) meeting and connecting with students, staff and families, is a reminder of the power of working together for the betterment of our amazing students. Thank you, as always, for the high level of support you have shown our school, your student(s), and each other. It matters tremendously. 

We are kicking the year off with a busy and fun month of teaching and learning at Bear Creek! Please see below for a few updates, reminders of upcoming events and dates:

Winter i-Ready Assessments: 

January serves as an important academic milestone as we look to inform and enhance how we support our students in the continuum of growth and progress. Across NSD, students in grades K-8 will participate in the i-Ready diagnostic during the three checkpoints of fall, winter, and spring.  The diagnostic provides staff with timely and relevant data to inform instruction throughout the year, informs students and parents of student progress toward grade level standards, and informs district staff as they develop relevant professional development and curricular decisions. A key difference between the fall and winter diagnostic is the inclusion of Kindergarten students in this testing cycle. As always, the unique schedule and instructional nature of our programs present an added challenge to developing an aligned calendar for this assessment! That said, in the coming days, we will provide information regarding opportunities for students to engage in this important assessment process. As always, if you have questions or would like to talk about how the i-Ready diagnostic can benefit you and your student, please do not hesitate to reach out!  

Coffee With the Principal Dates:

I very much enjoyed the opportunity to connect with families during the first round of “coffee with the principal'' here on campus. The intent of hosting these informal meetings is to provide a forum to make connections, build community and establish relationships with our families. It’s a time to ask questions, share feedback and thoughts and/or discuss whatever might be on the minds of our wonderful community partners. The next “coffee with the principal” will be hosted in the Bear Creek library from 11:30am-12:30pm on Tuesday, January 23rd. We will host a virtual forum on the same day from 5pm-6pm. As the same suggests, this will be an open forum to snag some coffee and a pastry while digging into questions, sharing thoughts or chatting about any and all things Bear Creek/NLO. While the forum itself will be conversational in nature, I’ll be sure to bring my notes to capture questions or thoughts folks may have for further follow up. Looking forward to connecting!

• Coffee with the principal: 1/23/24 Bear Creek library from 11:30am-12:30pm

• Coffee with the principal: 1/23/24 via Zoom from 5pm-6pm 

  • link: https://nsd.zoom.us/j/6142270703

Preparing for cold weather:

Cooler temperatures are on the way! As we navigate the colder months, it is crucial to ensure students are dressed appropriately for the weather. For the well-being and comfort of your student, please have your students dress in layers, including gloves, hats, closed-toe shoes, and warm coats. This will help them stay warm and comfortable during the chilly days ahead.  

It’s going to be a great month of teaching and learning at Bear Creek! As always, thank you for your continued support and partnership. 

In partnership,

Brian Matthias
Principal
Northshore Networks/Northshore Family Partnership/Northshore Online Academy
bmatthias@nsd.org

Greetings, Bear Creek families,

December has arrived! 

The Student Body Council is a group of students who care about making a positive difference in our community at Northshore Learning Options. All are welcome to join. As I’m sure you are aware, the nature of our three programs here on the Bear Creek Campus and in Northshore Learning Options allows for three unique schedules and groups of students to complete their education. As we create this new Student Body Council (SBC) we are going to try to use the uniqueness of our programs to our advantage. We hope that the SBC can become a place where students can get involved with their school community. 

Our overall goal is to create a sense of belonging at school through leadership, service, voice, and engagement. All Student Body Council members work together to plan activities, confront and resolve problems, and gain leadership skills through the implementation of beneficial activities during the school year. Students involved build beneficial leadership skills, make new friends, and have fun while working in teams. 

On the logistical side of things, we have created a system that we think will work to keep all of our programs working together to help our K-12 community. This student council will consist of 3 main groups - an elementary council (Leadership Club) with an advisor (grades K-6th), a secondary council with an advisor (grades 7th-12th), and an elected executive leadership board (which includes a President, Vice President, Secretary, 2 representatives from both the Elementary and Secondary Council). 

