Coho Connection 05/06/25

Dear Sakai Families,

We are filled with gratitude this week. Thank you to everyone who came Friday night to support our Talent Show. Our students are very impressive, and it was a joyful event celebrating them.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. We are so fortunate to have such an amazing team of dedicated, talented, and caring educators at Sakai. I feel honored to work alongside each of them. Please let them know how much you appreciate them, too! And a huge thank you to our fabulous PTO for supplying delicious treats all week with a fun camp theme.

Tomorrow starts our SBA testing. See the calendar below. All testing will begin in the morning and pause for lunch and recess. Most students will be done by lunch, however, students will be allowed more time after lunch if needed. To ensure students feel comfortable and ready, it’s important that they are on time with a charged Chromebook for testing dates. Student’s showing up after testing has begun may be asked to test in an alternative location so as not to disrupt their classroom. Students will also need reliable headphones or earbuds on testing day.

It looks as if we will need to cancel a few of the chaperoned routes for this week’s practice ride due to volunteer shortage. Look for a message tomorrow. B.I. Cycle is offering free kid checks on bikes and helmets.

The Family Dare this week is the same one our kids have and is called “Joy Mining”. Connect with a family member and ask them to describe something that brings them joy at home and something that bothers them. Then, ask them to share one thing you can do to contribute to their sense of joy at home.

Have a wonderful week, Sakai!

Drew

In an effort to assure a fair and consistent district-wide placement procedure, the following process has been adopted: The teaching staff will provide the building principal and counselor with the necessary information concerning all students considered for placement in the next year’s classrooms. The Sakai placement team receives information from current 5th grade teachers. The principal has final responsibility for classroom assignments. 

Parents/Guardians may provide additional information to assist the staff in meeting the needs of their child if they feel it is necessary. Please be brief and specific.

Student placement is one of the most important things we do. A great deal of time and effort is put into this process to provide a placement where each child will succeed. Mr. Crandall, Sakai Principal, receives information from each 5th grade teacher about their students. Along with the parent/guardian input forms, the Sakai Placement Team (Principal, Dean of Students, Counselors, and Special Education Teachers) uses this information to determine the placement. Our goal is to create balanced supportive learning communities. The majority of students are well equipped to adjust to any classroom placement.

Beth Hebert, ehebert@bisd303.org, 206-780-6506

Anita Watson, awatson@bisd303.org, 206-780-6561

Sakai School Counselors

Art is Busy! We have learned about Jackson Pollock, Radial design, Element of Art Value and are putting together a small accordion book of art. Soon to come will be silk screening for 6th graders and animal collage for 5th graders. 

As we prepare to set our students up for Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA), we are asking that each student bring in a set of wired headphones or earbuds to use. These should be in a plastic bag labeled with the student's name and homeroom teacher. We ask that they are left at school for the duration of the testing window and can be taken home when the student is finished.

Thank you for helping Sakai set our students up for success!

All tests begin at 8:55 and end at lunch time.

WHAT: Sakai Choir sings at Mariners vs. New York Yannkees game

WHEN: Monday, May 12th, 6:40 pm

  

WHERE: T-Mobile Park

Tickets are being sold at a discounted rate through and part of the proceeds go to supporting our choir program. We hope to see you at the game on May 12, Seattle Mariners v. New York Yankees! Use the QR code or fevo link below to get access to the discounted tickets. Deadline to purchase is May 9th."

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Ms. Gibbs via email. kregan@bisd303.org. 

Go Sakai, Go Mariners, and GO CHOIR!

 Fevo Link

It’s time to get your students bike out and get them ready. We will be having chaperoned rides starting from five different locations. If your student is interested in riding with one of these chaperoned rides they will be able to meet at that location at 8:00 AM. Please refer to this map.

We will also be having a “practice ride” on May 9th. These will be the same routes and times. 

