Inside this Newsletter
- Couselor's Note
- Parent & Guardian Night
- Picture Day
- Library News
- Transportation Changes
- Arrival and Departure
- Lunch Accounts
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Welcome to the 2026/2027 school year. My name is Janette Dodge and I am Ordway Elementary’s School Counselor. It has been wonderful to see familiar faces and welcome new students to Ordway. The smiles of the children as I greet them at the front doors every morning really makes my day. I wanted to use this opportunity to explain how my position supports the building
All three elementary schools on Bainbridge Island are lucky to have full time counselors. As a school counselor, my primary goal is to support the academic, emotional, and social development of students while helping them build a strong foundation for lifelong learning. Elementary school is a time of rapid growth, and I work closely with students, teachers, parents, and administrators to ensure every student feels safe, and valued.
Here is a quick overview of how I support our K–4 students:
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Classroom Lessons: I visit classrooms to support the teachers as they instruct our Social-Emotional Learning curriculum. Currently we use the Purposeful People/Characterstrong curriculum that covers topics such as recognizing and managing emotions, conflict resolution, kindness, empathy, problem-solving, and building positive friendships. The Characterstrong curriculum also aligns with Washington State’s SEL standards.
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Small Group Counseling: Throughout the year, I offer short-term small group sessions focused on specific topics such as social skills, managing big feelings, adjusting to family changes, or building self-confidence.
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Individual Support: I meet with students individually for brief, solution-focused counseling to help them work through immediate challenges, regulate emotions, or navigate school-day transitions.
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Family & Staff Collaboration: I partner with parents, guardians, and teachers to share strategies, address individual needs, and connect families with school or community resources.
Please feel free to reach out if you ever have questions or concerns about your child's well-being, or would like to discuss ways I can support your child. My phone number is 206-780-1455 or you can reach me by email at jdodge@bisd303.org
I look forward to a wonderful year of learning and growing together with your family!
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What: Parent & Guardian Night (Adult-only event)
When: Thursday, September 17
Where: Starts in the Gym for a school-wide presentation, followed by classroom visits to meet teachers.
Childcare is available through the Boys and Girls Club. Sign-up and payment details HERE. There is limited availablity, paymen/forms must be filled out in advance and children must be potty trained.
Grade Level Schedules
Kindergarten, 1st Grade, & 4th Grade
2nd Grade & 3rd Grade
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Ordway's Picture Day is scheduled for Tuesday September 29th. Information on how to order school pictures is found HERE. Picture Retake Day is October 20.
Students go with their class to have their picture taken. These pictures are used for their Skyward files and also our yearbook. No hats or props for the picture. Josten's recommends children do not wear green as it interferes with the green screen technology used.
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Ordway students will begin visiting the Ordway Library soon. Please read the following flyer for Library information including NEW procedures for late/missing books and how to volunteer! Thank you! |
Thank you, everyone, for filling out the Afterschool Transportation Google Form last week!
Going forward, please inform the Ordway Office of any changes to your child’s afterschool transportation in one of two ways:
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Email: ordbus@bisd303.org — This inbox is monitored daily by office staff. We will respond to your email, record the change, and pass a note to your child’s teacher.
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Voicemail: Call 206-842-7637 (Option 3). We monitor this throughout the day, note the change, and inform your child’s teacher. Please note that we do not return these phone calls.
A few important reminders:
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Notify us by 10:00 AM on the day of the change.
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Contact the Ordway Office, not just the teacher. Teachers rarely have time to check emails during instruction. Office staff will ensure your child’s teacher receives the update.
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Contact the Ordway Office, not District Transportation. Now that the school year is underway, the District Transportation office does not handle daily changes.
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Lunch Balances: We know how easy it is with busy schedules for lunch balances to slide into the negative. To help prevent these balances from compounding over time into large, unexpected totals, we are introducing a new monthly invoice process this year.
How the New Process Works:
At the end of each month, any remaining negative lunch balance will be converted into a standard student fee. Families with a balance will receive an email invoice for the amount owed, using the same process currently used for unpaid library fees or textbook replacements. You can pay the invoice directly online or through your school’s main office.
Please remember, if your family could use a little extra support, applications for free or reduced-price meals are always open and completely confidential.
Thank you so much for your partnership as we work to keep our meal programs running smoothly and ensure every student stays fueled and ready to learn. If you have any questions about your account, please don't hesitate to reach out to our Nutrition Services department: adaniels@bisd303.org.
Fee Update: Online payments can be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week for a small transaction fee. If your child’s food service balance is low, it only takes a few minutes to add money using your VISA or Mastercard credit or debit card.
Reminder: Cash or checks are always accepted at your child’s school as an alternative to online payments and have no transaction fee.
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New this year, students are in school for full days Monday through Friday. We will have one full-day or half-day release, roughly once a month, on a Monday. Here are rest of the the September Mondays:
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Monday, September 21 — Full school day.
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Monday, September 28 — Our first professional development day. No school for students.
Full-day releases (no school for students)
September 28 · October 26 · January 25 · March 22 · May 17
Half-day releases - Ordway - 10:50 departure
November 30 · April 26 · June 7
Resources
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Did you know that these dates are on Ordway Parent Square and the Ordway Website? And you can subscribe to the Ordway Calendar?
SEPTEMBER
17: PARENT & GUARDIAN INFO NIGHT
28: NO SCHOOL - TEACHER RELEASE DAY
29: SCHOOL PICTURE DAY
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This page on the BISD Website publicizes information about community events as a service to non-profit community organizations. These events are perceived as appropriate for students, parents, and families. Interested in submitting news and events? Learn how to do so by visiting our webpage, Distributing News & Events.
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Bainbridge Island School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, the presence of any sensory mental, or physical disability, neurodivergence or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. The BISD provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:
Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator & Title IX Coordinator:
Kristen Haizlip, Associate Superintendent
206-780-1058
khaizlip@bisd303.org
Section 504/ADA Coordinators:
Annalisa Sanchez, Director of Student Services
206-780-1069
asanchez@bisd303.org
Maria Kuffel, Director of Student Services
206-780-1088
mkuffel@bisd303.org
8489 Madison Avenue North Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
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