Ardmore Community Newsletter: Nov 2025

Dear Ardmore Families,

We can’t believe it’s already November! The past month has been filled with exciting learning across our school as we focused on the idea of unity across our differences.

To honor Hispanic Heritage Month, our students learned about the history and meaning of Papel Picado and even created their own beautiful designs. For Indigenous Peoples’ Day, students read Water Protectors, a story about the importance of caring for our land. Each student made a personal commitment to continue protecting our environment.

We also celebrated Unity Day to stand against bullying and to remind our student that at Ardmore we walk together in unity.

We are so proud of all our students! Together, we continue to grow as a community that celebrates and values our differences, our cultures, and our shared learning.

This month, we will be celebrating Native American Heritage Month and building on the learning from Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Our school community continues to grow  we now have around 440 students, which is the largest our school has been in several years! This growth is something to celebrate, as each student brings unique perspectives and experiences that make Ardmore such a special place.

We also truly enjoyed seeing you during conference week and learning more about your students. Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We hope you felt informed around where your child is academically and emotionally.

 

Below are some updates and reminders for the month of November.

In partnership,

Yusra Obaid – Principal

Renee Barut-del Fierro – Assistant Principal

Ardmore Community Handbook   Ardmore Community Handbook 2025-2026

 

Save the Date

November 10, 2025 - Monday - No School Day

November 11, 2025 - Tuesday - No school, Veterans Day observance, all district offices closed

November 19th Russian Speaking Family group Meeting 8:20-9:30

November 20th MLL family coffee 8:15-9:30 

November 21st Fall Festival PTSA sponsored 5:30-7:00

November 27 - 28, 2025 - Thursday-Friday - No school, Thanksgiving, Mourning day all district offices closed

December 22, 2025 - January 2, 2026 - Monday-Friday - No school, Winter Break

Jan 8th: Incoming Kinder and Preschoo Open House for 2026-2027 5:30-6:30

 Please find important non school days here  Non School Days

 

Please find important non school days here  Non School Days

Please follow our Calendar for future events https://ardmore.bsd405.org/our-school/calendar=

 

Spotlight on Instuction

 

Arabic Classroom Learning 

Students in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade Arabic are learning a unit on different ways to communicate with others and with family members. They are practicing writing various types of letters to family members. This is one of the many ways we ensure students are engaging in all four domains of language in meaningful and relevant ways.

 

Student Safety 

Washington state law and Bellevue School District policy require all schools to hold at least one drill per calendar month while school is in session. This month, we will be conducting a lockdown drill and practicing actions to help keep us safe in the event of a threat or intruder.

Please note that a lockdown is considered a preventative measure and is not the same as an Active Threat.

During a lockdown drill, students learn about the importance of listening to school staff and following instructions quickly and quietly.

Lockdown is initiated when there is a threat to the campus or school. All threats are taken seriously. In the interest of student safety, lockdown may be initiated while the nature of the threat is evaluated. Staff are trained to lock classroom doors, shut off the lights, close the blinds, and to continually assess the situation.

Please talk with your student about preparing for emergencies and disasters. Encourage them to talk about their concerns and express their feelings. Emphasize that even though sometimes things happen that we may not expect, there are lots of things we can do to help us stay safe.

For more information on talking to your child about school safety, you might want to visit the website https://www.mhanational.org/talking-kids-about-school-safety

 

 

iReady Resources 

You may have received information from your child's teacher about their i-Ready Diagnostic Screener.  Your child will take this diagnostic three times this year - September, January, and April.  This helps us measure students' growth and learning throughout the year.

After each diagnostic, i-Ready places your child on their appropriate levels in MyPath.  MyPath is i-Ready's online learning program.  Teachers aim to give students time to complete 40 minutes each of MyPath Reading and Math every week to build and practice skills.

Your child may also access MyPath at home.  They can log in using their Clever sign-in or QR code on either home devices or their school device.  If they work on MyPath at home, please support your child without giving them answers.  This prevents the computer from adapting your child's lessons to be too difficult too soon for them.  Please reach out to your child's teacher if you have any questions!

 

PTSA

Our PTSA-sponsored Fall Festival will take place on Friday, November 21st, from 5:30–7:00 PM.

We’ll enjoy exciting performances from our after-school dance clubs, including Dabke and Indian cultural dance, along with a special performance by an Adult Spanish Folklórico Dance Group.

Families will also host cultural tables showcasing traditions, and crafts from around the world. If you would like to host a table, please fill out the form here:

Ardmore PTSA Fall Festival  – Fill out form

This event will also be a potluck, so everyone is welcome to bring a dish to share as we celebrate our community’s diversity together.

We look forward to a wonderful evening of culture, food, and fun!

School Safety Drop Off/ Pick up

Thank you for your partnership in helping our pick-up and drop-off run smoothly.

We’ve noticed that our procedures are now running more efficiently and safely thank you for your continued cooperation!

Below are a few reminders:

• Please continue to display the yellow paper.
• Remember to drive slowly.

We appreciate your ongoing support in keeping our students and staff safe.

After School Clubs

 

Our last sessions for fall after-school clubs will take place during the week of November 17th–28th. There will be no after-school clubs after that week.

Information about next season’s club offerings and registration will be shared with families on December 5th. The next session of clubs will begin after winter break.

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for our after-school programs!

Jubilee clubs will continue for the season as their sessions timelines differ than ours.

 

Lost and Found 

Please come check for your child's jackets, water bottles and lunchboxes. 

SNAP Benefits Distuption: Community Support Resources 

Starting November 1, families who receive SNAP benefits may experience interruptions or loss of benefits due to the federal government shutdown. If you are impacted by this. Our school district has resources to support you please connect with our family engagement  Ana Lewis for more information.

lewisa@bsd405.org 

 

PTSA Support 

 

Please consider donating to the Ardmore PTSA to help us fund fieldtrips, assemblies, educational workshops, and family events.

We appreciate your support and partnership!

https://bit.ly/donateardmoreptsa