The Bear Facts

This past week, January 30 – February 3, students in grades K – 12 celebrated Hope Week 2023, our annual week-long emphasis on reflecting on the hope we have in Christ while sharing that hope with others by providing support for those in need around our world. We are very close to meeting our K – 12 goal is to raise $15,000 towards funding a well project to provide clean water for a community in need, and you can still support Hope Week by making a donation to World Vision today.

We hope you have marked your calendar for the 2023 Gratitude Gala. Thank you to all the families who have already donated and volunteered to help make our event a success. Can you donate an auction item? Check out these ideas. You can donate directly on the auction website or download a donation form.

The health room regularly loans out uniform items to students who need a clean change of clothes during the school day (bloody nose vs. white shirt, muddy pants from recess, accidents, etc.). If your child has come home in a borrowed uniform, please return items to the health room. Also, the health room will gladly take donations of gently used, clean items, particularly:

• White shirts for LS/MS girls, sizes XS-XXL
• Navy leggings to wear under skirts, all sizes
• Navy bike shorts to wear under skirts, all sizes

If your child is involved in after-school clubs, team events, or other extracurricular activities on campus, please be advised that the Family Handbook has been revised with regard to emergency medications such as epinephrine injectors, asthma inhalers, and insulin.

Congratulations to the forensics team for its great success at the Seattle University High School Speech and Debate Tournament held online January 27 – 28. Competing against students from 85 schools across a dozen states, it was the largest competition the team has seen this season, and several members earned bids to the Tournament of Champions (TOC) and National Independent Events Tournament of Champions (NIETOC). Read more for all the details.

Students have until Tuesday, February 7, to add or drop any of their courses.

As students begin to consider course selection for next year, Deans of College and Academic Advising Katie Gomulkiewicz (kgomulkiewicz@tbcs.org) and Ayoleida Páramo (aparamo@tbcs.org) are offering 1-on-1 advising meetings with students to help them prepare for selecting next year's courses and applying to college (for rising seniors). Read more to learn how students may schedule an appointment.

The first day of Upper School spring sports (baseball, girls golf, boys soccer, girls tennis, and track & field) practice is Monday, February 27, and the sports registration deadline is Thursday, February 9. Please pay the fee online and visit the health portal to ensure all the necessary releases are signed and forms submitted. 

Juniors may register to sit for the SAT at Bear Creek on Wednesday, March 22. The registration deadline is Friday, February 10.

We would like to honor our graduating seniors on social media. Read more to see how to help our Marketing and Communications team honor each member of the Class of 2023!

All sophomores will sit for the PreACT on Friday, March 3. Students should bring the following items: a water bottle, snack, at least two #2 pencils, and a calculator. Arrive by 7:45 a.m. in the Main Commons for the test.

National Honor Society candidates (sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a 3.30 cumulative GPA) have been notified by email and are encouraged to submit all eligibility requirements by the Friday, March 3, deadline. Selected new members will be notified on Friday, March 17, and inducted on Monday, April 17, at 7:00 p.m.

Upper School students are encouraged to take advantage of their teachers' office hours each week.

Community service hours are a requirement for graduation. Upper School students must log at least 100 hours (75 hours for classes of 2021 – 2024 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic) between the summer before freshman year and the spring of senior year. Students must log their community service hours on x2VOL, our school tracking system.

Registration for the 2023 Battle of the Books is still open for students in grades 4 – 6! The library has extended the registration deadline until Friday, February 10. This means students still have time to read and register! Find all the Battle of the Books details online and encourage your child to start reading today.

Middle School (grades 6 – 8) spring sports (baseball, golf, and track & field) practices begin in early March, and the sports registration deadline is Thursday, February 16. Please pay the fee online and visit the health portal to ensure all the necessary releases are signed and forms submitted.

On Friday, January 27, Middle School parents are invited to join Division Head Jenn McDonough and Dean of Students Nathan Pettit in the C.E. “Ted” Kindel Library from 8:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. for fellowship and conversation. In this session, we will focus on preparing for spring, and a panel of guests from across the Division will share a variety of perspectives. Doors open at 8:15 a.m.

Over the course of the upcoming term, the health team will provide hearing and vision screenings for students in grades K – 3, 5, and 7. Read more to learn about the new technology Bear Creek will use to perform these screenings quickly, accurately, and safely.

Please congratulate the following students who were recognized at Chapel on January 30:

• Mila F., grade 4, for Creativity
• Rachel K., grade 2, for Genuineness

Each first-grade class will present three plays on Thursday, February 9, in the Upper School's Diamond Performing Arts Center (8525 208th Ave. NE, Redmond), located just south of the Main building.

Registration for the 2023 Battle of the Books is still open for students in grades 4 – 6! The library has extended the registration deadline until Friday, February 10. This means students still have time to read and register! Find all the Battle of the Books details online and encourage your child to start reading today.

Over the course of the upcoming term, the health team will provide hearing and vision screenings for students in grades K – 3, 5, and 7. Read more to learn about the new technology Bear Creek will use to perform these screenings quickly, accurately, and safely.

Preschool parents are invited to join Mrs. Urban for the Preschool Connection on Monday, February 6, 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m., in the Little Gym. She will be presenting on raising kids with character. You are welcome to invite friends who don’t attend Bear Creek. Coffee and refreshments will be served. Your RSVP is appreciated.

Preschoolers are invited to dress in pink and red colors as we celebrate Valentine’s Day on Monday, February 13, and Tuesday, February 14. Look out for teacher's newsletters which will have more information about the class parties. Class parties (and dress-up days) will be as follows:

• February 13: P3 Mrs. Mills; P3 Mrs. Files; and P4 Mrs. Hodges
• February 14: P3 Mrs. Taylor; P4 Mrs. Fletcher; P4 Mrs. Venable; P5 Mrs. Finlan; and P5 Mrs. Jacobson

Preschool parents are invited to join Mrs. Urban for the Preschool Connection on Monday, March 6, 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m., in the Little Gym for a conversation with special guest Cynthia Tobias, author of You Can’t Make Me (But I Can be Persuaded). You are welcome to invite friends who don’t attend Bear Creek. Coffee and refreshments will be served. Your RSVP is appreciated.

The first day of Upper School spring sports (baseball, girls golf, boys soccer, girls tennis, and track & field) practice is Monday, February 27, and the sports registration deadline is Thursday, February 9. Please pay the fee online and visit the health portal to ensure all the necessary releases are signed and forms submitted. 

Middle School (grades 6 – 8) spring sports (baseball, golf, and track & field) practices begin in early March, and the sports registration deadline is Thursday, February 16. Please pay the fee online and visit the health portal to ensure all the necessary releases are signed and forms submitted.

Optional basketball training sessions will be offered this winter for boys in grades 6 – 8 interested in playing Middle School basketball whether or not they played for the Grizzlies this past fall. Read more for details.

Check out BCGrizzlySports.org for the latest sports scores and game highlights as well as the team schedules. You will find cross country and track & field results on athletic.net. You can also watch the Grizzlies on NFHS Network directly from bcgrizzlysports.org. Go Grizzlies!