Bike to School Day is a really fun day at Sakai and a good opportunity to reinforce safe biking habits and healthy choices. Aside from biking to and from school, students will also get to ride their bikes at recess on a course outlined on the field (complete with BIPD speedometer). We also have a really engaging assembly set up that day. If your child would like to participate but doesn’t have a bike, let me know. We have received some bikes in great shape we can loan out.

To make this happen, we need LOTS of volunteers. Please consider signing up here. 

All volunteers must have completed our district's application process outlined here: https://www.bisd303.org/Domain/1809

We have several upcoming volunteer opportunities. Thank you for considering signing up to help us out.

Bike to School Day is on May 16th. We will be having a practice ride on May 9th. We need many volunteers. If you can, please consider signing up to volunteer. Bike to School Day is a really fun day at Sakai and a good opportunity to reinforce safe biking habits and healthy choices.

As our Spring weather becomes a little unpredictable and may be less-than-outdoor-recess-ideal, our awesome Sakai staff would like to provide a game room alternative during lunch recess! Game Room will be available during recess on "B" or "C" specialist days T-F. We would love one parent volunteer to supervise each of these. Please review the available slots below snag one or more if you are able. Thank you!

Please remember that all volunteers who help in the classroom, on field trips, and other various activities must be cleared by the district: Volunteering with BISD. The approval process can take up to two weeks. Once approved, you are ready to volunteer and your approval is valid for two years.

Please bring your driver's license or id each time you sign into any school in the district.

The Annual Back-to-school Check-in (ABC) process is now open. This annual process lets us know that your student(s) are returning to our schools for 2025-26 and allows parents/guardians to review annual information. 

The ABCs must be completed* for all students attending BISD schools in 2025-26, including both new and returning students. Access the ABCs by logging into your Family Access account. It should take about 15 minutes (or less!) to complete. 

If you need assistance with the ABC process (such as translation, accessing technology, or other questions), please get in touch with our office.

 

NOT RETURNING? If your current K-11th grade student is not returning to BISD schools next fall, please let our office know.

BISD’s last day of school for the 2024-25 School Year is Monday, June 23rd.

​The last day of school runs on a half-day schedule. Sakai is dismissed at 11:55 a.m.

Buses run to/from school and breakfast is served but lunch is not served. 

And, as a reminder. there is no school on Thursday, June 19th in observance of Juneteenth. 

Free summer program for students entering 6th grade in fall 2025 - Register now for the Future Focused Summer Academy! Students who are entering sixth grade in fall 2025 will participate in this two-week program to learn self-regulation skills, mindfulness, goal setting, and hope as they explore interests, strengths, and career and future pathways. Coordinated by Kitsap Strong, held at the Olympic College campus in Bremerton. Two sessions available: July 14-24 and August 4-14. Register here. Contact: promise.partner@kitsapstrong.org.

For a list of other local events happening in our community, visit BISD's Community Events page. 

*Bainbridge Island School District does not sponsor this event, and the district assumes no responsibility for it. In consideration of the privilege to distribute materials, the Bainbridge Island School District shall be held harmless from any cause of action filed in any court or administrative tribunal arising out of the distribution of these materials, including costs, attorney's fees, and judgments or awards.

7: SBA ELA CAT Testing 5th & 6th grade 9:00 AM

8: SBA ELA PT Testing 5th & 6th grade 9:00 AM

9: PTO Mini Mart and Popcorn Day

12: Choir Club National Anthem at Mariners Game 6:40 PM

14: SBA Math CAT Testing 5th & 6th grade 9:00 AM

15: SBA Math PT Testing 5th & 6th grade 9:00 AM

15: PTO Meeting 9:00 AM

16: Bike to School Day

20 : SBA Science - 5th grade only 9:00 AM

26 : Memorial Day - No school

28 : 6th Grade Restoration Point Field Trip 10:15 AM

29 : Coho Ambassadors Field Trip to Ordway 9:00 AM

19 : Juneteenth Holiday - No school

23: Last day of school, dismissal 11:55 AM