Ordway Weekly Newsletter - September 22, 2025

Inside this Newsletter

Thanks to everyone who was able to join us Thursday evening for Back to School Night. I shared with our staff that when the classroom doors closed for each session, I could hear the adult laughter and lively conversations from each room. It truly is the relationships among the adults that strengthen schools and make them places that children want to come to every day. Thank you for entrusting your children to us.

This year, our district has an Attendance Campaign—one to improve attendance in grades K–12. We received exciting news today that Ordway has the highest attendance rate in the district! What we do need to focus on is being on time—more to come about this, as getting children out the door is sometimes the hardest part of the day! Please know all of your extra efforts to be on time help minimize disruptions in the classroom when a child arrives late. And as always, let us know if you need help. But for now—celebrate Ordway’s strong student attendance!

Best,

Debra

Jostens will be at Ordway next Tuesday September 30th for Picture Day. Our retake day is October 28th. Information on how to order is found HERE.

Fall Referral Window: September 29–October 10, 2025

BISD’s Highly Capable (HC) referrals are welcome during our fall window for students new to our district (since February 2025) in grades 1–11. (Referrals for Kindergarten and currently enrolled BISD students will open during our spring window.)

If you’d like your student considered for HC services, please visit our BISD Highly Capable page for the timeline, program details, and the referral form.

Please complete the BISD referral and email documentation (e.g., assessment scores, grades, placement letters) to Whitney Skarbek at wskarbek@bisd303.org.

Deadline: Submit the referral (and any supporting documents, if applicable) by end of day Friday, October 10, 2025.

Questions or need assistance? Contact Whitney Skarbek at wskarbek@bisd303.org.

As part of our district’s commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment, we are writing to share information about one of the ways we support students’ social-emotional well-being. Please see the attached document regarding the Character Strong Strengths and Needs Screener.

Did you know that you must OPT-IN to share your contact information with other families in the Skyward School Directory? Families are defaulted out, until you OPT-IN. This is not a requirement, but If this is of interest to your family, please refer to the OPT-IN guide linked HERE on how to add your contact information to the school directory.

Questions about Lunch menus, how much it costs, how to pay or how to sign up for Free and Reduced Lunch (or renew your FRL status)? Please look at the Food & Nutrition Services page on the BISD website!

Anytime your child’s after school schedule changes, please notify the Ordway office prior to 10 AM so that we have time to write and send a note to the teacher. Teachers are not always checking their email during the day so notifying us in the office, early, via one of the methods below is best practice. 

A reminder to bus riders: Transportation is limited to a student's home and/or to one of the following afterschool care locations: BigKids/KidsClub and Hazelcreek Montessori.

This is a one-stop resource for all the information you need about Bainbridge Island School District:

This information is also available in the Family Handbook section on our website, where it can be translated into the language of your choice.

BISD uses ParentSquare to share district and school communications (such as this newsletter) with our families, staff and the community.

All parents/guardians with a student in our school system can set up their ParentSquare account using the same email address listed in Skyward/Family Access. This document walks you through the necessary steps.

Did you know that these dates are on Ordway Parent Square and the Ordway Website? And you can subscribe to the Ordway Calendar? See information above about how to sign up for Parent Square.

22: PTO MEETING

30: PICTURE DAY

15-16: VISION & HEARING SCREENING

22: UNITY DAY

24: JOG-A-THON

30-31: CONFERENCES- NO SCHOOL

This page on the BISD Website publicizes information about community events as a service to non-profit community organizations. These events are perceived as appropriate for students, parents, and families. Interested in submitting news and events? Learn how to do so by visiting our webpage, Distributing News & Events.