A Message from Superintendent Greg Baker

Dear Bellingham Family Partnership staff and families,

We met with BFPP staff this afternoon, and I want to share an update about our facility and expectations for the remainder of the school year before the holiday weekend.

Due to several facility-related issues, we feel it is in the best interest of students, staff and families to relocate BFPP for the remainder of this school year, if not longer.

Failing boiler

As you know, our very old boiler has not been operational for weeks, and we have been getting by with space heaters and extra layers.

We have made several attempts to repair the boiler and, unfortunately, our district facilities team’s last-ditch effort to fix the boiler was unsuccessful. (The boiler is so old that parts are no longer made. We appreciate our staff and others’ creative efforts to find solutions.)

It is very expensive to replace the boiler and is getting increasingly challenging for our staff, students and families to be in our building on cold days. We are working on some temporary heating solutions at BFPP for next week and possibly longer, but they are not ideal long-term solutions. It’s important to note that the broken boiler is one of several failing systems.

What’s next? How do I share ideas and questions?  

We are working closely with your principal Dr. Kate Baehr, and both of us welcome your thoughts and feedback as we look at possible sites across our district for relocation. Please feel free to reach out to either of us.

We understand that keeping the BFPP community together is a priority, and we will do our best to honor that wish. Right now, we’re still in brainstorming/evaluation mode and welcome all ideas.

Please know that we are committed to finding a space for the BFPP that is welcoming, comfortable and safe (and warm in the winter!), both in the short and long term. We’ll continue to share information and ask for ideas throughout the process.

Again, feel free to reach out to share thoughts. I expect to share an update soon.

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you. I am feeling grateful to Kate and the entire BFPP staff and community for your strong commitment to this program, adaptability and patience as we work together to figure out next steps.

Greg Baker