Superintendent’s Blog: Building the Beloved Community in 2026

Happy New Year, BSD! I hope you all had a wonderful winter vacation. As we kick off this new year, the Bellevue School District is reaffirming our commitment to building what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called the beloved community — a community where everyone belongs, people care for one another, and discrimination has no place. Check out my video above to learn about building our beloved community!

Fostering Belonging for Every Student, in Every Space, Every Day

In 2026, we are focused on ensuring that all parts of our schools — classrooms, hallways, lunchrooms, playgrounds, and activities — are safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all students. This means actively addressing racism, sexism, antisemitism, homophobia, Islamophobia, and all forms of discrimination, including against students with disabilities.

To support this work, school staff have been engaging over the past two years in trainings on disrupting discrimination and microaggressions. Schools have also implemented school-wide campaigns to teach students expectations for disrupting discriminatory actions and words. Students, through groups and clubs, continue to be leaders in creating the beloved community.

This past fall, our School Board strengthened district policy with clearer expectations and stronger consequences for discriminatory behavior. For example, short-term suspensions have been reinstated as a possible consequence for discriminatory words or actions, after other interventions have been considered. These changes are not about exclusion, but about engaging families and ensuring inclusion for every student.

Over the coming months, schools will review expectations and consequences with students, staff, and families.

As a New Year’s resolution — one we can’t afford to break — we invite everyone to join us in looking out for one another and actively building the beloved community in the Bellevue School District.

Dr. Kelly Aramaki
Superintendent