The Bear Facts

Calling all parent volunteers! We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your unwavering dedication and support to the Bear Creek community. As a token of our appreciation, we invite you to join us for a relaxing moment and a latte after morning drop-off on Friday, May 3. The latte cart will be located under the Middle School stairwell, near the Lower School hallways from 7:45 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Summer Camp 2024 offers a variety of sports, arts, and STEM camps, and registration is now open! Camps are open to the public for kids entering kindergarten through grade 12 next fall. Camps run June 17 – July 12, number of days and hours vary by camp.

Congratulations to junior Cici Yang on her first-place finish in Informative Speaking at the 2024 JW Patterson Tournament of Champions held April 20 – 22, 2024, at University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. Cici's speech is about the art and cultural significance of paper-folding art.

Congratulations to the 47 sophomores and juniors who have been selected for membership and inducted into The Bear Creek School Chapter of the National Honor Society. These new members were selected by the NHS Faculty Council based upon careful consideration of each student's scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Read more for a list of new members.

Upper School theater students are excited to present an original production by Jared Mack, Overflow, at 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on both Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27. The performances will be held in the Diamond Performing Arts Center. Read more for entry, parking, streaming, recording, and photography details.

Parents of graduating seniors are invited for breakfast and a special panel presentation with several parents of alumni on Tuesday, April 30, 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., in the Andrea Lairson Library. Join us to discuss ideas on how to help you and your child successfully navigate this time of transition. Your RSVP is appreciated. Immediately following our panel discussion, join our student body outside to congratulate our seniors as they conclude our second annual senior class tunnel.

On Tuesday, April 30, Upper School Concert Band, Concert Choir, and Jazz Band will perform in their spring concert at 7:00 p.m. in the Diamond Performing Arts Center. Friends, family, and guests are all welcome.

Detailed score reports from the PreACT are available for pick up at the Upper School front desk. Students can also log in into Naviance Student to view their scores and compare the strength of their PSAT vs. PreACT scores using a tool from Compass Education. The tool helps provide insights into which test might be best for each student. 

Parents of juniors are invited to an in-person coffee on Tuesday, May 14, from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. in the Main building's Kindel Library. Get a look at what is ahead in the transition to senior year, including special events, the college search, and big decisions. Read more for additional information.

Don't miss your opportunity to secure your Upper School yearbook covering the activities of students in grades 9 – 12. Please note that yearbooks ($60 each) must be ordered online in advance, and we do not accept cash or checks for yearbook orders. We cannot guarantee there will be extras available for sale when yearbooks are delivered to students in June.

Ready to retire your House and Bear Creek spirit gear? Pass on all lightly worn and non-personalized Upper School House and school spirit gear to the Grizzly Thrift by Design Club. During the weeks of April 9 – May 3, place your donations in the collection bins in the Nagel Commons. The gear will be washed and sold at a Grizzly thrift sale in the fall. All sales benefit the nonprofit, Rainier Athletics.

Bear Creek Leads is an extension of our Chapel program in grades 5 and 6 which publicly honors students who have led our student body by exercising virtue. Please congratulate the students who were recognized at Chapel on April 16:

• Cameron B., grade 6, for Trustworthiness
• Joanna G., grade 6, for Integrity
• Sophie S., grade 5, for Kindness
• Janice F., grade 5, for Intellectual Curiosity
• Jacques R., grade 6, for Dependability
• Peter C., grade 5, for Dependability
• Josie L., grade 6, for Diligence

Congratulations to the Grizzly Hoops grade 5 girls team! The team qualified for the 2024 Middle School State Basketball Championship in Spokane. The team competed in the Gold division of the Winter PEAK League. We are very proud of the girls' hard work during the inaugural 2023 – 2024 season of our feeder basketball program, Grizzly Hoops!

We are excited to take our grade 7 students on a field trip to National Nordic Museum on Friday, April 26. Morning drop-off and after school pick-up will occur at the regular times and places. Students must wear dress uniforms. Students should bring a sack lunch and water bottle. Cell phones are not permitted on the field trip.

Is your child interested in playing a Middle School sport next year? Parents of students who have not played a Middle School sport before are invited to learn about our 2024 – 2025 athletics program on Tuesday, May 7, at 7:00 p.m. Join the Teams meeting.

Middle School students are excited to welcome and honor their moms on Wednesday, May 8, from 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Start upstairs in the classrooms and then move to the Main Commons for a few special activities and, of course, a sweet treat and coffee or tea! Students will begin class at 9:00 a.m., but moms are welcome to spend time in community with one another until 9:30 a.m.

You're invited to an evening of dramatic entertainment when the grades 7 and 8 drama students present Ghostlight by Stephen Gregg. Showtimes are Wednesday, May 8, and Thursday, May 9, at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., both days in the Upper School's Diamond Performing Arts Center. Middle School students are encouraged to attend to support their classmates and must be accompanied by a parent.

Don't miss your opportunity to secure your Middle School yearbook which covers the activities of students in grades 5 – 8. Please note that yearbooks ($50 each) must be ordered online in advance, and we do not accept cash or checks for yearbook orders. We cannot guarantee there will be extras available for sale when yearbooks are delivered to students in June.

Please congratulate the following students who were recognized at Chapel on April 23:

• Aileen L., grade 3, for Courage
• Saphira M., grade 2, for Endurance

Congratulations to the Grizzly Hoops grade 4 boys team which won the Bronze division of the Winter PEAK League, presented by PEAK Hoops Seattle. We are very proud of the boys' hard work during the inaugural 2023 – 2024 season of our feeder basketball program, Grizzly Hoops!

It's Grandparents Day on Thursday, April 25, and all Lower School students should wear their dress uniform. Read more for additional information about the morning.

The students are so excited to celebrate their moms and have been preparing for this special day. Moms are invited to join us Friday, May 10, in the Main building's Cornerstone Theater. Doors open at 8:30 a.m., and the performance begins at 9:00 a.m. with classroom visits to follow.

Parents with students in grades K – 3 are invited to join Lower School Division Head Kristen Gephart on Thursday, May 16, 8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m., in the C.E. "Ted" Kindel Library to learn more about the process of class placement in grades 1 – 4 for the next school year.

In lieu of class photos, our photographer has created 2023 – 2024 Lower School class collages. Beginning March 18, parents may download the image (free) or order a print (8x10, $10) of your child's class from Nation Photography. The site password is grizzlypride.

Moms are invited to join their children in the Little Gym on May 6 or 7. Students will celebrate their moms by singing songs they have learned in music class as well as reading a special story together. Read more for the schedule for your child's class.

Check out EmeraldSoundConference.org for the latest sports scores (click the Sports tab) as well as the team schedules. You will find cross country and track & field results on athletic.net. Game schedules are posted on this page and on the Athletics Calendar. Go Grizzlies!