Key back-to-school information for 2024-25; first days, Block Party, and more!

A Message from the Department of Communications and Community Relations

We hope your family is having a wonderful summer. We look forward to welcoming you back to 蜜桃视频 at the end of the month. Here is some important general information for the coming school year, including key dates and back-to-school events for all families and schools!

First days of school听

The first day of class for students in grades 1-12 is Thursday, Aug. 29. This is a full day for all grades. For school start and end times, and for the middle and high school A/B day calendar, please visit our鈥calendars webpage.鈥听

The first day for kindergarten, Promise kindergarten and preschool is Tuesday, Sept. 3. This is a full school day and students will follow the regular elementary schedule: 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. We encourage all eligible bus riders to take the school bus home on these first days to learn how. 听

Back-to-School Family Block Party, Aug. 24
蜜桃视频 will host a Back-to-School Block Party, a resource fair for all district families, from听10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24.听The event will be onsite at Bellingham High School, located at 2020 Cornwall Avenue.

School and community partner tables will provide important resources for starting the school year. The event will include signups for Operation School Bell, a program of the Assistance League of Bellingham that supplies new school clothes for families, onsite sports physicals, haircuts and information on child immunizations. Additional information about the Block Party will be communicated ahead of the event.

Thank you to the 蜜桃视频 Foundation, the Project Neighborly Fund of the Whatcom Community Foundation, BECU, Molina Healthcare and PeaceHealth for supporting this community event. We look forward to seeing you and your children there. Only service animals allowed onsite.

August hours for schools and District Office

New families can鈥register their children online鈥痑苍诲 assistance is available at buildings that are open over the summer, including the District Office at 1985 Barkley Blvd.听听

The District Office is open 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday through Aug. 9. Regular hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.) resume Monday, Aug. 12.

For school and attendance area information, visit听bellinghamschools.org/attendance-areas听or call 360-676-6400 until schools reopen.听Click here for school contact information.

Until Aug. 8, Bellingham, Sehome and Squalicum high school office will be open 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and closed on Friday. Beginning Monday, Aug. 12, these three high school offices will be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the exception of Friday, Aug. 16, when high school offices will be closed for the annual administrative assistant meeting.

Options High School office opens on Tuesday, Aug. 20.

Elementary and middle schools reopen to the public from 9 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 19 until the first day of school.

Calendar and handbook

All registered district families will receive the听() to their homes in August. Additional copies will be available in school offices. The handbook/calendar contains important information about district and school programs, annual legal notifications required by federal and state law, and the following information:

  • The school year calendar and school schedules;
  • Information on school meals; and
  • 听and the annual update forms for attendance, privacy opt-outs, military families, the student housing questionnaire and the elementary return home plan.

General Information听
Please visit听Families听on the district鈥檚 website for the following information or click on the links below:

For other school-specific information, contact your school or visit the听school website.听 Schools will also be sending their own back-to-school information, so make sure you have updated your communication preferences in the disstrict’s communication platform called ParentSquare. ParentSquare is an app-based, web-based system that enhances two-way communication. Find out more online at bellinghamschools.org/parentsquare.

For general district information, call 360-676-6400.

Bus Routes听
Routes will be posted at听bellinghamschools.org/transportation听by Wednesday, Aug. 21.

Transportation is currently updating bus routes to safely serve student transportation needs and to operate as efficiently as possible. Eligible riders will receive an email notification when bus routes and times have been set for 2024-25. Preschool and special education transportation information will be mailed home mid-August.

Please check this information carefully because your child鈥檚 service area, bus number, bus stop, and pick-up and drop-off times may have changed from last year. Please call Transportation after Aug. 21 if you have any questions about bus transportation.

Elementary School Registration听
Elementary school offices reopen Monday, Aug. 19 from 9 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. until school starts.

Elementary schools will share 鈥渕eet and greet鈥 information, as well as fall open house information, in coming weeks. Some information about middle and high school orientations and open houses is below. Look for communication from your school confirming these dates and times.

For kindergarten information, visit the听Early Childhood Education webpage,听contact your neighborhood school or call 360-676-6488.

Middle Schools听

Middle school offices reopen to the public Monday, Aug. 19 from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. until school starts.听听

听

  • Grade 6 student orientation 鈥 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 22听
  • New to FMS grade 7 and 8 orientation 鈥 11 a.m. to noon Aug. 23听
  • Curriculum Night for all grades 鈥 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 12听

听

  • Grade 6 student orientation – 9 to 11 a.m. Aug. 22听听
  • New to KMS grade 7 and 8 orientation 鈥 Noon to 1 p.m. Aug. 22听
  • Fall Open House – 6:30 p.m. Sept. 26听

听

  • Grade 6 student orientation 鈥 1 to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 22听
  • New to SMS grade 7 and 8 student orientation 鈥 3 to 4 p.m. Aug. 22听听
  • Back-to-School Night 鈥 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18听

听

  • Grade 6 student orientation – 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 22听
  • New to WMS grade 7 and 8 orientation – 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 23听听
  • Back-to-School Night 鈥 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19听

听

High Schools听

Starting the week of Aug. 12 high school offices will be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Families can鈥register new students online. High school orientations, open houses and athletic information are listed below by school:听

听

  • Ninth grade and new to BHS orientation 鈥 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Aug. 22听
  • Fall Open House 鈥 6 p.m. Sept. 11听
  • BHS fall sports clearance information can be found鈥.听
  • Appointments for new (unregistered) Bellingham High students: call 360-676-6470 ext. 7110.听

听

听

  • Ninth grade orientation 鈥 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Aug. 22; Optional lunch from noon to 1 p.m.听
  • New to SHS student orientation tour 鈥 1 to 2 p.m. Aug. 22听
  • Fall Back-to-School Night 鈥 6 p.m. Sept. 10听
  • Athletics: SHS fall sports clearance information can be found鈥.听
  • Appointments for new (unregistered) SHS students: call 360-676-6470, ext. 5205.听

听

听

  • Ninth grade orientation 鈥 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 22听
  • New to SQHS student orientation 鈥 8:30 鈥 10:30 a.m. Aug. 22听
  • Fall Back-to-School Night – 6 p.m. Sept. 10听
  • SQHS fall sports clearance information can be found鈥听
  • Online registration is encouraged, but registration packets for new (unregistered) SQHS students may be picked up at the main office any day during office hours. A registration appointment will be scheduled prior to the start of the school year.听


Returning students will receive information by mail in mid-August. New students interested in attending Options may pick up application and enrollment materials at Options High School during the summer.鈥.鈥 Once the application packet is complete and returned, prospective students will be scheduled to meet with the principal to determine next steps.听

  • Ninth grade and new to OHS student orientation 鈥 10 to 11 a.m. Aug. 23听
  • New and returning student and family open house 鈥 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17听