A Message from Superintendent Greg Baker

Dear students, staff, families and community,

I have spent much of today assessing conditions and trying to predict whether (and the weather!) the rain will come in time to clear our roads and sidewalks for school tomorrow.

As of right now, it’s still a major mess throughout our district, city and county.

I have made the decision to close schools tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 19. 

The forecast is calling for rain and warmer temperatures, but it’s hard to imagine it coming fast enough. When the rain does arrive, it’s likely we will see a rain/snow mix and icy conditions. Even if most of our district is ok, many of our staff live elsewhere, where conditions are often worse.

I want to acknowledge again the importance of having our schools open; I hope knowing our status the day before helps reduce any inconvenience. Please watch for updates about make-up days to our calendar.

Speaking of calendar, a reminder that Monday, Jan. 22 is a planned no school day to commemorate Treaty Day. If you are not familiar with this day of recognition, you can read our Promise story, which explains that it marks the anniversary of the signing of the Treat of Point Elliot in 1855. The treaty enacted a government-to-government relationship between the United States government and many Coast Salish and Indigenous nations, including the Lummi Nation and the Nooksack Tribe, in the Pacific Northwest.

Please continue to be safe and warm.

Thank you.

Greg Baker

Reply to greg.baker@bellinghamschools.org