Lower School
This page contains information for new students in grades 1 – 4 and their parents. Please bookmark this page so you can follow up on all the information provided below as it is updated throughout the spring and summer.
Welcome
Parent Orientation
Plan to attend our Parent Welcome and Orientation meeting for parents of new students entering grades 1 – 4 on Thursday, April 24, at 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., in the Main building at Redmond Campus. Join V.P. for Academic Affairs Karen Blankenbeckler, Division Head Kristen Gephart, and Dean of Students Tracy Whitfield for a broad overview of the Bear Creek experience and receive information and resources that will help make for a smooth and successful transition to our school community.
Preparing for a New School
Tuition Payment
Whether opting for monthly payments or a single annual payment, sign up for a FACTS Tuition Management account no later than April 1, 2025. The first payment is due on May 5. The annual fee for FACTS is $50 per household (waived if tuition and facility fee are paid in full).
If you already have a FACTS account and need to add a new student, please contact Carol Willard, Accounts Receivable Specialist, at 425-898-1720 ext. 304 or cwillard@tbcs.org.
Families receiving tuition assistance, or any other credit, or enrolling late will have their accounts adjusted after the FACTS account is set up. Contact Carol Willard to verify monthly amount due.
Portal Access
Update your contact information and view your billing account on the (New Parent Portal. Log in using the same credentials used to log in to the Admissions Portal. If necessary, click the drop-down menu on the column at the top portal page to switch from the Admissions Portal to the New Parent Portal.
If you have any questions about accessing the New Parent Portal, please email Communications Manager Sini Fernandez (sfernandez@tbcs.org).
Math Placement
Starting in grade 1, we place students in math class according to ability. Many students work at grade level, but if you believe your child is working above grade level, we will have him/her complete a Math Placement Assessment. However, if you know your child’s best fit class will be at grade level, your child does not need to take an assessment, and we will place him/her accordingly.
We ask all parents of new students to complete the Math Placement Information form by April 11, so we know which students to assess (if you have multiple children enrolled, please complete separate forms). If your child enrolls after April 11 or you have questions about math placement, please contact Lower School Division Assistant Cady Reimer at creimer@tbcs.org or Division Head Kristen Gephart (kgephart@tbcs.org).
Summer Review
Check out the Summer Assignments and Review page for enrichment activities and ideas.
Summer Reading Program
Students entering grades K – 8 are encouraged to participate in our summer reading program.
Summer Camp
Summer Camp 2025 runs for four weeks in June and July. We are offering a selection of sports, arts, and STEM camps for kids who will enter grades K – 12 next fall.
Immunization Requirement
Washington State law (RCW 28A.210.080) requires that all children enrolled at a public or private school must have documentation of the required immunizations or an exemption in order to attend school or preschool, including those attending an alternative school program such as Running Start, vocational technical school, or virtual school. The immunization records must be on file at the school by August 1 or prior the first day of attendance (for mid-year enrollees). See www.doh.wa.gov/vaxtoschool for additional details in multiple languages.
To help the school and our families meet this requirement, The Bear Creek School uses the School Module, an online system provided by the Washington State Department of Health. The School Module allows Bear Creek to quickly and efficiently check if your child has the vaccines required for school. This saves the health team from entering vaccination dates and frees up time to care for students.
On or before August 1, all new students and all returning preschool and grade 7 students must upload a medically verified Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) form to the health portal. Children cannot attend school until these records are provided. We cannot accept any forms that have been mailed, emailed, or dropped off.
A medically verified Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) form is a:
- CIS printed by a health care provider from the Washington State Immunization Information System (IIS). This is medically verified by the Immunization Information System.
- CIS printed from MyIR which is a free Department of Health site that allows families to view and print their official immunization records themselves. This is medically verified by the Immunization Information System. You can access your child’s immunization record at any time at MyIRMobile.com. First-time users will need to register. Users who previously had an account on MyIR.net should be able to use those credentials to log in and access immunization records after connecting your mobile phone number to your account.
- CIS completed by hand.
- Must be verified with a health care provider signature
or - Must have medical vaccination records attached so it can be verified for accuracy by school staff
- Must be verified with a health care provider signature
If your child is on a delayed schedule, also have your child's health care provider complete and sign the Certificate of Exemption. See Health Services for more information or contact Lea Hysom, school nurse, at lea.hysom@tbcs.org if you have any questions about your child's immunization records.
