Community News and Area Activities

In this section, we post information submitted to us by the community, which may be of interest to Medina Elementary families. No sponsorship or endorsement is made or implied by the PTA or Bellevue School District.

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A Semester of Appreciation: Celebrating Our Staff and Volunteers

1/26/2026 2:22 pm

As the first semester wraps up, we celebrated our amazing teachers and staff with several wonderful events.

We kicked off the year with the Staff Welcome Back Party, followed by the Energy Garden in September. In October, the 5th grade hosted a Harvest Themed Luncheon, and the 4th grade treated our staff to a Mashed Potato Bar Luncheon in November. In December, we hosted a festive Cookie Drive, and the semester wrapped up with a Seahawks Football Themed Brunch hosted by Kindergarten in January.

A heartfelt thank-you to all our incredible volunteers for giving their time and energy. We are so grateful for the effort and care each volunteer contributed. We’re excited for more events in the future as we continue to celebrate the amazing teachers and staff who make our school such a special place for our children!

August Staff Welcome Back Party

September Energy Garden

November Mashed Potato Bar Luncheon - Hosted by 4th Grade

December Cookie Drive

January Seahawks Football Themed Brunch - Hosted by Kindergarten

1/26/2026 2:12 pm

Join us for World Culture Night on Friday, January 30th from 5:00PM–7:00PM for an exciting journey around the globe! Bring your family and friends — everyone is welcome!

Enjoy exploring a variety of traditional snacks, drinks, foods, and handmade cultural activities throughout the evening. Experience the beauty of cultures from around the world through:

🎭 Fashion shows
🐉 Dragon dance
🎶 K-pop performances
💃 Traditional cultural dances
🎹 Piano performance

We’re looking for participants and volunteers to help make this event a success. Get involved by:

Hosting a Culture Table
Share your country’s culture by featuring traditional snacks and items.

Participating in the Fashion Show
Showcase your heritage by wearing your national or traditional costume.

Volunteering to Help
Support the event by assisting with:

Pre-event setup
Helping during the show
Event cleanup

Let’s come together to share, learn, and celebrate global cultures!

Please consider signing up here — we can’t do it without you!

1/26/2026 11:50 am

Why should your son play lacrosse?

Active and athletic: Players run, throw, catch, and score—like a mix of soccer, basketball, and hockey.

Team and friendships: Builds camaraderie through teamwork, encouragement, and shared fun.

Fast thinking: Helps kids make quick decisions in a fast-paced game.

Confidence-building: Successes like scoring, passing, and helping the team boost pride and self-esteem.

High-energy fun: Constant action keeps kids engaged; youth rules prohibit full-body checks and stick hitting.

New to lacrosse and unsure about signing up? The club has used gear you can try before you buy. Used equipment may include: stick, helmet, chest pads, elbow pads, gloves, balls.

If you have questions, please contact Brian Hayden: brian@flinnferguson.com | 206-755-3033

Download the informational flyer here.

11/23/2025 11:27 am

Bellevue families, educators, and community members are invited to come together for a powerful evening focused on the future of our schools. Washington State continues to fall short of fully funding K–12 education, and our students feel these gaps every day. The Regional Town Hall on Education Funding is our opportunity to show up, learn, and advocate for the equitable, sustainable support our students deserve.

This student-led Town Hall will center student voices from across our region. Students will share personal stories and real experiences showing how funding impacts their learning, opportunities, and daily school experience. Their courage and leadership deserve a full room of community support. When we show up as a community, we strengthen our schools — and our future.

📅 Wednesday, January 7, 2026

⏰ 7:00–9:00 PM

📍 Newport High School Gymnasium [4333 Factoria Blvd SE, Bellevue, WA 98006]

Submit Your Questions for Legislators

The program will feature a Q&A Forum with regional state legislators to ask questions and elevate the issues affecting our schools. We invite families, educators, and community members to submit questions in advance:

🔗 COMMUNITY QUESTIONS: https://forms.gle/HzJEaNGzJSh3d8tKA

Calling Student Volunteers!

