Back-to-school reminders: fill out annual Skyward forms by Sept. 8, annual notifications, attendance, nondiscrimination, and ParentSquare

The first day of school is nearly here! Here are a few reminders about annual forms and important information.

Annual updates to important student information and permissions
By Monday, Sept 8, please fill out and electronically sign annual district forms in Skyward Family Access. Login and look in the left sidebar for “Annual Student Updates 2025-26,” then fill out the annual forms for each child you have enrolled in our district. It is easier to fill out these forms from a computer rather than a mobile device.

If you have forgotten your password, please click “Forgot your Login/Password?” to reset.

If you have additional questions or need assistance with your Family Access account or filling out the forms, please contact your school.

Key information about annual forms:

·         These annual forms include: student information, emergency contacts, student privacy, student device checkout, and go home plan for elementary students.

·         If you opted your child out of student publicity, yearbook, military or PTA directory last year, your preference(s) must be renewed if you wish the opt-out to continue.

·         Only certain guardians have access to forms, which keeps forms from being accidentally deleted or overwritten.

·         Middle and high school families, please consider adding a student cell phone number for our records to aid communication about safety situations, classes, activities and athletics, and other important school communications.

Attendance Reminders
Bellingham Public Schools works to ensure that all students fully benefit from their education by attending school regularly. Consistent attendance helps children feel better about school and themselves. If your student is going to be absent due to illness or other reasons, please contact the school office as soon as possible. Absences are considered unexcused after 48 hours have passed.

Attendance notifications will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 3 through our ParentSquare system, and parents can excuse the absence in ParentSquare through attendance notes.

Annual nondiscrimination notice
In compliance with Washington state law, this email is our annual reminder of our nondiscrimination statement and your family’s options and rights regarding discrimination and harassment in our schools.

To read our statement in full, please visit the nondiscrimination notice on our website.

Additional annual notices
We are required to annually notify families and students of certain policies and laws, and we encourage you to learn more on this webpage and/or review the family handbook mailed to all families earlier this month.

Communication and ParentSquare
Most district, school, classroom and athletic and activities communications are sent through ParentSquare, our school-to-home communications system. Within ParentSquare, parents can set their notification preferences (digest mode at end of day or instantly), excuse student absences (see more below), and receive school and district communications. For new families who have not logged into the system, you will receive an email soon encouraging you to activate/log in to your account. You will continue to receive our communications even if you do not sign in.

Voluntary student accident insurance
The safety of our students is of critical importance to all of us in Bellingham Public Schools, and we want to protect them as much as possible from injury. However, accidents do happen both at school and elsewhere and required medical care can be expensive. Please know that your school does not assume responsibility for medical care costs but does offer you access to student accident insurance plans for voluntary purchase. Read more online.