School Uniforms
Information about uniform guidelines, dress days, and online ordering can be found on the School Uniforms page. Spirit gear may be purchased in the Grizzly Gear Shop, either online or in person.
Back-to-School Registration
Look for email in early June announcing your child's Back-to-School Registration is ready for your attention. Back-to-School Registration is due by August 1, 2025, and must be complete before your child may attend school.
School Supplies
Bear Creek provides most materials for our students; however, there are some school supplies that parents must purchase for their children.
Lunch
See Dining Services for details about how Lower School families will pre-order their child's lunches each week and when family dining accounts for new families will be set up.
Drop-off and Pick-up
Review our campus maps and familiarize yourself with the morning and afternoon routines (subject to change). Families with students in both Lower School and Middle School may sign up for drop-off and pick-up supervision.
After School Programs
Bear Creek Plus offers after school enrichment classes for Lower School students. Fall session classes will be posted on August 4, and registration will open on August 11.
Grizzly Hoops
Grizzly Hoops is Bear Creek's basketball development program for boys and girls in grades 4, 5, and 6. Registration opens in September, and the season runs from November through February. If your child is interested in participating, please attend the online information meeting on Tuesday, May 6, at 7:00 p.m.
Mark Your Calendar
On every webpage, you will find a link to the School Calendar which can be filtered according to your child's division (or check out the special Lower School Calendar). Parents may subscribe to the various sub-calendar feeds and/or subscribe to email/text alerts for specific events or calendars.
Inside Bear Creek
As part of your orientation to Bear Creek, please plan to join Patrick Carruth, President and Headmaster, and Mariana Keller, Vice President for Philanthropy and Community Engagement, at Inside Bear Creek in the fall. This gathering will provide you with important practical information about how to get involved in the Bear Creek community as a parent, an understanding of how the school functions beyond the classrooms, and an opportunity to connect with other new families. Look for an email in early September with more details.
Contacts
By Division
Preschool (P3 – P5)
- Division Head Rachael Urban, rurban@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 803
- Division Assistant Minette Williams, mwilliams@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 808
Lower School (grades K – 4)
- Division Head Kristen Gephart, kgephart@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 115
- Dean of Students Tracy Whitfield, twhitfield@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 442
- Division Assistant Cady Reimer, creimer@tbcs.org. 425-898-1720 ext. 116
Middle School (grades 5 – 8)
- Division Head Jenn McDonough, jmcdonough@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 229
- Dean of Students Daniel Bates, dbates@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 209
- Division Assistant Suzanne Grant, sgrant@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 215
Upper School (grades 9 – 12)
- Division Head Carol Miller, cmiller@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 539
- Dean of Students Dave Urban, durban@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 733
- Division Assistant Patti Domas, pdomas@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 532
By Department
Tuition and Fees
- Director of Business Operations Kathleen Lewis, klewis@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720, ext. 302
Giving or Volunteering
- Vice President for Philanthropy and Community Engagement Mariana Keller, mkeller@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 340
Attendance
- See instructions on Attendance page; email attendance@tbcs.org
Health Services
- Director of Health Services and School Nurse Lea Hysom, lea.hysom@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 399
Back-to-School Registration
- Communications Manager Sini Fernandez, sfernandez@tbcs.org
Athletics
- Athletics Director Chad Pohlman, cpohlman@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 431 (grades 9 – 12 sports)
- Middle School Athletics Director Nate Campbell, ncampbell@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 430 (grades 6 – 8 sports)
College and Academic Advising
- Dean of College and Academic Advising Katie Gomulkiewicz, kgomulkiewicz@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 533 (grades 11 – 12)
- Dean of Academic Advising Ayoleida Páramo, aparamo@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 535 (grades 9 – 10)
- Registrar James Woollard or Amanda Hale, registrar@tbcs.org, 425-898-1720 ext. 537
Admissions
- Director of Admissions Christie Hazeltine, admissions@tbcs.org
- Admissions Associate Carrie Nordberg, cnordberg@tbcs.org (coordinates Parent Mentor program)
Also check out the online directory of faculty and staff.