Q: What supplies should my child bring to school?
A: Elementary schools do not use textbooks. Schools provide textbooks to middle and high school students. Schools also provide many items that are used during the school day for instruction, such as scissors and rulers. Some schools put lists of suggested supplies on their websites or PTA websites. Please contact your school directly for the suggested list of supplies as they vary from school to school and teacher to teacher.
Q: How does my child pay for lunch?
A: Parents may set up online accounts for their children to buy school lunches. This means children don’t need to take cash to school.
Q: Should I attend every school event?
A: Schools and their Parent Teacher Associations sponsor many programs and events during the school year, such as Curriculum Nights, Open Houses, presentations and social events to welcome new families. Parents are welcome at every school event. If you need an interpreter, please notify your school’s principal 24 hours in advance.
Q: I’ve heard that schools frequently ask parents for donations. Is that true?
A: Parents are often asked by their child’s school to donate time, money and specific items, such as classroom supplies that can be shared with all the students in a class. Parent Teacher Associations require dues for parents who wish to become members of their organization. They may also raise funds to pay for items that their school may need. In addition, the Bellevue Schools Foundation, which funds larger programs, such as the development of a new district science curriculum, has an annual “Phonathon,” in which parent volunteers call other parents and ask for donations. Parents should decide which donations they wish to make based on their budgets, as well as the areas they feel most passionate about. Making donations, other than paying dues to belong to an organization, should be a matter of personal preference and parents should not consider these a requirement.
Q: Do I send my child to school if the weather is bad?
A: Schools are closed when there are power outages lasting more than a few hours and when ice and snow prevent school buses from traveling to the schools. When the weather is bad, regardless of the school district’s decision, it is always the parents’ decision as to whether conditions are safe enough to send their children to school.
There are many ways to stay up-to-date on school closure information. Visit our Stay Connected page.
Q: Does my child qualify for transportation services?
A: Visit our Transportation Department page for more information about bus services.
For answers to more Frequently Asked Questions, please visit our FAQ page.