Elementary Council (Leadership Club) will meet with advisor Leslie Harwood in Room 113. Meeting dates and times = 1st Wednesday of each month from 9-10a

• Jan. 3 (1st Meeting)

• Feb. 7

• Mar. 6

• April 3

• May 1

• June 5 

Secondary Council will meet with advisor Mary Mendenall in Room 222.

Meeting dates and times = Wednesdays @ 12:30p-1:30p

• Jan 3 (1st Meeting)

• Jan 31

• March 6

• April 17

• May 1

• May 29

If you are interested in joining the Student Body Council, please attend our first meeting (Secondary Council) on Wednesday, January 3rd at 12:30p to 1:30p in Room 222 or (Elementary Council) on Wednesday, January 3rd from 9-10 in Room 113.

Feel free to reach out with any questions!

SBC Contacts: 
President, Amalie Landry at  1082673@apps.nsd.org
Vice President, Norah Cherry at  2007351@nsd.org
Leslie Harwood, K-6 advisor at  lharwood@apps.nsd.org 
Mary Mendenall, 7-12 advisor at  mmendenall@nsd.org

Yearbook Team

"This year our schoolwide Yearbook Advisor is Liam Miner, a NOA teacher who works in the NOA Room 123 on campus. You may see Liam taking photographs with a camera at school events, but feel free to share any photos that you take with Liam at lminer@nsd.org for them to possibly be included in the yearbook. Please also know that if you feel strongly that an image of your student should  not be included in the yearbook (with the yearbook being public information), you must contact the Bear Creek Front Office staff. Additionally, the Yearbook team is still looking for 1-2 NFP students to join, so that all three NLO programs are represented on the team. The Yearbook team will be meeting once a week starting after Thanksgiving break."

PTSA at Bear Creek Campus

Did you know that Bear Creek has a PTSA that is dedicated to serving all three programs? 

We'd love your input to make our PTSA the very best that it can be! Our mission is to serve the Northshore Networks, Northshore Online Academy, and Northshore Family Partnership communities and your voice matters! Whether you'd like to be a member or serve in one of our chair positions, we'd love to have you join us.

Haven't bought a membership yet? 

No problem! You can sign up for a membership here. In addition to having a vote at meetings, you'll also have  special member savings through the Washington PTSA.

Want to volunteer your time to chair a position? 

We are currently looking for interested volunteers to take on the following chair positions:

• Fundraising

• Excursions

• Staff Appreciation

• Membership 

• Volunteer Coordinator

General PTSA meetings are held on Zoom every other month and our first general meeting is September 28 at 6:30 pm. We hope to see you there!

General PTSA Meetings for 2023-2024
Thursday, January 11, 2023
Thursday, March 14, 2023
Thursday, May 9, 2023 

 

Please join us to learn about exciting events, excursions, clubs, and other PTSA sponsored activities and share your suggestions for the 2023-2024 school year!

 

Giving Tree

The Bear Creek Campus will be hosting a giving tree in the front office from December 5th until December 12th. Please consider picking up a gift tag and purchasing an item for a child in our community. We will be collecting items in the front office up until December 12th. They will be distributed to families December 14th. Please return your purchased item wrapped with the gift tag attached. Your help this holiday season will be greatly appreciated.

 

Library News

 

Counseling News

Winterfest

This PTSA sponsored event will be on Thursday, December 7 from 5-7:30pm and feature fun activities like 

• gingerbread decorating (if you have pre-purchase a kit), snowflake crafts, obstacle courses and more in the gym

• Card making for staff in the music room

• Book fair in the library

Photo Retakes now available for pick-up in the Main Office

Calendar of Events

• Giving Tree - December 1 - 14

• Scholastic Book Fair - December 4 - 7

• Winterfest - December 7

• Winter Break - December 18 - January 1