Superintendent’s Blog: From Nursery Rhymes to National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists

Dear BSD Community, 

Congratulations to all our families who recently dropped off their kids for the first time in preschool and kindergarten! I have to say, there were a lot of tears – but mostly from parents.... Now that we’re a few weeks in, our youngest students are having a blast playing at recess, they’ve figured out the lunch number routine at lunchtime (sort of), and they’re all making friends. Hopefully the parents that I met on the first day, even the crying ones, are enjoying some newfound freedom. Your children are in good hands! (And, true confession, when I dropped off my daughter at college for the first time in August…I cried just like I did when I dropped her off on the first day of kindergarten at Sherwood Forest.) 

Today, our preschoolers and kindergartners are learning lunch numbers and nursery rhymes. In no time, with the education they’re going to get over the next 12 years, who knows, they may end up as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, just like the 65 BSD seniors did this year! We are so proud to announce that Bellevue once again had the highest number of National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists of any district in the state. Although Bellevue School District represents only 2% of the state’s students in public education, 20% of the state’s 350 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists were from the Bellevue School District. That is an incredible accomplishment and reflection of the hard work and determination of our students as well as the support and encouragement of families and staff. 

That hard work, determination, support, and encouragement also translates into our comprehensive and choice high schools being identified by US News and World Report as among the best high schools not just in Washington state but also in the nation. At our most recent board meeting, we presented the official recognition (with plaques and banners to hang proudly in the school) to Bellevue Big Picture, Bellevue, Interlake, International, Newport, and Sammamish.  

What a great start to the year! I’m grateful for the recognitions that reflect what’s possible in public education.  

Thank you to our families for entrusting us with your amazing children. There’s so much to celebrate, and even more to look forward to. 

Sincerely, 

Dr. Kelly Aramaki 
Superintendent, Bellevue School District