Attending an Open House is an excellent way to see firsthand the outstanding programs and experiences available to Bear Creek students. Whether you have a grade 5 or 6 student and it is time to consider Middle School, or if you have a Middle School student and want to learn about Upper School, please come to our Open House event on November 1 at 1:00 PM (RSVP). We encourage you to invite your friends who might be interested in a Bear Creek education for their children.

Don't miss the keynote address, "Technology and Kids: What Every Parent Needs to Know," along with nine new breakout sessions and seven returning topic sessions, back by popular demand. This half-day seminar includes information relevant to parents of children in preschool-grade 6 and will leave you feeling empowered to give your child the tools necessary for success. Session descriptions, speaker bios, the seminar schedule, and ticket sales are all online at tbcs.org/success.

We have just sent you information on our two biggest fundraisers for the year – The Fund for Bear Creek and REACH UP: The Campaign for Bear Creek. Just for this year, we are asking everyone to support both of these critical fundraising initiatives. The Fund for Bear Creek helps transform an excellent Bear Creek education into an extraordinary one and gifts are used in the current year to provide for the immediate needs of students. If you haven't already given to REACH UP: The Campaign for Bear Creek, we encourage you to make a gift or multi-year pledgeto help finish and furnish the new Upper School and Fine & Performing Arts Center.

If you have already contributed through your company's giving campaign, thank you and please let us know so we can include your donation in our totals. For more information or additional ways to give, contact Debbie Marchione, Director of Philanthropy, at 425-898-1720 ext. 339 or dmarchione@tbcs.org.

Please encourage your Bellevue-area friends and neighbors to come learn about Bear Creek from a parent's perspective over a cup of coffee on Thursday, November 6 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at the Tully's Coffee in Clyde Hill. A few Bear Creek parents who are representing the Admissions Office will be on hand to answer questions about the school. Your friends may RSVP online at tbcs.org/parentcafe.

Once again, Bear Creek's chapter of the National Honor Society has teamed up with Hopelink to sponsor a food drive. Please donate non-perishable food (no ramen, please). Every class and classroom at Bear Creek is invited to participate. Preschool and Lower School students should bring their donations to their classrooms. Middle School and Upper School classes all have designated collection rooms. Prizes will be given for the most food per capita in each division, but the real winners are the hungry people in our local community who will be fed! Our goal is to collect 5 tons of food in 5 days.

In January five girls and five boys, along with their English teacher from Colegio Seminario in Montevideo, Uruguay, will attend Bear Creek classes and participate in school activities. If your family is interested in volunteering to host one of these students from January 3-26, click on the article title for more information.

JanTerm 2015 registration opens on November 2. Go to tbcs.org/janterm for registration instructions and to review the course catalog and catalog at-a-glance. For registration assistance, please contact Director of Academic Support James Woollard (jwoollard@tbcs.org).

The third annual Grizzlies Forensics Invitational was held last weekend on October 24-25 and Bear Creek students had a great showing:

• Grace Carruth, senior - 1st place, Open Interpretive Reading
• Jessie Domingo, senior - 2nd place, Open Humorous Interpretation; Finalist, Open Impromptu
• Elsa Salido, junior - 2nd place, Open Editorial Commentary
• Adesuwa Agbonile and Tolu Sobande, sophomores - 2nd place, Open Duo Interpretation

Click the article title for photo, tournament details, and complete results.

PTF and ParentNet invite parents of Upper School students for a morning of refreshments, social connection, Q&A with Tim Fenderson, and facilitated conversation about a selected parenting topic. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 12, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM. We are looking forward to seeing you in the Farmhouse at Redmond Campus!

Sophomores, juniors, and seniors are invited to travel to England and France during Spring Break! Click the article title for all the details.

Dream it, build it, wreck it, repeat! Sounds kinda fun, doesn’t it? That’s what getting involved in the after-school LEGO© Robotics class offers. This exciting after-school club starts Thursday, November 6 and is open to boys and girls in grades 4-7. More information can be found on this flyer or by going online to tbcs.org/plus. Register today!

JanTerm 2015 registration opens on November 2. Go to tbcs.org/janterm for registration instructions and to review the course catalog and catalog at-a-glance. For registration assistance, please contact Director of Academic Support James Woollard (jwoollard@tbcs.org).

