BISD Newsletter - October 2, 2026

Now that October is officially under way, it is hard to believe how fast the first few weeks of school have flown by!

Thank you for joining us for our Back-to-School and Parent Nights. We know these events take time out of your busy schedules, but we truly appreciate your involvement and partnership in creating a wonderful start to the school year.

As we move into autumn, I want to share an important update regarding our district facilities. The School Board is considering a potential Bond Measure for the February 2027 ballot. If pursued, this bond would fund the replacement of Ordway Elementary and Commodore Options School, as well as a significant expansion of our central athletics complex.

Key details and upcoming timeline:

To make an informed decision, the Board must review functional capacity and enrollment trends across all our schools. I recognize that reviewing this data may bring up sensitive feelings for the Ordway, COS, and Sakai communities following the consolidation conversations three years ago. Please be assured that this analysis is part of being responsible financial and environmental stewards—it is not an effort to revisit school closures or consolidation.

Guided by our Strategic Plan, our focus is on building a strong future and providing equitable educational experiences for every BISD student. Throughout this process, the Board and I remain deeply committed to the core community values expressed during past listening tours and budget discussions: preserving small neighborhood schools, supporting choice programs, and nurturing our unique school cultures.

I will continue to share updates in this newsletter as discussions progress. Please stay tuned, and I wish you all a wonderful weekend!

Take care,

Amii Thompson

BISD Superintendent

BISD students in grades 3-12 will be invited to complete the Panorama Student Survey. The survey provides students with an opportunity to share feedback about their experiences at school, with questions aligned with the goals in our Strategic Plan and centered around belonging, engagement, school climate, and student well-being. Students at different grade levels will take different versions of the survey, with variations in both the number of questions and wording to ensure age appropriateness. The feedback we receive will help us better understand our students’ experiences and identify areas where our students are in need of interventions, supports, and enrichments in order to strengthen our school community.

Families who would like to preview the survey can do so here. Students may choose to skip questions for any reason, and parents/guardians have the opportunity to opt their student out of this survey and any others by reaching out to the administrator at their child's building. Please also know that your Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) Annual Notice was included in an earlier school newsletter and is posted on each school's website under Policies and Procedures. It lists all anticipated surveys for this year for your child’s school.

Note for K–2 Families: Teachers in grades K–2 are completing a teacher perception survey for each of their students aligned with the topics from the surveys for older students.

To support student online safety, Bainbridge Island School District has partnered with Qustodio, a leading provider of online safety solutions. While BISD Chromebooks already feature internet filtering and monitoring, we are providing every family with a free Qustodio Parental App account for additional oversight outside of school hours.

With Qustodio, you can:

Qustodio prioritizes privacy and safety - Learn more about Qustodio.

You can sign up now at www.qustodio.com/my-school using the email address on file in Family Access with the district. Multi-household family? You can establish separate accounts. Follow the directions when signing up. 

Need help with Qustodio? Please reach out to myschool@qustodio.com. BISD does not provide technical support for this tool. 

Note from Qustodio: Your child’s data stays protected. We collect the minimum data required and your data is securely stored. We never market to children, share or sell it to third parties. Qustodio’s platform meets FERPA and COPPA standards.

October is National Farm to School Month, and our district's Farm to School Program is excited to celebrate by participating in Taste Washington Day!

To mark the occasion, all students across the district will have the option to enjoy a crisp, fresh Washington-grown apple at lunch.

Even better, our elementary schools will be holding a synchronized "Apple Crunch" right in their cafeterias! At lunchtime, students will all bite into their local apples together to make a statewide noise for Washington agriculture and healthy school meals.

Keep an eye out for more farm-to-school highlights throughout the month as we continue celebrating local foods!

🌿 Join Us for the 10th Annual Indigenous People's Day Celebration!

Mark your calendars for an afternoon of honor, culture, storytelling, and community connection at the Indigenous People's Day Celebration.

This event is open to everyone in the community. Bring your family, a friend, and a dish to share as we come together to celebrate Indigenous culture and heritage. We hope to see you there!

Fall Referral Window: September 21–October 9, 2026

BISD’s Highly Capable (HC) referrals are welcome during our fall window for students new to our district (since February 19, 2026) 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.