Ordway Weekly Newsletter - September 8, 2025

Inside this Newsletter

Dear Ordway Families,

With our kindergartners - the Class of 2038 - now here too, we are happy to be starting the new school year all together! Ordway has numerous new families in every grade and newly assigned staff to our building as well - please join me in extending the warmest welcome to all of our new Ordway Otters.

Due to the seismic retrofitting construction project over the summer, I am awestruck at the work that went into preparing this building to open in time for children’s arrival on September 2nd. Huge round of applause to our entire Ordway staff - especially our custodians Darrell Rapada and Holden Feichko - and custodians and maintenance staff across the district who all went above and beyond to ensure this building is safe. In case you may be curious, below is a glimpse of what the rooms looked like during construction. Amazing to see it all put back together as if nothing had happened!

A new initiative this year is a BISD Attendance Campaign to improve K-12 student engagement and participation. While Ordway’s student attendance can definitely improve according to OSPI data, our children’s tardiness is far more of a concern. Please make every effort to have your child here on time - ensuring a smooth start for your child and minimizing disruption for the other children in the class. Please be reminded that 8:50 is the late bell for all students.

Last, our Back to School Night for Parents/Guardians (no children) is on Thursday, September 18th at the following times to help with parking:

5:15-6:15 Grades K, 1st, 4th 

6:30-7:30 Grades 2nd, 3rd 

Looking forward to a wonderful school year ahead,

Best,

Debra

Please note recent update! Ordway will include Kindergarten Families in our Parent & Guardian Night Thursday September 18:

Times:

Anytime your child’s after school schedule changes, please notify the Ordway office prior to 10 AM so that we have time to write and send a note to the teacher. Teachers are not always checking their email during the day so notifying us in the office, early, via one of the methods below is best practice. 

As a reminder to bus riders: Transportation is limited to a student's home and/or to one of the following afterschool care locations: BigKids/KidsClub and Hazelcreek Montessori.

This is a one-stop resource for all the information you need about Bainbridge Island School District:

This information is also available in the Family Handbook section on our website, where it can be translated into the language of your choice.

BISD uses ParentSquare to share district and school communications (such as this newsletter) with our families, staff and the community.

All parents/guardians with a student in our school system can set up their ParentSquare account using the same email address listed in Skyward/Family Access. This document walks you through the necessary steps.

Questions about Lunch menu's, how much it costs, how to pay or how to sign up for Free and Reduced Lunch (or renew your FRL status)? Please look at the Food & Nutrition Services page on the BISD website!