We are recruiting student volunteers to support the event — including roles in welcoming attendees, moderating questions, sharing stories, helping with social media outreach, and assisting behind the scenes. Student volunteers can earn community service hours. Email us at: advocacy@bellevueptsacouncil.com

11/9/2025 10:30 am

The BHS Dance Team is excited to host the Mini Wolverines K–8 Dance Camp on Saturday, December 6th! Join the BHS Dance Team for a fun day of dancing, learning, and school spirit! Campers get a team t-shirt, pizza lunch, and learn a short routine with the dancers.

📍 Location: Bellevue High School Gym
🎟️ Suggested Donation: $75 (PayPal or check to BHS Dance Team Boosters)
🕐 Registration closes: November 24th

11/9/2025 10:27 am

Get ready to lace up your skates and make magical winter memories! The Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink returns to Bellevue Downtown Park from November 21 through January 19, offering fun for the whole family in the heart of downtown Bellevue.

This annual tradition features the region’s largest covered open-air ice (real frozen water!) skating experience, complete with twinkling lights, cheerful music, and plenty of holiday spirit. Whether you’re a first-time skater or a seasoned pro, it’s a wonderful way to celebrate the season and enjoy time with family and friends.

Even better—your fun on the ice helps support our school! For every paid admission, $3 will be donated back to Medina Elementary when you simply mention “Medina” upon arrival at the rink. (Please note: donations can’t be tracked through the online reservation system, so be sure to let rink staff know when you check in.)

🎟️ Reservations: Skating sessions can be reserved online in advance here.
📍 Location: Bellevue Downtown Park, NE 1st Street & 100th Avenue NE
🗓️ Dates: November 21, 2025 – January 19, 2026

Bundle up, grab some hot cocoa, and join us for this frosty, festive community event—all while giving back to Medina!

11/2/2025 1:41 pm

Dear friend of Bellevue LifeSpring,

With federal SNAP (food stamp) benefits being paused, thousands of Bellevue children are now at risk of experiencing hunger. More than 25% of students in Bellevue, 4,750 in total, qualify for SNAP benefits.

Our purpose has never been clearer than it is today: to ensure that no child in Bellevue experiences hunger.

This is more than a personal request; it is an urgent plea to rally our community and answer this immediate, emergency need.

How can you help?

Give $40 today: $40 provides a grocery store food voucher to feed a child for a week, offering families the dignity to choose food that best meets their nutritional needs and cultural preferences. It isn't simply a donation, it's a lifeline.
Set up a recurring gift: A $40 monthly donation sustains nutritional support for a child throughout the year.
Spread the word: Forward this urgent message. Please share with your friends and family why it's crucial to join this community effort.
Contribute Food: Drive change by donating to our friends at Renewal Food Bank, Hopelink Bellevue Market and Service Center, or Jubilee Reach.

Every dollar you invest using this link will help provide nutrition support for children right here in Bellevue.

Thank you for your compassion and for standing with us. Together, we can ensure no child in our Bellevue community experiences hunger today and tomorrow.

With gratitude and fierce determination,

Jennifer Fischer

Executive Director

9/14/2025 11:34 am

Do you enjoy keeping things tidy and organized? Can you alphabetize names in English, numerically sort and order books with call numbers that extend into multiple decimal places, and be detail oriented? Would you like to help shelve books and help kids at the library this year?

If you answered YES, then please sign up for Library Training where our two librarians, Ms. Mitchell and Ms. McClelland, will go over how the library is organized and where different books are shelved. Library volunteers from previous years, please also plan on attending for an information refresh.

We are looking for eager volunteers who can come to the library at least once a month, if not more frequently, and we are especially looking for help with the younger grades, Kindergarten in particular.

Please sign up here for the library training session on Sept 17th: Library Training Sign up

When: Wednesday, Sept 17th 8:00-9:00AM

Where: Medina Elementary Library

Please contact Stephanie Hsu, the Medina Library Volunteer Coordinator, at library@medinapta.org with any questions.

Thank you for your interest!

5/7/2025 4:08 pm

5th Grade families are invited to Chinook's I-Connect "8th Graders Tell All" event on June 5th at 6:15pm. Our 8th graders will answer questions about the ins and outs of Chinook.

RSVP here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CAFA829A1F85-56658063-iconnect