Bellingham schools and district offices have phone and email service again, as of 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 20.

The systems were damaged during a power outage Thursday, Nov. 19.

Bellingham School District offices and schools were still without phone or voicemail service Thursday evening, Nov. 19. Crews were working to restore email service around 5:30 p.m.

Schools have 911 and emergency phone service.

The outage is due to hardware damage from a power outage.

Whatcom Middle School student Roy Evans and his friends raised $1,880 last Saturday, Nov. 14 through a bake sale benefiting the WMS teachers.

That amount also includes a donation from Apple Yarns, the store his mom owns. Ten percent of all sales last Saturday went to the bake sale fund.

Way to go! There are still several fundraising opportunities out there to benefit the Whatcom Middle School teachers and students. Click here to see a list.

It’s parent-teacher conference time! Many, but not all, school districts will be starting parent-teacher conferences for elementary and middle school students next week.

Thanksgiving vacation for all school districts will be Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26 and 27.

Below is a look at conference dismissal times and dates.

• Bellingham: Wednesday, Nov. 18 through Wednesday, Nov. 25, elementary and middle school. Middle school dismissal 11:30 a.m. and elementary dismissal 12:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20 and Wednesday, Nov. 25 are early release days for all grades, including high school, which will have a 10:30 a.m. dismissal.

• Blaine: Thursday, Nov. 19 through Wednesday, Nov. 25, primary, elementary and middle school. Blaine Primary, Elementary and Middle schools will dismiss at 12:50 p.m. Blaine High School will dismiss at 12:50 p.m. as well on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

• Ferndale:  Thursday, Nov. 19 through Wednesday, Nov. 25, elementary only. All elementary schools, except Beach, will be dismissed at 1 p.m. Beach Elementary dismissal 11:50 a.m.

• Lynden: Conferences for grades K-8 are scheduled for December 7 - 11. Wednesday, Nov. 25 is an early release day for elementary and middle schools, with dismissal between noon and 1 p.m.

• Meridian: Thursday, Nov. 19 through Tuesday, Nov. 24, primary, elementary and middle school. Ten Mile Elementary and Irene Reither Primary schools will dismiss at 1:15 p.m. and Meridian Middle School will dismiss at noon. Thursday, Nov. 25 is an early release day for all grades.

• Mount Baker: Parent-teacher conferences are happening now for students in grades K-6. Conferences end Wednesday, Nov. 18.

• NV: Thursday, Nov. 19- Wednesday, Nov. 25, elementary only. All elementary schools will dismiss at 12:50 p.m.

The Ferndale School District is seeking community members interested in serving on the district’s Budget Advisory Committee.

One of the Ferndale School Board’s goals this year is to establish an ongoing committee composed of a diverse group of district stakeholders. The committee will help district officials and the school board develop budget planning parameters and standards, review the draft budget and make recommendations for changes and discuss the budget with community members.

The school board and district officials will still have the responsibility for creating and approving budgets.

For more information, contact the Superintendent’s Office at 383-9207 or email tbengen@mail.fsd.k12.wa.us. To apply, click here. Applications are due by Friday, Dec. 4.

All stories, photos, videos and memories about Whatcom Middle School are now in one location on the Bellingham Herald Web site.

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/whatcomfire/

As stories are written about the aftermath and future plans, they will be posted to that section.

Since the Nov. 5 fire that severely damaged Whatcom Middle School, community members and organizations have been asking how they can help. Now there are several ways to donate your money or time to help students and staff at the school

The biggest needs right now revolve around replacing school supplies for low-income students, athletic equipment, musical instruments, playground equipment and teacher classroom supplies.

• People interested in donating money can choose one of these two options:

Whatcom Middle School PTSA: Checks can be made out to “WMSPTSA” and sent to 3014 Vallette St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

Whatcom Community Foundation: The foundation is working with the Bellingham Public Schools Foundation to create a Whatcom Middle School fund. Donations, which are tax deductible, can be made by sending checks to 133 Grand Ave., Suite A, Bellingham, WA 98225 or by using a credit or debit card online at www.whatcomcf.org.

• The Whatcom PTSA is collecting names of people who are willing to volunteer as needed in a variety of ways. If you’re interested, e-mail wmsvolunteers@comcast.net.