Please congratulate the following students who were recognized at Chapel this week on October 28:
Jakob M., grade 4, for Diligence
Maia S., grade 1, for Diligence
Joshua W., kindergarten, for Responsibility

Congratulations to the Super Sleuth winner for the week ending October 22. At Redmond Campus, the winner is: Andrew L., grade 4
No winner at Valley Campus last week.

Dream it, build it, wreck it, repeat! Sounds kinda fun, doesn’t it? That’s what getting involved in the after-school LEGO© Robotics class offers. This exciting after-school club starts Thursday, November 6 and is open to boys and girls in grades 4-7. More information can be found on this flyer or by going online to tbcs.org/plus. Register today!

Lower School Division Heads Jenn McDonough and Kristen Gephart invite you to come hear V.P. for Academic Affairs Karen Blankenbeckler highlight exciting changes planned for next year in our Lower School program. Join them on Friday, November 7, 8:45 AM - 9:45 AM, in the Commons at Redmond Campus. Please RSVP by emailing Cady.Walhbrink@tbcs.org (Redmond Campus) or Maggie.Culbert-O'Leary@tbcs.org (Valley Campus) if you can come.

The Secret Garden Book Fair is coming next month to the Lower School Libraries. Plan to shop for Christmas gifts and celebrate Reading... Passport to Adventure! During the week of Parent/Teacher Conferences, the libraries earn 25% of all net sales over $4,000 toward the purchase of new books for our collection. Please plan to write a check, if possible, to help defray costs incurred in using debit and credit cards.

Preschool Division Head Tressa Parker invites you to come hear V.P. for Academic Affairs Karen Blankenbeckler explain changes planned for next year in our preschool and kindergarten programs at The Bear Creek School. All three meetings will run from 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM. Please email Rachael Urban (rurban@tbcs.org) if you can come.

• Sammamish Campus: Monday, November 3
• Woodinville Campus: Tuesday, November 4
• Valley Campus: Thursday, November 6 in the Multipurpose Room

On October 24, the girls soccer team defeated Annie Wright (5-0) on goals by senior Whitney Isbell (2), junior Jill Leszynski (2), and junior Madison Baugh. The Lady Grizzlies continued their winning ways on October 28 in the final regular season match, defeating Northwest School (4-0). Sophomore Tara Leuenberger scored along with Baugh, Isbell, and Leszynski.

At the Emerald City League Championship Meet held October 24 at Lincoln Park, the boy’s team finished 4th out of the five complete teams with 60 finishers. They were led by junior Sean Gallagher who finished 16th with a time of 18:14, narrowly missing the top-15 ribbon finishers. All of the boy’s team ran season personal bests. On the girls side, sophomore Angela Tzen led the Grizzlies with a 9th place finish and a 21:10 mark, while nearly the entire girls team recorded career best times. Complete meet results are available on athletic.net.

The boys tennis team defeated Archbishop Murphy HS in its final regular season match of the year (3-2). At the League Championship Tournament held October 24-25 at Amy Yee Tennis Center, two doubles teams, senior Chris Yang and junior Seth McBride as well as senior Raju Dunn and sophomore Karsten Kohout, competed but lost in early rounds. Singles players junior Caleb Ji and senior Adam Worley both advanced into the second day of the tournament, finishing 5th and 6th, just missing the fourth place cut-off for a State berth.

The team was awarded the Emerald City League Sportsmanship Award and Coach Anson Tse earned the ECL Boys Tennis Coach of the Year Award. Congratulations on a great season!

On October 24, the Lady Grizzlies defeated Seattle Academy (25-21, 25-17, 26-24). Junior Katerina Fomichev had 10 kills, 4 aces, and 2 blocks. Sophomore Molly Anderson, setter, had 14 assists. On October 27, the team defeated Northwest (25-14, 25-21, 25-19). Fomichev led the team again with 2 aces, 8 kills, and 2 blocks. Seniors Belle Nelson and Jessie Kirker contributed 8 kills and 6 kills respectively. Anderson had 23 assists, 2 aces, and 2 kills. On October 30, in their final regular season match of the year, the Lady Grizzlies defeated Eastside Prep (25-8, 25-10, 25-20). Nelson had 10 kills and 4 aces, sophomore Sarah Ethington had 5 kills, senior Gracie Matthews had 6 aces and 2 kills.

On October 22 in the final regular season match, the boys golf team defeated Bush (191-204) on a very cold and wet afternoon. Freshman John Hayes shot a 40 to take medalist honors. Sophomore Colby Cadigan shot a 48, earning a spot at the League Championship Tournament this week.