• GlobalMojo, a charitably focused Web browser, has created a special Whatcom Middle School-themed Internet browser that people can download and use to help generate revenue for the school. Through the end of 2009, when someone uses the Web browser to search, shop or plan travel, GlobalMojo will donate all revenue generated to the school. Click here to download the browser.

• All Bellingham middle school students are invited to a Citywide Middle School Social at the Bellingham Sportsplex on Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sportsplex has donated the facility for students to ice skate or play soccer. The Whatcom PTSA is asking for a suggested donation of $5. Pizza and soda can be purchased separately. Community members also can drop off cash donations or student and teacher school supplies. All money and items gathered will go directly to teachers to re-create their classrooms.

• Donate to a school supply drive by emailing fourhildreths@earthlink.net for more information.

• Donate books through Scholastic Online by going to www.scholastic.com/parentordering. Sign in with the username “Books4WMS” and password “booksforteachers.”

• Bellingham Barnes & Noble has started a book drive. People can purchase a book from a list of teacher-submitted requests or select books on their own to donate.

• Launching Success Learning Store has started a “Wish List” for teachers that people can purchase items from. The store is located at 133 Prince St. in Bellingham.

Since Whatcom Middle School students are out of school until Thursday, local organizations are offering activities to keep them occupied.

Today, Monday, Nov. 9

Bellingham Boys & Girls Club is opening its doors for all Whatcom Middle School students. Free lunch and activities will be provided.

Allied Arts is offering free workshops at the following locations.

• RE Store Meeting Rooms, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for mask making and drawing.

• Pace Atelier Art Studio (3815 Bakerview Spur Road), 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for working with clay, collages, drawing, painting and more.

• Upfront Theatre, 11 a.m. to noon or 1 to 2 p.m.

Whatcom Family YMCA is offering free swimming from 2 to 3:15 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 10

Bellingham Boys & Girls Club is opening its doors at 11 a.m. for all Whatcom Middle School students. Free lunch and activities will be provided.

Allied Arts will offer the following workshops

• American Museum of Radio and Electricity, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for mixed media collages.

• RE Store, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for recycled art sculptures

• Pace Atelier Art Studio, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for working with clay, collages, drawing, painting and more.

Whatcom Family YMCA is offering free swimming from 11 a.m. to noon and 2 to 3:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 11

Whatcom Family YMCA is offering free swimming from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 3:15 p.m.

Please let me know of any other activities going on for Whatcom students.

Whatcom Middle School students and staff will be relocating to Bellingham High, Fairhaven Middle and Geneva Elementary schools.

The change starts Thursday, Nov. 12. The relocation is due to a fire that roared through the school Thursday morning, Nov. 5. The fire investigation is on hold until the structure can be stabilized enough to enter.

An information meeting for Whatcom families will be on Monday, Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m. in Bellingham High School’s auditorium. An emergency school board meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m.

Students and staff will attend school based on the following plan:

• 8th graders and their teachers will attend Bellingham High. BHS staff are shuffling rooms to allow the middle school students to have their own wing.

• 7th graders and their teachers will attend Fairhaven Middle School.

• 6th graders and their teachers will attend Geneva Elementary School, which has seen an enrollment drop of nearly 150 students since the opening of Wade King Elementary.

Information about electives, transportation, sports, insurance claims, how to help and more will be avialable at the Monday meeting.

The schools were chosen partly for the quickness with which Whatcom students and staff will be able to return to class.

For more information, check out the Bellingham School District news release here. When I return to work on Monday, I’ll start gathering more information about insurance, what the plan for the building is, why Lowell Elementary wasn’t used, what the financial impact to the district will be and what will happen to Whatcom students and staff in the long-term.

Several people have been asking about ways they can help with this morning’s devastating fire. As I get information, I will post it.

• Former Whatcom Middle School teacher Sara Strommer, has started an account for the school at Scholastic Books online. People can donate gift certificates towards getting new books for the classrooms, or can simply order books that they know middle school classes might need. Go to www.scholastic.com/parentordering and sign in using the following:

Class User Name: Books4WMS
Password: booksforteachers

• People interested in making donations can also call the Bellingham Public Schools Foundation at 671-6150. They are working to set up a Whatcom Middle School fund, according to Tanya Rowe, district spokeswoman.